Directed transport in equilibrium: A model study

It is generally believed that sustained directed transport in mechanical systems is not achievable under equilibrium conditions. In this article, by analyzing a simple model, we will show that directed motion under equilibrium conditions can take place and is not inconsistent with conservation of energy and the second law of thermodynamics. Our model demonstrates a novel symmetry breaking mechanism sustainable under equilibrium conditions and average uniform motion of the center of mass is a consequence of the sustained broken symmetry. The most important consequence of our results is that, no current condition for mechanical equilibrium is possibly non-universal.     

Evolutionary model of the growth and size of firms

The key idea of this model is that firms are the result of an evolutionary process. Based on demand and supply considerations the evolutionary model presented here derives explicitly Gibrat’s law of proportionate effects as the result of the competition between products. Applying a preferential attachment mechanism for firms, the theory allows to establish the size distribution of products and firms. Also established are the growth rate and price distribution of consumer goods. Taking into account the characteristic property of human activities to occur in bursts, the model allows also an explanation of the size–variance relationship of the growth rate distribution of products and firms. Further the product life cycle, the learning (experience) curve and the market size in terms of the mean number of firms that can survive in a market are derived. The model also suggests the existence of an invariant of a market as the ratio of total profit to total revenue. The relationship between a neo-classic and an evolutionary view of a market is discussed. The comparison with empirical investigations suggests that the theory is able to describe the main stylized facts concerning the size and growth of firms.     

Inter‐Electrode Distance and Breakdown Voltage in Low Pressure Argon Discharges

This work deals with the Paschen law in electrical breakdown of gases at pd values around the Paschen minimum. From the Townsend model, it is possible to deduce theoretical forms of the coefficients in Paschen's law, of which our calculated values are in the range of the tabulated values from the literature. These formulae show that the breakdown voltage must be influenced by the inter‐electrode distance, while the product pd remains a key parameter. This is confirmed by the Paschen curves measured in an argon discharge for inter‐electrode distances varying from 2 to 9 cm (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

The diminishing segment process

Let Ξ₀=[−1,1], and define the segments Ξ_n recursively in the following manner: for every n=0,1,…, let Ξ_n+1=Ξ_n∩[a_n+1−1,a_n+1+1], where the point a_n+1 is chosen randomly on the segment Ξ_n with uniform distribution. For the radius ρ_n of Ξ_n, we prove that n(ρ_n−1/2) converges in distribution to an exponential law, and we show that the centre of the limiting unit interval has arcsine distribution.     

Decay property of Timoshenko system in thermoelasticity

We investigate the decay property of a Timoshenko system of thermoelasticity in the whole space for both Fourier and Cattaneo laws of heat conduction. We point out that although the paradox of infinite propagation speed inherent in the Fourier law is removed by changing to the Cattaneo law, the latter always leads to a solution with the decay property of the regularity‐loss type. The main tool used to prove our results is the energy method in the Fourier space together with some integral estimates. We derive L² decay estimates of solutions and observe that for the Fourier law the decay structure of solutions is of the regularity‐loss type if the wave speeds of the first and the second equations in the system are different. For the Cattaneo law, decay property of the regularity‐loss type occurs no matter what the wave speeds are. In addition, by restricting the initial data to with a suitably large s and γ ∈ [0,1], we can derive faster decay estimates with the decay rate improvement by a factor of t^?γ/2. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Indirect adaptive fuzzy observer and controller design based on interval type-2 T-S fuzzy model

This paper presents the design scheme of the indirect adaptive fuzzy observer and controller based on the interval type-2 (IT2) T-S fuzzy model. The nonlinear systems can be well approximated by IT2 T-S fuzzy model, in which the fuzzy rules’ antecedents are interval type-2 fuzzy sets and consequents are linear state equations. The proposed IT2 T-S fuzzy model is a combination of IT2 fuzzy system and T-S fuzzy model, and also inherits the benefits of type-2 fuzzy logic systems, which is able to directly handle uncertainties and can minimize the effects of uncertainties in rule-based fuzzy system. These characteristics can improve the accuracy of the system modeling and reduce the number of system rules. The proposed method using feedback control, adaptive laws, and on-line object parameters are adjusted to ensure observation error bounded. In addition, using Lyapunov synthesis approach and Lipschitz condition, the stability analysis is conducted. The simulation results show that the proposed method can handle unpredicted disturbance and data uncertainties very well in advantage of the effectiveness of observation and control.     

磁场和热辐射对可变表面热通量作用下的竖直圆锥体自然对流的影响

就圆锥体表面受到可变表面热通量作用,计及磁场和热辐射的综合影响,数值研究了流经竖直圆锥体的自然对流及其热交换特点.认为流体是灰色的、吸收-发射的辐射介质,而非散射介质,通过近似变换,将自由对流区中流动的边界层控制方程,简化为无量纲方程.利用Crank-Nicol-son形式的隐式有限差分法(具有收敛快、精度高、无条件稳定的特点),求解了无量纲的控制方程.得到了数值结果,以及空气和水中的速度、温度、局部和平均的壁面剪应力、局部和平均的Nusselt数.将所得到的结果与先前文献报道的结果进行比较,发现两者有着很好的一致性.     

1921年诺贝尔化学奖获得者——索迪

在探索微观元素的过程中,同位素与放射性元素位移定律的发现无疑具有里程碑式的意义。同位素的发现修正了道尔顿原子学说,元素位移规律的发现使放射化学成为一门独立的学科,为此1921年的诺贝尔化学奖授予了同位素与元素位移定律的发现者—弗雷德里克.索迪,2011年恰逢索迪逝世55周年,特写此文来纪念他对现代放射化学与核物理学做出的贡献。     

决定物理学发展的六大思想——《Six Ideas That Shaped Physics》赏析

对《Six Ideas That Shaped Physics》(6卷本)这套优秀著作进行了深入的解读,从创作思想、课程体系安排和独到的特点3个方面,深入剖析了其为什么能够引领世界物理导论教学前沿的原因.该套丛书的六大思想对我国未来的物理教材建设和物理课堂教学改革具有重要的借鉴意义.     

有重弹性体形变与质量分布规律的简明推导

依据胡克定律与串联弹性体的劲度系数计算公式,直观简便地导出了弹性体在重力场中的形变规律、质量分布规律及其质心位置.