The destabilizing effect of boundary slip on Bénard convection

We investigate the influence of slip boundary conditions on the onset of Bénard convection in an infinite fluid layer. It is shown that the critical Rayleigh number is a decreasing function of the slip length, and therefore boundary slip is seen to have a destabilizing effect. Chebyshev‐tau and compound matrix formulations for solving the eigenvalue problem are presented. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Isotopic families of contact manifolds for elliptic PDE

A test for a function to be a solution of an elliptic PDE is given in terms of extensions, as solutions, from the boundaries inside the domains belonging to an isotopic family. It generalizes a result of Ehrenpreis for spheres moved along a straight line.

     

Approximation of bandlimited functions

Many signals encountered in science and engineering are approximated well by bandlimited functions. We provide suitable error bounds for the approximation of bandlimited functions by linear combinations of certain special functions—the prolate spheroidal wave functions of order 0. The coefficients in the approximating linear combinations are given explicitly via appropriate quadrature formulae.     

Quadratic data envelopment analysis

Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) offers a piece-wise linear approximation of the production frontier. The approximation tends to be poor if the true frontier is not concave, eg in case of economies of scale or of specialisation. To improve the flexibility of the DEA frontier and to gain in empirical fit, we propose to extend DEA towards a more general piece-wise quadratic approximation, called Quadratic Data Envelopment Analysis (QDEA). We show that QDEA gives statistically consistent estimates for all production frontiers with bounded Hessian eigenvalues. Our Monte-Carlo simulations suggest that QDEA can substantially improve efficiency estimation in finite samples relative to standard DEA models.     

Analytic calculation of scaling dimensions: Tricritical hard squares and critical hard hexagons

The finite-size corrections, central chargesc, and scaling dimensionsx of tricritical hard squares and critical hard hexagons are calculated analytically. This is achieved by solving the special functional equation or inversion identity satisfied by the commuting row transfer matrices of these lattice models at criticality. The results are expressed in terms of Rogers dilogarithms. For tricritical hard squares we obtainc=7/10,x=3/40, 1/5, 7/8, 6/5 and for hard hexagons we obtainc=4/5,x=2/15, 4/5, 17/15, 4/3, 9/5, in accord with the predictions of conformal and modular invariance.     

A Language for Teaching Discrete-event Simulation

Courses which teach discrete-event simulation are based on many different simulation languages. The requirements for a language to support teaching simulation are discussed. In particular, it is recommended that such languages separate into distinct modules those aspects of simulation which are taught as separate topics. Implementation of the separation is discussed. The SEESIM language, developed as a teaching aid, is described, and examples of its use are given. Straightforward use of SEESIM can be learned quickly, yet the language provides facilities for a staged introduction to advanced concepts of simulation.     

Stereocontrolled spirocyclic bislactams derived from pyroglutamic acid

The synthesis of rigid spirocyclic bislactams derived from pyroglutamic acid has been established.     

Application of pressure sensitive paint measurement to a low-solidity cascade diffuser of a transonic centrifugal compressor

A pressure sensitive paint (PSP) measurement has been known as a pressure field measurement technique based on the oxygen quenching phenomenon of luminescence of specific luminophores. A PSP measurement was applied for pressure field measurement in a low-solidity circular cascade diffuser of a single-stage transonic centrifugal compressor with 5 in pressure ratio for HFC134a gas. The oxygen concentration was about 500 ppm. Ru (bath-phen) was adsorbed on a silica-gel thinlayer chromatography sheet, and the sheet was pasted onto the side-wall between the cascade vanes. A drastic change in luminescent intensity was recognized during a surge condition. Also the pressure variations based on luminescent intensity agreed well with the pressure fluctuations measured using a semiconductor pressure sensor with high-frequency-response. It was shown that a PSP measurement worked well to investigate the unsteady pressure fields in a circular cascade diffuser of a transonic centrifugal compressor. Moreover, the time response of PSP becomes clear as a problem to be overcome for the present.