Imry-Ma criterion for long-range random field Ising model: short-/long-range equivalence in a field

The Ising model in a random field and with power-law decaying ferromagnetic bonds is studied at zero temperature. Comparing the scaling of the energy contributions of the ferromagnetic domain wall flip and of the random field a la Imry-Ma we obtain a threshold value for the power $\rho$ of the long-range interaction, beyond which no critical behavior occurs. The critical threshold value is $\rho_c=3/2$, at a difference with the zero field model in which $\rho_c=2$. This prediction is confirmed by numerical computation of the ground states below, at, and above this threshold value. Some possible implications for the critical behavior of spin-glasses in a field are conjectured.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figure

Time-domain analysis of RF and microwave autonomous circuits by vector fitting-based approach

This work presents a new method for the analysis of RF and microwave autonomous circuits directly in the time-domain, which is the most effective approach at simulation level to evaluate nonlinear phenomena. For RF and microwave autonomous circuits, time-domain simulations usually experiment convergence problems or numerical inaccuracies due to the presence of distributed elements, preventing de-facto their use. The proposed solution is based on the Vector Fitting algorithm applied directly at circuit level. A case study relative to a RF hybrid oscillator is presented for practical demonstration and evaluation of performance reliability of the proposed method

Microwave Active Filter Design

A simplified method for the project and design of microwave active filters is presented here. The presented design is based on the use of an active inductor that emulates an inductor behavior by implementing a passive variable phase- and amplitude-compensating network and amplifiers, forming a gyrator-C architecture. This method can be applied with success for the design of bandpass filters with very high performances in terms of integration and application from a few hundreds of MHz to tens of GHs with filter high dynamic range and frequency tuning capability

Universality class of the mode-locked glassy random laser

By means of enhanced Monte Carlo numerical simulations parallelized on GPU's we study the critical properties of the spin-glass-like model for the mode-locked glassy random laser, a $4$-spin model with complex spins with a global spherical constraint and quenched random interactions. Using two different boundary conditions for the mode frequencies we identify the critical points and the critical indices of the random lasing phase transition using , with finite size scaling techniques. The outcome of the scaling analysis is that the mode-locked random laser is in a mean-field universality class, though different from the mean-field class of the Random Energy Model and the glassy random laser in the narrow band approximation, that is, the fully connected version of the present model. The low temperature (high pumping) phase is finally characterized by means of the overlap distribution and evidence for the onset of replica symmetry breaking in the lasing regime is provided.Comment: 15 pages, 11 figure

Water-channel study of flow and turbulence past a two-dimensional array of obstacles

A neutral boundary layer was generated in the laboratory to analyze the mean velocity field and the turbulence field within and above an array of two-dimensional obstacles simulating an urban canopy. Different geometrical configurations were considered in order to investigate the main characteristics of the flow as a function of the aspect ratio (AR) of the canopy. To this end, a summary of the two-dimensional fields of the fundamental turbulence parameters is given for AR ranging from 1 to 2. The results show that the flow field depends strongly on AR only within the canyon, while the outer flow seems to be less sensitive to this parameter. This is not true for the vertical momentum flux, which is one of the parameters most affected by AR, both within and outside the canyon. The experiments also indicate that, when (i.e. the skimming flow regime), the roughness sub-layer extends up to a height equal to 1.25 times the height of the obstacles (H), surmounted by an inertial sub-layer that extends up to 2.7 H. In contrast, for (i.e. the wake-interference regime) the inertial sub-layer is not present. This has significant implications when using similarity laws for deriving wind and turbulence profiles in canopy flows. Furthermore, two estimations of the viscous dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy of the flow are given. The first one is based on the fluctuating strain rate tensor, while the second is related to the mean strain rate tensor. It is shown that the two expressions give similar results, but the former is more complicated, suggesting that the latter might be used in numerical models with a certain degree of reliability. Finally, the data presented can also be used as a dataset for the validation of numerical models

Effective time-domain approach for the assessment of the stability characteristics and other non-linear effects of RF and microwave circuits

This study describes a systematic approach for the stability analysis of RF and microwave non-linear circuits in the time-domain and that can be useful also for the verification of other non-linearities, like intermodulation. The time-domain analysis is the most reliable approach for the evaluation of complex non-linear phenomena but, in general, the transient behaviour of non-linear circuits is difficult to verify at high frequencies, where distributed elements are common. The solution here addressed overcomes this limitation and it may be applied, without restrictions, also to monolithic microwave integrated circuits and EM-based designs. Examples of application to hybrid prototypes are provided, and the comparison between simulations and measurements illustrates the accuracy and reliability of the proposed approach

Application of Non-Destructive Techniques. The Madonna Del Latte Case Study

In the frame of a research project involving a private collection of artworks a panel painting representing the Nursing Madonna (Madonna del latte) was studied by means of scientific examination.The Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry (DCCI) of the University of Genoa carried out non-invasive exams, combining imaging techniques with analytical analyses.Infrared reflectography (IRR), infrared false colour (IRFC), UV fluorescence (UVF), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and reflectance spectroscopy in the visible range (vis-RS) were used to analyse the painting palette thus obtaining more information on a possible creation date of the painting.Some of the most interesting results are the identification of a freehand underdrawing and the usage of lead white, cinnabar, Fe-based pigments for yellows and browns and Cu-based pigments for blue and green colours.The scientific results, as well as historical researches allow the hypothesis that the Madonna del latte was authored in the early 16th century by a Florentine artist, probably a scholar of Baccio della Porta

La letalità apparente e quella reale di COVID-19

I dati sulla pandemia comunicati dalle autorità di tutti i paesi colpiti hanno finito per generare nella popolazione una notevole confusione su quale sia l’effettivo andamento della pandemia. Qui, quattro scienziati esperti nel maneggiare dati statistici e modelli offrono una chiave di lettura per chiarire la complessa relazione fra la cosiddetta letalità apparente di COVID-19 e quella real