Assessment of sandwich models for the prediction of sound transmission loss in unidirectional sandwich panels

The consistent higher-order approach and the two-parameter foundation formulation are used for the derivation of sound transmission loss in symmetric unidirectional (infinitely wide) sandwich panels with isotropic face sheets. In both models, transmission loss is calculated using decoupled equations representing symmetric and anti-symmetric motions of a sandwich panel. The closed-form expressions for impedances and transmission coefficient of a symmetric sandwich panel with an isotropic core are derived for the two-parameter foundation model. A comparison between the numerical predictions based on the two sandwich models and available experimental data shows that the consistent higher-order formulation can be used to predict the transmission loss in symmetric sandwich panels with both honeycomb and isotropic cores. For prediction of transmission loss of symmetric sandwich panels with an isotropic core, the two-parameter foundation model is more convenient, while the consistent higher-order approach is more accurate.     

Extended Bose-Hubbard model with pair hopping on triangular lattice

We study systematically an extended Bose-Hubbard model on the triangular lattice by means of a meanfield method based on the Gutzwiller ansatz. Pair hopping terms are explicitly included and a three-body constraint is applied. The zero-temperature phase diagram and a variety of quantum phase transitions are investigated in great detail. In particular, we show the existence and the stability of the pair supersolid phase.     

Methods for calculating the desorption rate of an isolated molecule from a surface: Water on MgO(0 0 1)

We present two types of Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation for calculating the desorption rate of molecules from a surface. In the first, the molecules move freely between two surfaces, and the desorption rate is obtained either by counting the number of desorption events in a given time, or by looking at the average density of the molecules as a function of distance from the surface and then applying transition state theory (TST). In the second, the potential of mean force (PMF) for a molecule is determined as a function of distance from the surface and the desorption rate is obtained by means of TST. The methods are applied to water on the MgO(0 0 1) surface at low coverage. Classical potentials are used so that long simulations can be performed, to minimise statistical errors. The two sets of MD simulations agree well at high temperatures. The PMF method reproduces the 0 K adsorption energy of the molecule to within 5 meV, and finds that the well depth of the PMF is not linear with temperature. This implies the prefactor frequency f in the Polanyi-Wigner equation is a function of temperature, increasing at lower temperatures due to the reduction of the available configuration space associated with an adsorbed molecule compared with a free molecule.     

Nonlinear evolution of turbulent spots in the near-wall shear flow

The initial model of turbulent spots with the wall disturbance using the pulse form was proposed. A group of three-dimensional coupling compact difference schemes with high accuracy and high resolution were developed, and implemented to simulate the formation and development of turbulent spots in the near-wall shear flow by means of direct numerical simulation of the Navier-Stokes equations. Growing and decaying modes were used to analyze nonlinear evolution characteristics of the turbulent spots.     

Atomistic modeling of Zn deposition on the low index faces of Cu

The formation process of Zn/Cu surface alloys is investigated using the Bozzolo-Ferrante-Smith (BFS) method for alloys. The effects of the crystallographic orientation on the deposition process, formation of surface alloys as a function of temperature and coverage, Zn surface migration, and interdiffusion in the Cu substrate, are modeled and discussed with atom-by-atom energy analyses and large scale simulations.     

Fractal and structural aspects of adhesion in particulate-filled polymer composites

Two types of composites based on poly(hydroxy ether) and graphite with various amounts of a filler have been investigated by various methods. The methods have been used to estimate the characteristics of adhesion and interfacial layer, including its thickness and tensile strength and interdependence between these values and adhesion. The results are treated on the basis of the theory of irreversible aggregation, cluster theory of the polymer structure and fractal analysis. It is established that all important characteristics of adhesion, interfacial layer and mechanical properties are interconnected with the difference between fractal dimensions of the surface of the aggregates of filler particles and of a polymer matrix, whose structure is distorted under the influence of the filler surface.     

A linear algorithm of the reference region model for DCE-MRI is robust and relaxes requirements for temporal resolution

Dynamic contrast enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) has utility for improving clinical diagnoses of solid tumors, and for evaluating the early responses of anti-angiogenic chemotherapies. The Reference Region Model (RRM) can improve the clinical implementation of DCE-MRI by substituting the contrast enhancement of muscle for the Arterial Input Function that is used in traditional DCE-MRI methodologies. The RRM is typically fitted to experimental results with a non-linear least squares algorithm. This report demonstrates that this algorithm produces inaccurate and imprecise results when DCE-MRI results have low SNR or slow temporal resolution. To overcome this limitation, a linear least-squares algorithm has been derived for the Reference Region Model. This new algorithm improves accuracy and precision of fitting the Reference Region Model to DCE-MRI results, especially for voxel-wise analyses. This linear algorithm is insensitive to injection speeds, and has 300- to 8000-fold faster calculation speed relative to the non-linear algorithm. The linear algorithm produces more accurate results for over a wider range of permeabilities and blood volumes of tumor vasculature. This new algorithm, termed the Linear Reference Region Model, has strong potential to improve clinical DCE-MRI evaluations.     

One- and two-channel Kondo model with logarithmic Van Hove singularity: A numerical renormalization group solution

Simple scaling consideration and NRG solution of the one- and two-channel Kondo model in the presence of a logarithmic Van Hove singularity at the Fermi level is given. The temperature dependences of local and impurity magnetic susceptibility and impurity entropy are calculated. The low-temperature behavior of the impurity susceptibility and impurity entropy turns out to be non-universal in the Kondo sense and independent of the s–d coupling J. The resonant level model solution in the strong coupling regime confirms the NRG results. In the two-channel case the local susceptibility demonstrates a non-Fermi-liquid power-law behavior.     

Computation of critical exponents for two-dimensional ising model on a cellular automaton

Static critical exponents for the two-dimensional Ising model are computed on a cellular automaton. The analysis of the data within the framework of the finite-size scaling theory reproduces their well-established values.     

Self-organization in aggregating colloids

Summary The interceluster organization of a two-dimensional colloidal system undergoing diffusion-limited cluster-cluster aggregation is considered. During this process the system evolves into a stationary, scaling state. In this state the organization arises from effective intercluster repulsion due to the mutually exclusive depletion zones surrounding each cluster. It is shown that in the scaling regime the relevant size of the depletion zones is determined by the separation between clusters, rather than the cluster size. Paper presented at the I International Conference on Scaling Concepts and Complex Fluids, Copanello, Italy, July 4–8, 1994.