1,297 research outputs found
Profile blunting and flow blockage in a yield stress fluid: A molecular dynamics study
The flow of a simple glass forming system (a 80:20 binary Lennard-Jones
mixture) through a planar channel is studied via molecular dynamics
simulations. The flow is driven by an external body force similar to gravity.
Previous studies show that the model exhibits both a static [Varnik et al. J.
Chem. Phys. 120, 2788 (2004)] and a dynamic [F. Varnik and O. Henrich Phys.
Rev. B 73, 174209 (2006)] yield stress in the glassy phase. \blue{These
observations are corroborated by the present work, where we investigate how the
presence of a yield stress may affect the system behavior in a Poiseuille-type
flow geometry.} In particular, we observe a blunted velocity profile across the
channel: A relatively wide region in the channel center flows with a constant
velocity (zero shear rate) followed by a non linear change of the shear rate as
the walls are approached. The observed velocity gradients are compared to those
obtained from the knowledge of the shear stress across the channel and the
flow-curves (stress versus shear rate), the latter being determined in our
previous simulations of homogeneous shear flow. Furthermore, using the value of
the (dynamic) yield stress known from previous simulations, we estimate the
threshold body force for a complete arrest of the flow. Indeed, a blockage is
observed as the imposed force falls below this threshold value. Small but
finite shear rates are observed at stresses above the dynamic but below the
static yield stress. We discuss the possible role of the \blue{stick-slip like
motion} for this observation.Comment: 22 pages, 8 figure
Imagining Roman-ness: a study of the theater reliefs at Sabratha
Meticulously restored by Italian archaeologists in the 1930s, the Roman theater at Sabratha in Libya is today one of the most impressive Roman monuments in North Africa. The Sabratha theater is distinctive for its sculptured pulpitum, which is decorated with a variety of mythological, historical, and genre scenes. This paper examines the sculptural decoration of the theater within the historical and social context of the development of Sabratha, examining both the style and content of the program of decoration. The application of ‘Romanization’ in Sabratha will be examined in view of the sculptural decoration as material evidence of the presence and effects of Empire on the provincial city. The Sabratha reliefs and the theater building originally functioned in part to form the face of Sabratha as a ‘Roman’ city
Shear-induced anisotropic decay of correlations in hard-sphere colloidal glasses
Spatial correlations of microscopic fluctuations are investigated via
real-space experiments and computer simulations of colloidal glasses under
steady shear. It is shown that while the distribution of one-particle
fluctuations is always isotropic regardless of the relative importance of shear
as compared to thermal fluctuations, their spatial correlations show a marked
sensitivity to the competition between shear-induced and thermally activated
relaxation. Correlations are isotropic in the thermally dominated regime, but
develop strong anisotropy as shear dominates the dynamics of microscopic
fluctuations. We discuss the relevance of this observation for a better
understanding of flow heterogeneity in sheared amorphous solids.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure
Urban Air Mobility Network and Vehicle Type - Modeling and Assessment
This paper describes exploratory modeling of an on-demand urban air mobility (UAM) network and sizing of vehicles to operate within that network. UAM seeks to improve the movement of goods and people around a metropolitan area by utilizing the airspace for transport. Aircraft sizing and overall network performance results are presented that include comparisons of battery-electric and various hybrid-electric vehicles that are fueled with diesel, jet fuel, compressed natural gas, and liquefied natural gas (LNG). Hybrid-electric propulsion systems consisting of internal combustion engine-generators, turbine-generators, and solid oxide fuel cells are explored. Ultimately, the "performance" of the UAM network over a day for each of the different vehicle types, propulsion systems, and stored energy sources is described in four parameters: 1) the average cost per seat-kilometer, which considers the costs of the energy/fuel, vehicle acquisition, insurance, maintenance, pilot, and battery replacement costs, 2) carbon dioxide emission rates associated with vehicle operations, 3) the average passenger wait time, and 4) the average load factor, i.e., the total number of seats filled with paying passengers divided by the total number of available seats. Results indicate that the "dispatch model," which determines when and where aircraft are flown around the UAM network, is critical in determining the overall network performance. This is due to the often-conflicting desires to allow passengers to depart with minimal wait time while still maintaining a high load factor to reduce operating costs. Additionally, regardless of the dispatch model, hybrid-electric aircraft powered by internal combustion engines fueled with diesel or LNG are consistently the lowest cost per seat-kilometer. Battery-electric and future technology LNG/solid oxide fuel cell aircraft produce the lowest emissions (assuming the California grid) with LNG-fueled internal combustion engine-powered hybrids producing only slightly more carbon dioxide
Dispersive forces on bodies and atoms: a unified approach
A unified approach to the calculation of dispersive forces on ground-state
bodies and atoms is given. It is based on the ground-state Lorentz force
density acting on the charge and current densities attributed to the
polarization and magnetization in linearly, locally, and causally responding
media. The theory is applied to dielectric macro- and micro-objects, including
single atoms. Existing formulas valid for weakly polarizable matter are
generalized to allow also for strongly polarizable matter. In particular when
micro-objects can be regarded as single atoms, well-known formulas for the
Casimir-Polder force on atoms and the van der Waals interaction between atoms
are recovered. It is shown that the force acting on medium atoms--in contrast
to isolated atoms--is in general screened by the other medium atoms.Comment: 10 pages, 2 embedded figure
Di-neutron elastic transfer in the 4He(6He,6He)4He reaction
Elastic He+He data measured at 15.9, and 60.3
MeV have been analyzed within the coupled reaction channels (CRC) formalism,
with the elastic-scattering and two-neutron () transfer amplitudes
coherently included. Contributions from the direct (one-step) and sequential
(two-step) -transfers were treated explicitly based on a realistic
assumption for the -transfer form factor. The oscillatory pattern observed
in He(He,He)He angular distribution at low energies was found
to be due to an interference between the elastic scattering and -transfer
amplitudes. Our CRC analysis shows consistently that the direct -transfer
strongly dominates over the sequential transfer and thus confirms the dominance
of 2He configuration over the He one in the He wave function.
This result suggests a strong clusterization of the two valence neutrons and
allows, therefore, a reliable estimate for the \emph{di-neutron} spectroscopic
amplitude.Comment: Accepted for publication in Phys. Lett.
Measurement of the branching ratio for beta-delayed alpha decay of 16N
While the 12C(a,g)16O reaction plays a central role in nuclear astrophysics,
the cross section at energies relevant to hydrostatic helium burning is too
small to be directly measured in the laboratory. The beta-delayed alpha
spectrum of 16N can be used to constrain the extrapolation of the E1 component
of the S-factor; however, with this approach the resulting S-factor becomes
strongly correlated with the assumed beta-alpha branching ratio. We have
remeasured the beta-alpha branching ratio by implanting 16N ions in a segmented
Si detector and counting the number of beta-alpha decays relative to the number
of implantations. Our result, 1.49(5)e-5, represents a 24% increase compared to
the accepted value and implies an increase of 14% in the extrapolated S-factor
- …