2,748 research outputs found
Distributional fixed point equations for island nucleation in one dimension: a retrospective approach for capture zone scaling
The distributions of inter-island gaps and captures zones for islands
nucleated on a one-dimensional substrate during submonolayer deposition are
considered using a novel retrospective view. This provides an alternative
perspective on why scaling occurs in this continuously evolving system.
Distributional fixed point equations for the gaps are derived both with and
without a mean field approximation for nearest neighbour gap size correlation.
Solutions to the equations show that correct consideration of fragmentation
bias justifies the mean field approach which can be extended to provide
closed-from equations for the capture zones. Our results compare favourably to
Monte Carlo data for both point and extended islands using a range of critical
island size . We also find satisfactory agreement with theoretical
models based on more traditional fragmentation theory approaches.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures and 1 tabl
The process of irreversible nucleation in multilayer growth. II. Exact results in one and two dimensions
We study irreversible dimer nucleation on top of terraces during epitaxial
growth in one and two dimensions, for all values of the step-edge barrier. The
problem is solved exactly by transforming it into a first passage problem for a
random walker in a higher-dimensional space. The spatial distribution of
nucleation events is shown to differ markedly from the mean-field estimate
except in the limit of very weak step-edge barriers. The nucleation rate is
computed exactly, including numerical prefactors.Comment: 22 pages, 10 figures. To appear in Phys. Rev.
Circulation, retention, and mixing of waters within the Weddell-Scotia Confluence, Southern Ocean:The role of stratified Taylor columns
The waters of the Weddell-Scotia Confluence (WSC) lie above the rugged topography of the South Scotia Ridge in the Southern Ocean. Meridional exchanges across the WSC transfer water and tracers between the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) to the north and the subpolar Weddell Gyre to the south. Here, we examine the role of topographic interactions in mediating these exchanges, and in modifying the waters transferred. A case study is presented using data from a free-drifting, intermediate-depth float, which circulated anticyclonically over Discovery Bank on the South Scotia Ridge for close to 4 years. Dimensional analysis indicates that the local conditions are conducive to the formation of Taylor columns. Contemporaneous ship-derived transient tracer data enable estimation of the rate of isopycnal mixing associated with this column, with values of O(1000 m2/s) obtained. Although necessarily coarse, this is of the same order as the rate of isopycnal mixing induced by transient mesoscale eddies within the ACC. A picture emerges of the Taylor column acting as a slow, steady blender, retaining the waters in the vicinity of the WSC for lengthy periods during which they can be subject to significant modification. A full regional float data set, bathymetric data, and a Southern Ocean state estimate are used to identify other potential sites for Taylor column formation. We find that they are likely to be sufficiently widespread to exert a significant influence on water mass modification and meridional fluxes across the southern edge of the ACC in this sector of the Southern Ocean
Continuous and correlated nucleation during nonstandard island growth at Ag/Si(111)-7x7 heteroepitaxy
We present a combined experimental and theoretical study of submonolayer
heteroepitaxial growth of Ag on Si(111)-7x7 at temperatures from 420 K to 550 K
when Ag atoms can easily diffuse on the surface and the reconstruction 7x7
remains stable. STM measurements for coverages from 0.05 ML to 0.6 ML show that
there is an excess of smallest islands (each of them fills up just one
half-unit cell - HUC) in all stages of growth. Formation of 2D wetting layer
proceeds by continuous nucleation of the smallest islands in the proximity of
larger 2D islands (extended over several HUCs) and following coalescence with
them. Such a growth scenario is verified by kinetic Monte Carlo simulation
which uses a coarse-grained model based on a limited capacity of HUC and a
mechanism which increases nucleation probability in a neighbourhood of already
saturated HUCs (correlated nucleation). The model provides a good fit for
experimental dependences of the relative number of Ag-occupied HUCs and the
preference in occupation of faulted HUCs on temperature and amount of deposited
Ag. Parameters obtained for the hopping of Ag adatoms between HUCs agree with
those reported earlier for initial stages of growth. The model provides two new
parameters - maximum number of Ag atoms inside HUC, and on HUC boundary.Comment: LaTeX2e, BibTeX, 9 pages, 7 images, accepted to Phys. Rev.
The Role of Eddies and Topography in the Export of Shelf Waters From the West Antarctic Peninsula Shelf
Oceanic heat strongly influences the glaciers and ice shelves along West Antarctica. Prior studies show that the subsurface onshore heat flux from the Southern Ocean on the shelf occurs through deep, glacially carved channels. The mechanisms enabling the export of colder shelf waters to the open ocean, however, have not been determined. Here, we use ocean glider measurements collected near the mouth of Marguerite Trough (MT), west Antarctic Peninsula, to reveal shelfâmodified cold waters on the slope over a deep (2,700 m) offshore topographic bank. The shelf hydrographic sections show subsurface cold features (Ξ \u3c=1.5 °C), and associated potential vorticity fields suggest a significant instabilityâdriven eddy field. Output from a highâresolution numerical model reveals offshore export modulated by small (6 km), coldâcored, cyclonic eddies preferentially generated along the slope and at the mouth of MT. While baroclinic and barotropic instabilities appear active in the surrounding open ocean, the former is suppressed along the steep shelf slopes, while the latter appears enhanced. Altimetry and model output reveal the mean slope flow splitting to form an offshore branch over the bank, which eventually forms a large (116 km wide) persistent lee eddy, and an onshore branch in MT. The offshore flow forms a pathway for the small coldâcored eddies to move offshore, where they contribute significantly to cooling over the bank, including the large lee eddy. These results suggest eddy fluxes, and topographically modulated flows are key mechanisms for shelf water export along this shelf, just as they are for the shoreward warm water transport
The effect of monomer evaporation on a simple model of submonolayer growth
We present a model for thin film growth by particle deposition that takes
into account the possible evaporation of the particles deposited on the
surface. Our model focuses on the formation of two-dimensional structures. We
find that the presence of evaporation can dramatically affect the growth
kinetics of the film, and can give rise to regimes characterized by different
``growth'' exponents and island size distributions. Our results are obtained by
extensive computer simulations as well as through a simple scaling approach and
the analysis of rate equations describing the system. We carefully discuss the
relationship of our model with previous studies by Venables and Stoyanov of the
same physical situation, and we show that our analysis is more general.Comment: 41 pages including figures, Revtex, to be published in Physical
Review
Island nucleation in the presence of step edge barriers: Theory and applications
We develop a theory of nucleation on top of two-dimensional islands bordered
by steps with an additional energy barrier for descending atoms.
The theory is based on the concept of the residence time of an adatom on the
island,and yields an expression for the nucleation rate which becomes exact in
the limit of strong step edge barriers. This expression differs qualitatively
and quantitatively from that obtained using the conventional rate equation
approach to nucleation [J. Tersoff et al., Phys. Rev. Lett.72, 266 (1994)]. We
argue that rate equation theory fails because nucleation is dominated by the
rare instances when two atoms are present on the island simultaneously. The
theory is applied to two distinct problems: The onset of second layer
nucleation in submonolayer growth, and the distribution of the sizes of top
terraces of multilayer mounds under conditions of strong step edge barriers.
Application to homoepitaxial growth on Pt(111) yields the estimate eV for the additional energy barrier at CO-decorated steps.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figure
The seasonal cycle of ocean-atmosphere CO2 Flux in Ryder Bay, West Antarctic Peninsula
Approximately 15 million km2 of the Southern Ocean is seasonally ice covered, yet the processes affecting carbon cycling and gas exchange in this climatically important region remain inadequately understood. Here, 3 years of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) measurements and carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes from Ryder Bay on the west Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) are presented. During spring and summer, primary production in the surface ocean promotes atmospheric CO2 uptake. In winter, higher DIC, caused by net heterotrophy and vertical mixing with Circumpolar Deep Water, results in outgassing of CO2 from the ocean. Ryder Bay is found to be a net sink of atmospheric CO2 of 0.59â0.94 mol C mâ2 yrâ1 (average of 3 years). Seasonal sea ice cover increases the net annual CO2 uptake, but its effect on gas exchange remains poorly constrained. A reduction in sea ice on the WAP shelf may reduce the strength of the oceanic CO2 sink in this region
Different Models for Regional Integration: Lessons from Total Factor Productivity in Europe
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