Supernovae and the Arrow of Time

Supernovae are explosions of stars and are a central problem in astrophysics. Rayleigh–Taylor (RT) and Richtmyer–Meshkov (RM) instabilities develop during the star’s explosion and lead to intense interfacial RT/RM mixing of the star materials. We handle the mathematical challenges of the RT/RM problem based on the group theory approach. We directly link the conservation laws governing RT/RM dynamics to the symmetry-based momentum model, derive the model parameters, and find the analytical solutions and characteristics of RT/RM dynamics with variable accelerations in the linear, nonlinear and mixing regimes. The theory outcomes explain the astrophysical observations and yield the design of laboratory experiments. They suggest that supernova evolution is a non-equilibrium process directed by the arrow of time.     

激光激发水中产生超声波的实验研究

采用压电陶瓷水听器研究了Nd：YAG脉冲激光激发水中产生瞬态超声波的特性,给出了声压信号随距离的变化关系。研究结果表明：用激光产生水下声波是完全可行的。当观测点与光击穿区的距离r远大于柱体长度时,垂直于光传播方向的激光瞬态超声波幅值与r成反比;当观测点与光击穿区的距离r很小时,垂直于光传播方向的声压幅值与产成反比。此外,当激光入射角度发生变化,超声脉冲的幅值也随之发生变化,其幅值在激光束垂直入射的时候最大。     

Wavespeed analysis: Approximating Arrhenius kinetics with step-function kinetics

The accuracy of using step-function approximations to the Arrhenius exponential in computing the wavespeed in combustion wave propagation is investigated. Gaseous and gasless combustion, and first- and second-order reactions are included in the study. The theoretical analysis is based on Melnikov theory from dynamical systems. The error is shown to be small in most instances. The analytical results are supported with numerical simulations.     

Searching for gravitational waves with the LIGO and Virgo interferometers

The first generation of ground-based interferometric gravitational wave detectors, LIGO, GEO, and Virgo, have operated and taken data at their design sensitivities over the last few years. The data has been examined for the presence of gravitational wave signals. Presented here is a comprehensive review of the most significant results. The network of detectors is currently being upgraded and extended, providing a large likelihood for observations. These future prospects will also be discussed.     

An SIS waveguide heterodyne receiver for 600 HGz-635 GHz

A waveguide SIS heterodyne receiver using a Nb/AlO_X/Nb junction has been built for astronomical observations of molecular transitions in the frequency range 600 GHz - 635 GHz, and has been successfully used at the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory (CSO). We report double sideband (DSB) receiver noise temperatures as low as 245 K at 600 GHz -610 GHz, and near 300 K over the rest of the bandwidth. These results confirm that SIS quasiparticle mixers work well at submillimeter-wave frequencies corresponding to photon energies of at least 90% of the superconductor energy gap. In addition, we have systematically investigated the effect on the receiver performance of the overlap between first-order and second-order photon steps of opposite sign at these frequencies. The receiver noise increases by as much as 40% in the region of overlap. We infer potential limitations for operating submillimeter-wave Nb/AlO_x/Nb mixers.     

Entropy Production and Admissibility of Shocks

In shock wave theory there are two considerations in selecting the physically relevant shock waves.There is the admissibility criterion for the well-posedness of hyperbolic conservation laws.Another consideraztion concerns the entropy production across the shochs.The latter is natural from the physical point of view,but is not sufficient in its straightforward formulation,if the system is not genuinely nonlinear.In this paper we propose the principles of increasing entropy production and that of the superposition of shocks.These principles arc shown to be equivalent to the admissibility criterion.     

Soliton solutions for quasilinear Schrödinger equations, II

For a class of quasilinear Schrödinger equations, we establish the existence of ground states of soliton-type solutions by a variational method.     

等离子体部分填充的波纹慢波结构中电磁波色散特性

 对有限厚环形等离子体层填充的波纹慢波结构中电磁波色散特性进行了分析。研究结果表明，对于ω＞ω_p的高频TM_0n模，模式色散曲线随等离子体密度的增加而上移；ω≤ω_p的低频等离子体模为一系列呈周期变化的密度谱，部分模式能与电子注发生较强的同步互作用。等离子体模的时间增长率随等离子体密度的增加快速增加，而TM_0n模则快速减小或缓慢增加，因此在较高的等离子体密度下，高频模式可能被抑制。     

Acoustic scattering characteristics of a thick-walled orthotropic cylindrical shell at oblique incidence

The method of wave function expansion is adopted to study the scattering of a plane harmonic acoustic wave incident at an arbitrary angle upon an arbitrarily thick cylindrically orthotropic homogeneous cylindrical shell submerged in and filled with compressible ideal fluids. A laminate approximate model and the so-called state space formulation in conjunction with the classical transfer matrix (T-matrix) approach are employed to present an analytical solution based on the three-dimensional exact equations of anisotropic elasticity. The solution is used to correlate the perturbation in the material elastic constants of an air-filled and water-submerged aluminium cylindrical shell to the sensitivity of resonances associated with various modes of wave propagation appearing in the backscattered amplitude spectrum (i.e., axially guided, Lamb, Rayleigh and Whispering Gallery waves). The effects of shell wall thickness as well as inner fluid loading on the frequency response of the shell are also examined. A limiting case is considered and good agreement with the solution available in the literature is obtained.     

Theoretical Analysis of the Biological Thermal Effect of Millimeter Waves in Layered-Dielectric-Slabs

The theory is presented for one method of determining the biological thermal effect of millimeter waves in microwave radiometry. It has been studied theoretically that millimeter waves propagation and absorption in a human body. The model is a plane straticulate homogeneous slab of tissues under the irradiance of normal incidence plane wave. It has been discussed by obtaining the electromagnetic field, absorbent power, specific absorption rate, temperature field and their distributions in the human trunk model. Also, the principle of thermal therapeutics of millimeter waves to cancer has been discussed preliminarily.