Karhunen–Loeve representations of turbulent channel flows using the method of snapshots

For three‐dimensional flows with one inhomogeneous spatial coordinate and two periodic directions, the Karhunen–Loeve procedure is typically formulated as a spatial eigenvalue problem. This is normally referred to as the direct method (DM). Here we derive an equivalent formulation in which the eigenvalue problem is formulated in the temporal coordinate. It is shown that this so‐called method of snapshots (MOS) has some numerical advantages when compared to the DM. In particular, the MOS can be formulated purely as a matrix composed of scalars, thus avoiding the need to construct a matrix of matrices as in the DM. In addition, the MOS avoids the need for so‐called weight functions, which emerge in the DM as a result of the non‐uniform grid typically employed in the inhomogeneous direction. The avoidance of such weight functions, which may exhibit singular behaviour, guarantees satisfaction of the boundary conditions. The MOS is applied to data sets recently obtained from the direct simulation of turbulence in a channel in which viscoelasticity is imparted to the fluid using a Giesekus model. The analysis reveals a steep drop in the dimensionality of the turbulence as viscoelasticity is increased. This is consistent with the results that have been obtained with other viscoelastic models, thus revealing an essential generic feature of polymer‐induced drag reduced turbulent flows. Published in 2006 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Secondary ion emission from binary Fe-Cr,Fe-Ni,Cr-Ni and ternary Fe-Cr-Ni alloys: Chemical and physical matrix effects

Secondary ion emission from Fe-Cr, Fe-Ni, Cr-Ni binary alloys and Fe-Cr-Ni ternary alloys (concentration range 10–90% of the alloying element) bombarded with 3 keV Xe⁺ ions has been investigated as a function of concentration of the studied element in the multicomponent system. The linear increase of the secondary ion intensity with concentration of the element in the sample was found only for a low-concentration region. There are pronounced nonlinearities in the medium and high-concentration regions. A possible explanation for such nonlinearities based on chemical and physical matrix effects is proposed.     

On a New Non-Geometric Element in Gravity

In this essay a generalized notion of flavor-oscillation clocks is introduced. The generalization contains the element that various superimposed mass eigenstates may have different relative orientation of the component of their spin with respect to the rotational axis of the gravitational source. It is found that these quantum mechanical clocks do not always redshift identically when moved from the gravitational environment of a non-rotating source to the field of a rotating source. The non-geometric contributions to the redshifts may be interpreted as quantum mechanically induced fluctuations over a geometric structure of space-time.     

Phase shift moiré studies of processing-induced residual strains in Nickel 200 spot welds

Processing-induced residual strains in solid cylinders of Nickel 200 were investigated using phase shifting moiré interferometry. Two different experimental approaches were used to study the strains produced during Tungsten-inert gas spot welding. A comparison of results for a ‘hot/fast’ and a ‘cool/slow’ weld demonstrate the capabilities of the general approach. Both experimental methods revealed distinct differences in the residual displacement and strain fields between the two types of welds.     

Investigation of acceptor centers in semiconductors with the diamond crystal structure by the μ − SR method

The residual polarization of negative muons in crystal silicon samples with phosphorus (P: 1.6×10¹³ cm⁻³) and antimony (Sb: 2×10¹⁸ cm⁻³) impurities is investigated. The measurements are made in a 1000 G magnetic field oriented in a direction transverse to the muon spin in the temperature range 4–300 K. The relaxation rate and shift of the precession frequency in the silicon sample with the phosphorus impurity are measured more accurately than previously. It is found that in antimony-doped silicon the acceptor center _μ A1 at temperatures below 30 K can be in both ionized and neutral states. The experimental data are interpreted on the basis of spin-lattice relaxation of the magnetic moment of an acceptor center, formation of acceptor-donor pairs, and recombination of charge carriers at the acceptor. Preliminary measurements showed a nonzero residual polarization of negative muons in germanium. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 68, No. 1, 61–66 (10 July 1998)     

The electronic spectrum of a three-dimensional quasicrystal

The electronic spectrum of an icosahedral quasicrystal with a central-atom decoration of the Amman-Mackay network is investigated in the tight-binding approximation. The quasicrystal is described as a structural limit of the optimal cubic approximants with increasing period. The electronic spectra for the first four optimal cubic approximants do not contain the hierarchical gap structure which is typical for the Cantor set of the spectrum of a one-dimensional quasicrystal. At the same time, as the order of the approximant increases, the spectrum becomes singular throughout the entire energy scale. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 67, No. 8, 557–562 (25 April 1998) Published in English in the original Russian journal. Edited by Steve Torstveit.     

Investigation of microbial—mineral interactions by Mössbauer spectroscopy

Mössbauer spectroscopy was used to investigate the reactions of microbes with iron minerals in aqueous solutions and as components of rocks in banded iron formations and granite. A microbial biofilm that formed on a wall of an excavated granite vault in a deep underground laboratory initiated this research. At the aerobic face of the biofilm, iron was found in a form of ferrihydrite; in the anaerobic face against the rock, iron was found as very small siderite particles. Laboratory incubations of the biofilm microbial consortium showed different mineral species could be formed. When the microbial consortium from the biofilm was incubated with magnetite grains, up to about 10% of the iron was altered in three weeks to hematite. The ability of the consortium to precipitate iron both as Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ in close proximity may have a bearing on the deposition of banded iron formations. These reactions could also be important in microbially induced corrosion.