LOM and HOM damping study in a superconducting deflecting cavity for ALS at LBNL

Superconducting deflecting cavities can be used in synchrotron light source to generate subpicosecond X-ray pulses while the impedance of the lower order modes (LOM) and higher order modes (HOM) in the cavity should be kept below an accepted level to avoid beam instability. These modes can be damped by adding waveguide on beam pipe. Detailed simulation of Q in CST Microwave Studio is introduced and experiment results on an aluminum model cavity with damping waveguide are reported to make a comparison.     

Comparison of shear banding in BMGs due to thermal-softening and free volume creation

This paper reports a comparative study of shear banding in BMGs resulting from thermal softening and free volume creation. Firstly, the effects of thermal softening and free volume creation on shear instability are discussed. It is known that thermal softening governs thermal shear banding, hence it is essentially energy related. However, compound free volume creation is the key factor to the other instability, though void-induced softening seems to be the counterpart of thermal softening. So, the driving force for shear instability owing to free volume creation is very different from the thermally assisted one. In particular, long wave perturbations are always unstable owing to compound free volume creation. Therefore, the shear instability resulting from coupled compound free volume creation and thermal softening may start more like that due to free volume creation. Also, the compound free volume creation implies a specific and intrinsic characteristic growth time of shear instability. Finally, the mature shear band width is governed by the corresponding diffusions (thermal or void diffusion) within the band. As a rough guide, the dimensionless numbers: Thermal softening related number B, Deborah number (denoting the relation of instability growth rate owing to compound free volume and loading time) and Lewis number (denoting the competition of different diffusions) show us their relative importance of thermal softening and free volume creation in shear banding. All these results are of particular significance in understanding the mechanism of shear banding in bulk metallic glasses (BMGs). Supported by the Chinese Academy of Sciences under the project “Multi-Scale Complex System” (Grant No. KJCX-SW-L08), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 10725211 and 10721202), and the Doctorial Start-up Fund of Hunan University of Science and Technology (Grant No. E50840)     

低杂波电流驱动的密度极限分析

用低杂波的可的性条件，参量不稳定条件和功率耦合谱分析了低杂波电流驱动。由于波的可近性条件限制耦合谱中平行相速度较大的波进入等离子体中心，参量不稳定性使平行相速度较低的波与离子相互作用，随着等离子体密度的增中，这些作用越来越明显，最终导致低杂波不能在中心与电子相互作用，驱动电流消失，这就是所谓密度极限。在本文建立的模型基础上的计算结果与实验结果符合较好。     

三阶非自治微分方程的不稳定性定理

本文运用构造李雅普诺夫函数的方法，给出了一类三阶非自治微分方程零解不稳定的充分条件．     

Transport and sedimentation of solid particles in Bénard hexagonal cells

The motion of particles moving under gravity in the velocity field of a liquid in a Bénard hexagonal cell is studied experimentally and numerically for Stokes flow conditions. We then explain the settlement of particles in the centers of cells to form a regular quincunx. It is found that sedimentation also occurs preferentially along the lines connecting the centers of adjacent cells to form a triangle deposition tessellation. Finally, it is explained why particles occupy the central part of each convective cell while the peripheral part of the cell quickly becomes limpid. Numerical results are in agreement with the experimental observations of Bénard and those of the present study.     

Bubbles under stress

We present an experimental and theoretical investigation of a system composed of two soap bubbles strained between two parallel solid surfaces. The two-bubble cluster can be found in several configurations. The existence and stability of each of these states is studied as a function of the distance between the two facing surfaces. The change of this distance can induce a transition from one configuration to another; we observe that most transitions are subcritical, showing that the system is often trapped in states where the minimum of free energy is only local. The hysteretic transitions are responsible for the dissipation of elastic energy. The existence of more than one stable states for given boundaries conditions combined with the absence of thermalization means that the history of the system has to be taken into account and that there is no unique stress-strain relation. In the present system, because of its simplicity, a complete quantitative analysis of these general processes is obtained. The presented results may contribute to a better understanding of the dynamics of more complex systems such as foams or granular materials where similar processes are at work.     

3D Large scale Marangoni convection in liquid films

We study large scale surface deformations of a liquid film unstable due to the Marangoni effect caused by external heating on a smooth and solid substrate. The work is based on the thin film equation which can be derived from the basic hydrodynamic equations. To prevent rupture, a repelling disjoining pressure is included which accounts for the stabilization of a thin precursor film and so prevents the occurrence of completely dry regions. Linear stability analysis, nonlinear stationary solutions, as well as three-dimensional time dependent numerical solutions for horizontal and inclined substrates reveal a rich scenario of possible structures for several realistic fluid parameters.     

Progress in direct-drive inertial confinement fusion research at the laboratory for laser energetics

Direct-drive inertial confinement fusion (ICF) is expected to demonstrate high gain on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in the next decade and is a leading candidate for inertial fusion energy production. The demonstration of high areal densities in hydrodynamically scaled cryogenic DT or D₂ implosions with neutron yields that are a significant fraction of the “clean” 1-D predictions will validate the ignition-equivalent direct-drive target performance on the OMEGA laser at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE). This paper highlights the recent experimental and theoretical progress leading toward achieving this validation in the next few years. The NIF will initially be configured for X-ray drive and with no beams placed at the target equator to provide a symmetric irradiation of a direct-drive capsule. LLE is developing the “polar-direct-drive” (PDD) approach that repoints beams toward the target equator. Initial 2-D simulations have shown ignition. A unique “Saturn-like” plastic ring around the equator refracts the laser light incident near the equator toward the target, improving the drive uniformity. LLE is currently constructing the multibeam, 2.6-kJ/beam, petawatt laser system OMEGA EP. Integrated fast-ignition experiments, combining the OMEGA EP and OMEGA Laser Systems, will begin in FY08.