Evolutionary games with facilitators: When does selection favor cooperation?

We study the combined influence of selection and random fluctuations on the evolutionary dynamics of two-strategy (“cooperation” and “defection”) games in populations comprising cooperation facilitators. The latter are individuals that support cooperation by enhancing the reproductive potential of cooperators relative to the fitness of defectors. By computing the fixation probability of a single cooperator in finite and well-mixed populations that include a fixed number of facilitators, and by using mean field analysis, we determine when selection promotes cooperation in the important classes of prisoner’s dilemma, snowdrift and stag-hunt games. In particular, we identify the circumstances under which selection favors the replacement and invasion of defection by cooperation. Our findings, corroborated by stochastic simulations, show that the spread of cooperation can be promoted through various scenarios when the density of facilitators exceeds a critical value whose dependence on the population size and selection strength is analyzed. We also determine under which conditions cooperation is more likely to replace defection than vice versa.     

Surface tension measurement of metastable liquid Ti–Al–Nb alloys

Thermophysical properties of liquid alloys are usually difficult to measure, especially for high melting point and reactive alloys. In this work, the surface tensions of superheated and undercooled liquid Ti₅₅Al₄₅, Ti₅₀Al₄₅Nb₅ and Ti₄₅Al₄₅Nb₁₀ alloys are determined by using oscillating drop method under electromagnetic levitation state. The experimental results of Ti–Al and Ti–Al–Nb alloys display linear temperature dependence. The maximum undercoolings of 259 (0.143T _L), 268 (0.146T _L) and 275 K (0.147T _L) are respectively achieved for these three alloys. Furthermore, the viscosities of liquid Ti_55−x Al₄₅Nb _x alloys are also derived from the experimental results.     

Oscillatory motions of a prestrained compliant membrane caused by fluid–membrane interaction

Flow over a compliant membrane is a complex problem where the interaction between fluid and membrane determines the nature of the aerodynamic characteristics of the membrane wing. This investigation is concerned with the deformation and oscillatory motion of a membrane under aerodynamic loading. The approach is computational, but the analytical solution is also presented for a constant pressure loading. The computational results are compared with the experimental data available in the literature as well as with the present analytical solution. In this study, the values of Reynolds number are 38 416 and 141 500, and the angle of attack and prestrain range from 10° to 40° and from 0 to 0.074, respectively. This range of parameters makes the outcome of the investigation more relevant to applications involving the flight of micro air vehicles and the membrane wings of flying mammals such as bats. The computations indicate a mostly asymmetric deflection with the point of maximum camber located nearly at 40% of the chord length from the leading edge. The deflection is decreased with prestrain, and it is increased with Reynolds number. Moreover, the lift coefficient generally increases with the angle of attack. However, for Re=141 500, it increases first to a peak at 20–30° angle of attack, and then decreases. The drag coefficient is much higher than that of conventional airfoils. The membrane oscillates in the streamwise and vertical directions. The largest amplitude of oscillations is observed at 40° for Re=38 416. The oscillations are caused by the oscillatory nature of the flow due to fluid–membrane interaction and the formation of the leading edge and trailing edge vortices. Compared with a rigid membrane of the same camber, the compliant membrane has a smaller recirculation region which may lead to a delayed stall.     

Extended defects in CdZnTe crystals: Effects on device performance

We explored some unique defects in a batch of cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe) crystals, along with dislocations and Te-rich decorated features, revealed by chemical etching. We extensively investigated these distinctive imperfections in the crystals to identify their origin, dimensions, and distribution in the bulk material. We estimated that these features ranged from 50 to 500 μm in diameter, and their depth was about ∼300 μm. The density of these features ranged between 2×10² and 1×10³ per cm³. We elaborated a model of them and projected their effect on charge collection and spectral response. In addition, we fabricated detectors with these defective crystals and acquired fine details of charge-transport phenomena over the detectors’ volume using a high-spatial resolution (25 μm) X-ray response mapping technique. We related the results to better understand the defects and their influence on the charge-transport properties of the devices. The role of the defects was identified by correlating their signatures with the findings from our theoretical model and our experimental data.     

Off-center impact of an elastic column by a rigid mass

Based on the Timoshenko beam model the equations of motion are obtained for large deflection of off-center impact of a column by a rigid mass via Hamilton's principle. These are a set of coupled nonlinear partial differential equations. The Newmark time integration scheme and differential quadrature method are employed to convert the equations into a set of nonlinear algebraic equations for displacement components. The equations are solved numerically and the effects of weight and velocity of the rigid mass and also off-center distance on deformation of the column are studied.     

Relaxation oscillations and canard explosion in a predator–prey system of Holling and Leslie types

We give a geometric analysis of relaxation oscillations and canard cycles in a singularly perturbed predator–prey system of Holling and Leslie types. We discuss how the canard cycles are found near the Hopf bifurcation points. The transition from small Hopf-type cycles to large relaxation cycles is also discussed. Moreover, we outline one possibility for the global dynamics. Numerical simulations are also carried out to verify the theoretical results.     

Optimized transfer trajectories in the earth-moon system

Investigations of low energy transfer trajectories are important for both celestial mechanics and astronautics. Methodologies using the theories from dynamical systems are developed in recent years. This paper investigates the dynamics of the earth-moon system. Low energy transfer trajectories are solved numerically by employing a hybrid strategy： first, a genetic hide and seek method performs a search in large domain to confine the global minimum f（η） （objective function） region; then, a deterministic Nelder-Mead method is utilized to refine the minimum quickly. Some transfer trajectories of the spacecraft in the earth-moon system are successfully simulated which verify the desired efficiency and robustness of the method of this paper.     

Stochastic resonance in an asymmetric bistable system driven by coloured correlated multiplicative and additive noise

This paper investigates the stochastic resonance （SR） phenomenon in an asymmetric system with coupling between multiplicative and additive noise when the coupling between two noise terms is coloured. The approximate expression of signal-to-noise ratio has been obtained by applying the two-state theory and SR exhibits in the bistable system. Moreover, the potential asymmetry r and cross-correlation strength λ can weaken the SR phenomenon, while the cross-correlation time r can strengthen the SR phenomenon.     

Chaotic motion of the dynamical system under both additive and multiplicative noise excitations

With both additive and multiplicative noise excitations, the effect on the chaotic behaviour of the dynamical system is investigated in this paper. The random Melnikov theorem with the mean-square criterion that applies to a type of dynamical systems is analysed in order to obtain the conditions for the possible occurrence of chaos. As an example, for the Duffing system, we deduce its concrete expression for the threshold of multiplicative noise amplitude for the rising of chaos, and by combining figures, we discuss the influences of the amplitude, intensity and frequency of both bounded noises on the dynamical behaviour of the Duffing system separately. Finally, numerical simulations are illustrated to verify the theoretical analysis according to the largest Lyapunov exponent and Poincaré map.