On the dynamics of large-scale structures in electron temperature gradient turbulence

The electron temperature gradient mode has been proposed to be a source of experimentally relevant electron thermal transport, via a variety of non-linear phenomena such as the generation of streamers. The question of streamer stability and saturation is revisited, with the effects of geometry and perturbation stability highlighted. It is shown that the streamer saturation level is not determined by the balance of Kelvin–Helmholtz rate vs. linear growth rate, but by balancing the non-linear Kelvin–Helmholtz drive against damping mechanisms of the Kelvin–Helmholtz perturbation, suggesting a significantly lower streamer saturation level. In addition, random shear suppression of ETG turbulence by drift-ion temperature gradient (DITG) modes is studied, and it is found that streamers will be sensitive to shearing by short-wavelength DITG modes. An additional interaction mechanism, modulations of the electron temperature gradient induced by the DITG turbulence, is considered and shown to be quite significant. These considerations are used to motivate a discussion of the requirements for a credible theory of streamer transport.     

MgZnO avalanche photodetectors realized in Schottky structures

MgZnO‐based ultraviolet avalanche photodetectors (APDs) have been fabricated from Au/MgO/Mg_0.44Zn_0.56O/MgO/Au Schottky structures. The carrier avalanche multiplication is realized via an impact ionization process occurring in the MgO layer under relatively large electric field. The APDs exhibit an avalanche gain of 587 at 31 V bias, and the response speed of the APDs is in the order of microseconds.

     

Scaling and complex avalanche dynamics in the Abelian sandpile model

We study the two-dimensional Abelian Sandpile Model on a squarelattice of linear size L. We introduce the notion of avalanche’sfine structure and compare the behavior of avalanches and waves oftoppling. We show that according to the degree of complexity inthe fine structure of avalanches, which is a direct consequence ofthe intricate superposition of the boundaries of successive waves,avalanches fall into two different categories. We propose scalingansätz for these avalanche types and verify them numerically.We find that while the first type of avalanches (α) has a simplescaling behavior, the second complex type (β) is characterized by anavalanche-size dependent scaling exponent. In particular, we define an exponent γto characterize the conditional probability distribution functions for these typesof avalanches and show that γ _α = 0.42, while 0.7 ≤ γ _β ≤ 1.0depending on the avalanche size. This distinction provides aframework within which one can understand the lack of aconsistent scaling behavior in this model, and directly addresses thelong-standing puzzle of finite-size scaling in the Abelian sandpile model.     

Self-concentration and large-scale coherence in bacterial dynamics

Suspensions of aerobic bacteria often develop flows from the interplay of chemotaxis and buoyancy. We find in sessile drops that flows related to those in the Boycott effect of sedimentation carry bioconvective plumes down the slanted meniscus and concentrate cells at the drop edge, while in pendant drops such self-concentration occurs at the bottom. On scales much larger than a cell, concentrated regions in both geometries exhibit transient, reconstituting, high-speed jets straddled by vortex streets. A mechanism for large-scale coherence is proposed based on hydrodynamic interactions between swimming cells.     

Two scenarios for avalanche dynamics in inclined granular layers

We report experimental measurements of avalanche behavior of thin granular layers on an inclined plane for low volume flow rate. The dynamical properties of avalanches were quantitatively and qualitatively different for smooth glass beads compared to irregular granular materials such as sand. Two scenarios for granular avalanches on an incline are identified, and a theoretical explanation for these different scenarios is developed based on a depth-averaged approach that takes into account the differing rheologies of the granular materials.     

Combustion dynamics of large-scale wildfires

A fact often overlooked is that large-scale wildfires, although occurring infrequently, are responsible for the overwhelming majority of fire-related suppression costs, economic losses, and natural resources damages. Fortunately, the increasingly severe problems of large-scale wildfires worldwide have been receiving ever-growing academic attention. The high-intensity burning behaviors in wildfires stem from the significant interaction of combustion with heat transfer and atmospheric flow under complicated fuel, meteorology, and topography conditions. Therefore, mitigating measures against large-scale wildfire disasters have grown into a challenging research focus for combustion scientists. Research over the past century has resulted in incrementally enhanced insights into the mechanisms of combustion dynamics underlying the various erratic behaviors in large-scale wildfires, with theories and models of fire accelerations developed and validated. These advances are expected to improve the efficacy of large-scale wildfire predictions significantly. Nevertheless, the physical interpretation of the acceleration of large-scale wildfires is far from adequate and complete. This paper intends not to make a comprehensive review of the entire wildfire research field, but to depict an overall pattern of the essential factors that lead an initial small-scale spreading flame to a large-scale wildfire beyond control. It is outlined that the complicated transformation of fuel preheating mechanisms determines the growth of surface fire spread, while varied large-size flame fronts and unique spread modes induced in specific fire environments play an essential role in fire spread acceleration. Additionally, multiple fires burning and merging often act as crucial steps for accelerating surface fire spread, generating large-size flames, and triggering unique spread modes. These major potential factors strike the energy balance of a low-intensity wildfire and push it to a high-intensity state. Several issues regarding intensely burning behaviors in large-scale wildfires are selected for in-depth discussions, for which an overview of the progress and challenges in research is presented. It is concluded that the fundamental exploration targeted at developing application tools capable of dealing with large-scale wildfires remains at its early stages. Opportunities for innovation are abundant, yet systematic and long-term research programs are required.     

From quantum fluctuations to large-scale structures

An acceleration phase in the early universe allows microscopic quantum fluctuations inside a causal domain to expand into macroscopic ripples in the spacetime metric. These, in turn, can evolve into large-scale structures in the universe. After its generation from quantum fluctuations, a ripple in the metric spends a long period outside the causal domain where its evolution is characterized by a conserved amplitude, a fact closely related to the large-scale Friedmann-like evolution of the perturbed Friedmann universe. We show that, under the assumption of linear processes, the generation and evolution of large-scale structures can be described quite simply.     

Parabolic drift towards homogeneity in large-scale structures of galaxies

To describe the progressive transition in large-scale structures of galaxies from a seemingly fractal behavior at small scales to a homogeneous distribution at large scales, we use a new geometrical framework called entropic-skins geometry which is based on a diffusion equation of scale entropy through scale space. In the case of an equipartition of scale entropy losses in scale space, it is shown that fractal dimension (varying from 0 to 3) depends linearly on the logarithm of scale from the average size l_c of galaxies until a characteristic length scale l₀ beyond which distribution becomes homogeneous. A simple parabolic expression for correlation function can be derived: ln(1+ξ_i)=(β/2)ln²(l_o/l_i) with β=3/ln(l₀/l_c)≈0.32 and . This law has been verified using correlation functions measured on several redshift surveys.     

Vacuum structures in Hamiltonian light-front dynamics

Hamiltonian light-front dynamics of quantum fields may provide a useful approach to systematic nonperturbative approximations to quantum field theories. We investigate inequivalent Hilbert-space representations of the light-front field algebra in which the stability group of the light front is implemented by unitary transformations. The Hilbert space representation of states is generated by the operator algebra from the vacuum state. There is a large class of vacuum states besides the Fock vacuum which meet all the invariance requirements. The light-front Hamiltonian must annihilate the vacuum and have a positive spectrum. We exhibit relations of the Hamiltonian to the nontrivial vacuum structure.     

Bubbling in unbounded coflowing liquids

An investigation of the stability of low density and viscosity fluid jets and spouts in unbounded coflowing liquids is presented. A full parametrical analysis from low to high Weber and Reynolds numbers shows that the presence of any fluid of finite density and viscosity inside the hollow jet elicits a transition from an absolute to a convective instability at a finite value of the Weber number, for any value of the Reynolds number. Below that critical value of the Weber number, the absolute character of the instability leads to local breakup, and consequently to local bubbling. Experimental data support our model.     

Thermal Phase in Bubbling Geometries

We use matrix model to study thermal phase in bubbling half-BPS type IIB geometries with SO(4)×SO(4) symmetry. Near the horizon limit, we find that thermal vacua of bubbling geometries have disjoint parts, and each part is one kind of phase of the thermal system. We connect the thermal dynamics of bubbling geometries with one-dimensional fermions thermal system. Finally, we try to give a new possible way to resolve information loss puzzle.     

Visualization of the large-scale vortex structures in excited turbulent jets

The present work is a part of the more common research aimed at establishing the role of large-scale vortex structures in the mechanism of noise generation by subsonic turbulent jet. The work presents the results of photography and videography of fast non-stationary processes in a circular subsonic jet under lateral acoustic excitation by harmonical source located upstream in a stilling chamber. Jet velocity varied in the range of 40–200 m/s (M=0.12–0.6).     

Thermal Phase in Bubbling Geometries

We use matrix model to study thermal phase in bubbling half-BPS type liB geometries with SO（4） × SO（4） symmetry. Near the horizon limit, we find that thermal vacua of bubbling geometries have disjoint parts, and each part is one kind of phase of the thermal system. We connect the thermal dynamics of bubbling geometries with one-dimensional fermions thermal system. Finally, we try to give a new possible way to resolve information loss puzzle.     

Three-dimensional dynamics of collisionless magnetic reconnection in large-scale pair plasmas

Using the largest three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations to date, collisionless magnetic reconnection in large-scale electron-positron plasmas without a guide field is shown to involve complex interaction of tearing and kink modes. The reconnection onset is patchy and occurs at multiple sites which self-organize to form a single, large diffusion region. The diffusion region tends to elongate in the outflow direction and become unstable to secondary kinking and formation of "plasmoid-rope" structures with finite extent in the current direction. The secondary kink folds the reconnection current layer, while plasmoid ropes at times follow the folding of the current layer. The interplay between these secondary instabilities plays a key role in controlling the time-dependent reconnection rate in large-scale systems.     

Femtosecond laser induced periodic large-scale surface structures on metals

The periodic ripple structures on wolfram and titanium surfaces are induced experimentally by linear polarized femtosecond laser pulses at small incident angles. The structural features show a material difference in the s- and p-polarized laser irradiation. The interspace between the ripples increases significantly for p-polarized laser irradiation when it exceeds a threshold angle, and the ripples' periodicities are larger than the wavelength of the incident p-polarized femtosecond laser; however, no significant change in the period of the ripples is observed with increasing incident angle for s-polarized laser irradiation. To explain these phenomena we propose a resonant absorption mechanism, by which the experimental observations can be interpreted.     

The large-scale vortex structures in plasma-like media and the electric explosion of conductors

Formation of large-scale hydrodynamic convective patterns in plasma-like current-carrying media is considered. This process is shown to be described by the same equations, as Benard rolls, except that a temperature field must be replaced by a magnetic field. A simple low-mode model of spatial pattern formation for a case of cylindrical liquid-metal conductor with current is proposed and investigated. Nonlinear interaction of perturbations of the magnetic field and the velocity field results in an increase of effective conductor resistance even when transport coefficients are constant. In our opinion, it is this instability, that is of first importance at the initial stages of the electric explosion of conductors. In particular, it leads to conductor stratification and electric current interruption. (c) 1996 American Institute of Physics.