Crystallization of Simple Fluids: Relative Stability of f.c.c. and b.c.c Structures

A free-energy functional for a crystal that contains both the symmetry conserved and symmetry broken parts of the direct pair correlation function is developed. The free-energy functional is used to investigate the crystallization of fluids interacting via the inverse power potential ; $u(r)=\epsilon {(\sigma/r)}^n$. In agreement with simulation results we find that for $n=12$ the freezing is into close packed f.c.c structure while for soft repulsions $(n\leq 6)$ b.c.c phase is more stable.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figure

A characterization of the central shell-focusing singularity in spherical gravitational collapse

We give a characterization of the central shell-focusing curvature singularity that can form in the spherical gravitational collapse of a bounded matter distribution obeying the dominant energy condition. This characterization is based on the limiting behaviour of the mass function in the neighbourhood of the singularity. Depending on the rate of growth of the mass as a function of the area radius R, the singularity may be either covered or naked. The singularity is naked if this growth rate is slower than R, covered if it is faster than R, and either naked or covered if the growth rate is same as R.Comment: 12 pages, Latex, significantly revised version, including change of title. Revised version to appear in Classical and Quantum Gravit

Electron-drift driven ion-acoustic mode in a dusty plasma with collisional effects

Instabilities of ion-acoustic waves in a dusty plasma with electron-drift, collisional, and dust charge fluctuations effects, have been investigated. The regimes are clearly marked out where the theory is applicable. The critical electron-drift velocity required to drive the instability is predicted. It is also shown that electron thermal conductivity and charged grains concentration enhance the growth of the ion-acoustic mode whereas ion-viscosity, ion-thermal conductivity, and dust charge fluctuations have a stabilizing effect.Comment: 7 pages, 3 PS-LaTeX figures (to be published in Physics of Plasmas