VALIS: A split-conservative scheme for the relativistic 2D Vlasov–Maxwell system

An accurate treatment of the relativistic Vlasov–Maxwell system is of fundamental importance to a broad range of plasma physics topics, including laser–plasma interaction, transport in solar and magnetospheric plasmas and magnetically confined plasmas. This paper introduces VALIS: an algorithm for the numerical solution of the Vlasov–Maxwell system in two spatial dimensions and two momentum dimensions.     

A WENO-solver for the transients of Boltzmann–Poisson system for semiconductor devices: performance and comparisons with Monte Carlo methods

In this paper we develop a deterministic high order accurate finite-difference WENO solver to the solution of the 1-D Boltzmann–Poisson system for semiconductor devices. We follow the work in Fatemi and Odeh [9] and in Majorana and Pidatella [16] to formulate the Boltzmann–Poisson system in a spherical coordinate system using the energy as one of the coordinate variables, thus reducing the computational complexity to two dimensions in phase space and dramatically simplifying the evaluations of the collision terms. The solver is accurate in time hence potentially useful for time-dependent simulations, although in this paper we only test it for steady-state devices. The high order accuracy and nonoscillatory properties of the solver allow us to use very coarse meshes to get a satisfactory resolution, thus making it feasible to develop a 2-D solver (which will be five dimensional plus time when the phase space is discretized) on today’s computers. The computational results have been compared with those by a Monte Carlo simulation and excellent agreements have been found. The advantage of the current solver over a Monte Carlo solver includes its faster speed, noise-free resolution, and easiness for arbitrary moment evaluations. This solver is thus a useful benchmark to check on the physical validity of various hydrodynamic and energy transport models. Some comparisons have been included in this paper.     

Design,manufacture and performance of narrowband ultrasonic immersion probes for multiple frequency operation in the range 3–170 MHz

This paper describes the design, construction and performance of a set of immersion probes which provided useful frequency coverage in the range 3–170 MHz by simple methods, that is harmonic excitation of commercially available lead zirconate titanate and quartz piezoelectric elements. A comparison of the two transducer materials and a comprehensive study of their output power as a function of frequency are presented.     

A spectral FC solver for the compressible Navier–Stokes equations in general domains I: Explicit time-stepping

We present a Fourier continuation (FC) algorithm for the solution of the fully nonlinear compressible Navier–Stokes equations in general spatial domains. The new scheme is based on the recently introduced accelerated FC method, which enables use of highly accurate Fourier expansions as the main building block of general-domain PDE solvers. Previous FC-based PDE solvers are restricted to linear scalar equations with constant coefficients. The FC methodology presented in this text thus constitutes a significant generalization of the previous FC schemes, as it yields general-domain FC solvers for nonlinear systems of PDEs. While not restricted to periodic boundary conditions and therefore applicable to general boundary value problems on arbitrary domains, the proposed algorithm inherits many of the highly desirable properties arising from rapidly convergent Fourier expansions, including high-order convergence, essentially spectrally accurate dispersion relations, and much milder CFL constraints than those imposed by polynomial-based spectral methods—since, for example, the spectral radius of the FC first derivative grows linearly with the number of spatial discretization points. We demonstrate the accuracy and optimal parallel efficiency of the algorithm in a variety of scientific and engineering contexts relevant to fluid-dynamics and nonlinear acoustics.     

A comparison of the Jacobian-free Newton–Krylov method and the EVP model for solving the sea ice momentum equation with a viscous-plastic formulation: A serial algorithm study

Numerical convergence properties of a recently developed Jacobian-free Newton–Krylov (JFNK) solver are compared to the ones of the widely used EVP model when solving the sea ice momentum equation with a Viscous-Plastic (VP) formulation. To do so, very accurate reference solutions are produced with an independent Picard solver with an advective time step of 10 s and a tight nonlinear convergence criterion on 10, 20, 40, and 80-km grids. Approximate solutions with the JFNK and EVP solvers are obtained for advective time steps of 10, 20 and 30 min. Because of an artificial elastic term, the EVP model permits an explicit time-stepping scheme with a relatively large subcycling time step. The elastic waves excited during the subcycling are intended to damp out and almost entirely disappear such that the approximate solution should be close to the VP solution. Results show that residual elastic waves cause the EVP approximate solution to have notable differences with the reference solution and that these differences get more important as the grid is refined. Compared to the reference solution, additional shear lines and zones of strong convergence/divergence are seen in the EVP approximate solution. The approximate solution obtained with the JFNK solver is very close to the reference solution for all spatial resolutions tested.     

De–excitation of compound nuclei with A around 56: reduction of the emission barriers for protons and alpha particles

This paper contributes to the discussion on the phenomena of the enhanced emission of low–energetic charged particles during compound nuclei decay. The decay of compound nuclei ⁵²Fe, ⁵⁶Ni, and ⁵⁹Cu was studied. Energy spectra and emission angles of evaporated charged particles were measured in coincidence with gamma rays to determine the corresponding evaporation residue nucleus. Additionally, evaporation residue distributions were determined with the Munich rf recoil spectrometer. In this way, detailed channel–specific evaporation data were obtained for theoretical analysis. We extracted evaporation barriers and compared them with corresponding fusion barriers. The main result was revealed to be a lowering of the evaporation barrier for protons and alpha particles relative to the fusion barriers. But the observed effect is not as intensive as reported in recent studies. Received: 15 June 1998 / Revised version: 5 November 1998     

A comprehensive model to predict the microwave spectrum of propyne in the region 17–70 GHz for the ground and v10 = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 vibrational states

A comprehensive model for predicting rotational frequency components in various v₁₀ vibrational levels of propyne was developed. A number of components of the rotational spectra in the ground and v₁₀ = 1, 2, 3, 4 excited vibrational states of propyne in the frequency range 17–70 GHz have been obtained. Molecular constants for these vibrationally excited states have been determined from more than 100 observed rotational transitions. From these experimentally observed components and a model based upon first principals for C_3v molecules, rotational constants have been expressed in a form which enables one to predict rotational components for vibrational levels for propyne up to v₁₀ = 5. The model also appears to be useful in predicting rotational components in more highly excited vibrational levels but data were not available for comparison with the theory. Experimentally measured frequencies are presented and compared with those calculated using the results of basic perturbation theory.     

A critical analysis and a recent improvement of the two-dimensional model for solution–precipitation creep: application to silicon nitride ceramics

The step model is one of the most widely used models of solution–precipitation creep in polycrystalline ceramics with secondary glassy phases. However, it leads to unrealistic stress exponent values when two-dimensional step nucleation takes place at the grain boundaries. We present a modification of the original model of step nucleation that avoids such unreasonable values by considering in detail the precipitation (or solution) process. The modified model agrees with reported experimental results for ceramic systems in which it has been accepted that high-temperature plasticity occurs by solution–precipitation.     

Polythiophene‐functionalized magnetic carbon nanotube-supported copper(I) complex: a novel and retrievable heterogeneous catalyst for the “Phosphine- and Palladium-Free” Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reaction

Molecular Diversity - A simple preparation of catalysts with high catalytic activity and superior cycling stability is very desirable. In this contribution, magnetic carbon nanotube functionalized...     

A new sol–gel processing routine without chelating agents for preparing highly transparent solutions and nanothin films: engineering the role of chemistry to design the process

The great sensitivity of titanium alkoxides to hydrolysis makes their sol–gel transformation very fast and thus difficult to control. A method was proposed to alleviate this drawback. Preparation of highly transparent solutions and nanothin films is another objective of the present research. Employing nanoemulsion method and optimizing the processing conditions, a clear solution of well-dispersed nanosized particles was obtained. With the proposed process BaTiO₃ precursor sols and nanothin films with enhanced optical transparency towards the visible were prepared. The optimal formulation of the sol consists of acetic acid, barium acetate, 2-propanol, TTIP and deionized water with 6:1:1:1:150 M ratios, respectively. It was found that the reduction of the temperature in the initial stage of mixing of precursors controls the size of the forming species and accordingly improves the stability and transparency of the sol. The results also showed that the applied modifications and optimizations significantly downsize the particles within the sol to the nanometric scale and accordingly result in a significant improvement in the optical response of the products.     

Unipolar model of negative corona discharge: Comparison of calculated and experimental <Emphasis Type="Italic">I–V</Emphasis> characteristics for the sphere–plane electrode system

Substantial computational resources and time are needed for computer simulation of the corona discharge with allowance for the sheath processes. This circumstance necessitates a search for and development of simplified models in which the processes in the sheath of corona discharge are reduced to the boundary condition at the surface of active electrode. A unipolar model that takes into account only one type of carriers is considered, and the boundary condition on the discharge electrode describes the rate of variations in the electron-flux density from the sheath. The calculated I–V characteristics are compared with experimental data for interelectrode distances ranging from several millimeters to several centimeters to reveal the applicability of the model. The simulated and experimental results are in good agreement at interelectrode distances of greater than 1 cm.     

A terahertz time-domain study on the estimation of opto-mechanical properties of pharmaceutical tablets using the Hashin–Shtrikman bounds for refractive index: a case study of microcrystalline cellulose and starch acetate compacts

This work highlights the use of Hashin–Shtrikman (H–S) bounds in the prediction and verification of the effective refractive index, the height and the Young’s modulus of given training sets of pharmaceutical compacts using the measured time delay of a THz pulse traversing the compacts. Set A consisted of 13 microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) compacts whereas set B was made up of 5 starch acetate (SA) compacts. MCC is a typical ingredient of many pharmaceutical tablets. In the case of the MCC compacts, tight and closely matched bounds were obtained between the experimental, the calculated upper, lower bound values for the effective refractive index, and the height values. This promising outcome has shown the high possibility of utilizing H–S bounds in the verification and prediction of the decision level of useful parameters, which can serve as a quality check for pharmaceutical tablets. For the SA compacts, although less tight bounds were observed, the experimental values for the effective refractive index and the Young’s modulus were closely matched with the upper and the lower bounds, respectively. We therefore speculate based on the above observations that the MCC tablets contain an almost evenly distributed spherically shaped air voids whereas in the SA compacts, this assumption might not necessary be true.     

Ni(NO3)2·6H2O/I2/water: A new,mild and efficient system for the selective oxidation of alcohols into aldehydes and ketones under sonic condition

A new, simple, efficient and rapid method for the oxidation of alcohols into respective aldehydes and ketones by Ni(NO₃)₂·6H₂O/I₂/water system under ultrasonic irradiation is reported. The process is mild and inexpensive; the yields are high and the reactions go to completion within 2–7 min.