20 research outputs found
Microscopic Dynamics of Hard Ellipsoids in their Liquid and Glassy Phase
To investigate the influence of orientational degrees of freedom onto the
dynamics of molecular systems in its supercooled and glassy regime we have
solved numerically the mode-coupling equations for hard ellipsoids of
revolution. For a wide range of volume fractions and aspect ratios
we find an orientational peak in the center of mass spectra
and about one decade
below a high frequency peak. This orientational peak is the counterpart of a
peak appearing in the quadrupolar spectra and
. The latter peak is almost insensitive on
for close to one, i.e. for weak steric hindrance, and broadens strongly
with increasing . Deep in the glass we find an additional peak between
the orientational and the high frequency peak. We have evidence that this
intermediate peak is the result of a coupling between modes with and
, due to the nondiagonality of the static correlators.Comment: 6 figures, 12 page
Dynamical precursor of nematic order in a dense fluid of hard ellipsoids of revolution
We investigate hard ellipsoids of revolution in a parameter regime where no
long range nematic order is present but already finite size domains are formed
which show orientational order. Domain formation leads to a substantial slowing
down of a collective rotational mode which separates well from the usual
microscopic frequency regime. A dynamic coupling of this particular mode into
all other modes provides a general mechanism which explains an excess peak in
spectra of molecular fluids. Using molecular dynamics simulation on up to 4096
particles and on solving the molecular mode coupling equation we investigate
dynamic properties of the peak and prove its orientational origin.Comment: RevTeX4 style, 7 figure
Structural relaxation in a system of dumbbell molecules
The interaction-site-density-fluctuation correlators, the dipole-relaxation
functions, and the mean-squared displacements of a system of symmetric
dumbbells of fused hard spheres are calculated for two representative
elongations of the molecules within the mode-coupling theory for the evolution
of glassy dynamics. For large elongations, universal relaxation laws for states
near the glass transition are valid for parameters and time intervals similar
to the ones found for the hard-sphere system. Rotation-translation coupling
leads to an enlarged crossover interval for the mean-squared displacement of
the constituent atoms between the end of the von Schweidler regime and the
beginning of the diffusion process. For small elongations, the superposition
principle for the reorientational -process is violated for parameters
and time intervals of interest for data analysis, and there is a strong
breaking of the coupling of the -relaxation scale for the diffusion
process with that for representative density fluctuations and for dipole
reorientations.Comment: 15 pages, 14 figures, Phys. Rev. E in pres
Links between the detritivore and the herbivore system: effects of earthworms and Collembola on plant growth and aphid development
Contramensal interactions between two collembolan species: effects on population development and on soil processes
Slow dynamics about the glass transition as explored by muon spin relaxation spectroscopy
3 págs.; 2 figs. ; PACS number (s): 63.50.1x, 61.43.FsThe glass transition of a molecular glass former is monitored by means of measurements of the spin relaxation rates of implanted muons. The data measured under transverse fields upon heating the material from the glass phase are consistent with the onset of ergodicity-restoring motions some 22 K above the calorimetric glass transition. The results show that the technique can be fruitfully exploited to assess the presence of criticality within the supercooled liquid at microsecond scales. ©2003 American Physical SocietyWe acknowledge support from DGICYT (Spain) Grant No. PB98-C02-01.Peer Reviewe