Effect of aerosil dispersions on the nematic-to-isotropic interface

The effect of silica aerosils on the kinetics of the first-order nematic-isotropic (NI) phase transition is phenomenologically described in the framework of the time-dependent Landau-Ginzburg equation. A steady-state solution to the equation is presented such that the NI interface may propagate with a solitary-like wave profile under constant quenching. The results provide a plausible basis for the interpretation of the dynamical effects of quenched disorder in the liquid-crystal systems, caused by randomly interconnected porous media, such as aerosils. In the low silica aerosil ρ_s ( ≤0.1 g/cm^3) regime, the calculated values of the interface velocity v(T,ρ_s), the interface thickness κ(T,ρ_s), and the critical radius of a spherical nucleus of new nematic phase in a bulk isotropic environment, composed of polar molecules, such as 4-n-octyl- 4^′- cyanobiphenyl and 4-n-heptyl- 4^′- cyanobiphenyl shows that the effect of silica aerosils on the kinetics is reflected in a shifting of the set of temperature-dependent curves to lower temperature values.-1     

On the origin of Kaluza’s idea of unification and its relation to earlier work by Thirring

We argue that the starting point of Kaluzas idea of unifying electrodynamics and gravity was the analogy between gravitation and electromagnetism which was pointed out by Einstein and Thirring. It seems that Kaluzas attention was turned to this point by the three papers on the Lense–Thirring effect and the analogy between gravitation and electromagnetism which were published a short time before Kaluzas paper was submitted. We provide here also an English translation of the third of these papers (Phys. Zeits. 19: 204, 1918).     

Maps Between Deformed and Ordinary Gauge Fields

In this paper, we introduce a map between the q-deformed gauge fields defined on the GL_q(N) -covariant quantum hyperplane and the ordinary gauge fields. Perturbative analysis of the q-deformed QED at the classical level is presented and gauge fixing à la BRST is discussed. Another star product defined on the hybrid (q,h) -plane is explicitly constructed.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-Nuclearity in a New Perspective

In this Letter we try to settle some confused points concerning the use of the notion of p-nuclearity in the mathematical and physical literature, pointing out that the nuclearity index in the physicists’ sense vanishes for any p> 1. Our discussion of these issues suggests a new perspective, in terms of ε-entropy and operator spaces, which might permit connections to be drawn between phase space criteria and quantum energy inequalities.Mathematics Subject Classification (2000): 81T05, 47B10, 47L25.     

Higher spin gauge theories in any dimension

Some general properties of higher spin gauge theories are summarized, with the emphasize on the nonlinear theories in any dimension. To cite this article: M.A. Vasiliev, C. R. Physique 5 (2004).

Résumé

Des propriétés générales des théories de jauge de grands spins sont présentées, en insistant particulièrement sur les théories non-linéaires en dimensions diverses. Pour citer cet article : M.A. Vasiliev, C. R. Physique 5 (2004).     

Numerical study of homogeneous dynamo based on experimental von Kármán type flows

A numerical study of the magnetic induction equation has been performed on von Kármán type flows. These flows are generated by two co-axial counter-rotating propellers in cylindrical containers. Such devices are currently used in the von Kármán sodium (VKS) experiment designed to study dynamo action in an unconstrained flow. The mean velocity fields have been measured for different configurations and are introduced in a periodic cylindrical kinematic dynamo code. Depending on the driving configuration, on the poloidal to toroidal flow ratio and on the conductivity of boundaries, some flows are observed to sustain growing magnetic fields for magnetic Reynolds numbers accessible to a sodium experiment. The response of the flow to an external magnetic field has also been studied: The results are in excellent agreement with experimental results in the single propeller case but can differ in the two propellers case.     

Propagation of light-pulses at a negative group-velocity

This paper deals with the apparent superluminal propagation of electromagnetic pulses in a linear dispersive medium. One specifically examines the possibility that the pulse leaving the medium may be nearly identical to the incident one (low distortion) and in significant advance of it (strongly negative group-delays). Favourable conditions are obtained in a dilute medium where the required anomalous dispersion originates in an ensemble of narrow absorption or gain lines. Analytical expressions of the advancement of the pulse centre-of-gravity and of the lowest order distortion are established from the transfer-function of the medium. The experiments already achieved with arrangements involving a single absorption-line or a gain-doublet are analysed in detail and compared. The considerable difficulties to overcome in order to attain advancements comparable to the pulse width without important distortion are pointed out. New and promising schemes involving a narrow dip in a gain profile or absorption-doublets are proposed. Received 4 July 2002 / Received in final form 8 November 2002 Published online 4 February 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: bruno.macke@univ-lille1.fr RID="b" ID="b"Unité Mixte de Recherche de l'Université et du CNRS (UMR 8523)     

Cooling efficiency in collisions between Pd and He,Ne, Ar and Kr

The cooling of the metal cluster Pd₁₃ in an atmosphere of rare gas has been studied by means of computer simulation. By simulation, the average energy transfer in collisions between one cluster and one gas atom has been obtained. Emphasis has been placed on conditions when the temperatures of the colliding species are almost equal. All modes of motion, inclusive the translation, must be considered in order to obtain vanishing energy transfer at equilibrium. A simulation scheme is presented by which the energy transfer is zero to the cluster when the gas and the cluster temperatures are equal. At equilibrium the energy transfer does however not vanish for all impact parameters. In the collisions with Pd₁₃, the cluster is heated by collisions with a small impact parameter but equally cooled by collisions with a large impact parameter. Argon and krypton are found to cool Pd₁₃ equally efficiently while neon and helium are less efficient cooling agents. Received 28 September 2001 / Received in final form 8 August 2002 Published online 12 November 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: JanW@phc.gu.se     

Non-adiabatic transitions at a continuum edge

We consider interaction of a single level with a broad, tending to semi-infinite continuum. In an example of two exactly solvable problems, we show that for time dependent quantum systems the probability of the irreversible transition from a discrete level to a continuum is strongly inhibited or even completely suppressed by the presence of a discrete adiabatic level near the continuum edge. Received 10 October 2002 Published online 4 March 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: Alain.Sarfati@lac.u-psud.fr