14,725 research outputs found
Exponential Distributions in a Mechanical Model for Earthquakes
We study statistical distributions in a mechanical model for an earthquake
fault introduced by Burridge and Knopoff [R. Burridge and L. Knopoff, {\sl
Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am.} {\bf 57}, 341 (1967)]. Our investigations on the size
(moment), time duration and number of blocks involved in an event show that
exponential distributions are found in a given range of the paramenter space.
This occurs when the two kinds of springs present in the model have the same,
or approximately the same, value for the elastic constants. Exponential
distributions have also been seen recently in an experimental system to model
earthquake-like dynamics [M. A. Rubio and J. Galeano, {\sl Phys. Rev. E} {\bf
50}, 1000 (1994)].Comment: 11 pages, uuencoded (submitted to Phys. Rev. E
Stabilized jellium model and structural relaxation effects on the fragmentation energies of ionized silver clusters
Using the stabilized jellium model in two schemes of `relaxed' and `rigid',
we have calculated the dissociation energies and the fission barrier heights
for the binary fragmentations of singly-ionized and doubly-ionized Ag clusters.
In the calculations, we have assumed spherical geometries for the clusters.
Comparison of the fragmentation energies in the two schemes show differences
which are significant in some cases. This result reveals the advantages of the
relaxed SJM over the rigid SJM in dynamical processes such as fragmentation.
Comparing the relaxed SJM results and axperimental data on fragmentation
energies, it is possible to predict the sizes of the clusters just before their
fragmentations.Comment: 9 pages, 12 JPG figure
The slimming effect of advection on black-hole accretion flows
At super-Eddington rates accretion flows onto black holes have been described
as slim (aspect ratio ) or thick (H/R >1) discs, also known as
tori or (Polish) doughnuts. The relation between the two descriptions has never
been established, but it was commonly believed that at sufficiently high
accretion rates slim discs inflate, becoming thick. We wish to establish under
what conditions slim accretion flows become thick. We use analytical equations,
numerical 1+1 schemes, and numerical radiative MHD codes to describe and
compare various accretion flow models at very high accretion rates.We find that
the dominant effect of advection at high accretion rates precludes slim discs
becoming thick. At super-Eddington rates accretion flows around black holes can
always be considered slim rather than thick.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures. Astronomy & Astrophysics, in pres
Three Transducers Embedded into One Single SiC Photodetector: LSP Direct Image Sensor, Optical Amplifier and Demux Device
Fractal analysis of weld defect patterns obtained by radiographic tests
This paper presents a fractal analysis of radiographic patterns obtained from
specimens with three types of inserted welding defects: lack of fusion, lack of
penetration, and porosity. The study focused on patterns of carbon steel beads
from radiographs of the International Institute of Welding (IIW). The
radiographs were scanned using a greyscale with 256 levels, and the fractal
features of the surfaces constructed from the radiographic images were
characterized by means of Hurst, detrended-fluctuation, and minimal-cover
analyses. A Karhunen-Loeve transformation was then used to classify the curves
obtained from the fractal analyses of the various images, and a study of the
classification errors was performed. The obtained results indicate that fractal
analyses can be an effective additional tool for pattern recognition of weld
defects in radiographic tests.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures. To appear AIP Conference Proceedings - QNDE 200
Comparison of the Spherical Averaged Pseudopotential Model with the Stabilized Jellium Model
We compare Kohn-Sham results (density, cohesive energy, size and effect of
charging) of the Spherical Averaged Pseudopotential Model with the Stabilized
Jellium Model for clusters of sodium and aluminum with less than 20 atoms. We
find that the Stabilized Jellium Model, although conceptually and practically
more simple, gives better results for the cohesive energy and the elastic
stiffness. We use the Local Density Approximation as well as the Generalized
Gradient Approximation to the exchange and correlation energies.Comment: 13 pages, latex, 8 figures, compressed postscript version available
at http://www.fis.uc.pt/~vieir
Macroscopic Distinguishability Between Quantum States Defining Different Phases of Matter: Fidelity and the Uhlmann Geometric Phase
We study the fidelity approach to quantum phase transitions (QPTs) and apply
it to general thermal phase transitions (PTs). We analyze two particular cases:
the Stoner-Hubbard itinerant electron model of magnetism and the BCS theory of
superconductivity. In both cases we show that the sudden drop of the mixed
state fidelity marks the line of the phase transition. We conduct a detailed
analysis of the general case of systems given by mutually commuting
Hamiltonians, where the non-analyticity of the fidelity is directly related to
the non-analyticity of the relevant response functions (susceptibility and heat
capacity), for the case of symmetry-breaking transitions. Further, on the case
of BCS theory of superconductivity, given by mutually non-commuting
Hamiltonians, we analyze the structure of the system's eigenvectors in the
vicinity of the line of the phase transition showing that their sudden change
is quantified by the emergence of a generically non-trivial Uhlmann mixed state
geometric phase.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures. Version to be publishe
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