DISCRETE HUYGENS' MODELLING APPROACH TO WAVE PROPAGATIONS IN A HOMOGENEOUS ELASTIC FIELD

The application of the discrete Huygens' modelling has been discussed for acoustic wave propagation problems, in which the scalar wave field problems have been focused. The present paper extends the application of the modelling to the elastic wave propagation in a homogeneous elastic medium in which two types of waves, the longitudinal wave and the shear wave, are independent except at the boundary. Each wave can be treated like a scalar wave until the two waves reach the boundary where they couple so as to satisfy the displacement or stress boundary condition. We propose the approach confining ourselves to the two-dimensional field. Some examples are demonstrated, whose solutions are compared with the vectorial wave modelling and finite difference modelling solutions whenever they are available.     

A BODY MASS DEPENDENT MECHANICAL IMPEDANCE MODEL FOR APPLICATIONS IN VIBRATION SEAT TESTING

A three degree-of-freedom model is proposed to predict the biodynamic responses of the seated human body of different masses. A baseline model is initially derived to satisfy both the mean apparent mass and seat-to-head transmissibility responses proposed in ISO/DIS 5982:2000 applicable for mean body mass of 75 kg. The validity of the resultant generic mass dependent model is verified by comparing the apparent mass and driving-point mechanical impedance responses computed for total body masses of 55, 75 and 90 kg with the range of idealized values proposed for body masses within the 49-93 kg range. Considering the lack of data that could be found to define the apparent mass/mechanical impedance of subjects with different body masses when applying the experimental conditions defined in ISO/DIS 5982:2000, an attempt is made to adapt the parameters of the base model to fit the measured apparent mass data applicable to groups of automobile occupants within different mass ranges. This is achieved through constrained parametric optimization which consists of minimizing the sum of squared errors between the computed response and the mean apparent mass data measured for automobile occupants within four mass groups: less than 60 kg, 60·5-70·5 kg, 70·5-80 kg and above 80 kg. The results show a reasonably good agreement between the model responses and the measured apparent mass data, particularly at frequencies below 10 Hz. The results suggest that the proposed mass dependent model can effectively predict the apparent mass responses of automobile occupants over a wide range of body masses and for two different postures: passenger (hands-in-lap) and driver (hands-on-steering wheel) postures.     

Scattering of electromagnetic waves from a half-space of randomly distributed discrete scatterers and polarized backscattering ratio law

Summary The effective-medium approximation is applied to investigate scattering from a half-space of randomly and densely distributed discrete scatterers. Starting from vector wave equations, an approximation, called effective-medium Born approximation, a particular way, treating Green's functions, and special coordinates, of which the origin is set at the field point, are used to calculate the bistatic- and back-scatterings. An analytic solution of backscattering with closed form is obtained and it shows a depolarization effect. The theoretical results are in good agreement with the experimental measurements in the cases of snow, multi- and first-year sea-ice. The root product ratio of polarization to depolarization in backscattering is equal to 8; this result constitutes a law about polarized scattering phenomena in the nature.     

57Fe and57Co Mössbauer studies of highT c Y-Ba-Cu oxides

The⁵⁷Co emission Mössbauer spectra from YBa₂Cu₃O_6.92 (1-2-307) and YBa₂Cu₃O_6.00 (1-2-306) have been measured and compared with the⁵⁷Fe absorption spectra from YBa₂Cu_2.95Fe_0.05O_7?δ in order to clarify decisively the site assignments for the⁵⁷Fe quadrupole-split doublets in these compounds. Mössbauer spectra obtained from both specimens consist of four components whose hyperfine interaction parameters well agree with each other. It is shown that the Co and Fe atoms mainly substitute at Cu1 chain sites in 1-2-307, but in 1-2-306 the Co atoms occupy randomly the Cu2 plane sites and indicate magnetically-split sextet which converts to a paramagnetic doublet of S-state Fe³⁺ in 1-2-307 by a post-annealing in O₂ gas.     

Symmetries of space-time,conservation laws and forbidden motion i: General discussion

The classical (first integral) methods of studying restrictions on the possible motion of gravitationally interacting bodies are reviewed. The simple and flexible inequality method is extended to a similar approach to the relationship between possible forbidden motion and (asymptotic) symmetries in the relativistic few-body problem. This extended method is used to reproduce the standard results of bounded motion for a test particle in a Schwarzschild geometry. The existence of bounded motion is shown for the general relativistic few-body problem and the difficulties in determining such bounded motion is analysed. The use of this approach to obtaining a relativistic alternative to the classical Roche lobe analysis in contact binaries is discussed.     

Mössbauer study of small amounts of iron in graphite,around the diamond-graphite pressure-temperature stability region

An exploratory Mössbauer spectroscopy study of the Fe-C system in the C rich region, prepared by high pressure-high temperature treatment near the graphite-diamond stability line, was made. The results obtained for the different processing conditions give no evidence of Fe intercalation in graphite. The presence of some water in the cell produced hydrated Fe complexes, which can explain the deleterious effect of water or hydrogen in the high pressure diamond synthesis.     

μSR studies of heavy fermion systems

We have performed both zero field and high transverse field measurements at dilution refrigerator temperatures on a number of heavy electron systems, examining the superconducting and magnetic properties of these interesting materials. Among the materials studied to date are UBe₁₃, URu₂Si₂ and U₆Fe. The magnetic field penetration depth in the superconducting state of UBe₁₃ is greater than 10000 Å, as no increase in the transverse field relaxation rate is observed belowT _c . A sharp increase in the precession frequency is seen, starting atT _c . This frequency shift shows little temperature dependence at low temperature; we found no clear evidence for unconventional superconductivity in this material. Zero field measurements in URu₂Si₂ show the weak antiferromagnetic transition at 17.5 K. Finally, we we found no clear evidence for unconventional superconductivity in this material. Zero field measurements in URu₂Si₂ show the weak antiferromagnetic transition at 17.5 K. Finally, we have observed relaxation in high transverse field due to the formation of a flux lattice in U₆Fe, a material where the electron effective mass is rather lighter than in other heavy fermion systems. The relaxation exhibits a sharp onset atT _c=3.9 K, and is flat at low temperatures as expected for a conventional superconductor.     

Far IR harmonic oscillators in triglycine sulphate at 7 K

Transmission spectra of very thick TGS single crystals (e.g. thickness 8 mm) observed in the Far IR at 7 K do not need a high spectral resolution and nevertheless give evidence of Lorentz oscillators with damping coefficients as small as those considered for water vapour at a pressure of 0.2 atmospheres.     

Magnetism in electron-doped copper oxides

We report muon spin relaxation/rotation measurements on sintered powder samples of Nd_2−x Ce _x CuO_4−y and a large single crystal of Nd₂CuO_4−y . We find an electronic phase diagram which is quite similar to that of hole-doped superconductors such as La_2−x Sr _x CuO_4−y , although the doping of electrons into the system is less efficient in destroying the static moments on the copper spins. Static magnetic order in Nd₂CuO_4−y appears below about 250 K, and two spin reorientations are seen atT=75 K andT=35 K. Measurements of the magnetic field penetration depth have been unsuccessful due to the rare-earth paramagnetism of these materials.