2,365 research outputs found
Phase growth in bistable systems with impurities
A system of coupled chaotic bistable maps on a lattice with randomly
distributed impurities is investigated as a model for studying the phenomenon
of phase growth in nonuniform media. The statistical properties of the system
are characterized by means of the average size of spatial domains of equivalent
spin variables that define the phases. It is found that the rate at which phase
domains grow becomes smaller when impurities are present and that the average
size of the resulting domains in the inhomogeneous state of the system
decreases when the density of impurities is increased. The phase diagram
showing regions where homogeneous, heterogeneous, and chessboard patterns occur
on the space of parameters of the system is obtained. A critical boundary that
separates the regime of slow growth of domains from the regime of fast growth
in the heterogeneous region of the phase diagram is calculated. The transition
between these two growth regimes is explained in terms of the stability
properties of the local phase configurations. Our results show that the
inclusion of spatial inhomogeneities can be used as a control mechanism for the
size and growth velocity of phase domains forming in spatiotemporal systems.Comment: 7 pages, 12 figure
Phase ordering induced by defects in chaotic bistable media
The phase ordering dynamics of coupled chaotic bistable maps on lattices with
defects is investigated. The statistical properties of the system are
characterized by means of the average normalized size of spatial domains of
equivalent spin variables that define the phases. It is found that spatial
defects can induce the formation of domains in bistable spatiotemporal systems.
The minimum distance between defects acts as parameter for a transition from a
homogeneous state to a heterogeneous regime where two phases coexist The
critical exponent of this transition also exhibits a transition when the
coupling is increased, indicating the presence of a new class of domain where
both phases coexist forming a chessboard pattern.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figures, Accepted in European Physics Journa
Emergence and persistence of communities in coevolutionary networks
We investigate the emergence and persistence of communities through a
recently proposed mechanism of adaptive rewiring in coevolutionary networks. We
characterize the topological structures arising in a coevolutionary network
subject to an adaptive rewiring process and a node dynamics given by a simple
voterlike rule. We find that, for some values of the parameters describing the
adaptive rewiring process, a community structure emerges on a connected
network. We show that the emergence of communities is associated to a decrease
in the number of active links in the system, i.e. links that connect two nodes
in different states. The lifetime of the community structure state scales
exponentially with the size of the system. Additionally, we find that a small
noise in the node dynamics can sustain a diversity of states and a community
structure in time in a finite size system. Thus, large system size and/or local
noise can explain the persistence of communities and diversity in many real
systems.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, Accepted in EPL (2014
Random global coupling induces synchronization and nontrivial collective behavior in networks of chaotic maps
The phenomena of synchronization and nontrivial collective behavior are
studied in a model of coupled chaotic maps with random global coupling. The
mean field of the system is coupled to a fraction of elements randomly chosen
at any given time. It is shown that the reinjection of the mean field to a
fraction of randomly selected elements can induce synchronization and
nontrivial collective behavior in the system. The regions where these
collective states emerge on the space of parameters of the system are
calculated.Comment: 2 pages, 2 figs, accepted in The European Physical Journa
Optimization of graphene-based materials outperforming host epoxy matrices
The degree of graphite exfoliation and edge-carboxylated layers can be controlled and balanced to design lightweight materials characterized by both low electrical percolation thresholds (EPT) and improved mechanical properties. So far, this challenging task has been undoubtedly very hard to achieve. The results presented in this paper highlight the effect of exfoliation degree and the role of edge-carboxylated graphite layers to give self-assembled structures embedded in the polymeric matrix. Graphene layers inside the matrix may serve as building blocks of complex systems that could outperform the host matrix. Improvements in electrical percolation and mechanical performance have been obtained by a synergic effect due to finely balancing the degree of exfoliation and the chemistry of graphene edges which favors the interfacial interaction between polymer and carbon layers. In particular, for epoxy-based resins including two partially exfoliated graphite samples, differing essentially in the content of carboxylated groups, the percolation threshold reduces from 3 wt% down to 0.3 wt%, as the carboxylated group content increases up to 10 wt%. Edge-carboxylated nanosheets also increase the nanofiller/epoxy matrix interaction, determining a relevant reinforcement in the elastic modulus
Three years field trials to assess the effect of kaolin made particles and copper on olive-fruit fly (B.oleae Gmelin) infestations in Sicily
In most countries of Mediterranean Basin, Bactrocera oleae (Gmel), the olive fruit fly, is the key pest insect on olives. In Sicily this pest causes losses of fruits and a poor quality olive oil. Many researchers have recently carried out some field studies which were based on the use of kaolin and copper against the olive-fruit fly. In the last years these products have been effective several times in reducing olive fly infestation. Kaolin had, also, some important effect in reducing heat-stress in fruit crops and olive-trees.
The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of kaolin and copper treatment on olive infestations in Sicily and to evaluate chemical and sensory parameters of oils extracted. For this reason, within 2003-2005, the IX Servizio of Assessorato Regionale Agricoltura e Foreste, selected some olive groves where to carry out trials with kaolin and copper and to realize information and divulgation activities
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