Configurations of the zero-birefringence and zero-dichroism lines of electromagnetic waves in weakly anisotropic crystals

Configurations of two types of lines—those of zero birefringence and zero dichroism—drawn by the end of the directional vector of the wave normal over the unit sphere, which correspond to the coincident phase velocities or the absorption coefficients of isonormal electromagentic waves in weakly anisotropic crystals, have been studied analytically. It is shown that under the conditions of weak dielectric anisotropy, even slight changes in anisotropy result in the dramatic deformation of the lines of both types. The corresponding evolution of the configurations with the change of the anisotropy parameters is considered by example of absorptive orthorhombic crystals.     

Stability of plane-parallel vibrational flow in a two-layer system

The stability of the interface separating two immiscible incompressible fluids of different densities and viscosities is considered in the case of fluids filling a cavity which performs horizontal harmonic oscillations. There exists a simple basic state which corresponds to the unperturbed interface and plane-parallel unsteady counter flows; the properties of this state are examined. A linear stability problem for the interface is formulated and solved for both (a) inviscid and (b) viscous fluids. A transformation is found which reduces the linear stability problem under the inviscid approximation to the Mathieu equation. The parametric resonant regions of instability associated with the intensification of capillary-gravity waves at the interface are examined and the results are compared to those found in the viscous case in a fully numerical investigation.     

Cluster structure of the material surface as the cause of the selective enhancement of ultracold-neutron capture associated with subbarrier reflection

Neutron-radiation analysis is used to investigate the subbarrier reflection of ultracold neutrons from the surface of a titanium-stabilized Fe-Ni-Cr stainless steel. A significant selective increase in the probability of neutron capture by nuclei of the medium in comparison to theory is discovered. An explanation is given for the effect, which is associated with the existence of titanium-containing clusters and structural defects that distort the form of the distribution of the effective interaction potential between ultracold neutrons and the material surface. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 115, 126–140 (January 1999)     

Soret-driven convection of binary mixture in a horizontal porous layer in the presence of a heat or concentration source

Soret-driven convection of a binary mixture in a shallow porous layer is analyzed. The analysis focuses on the behavior of the system in the presence of a concentration or heat source. In the long-wavelength limit, regimes are found in which the flow regions near the source and at the periphery are separated by narrow annular transition regions. It is also shown that the outward concentration flux from the source is dominated by convection, whereas heat can be transferred from the source both by convection and by diffusion. Multistability between these two regimes is possible.     

Coherent influence of RF field on the gamma-optical properties of a medium upon crossing-anticrossing of nuclear levels

A new approach to the observation of electromagnetic-induced transparency in gamma optics is proposed. For this purpose, the propagation of a resonant gamma photon in a ⁵⁷Fe magnetic medium affected by an external radiofrequency (RF) field is considered. It is demonstrated that, in the case of crossing-anticrossing, a resonant RF field significantly transforms gamma-optical properties of the medium that become dependent on its parameters. This allows coherent control of the group velocity of gamma photons and controlled filtering of unpolarized gamma radiation in the sample to be realized.     

Mathematical modeling of Maklakoff’s method for measuring the intraocular pressure

The physical content of Maklakoffs tonometric (based on the loading of the cornea) method of measuring the intraocular pressure, widely used in medical practice, is discussed. For this purpose, we employ both the results of physical modeling of the eye described in the literature and the results of our own mathematical modeling based on the representation of the eyeball as a thin shell. The effect of the physical properties of the shell on the results of the modeling is investigated. Qualitative conclusions that follow from our study and may be of practical interest in measuring the intraocular pressure are discussed.__________Translated from Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Academii Nauk, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 1, 2005, pp. 24–39. Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Bauer, Lyubimov, and Tovstik.