Characteristic Operator of a Diffusion Process

Semi-Markov processes of diffusion type in the d-dimensional space (d > 1) are considered. We assume that the transition generating function of such a process satisfies a second-order differential equation of elliptic type. We apply methods of differential equations theory, especially of the theory of the Dirichlet problem, to study the transition generating function for a small neighborhood of the initial point of the process. Asymptotic expansions in the small scale parameter are obtained both for the first exit point distribution density and for the first exit time expectation for the case where the trajectory of the process leaves a small neighborhood of the initial point. We prove the existence of the Dynkin characteristic operator determined by a decreasing sequence of neighborhoods. Bibliography: 9 titles.__________Translated from Zapiski Nauchnykh Seminarov POMI, Vol. 293, 2003, pp. 226–251.     

Variational Derivative for Buckling Loads of Beams and Frames

The finite-difference method is a numerical technique for obtaining approximate solutions to differential equations. The main objective of the present study is to give a new aspect to the finite-difference method by using a variational derivative. By applying this formulation, accurate values of the buckling loads of beams and frames with various end supports are obtained. The performance of this formulation is verified by comparison with numerical examples in the literature __________ Published in Prikladnaya Mekhanika, Vol. 41, No. 7, pp. 139–144, July 2005.     

Monotone Nonincreasing Random Fields on Partially Ordered Sets. I

For an arbitrary poset H and measure ρ on H × _R (where _R is the real axis), we construct a monotone decreasing stochastic field η_ρ and compute its finite-dimensional distributions. In the case where H is a Λ-semilattice and the measure ρ satisfies additional conditions, we compute various characteristics of the field η_ρ such as the expectation of the field value at a point, variance of the field value at a point, and correlation function of the field. The described construction of random fields gives a new method for constructing positive definite functions on posets. Bibliography: 6 titles.__________Translated from Zapiski Nauchnykh Seminarov POMI, Vol. 301, 2003, pp. 92–143.     

Dielectric investigations of associate formation process in thin nitrobenzene interlayers formed between metal substrates

Studies of thickness and temperature dependencies of the dielectric susceptibility of nitrobenzene interlayers formed on conductive substrates were carried out. The obtained data were processed under the assumption of the existence of dimers (with opposite directions of molecular dipole moments) in orientationally ordered wall-adjacent layers. The results were treated on the basis of Lifshits theory.     

Ac behaviour and phase transition in PLZT 6/80/20 ferroelectric ceramics

The Ac behaviour of PLZT 6/80/20 ferroelectric ceramics was analyzed around and above the phase transition. Two relaxation processes are identified, showing that the so-called ‘universal relaxation law’ holds for the ceramics. A critical point in the values of the Ac conductivity, around the temperature corresponding to the maximum of the dielectric losses, is observed below the transition temperature due to the relaxor behaviour. The frequency dependence of the Ac conductivity at various temperatures and the hysteresis loops show classical relaxor behaviour with a diffuse phase transition.     

Dynamics of non-equilibrium phase boundaries in a heat conducting non-linearly elastic medium

The phase transformation of the first kind in a non-linearly elastic heat conducting medium is simulated by the relationships on a strong discontinuity. A generalization of the Stefan formulation is given. An existence condition for stationary flow, analogous to the Gibbs phase equilibrium condition, is obtained for non-equilibrium phase boundaries. A pure dilatational phase transition in a compressible fluid and pure shear transformation of the twinning type in non-linearly elastic crystals are considered as model examples. The problem of the structure is solved for closure of the system of relationships on the shock.

A phase transformation ordinarily turns out to be localized in a narrow domain of space and it can be simulated in terms of the conditions on a strong discontinuity /1/. Formulation of the problem of the static equilibrium of liquid phases as well as of liquid and (non-linearly elastic) solid phases was given by Gibbs, who proposed a phase equilibrium criterion and formulated appropriate conditions on the shock; the extension of the Gibbs conditions to the case of the equilibrium of two solid phases is known in both the linear /2/ and non-linear /3/ theories of elasticity. The dynamic problem of the propagation of the equilibrium phase boundary is considered in the Stefan formulation as a rule, including the assumption about the continuity of the density (the strain tensor component) on the shock; the thermal problem is here separated from the mechanical one. Simulating the interphasal surface on the shock the temperature fields are merged by using the well-known Stefan conditions as well as the phase equilibrium condition that reduces to giving the temperature on the front.

The purpose of this paper is to extend the Stefan-Gibbs formulation to the case of the motion of a coherent isothermal phase boundary in a non-linearly elastic heat conducting medium and to derive the dynamic analogue of the phase equilibrium condition (and the Stefan conditions) with possible dissipation at the transformation front. Two dissipative mechanisms are examined, viscous and kinetic. The case of equilibrium phase boundaries was investigated in /4–6/.