Barotropic Instability of the Bickley Jet at High Reynolds Numbers

We investigate the linear stability of the Bickley jet in the framework of the beta-plane approximation. Because singular inviscid neutral modes exist in the retrograde case     , it is necessary to add viscosity to interpret them. One of these modes was found in closed form by Howard and Drazin [1] . However, its critical point is at the center of the jet and it was therefore not possible for these authors to ascertain the relationship of this mode to the stability problem or to discuss how to continue the eigenfunction across the singularity.
The viscous critical layer problem associated with this singularity is considerably more difficult than the usual one (which leads to integrals of the Airy function) because     and, consequently, a second-order turning point is involved. Our analysis shows that the Howard–Drazin mode is degenerate in the domain where it is valid as a limit of the viscous problem (wavenumber  α²≤ 9/2  ), that is, it corresponds to both an odd and an even mode. This conclusion is confirmed by direct numerical solution of the Orr–Sommerfeld equation which shows, in addition, that viscosity is destabilizing along portions of the stability boundary. For a retrograde jet, instability is found to occur beyond the inviscid critical value of β, that is, in the region where the flow would be stable according to the Rayleigh–Kuo condition.     

Stable Ergodicity and Frame Flows

In this note we show that all diffeomorphisms close enough to the time-one map of the frame flow on certain negatively curved manifolds are ergodic. As a simple corollary we deduce that the frame flows are ergodic for all compact manifolds with curvature pinched sufficiently close to –1, thus providing results in the case of manifolds of dimension 7 or 8 which were missing from the results of Brin and Karcher.     

Second harmonic generation and polar order in thin films of polyesters

A series of optically active main chain polyesters were synthesized by high temperature polycondensation from biphenolic azo chromophores with azobenzene-4,4'-dicarbonylchloride and 1,4:3,6-dianhydro-D-sorbitol ([!]_D²⁵=+42.5°). The second harmonic generation of the polyesters is studied in thin films. The polar order in films is determined from the UV-visible absorption spectra. The variation in SHG intensity with chiral monomer concentration is explained as a function of polar order. The polymers with chiral units showed good second harmonic efficiency. The intensity of second harmonic light (532 nm) increased with angle of incidence and indicated the polar order in the plane of the film. The SH signal also showed good temporal stability.     

On the local structure of doubly laced crystals

Let g be a Lie algebra all of whose regular subalgebras of rank 2 are type A₁×A₁, A₂, or C₂, and let B be a crystal graph corresponding to a representation of g. We explicitly describe the local structure of B, confirming a conjecture of Stembridge.     

The harmonic consistency index for the analytic hierarchy process

A new consistency measure, the harmonic consistency index, is obtained for any positive reciprocal matrix in the analytic hierarchy process. We show how this index varies with changes in any matrix element. A tight upper bound is provided for this new consistency measure when the entries of matrix are at most 9, as is often recommended. Using simulation, the harmonic consistency index is shown to give numerical values similar to the standard consistency index but it is easier to compute and interpret. In addition, new properties of the column sums of reciprocal matrices are obtained.     

How Focusing Phenomena in the Instructional Environment Support Individual Students' Generalizations

This article sets forth a way of connecting the classroom instructional environment with individual students' generalizations. To do so, we advance the notion of focusing phenomena, that is, regularities in the ways in which teachers, students, artifacts, and curricular materials act together to direct attention toward certain mathematical properties over others. The construct of focusing phenomena emerged from an empirical study conducted during a 5-week unit on slope and linear functions in a high school classroom using a reform curriculum. Qualitative evidence from interviews with 7 students revealed that students interpreted the m value in y = b + mx as a difference rather than a ratio as a result of counterproductive generalization afforded by focusing phenomena. Classroom analysis revealed 4 focusing phenomena, which regularly directed students' attention to various sets of differences rather than to the coordination of quantities.