Development of empirical correlations to predict the secondary droplet size of impacting droplets onto heated surfaces

The present article reports an experimental analysis of the mechanisms of secondary atomization which occur at the impact of individual droplets onto heated targets. The experiments follow those reported in a previous article (Moreira et al. 2007) and encompass the use of different liquids and impact conditions. An image analysis system is combined with a phase Doppler interferometer to measure extended size distributions, which cover the full range of diameters generated at all heat transfer regimes. The results evidence that disintegration mechanisms depend on the heat transfer regimes; therefore, a universal relation cannot be devised for the outcome of droplet impact. Analysis shows that droplets impacting within the nucleate-boiling regime break-up by a thermal-induced mechanism associated with the vapour pressure at bubble nucleation sites, combined with liquid surface tension. On the other hand, within the film-boiling regime, disintegration is associated with radial disruption of the rim at the early instants after impact, as in non-heated targets, and with the rupture of the ligaments of the cellular structures. Functional relations available at the literature, mostly developed for impacts onto non-heated surfaces, are well fitted to the experimental results obtained within the film-boiling regime, since the break-up mechanisms are qualitatively similar. On the other hand, such relations cannot predict the secondary atomization occurring within the nucleate-boiling regime, as the break-up mechanisms within this regime have significantly different characteristics. In this context, the present article recognizes the relevance of the relations devised for ‘cold impacts’, to fit the size of secondary droplets within the film-boiling regime, as the correlation formulated here has a similar form: SMD/D ₀ = f(We, Re) ~ A ₁ We _N ^?0.6 Re ^?0.23 and proposes a new correlation for impacts within the nucleate-boiling regime: SMD/D ₀ = f(We, Re, Ja) ~ A ₂ We _N ^?0.14 Re ^?011 Ja ^?03. These correlations are observed to hold for impacts onto rough surfaces with dimensionless roughness R _a/D ₀ smaller than 2E-3, but not for larger roughness amplitudes, for which the data are quite scattered.     

Global Compensated Compactness Theorem for General Differential Operators of First Order

Let A ₁(x, D) and A ₂(x, D) be differential operators of the first order acting on l-vector functions ${u= (u_1, \ldots, u_l)}$ in a bounded domain ${\Omega \subset \mathbb{R}^{n}}$ with the smooth boundary ${\partial\Omega}$ . We assume that the H ¹-norm ${\|u\|_{H^{1}(\Omega)}}$ is equivalent to ${\sum_{i=1}^2\|A_iu\|_{L^2(\Omega)} + \|B_1u\|_{H^{\frac{1}{2}}(\partial\Omega)}}$ and ${\sum_{i=1}^2\|A_iu\|_{L^2(\Omega)} + \|B_2u\|_{H^{\frac{1}{2}}(\partial\Omega)}}$ , where B _i  = B _i (x, ν) is the trace operator onto ${\partial\Omega}$ associated with A _i (x, D) for i = 1, 2 which is determined by the Stokes integral formula (ν: unit outer normal to ${\partial\Omega}$ ). Furthermore, we impose on A ₁ and A ₂ a cancellation property such as ${A_1A_2^{\prime}=0}$ and ${A_2A_1^{\prime}=0}$ , where ${A^{\prime}_i}$ is the formal adjoint differential operator of A _i (i = 1, 2). Suppose that ${\{u_m\}_{m=1}^{\infty}}$ and ${\{v_m\}_{m=1}^{\infty}}$ converge to u and v weakly in ${L^2(\Omega)}$ , respectively. Assume also that ${\{A_{1}u_m\}_{m=1}^{\infty}}$ and ${\{A_{2}v_{m}\}_{m=1}^{\infty}}$ are bounded in ${L^{2}(\Omega)}$ . If either ${\{B_{1}u_m\}_{m=1}^{\infty}}$ or ${\{B_{2}v_m\}_{m=1}^{\infty}}$ is bounded in ${H^{\frac{1}{2}}(\partial\Omega)}$ , then it holds that ${\int_{\Omega}u_m\cdot v_m \,{\rm d}x \to \int_{\Omega}u\cdot v \,{\rm d}x}$ . We also discuss a corresponding result on compact Riemannian manifolds with boundary.     

The critical tube diameter in a two reaction steps detonation: the H2/NO2 mixture case

We present experimental results on the detonability of the H₂/NO₂ mixture whose detonation exhibits a single cellular structure (λ₁) for the lean mixtures and a double cellular structure (fine cells of size λ₁ inside larger cells of size λ₂) for stoichiometric and rich mixtures. Whatever the equivalence ratio ${\phi}$ , the chemical energy is released in two successive exothermic steps of heat of reaction Q ₁ and Q ₂ (Q ₁ + Q ₂ = Q, the total heat release) and characterised (for ${\phi > 1}$ ) by two chemical lengths. The detonability is evaluated on the basis of critical conditions of self-sustained detonations transmission from a cylindrical tube of i.d. d to free space. Results show that for the critical tube diameter relationship d/λ₁ = k, with respect to the equivalence ratio ${\phi}$ ranging from 0.5 to 1.3 at ambient temperature, k is higher than the classical value 13 and its variation is rather complex. Indeed, d/λ₁ increases with ${\phi}$ from 17–18 for ${\phi = 0.5}$ to 45–50 for ${\phi = 1}$ and to 90–100 for ${\phi = 1.3}$ . The highest detonability obtained for ${\phi = 0.6}$ is explained on the basis of the highest relative contribution of the first exothermic step to the total energy Q. We conclude that, as d/λ₁ drops with Q ₂ decreasing, it should tend to 13 with the vanishing second exothermic reaction.     

Study of dynamic structure and heat and mass transfer of a vertical ceramic tiles dryer using CFD simulations

In this study, we developed a two-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model to simulate dynamic structure and heat and mass transfer of a vertical ceramic tiles dryer (EVA 702). The carrier’s motion imposed the choice of a dynamic mesh based on two methods: “spring based smoothing” and “local remeshing”. The dryer airflow is considered as turbulent (Re = 1.09 × 10⁵ at the dryer inlet), therefore the Re-Normalization Group $k - \in$ model with Enhanced Wall Treatment was used as a turbulence model. The resolution of the governing equation was performed with Fluent 6.3 whose capacities do not allow the direct resolution of drying problems. Thus, a user defined scalar equation was inserted in the CFD code to model moisture content diffusion into tiles. User-defined functions were implemented to define carriers’ motion, thermo-physical properties… etc. We adopted also a “two-step” simulation method: in the first step, we follow the heat transfer coefficient evolution (H_c). In the second step, we determine the mass transfer coefficient (H_m) and the features fields of drying air and ceramic tiles. The found results in mixed convection mode (Fr = 5.39 at the dryer inlet) were used to describe dynamic and thermal fields of airflow and heat and mass transfer close to the ceramic tiles. The response of ceramic tiles to heat and mass transfer was studied based on Biot numbers. The evolutions of averages temperature and moisture content of ceramic tiles were analyzed. Lastly, comparison between experimental and numerical results showed a good agreement.     

Quasilinear and Hessian Type Equations with Exponential Reaction and Measure Data

We prove existence results concerning equations of the type \({-\Delta_pu=P(u)+\mu}\) for p > 1 and F _k [?u] = P(u) + μ with \({1 \leqq k < \frac{N}{2}}\) in a bounded domain Ω or the whole \({\mathbb{R}^N}\) , where μ is a positive Radon measure and \({P(u)\sim e^{au^\beta}}\) with a > 0 and \({\beta \geqq 1}\) . Sufficient conditions for existence are expressed in terms of the fractional maximal potential of μ. Two-sided estimates on the solutions are obtained in terms of some precise Wolff potentials of μ. Necessary conditions are obtained in terms of Orlicz capacities. We also establish existence results for a general Wolff potential equation under the form \({u={\bf W}_{\alpha, p}^R[P(u)]+f}\) in \({\mathbb{R}^N}\) , where \({0 < R \leqq \infty}\) and f is a positive integrable function.     

On the Energy Dissipation Rate of Solutions to the Compressible Isentropic Euler System

In this paper we extend and complement the results in Chiodaroli et al. (Global ill-posedness of the isentropic system of gas dynamics, 2014) on the well-posedness issue for weak solutions of the compressible isentropic Euler system in 2 space dimensions with pressure law p(ρ) = ρ ^γ , γ ≥ 1. First we show that every Riemann problem whose one-dimensional self-similar solution consists of two shocks admits also infinitely many two-dimensional admissible bounded weak solutions (not containing vacuum) generated by the method of De Lellis and Székelyhidi (Ann Math 170:1417–1436, 2009), (Arch Ration Mech Anal 195:225–260, 2010). Moreover we prove that for some of these Riemann problems and for 1 ≤ γ < 3 such solutions have a greater energy dissipation rate than the self-similar solution emanating from the same Riemann data. We therefore show that the maximal dissipation criterion proposed by Dafermos in (J Diff Equ 14:202–212, 1973) does not favour the classical self-similar solutions.     

Numerical study of convective heat transfer and fluid flow around two side by side square cylinders using k - \omega - \overline{{\upsilon^{2} }} - f turbulence model

The effect of spacing between two identical square cylinders placed side by side on the fluid flow and heat transfer is numerically investigated using $ k - \omega - \overline{{\upsilon^{2} }} - f $ turbulence model. The present study is performed at Pr = 0.7 and Re = 10,000, 21,000 for different scaled gap spacing between cylinders in the range of Gl = 0.5–6. It should be noted all geometrical lengths such as Gl are scaled with cylinders side. In order to show the accuracy of $ k - \omega - \overline{{\upsilon^{2} }} - f $ model, part of the results such as various flow patterns (flip-flop, in-phase and anti-phase) and global quantities are compared with the available numerical and experimental results and also a Large Eddy Simulation study of the present work. Based on this comparison, a close agreement is observed. The local and averaged flow and thermal quantities are also compared for two side by side square and circular cylinders and some significant similarities and differences are presented. Progressive increasing and decreasing of the distance between cylinders indicates that the hysteresis phenomenon appears for the gap spacing in the range of Gl = 1–2.5. In the hysteresis range, two different patterns are observed for each distance in the aforementioned range. Also in this range, two different values are found for different quantities such as lift and drag coefficients, Strouhal number and Nusselt number.     

An Updated Portrait of Transition to Turbulence in Laminar Pipe Flows with Periodic Time Dependence (A Correlation Study)

Transition to turbulence in axially symmetrical laminar pipe flows with periodic time dependence classified as pure oscillating and pulsatile (pulsating) ones is the concern of the paper. The current state of art on the transitional characteristics of pulsatile and oscillating pipe flows is introduced with a particular attention to the utilized terminology and methodology. Transition from laminar to turbulent regime is usually described by the presence of the disturbed flow with small amplitude perturbations followed by the growth of turbulent bursts. The visual treatment of velocity waveforms is therefore a preferred inspection method. The observation of turbulent bursts first in the decelerating phase and covering the whole cycle of oscillation are used to define the critical states of the start and end of transition, respectively. A correlation study referring to the available experimental data of the literature particularly at the start of transition are presented in terms of the governing periodic flow parameters. In this respect critical oscillating and time averaged Reynolds numbers at the start of transition; Re _os,crit and Re _ta,crit are expressed as a major function of Womersley number, $\sqrt {\omega ^\prime } $ defined as dimensionless frequency of oscillation, f. The correlation study indicates that in oscillating flows, an increase in Re _os,crit with increasing magnitudes of $\sqrt {\omega ^\prime } $ is observed in the covered range of $1<\sqrt {\omega ^\prime } <72$ . The proposed equation (Eq. 7), ${\rm{Re}}_{os,crit} ={\rm{Re}}_{os,crit} \left( {\sqrt {\omega ^\prime } } \right)$ , can be utilized to estimate the critical magnitude of $\sqrt {\omega ^\prime }$ at the start of transition with an accuracy of ±12?% in the range of $\sqrt {\omega ^\prime } <41$ . However in pulsatile flows, the influence of $\sqrt {\omega ^\prime }$ on Re _ta,crit seems to be different in the ranges of $\sqrt {\omega ^\prime } <8$ and $\sqrt {\omega ^\prime } >8$ . Furthermore there is rather insufficient experimental data in pulsatile flows considering interactive influences of $\sqrt {\omega ^\prime } $ and velocity amplitude ratio, A ₁. For the purpose, the measurements conducted at the start of transition of a laminar sinusoidal pulsatile pipe flow test case covering the range of 0.21<?A ₁?<0.95 with $\sqrt {\omega ^\prime } <8$ are evaluated. In conformity with the literature, the start of transition corresponds to the observation of first turbulent bursts in the decelerating phase of oscillation. The measured data indicate that increase in $\sqrt {\omega ^\prime } $ is associated with an increase in Re _ta,crit up to $\sqrt {\omega ^\prime } =3.85$ while a decrease in Re _ta,crit is observed with an increase in $\sqrt {\omega ^\prime } $ for $\sqrt {{\omega }'} >3.85$ . Eventually updated portrait is pointing out the need for further measurements on i) the end of transition both in oscillating and pulsatile flows with the ranges of $\sqrt {\omega ^\prime } <8$ and $\sqrt {\omega ^\prime } >8$ , and ii) the interactive influences of $\sqrt {\omega ^\prime } $ and A ₁ on Re _ta,crit in pulsatile flows with the range of $\sqrt {\omega ^\prime } >8$ .     

Regularity of Non-Newtonian Fluids

In this paper, we consider a non-Newtonian fluids with shear dependent viscosity in a bounded domain ${\Omega \subset \mathbb{R}^n, n = 2, 3}$ . For the power-law model with the viscosity as in (1.4), we show the global in time existence of a weak solution for ${q \geq \frac{11}{5}}$ when n = 3 (see Theorem 1.1), and the local in time existence of a weak solution for ${2 > q > \frac{3n}{n+2}}$ , when n = 2,3 (see Theorem 1.2).     

2D PIV measurements in the near field of grid turbulence using stitched fields from multiple cameras

We present measurements of grid turbulence using 2D particle image velocimetry taken immediately downstream from the grid at a Reynolds number of Re _M ?=?16500 where M is the rod spacing. A long field of view of 14M?×?4M in the down- and cross-stream directions was achieved by stitching multiple cameras together. Two uniform biplanar grids were selected to have the same M and pressure drop but different rod diameter D and cross-section. A large data set (10⁴ vector fields) was obtained to ensure good convergence of second-order statistics. Estimations of the dissipation rate $\varepsilon$ of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) were found to be sensitive to the number of mean-squared velocity gradient terms included and not whether the turbulence was assumed to adhere to isotropy or axisymmetry. The resolution dependency of different turbulence statistics was assessed with a procedure that does not rely on the dissipation scale η. The streamwise evolution of the TKE components and $\varepsilon$ was found to collapse across grids when the rod diameter was included in the normalisation. We argue that this should be the case between all regular grids when the other relevant dimensionless quantities are matched and the flow has become homogeneous across the stream. Two-point space correlation functions at x/M?=?1 show evidence of complex wake interactions which exhibit a strong Reynolds number dependence. However, these changes in initial conditions disappear indicating rapid cross-stream homogenisation. On the other hand, isotropy was, as expected, not found to be established by x/M?=?12 for any case studied.     

Thin Shear Layer Structures in High Reynolds Number Turbulence

Three-dimensional tomographic time dependent PIV measurements of high Reynolds number (Re) laboratory turbulence are presented which show the existence of long-lived, highly sheared thin layer eddy structures with thickness of the order of the Taylor microscale and internal fluctuations. Highly sheared layer structures are also observed in direct numerical simulations of homogeneous turbulence at higher values of Re (Ishihara et al., Annu Rev Fluid Mech 41:165–180, 2009). But in the latter simulation, where the fluctuations are more intense, the layer thickness is greater. A rapid distortion model describes the structure and spectra for the velocity fluctuations outside and within ‘significant’ layers; their spectra are similar to the Kolmogorov (C R Acad Sci URSS 30:299–303, 1941) and Obukhov (Dokl Akad Nauk SSSR 32:22–24, 1941) statistical model (KO) for the whole flow. As larger-scale eddy motions are blocked by the shear layers, they distort smaller-scale eddies leading to local zones of down-scale and up-scale transfer of energy. Thence the energy spectrum for high wave number k is $E_X (k)\sim Bk^{-2p}$ . The exponent p depends on the forms of the large eddies. The non-linear interactions between the distorted inhomogeneous eddies produce a steady local structure, which implies that 2p?=?5/3 and a flux of energy into the thin-layers balancing the intense dissipation, which is much greater than the mean $\left<\epsilon\right>$ . Thence $B\sim\left<\epsilon\right>^{2/3}$ as in KO. Within the thin layers the inward flux energises extended vortices whose thickness and spacing are comparable with the viscous microscale. Although peak values of vorticity and velocity of these vortices greatly exceed those based on the KO scaling, the form of the viscous range spectrum is consistent with their model.     

Comparative characteristics of strong shock and detonation waves in bubble media by an electrical wire explosion

Strong shock and detonation waves in inert and chemically active bubble media, which are generated by a wire explosion initiated by a capacitor with a stored energy $W_0 =12.3$ –1,600 J, is experimentally studied. The measurements are performed near the wire and far from the wire in a vertical shock tube 4.5 m long with a volume fraction of the gas in the medium $\beta _0 =1$ –4 %. It is shown that in inert bubble medium, a short intensely decaying shock wave (SW) with intense pressure oscillations is formed in the vicinity of wire explosion point; near the explosion point at $\beta _0 \le 2$  % the SW propagates with the velocity of sound in a liquid. In chemically active bubble medium, an unsteady detonation wave generated by a wire explosion is formed. The pressure amplitude and the velocity of this wave are greater and the length is smaller than those of SW in an inert bubble medium in the same range of explosion energy. It is found that in the interval of low energy explosion from ${\sim }12$ to 64 J, the formation of the bubble detonation wave occurs faster than that at high energies ( $3\times 10^{2}$ – $10^{3}$  J).     

Nondispersive solutions to the L 2-critical Half-Wave Equation

We consider the focusing L ²-critical half-wave equation in one space dimension, $$i \partial_t u = D u - |u|^2 u$$ , where D denotes the first-order fractional derivative. Standard arguments show that there is a critical threshold ${M_{*} > 0}$ such that all H ^1/2 solutions with ${\|u\|_{L^2} < M_*}$ extend globally in time, while solutions with ${\|u\|_{L^2} \geq M_*}$ may develop singularities in finite time. In this paper, we first prove the existence of a family of traveling waves with subcritical arbitrarily small mass. We then give a second example of nondispersive dynamics and show the existence of finite-time blowup solutions with minimal mass ${\|u_0\|_{L^2} = M_*}$ . More precisely, we construct a family of minimal mass blowup solutions that are parametrized by the energy E ₀ > 0 and the linear momentum ${P_0 \in \mathbb{R}}$ . In particular, our main result (and its proof) can be seen as a model scenario of minimal mass blowup for L ²-critical nonlinear PDEs with nonlocal dispersion.     

Viscous ring modes in vortices with axial jet

In this paper, we show the existence of new families of linear eigenmodes in vortices with axial jet. These modes are viscous in nature and concentrated in a ring around the vortex at the critical radial location r _c  > 0 where ${m\Omega '_c + kW'_c=0}$ where ${\Omega_c'}$ and ${W_c'}$ are the radial derivative at r _c of the angular and axial velocity of the vortex. Using a large Reynolds-number asymptotic approach for an arbitrary axisymmetrical vortex with axial flow, both the complex frequency and the spatial structure of the eigenmodes are obtained for any azimuthal and axial wave number. The asymptotic predictions are compared to numerical results for the q-vortex and a good agreement is demonstrated. We show that for sufficiently large Reynolds numbers, a necessary and sufficient condition of instability of viscous ring modes is that there exists a location r _c where ${\Omega_c\Omega_c'[r_c\Omega_c'(2\Omega_c+r_c\Omega'_c)+(W_c')^2]<0}$ and ${W_c'\neq0}$ , which also corresponds to the condition of inviscid instability obtained by Leibovich and Stewartson (J Fluid Mech 126:335–356, 1983).     

Scalar Dissipation Rate Transport in the Context of Large Eddy Simulations for Turbulent Premixed Flames with Non-Unity Lewis Number

The effects of global Lewis number Le on the statistical behaviour of the unclosed terms in the transport equation of the Favre-filtered scalar dissipation rate (SDR) Ñ _c have been analysed using a Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) database of freely propagating statistically planer turbulent premixed flames with Le ranging from 0.34 to 1.2. The DNS data has been explicitly filtered to analyse the statistical behaviour of the unclosed terms in the SDR transport equation arising from turbulent transport T ₁, density variation due to heat release T ₂, scalar-turbulence interaction T ₃, reaction rate gradient T ₄, molecular dissipation (?D ₂) and diffusivity gradients f(D) in the context of Large Eddy Simulations (LES). It Le has significant effects on the magnitudes of T ₁, T ₂, T ₃, T ₄, (?D ₂) and f(D). Moreover, both qualitative and quantitative behaviours of the unclosed terms T ₁, T ₂, T ₃, T ₄, (?D ₂) and f(D) are found to be significantly affected by the LES filter width Δ, which have been explained based on a detailed scaling analysis. Both scaling analysis and DNS data suggest that T ₂, T ₃, T ₄, (?D ₂) and f(D) remain leading order contributors to the SDR \(\tilde {{N}}_{c} \) transport for LES. The scaling estimates of leading order contributors to the SDR \(\tilde {{N}}_{c} \) transport has been utilised to discuss the possibility of extending an existing SDR model for Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) simulation for SDR \(\tilde {{N}}_{c} \) closure in the context of LES of turbulent premixed combustion.     

A Concentration Phenomenon for Semilinear Elliptic Equations

For a domain ${\Omega \subset \mathbb{R}^{N}}$ we consider the equation $$-\Delta{u} + V(x)u = Q_n(x)|{u}|^{p-2}u$$ with zero Dirichlet boundary conditions and ${p\in(2, 2^*)}$ . Here ${V \geqq 0}$ and Q _n are bounded functions that are positive in a region contained in ${\Omega}$ and negative outside, and such that the sets {Q _n  > 0} shrink to a point ${x_0 \in \Omega}$ as ${n \to \infty}$ . We show that if u _n is a nontrivial solution corresponding to Q _n , then the sequence (u _n ) concentrates at x ₀ with respect to the H ¹ and certain L ^q -norms. We also show that if the sets {Q _n  > 0} shrink to two points and u _n are ground state solutions, then they concentrate at one of these points.     

Analysis and reconstruction of a pulsed jet in crossflow by multi-plane snapshot POD

In this work, snapshot proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) is used to study a pulsed jet in crossflow where the velocity fields are extracted from stereoscopic particle image velocimetry (SPIV) results. The studied pulsed jet is characterized by a frequency f = 1 Hz, a Reynolds number Re _j  = 500 (based on the mean jet velocity ${\overline{U}_{j}}$  = 1.67 cm/s and a mean velocity ratio of R = 1). Pulsed jet and continuous jet are compared via mean velocity field trajectory and Q criterion. POD results of instantaneous, phase-averaged and fluctuating velocity fields are presented and compared in this paper. Snapshot POD applied on one plane allows us to distinguish an organization of the first spatial eigenmodes. A distinction between “natural modes” and “pulsed modes” is achieved with the results obtained by the pulsed and unforced jet. Secondly, the correlation tensor is established with four parallel planes (multi-plane snapshot POD) for the evaluation of volume spatial modes. These resulting modes are interpolated and the volume velocity field is reconstructed with a minimal number of modes for all the times of the pulsation period. These reconstructions are compared to orthogonal measurements to the transverse jet in order to validate the obtained three-dimensional velocity fields. Finally, this POD approach for the 3D flow field reconstruction from experimental data issued from planes parallel to the flow seems capable to extract relevant information from a complex three-dimensional flow and can be an alternative to tomo-PIV for large volume of measurement.     

A gradient based iterative algorithm for solving structural dynamics model updating problems

The procedure of updating an existing but inaccurate model is an essential step toward establishing an effective model. Updating damping and stiffness matrices simultaneously with measured modal data can be mathematically formulated as following two problems. Problem 1: Let M _a ∈SR ^n×n be the analytical mass matrix, and Λ=diag{λ ₁,…,λ _p }∈C ^p×p , X=[x ₁,…,x _p ]∈C ^n×p be the measured eigenvalue and eigenvector matrices, where rank(X)=p, p<n and both Λ and X are closed under complex conjugation in the sense that $\lambda_{2j} = \bar{\lambda}_{2j-1} \in\nobreak{\mathbf{C}} $ , $x_{2j} = \bar{x}_{2j-1} \in{\mathbf{C}}^{n} $ for j=1,…,l, and λ _k ∈R, x _k ∈R ⁿ for k=2l+1,…,p. Find real-valued symmetric matrices D and K such that M _a XΛ ²+DXΛ+KX=0. Problem 2: Let D _a ,K _a ∈SR ^n×n be the analytical damping and stiffness matrices. Find $(\hat{D}, \hat{K}) \in\mathbf{S}_{\mathbf{E}}$ such that $\| \hat{D}-D_{a} \|^{2}+\| \hat{K}-K_{a} \|^{2}= \min_{(D,K) \in \mathbf{S}_{\mathbf{E}}}(\| D-D_{a} \|^{2} +\|K-K_{a} \|^{2})$ , where S _E is the solution set of Problem 1 and ∥?∥ is the Frobenius norm. In this paper, a gradient based iterative (GI) algorithm is constructed to solve Problems 1 and 2. A sufficient condition for the convergence of the iterative method is derived and the range of the convergence factor is given to guarantee that the iterative solutions consistently converge to the unique minimum Frobenius norm symmetric solution of Problem 2 when a suitable initial symmetric matrix pair is chosen. The algorithm proposed requires less storage capacity than the existing numerical ones and is numerically reliable as only matrix manipulation is required. Two numerical examples show that the introduced iterative algorithm is quite efficient.     

A General Class of Free Boundary Problems for Fully Nonlinear Elliptic Equations

In this paper we study the fully nonlinear free boundary problem $$\left\{\begin{array}{ll}F(D^{2}u) = 1 & {\rm almost \, everywhere \, in}\, B_{1} \cap \Omega\\ |D^{2} u| \leqq K & {\rm almost \, everywhere \, in} \, B_{1} \setminus \Omega,\end{array}\right.$$ where K > 0, and Ω is an unknown open set. Our main result is the optimal regularity for solutions to this problem: namely, we prove that W ^2,n solutions are locally C ^1,1 inside B ₁. Under the extra condition that ${\Omega \supset \{D{u} \neq 0 \}}$ and a uniform thickness assumption on the coincidence set {D u = 0}, we also show local regularity for the free boundary ${\partial \Omega \cap B_1}$ .