The Δ- Method for the Boltzmann Equation

A new numerical method is proposed to solve the Boltzmann equation. A frame is set up by using a discrete velocity approximation in the infinite velocity space, but by considering only those distribution function points which are not too small. The distribution function points may occur anywhere in the infinite discrete velocity space and are not constrained to a pre-specified region. A fourth-order finite difference is used for the convection terms. A Monte Carlo-like method is applied to the discrete velocity model of the collision integral. The effort of the method is proportional to the number of discrete points. Numerical examples are given for the full Boltzmann equation and results for some benchmark problems are compared with analytical or prior solutions.     

Leaky helical flexural wave backscattering contributions from tilted cylindrical shells in water: observations and modeling

For tilt angles smaller than the meridional ray coupling condition previously investigated [S. F. Morse et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 103, 785-794 (1998)], flexural helical waves on cylindrical shells can significantly enhance the backscattering. These contributions are compared and modeled here for an empty cylinder. Experiments using tone bursts were performed on a tilted stainless steel shell to investigate the contributions caused by flexural leaky Lamb waves above the coincidence frequency of the shell. In some of the measurements the tone bursts were of sufficient duration to superpose helical wave contributions of successive circumnavigations, along with the meridional contribution near the critical tilt, to arrive at a quasi-steady-state backscattering amplitude for the cylinder. These measurements are compared with an approximate numerical partial-wave series solution and a ray theory as a function of the tilt angle. The data for ka = 20 follow the basic shape of the ray theory and the relevant features of the partial-wave model. They illustrate the importance of the interference of successive helical wave contributions. Measurements (also as a function of the tilt angle) using tone bursts that were sufficiently short to separate the earliest helical wave contribution from later contributions also support the ray theory.     

The effect of a coriolis force on Taylor-Couette flow

Taylor-Couette flow subject to a Coriolis force is studied experimentally and numerically. In the experiment, the Couette apparatus is mounted on a turntable with the axis of the cylinders orthogonal to the rotation vector of the turntable. The Coriolis force stabilizes the fluid against the onset of Taylor vortices and alters the velocity fields, both above and below the transition from the initial flow. At small dimensionless turntable frequencies, the transition yields time-independent Taylor vortices which are tilted with respect to the cylinder axis. At larger there is a direct transition to turbulence. We determine the first-order correction to the classical Couette initial flow, to account for the effects of the Coriolis force, by expanding in powers of. We present numerical results for the axial velocity (the only nonvanishing correction term to order) in the infinite-cylinder approximation.     

The Maxwell-Vlasov equations as a continuous hamiltonian system

The well-known Maxwell-Vlasov equations that describe a collisionless plasma are cast into hamiltonian form. The dynamical variables are the physical although noncanonical variables E, B and f. We present a Poisson bracket which acts on these variables and the energy functional to produce the equations of motion.     

Mixed methods on quadrilaterals and hexahedra

We describe a new family of discrete spaces suitable for use with mixed methods on certain quadrilateral and hexahedral meshes. The new spaces are natural in the sense of differential geometry, so all the usual mixed method theory, including the hybrid formulation, carries over to these new elements with proofs unchanged. Because transforming general quadrilaterals into squares introduces nonlinearity and because mixed methods involve the divergence operator, the new spaces are more complicated than either the corresponding Raviart-Thomas spaces for rectangles or corresponding finite element spaces for quadrilaterals. The new spaces are also limited to meshes obtained from a rectangular mesh through the application of a single global bilinear transformation. Despite this limitation, the new elements may be useful in certain topologically regular problems, where initially rectangular grids are deformed to match features of the physical region. They also illustrate the difficulties introduced into the theory of mixed methods by nonlinear transformations.     

On R*-sequenceability and symmetric harmoniousness of groups

We introduce a special harmoniousness called symmetric harmoniousness of groups and extend the R^*-sequenceability of abelian groups to nonabelian groups. We prove that the direct product of an R^*-sequenceable group of even order with a symmetric harmonious group of odd order is R^*-sequenceable. Examples of nonabelian R^*-sequenceable groups and nonabelian symmetric harmonious groups are given. It is shown that the nonabelian groups of order 3q (q prime) are symmetric harmonious. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Asymptotics of heavy atoms in high magnetic fields: I. Lowest landau band regions

The ground state energy of an atom of nuclear charge Ze in a magnetic field B is evaluated exactly to leading order as Z → ∞. In this and a companion work (see [28]) we show that there are five regions as Z → ∞: B < Z^4/3, B ～ Z^4/3, Z^4/3 < B < Z³, B ～ Z³, B > Z³. Regions 1, 2, 3, and 4 (and conceivably 5) are relevant for neutron stars. Different regions have different physics and different asymptotic theories. Regions 1, 2, and 3 are described by a simple density functional theory of the semiclassical Thomas-Fermi form. Here we concentrate mainly on regions 4 and 5 which cannot be so described, although 3, 4, and 5 have the common feature (as shown here) that essentially all electrons are in the lowest Landau band. Region 5 does have, however, a simple non-classical density functional theory (which can be solved exactly). Region 4 does not, but, surprisingly, it can be described by a novel density matrix functional theory. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Neutron scattering by anharmonic crystals and the effect of sublattice displacements

A theory has been given for the scattering of neutrons by anharmonic crystals, for which terms of the typeV ⁽³⁾ (k _1j1; —k _1j1;o _j) which contribute to the sublattice displacements are not neglected. Using the standard perturbation theory in the interaction picture or Green’s function method, an expression has been derived for the differential scattering cross-section which brings in the shift and the width of the phonons in one-phonon energy exchange processes. It is shown that the sublattice displacements will modify the phase factor arising from the scattering by any atom in the unit cell, and the Debye-Waller factor also gets altered both by the sublattice displacements as well as by higher order terms arising from anharmonicity. It is shown that the differential scattering cross-section contains a term linearly depending on the third order anharmonicity coefficientV ⁽³⁾ (k _1j1;k _2j2;k _3j3) and neutron scattering by crystals should provide a useful method for evaluating the third order anharmonicity coefficients.     

All torsion-free spherical vacuum solutions of the quadratic Poincaré gauge theory of gravity

We find all torsion-free, spherically symmetric, vacuum solutions to the theory of gravity recently proposed by Hehl, Ne'eman, Nitsch, and von der Heyde. There are three classes of solutions: (A) the Schwarzschild metrics with arbitrary mass,M, and arbitrary cosmological constant, ; (B) the Nariai-Bertotti metrics with arbitrary positive cosmological constant, ; and (C) the conformally flat metrics whose conformai factor is ²/ ² where is a function of only the time coordinate , and the radial coordinate, and satisfies the wave equation in these variables. Hence there is no Birkhoff theorem for this theory. In fact, solutions (C) include some asymptotically flat but nonstationary solutions. On the other hand, solutions (A) include a gravitational confinement potential, as was sought by Hehl et al., since when <0, the weak field limit of the Schwarzschild metric becomes a harmonic oscillator potential. We also discuss the relationship of this theory to the Eddington theory, the Lichnerowicz-Kilmister-Newman-Yang theory, the Nordström theory and the Einstein theory with a cosmological constant.     

Axial radiation force of a bessel beam on a sphere and direction reversal of the force

An expression is derived for the radiation force on a sphere placed on the axis of an ideal acoustic Bessel beam propagating in an inviscid fluid. The expression uses the partial-wave coefficients found in the analysis of the scattering when the sphere is placed in a plane wave traveling in the same external fluid. The Bessel beam is characterized by the cone angle beta of its plane wave components where beta=0 gives the limiting case of an ordinary plane wave. Examples are found for fluid spheres where the radiation force reverses in direction so the force is opposite the direction of the beam propagation. Negative axial forces are found to be correlated with conditions giving reduced backscattering by the beam. This condition may also be helpful in the design of acoustic tweezers for biophysical applications. Other potential applications include the manipulation of objects in microgravity. Islands in the (ka, beta) parameter plane having a negative radiation force are calculated for the case of a hexane drop in water. Here k is the wave number and a is the drop radius. Low frequency approximations to the radiation force are noted for rigid, fluid, and elastic solid spheres in an inviscid fluid.