An experimental and statistical study of the behavior of the vibration field in two coupled lightweight wooden joist floors

The aim of this study was to evaluate the vibration level attenuation of a common wooden floor structure and to present the results together with the statistical precision of the evaluation. Linear regression was used to determine the attenuation rate in the two main directions of the floor structure. The probability for the attenuation rate to be zero was calculated. The attenuation rate was found to be high in the direction perpendicular to the beams with a probability to be zero lower than 0.001. In the direction parallel to the beams the attenuation rate was found to be close to zero.     

Role of waveguide and surface plasmon resonances in surface-enhanced Raman scattering at coldly evaporated metallic films

A film surface, modeled by a grating with rectangular grooves, is shown to give rise to both short and long ranged enhancements due to excitation of planar surface plasmon resonances, and to short ranged, more intense, enhancements due to excitation of waveguide resonances. The latter type of enhancement is shown to become more intense as the ratio of grating period to groove width increases and to be able to account for experimentally observed SERS signals at very low as well as at higher temperatures.     

Ohmic Contacts to ZnSe-Based Materials

The formation of ohmic contacts to n- and p-type ZnSe is reviewed. The mechanisms for forming reasonable low-resistance ohmic contacts to n-ZnSe are well understood. This results from the fact that the Fermi energy level of ZnSe is unpinned and metals with sufficiently large work functions can make contact to n-type material. However, the situation is reversed for p-ZnSe where a large band gap and large electron affinity make it impossible to find metals with sufficiently large work functions to create an ohmic contact. Instead, the use of HgSe to form low barrier height Schottky contacts and of ZnSe/ZnTe multiple quantum wells (MQWs) to form ohmic contacts is reviewed. Although the MQWs can be used to form ohmic contacts to p-ZnSe, they degrade at high temperatures and high current densities. This is reviewed and shown to be a serious problem for applications to laser diodes.     

Numbers,scale and symbols: the public understanding of nanotechnology

Nanotechnology will be an increasing part of the everyday lives of most people in the world. There is a general recognition that few people understand the implications of the technology, the technology itself or even the definition of the word. This lack of understanding stems from a lack of knowledge about science in general but more specifically difficulty in grasping the size scale and symbolism of nanotechnology. A potential key to informing the general public is establishing the ability to comprehend the scale of nanotechnology. Transitioning from the macro to the nanoscale seems to require an ability to comprehend scales of one-billion. Scaling is a skill not common in most individuals and tests of their ability to extrapolate size based upon scaling a common object demonstrates that most individuals cannot scale to the extent needed to make the transition to nanoscale. Symbolism is another important vehicle to providing the general public with a basis to understand the concepts of nanotechnology. With increasing age, individuals are able to draw representations of atomic scale objects, but these tend to be iconic and the different representations not easily translated. Ball and stick models are most recognized by the public, which provides an opportunity to present not only useful symbolism but also a reference point for the atomic scale.     

南海北部海域内波环境下声传播损失起伏统计特性

浅海内波会引起声传播能量随时间的起伏变化,进而影响水声设备的工作性能.本文利用2015年南海北部一次浅海声场起伏实验数据,对比分析了浅海线性内波和孤立子内波条件下的声传播损失统计特性.在孤立子内波条件下,声传播损失起伏明显加剧,可达11 dB,且分布明显展宽,相对于线性内波的环境,声传播损失起伏可增加5 dB.从简正波...     

Deflagration to detonation transition in fast flames and tracking with chemical explosive mode analysis

In the context of vapour cloud explosion, the flame acceleration process can lead to conditions promoting deflagration to detonation transition (DDT), potentially leading to increased damages in accidental scenarios. This study focuses on this phenomenon by performing simulations of detonation reinitiation for fast flames in the Chapman–Jouguet deflagration regime. It is obtained experimentally by the attenuation of an incident detonation by an array of obstacles. A primary objective of the paper is to demonstrate the ability of the numerical model to reproduce the major experimental trends, namely the variation of the reinitiation propensity for different initial pressures and blockage ratios (BRs). Chemical explosive mode analysis (CEMA) is also adapted to the context of this study, in order to identify locally the propagation regime and to provide insights on the reinitiation mechanism. An a priori validation of the CEMA methodology is first performed on relevant canonical one-dimensional configurations. Subsequently, ensembles of five realizations are computed at different initial pressures and BRs and compared to experimental data. They are shown to reproduce the major observed trends in terms of detonation reinitiation length with respect to the operating conditions, with significant variability from one realization to another. In addition, the reinitiation mechanism is also found to be consistent with experimental observations and a previous numerical study of the same configuration. The CEMA methodology adapted to this context is able to identify locally the different propagation regimes, and to track the highly reactive zones that coherently couple with transverse pressure perturbations, leading to the formation of a strongly reacting kernel which eventually triggers the detonation reinitiation.     

经典洛伦兹磁力和广义洛伦兹磁力解释电子感应加速器的本质

介绍了虚构的法拉第定律与电子感应加速器不合理,用完整洛伦兹磁力解释电子感应加速器合理有效。     

A multiple function sonar rangefinder for divers

The rangefinder described here is a self-contained instrument for hand-held operation by a diver for searching, tracking, navigation and surveying applications. It has four modes: 1 — to measure range to a passive target directly to ± 1 m; 2 — to measure range to a passive target indirectly to ± 0.1 m; 3 — to measure range to a coded transponder to either ± 1 m or ± 0.1 m; 4 — to indicate the presence of multiple targets downrange where each target occurs in a selected range interval. The pulse echo principle is employed, with pulses typically 250 μs long. The carrier frequency of 300 kHz can be altered easily if required by changing the transducer array.     

Stokes integral of economic growth: Calculus and the Solow model

Economic growth depends on capital and labor and two-dimensional calculus has been applied to economic theory. This leads to Riemann and Stokes integrals and to the first and second laws of production and growth. The mathematical structure is the same as in thermodynamics, economic properties may be related to physical terms: capital to energy, production to physical work, GDP per capita to temperature, production function to entropy. This is called econophysics. Production, trade and banking may be compared to motors, heat pumps or refrigerators. The Carnot process of the first law creates two levels in each system: cold and hot in physics; buyer and seller, investor and saver, rich and poor in economics. The efficiency rises with the income difference of rich and poor. The results of econophysics are compared to neoclassical theory.     

Gravitational critical phenomena in the realm of the galaxies and Ising magnets

In the non-relativistic and quasi-static limit, it is possible to map exactly the system of galaxies in the observable universe onto an Ising magnet. Techniques from the theory of critical phenomena as applied to magnets can then be employed to calculate rigorously the galaxy-to-galaxy correlation function, whose critical exponent is predicted to be between 1.530 to 1.862, to be compared to the empirical/observational value of 1.6 to 1.8.This essay received the fifth award from the Gravity Research Foundation, 1996—Ed.     

Fluctuation spectroscopy of granularity in superconducting structures

We suggest to use "fluctuation spectroscopy" as a method to detect granularity in a disordered metal close to a superconducting transition. We show that with lowering temperature T the resistance R(T) of a system of relatively large grains initially grows due to the fluctuation suppression of the one-electron tunneling but decreases with further lowering T due to the coherent charge transfer of the fluctuation Cooper pairs. Under certain conditions, such a maximum in R(T) turns out to be sensitive to weak magnetic fields due to a novel Maki-Thompson-type mechanism.     

Adaptive digital twins of combustion systems using sparse sensing strategies

This work proposes to implement a sparse sensing framework to build a hybrid numerical-experimental Digital Twin of a practical combustion system. The goal is to find the optimal sensor placement that minimizes the prediction error, and to predict the distribution of reacting scalars using few measurements. Three-dimensional CFD simulations with detailed chemistry were used to build the design space by varying the fuel composition (from pure methane to pure hydrogen), the equivalence ratio (from 0.7 to 1) and the air velocity. The Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) was applied to the numerical data to find a tailored basis for dimensionality reduction. Then, the QR decomposition with column pivoting was applied to the tailored basis to find the optimal sensor placement. Finally, the model was employed to predict the three-dimensional temperature distribution in the unexplored part of the design space, using the experimental samples as input. The optimal placement of the sensors provides valuable information on the key locations and features, which can then be used in the design of reactor network models, for example. Also, the results show that the hybrid Digital Twin could predict an adjusted temperature distribution which reduces the error with the experimental measurements, when compared to the original CFD temperature distribution.     

Electromagnetic modeling of multi-wavelength QWIP optical coupling structures

Quantum-well infrared photodetector (QWIP) materials can be engineered to be optically absorbing over a wide range of wavelengths. This enables multi-band focal plane arrays to be realized. However, some of this flexibility is lost due to the required optical coupling structure that converts normally incident light to horizontal propagation to allow absorption. Such coupling structures are typically strongly wavelength-dependent and must be tuned to the waveband of interest. In this study, we perform electromagnetic simulations to understand and optimize optical coupling structures for multi-band QWIPs.     

Reduction of thermo-elastic damping with a secondary elastic field

Thermo-elastic damping is the dominant mode of energy loss due to the coupling of thermal and elastic fields in a body vibrating at or near resonant frequency. While the literature contains both exact and numerical schemes to quantify it, no technique is available yet to reduce thermo-elastic damping. We address this issue by introducing a secondary elastic field to derive an exact expression that predicts linear reduction in thermo-elastic damping with respect to frequency. Contrary to the current understanding, introduction of a static axial stress in addition to the flexural stresses is shown to increase quality factor and resonant frequency simultaneously.     

Ultrasonic depolymerization of aqueous carboxymethylcellulose

Prolonged exposure of solutions of macromolecules to high-energy ultrasonic waves produces a permanent reduction in viscosity. However, the exact mechanism by which degradation occurs is still open to discussion. According to this study hydrodynamic forces played the primary role in degradation process. This study showed that there is an optimal carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) concentration to the most efficient degradation. Ultrasound degraded preferentially large CMC molecules and cleavage took place roughly at the centre of the CMC molecules. Degradation of CMC did not proceed below a certain molecular mass. During ultrasonic degradation the molecular mass distribution narrowed. For any polymer degradation process to become acceptable to industry, it is important to be able to specify the sonication conditions to produce a particular relative molecular mass distribution.     

An investigation and modelling of energy dissipation through sloshing in an egg-shaped shell

Sloshing absorbers work on a similar principle to that of tuned vibration absorbers. A sloshing absorber consists of a tank, partially filled with liquid. The absorber is attached to the structure to be controlled, and relies on the structure's motion to excite the liquid. Consequently, a sloshing wave is produced at the liquid free surface possessing energy dissipative qualities to suppress excessive vibrations of the structure.The hen's egg has evolved to dissipate vibration energy rapidly to protect its contents. An uncooked hen's egg's capability to rapidly dissipate potentially harmful energy, is due to sloshing of its contents. Hence, there may be lessons to learn from the natural design of an egg which could be employed in the engineered (artificial) design of a sloshing absorber.The primary objective of this work is to identify the physical events responsible for effective energy dissipation in an eggshell, at different fill levels. A secondary objective is to demonstrate the suitability of the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) method for numerical predictions in such an unusually shaped shell. Through numerical predictions, the possibility of modifying the egg's design to further encourage dissipation patterns is explored briefly. Simple experiments are also presented to check the validity of the numerical predictions.     

Homotopy of rational maps and the quantization of Skyrmions

The Skyrme model is a classical field theory which models the strong interaction between atomic nuclei. It has to be quantized in order to compare it to nuclear physics. When the Skyrme model is semi-classically quantized it is important to take the Finkelstein-Rubinstein constraints into account. The aim of this paper is to show how to calculate these FR constraints directly from the rational map ansatz using basic homotopy theory. We then apply this construction in order to quantize the Skyrme model in the simplest approximation, the zero mode quantization. This is carried out for up to 22 nucleons and the results are compared to experiment.     

On sound transmission into an orthotropic shell

A mathematical model is presented for the transmission of airborne noise through the walls of an orthotropic cylindrical shell. Parameters were varied to see how orthotropicity affected noise transmission. When compared to that for an isotropic shell, the cylinder transmission loss was found to be quite sensitive to the ratio of circumferential to axial modulus of elasticity. A modulus ratio greater than unity appears to enhance transmission loss in the mass-controlled region, while a ratio less than unity degrades it. Below the ring frequency, the trends appear to be reversed. The cylinder transmission loss appears to be relatively insensitive to changes in the shear modulus.     

Static and dynamic bifurcations in semiconductor lasers for device applications

The properties of semiconductor lasers are reviewed within the framework of bifurcation theory and presented as a means for constructing new devices. Static bifurcations are shown to be related to two forms of non-reciprocity. One case of non-reciprocity is found to be analogous to effects in other non-linear waveguides; the second form appears to be novel. Dynamic bifurcations are considered in relation to delay-induced instabilities with particular attention given to multiple time-delay effects. The potential for exploiting properties of systems near bifurcations is examined and shown to be of great applications potential. The role to be played by semiconductor lasers in deepening knowledge of dynamic systems is indicated.