Vortex shedding process investigation downstream a surface-mounted block

The laminar flow around a surface-mounted block is investigated by visualizations and PIV measurements. Flow topology and, especially, the vortex shedding dynamics are emphasized. The existence of two vortex shedding processes is highlighted by particles visualizations and instantaneous velocity fields analyses. On one hand, a dominant swirling mechanism with vortex matching process and a symmetrical topology sets up and, on the other hand, a non periodical evolution with a dissymmetric topology exist. In order to inquire about those processes, double velocity correlation functions are calculated and from those new data the space and time evolutions of the vortices are detailed.     

Ground State and Single Vortex for Bose-Einstein Condensates in Anisotropic Traps

For Bose-Einstein condensation of neutral atoms in anisotropic traps at zero temperature, we present simple analytical methods for computing the properties of ground state and single vortex of Bose-Einstein condensates, and compare those results to extensive numerical simulations. The critical angular velocity for production of vortices is calculated for both positive and negative scattering lengths a, and find an analytical expression for the large-N limit of the vortex critical angular velocity for a 〉0, and the critical number for condensate population approaches the point of collapse for a 〈 0, by using approximate variational method.     

Influence of global features of a Bose-Einstein condensate on the vortex velocity

We study the way in which the geometry of the trapping potential affects the vortex velocity in a Bose-Einstein condensate confined by a toroidal trap. We calculate the vortex precession velocity through a simple relationship between such a velocity and the gradient of the numerically obtained vortex energy. We observe that our results correspond very closely to the velocity calculated through time evolution simulations. However, we find that the estimates derived from available velocity field formulas present appreciable differences. To resolve such discrepancies, we further study the induced velocity field, analyzing the effect of global features of the condensate on such a field and on the precession velocity.     

Dynamic origin of vortex core switching in soft magnetic nanodots

The magnetic vortex with in-plane curling magnetization and out-of-plane magnetization at the core is a unique ground state in nanoscale magnetic elements. This kind of magnetic vortex can be used, through its downward or upward core orientation, as a memory unit for information storage, and thus, controllable core switching deserves some special attention. Our analytical and micromagnetic calculations reveal that the origin of vortex core reversal is a gyrotropic field. This field is induced by vortex dynamic motion and is proportional to the velocity of the moving vortex. Our calculations elucidate the physical origin of the vortex core dynamic reversal, and, thereby, offer a key to effective manipulation of the vortex core orientation.     

Low energy quasiparticle excitation in the vortex state of borocarbide superconductor yni2b2c

We measured the heat capacity C(p) and microwave surface impedance Z(s) in the vortex state of YNi2B2C. In contrast to conventional s-wave superconductors, C(p) shows a square root[H] dependence. This square root[H] dependence persists even after the introduction of the columnar defects which change the electronic structure of the vortex core regime and destroy the regular vortex lattice. On the other hand, flux flow resistivity is nearly proportional to H. These results indicate that the vortex state of YNi2B2C is fundamentally different from the conventional s-wave counterparts, in that the delocalized quasiparticle states around the vortex core are important, similar to d-wave superconductors.     

Quantum tunneling and quasinormal modes in the spacetime of the Alcubierre warp drive

In a seminal paper, Alcubierre showed that Einstein’s theory of general relativity appears to allow a super-luminal motion. In the present study, we use a recent eternal-warp-drive solution found by Alcubierre to study the effect of Hawking radiation upon an observer located within the warp drive in the framework of the quantum tunneling method. We find the same expression for the Hawking temperatures associated with the tunneling of both massive vector and scalar particles, and show this expression to be proportional to the velocity of the warp drive. On the other hand, since the discovery of gravitational waves, the quasinormal modes (QNMs) of black holes have also been extensively studied. With this purpose in mind, we perform a QNM analysis of massive scalar field perturbations in the background of the eternal-Alcubierre-warp-drive spacetime. Our analytical analysis shows that massive scalar perturbations lead to stable QNMs.     

The increase of the spin-transfer torque threshold current density in coupled vortex domain walls

We have studied the dependence on the domain wall structure of the spin-transfer torque current density threshold for the onset of wall motion in curved, Gd-doped Ni(80)Fe(20) nanowires with no artificial pinning potentials. For single vortex domain walls, for both 10% and 1% Gd-doping concentrations, the threshold current density is inversely proportional to the wire width and significantly lower compared to the threshold current density measured for transverse domain walls. On the other hand for high Gd concentrations and large wire widths, double vortex domain walls are formed which require an increase in the threshold current density compared to single vortex domain walls at the same wire width. We suggest that this is due to the coupling of the vortex cores, which are of opposite chirality, and hence will be acted on by opposing forces arising through the spin-transfer torque effect.     

Wave-induced bed flows by a Lagrangian vortex scheme

Nominally 2-dimensional viscous flow induced by gravity waves over a spatially periodic bed is simulated by a Lagrangian vortex scheme. A vortex sheet is introduced on the surface at each time step to satisfy the zero velocity conditions. The sheet is discretised; the vortex-in-cell method is used to convect vorticity and random walks are added to effect viscous diffusion. Good agreement with analytical theory is obtained for velocity profiles in uniform sinusoidal flow and for mass transport due to linear waves. Mass transport for finite amplitude waves is also obtained. For separated flow over rippled beds, which is still liminar, a vortex decay factor is required to produce agreement with experiment and is thought to compensate for large scale 3-dimensional effects.     

Study correlation vortices in the near-field of partially coherent vortex beams diffracted by an aperture

We have derived the analytical expression of the electric cross-spectral density in the near-field of partially coherent vortex beams diffracted by an aperture. Taking the Gaussian Schell-model vortex beam as a typical example of partially coherent vortex beams, the spatial correlation properties and correlation vortices in the near-field of partially coherent vortex beams diffracted by a rectangle aperture are studied. It is shown that the off-axis displacement, spatial degree of coherence parameter, propagation distance, and the opening factor of the aperture affect the spectral degree of coherence and positions of correlation vortices. With the optimization algorithm, we obtain the symmetric distributing coherent vortex.     

Role of anisotropy on the domain wall properties of ferromagnetic nanotubes

In this paper we investigate the role of magneto-crystalline anisotropy on the domain wall (DW) properties of tubular magnetic nanostructures. Based on a theoretical model and micromagnetic simulations, we show that either cubic or uniaxial magneto-crystalline anisotropies have some influence on the domain wall properties (wall size, propagation velocity and energy barrier) and then on the overall magnetization reversal mechanism. Besides the characterization of the transverse and vortex domain wall sizes for different anisotropies, we predict an anisotropy dependent transition between the occurrence of transverse and vortex domain walls in tubular nanowires. We also discuss the dynamics of the vortex DW propagation gradually increasing the uniaxial anisotropy constant and we found that the average velocity is considerably reduced. Our results show that different anisotropies can be considered in real samples in order to manipulate the domain wall behavior and the magnetization reversal process.     

Shape waves in 2D Josephson junctions: exact solutions and time dilation

We predict a new class of excitations propagating along a Josephson vortex in two-dimensional Josephson junctions. These excitations are associated with the distortion of a Josephson vortex line and have an analogy with shear waves in solid mechanics. Their shapes can have an arbitrary profile, which is retained when propagating. We derive a universal analytical expression for the energy of arbitrary shape excitations, investigate their influence on the dynamics of a vortex line, and discuss conditions where such excitations can be created. Finally, we show that such excitations play the role of a clock for a relativistically moving Josephson vortex and suggest an experiment to measure a time dilation effect analogous to that in special relativity.     

The stability of a quantized vortex in a dilute Bose gas confined to a toroidal trap

We investigate the stability of a quantized vortex in a weakly interacting Bose gas, trapped in a toroidal container with hard walls. Calculating the excitation spectrum numerically and determining the stability condition by the Landau criterion, we examine the effect of reducing the confinement region of the condensate on the vortex stability. We find that tight confinement of the condensate increases the stabilization of the quantized vortex because an increase in the zero sound velocity due to tight confinement prevents the emergence of the elementary excitation which breaks superfluidity of the Bose system. We also discuss the experimental setup to observe such an effect.     

Dirac returns: Non-Abelian statistics of vortices with Dirac fermions

Topological superconductors classified as type D admit zero-energy Majorana fermions inside vortex cores, and consequently the exchange statistics of vortices becomes non-Abelian, giving a promising example of non-Abelian anyons. On the other hand, types C and DIII admit zero-energy Dirac fermions inside vortex cores. It has been long believed that an essential condition for the realization of non-Abelian statistics is non-locality of Dirac fermions made of two Majorana fermions trapped inside two well-separated vortices as in the case of type D. Contrary to this conventional wisdom, however, we show that vortices with local Dirac fermions also obey non-Abelian statistics.     

Avalanches and Self-Organized Criticality in superconductors

We review the use of superconductors as a playground for the experimental study of front roughening and avalanches. Using the magneto-optical technique, the spatial distribution of the vortex density in the sample is monitored as a function of time. The roughness and growth exponents corresponding to the vortex `landscape' are determined and compared to the exponents that characterize the avalanches in the framework of Self-Organized Criticality. For those situations where a thermo-magnetic instability arises, an analytical non-linear and non-local model is discussed, which is found to be consistent to great detail with the experimental results. On anisotropic substrates, the anisotropy regularizes the avalanches.     

Kummer solitons in strongly nonlocal nonlinear media

We solve the three-dimensional (3D) time-dependent strongly nonlocal nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NNSE) in spherical coordinates, with the help of Kummer's functions. We obtain analytical solitary solutions, which we term the Kummer solitons. We compare analytical solutions with the numerical solutions of NNSE. We discuss higher-order Kummer spatial solitons, which can exist in various forms, such as the 3D vortex solitons and the multipole solitons.     

Low-frequency potential structures in a nonuniform dusty magnetoplasma

The linear and nonlinear properties of a modified convective cell (MCC) in a nonuniform dusty magnetoplasma with a perpendicular plasma flow are investigated. It is shown that the free energy of the equilibrium plasma flow can drive the MCC at nonthermal levels. By choosing some specific profiles for the sheared plasma flow and the dust number density, we analyze the eigenvalue equation for deducing the growth rate and the threshold of a convective mode instability which arises due to its interaction with the shear plasma flows. Our analytical results show that a Rayleigh-type instability sets in provided that the characteristic width of the flow does not exceed a certain value. On the other hand, the nonlinear equation, which governs the dynamics of the nonlinearly interacting convective modes, admits stationary solutions in the form of a vortex chain associated with zonal flows, as well as tripolar and global vortices. The relevance of our investigation to a laboratory experiment is discussed.     

Dissipation in the dynamics of a moving contact line: effect of the substrate disorder

We investigate the time-dependent flow of water around a solid triangular profile oscillating horizontally in a narrow rectangular container. The flow is quasi two-dimensional and using particle image velocimetry we measure 20 snapshots of the entire velocity field during a period of oscillation. From the velocity measurements we obtain the circulation of the vortices and study the vortex dynamics. The time-dependence of the flow gives rise to the formation of a jet-like flow structure which enhances the vorticity production compared to the time-independent case. We introduce a simple phenomenological model to describe the important dynamical parameters of the flow, i.e., the vortex circulation and the jet velocity. We solve the model analytically without viscous damping and find good agreement between the model predictions and our measurements. Our work adds to the recent effort to understand more complicated flows past sand-ripples and insect wings.Received: 6 January 2004, Published online: 20 April 2004PACS: 47.32.Cc Vortex dynamics - 47.32.Ff Separated flows     

Statistical relaxation in closed quantum systems and the Van Hove-limit

We analyze the dynamics of occupation probabilities for a certain type of design models by the use of two different methods. On the one hand we present some numerical calculations for two concrete interactions which point out that the occurrence of statistical dynamics depends on the interaction structure. Furthermore we show an analytical derivation for an infinite system that yields statistical behaviour for the average over the whole ensemble of interactions in the Van Hove-limit.     

Critical trap aspect ratios for dipolar BEC

We show that there exists critical trap aspect ratios for a trapped Bose-Einstein condensate with dipole-dipole interactions. We discuss the role of critical trap aspect ratios on both the critical angular velocity above which a vortex is energetically favorable and the precession velocity of an off-axis vortex.     

Relaxation dynamics in type-II superconductors with point-like and correlated disorder

We employ an elastic line model to investigate the steady-state properties and non-equilibrium relaxation kinetics of magnetic vortex lines in disordered type-II superconductors using Langevin molecular dynamics (LMD). We extract the dependence of the mean vortex line velocity and gyration radius as well as the mean-square displacement in the steady state on the driving current, and measure the vortex density and height autocorrelations in the aging regime. We study samples with either randomly distributed point-like or columnar attractive pinning centers, which allows us to distinguish the complex relaxation features of interacting flux lines subject to extended vs. uncorrelated disorder. Additionally, we find that our new LMD findings match earlier Monte Carlo (MC) simulation data well, verifying that these two microscopically quite distinct simulation methods lead to macroscopically very similar results for non-equilibrium vortex matter.