403 research outputs found
A Non-Equilibrium Defect-Unbinding Transition: Defect Trajectories and Loop Statistics
In a Ginzburg-Landau model for parametrically driven waves a transition
between a state of ordered and one of disordered spatio-temporal defect chaos
is found. To characterize the two different chaotic states and to get insight
into the break-down of the order, the trajectories of the defects are tracked
in detail. Since the defects are always created and annihilated in pairs the
trajectories form loops in space time. The probability distribution functions
for the size of the loops and the number of defects involved in them undergo a
transition from exponential decay in the ordered regime to a power-law decay in
the disordered regime. These power laws are also found in a simple lattice
model of randomly created defect pairs that diffuse and annihilate upon
collision.Comment: 4 pages 5 figure
Comparison of first-line and second-line terlipressin versus sole norepinephrine in fulminant ovine septic shock
The Surviving Sepsis Guidelines suggest the use of vasopressin in case of catecholamine-refractory septic shock. Terlipressin (TP) as a V-1-selective AVP analogue is a potential alternative, though data regarding the first-line administration in septic shock are scarce. The present study explored and compared the effects of first-line vs. second-line infusion of TP or sole norepinephrine regarding organ function, fluid and norepinephrine requirements and survival in fulminant ovine septic shock. Peritoneal sepsis was induced in 23 ewes after laparotomy and faecal withdrawal from the caecum. After onset of shock, causal and supportive sepsis therapy (antibiotics, peritoneal lavage, fluids and open-label norepinephrine) was performed in all animals. Concurrently, animals were randomized to receive 0.9% sodium chloride (control group) or TP (2 mu g.kg(-1).h(-1), first-line group) after shock onset. In the second-line TP group, TP (2 mu g.kg(-1).h(-1)) was started once norepinephrine requirements exceeded 0.5 mu g.kg(-1).min(-1). No significant differences were found between groups regarding survival, haemodynamics as well as fluid-and catecholamine-requirements. Kidney function and electron microscopic kidney injury were comparable between groups. In the present model of fulminant ovine septic shock, first-line TP infusion had no significant effect on fluid and norepinephrine requirements or organ dysfunction as compared to second-line TP infusion or placebo
Parametrically excited surface waves in magnetic fluids: observation of domain structures
Observations of parametrically excited surface waves in a magnetic fluid are
presented. Under the influence of a magnetic field these waves have a
non--monotonic dispersion relation, which leads to a richer behavior than in
ordinary liquids. We report observation of three novel effects, namely:
i) domain structures,
ii) oscillating defects and
iii) relaxational phase oscillations.Comment: to be published in Physical Review Letter
Direct observation of twist mode in electroconvection in I52
I report on the direct observation of a uniform twist mode of the director
field in electroconvection in I52. Recent theoretical work suggests that such a
uniform twist mode of the director field is responsible for a number of
secondary bifurcations in both electroconvection and thermal convection in
nematics. I show here evidence that the proposed mechanisms are consistent with
being the source of the previously reported SO2 state of electroconvection in
I52. The same mechanisms also contribute to a tertiary Hopf bifurcation that I
observe in electroconvection in I52. There are quantitative differences between
the experiment and calculations that only include the twist mode. These
differences suggest that a complete description must include effects described
by the weak-electrolyte model of electroconvection
Stable fourfold configurations for small vacancy clusters in silicon from ab initio calculations
Using density-functional-theory calculations, we have identified new stable
configurations for tri-, tetra-, and penta-vacancies in silicon. These new
configurations consist of combinations of a ring-hexavacancy with three, two,
or one interstitial atoms, respectively, such that all atoms remain fourfold.
As a result, their formation energies are lower by 0.6, 1.0, and 0.6 eV,
respectively, than the ``part of a hexagonal ring'' configurations, believed up
to now to be the lowest-energy states
Chiral symmetry breaking in hot matter
This series of three lectures covers (a) a basic introduction to symmetry
breaking in general and chiral symmetry breaking in QCD, (b) an overview of the
present status of lattice data and the knowlegde that we have at finite
temperature from chiral perturbation theory. (c) Results obtained from the
Nambu--Jona-Lasinio model describing static mesonic properties are discussed as
well as the bulk thermodynamic quantities. Divergences that are observed in the
elastic quark-antiquark scattering cross-section, reminiscent of the phenomenon
of critical opalescence in light scattering, is also discussed. (d) Finally, we
deal with the realm of systems out of equilibrium, and examine the effects of a
medium dependent condensate in a system of interacting quarks.Comment: 62 LaTex pages, incorporating 23 figures. Lectures given at the
eleventh Chris-Engelbrecht Summer School in Theoretical Physics, 4-13
February, 1998, to be published by Springer Verla
Clustering of vacancy defects in high-purity semi-insulating SiC
Positron lifetime spectroscopy was used to study native vacancy defects in
semi-insulating silicon carbide. The material is shown to contain (i) vacancy
clusters consisting of 4--5 missing atoms and (ii) Si vacancy related
negatively charged defects. The total open volume bound to the clusters
anticorrelates with the electrical resistivity both in as-grown and annealed
material. Our results suggest that Si vacancy related complexes compensate
electrically the as-grown material, but migrate to increase the size of the
clusters during annealing, leading to loss of resistivity.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure
Particle dynamics of a cartoon dune
The spatio-temporal evolution of a downsized model for a desert dune is
observed experimentally in a narrow water flow channel. A particle tracking
method reveals that the migration speed of the model dune is one order of
magnitude smaller than that of individual grains. In particular, the erosion
rate consists of comparable contributions from creeping (low energy) and
saltating (high energy) particles. The saltation flow rate is slightly larger,
whereas the number of saltating particles is one order of magnitude lower than
that of the creeping ones. The velocity field of the saltating particles is
comparable to the velocity field of the driving fluid. It can be observed that
the spatial profile of the shear stress reaches its maximum value upstream of
the crest, while its minimum lies at the downstream foot of the dune. The
particle tracking method reveals that the deposition of entrained particles
occurs primarily in the region between these two extrema of the shear stress.
Moreover, it is demonstrated that the initial triangular heap evolves to a
steady state with constant mass, shape, velocity, and packing fraction after
one turnover time has elapsed. Within that time the mean distance between
particles initially in contact reaches a value of approximately one quarter of
the dune basis length
Investigation of the chemical vicinity of crystal defects in ion-irradiated Mg and AZ31 with coincident Doppler broadening spectroscopy
Crystal defects in magnesium and magnesium based alloys like AZ31 are of
major importance for the understanding of their macroscopic properties. We have
investigated defects and their chemical surrounding in Mg and AZ31 on an atomic
scale with Doppler broadening spectroscopy of the positron annihilation
radiation. In these Doppler spectra the chemical information and the defect
contribution have to be thoroughly separated. For this reason samples of
annealed Mg were irradiated with Mg-ions in order to create exclusively
defects. In addition Al- and Zn-ion irradiation on Mg-samples was performed in
order to create samples with defects and impurity atoms. The ion irradiated
area on the samples was investigated with laterally and depth resolved positron
Doppler broadening spectroscopy (DBS) and compared with preceding
SRIM-simulations of the vacancy distribution, which are in excellent agreement.
The investigation of the chemical vicinity of crystal defects in AZ31 was
performed with coincident Doppler broadening spectroscopy (CDBS) by comparing
Mg-ion irradiated AZ31 with Mg-ion irradiated Mg. No formation of
solute-vacancy complexes was found due to the ion irradiation, despite the high
defect mobility.Comment: Submitted to Physical Review B on March 20 20076. Revised version
submitted on September 28 2007. Accepted on October 19 200
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