Kuramoto model of coupled oscillators with positive and negative coupling parameters: an example of conformist and contrarian oscillators

We consider a generalization of the Kuramoto model in which the oscillators are coupled to the mean field with random signs. Oscillators with positive coupling are "conformists"; they are attracted to the mean field and tend to synchronize with it. Oscillators with negative coupling are "contrarians"; they are repelled by the mean field and prefer a phase diametrically opposed to it. The model is simple and exactly solvable, yet some of its behavior is surprising. Along with the stationary states one might have expected (a desynchronized state, and a partially-synchronized state, with conformists and contrarians locked in antiphase), it also displays a traveling wave, in which the mean field oscillates at a frequency different from the population's mean natural frequency.     

Feasibility of controlling speed-dependent low-frequency brake vibration amplification by modulating actuation pressure

In this article, a feasibility study of controlling the low frequency torque response of a disc brake system with modulated actuation pressure (in the open loop mode) is conducted. First, a quasi-linear model of the torsional system is introduced, and analytical solutions are proposed to incorporate the modulation effect. Tractable expressions for three different modulation schemes are obtained, and conditions that would lead to a reduction in the oscillatory amplitudes are identified. Second, these conditions are evaluated with a numerical model of the torsional system with clearance nonlinearity, and analytical solutions are verified in terms of the trends observed. Finally, a laboratory experiment with a solenoid valve is built to modulate actuation pressure with a constant duty cycle, and time–frequency domain data are acquired. Measurements are utilized to assess analytical observations, and all methods show that the speed-dependent brake torque amplitudes can be altered with an appropriate modulation of actuation pressure.     

Frequency-division multiplexing of optical-fibre sensors using a frequency-modulated source

Three basic configurations, namely, (i) parallel with a common reference, (ii) parallel with separate references and (iii) series, are studied for a multiplexed system of optical-fibre sensors. With a frequency-modulated laser source, each sensor of a different predetermined path imbalance results in a different beat frequency at the detector and signals are multiplexed in the frequency domain. The cross-term problem arising from undesired interference associated with more than one sensor is described. A series configuration has more cross terms than a parallel configuration if there are four sensors or more and, consequently, suffers more signal power reduction if there are seven sensors or more. Several schemes are presented, which ensures the separation of cross terms from desired signals. In a parallel system with a common reference, signals and cross terms are allocated in the lower and in the higher region, respectively, or to every other line in the frequency domain. In a parallel system with separate references, sensors are made incoherent to each other to produce no cross terms. In a series system, more elaborate schemes are necessary. The estimated maximum number of sensors indicates that a parallel configuration should be used if there are 10 sensors or more to be multiplexed.     

The Navier-Stokes limit of stationary solutions of the nonlinear Boltzmann equation

We consider the flow of a gas in a channel whose walls are kept at fixed (different) temperatures. There is a constant external force parallel to the boundaries which may themselves also be moving. The system is described by the stationary Boltzmann equation to which are added Maxwellian boundary conditions with unit accommodation coefficient. We prove that when the temperature gap, the relative velocity of the planes, and the force are all sufficiently small, there is a solution which converges, in the hydrodynamic limit, to a local Maxwellian with parameters given by the stationary solution of the corresponding compressible Navier-Stokes equations with no-slip voundary conditions. Corrections to this Maxwellian are obtained in powers of the Knudsen number with a controlled remainder.     

The influence of contacts on the VA-characteristics of thin-layfr systems with amorphous semiconductors

In the paper the VA-characteristics of a sandwich-type thin-layer system with amorphous semiconductor are discussed, where ohmic and non-ohmic contacts are considered. The VA-characteristics are derived which, in the case of ohmic contacts, lead to a linear dependence of the current on voltage and, in the case of non-ohmic contacts (where barriers are supposed), to a nonlinear dependence, so that VA-characteristics with negative resistance are possible as well. These VA-characteristics are compared with the experimental ones, measured on thin-layer metalamorphous Si-metal and metal-amorphous CdTe-metal structures.     

Development of intermolecular potential models for electrolyte solutions using an electrolyte SAFT-VR Mie equation of state

ABSTRACT

We present a theoretical framework and parameterisation of intermolecular potentials for aqueous electrolyte solutions using the statistical associating fluid theory based on the Mie interaction potential (SAFT-VR Mie), coupled with the primitive, non-restricted mean-spherical approximation (MSA) for electrolytes. In common with other SAFT approaches, water is modelled as a spherical molecule with four off-centre association sites to represent the hydrogen-bonding interactions; the repulsive and dispersive interactions between the molecular cores are represented with a potential of the Mie (generalised Lennard-Jones) form. The ionic species are modelled as fully dissociated, and each ion is treated as spherical: Coulombic ion–ion interactions are included at the centre of a Mie core; the ion–water interactions are also modelled with a Mie potential without an explicit treatment of ion–dipole interaction. A Born contribution to the Helmholtz free energy of the system is included to account for the process of charging the ions in the aqueous dielectric medium. The parameterisation of the ion potential models is simplified by representing the ion–ion dispersive interaction energies with a modified version of the London theory for the unlike attractions. By combining the Shannon estimates of the size of the ionic species with the Born cavity size reported by Rashin and Honig, the parameterisation of the model is reduced to the determination of a single ion–solvent attractive interaction parameter. The resulting SAFT-VRE Mie parameter sets allow one to accurately reproduce the densities, vapour pressures, and osmotic coefficients for a broad variety of aqueous electrolyte solutions; the activity coefficients of the ions, which are not used in the parameterisation of the models, are also found to be in good agreement with the experimental data. The models are shown to be reliable beyond the molality range considered during parameter estimation. The inclusion of the Born free-energy contribution, together with appropriate estimates for the size of the ionic cavity, allows for accurate predictions of the Gibbs free energy of solvation of the ionic species considered. The solubility limits are also predicted for a number of salts; in cases where reliable reference data are available the predictions are in good agreement with experiment.     

The coordinate of a singular point of the time correlation functions for a heteronuclear spin system of a crystal

The singularities of the time autocorrelation functions (ACFs) for a heteronuclear spin system of a crystal are investigated. Exact expressions are obtained for ten moments of the spectra of ACFs in the approximation of a self-consistent fluctuating field (SCFF) with arbitrary axial symmetry. These expressions are applied to determine the coordinate of the lowest singular point of these functions on the imaginary-time axis for a spin system with a dipole-dipole interaction (DDI). The leading corrections to this coordinate due to the correlation of local fields in real crystals are calculated. These corrections are determined by lattice sums with triangles of four bonds and pairs of four bonds. Numerical values of the coordinate are obtained for a LiF crystal in a magnetic field directed along three crystallographic axes. An increase in the coordinate of the singular point, which follows from the theory and leads to a faster falloff of the wings of the ACF spectra, qualitatively agrees with experiment.     

Non-classical configurations in Euclidean field theory as minima of constrained systems

We study a systematic method of applying the semiclassical approximation to Euclidean field theory. First, we extract generalized collective coordinates which are not in general zero modes. We then apply the semiclassical approximation to the other degrees of freedom by minimizing the action with constraints. Hence we are using configurations which are not classical solutions of the original system. After Gaussian integration we are left with a truncated system, involving only the collective coordinates, with non-trivial dynamics. In particular, this is a clear-cut way to introduce multi-instanton or meron-type configurations. The collective coordinates should be chosen such that their dynamics are a good approximation to the original system for the physical phenomenon considered; a familiar concept in other branches of physics with many degrees of freedom. The formalism leads naturally to the introduction of dynamics in an extra time evolution; in particular cases, we show that this is a very powerful tool. In this paper, we only discuss general ideas and formalisms. Specific applications are postponed to to later publications.     

Structure and dynamics of the Frenkel-Kontorova dislocations in electroconvection in liquid crystals

The Frenkel-Kontorova instability is studied in a 1D lattice of domains formed during electroconvection in nematic liquid crystals twisted by π/2. It is found that generation of defects by such instability can be observed in this model medium. Among other things, it is shown that several types of defects with singular and nonsingular cores, as well as with a extended core, are formed in the 1D domain structure above the electroconvective instability threshold. The extended cores of dislocations are dissociated into a line, and the entire structure is isomorphic to two partial dislocations spaced by a certain distance, which are not observed in free form. Defects with a nonsingular core (zero topological index) exist owing to spiral hydrodynamic flows in convective rolls and are not observed in layers with a homogeneous orientation of molecules. It is shown that the formation of both types of defects follows the scenario of decay of dislocations with extended cores via detachment of nonsingular defects (i.e., discretely); as a result, a dislocation with a singular core is left. “Breather” defects, which are the result of periodic creation and annihilation of dislocations with a topological index of ±1, are also observed. The effect of defects on the transition from the 1D to 2D structures is considered.     

Non-thermal plasma potentialities for microwave device reconfigurability

Three examples of results achieved from cooperative works with microwave and plasma research groups in Toulouse (France) are presented in this paper. They are focused on the use of few non-thermal plasmas to make a microwave device reconfigurable. The relative permittivity of such a plasma medium can be tuned from unity to negative values. This special feature appears to be very attractive, although the electromagnetic losses are significant. The use of plasmas with planar waveguides and within metamaterials is discussed. In addition, the basic principles of a scanning antenna built with a leaky wave in a plasma layer are presented.     

Superstrings with torsion

The conditions for spacetime supersymmetry of the heterotic superstring in backgrounds with arbitrary metric, torsion, Yang-Mills and dilaton expectation values are determined using the sigma model approach. The resulting equations are explicitly solved for the torsion and dilaton fields, and the remaining equations cast in a simple form. Previously unnoticed topological obstructions to solving these equations are found. The equations are shown to agree to leading order in perturbation theory with those derived in a field theory approach, provided one considers a more general ansatz than in previous analyses by allowing for a warp factor for the metric. Exact solutions with non-zero torsion are found, indicating a new class of finite sigma models. These solutions break the E_χ ⊗ E_χ or SO(32) gauge group down to a large variety of subgroups. Orbifolds with torsion are constructed. A perturbative analysis of the equations indicates a class of solutions whose existence has been recently argued for on other grounds. Brief comments are made on the implications for phenomenology.     

Electron kinetic effects in the nonlinear evolution of a driven ion-acoustic wave

The electron kinetic effects are shown to play an important role in the nonlinear evolution of a driven ion-acoustic wave. The numerical simulation results obtained (i) with a hybrid code, in which the electrons behave as a fluid and the ions are described along the particle-in-cell (PIC) method, are compared with those obtained (ii) with a full-PIC code, in which the kinetic effects on both species are retained. The electron kinetic effects interplay with the usual fluid-type nonlinearity to give rise to a broadband spectrum of ion-acoustic waves saturated at a low level, even in the case of a strong excitation. This low asymptotic level might solve the long-standing problem of the small stimulated Brillouin scattering reflectivity observed in laser-plasma interaction experiments.     

Vibrational properties of hierarchical systems

The vibrational properties of one-dimensional hierarchical systems are investigated and results are obtained for both their eigenvalues and eigenvectors. Two cases are considered, the first one with a hierarchy of spring constants and the latter with a hierarchy in the masses. In both cases the eigenspectrum is found to be a zero-measure, two-scale Cantor set with a fractal dimension between 0 and 1. The scaling properties of the spectra are calculated using renormalization group techniques and are verified by extensive numerical work. The low-frequency density of states and low-temperature specific heat are calculated and a singularity is found in the scaling behavior. The eigenvectors are found to be either extended or critical and self-similar. A transfer matrix formalism is introduced to calculate the scaling properties of the envelope of the critical eigenvectors. Furthermore, a connection is established between the hierarchical vibration and diffusion problems, as well as to the same problems in random systems, thus showing the universality of the observed features.     

Experimental verification of Foreman dislocation model

We present a strain analysis of an edge dislocation core, and a detailed discussion of the Foreman dislocation model. In order to examine the model, the quantitative measurement of strain field around an edge dislocation in aluminum is performed, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and geometric phase analysis are employed to map the strain field of the edge dislocation core in aluminum. The strain measurements are compared with the Foreman dislocation model, showing that they are in good agreement with each other when 0.7 ≤ a ≤ 1.5.     

Universality and self-similarity in the bifurcations of circle maps

The bifurcation structure in a two-parameter family of circle maps is considered. These maps have a (topological) degree that may be different from one. A generalization of the rotation number is given and symmetries of the bifurcations in parameter space are described. Continuity arguments are used to establish the existence of periodic orbits. By plotting the locus of parameter values associated with superstable cycles, self-similar bifurcations are found. These bifurcations are a generalization of the familiar period-doubling cascade in maps with one extrema, to two-parameter maps with two extrema. Finally, a scheme for the global organization of bifurcation in these maps is proposed.     

基于电磁拓扑的多腔体屏蔽效能快速算法

提出基于电磁拓扑理论计算开孔多腔体屏蔽效能的快速方法.首先给出双腔体等效电路和电磁拓扑信号流图,并推导孔缝节点处的散射矩阵,给出拓扑网络的散射矩阵方程和传输矩阵方程,获得双腔体的广义Baum-Liu-Tesche(BLT)方程.在此基础上研究了开孔三腔体,包括串型级联三腔体和串并型混合级联三腔体的广义BLT方程.对于串型级联三腔体,其电磁拓扑网络和广义BLT方程在双腔体基础上直接扩展即可获得.而对于串并型混合级联三腔体,通过将位于三腔体公共面上的孔缝等效为三端口网络节点,并根据三端口网络散射参数定义推导获得该节点的散射矩阵,最终得到串并型混合级联三腔体的广义BLT方程.本文方法对双腔体的计算结果与文献结果和实验结果相符合,对3组不同类型和尺寸开孔腔的屏蔽效能的计算结果与时域有限差分法计算结果符合较好.该算法不仅效率高,通过对所有计算结果和实验结果的误差统计分析,表明该算法具有较高的计算准确度.     

Transport of polarized neutrons through magnetic noncoplanar layered systems

The transport of neutrons through noncoplanar systems is shown to have a partly unidirectional character. To this end, the transmission of a three-layer magnetic film with a noncoplanar magnetization in the absence of applied magnetic field and the transmission of a two-layer magnetic film with a noncollinear magnetization in the presence of a magnetic field are calculated. The calculations demonstrate that, if the losses in the films are neglected, the transmissions in two opposite directions differ only for processes with and without spin flip. If these losses are taken into account, the total transmissions of a nonpolarized neutron beam in two opposite directions are also different. The consequences of these specific features of noncoplanar systems are discussed.     

Remarks on (0,2) models and intermediate scale scenarios in string theory

Problems associated with large intermediate scales in string theory are discussed. It is shown that, in σ-model perturbation theory, the superpotential of theories with (2,2) supersymmetry is purely cubic. As a result, to exhibit flat directions with (0,2) supersymmetry, one needs to study only a small number of Yukawa couplings. Usually these flat directions are lifted by nonperturbative effects in the σ model. Examples where this is not the case, due to Cvetic and to Distler and Greene, are discussed. It is shown that in the former case, there are not, generically, extra massless particles to play the role of Higgs fields. The problems of proton decay, neutrino masses, and obtaining light Higgs fields in models with large intermediate scales are considered, and various difficulties with existing proposals are pointed out.     

Measurement of dijet cross sections in <Emphasis Type="Italic">ep</Emphasis> interactions with a leading neutron at HERA

Measurements are reported of the production of dijet events with a leading neutron in ep interactions at HERA. Differential cross sections for photoproduction and deep inelastic scattering are presented as a function of several kinematic variables. Leading order QCD simulation programs are compared with the measurements. Models in which the real or virtual photon interacts with a parton of an exchanged pion are able to describe the data. Next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations based on pion exchange are found to be in good agreement with the measured cross sections. The fraction of leading neutron dijet events with respect to all dijet events is also determined. The dijet events with a leading neutron have a lower fraction of resolved photon processes than do the inclusive dijet data.Received: 31 January 2005, Revised: 7 March 2005, Published online: 28 April 2005     

Nonstationary periodic spatial waves on the surface of a viscous liquid film falling down a vertical cylinder

The flows of viscous liquid film over the outer surface of a vertical cylinder are examined. Investigation of wave regimes in the case of low flow rates and large cylinder radii is reduced to the analysis of solutions to a nonlinear evolution equation for the film thickness. There are countable numbers of steady-state traveling solution families in the considered model. In turn, most of them are unstable to 2D and 3D perturbations. Thus, evolution of initial perturbations in different ranges of parameter values differs significantly. Some typical scenarios of perturbation development are presented in this work. Initial perturbations with some symmetries, kept in the process of evolution, are of a particular interest. In these cases, solutions are drawn up to the steady-state traveling solutions with similar symmetry.