The crumbling of a viscous prism with an inclined free surface

Summary We study the two-dimensional instantaneous Stokes flow driven by gravity in a viscous triangular prism supported by a horizontal rigid substrate and a vertical wall. The oblique side of the prism, inclined at an angle α with respect to the substrate, is a fluid-air interface, where the stresses are zero and surface tension is neglected. We develop the stream function ψ in polar coordinates (r,θ) centered at the vertex of α and split it into an inhomogeneous part, which accounts for gravity effects, and a homogeneous part, which is expressed as a series expansion. The inhomogeneous part and the first term of the expansion may be envisioned, respectively, as self-similar solutions of the first kind and of the second kind for r→0, each one holding in complementary α domains with a crossover at α _c =21.47^∘, which we study in some detail. The coefficients of the series are calculated by truncating the expansion and using the method of direct collocation with a suitable set of points at the wall. The solution strictly holds for t=0, because later the free surface ceases to be a plane; nevertheless, it provides a good approximation for the early time evolution of the fluid profile, as shown by the comparison with numerical simulations. For 0<α<45^∘, the vertex angle remains constant and the edge remains strictly at rest; the transition at α _c manifests itself through a change in the rate of growth of the curvature. The time at which the edge starts to move (waiting time) cannot be calculated since the instantaneous solution ceases to be valid. For α>45^∘, the instantaneous local solution indicates that the surface near the vertex is launched against the substrate so that the edge starts to move immediately with a power law dependence on time t. However, due to the high value of the exponent, the vertex may seem to be at rest for some finite time even in this case. Received 29 August 1997; accepted for publication 21 January 1998     

微重时卧圆柱内静液面方程与数值计算

由力学平衡方程导出了微重时卧圆柱内静液面方程，推出了边界接触角条件，使用Ｒｕｎｇｅ Ｋｕｔａ法在计算机上得出了数值结果，绘出了静液面形状，并对结果进行了分析．     

Direct Numerical Simulation of Turbulence in a Stably Stratified Fluid and Wave-Shear Interaction

Turbulence decay in a strongly stratified medium is simulated by a direct pseudo-spectral code solving the three-dimensional equations of motion under the Boussinesq approximation. The results are compared to non-stratified simulations results. We focus on the production of mean shear energy observed in the stratified case. We then simulate the decay of stratified turbulence when affected by an initial horizontal mean flow and show that this mean flow is the major component remaining at large t. Next, we give some analytical elements on wave-shear interaction by using a simple refraction calculation with WKB hypothesis. This calculation is illustrated by simulating the interaction between one monochromatic internal wave and a vertical shear profile. We conclude that the existence of singularities in the mean shear production term in the presence of internal gravity waves may be one of the possible mechanisms involved within stratified turbulent shear flows.     

Multicloud Convective Parametrizations with Crude Vertical Structure

Recent observational analysis reveals the central role of three multi-cloud types, congestus, stratiform, and deep convective cumulus clouds, in the dynamics of large scale convectively coupled Kelvin waves, westward propagating two-day waves, and the Madden–Julian oscillation. The authors have recently developed a systematic model convective parametrization highlighting the dynamic role of the three cloud types through two baroclinic modes of vertical structure: a deep convective heating mode and a second mode with low level heating and cooling corresponding respectively to congestus and stratiform clouds. The model includes a systematic moisture equation where the lower troposphere moisture increases through detrainment of shallow cumulus clouds, evaporation of stratiform rain, and moisture convergence and decreases through deep convective precipitation and a nonlinear switch which favors either deep or congestus convection depending on whether the troposphere is moist or dry. Here several new facets of these multi-cloud models are discussed including all the relevant time scales in the models and the links with simpler parametrizations involving only a single baroclinic mode in various limiting regimes. One of the new phenomena in the multi-cloud models is the existence of suitable unstable radiative convective equilibria (RCE) involving a larger fraction of congestus clouds and a smaller fraction of deep convective clouds. Novel aspects of the linear and nonlinear stability of such unstable RCE’s are studied here. They include new modes of linear instability including mesoscale second baroclinic moist gravity waves, slow moving mesoscale modes resembling squall lines, and large scale standing modes. The nonlinear instability of unstable RCE’s to homogeneous perturbations is studied with three different types of nonlinear dynamics occurring which involve adjustment to a steady deep convective RCE, periodic oscillation, and even heteroclinic chaos in suitable parameter regimes.     

Uniaxial extension of an isothermal fluid cylinder in the presence of inertia,surface tension and gravity

Effects of inertia, surface tension and gravity in the constant force stretching of isothermal cylindrical filaments of Newtonian, power-law and Maxwell-type fluids were analysed in Lagrangian coordinates. Solution for the purely gravitational extension of Newtonian fluid cylinder was found to be as simple as = 1 – C ₃ (1 – ) where designates the cross sectional area, the Lagrangian distance and the time. Analytical solutions were also available for the case of inertialess Newtonian and power-law fluids.A first-order backward differencing scheme and minimal computer time were sufficient to numerically analyse the constant force extension of Maxwell-type fluids in the presence of inertia, gravity and surface tension. Effects of inertia, surface tension and gravity on the severity of neck down occurring at either end of the filament are summarized in diagrams. The present approach is valid on any other constitutive model as far as there is a numerical scheme to analyse thehomogeneous extension of a cylinder of that particular fluid.     

On physical criteria for the selection of wood for soundboards of musical instruments

In order to develop criteria for the physical evaluation of wood for soundboards of musical instruments, measurements were made of dynamic Young's modulusE, static Young's modulusE, internal frictionQ ^–1 in longitudinal direction, and specific gravity for numerous species of broad-leaved wood. From the results obtained, including those of our previous paper on coniferous wood [1], it was found that the suitability of wood for soundboards could be evaluated by the quantity ofQ ^–1/(E/), and that there were very high correlations betweenQ ^–1/(E/) andE/, and betweenE andE, regardless of wood species. Consequently, it becomes possible to select practically any wood suitable for soundboards by using the value ofE/, which can be measured easily, and it was derived that the relation betweenE/ andQ ^–1 of wood could be expressed by an exponential equation regardless of wood species.     

旋转重力梯度仪的加速度计动态调节方法与需求分析

适合陆基使用的旋转重力梯度仪采用多个加速度计的组合输出,能有效地抑制平台的共模噪声,实现对地球表面微小重力梯度变化信号的测量.其关键技术之一就是对多个加速度计进行动态匹配调节,通过实时反馈来降低多种噪声和误差,从而降低对研制单个加速度计的性能要求.本文结合旋转重力梯度仪中加速度计的匹配调节方法,以重力梯度测量分辨率达到1E为目标分析,结果表明对加速度计的标度因子一致性匹配需要达到10-11的量级,对二阶非线性因子调节同样需要达到～10-11g/g2的量级.     

Experimental gravity induced coexistence curve of methyl fluoride near the critical point

Abstract

The top part of the coexistence curve of methyl fluoride in the critical region has been determined first by direct observation of the disappearance of the meniscus of the fluid situated in a high-pressure light scattering cell and subsequently from the measured maximum depolarization ratio of an appreciable number of isochores close to the critical point. The experimental data obtained from direct observations yield a coexistence curve which nearly coincides with that found recently from pVT measurements. However, the data obtained from light scattering experiments describe a gravity induced coexistence curve which lies above the previous one and which shows a minimum at the critical point. The complete experimental data have been used to evaluate the critical parameters p_c, ρ_c and T_c and the critical exponent β.     

Atom interferometry gravity-gradiometer for the determination of the Newtonian gravitational constant G

We developed a gravity-gradiometer based on atom interferometry for the determination of the Newtonian gravitational constant G. The apparatus, combining a Rb fountain, Raman interferometry and a juggling scheme for fast launch of two atomic clouds, was specifically designed to reduce possible systematic effects. We present instrument performances and preliminary results for the measurement of G with a relative uncertainty of 1%. A discussion of projected accuracy for G measurement using this new scheme shows that the results of the experiment will be significant to discriminate between previous inconsistent values.     

Beyond the Semiclassical Description of Black Hole Evaporation

In the semiclassical treatment, i.e. in a classical black hole geometry, Hawking quanta emerge from trans-Planckian configurations because of scale invariance. There is indeed no scale to stop the blueshift effect encountered in the backward propagation toward the event horizon. On the contrary, when taking into account the gravitational interactions neglected in the semiclassical treatment, a new UV scale could be dynamically engendered and could stop the focusing. To show that this is the case, we use the large-N limit, where N is the number of matter fields. In this limit, the semiclassical treatment is the leading contribution. Nonlinear gravitational effects appear in the next orders and in the first of these, the effects are governed by the two-point correlation function of the energy–momentum tensor evaluated in the vacuum. In this case they can also be obtained by considering light propagation in a stochastic ensemble of metrics whose mean fluctuating properties are determined by this two-point function.