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Physical Mechanisms (physical + mechanism)
Selected AbstractsThe role of static stress transfer in mining induced seismic events occurrence, a case study of the Rudna mine in the Legnica-Glogow Copper District in PolandGEOPHYSICAL JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL, Issue 2 2010B. Orlecka-Sikora SUMMARY Seismicity accompanying mining exploitation results from changes in the stress field in the rock mass near the mining excavations caused by human activity. Many studies of the temporal and spatial distribution of mining induced seismicity have provided evidence for interrelations among events. Although a variety of techniques have been applied to quantify the interdependences of mining induced seismic events, the physical mechanism of interactions has not been unequivocally identified. Based on the premise that one possible cause of interactions among seismic events can be static stress transfer, we have verified statistically the role of Coulomb stress transfer in the generation process of mining induced seismicity using a series of seismic events that occurred in the Rudna mine in the Legnica-G,ogów Copper District in Poland. We quantify the triggering and inhibiting effect by the proportion of events in the series, whose locations are consistent with the stress increased and stress decreased zones, respectively. We have found that more than 60 per cent of the analysed seismic events occurred in areas where stress was enhanced due to the occurrence of previous events. The statistical significance of these results is tested by comparing them with the same proportions obtained for 2000 random permutations of the original series of events. The test has indicated that the locations in positive stress changes areas are preferred statistically significantly when the stress changes exceed 0.05 bar. This result turns out to be robust to the errors of the nodal planes determination. [source] Southern hemisphere cyclones and anticyclones: recent trends and links with decadal variability in the Pacific OceanINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY, Issue 11 2007Dr Alexandre Bernardes Pezza Abstract The aim of this paper is to study the association between the extratropical Southern Hemisphere and the decadal variability in the Pacific Ocean (PO). We discuss a pattern of coherent large-scale anomalies and trends in cyclone and anticyclone behaviour in light of the climate variability in the PO over the ERA40 reanalysis period (1957,2002). The two representative PO indices are the Pacific Decadal and Interdecadal Oscillations (PDO and IPO), and here the PDO is chosen owing to it being less associated with the southern oscillation index (SOI). Composites of the indicators of the density and intensity of cyclones/anticyclones given by an automatic tracking scheme were calculated for the years when the PDOI was more than one standard deviation above or below its mean. Although the ERA40 is not free from noise and assimilation changes, the results show a large-scale feature, which seems to be robust and agrees with earlier studies using different data sets. The sea-level pressure shows a strong annular structure related to the PDO, which is not seen for the SOI, with lower pressure around Antarctica during the positive phase and vice versa. More intense (and fewer) cyclones and anticyclones were observed during the positive PDO. This is less consistent for the SOI, particularly during the summer when a different PDO/SOI pattern arises at high latitudes. The trends project a pattern coincident with the positive PDO phase and seem to be linked with the main climate shift in the late seventies. Trends observed over the Tasman Sea are consistent with declining winter rainfall over southeastern Australia. Most patterns are statistically significant and seem robust, but random changes in ENSO may play a part, to a certain degree, in modulating the results, and a physical mechanism of causality has not been demonstrated. Although global warming and related changes in the Southern Annular Mode (SAM) may also help explain the observed behaviour, the large-scale response presented here provides a new insight and would be of considerable interest for further modelling studies. Copyright © 2007 Royal Meteorological Society [source] Features of cross-Pacific climate shown in the variability of China and US precipitationINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY, Issue 13 2005Q. Li Abstract In this study, we have analyzed the climate features of China and the United States with a focus on the differences, similarities, connectivity, and predictability of precipitation and the relationships between precipitation and large-scale patterns of natural variability. China precipitation is characterized by large seasonality, with a maximum in summer and a minimum in winter. The seasonality of precipitation shows an increasing linear tendency in northwest China, with a change of about 20% from 1901 to 1998. A relatively weaker increasing tendency also appears in the Big Bend of Yellow River (BBYR) and the Tibetan Plateau, while southwest China experiences a decreasing tendency. Furthermore, the seasonality in the BBYR shows particularly significant interdecadal variability, while that of southern and eastern China has decreased slightly in the recent decades. Compared to China, the United States as a whole has less precipitation in summer but more precipitation in other seasons. Here, the seasonality of precipitation is only about 24% of that in China. The annual mean precipitation is 64.1 mm per month in the United States, compared to 54.6 mm per month in China. The seasonality of precipitation exhibits a decreasing tendency in the southeast, Pacific Northwest, and Gulf Coast and an increasing tendency in the Great Lakes. The seasonality in the Great Plains exhibits large interdecadal variability. The long-term variations of precipitation are highly seasonally dependent. In summer, a decreasing trend is observed in north China and an increasing trend is found in eastern-central China. However, these trends are almost opposite in spring. In addition, the fall precipitation decreases with time nearly everywhere in China except for the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River Valley. Results also indicate that the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the Arctic Oscillation (AO), the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), and the North Pacific (NP) fluctuation affect strongly the variations of China and US precipitation. Although these influences vary with regions and seasons, we in particular emphasize the importance of AO and NAO for China precipitation and NP and PDO for US precipitation. In fall, ENSO and PDO are the two phenomena that influence predominantly precipitation variability in both China and the United States We also identify the common phenomena that influence China and US regional precipitation and provide a better understanding of the physical mechanism for precipitation variability through the associated changes in atmospheric and oceanic conditions. Furthermore, we develop a linear regression model, based on multiple regression method by combining the regionally and seasonally varying impacts, to increase the skill of precipitation prediction. Copyright © 2005 Royal Meteorological Society [source] Trend and variability of China precipitation in spring and summer: linkage to sea-surface temperaturesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY, Issue 13 2004Fanglin Yang Abstract Observational records in the past 50 years show an upward trend of boreal-summer precipitation over central eastern China and a downward trend over northern China. During boreal spring, the trend is upward over southeastern China and downward over central eastern China. This study explores the forcing mechanism of these trends in association with the global sea-surface temperature (SST) variations on the interannual and interdecadal time scales. Results based on singular value decomposition (SVD) analyses show that the interannual variability of China precipitation in boreal spring and summer can be well defined by two centres of action for each season, which are covarying with two interannual modes of SSTs. The first SVD modes of precipitation in spring and summer, which are centred in southeastern China and northern China respectively, are linked to an El Niño,southern oscillation (ENSO)-like mode of SSTs. The second SVD modes of precipitation in both seasons are confined to central eastern China, and are primarily linked to SST variations over the warm pool and the Indian Ocean. Features of the anomalous 850 hPa winds and 700 hPa geopotential height corresponding to these modes support a physical mechanism that explains the causal links between the modal variations of precipitation and SSTs. On the decadal and longer time scale, similar causal links are found between the same modes of precipitation and SSTs, except for the case of springtime precipitation over central eastern China. For this case, while the interannual mode of precipitation is positively correlated with the interannual variations of SSTs over the warm pool and Indian Ocean, the interdecadal mode is negatively correlated with a different SST mode, i.e. the North Pacific mode. The latter is responsible for the observed downward trend of springtime precipitation over central eastern China. For all other cases, both the interannual and interdecadal variations of precipitation can be explained by the same mode of SSTs. The upward trend of springtime precipitation over southeastern China and downward trend of summertime precipitation over northern China are attributable to the warming trend of the ENSO-like mode. The recent frequent summertime floods over central eastern China are linked to the warming trend of SSTs over the warm pool and Indian Ocean. Copyright © 2004 Royal Meteorological Society [source] Characteristics, evolution and mechanisms of the summer monsoon onset over Southeast AsiaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY, Issue 12 2004Zuqiang Zhang Abstract Based on the 1979,95 mean pentad reanalysis data from the US National Centers for Environmental Prediction, the climatological characteristics and physical mechanism of the Asian summer monsoon (ASM) onset are investigated. Special focus is given to whether the ASM onset starts earlier over the Indochina Peninsula than over the South China Sea (SCS) and why the ASM is established the earliest over Southeast Asia. An examination of the composite thermodynamic and dynamic quantities confirms that the ASM onset commences earliest over the Indochina Peninsula, as highlighted by active convection and rainfall resulting from the convergence of southwesterly flow from the Bay of Bengal (BOB) vortex and easterly winds associated with the subtropical anticyclone over the SCS. Two other important characteristics not previously noted are also identified: the earliest reversal of meridional temperature gradient throughout the entire troposphere and the corresponding establishment of an easterly vertical wind shear, which are due to upper level warming caused by eddy (convective) transport of latent heat. These changes in the large-scale circulation suggest that, in addition to rainfall, a reversal in the planetary-scale circulation should be included in determining the timing of the ASM onset. With such a consideration, the climatological ASM onset occurs first over southeastern BOB and southwestern Indochina Peninsula in early May, and then advances northeastward to reach the SCS by the fourth pentad of May (16,20 May). The monsoon then covers the entire Southeast Asia region by the end of May. Subsequently, a similar onset process begins over the eastern Arabian Sea, India and western BOB, and the complete establishment of the ASM over India is accomplished in mid June. In the process of the onset of each ASM component, the reversal of the upper level planetary-scale circulation depends strongly on that of the meridional temperature gradient. Over the Indochina Peninsula, the seasonal transition of upper level temperature results from convection-induced diabatic heating, whereas over western Asia it is attributed to subsidence warming induced by the active ascending motion over the former region. The steady increase in surface sensible heating over the Indian subcontinent and the latent heating over the tropical Indian Ocean in April to early May appear to be the major impetus for the development of the cyclonic vortex over the BOB. A similar enhancement over the Arabian Peninsula and the surrounding regions is also identified to be crucial to the development of the so-called onset vortex over the Arabian Sea, and then ultimately to the ASM onset over India. Copyright © 2004 Royal Meteorological Society [source] Wind speed-up in the Dover Straits with the Met Office New Dynamics ModelMETEOROLOGICAL APPLICATIONS, Issue 3 2003Rachel Anne Capon It is part of British sailing and forecasting folklore that the wind speed increases in the Dover Straits when there is an established wind-flow ,westerly/south-westerly or easterly/north-easterly ,along the English Channel. However the underlying mechanism of the phenomenon is unclear. We have used the Met Office ,New Dynamics' mesoscale model to perform a case study on an occasion when this phenomenon was observed in the Channel but not forecast well by the operational model, UM 4.5. Results are presented showing the sensitivity of forecasts to horizontal resolution (down to 2 km) and to vertical resolution. We probe the physical mechanism of the Channel jet by altering the surrounding orography and the land or sea surface roughness. Both the orography and the surface roughness are shown to influence the jet formation. Copyright © 2003 Royal Meteorological Society [source] Probing the origin of the dark material on IapetusMONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 3 2010F. Tosi ABSTRACT Among the icy satellites of Saturn, Iapetus shows a striking dichotomy between its leading and trailing hemispheres, the former being significantly darker than the latter. Thanks to the Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) imaging spectrometer on-board Cassini, it is now possible to investigate the spectral features of the satellites in Saturn system within a wider spectral range and with an enhanced accuracy than with previously available data. In this work, we present an application of the G-mode method to the high resolution, visible and near-infrared data of Phoebe, Iapetus and Hyperion collected by Cassini/VIMS, in order to search for compositional correlations. We also present the results of a dynamical study on the efficiency of Iapetus in capturing dust grains travelling inwards in Saturn system with the aim of evaluating the viability of the Poynting,Robertson drag as the physical mechanism transferring the dark material to the satellite. The results of spectroscopic classification are used jointly with the ones of the dynamical study to describe a plausible physical scenario for the origin of Iapetus' dichotomy. Our work shows that mass transfer from the outer Saturnian system is an efficient mechanism, particularly for the range of sizes hypothesized for the particles composing the newly discovered outer ring around Saturn. Both spectral and dynamical data indicate Phoebe as the main source of the dark material. However, due to considerations on the collisional history of the Saturnian irregular satellites and to the differences in the spectral features of Phoebe and the dark material on Iapetus in the visible and ultraviolet range, we suggest a multisource scenario where now extinct prograde satellites and the disruptive impacts that generated the putative collisional families played a significant role in supplying the original amount of dark material. [source] Electronic Security Systems and Active Implantable Medical DevicesPACING AND CLINICAL ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 8 2002WERNER IRNICH IRNICH, W.: Electronic Security Systems and Active Implantable Medical Devices. How do active implantable medical devices react in the presence of strong magnetic fields in the frequency range between extremely low frequency (ELF) to radiofrequency (RF) as they are emitted by electronic security systems (ESS)? There are three different sorts of ESSs: electronic article surveillance (EAS) devices, metal detector (MDS) devices, and radiofrequency identification (RFID) systems. Common to all is the production of magnetic fields. There is an abundance of literature concerning interference by ESS gates with respect to if there is an influence possible and if such an influence can bear a risk for the AIMD wearers. However, there has been no attempt to study the physical mechanism nor to develop a model of how and under which conditions magnetic fields can influence pacemakers and defibrillators and how they could be disarmed by technological means. It is too often assumed that interference of AIMD with ESS is inevitable. Exogenous signals of similar intensity and rhythm to heart signals can be misinterpreted and, thus, confuse the implant. Important for the interference coupling mechanism is the differentiation between a "unipolar" and a "bipolar" system. With respect to magnetic fields, the left side implanted pacemaker is the most unfavorable case as the lead forms approximately a semicircular area of maximum 225 cm2 into which a voltage can be induced. This assumption yields an interference coupling model that can be expressed by simple mathematics. The worst-case conditions for induced interference voltages are a coupling area of 225 cm2 that is representative for a large human, a homogeneous magnetic field perpendicular to the area formed by the lead, and a unipolar ventricular pacemaker system that is implanted on the left side of the thorax and has the highest interference sensitivity. In bipolar systems the fields must be 17 times larger when compared to a unipolar system to have the same effect. The magnetic field for interfering with ICDs must be 1.7 stronger than that of the most sensitive unipolar pacemaker. The lowest interference thresholds measured over the last 10 years in the low frequency range (16 2/3 Hz,24 kHz) together with thresholds > 24 kHz that were supplied by the CETECOM study are listed. Both sets of data together with the coupling model, allow for judging which fields of ESSs could influence AIMDs. From measurements at gate antennas, it is possible to derive a "maximum allowed field" curve over the whole frequency range, below which no interference will occur. Comparison of data from literature with these maximum allowed fields confirm the correctness of the calculations. Thus, it is possible to predict interference situations in gates if the magnetic field is known. If all future pacemakers were to have the immunity against interference of the better 50% of today's pacemakers, the magnetic field ceiling values could be at least four times higher. The same is true if the ventricular sensitivity is routinely set at 7 mV. Pacemaker manufacturers should consider filter improvement with modern technology, but gate manufacturers should not claim the privilege of being out of bounds. [source] Quasilocal vibrations and the Boson peak in glassesPHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (C) - CURRENT TOPICS IN SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue 11 2004D. A. ParshinArticle first published online: 16 NOV 200 Abstract The problem of the low-frequency harmonic excitations and of the Boson peak in glasses is reviewed in the scope of recent theoretical developments. It is shown that the Boson peak inevitably appears in the reduced density of states g(,)/,2 of quasilocal vibrations in glasses which are additional to phonons harmonic excitations. We show that the same physical mechanism is fundamental for such seemingly different phenomenon as formation of the two-level systems in glasses. The fundamental reason for the Boson peak and two-level system formation is an instability of the spectrum of quasilocal harmonic modes weakly interacting with the high frequency surrounding and with each other. The instability controlled by the anharmonicity creates a new stable universal spectrum of harmonic vibrations with a Boson peak feature. We show that under pressure the Boson peak in glasses is always shifted to higher frequencies. For high enough pressures P the Boson peak frequency ,b , P1/3. (© 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] A Gill,Matsuno-type mechanism explains the tropical Atlantic influence on African and Indian monsoon rainfallTHE QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY, Issue 640 2009F. Kucharski Abstract Recent studies using coupled atmosphere,ocean models have shown that the tropical Atlantic has a significant impact on the Indian monsoon. In this article, the observational basis for this teleconnection is examined and the physical mechanism responsible for bridging sea-surface temperatures (SSTs) in the Atlantic and precipitation over India is investigated with idealized atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) experiments in which constant SST anomalies are prescribed and ,switched on' in the tropical Atlantic region. A simple Gill,Matsuno-type quadrupole response is proposed to explain the teleconnection between the tropical Atlantic and the Indian basin, with an enforcement of the eastward response likely due to nonlinear interactions with the mean monsoon circulation. The simplicity of this mechanism suggests the reproducibility of this result with a broad range of AGCMs. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society [source] Thermally Conducting Partially Ionized Plasma in a Variable Magnetic FieldCONTRIBUTIONS TO PLASMA PHYSICS, Issue 3 2007S. Shaikh Abstract An infinitely extending homogenous partially ionized plasma endowed with several physical mechanisms and permeated by a variable magnetic field is considered. The combined effect of these parameters, namely, Hall currents, finite conductivity, ion viscosity, collision with neutrals and thermal conductivity on the gravitational instability of the plasma is studied. It is found that the several mechanisms play different physical roles in the perturbed problem. Jeans' Criterion is analyzed in the framework of Tsallis' statistics for possible modifications due to the presence of nonextensive effects. A simple generalization of the Jeans' criterion is obtained and the standard values are obtained in the limiting case q = 1, q being the nonextensive parameter. (© 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] A Polycrystalline Approach to the Cyclic Behaviour of f.c.c. Alloys , Intra-Granular HeterogeneityADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS, Issue 9 2009Xavier Feaugas For several decades, the plastic deformation mechanisms of f.c.c. metals under cyclic loading have received considerable attention. The extensive work on this subject has gradually lead to the identification of the physical processes to be included in a formal scheme of fatigue behavior. Accordingly, we propose a review of the physical mechanisms of plastic deformation in f.c.c. metals and alloys to define the state-of-the-art and motivate future studies. The aim is to demonstrate the importance of a good knowledge of the heterogeneous nature of deformation at the intra-granular scale in defining a physical model of cyclic behavior. A large characterization of the different stages associated with the evolution of heterogeneous dislocation structures during tensile and cyclic loadings is given for an austenitic stainless steel AISI 316L. A unified view of these various structures is proposed in the form of a modified Pedersen's map [,max,=,f(,pcum), where ,max is the maximum plastic strain and ,pcum the cumulative plastic strain] in the case of tensile loading and different kinds of cyclic loading: uni-axial and multi-axial tests under stress or strain amplitude control. The specificities of each domain defined in the map are discussed in terms of long-range internal stresses in order to formalize, in a simple composite scheme, the intra-granular stress,strain field. The importance of taking into account this scheme and the nature of the different dislocations populations in a polycrystalline model is illustrated. [source] Increase in the fracture toughness and bond energy of clay by a root exudateEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 5 2008B. Zhang Summary Root exudates help drive the formation of the rhizosphere by binding soil particles, but the underlying physical mechanisms have not been quantified. This was addressed by measuring the impact of a major component of root exudates, polygalacturonic acid (PGA), on the interparticle bond energy and fracture toughness of clay. Pure kaolinite was mixed with 0, 1.2, 2.4, 4.9 or 12.2 g PGA kg,1 to form test specimens. Half of the specimens were washed repeatedly to remove unbound PGA and evaluate the persistence of the effects, similar to weathering in natural soils. Fracture toughness, KIC, increased exponentially with added PGA, with washing increasing this trend. In unwashed specimens KIC ranged from 54.3 ± 2.5 kPa m,1/2 for 0 g PGA kg,1 to 86.9 ± 4.7 kPa m,1/2 for 12.2 g PGA kg,1. Washing increased KIC to 61.3 ± 1.2 kPa m,1/2 for 0 g PGA kg,1 and 132.1 ± 4.9 kPa m,1/2 for 12.2 g PGA kg,1. The apparent bond energy, ,, of the fracture surface increased from 5.9 ± 0.6 J m,2 for 0 g kg,1 to 12.0 ± 1.1 J m,2 for 12.2 g kg,1 PGA in the unwashed specimens. The washed specimens had , of 13.0 ± 1.9 J m,2 for 0 g kg,1 and 21.3 ± 2.6 J m,2 for 12.2 g PGA kg,1. Thus PGA, a major component of root exudates, has a large impact on the fracture toughness and bond energy of clay, and is likely to be a major determinant in the formation of the rhizosphere. This quantification of the thermodynamics of fracture will be useful for modelling rhizosphere formation and stability. [source] Transport and settlement of organic matter in small streamsFRESHWATER BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2010TRENT M. HOOVER Summary 1.,After it enters streams, terrestrially derived organic matter (OM) rapidly absorbs water. Using field and laboratory experiments, we examined how this process affected the buoyancy, settling velocity, transport distance and retention locations of four types of organic matter typically found in Pacific coastal streams (,flexible' red alder leaves and three ,stiff' particle types , Douglas-fir needles, red cedar fronds and Douglas-fir branch pieces). 2.,Immersion in water rapidly changed the physical characteristics of alder leaves, Douglas-fir needles and red cedar fronds, which all reached constant still-water settling velocities after only a few days of soaking. In contrast, the settling velocity of branch pieces continued to increase for 13 days, eventually reaching much higher values than any other OM type. Dried alder leaves became negatively buoyant after only two days of immersion, while other types took substantially longer (up to 24 days) before the specific gravity of all particles was >1. 3.,We released saturated OM particles in an experimental channel and found that all particle types travelled further in a fast, shallow ,riffle' than a slow, deep ,pool'. Comparisons with a passive settlement null model indicated that leaves were retained more rapidly than expected in the riffle (by large protruding stones), while the three stiff particle types travelled further than expected (probably due to turbulent suspension) and were retained when they settled in deeper water between larger stones. In pools, passive settlement appeared to dominate the retention of all OM types, with leaves travelling furthest. 4.,These retention patterns corresponded well with those observed when saturated OM particles collected in the field were released in two pools and two riffles in a second-order coastal stream. 5.,When the experimental channel and in-stream data were combined, the retention rates of the three stiff OM types were closely related to calculated Rouse numbers (Rouse number = particle settling velocity/shear velocity), whereas the retention rate of alder leaves was not. This suggests that different physical mechanisms are responsible for the retention of leaves and stiff OM types in shallow streams. [source] Radial profiles of seismic attenuation in the upper mantle based on physical modelsGEOPHYSICAL JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL, Issue 1 2008Fabio Cammarano SUMMARY Thermally activated, viscoelastic relaxation of the Earth's materials is responsible for intrinsic attenuation of seismic waves. Seismic observations have been used to define layered radially symmetric attenuation models, independent of any constraints on temperature and composition. Here, we interpret free-oscillation and surface wave attenuation measurements in terms of physical structures, by using the available knowledge on the physical mechanisms that govern attenuation at upper-mantle (<400 km) conditions. We find that observations can be explained by relatively simple thermal and grain-size structures. The 1-D attenuation models obtained do not have any sharp gradients below 100 km, but fit the data equally well as the seismic models. The sharp gradients which characterize these models are therefore not required by the data. In spite of the large sensitivity of seismic observations to temperature, a definitive interpretation is limited by the unknown effects of pressure on anelasticity. Frequency dependence of anelasticity, as well as trade-offs with deeper attenuation structure and dependence on the elastic background model, are less important. Effects of water and dislocations can play an important role as well and further complicate the interpretation. Independent constraints on temperature and grain size expected around 100 km depth, help to constrain better the thermal and grain-size profiles at greater depth. For example, starting from a temperature of 1550 K at 100 km and assuming that the seismic attenuation is governed by the Faul & Jackson's (2005) mechanism, we found that negative thermal gradients associated with several cm grain sizes (assuming low activation volume) or an adiabatic gradient associated with ,1 cm grain size, can explain the data. A full waveform analysis, combining the effects on phase and amplitude of, respectively, elasticity and anelasticity, holds promise for further improving our knowledge on the average composition and thermal structure of the upper mantle. [source] The influences of the Southern and North Atlantic Oscillations on climatic surface variables in TurkeyHYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 6 2005M. Ça, atay Karabörk Abstract In this study, Turkish climatic variables (precipitation, stream flow and maximum and minimum temperatures) were first analysed in association with both the Southern Oscillation (SO) and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). The relationships between Turkish maximum and minimum monthly temperatures and the extreme phases of the SO (El Niño and La Niña events) were examined. The results of this analysis showed that relationships between Turkish monthly maximum temperatures and El Niño and La Niña contain some complexity still to be identified, because both events produce a signal indicating a correspondence with cold anomalies in the aggregate composites. A relationship between turkish minimum temperatures and El Niño was detected in western Anatolia, whereas there was no significant and consistent signal associated with La Niña. Moreover a series of cross-correlation analyses was carried out to demonstrate the teleconnections between the climatic variables and both the NAO and SO. The NAO during winter was found to influence precipitation and stream-flow patterns. In contrast temperature patterns appeared to be less sensitive to the NAO. Furthermore, lag-correlation results indicated a prediction potential for both precipitation and stream-flow variables in connection with the NAO. Simultaneous and time-lag correlations between the climatic variables and the SO index, in general, indicated weaker relationships in comparison with those for the NAO. These analyses also showed that the influences of the SO on Turkish temperature data are negligible. The outcomes were presented in conjunction with an explanation regarding physical mechanisms behind the implied teleconnections. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Microplane constitutive model for porous isotropic rocksINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL AND ANALYTICAL METHODS IN GEOMECHANICS, Issue 1 2003k P. Ba Abstract The paper deals with constitutive modelling of contiguous rock located between rock joints. A fully explicit kinematically constrained microplane-type constitutive model for hardening and softening non-linear triaxial behaviour of isotropic porous rock is developed. The microplane framework, in which the constitutive relation is expressed in terms of stress and strain vectors rather than tensors, makes it possible to model various microstructural physical mechanisms associated with oriented internal surfaces, such as cracking, slip, friction and splitting of a particular orientation. Formulation of the constitutive relation is facilitated by the fact that it is decoupled from the tensorial invariance restrictions, which are satisfied automatically. In its basic features, the present model is similar to the recently developed microplane model M4 for concrete, but there are significant improvements and modifications. They include a realistic simulation of (1) the effects of pore collapse on the volume changes during triaxial loading and on the reduction of frictional strength, (2) recovery of frictional strength during shearing, and (3) the shear-enhanced compaction in triaxial tests, manifested by a deviation from the hydrostatic stress,strain curve. The model is calibrated by optimal fitting of extensive triaxial test data for Salem limestone, and good fits are demonstrated. Although these data do not cover the entire range of behaviour, credence in broad capabilities of the model is lend by its similarity to model M4 for concrete,an artificial rock. The model is intended for large explicit finite-element programs. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Numerical prediction of the hydrodynamic performance of a centrifugal pump in cavitating flowsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 5 2007Jun Li Abstract A computational modelling for the prediction of the hydrodynamic performance of a centrifugal pump in cavitating flows is presented in this paper. The cavitation model is implemented in a viscous Reynolds-averaged Navier,Stokes solver. The cavity interface and shape are determined using an iterative procedure matching the cavity surface to a constant pressure boundary. The pressure distribution, as well as its gradient on the wall, is taken into account in updating the cavity shape iteratively. Numerical validation of the present cavitation model and algorithms is performed on different headform/cylinder bodies for a range of cavitation numbers through comparing with the experimental data. Flow characteristics trends associated with off-design flow and twin cavities in the blade channel are observed using the presented cavitation prediction. The rapid drop in head coefficient at low cavitation number is captured for two different flow coefficients. Local flow field solution illustrates the principle physical mechanisms associated with the onset of breakdown. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Level-set based numerical simulation of a migrating and dissolving liquid drop in a cylindrical cavityINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUIDS, Issue 4 2004Edmondo Bassano Abstract In the present paper the dissolution of a binary liquid drop having a miscibility gap and migrating due to thermo-solutal capillary convection in a cylindrical cavity is studied numerically. The interest in studying this problem is twofold. From a side, in the absence of gravity, capillary migration is one of the main physical mechanisms to set into motion dispersed liquid phases and from the other side, phase equilibria of multi-component liquid systems, ubiquitous in applications, often exhibit a miscibility gap. The drop capillary migration is due to an imposed temperature gradient between the cavity top and bottom walls. The drop dissolution is due to the fact that initial composition and volume values, and thermal boundary conditions are only compatible with a final single phase equilibrium state. In order to study the drop migration along the cavity and the coupling with dissolution, a previously developed planar two-dimensional code is extended to treat axis-symmetric geometries. The code is based on a finite volume formulation. A level-set technique is used for describing the dynamics of the interface separating the different phases and for mollifying the interface discontinuities between them. The level-set related tools of redistancing and off-interface extension are used to enhance code resolution in the critical interface region. Migration speeds and volume variations are determined for different drop radii. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Changes in Antarctic Peninsula tropospheric temperatures from 1956 to 1999: a synthesis of observations and reanalysis dataINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY, Issue 3 2002Gareth J. Marshall Abstract The surface warming at Faraday station in the western Antarctic Peninsula is one of the largest observed anywhere over the last 50 years, yet the physical mechanisms driving this climate change are poorly understood. In this paper we synthesize radiosonde temperature observations from three Peninsula stations and NCEP,NCAR reanalysis data in order to examine contemporaneous regional tropospheric temperature trends (1956,99), which may in turn help us to understand better the causes of the surface warming. The reanalysis data are utilized in two ways: (i) to provide long-term mean monthly offsets between Faraday, which ceased radiosonde observations in 1982, and two other stations in the region having more recent data, Bellingshausen and Marambio, in order to create post-1982 simulated Faraday data; (ii) after having any spurious trends and bias removed, to provide directly a monthly value for Faraday when no equivalent value from regional observations is available. Using available months of overlap, a comparison between temperature observations and simulated data suggests that the latter are a reasonable facsimile of the former. The synthesized time-series of tropospheric temperatures reveal a statistically significant mean annual tropospheric (850,300 hPa) warming above Faraday between 1956 and 1999 of ,0.027±0.022 °C year,1. Winter and summer both show a warming trend, with significance varying with height and season. Annually, the mean tropospheric warming is half that at the surface, Unlike the surface warming, the calculated tropospheric warming trend is no greater than observed at other Antarctic stations, and indeed is not significantly greater than the background global warming trend for most of the period examined. Thus, we cannot dismiss the possibility that the Peninsula surface warming may simply be a response to a global warming magnified by the observed strong regional feedback between sea-ice extent and surface temperature during winter. Copyright © 2002 Royal Meteorological Society. [source] Machine invention, innovation, and elementary steps,ADVANCES IN POLYMER TECHNOLOGY, Issue 2 2002Zehev Tadmor The systematic scientific analysis of polymer processing machines leads to the definition of a small number of elementary steps, which in chemical engineering terminology are the "unit operations" of these machines that transcend individual machine configuration and reflect the common experience of the processed material in any type of machine. The elementary steps reveal the detailed specific physical mechanisms that take place in these machines. These mechanisms, in turn, are powerful tools for triggering machine innovation and invention. The proposed methodology consists of two steps: first via the scientific analysis the process is repeatedly decomposed into its constituent elements and then the elements are recombined or reconstructed in a systematic way into either innovative solutions or novel inventions. The methodology, is demonstrated by three case studies. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 21: 87,97, 2002; Published online in Wiley Interscience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.10018 [source] Human Instability in Flood Flows,JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN WATER RESOURCES ASSOCIATION, Issue 5 2008S.N. Jonkman Abstract:, Loss of human stability in flood flows and consequent drowning are a high personal hazard. In this paper, we review past experimental work on human instability. The results of new experiments by the Flood Hazard Research Centre (FHRC) are also reported. These new results show that low depth/high velocity flood waters are more dangerous than suggested based on previous experimental work. It is discussed how human instability can be related to two physical mechanisms: moment instability (toppling) and friction instability (sliding). Comparison of the test results with these physical mechanisms suggests that the occurrence of instability in the tests by FHRC is related to friction instability. This mechanism appears to occur earlier than moment instability for the combination of shallow depth and high flow velocity. Those concerned to identify locations where high flood flows could be a threat to human life need to modify their hazard assessments accordingly. [source] Shaking alone, without concurrent aeration, affects the growth characteristics of Escherichia coliLETTERS IN APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2007M.A. Juergensmeyer Abstract Aims:, This study investigated the effects of linear vibration on cultures grown in both hard- and soft-sided containers to determine whether vibration alone affected the growth rate. Methods and Results:, Cultures of Escherichia coli were exposed to vibrational acceleration with and without access to additional oxygen. Vibrated cultures grown in hard-sided containers exited lag phase earlier and had a higher final yield than identical unshaken cultures, whether or not the cultures had access to ambient air. Cultures grown in soft-sided containers showed no response to vibration. Conclusions:, Vibration in hard-sided containers decreases the length of the lag phase and increases final OD in E. coli, with or without increased oxygenation. Increased mixing and improved suspension, which result from vibration of cultures in hard-sided containers, are the most likely physical mechanisms for the more favorable culture conditions. Significance and Impact of the Study:, This paper demonstrates that growth enhancement of shaken cultures is a function of the rigidity of the vessel even without aeration of the medium. [source] Investigation of the physical mechanisms in rolling bearings during the passage of electric currentLUBRICATION SCIENCE, Issue 4 2005A. Jagenbrein Abstract With the increasing use of frequency converters as control units for electric motors, bearing failures caused by the passage of electric current through the bearings are more common. This paper discusses the most relevant parasitic current loops in frequency converter-driven motors that can lead to damage of bearing raceways or deterioration of lubricants. Electrical stray capacitances, which are inevitably present in any electric motor, in combination with the high-frequency components of the drive voltages, have been identified as the source of electric discharge machining (EDM) currents. Based on an EDM equivalent electric circuit, the passage of electric current through the rolling contact of a bearing is simulated. A set-up is introduced to initiate EDM processes in bearings under well-controlled electrical and mechanical conditions. The effect of EDM currents on bearing elements in the presence of different lubricants is studied. Initial results are presented. [source] Asteroid photometric and polarimetric phase curves: Joint linear-exponential modelingMETEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE, Issue 12 2009K. Muinonen Here we model the two phase curves jointly at phase angles ,25° using a linear-exponential model, accounting for the opposition effect in disk-integrated brightness and the negative branch in the degree of linear polarization. We apply the MCMC methods to V-band phase curves of asteroids 419 Aurelia (taxonomic class F), 24 Themis (C), 1 Ceres (G), 20 Massalia (S), 55 Pandora (M), and 64 Angelina (E). We show that the photometric and polarimetric phase curves can be described using a common nonlinear parameter for the angular widths of the opposition effect and negative-polarization branch, thus supporting the hypothesis of common physical mechanisms being responsible for the phenomena. Furthermore, incorporating polarimetric observations removes the indeterminacy of the opposition effect for 1 Ceres. We unveil a trend in the interrelation between the enhancement factor of the opposition effect and the angular width: the enhancement factor decreases with decreasing angular width. The minimum polarization and the polarimetric slope at the inversion angle show systematic trends when plotted against the angular width and the normalized photometric slope parameter. Our new approach allows improved analyses of possible similarities and differences among asteroidal surfaces. [source] A novel type of intermittency in a non-linear dynamo in a compressible flowMONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 1 2009Erico L. Rempel ABSTRACT The transition to an intermittent mean-field dynamo is studied using numerical simulations of magnetohydrodynamic turbulence driven by a helical forcing. The low-Prandtl number regime is investigated by keeping the kinematic viscosity fixed while the magnetic diffusivity is varied. Just below the critical parameter for the onset of dynamo action, a transient mean field with low magnetic energy is observed. After the transition to a sustained dynamo, the system is shown to evolve through different types of intermittency until a large-scale coherent field with small-scale turbulent fluctuations is formed. Prior to this coherent field stage, a new type of intermittency is detected, where the magnetic field randomly alternates between phases of coherent and incoherent large-scale spatial structures. The relevance of these findings to the understanding of the physics of mean-field dynamo and the physical mechanisms behind intermittent behaviour observed in stellar magnetic field variability are discussed. [source] Thermal conductivity reduction in fullerene-enriched p-type bismuth telluride compositesPHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (A) APPLICATIONS AND MATERIALS SCIENCE, Issue 1 2010N. Gothard Abstract We present a systematic study of the effects of fullerene nanoinclusions upon a p-type bismuth,antimony,telluride matrix, where the ultimate goal is maximizing the figure of merit by reducing the thermal conductivity (TC). Nanocomposites consisting of a bismuth,telluride matrix with fullerene inclusions have been prepared both by mechanical mixing and ball milling, with the final consolidation in each case achieved by uniaxial hot pressing. A series of samples was produced with fullerene concentrations ranging from fractional levels to several molar percent, and the effects of the fullerene additions upon the resulting microstructure have been considered. Thermal and electrical transport properties have been measured from 10 to 300,K, and the data are discussed in light of the underlying physical mechanisms. [source] Magneto-optical spectroscopy of spin injection and spin relaxation in ZnMnSe/ZnCdSe and GaMnN/InGaN spin light-emitting structuresPHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (A) APPLICATIONS AND MATERIALS SCIENCE, Issue 1 2007I. A. Buyanova Abstract In this paper we review our recent results from in-depth investigations of physical mechanisms which govern efficiency of several processes important for future spintronic devises, such as spin alignment within diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMS), spin injection from DMS to non-magnetic spin detectors (SDs) and also spin depolarization within SD. Spin-injection structures based on II,VIs (e.g. ZnMnSe/Zn(Cd)Se) and III,Vs (e.g. GaMnN/Ga(In)N) were studied as model cases. Exciton spin relaxation within ZnMnSe DMS, important for spin alignment, was found to critically depend on Zeeman splitting of the exciton states and is largely facilitated by involvement of longitudinal optical (LO) phonons. Optical spin injection in ZnMnSe/Zn(Cd)Se was shown to be governed by (i) commonly believed tunneling of individual carriers or excitons and (ii) energy transfer via localized excitons and spatially separated localized electron,hole pairs (LEHP) located within DMS. Unexpectedly, the latter mechanism is in fact found to dominate spin injections. We shall also show that spin depolarization in the studied structures is essentially determined by ef- ficient spin relaxation within non-magnetic spin detectors, which is an important factor limiting efficiency of spin detection. Detailed physical mechanisms leading to efficient spin depolarization will be discussed. (© 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Inside Back Cover: Phys.PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (C) - CURRENT TOPICS IN SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue 7-8 2010Status Solidi C 7/7- This figure is the composition of two different spatially resolved electroluminescence measurements taken on a green InGaN-based light-emitting diode (LED). The false-color scale describes the spatial distribution of light emitted by the analyzed device, under two different bias conditions. The image on the left was taken under a forward bias of 10 ,A, while the image on the right was taken with a reverse bias of ,10 ,A. As can be noticed, InGaN-based LEDs can emit a weak luminescence signal even under reverse-bias conditions. Reverse-bias luminescence can be ascribed to the recombination of electrons that are injected within the active region by tunneling, as described by Meneghini et al. on page 2208ff. Electroluminescence microscopy represents a powerful tool for the investigation of the electrooptical characteristics of GaN-based devices and for the analysis of the physical mechanisms responsible for their degradation. [source] Microwave detection using Josephson junction arrays integrated in a resonatorPHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (C) - CURRENT TOPICS IN SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue 5 2005Oleksandr M. Ivanyuta Abstract The possibilities and physical mechanisms of detection of microwave X- and Ka-band radiation by high-temperature superconducting (HTS) YBa2Cu3O7-0.05 (YBCO) bicrystalline Josephson junctions (JJ) embedded in a surface wave resonator (SWR) are considered. Microwave detection was investigated experimentally by using a linear Josephson junction array (JJA) embedded in the SWR. Measurements were carried out starting from the critical temperature of HTS film (T = 92 K), down to the liquid nitrogen level (T = 77 K) and beyond (down to 20 K) using the Gifford-McMahon closed-cycle cryo-cooler. The sensitivity of such type of detectors was determined to be approximately 104 V/W. (© 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||