A combined analytical and numerical analysis of the flow-acoustic coupling in a cavity-pipe system

The generation of sound by flow through a closed, cylindrical cavity (expansion chamber) accommodated with a long tailpipe is investigated analytically and numerically. The sound generation is due to self-sustained flow oscillations in the cavity. These oscillations may, in turn, generate standing (resonant) acoustic waves in the tailpipe. The main interest of the paper is in the interaction between these two sound sources. An analytical, approximate solution of the acoustic part of the problem is obtained via the method of matched asymptotic expansions. The sound-generating flow is represented by a discrete vortex method, based on axisymmetric vortex rings. It is demonstrated through numerical examples that inclusion of acoustic feedback from the tailpipe is essential for a good representation of the sound characteristics.     

Existence and stability of circular orbits in static and axisymmetric spacetimes

The existence and stability of timelike and null circular orbits (COs) in the equatorial plane of general static and axisymmetric (SAS) spacetime are investigated in this work. Using the fixed point approach, we first obtained a necessary and sufficient condition for the non-existence of timelike COs. It is then proven that there will always exist timelike COs at large \(\rho \) in an asymptotically flat SAS spacetime with a positive ADM mass and moreover, these timelike COs are stable. Some other sufficient conditions on the stability of timelike COs are also solved. We then found the necessary and sufficient condition on the existence of null COs. It is generally shown that the existence of timelike COs in SAS spacetime does not imply the existence of null COs, and vice-versa, regardless whether the spacetime is asymptotically flat or the ADM mass is positive or not. These results are then used to show the existence of timelike COs and their stability in an SAS Einstein-Yang-Mills-Dilaton spacetimes whose metric is not completely known. We also used the theorems to deduce the existence of timelike and null COs in some known SAS spacetimes.     

Evolution of planetary boundary layer under different weather conditions,and its impact on aerosol concentrations

A field experiment was conducted in Tianjin,China from September 9-30,2010,focused on the evolution of Planetary Boundary Layer（PBL） and its impact on surface air pollutants.The experiment used three remote sensing instruments,wind profile radar（WPR）,microwave radiometer（MWR） and micro-pulse lidar（MPL）,to detect the vertical profiles of winds,temperature,and aerosol backscattering coefficient and to measure the vertical profiles of surface pollutants（aerosol,CO,SO₂,NO_x）,and also collected sonic anemometers data from a 255-m meteorological tower.Based on these measurements,the evolution of the PBL was estimated.The averaged PBL height was about 1000-1300 m during noon/afternoon-time, and 200-300 m during night-time.The PBL height and the aerosol concentrations were anti-correlated during clear and haze conditions.The averaged maximum PBL heights were 1.08 and 1.70 km while the averaged aerosol concentrations were 52 and 17μg/m³ under haze and clear sky conditions,respectively. The influence of aerosols and clouds on solar radiation was observed based on sonic anemometers data collected from the 255-m meteorological tower.The heat flux was found significantly decreased by haze （heavy pollution） or cloud,which tended to depress the development of PBL,while the repressed structure of PBL further weakened the diffusion of pollutants,leading to heavy pollution.This possible positive feedback cycle（more aerosols→lower PBL height→more aerosols） would induce an acceleration process for heavy ground pollution in megacities.     

Emissions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from coking industries in China

This study set out to assess the characteristics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon（PAH） emission from coking industries,with field samplings conducted at four typical coke plants.For each selected plant,stack flue gas samples were collected during processes that included charging coal into the ovens（CC）,pushing coke（PC） and the combustion of coke-oven gas（CG）.Sixteen individual PAHs on the US EPA priority list were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry（GC/MS）.Results showed that the total PAH concentrations in the flue gas ranged from 45.776 to 414.874μg/m³,with the highest emission level for CC（359.545μg/m³）.The concentration of PAH emitted from the CC process in CP1（stamp charging） was lower than that from CP3 and CP4（top charging）.Low-molecular-weight PAHs（i.e.,two- to three-ring PAHs） were predominant contributors to the total PAH contents,and Nap,AcPy,Flu,PhA,and AnT were found to be the most abundant ones.Total BaP_eq concentrations for CC（2.248μg/m³） were higher than those for PC（1.838μg/m³） and CG（1.082μg/m³）,and DbA was an important contributor to carcinogenic risk as BaP in emissions from coking processes.Particulate PAH accounted for more than 20%of the total BaP_ec| concentrations,which were significantly higher than the corresponding contributions to the total PAH mass concentration（5%）.Both particulate and gaseous PAH should be taken into consideration when the potential toxicity risk of PAH pollution during coking processes is assessed.The mean total-PAH emission factors were 346.132 and 93.173μg/kg for CC and PC,respectively.     

Evolution of planetary boundary layer under different weather conditions,and its impact on aerosol concentrations

A field experiment was conducted in Tianjin, China from September 9–30, 2010, focused on the evolution of Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) and its impact on surface air pollutants. The experiment used three remote sensing instruments, wind profile radar (WPR), microwave radiometer (MWR) and micro-pulse lidar (MPL), to detect the vertical profiles of winds, temperature, and aerosol backscattering coefficient and to measure the vertical profiles of surface pollutants (aerosol, CO, SO₂, NO_x), and also collected sonic anemometers data from a 255-m meteorological tower. Based on these measurements, the evolution of the PBL was estimated. The averaged PBL height was about 1000–1300 m during noon/afternoon-time, and 200–300 m during night-time. The PBL height and the aerosol concentrations were anti-correlated during clear and haze conditions. The averaged maximum PBL heights were 1.08 and 1.70 km while the averaged aerosol concentrations were 52 and 17 μg/m³ under haze and clear sky conditions, respectively. The influence of aerosols and clouds on solar radiation was observed based on sonic anemometers data collected from the 255-m meteorological tower. The heat flux was found significantly decreased by haze (heavy pollution) or cloud, which tended to depress the development of PBL, while the repressed structure of PBL further weakened the diffusion of pollutants, leading to heavy pollution. This possible positive feedback cycle (more aerosols → lower PBL height → more aerosols) would induce an acceleration process for heavy ground pollution in megacities.     

Dispersion Relation of σ Meson and Pion at Finite Nuclear Density in Chiral σ Model

The propagators of pion and sigma meson at a finite nuclear density and zero temperature are studied in chiral σ model. Their dispersion relations are calculated numerically in one-loop approximation. In order to avoid the so-called tachyon pole appearing in the one-loop propagators of pion and sigma meson, we regard the mass of sigma meson m_σ as a free parameter and adjust it to fit the nuclear saturation properties. For m_σ equal to 3075 MeV, the tachyon pole does not appear at the normal nuclear density. Thus the dispersion relation can be calculated in chiral σ model in one-loop level for the first time.     

Structure and Mechanical Properties of Chitosan/Poly(Vinyl Alcohol) Blend Films

Summary: The origins of the thermal and mechanical properties of chitosan and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) with inter- and intra-hydrogen bonds were investigated systematically by using X-ray, DSC, positron annihilation and viscoelastic measurements. Based on their individual properties, the characteristics of the blend films were estimated in relation to their morphology and mechanical properties as a function of chitosan content. The characteristics of the blend films were also analyzed in terms of the deviation from a simple additive rule of chitosan and PVA content. These results suggested that the miscibility of chitosan and PVA could be ensured by entanglement of the amorphous chain segments of chitosan and PVA. Further detailed analysis revealed that the chitosan content on the film surface is higher than that of the admixture content of chitosan after elongation, although the chitosan and PVA chains were crystallized independently. The elongation could be achieved for the blend films whose PVA content was higher than 50% and the drawn blend films were transparent. Thus, it may be expected that sufficiently entangled meshes formed between chitosan and PVA amorphous chains within the film, the PVA content being higher than 50%, were maintained under the elongation process.     

Flexible host frameworks with diverse cavities in inclusion crystals of bile acids and their derivatives

We have systematically investigated structures and properties of inclusion crystals of bile acids and their derivatives. These steroidal compounds form diverse host frameworks having zero‐, one‐ and two‐dimensional cavities, causing various inclusion behaviors towards many organic compounds. The diverse host frameworks exhibit the following guest‐dependent flexibility. First, the frameworks mainly depend on the included guests in size and shape. The size‐dependence is quantitatively estimated by the parameter PCcavity, which is the volume ratio of a guest molecule to a host cavity. The resulting values of PCcavity lie in the range of 42–76%. Second, each of the host frameworks has its own range of the values. Some guests can employ two different frameworks with the boundary values, explaining formation of polymorphic crystals. Third, the host frameworks are selected by host–guest interactions through weak hydrogen bonds, such as NH/π and CH/O. The weak hydrogen bonds play an important role for various selective inclusion processes. Fourth, the host frameworks are dynamically exchangeable, resulting in intercalation and polymerization in the cavities. These static and dynamic structures of the frameworks demonstrate great potential of crystalline organic inclusion compounds as functional materials. © 2009 The Japan Chemical Journal Forum and Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Chem Rec 9: 124–135; 2009: Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ) DOI 10.1002/tcr.20171