Horizon effects for surface waves in wave channels and circular jumps

Surface waves in classical fluids experience a rich array of black/white hole horizon effects. The dispersion relation depends on the characteristics of the fluid (in our case, water and silicon oil) as well as on the fluid depth and the wavelength regime. In some cases, it can be tuned to obtain a relativistic regime plus high-frequency dispersive effects. We discuss two types of ongoing analogue white-hole experiments: deep water waves propagating against a counter-current in a wave channel and shallow waves on a circular hydraulic jump.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figs. To appear in: Proceedings of the Spanish Relativity Meeting (ERE2010

The Effects of Climate Variability on Phytoplankton Composition in the Equatorial Pacific Ocean using a Model and a Satellite-Derived Approach

Compared the interannual variation in diatoms, cyanobacteria, coccolithophores and chlorophytes from the NASA Ocean Biogeochemical Model with those derived from satellite data (Hirata et al. 2011) between 1998 and 2006 in the Equatorial Pacific. Using NOBM, La Ni a events were characterized by an increase in diatoms (correlation with MEI, r=-0.81, P<0.05), while cyanobacteria concentrations decreased significantly (r=0.61; P<0.05). El Nino produced the reverse pattern, with cyanobacteria populations increasing while diatoms plummeted. This represented a radical shift in the phytoplankton community in response to climate variability. However, satellite-derived phytoplankton groups were all negatively correlated with climate variability (r ranged from -0.39 for diatoms to -0.64 for coccolithophores, P<0.05). Spatially, the satellite-derived approach was closer to an independent in situ dataset for all phytoplankton groups except diatoms than NOBM. However, the different responses of phytoplankton to intense interannual events in the Equatorial Pacific raises questions about the representation of phytoplankton dynamics in models and algorithms: is a phytoplankton community shift as in the model or an across-the-board change in abundances of all phytoplankton as in the satellite-derived approach

Mode-selective quantization and multimodal effective models for spherically layered systems

We propose a geometry-specific, mode-selective quantization scheme in coupled field-emitter systems which makes it easy to include material and geometrical properties, intrinsic losses as well as the positions of an arbitrary number of quantum emitters. The method is presented through the example of a spherically symmetric, non-magnetic, arbitrarily layered system. We follow it up by a framework to project the system on simpler, effective cavity QED models. Maintaining a well-defined connection to the original quantization, we derive the emerging effective quantities from the full, mode-selective model in a mathematically consistent way. We discuss the uses and limitations of these effective models

Experimental demonstration of the supersonic-subsonic bifurcation in the circular jump: A hydrodynamic white hole

We provide an experimental demonstration that the circular hydraulic jump represents a hydrodynamic white hole or gravitational fountain (the time-reverse of a black hole) by measuring the angle of the Mach cone created by an object in the "supersonic" inner flow region. We emphasise the general character of this gravitational analogy by showing theoretically that the white hole horizon constitutes a stationary and spatial saddle-node bifurcation within dynamical-systems theory. We also demonstrate that the inner region has a "superluminal" dispersion relation, i.e., that the group velocity of the surface waves increases with frequency, and discuss some possible consequences with respect to the robustness of Hawking radiation. Finally, we point out that our experiment shows a concrete example of a possible "transplanckian distortion" of black/white holes.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures. New "transplanckian effect" described. Several clarifications, additional figures and references. Published versio

Classical aspects of Hawking radiation verified in analogue gravity experiment

There is an analogy between the propagation of fields on a curved spacetime and shallow water waves in an open channel flow. By placing a streamlined obstacle into an open channel flow we create a region of high velocity over the obstacle that can include wave horizons. Long (shallow water) waves propagating upstream towards this region are blocked and converted into short (deep water) waves. This is the analogue of the stimulated Hawking emission by a white hole (the time inverse of a black hole). The measurements of amplitudes of the converted waves demonstrate that they appear in pairs and are classically correlated; the spectra of the conversion process is described by a Boltzmann-distribution; and the Boltzmann-distribution is determined by the determined by the change in flow across the white hole horizon.Comment: 17 pages, 10 figures; draft of a chapter submitted to the proceedings of the IX'th SIGRAV graduate school: Analogue Gravity, Lake Como, Italy, May 201

Tibialis posterior transfer in central palsy of foot levators: A propos of 17 cases

Tibialis posterior transfer in central palsy of foot levators: a propos of 17cases.AimTo evaluate, in spastic patients with a lack of tibialis anterior spontaneous contraction, the efficiency of the tibialis posterior transfer and the occurrence of adverse effects on the static foot posture.Patients and methodsSeventeen patients were evaluated retrospectively, on average 69months after intervention (9–108). Mean age was 47years (26–61). Seven patients presented stroke, 4cranial trauma, 3medullar trauma, 3patients suffered respectively from cerebral palsy, cerebral tumor and cervical myelopathy. The tibialis posterior was transferred on the tibialis anterior in 9cases, on the peroneus brevis in 5cases, on the calcaneocuboid capsule once and on both tibialis anterior and calcaneocuboid capsule once. Three isolated talo-navicular arthrodesis and one triple arthrodesis were associated.ResultsWe found the need of orthosis decreased (P=0,021), 9patients no longer needed their orthosis. The walking distance was significantly increased (P=0,031) in 9patients. The average satisfaction score was 2.71/4 (0–4).On average, the maximum active dorsiflexion reached the neutral position (−20 to 20) with knee extended and 6° (−10–20) with knee flexed; the arc of movement averaged 9° (0–40) knee extended and 16,2° (0–40) knee flexed during analytic testing and 2,8° (0–10) when walking. Only half of the patients presented a tenodesis effect when walking. Dorsiflexion strength averaged 1,5 (0–5). Six patients had a normal plantar footprint, 8 a cavus foot and 2 a flatfoot, without any worsening compared to preoperative status. The Djian angle averaged 119,5° (105–138) and the hindfoot alignment angle was 7,7° valgus. There was no significant difference with the non-operated foot.DiscussionThe tibialis posterior transfer is effective in foot-drop in half of the patients, with a tenodesis effect that is not systematic in spastic patients. A flat valgus foot does not appear to be a long-term complication of this procedure

Système d’information d’outils d’écoconception - Conception et analyse

A great variety of ecodesign tools exists but the actual implementation level of such tools remains limited or not successfully integrated throughout the different company processes. This article provides a literature review of the existing tools that can be used in various company departments. From this review, 625 tools were found and characterized. A guide (or information system) has been then developed to help companies to choose ecodesign tools for three targets: production, management or communication. In order to facilitate these choices, a free computerized version of this guide, called « Eco-Tool-Seeker », has been developed