2,862 research outputs found
Interpretation of the vibrational spectra of glassy polymers using coarse-grained simulations
The structure and vibrational density of states (VDOS) of polymer glasses are
investigated using numerical simulations based on the classical Kremer-Grest
bead-spring model. We focus on the roles of chain length and bending stiffness,
the latter being set by imposing three-body angular potentials along chain
backbones. Upon increasing the chain length and bending stiffness, structural
reorganisation leads to volumetric expansion of the material and build-up of
internal stresses. The VDOS has two dominant bands: a low frequency one
corresponding to inter- and intra-chain non-bonding interactions and a high
frequency one corresponding principally to vibrations of bonded beads that
constitute skeletal chain backbones. Upon increasing the steepness of the
angular potential, vibrational modes associated with chain bending gradually
move from the low-frequency to the high-frequency band. This redistribution of
modes is reflected in a reduction of the so-called Boson peak upon increasing
chain stiffness. Remarkably, the finer structure and the peaks of the
high-frequency band, and their variations with stiffness, can, for short
chains, be explained using an analytical solution derived for a model triatomic
molecule. For longer chains, the qualitative evolution of the VDOS with chain
stiffness is similar, although the distinct peaks observed for short chains
become increasingly smoothed-out. Our findings can be used to guide a
systematic approach to interpretation of Brillouin and Raman scattering spectra
of glassy polymers in future work, with applications in polymer processing
diagnostics.Comment: To appear in Macromolecule
Parameter-free predictions of the viscoelastic response of glassy polymers from non-affine lattice dynamics
We study the viscoelastic response of amorphous polymers using theory and
simulations. By accounting for internal stresses and considering instantaneous
normal modes (INMs) within athermal non-affine theory, we make parameter-free
predictions of the dynamic viscoelastic moduli obtained in coarse-grained
simulations of polymer glasses at non-zero temperatures. The theoretical
results show very good correspondence with rheology data collected from
molecular dynamics simulations over five orders of magnitude in frequency, with
some instabilities that accumulate in the low-frequency part on approach to the
glass transition. These results provide evidence that the mechanical glass
transition itself is continuous and thus represents a crossover rather than a
true phase transition. The relatively sharp drop of the low-frequency storage
modulus across the glass transition temperature can be explained
mechanistically within the proposed theory: the proliferation of
low-eigenfrequency vibrational excitations (boson peak and nearly-zero energy
excitations) is directly responsible for the rapid growth of a negative
non-affine contribution to the storage modulus.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figure
Monitoring urban heat island through google earth engine. Potentialities and difficulties in different cities of the United States
The aim of this work is to exploit the large-scale analysis capabilities of the innovative Google Earth Engine platform in order to investigate the temporal variations of the Urban Heat Island phenomenon as a whole. A intuitive methodology implementing a large-scale correlation analysis between the Land Surface Temperature and Land Cover alterations was thus developed. The results obtained for the Phoenix MA are promising and show how the urbanization heavily affects the magnitude of the UHI effects with significant increases in LST. The proposed methodology is therefore able to efficiently monitor the UHI phenomenon
Topology by dissipation
Topological states of fermionic matter can be induced by means of a suitably
engineered dissipative dynamics. Dissipation then does not occur as a
perturbation, but rather as the main resource for many-body dynamics, providing
a targeted cooling into a topological phase starting from an arbitrary initial
state. We explore the concept of topological order in this setting, developing
and applying a general theoretical framework based on the system density matrix
which replaces the wave function appropriate for the discussion of Hamiltonian
ground-state physics. We identify key analogies and differences to the more
conventional Hamiltonian scenario. Differences mainly arise from the fact that
the properties of the spectrum and of the state of the system are not as
tightly related as in a Hamiltonian context. We provide a symmetry-based
topological classification of bulk steady states and identify the classes that
are achievable by means of quasi-local dissipative processes driving into
superfluid paired states. We also explore the fate of the bulk-edge
correspondence in the dissipative setting, and demonstrate the emergence of
Majorana edge modes. We illustrate our findings in one- and two-dimensional
models that are experimentally realistic in the context of cold atoms.Comment: 61 pages, 8 figure
Comparative Language Learning Beliefs: Why Aptitude Matters
Language Learning Beliefs (LLB) are an important area for foreign and second language learning research that has grown considerably over the last decade, and which spans multi-disciplinary fields across education, linguistics and psychology (MartĂnez Agudo, 2014). These beliefs have become more important as they affect motivation and perhaps even language learning strategies (Zare-ee, 2010), though more research must be done in the latter area (MartĂnez Agudo, 2014). One understudied branch of LLB is that of language aptitude. Beliefs concerning language aptitude are not new, given that they appeared as a staple area of Horwitz’s seminal research for the BALLI questionnaire (Beliefs About Language Learning Inventory) (1987). However, beliefs on language aptitude need to be revisited given the multiple studies in social psychology on how beliefs affect learning when considering a given quality as innate or learned (Dweck, 2014). These studies show how believing intelligence to be fixed or incremental has a variety of consequences for learners that are fundamental for their long-term success in the classroom. Our aim in this paper is to merge these pertinent concepts to the foreign language classroom, in particular because the belief that intelligence is fixed or incremental mirrors the long-standing debate over language aptitude as innate or learned
A New Group of Two-Dimensional Non-van der Waals Materials with Ultra Low Exfoliation Energies
The exfoliation energy - quantifying the energy required to extract a
two-dimensional (2D) sheet from the surface of a bulk material - is a key
parameter determining the synthesizability of 2D compounds. Here, using ab
initio calculations, we present a new group of non-van der Waals 2D materials
derived from non-layered crystals which exhibit ultra low exfoliation energies.
In particular for sulfides, surface relaxations are essential to correctly
describe the associated energy gain needed to obtain reliable results. Taking
into account long-range dispersive interactions has only a minor effect on the
energetics and ultimately proves that the exfoliation energies are close to the
ones of traditional van der Waals bound 2D compounds. The candidates with the
lowest energies, 2D SbTlO and MnNaCl, exhibit appealing electronic,
potential topological, and magnetic features as evident from the calculated
band structures making these systems an attractive platform for fundamental and
applied nanoscience.Comment: 23 pages, 14 figure
Observations of microquasars with the MAGIC telescope
We report on the results from the observations in very high energy band (VHE,
E_gamma > 100GeV) of the black hole X-ray binary (BHXB) Cygnus X-1. The
observations were performed with the MAGIC telescope, for a total of 40 hours
during 26 nights, spanning the period between June and November 2006. We report
on the results of the searches for steady and variable gamma-ray signals,
including the first experimental evidence for an intense flare, of duration
between 1.5 and 24 hours.Comment: Contribution to the 30th ICRC, Merida Mexico, July 2007 on behalf of
the MAGIC Collaboratio
Innovative PLF Tool to Assess Growing-Finishing Pigs’ Welfare
The main goal of the AWARTECH project (Animal Welfare Adjusted Real Time Envi ronmental Conditions of Housing) was to develop an innovative precision livestock tool that will
support and reinforce the pig value chain, through the management of solutions based on monitoring, analysis and control of environmental, physiological, behaviour and animal performances parameters.
Environmental data was collected by sensors of temperature, relative humidity, air velocity and gas concentration, which are integrated in an environmental control system (Webisense) and in a platform (Nidus). Webisense controlled the ventilation system, the cooling system and the heating system.
The rectal and body surface temperatures were registered manual and automatically. In order to monitor the behaviour of the animals, video cameras were installed. An individual feeding machine equipped with a scale has been also installed. This equipment allow, through an RFID system, the individual monitoring and control of the amount of food supplied and ingested; the number and
duration of visits; and the animal’s weight. The development of the AWARTECH platform resulted from the integration of data provided by Webisense, Nidus, feeding machine and video analytics as well as physiological data. This platform allows the control the environmental conditions based on welfare indicators promoting animal welfare
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