High Particle Number Densities Research Articles

Shock-driven synchrotron radio emission from the 2021 outburst of RS Ophiuchi

ABSTRACT We present low-frequency radio observations of the Galactic symbiotic recurrent nova RS Ophiuchi during its 2021 outburst. The observations were carried out with the upgraded Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope spanning a frequency range of 0.15–1.4 GHz during 23–287 d post the outburst. The average value of the optically thin spectral index is α ∼ −0.4 (Fν ∝ να), indicating a non-thermal origin of the radio emission at the observed frequencies. The radio light curves are best represented by shock-driven synchrotron emission, initially absorbed by a clumpy ionized circumbinary medium. We estimate the mass-loss rate of the red giant companion star to be $\dot{M} \sim$ 7.5 × 10−8 M⊙ yr−1 for an assumed stellar wind velocity of 20 km s−1. The 0.15–1.4 GHz radio light curves of the 2021 outburst are systematically brighter than those of the 2006 outburst. Considering similar shock properties between the two outbursts, this is indicative of a relatively higher particle number density in the synchrotron emitting plasma in the current outburst.

Dissolution-induced oxide synthesis using SiO2 microparticles for oxide dispersion strengthening of Fe-based alloys

This study reports on a single-track laser surface alloying process that utilizes SiO2 powder to disperse both SiO2 particles and oxide inclusions in 316L stainless steel for oxide dispersion strengthening (ODS) purposes. In this process, the SiO2 powders partially dissolve in the melt pool, and the released silicon and oxygen atoms nucleate to form oxide inclusions in-situ within the metal matrix. This dissolution-induced oxide synthesis route demonstrated a high potential for ODS, achieving a high particle number density (6.6 × 104 mm−2) and area fraction (3.3%) comparable to that of bulk 316L samples produced via directed energy deposition. The hardness of the SiO2/316L composites reached a maximum of 232.4 HV compared to that of the 316L substrate (average 170.8 HV). The improvement in hardness was theoretically explained and quantified, significantly originating from the enhanced dislocation density strengthening mechanism resulting from the large difference in the coefficient of thermal expansion between SiO2 and 316L.

Preferential Concentration of Particles in Forced Turbulent Flows: Effects of Gravity

The impact of gravity on the particle preferential concentration is investigated by direct numerical simulations in an Eulerian–Lagrangian framework for a large range of Stokes numbers Stη=0.01∼4. For particles with small Stokes numbers such as Stη=0.01, the gravity has minor effects on the particle spatial distribution in the turbulence. With increasing Stη, stripped structures of the high number density of particles appear and expand along the gravity direction. Different evaluation methods of particle preferential concentration are discussed such as the spatial distribution, the box index, and the probability density function. The number density of particles in the accumulating regions reduced under the influence of gravity. The reduction becomes prominent for the particle cloud at Stokes number Stη≈1, especially in the clusters of high particle number density. For large Stokes number Stη, the slip velocity significantly increases due to the particle gravity. Due to the gravity, the particle concentration reduces globally, particularly in the low vorticity regions. For the Stokes number range explored in this paper, gravity has a considerable impact on the particle-turbulence interaction.

Self-interacting particle-antiparticle system of bosons

The thermodynamic properties of a system of interacting boson particles and antiparticles at finite temperatures are studied within the framework of the thermodynamically consistent Skyrme-like mean-field model. The mean field contains both attractive and repulsive terms. Self-consistency relations between the mean field and thermodynamic functions are derived. We assume a conservation of the isospin density for all temperatures. It is shown that, independently of the strength of the attractive mean field, at the critical temperature ${T}_{\mathrm{c}}$ the system undergoes the phase transition of second order to the Bose-Einstein condensate, which exists in the temperature interval $0\ensuremath{\le}T\ensuremath{\le}{T}_{\mathrm{c}}$. We obtained that the condensation represents a discontinuity of the derivative of the heat capacity at $T={T}_{\mathrm{c}}$, and condensate occurs only for the component with a higher particle-number density in the particle-antiparticle system.

The effect of instantaneous particle distributions on the gas-phase temperature in an unsteady particle-laden jet heated with high-flux radiation

Detailed simultaneous planar measurements of particle number density and gas-phase temperature were performed in radiatively heated particle-laden jet with average particle volumetric loadings in the range 0.625−−1.4×10−3, which is within the transition region between the two- and four-way coupling regimes, to evaluate the correlation between the local particle volume fraction and temperature for inertial particles with a series of diameter distributions and radiative heating powers. Utilising novel optical measurement and image processing techniques, together with Voronoi analysis, regions of high instantaneous particle number density and localised regions of high/low gas-phase temperatures were identified. The results show that the particle volume fraction measured within the identified ‘hot regions’ was more than 1.5 times greater than the mean value for each case, while within the ‘cold regions’ the particle volume fraction was typically less than the mean. Similarly, the temperature around individual particles was found to increase with an increase in the local particle volume fraction, while the variation in local gas temperature in the vicinity of particles increases with a decrease in particle diameter. Furthermore, the temperature surrounding particles that were determined to be within closely spaced cluster regions (which form in the present measurements due to the random distribution of particles in the flow) was found to be greater than that around particles outside of clusters, even for the same local particle volume fraction (measured in a radius of 0.1 times the jet pipe diameter around each particle). The particle distributions were found to closely match a random Poisson distribution, consistent with the high particle Stokes numbers (86 ≤SkD≤ 514), and are not affected by the presence of radiative heating, implying that any flow phenomena induced by thermal gradients in the flow negligibly influence the particles in the near field of the jet for the conditions investigated here.

Induced surface and curvature tensions equation of state of hadrons with relativistic excluded volumes and its relation to morphological thermodynamics

An analytical formula that accurately accounts for the Lorentz contraction of the excluded volume of two relativistic hadrons with hard-core repulsion is worked out. Using the obtained expression we heuristically derive the equation of state of Boltzmann particles with relativistic excluded volumes in terms of system pressure and its surface and curvature tension coefficients. The behavior of effective excluded volumes of lightest baryons and mesons is studied at very high temperatures (particle number densities) and for very large values of degeneracy factors. Several parameterizations of the obtained equation of state demonstrate a universal asymptotic of the effective excluded volume at high particle number densities. It is peculiar, that the found maximal packing fraction of Lorentz contracted particles is very close to a dense packing limit of classical hard spheres of same radius . We show that the developed equation of state is the grand canonical formulation of the morphological thermodynamics approach applied to the Lorentz contracted rigid spheres.

Computationally inexpensive simulation of agglomeration in spray drying while preserving structure related information using CFD

Controlled agglomeration during spray drying offers several advantages for both powder manufacturers and consumers, and thus it is commonly implemented by industry. The implementation, however is largely based on experience, given the scarcity of comprehensive prediction tools. A resource-efficient approach to numerically treat agglomerates and yet provide an indication of their structures is desired to perform realistic simulations without the need for high-performance computing. In this work, a new numerical model for the treatment of coalescence and agglomeration was implemented and evaluated at two distinct scales with significantly different particle number densities within a Eulerian-Lagrangian CFD framework. The model could accurately predict the trends in the final particle size distributions and distinguish realistic agglomerate structures occurring under different conditions. Challenges were encountered as a result of how the underlying collision detection routine handles high particle number density. Several strategies are proposed to overcome these challenges. This work constitutes significant progress towards achieving an efficient prediction tool to estimate final powder properties and will prove useful in performing large-scale simulations to design and control agglomeration.

Modulation of homogeneous and isotropic turbulence by sub-Kolmogorov particles: Impact of particle field heterogeneity

The modulation of turbulence by sub-Kolmogorov particles has been thoroughly characterized in the literature, showing either enhancement or reduction of kinetic energy at small or large scale depending on the Stokes number and the mass loading. However, the impact of a third parameter, the number density of particles, has not been independently investigated. In the present work, we perform direct numerical simulations of decaying Homogeneous Isotropic Turbulence loaded with monodisperse sub-Kolmogorov particles, varying independently the Stokes number, the mass loading and the number density of particles. Like previous investigators, crossover and modulations of the fluid energy spectra are observed consistently with the change in Stokes number and mass loading. Additionally, DNS results show a clear impact of the particle number density, promoting the energy at small scales while reducing the energy at large scales. For high particle number density, the turbulence statistics and spectra become insensitive to the increase of this parameter, presenting a two-way asymptotic behavior. Our investigation identifies the energy transfer mechanisms, and highlights the differences between the influence of a highly concentrated disperse phase (high particle number density, limit behavior) and that of heterogeneous concentration fields (low particle number density). In particular, a measure of this heterogeneity is proposed and discussed which allows to identify specific regimes in the evolution of turbulence statistics and spectra.

Size distributions of soot particles in premixed flames of gasoline distillates

The soot particle size distribution in premixed flames of the light and heavy distillate fraction of gasoline was measured. The results were also compared with particles yielding from the not-distilled gasoline to study the difference in soot formation tendency between the practical fuel and its distillates. It was observed that the particle size distribution from the light and heavy distillates was similar with that of gasoline in a qualitative level, showing typical unimodal and bimodal distribution. Also, the heavy distillate had much higher particle growth rate than the light distillate, and those of gasoline were between the two distillates. However, the particle nucleation strength in premixed gasoline flames was higher than that in flames of either distillate and this also caused a higher particle number density, demonstrating that a synergistic effect on particle nucleation existed between the light and heavy distillate fractions.

Solution-based green amplified spontaneous emission from colloidal perovskite nanocrystals exhibiting high stability

Solution-based optical amplification affords a host of benefits ranging from flexibility in the choice of cavity size and shape to high photostability afforded by the constant replenishment of gain media. Works reporting solution-based optical amplification in colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals, however, remain sparse due to the difficulty in achieving high particle number densities required for sustained optical gain. In this work, we demonstrate highly stable amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) from a solution of green-emitting CsPbBr3 perovskite nanocrystals dispersed in a nonpolar solvent after a facile postsynthesis processing step. This processing step not only allows for the purification of nanocrystals from their growth solution, but also allows for long-term colloidal stability at high particle concentrations. Although it is widely reported that perovskite nanocrystals suffer from poor chemical stability, our nanocrystal solutions retain their ASE properties despite long-term storage in excess of five months under ambient conditions. Photostability tests show steady ASE intensities in excess of three hours under constant photoexcitation from a femtosecond pulsed laser beam (>107 shots), far exceeding those of thin films by an order of magnitude. This work opens the possibility of harnessing colloidal CsPbBr3 nanocrystals as highly robust, solution-based optical gain media.

Direct numerical simulation of triboelectric charging in particle-laden turbulent channel flows

The electrification of particles embedded in a turbulent flow may cause hazards such as spark discharges but is also exploited in several industrial applications. Nonetheless, due to its complexity and sensitivity to the initial conditions, the process of build-up of particle charge is currently not well understood. In order to gain a deeper understanding of this phenomenon, we performed fully resolved numerical simulations of particle charging. More specifically, our study concerned the charging process of particles dispersed in a turbulent channel flow at a friction Reynolds number of $Re_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F}}=180$. Emphasis was placed on the analysis of the interplay between the different physical mechanisms underlying particle electrification, such as fluid turbulence, particle dynamics and particle collisions. Further, we investigated the influence of some important physical parameters. According to our simulations the charge build-up depends strongly on the particle Stokes number, $Stk$. In particular, at small Stokes numbers, $Stk=0.2$, the turbopheretic drift inhibits particle charging. By contrast, at moderate Stokes numbers, $Stk=2$, and low particle number densities, the electric charge builds up but cannot escape the viscous sublayer due to limited particle migration. However, in the case of high particle number densities, the charge is transported away from the wall via inter-particle charge diffusion. A further increase to $Stk=20$ leads to strong charging and particle-bound charge transport towards the bulk of the channel.

Hydrogen axion star: metallic hydrogen bound to a QCD axion BEC

As a cold dark matter candidate, the QCD axion may form Bose-Einstein condensates, called axion stars, with masses around $10^{-11}\,M_{\odot}$. In this paper, we point out that a brand new astrophysical object, a Hydrogen Axion Star (HAS), may well be formed by ordinary baryonic matter becoming gravitationally bound to an axion star. We study the properties of the HAS and find that the hydrogen cloud has a high pressure and temperature in the center and is likely in the liquid metallic hydrogen state. Because of the high particle number densities for both the axion star and the hydrogen cloud, the feeble interaction between axion and hydrogen can still generate enough internal power, around $10^{13}~\mbox{W}\times(m_a/5~\mbox{meV})^4$, to make these objects luminous point sources. High resolution ultraviolet, optical and infrared telescopes can discover HAS via black-body radiation.

Climatological and radiative properties of midlatitude cirrus clouds derived by automatic evaluation of lidar measurements

Abstract. Cirrus, i.e., high, thin clouds that are fully glaciated, play an important role in the Earth's radiation budget as they interact with both long- and shortwave radiation and affect the water vapor budget of the upper troposphere and stratosphere. Here, we present a climatology of midlatitude cirrus clouds measured with the same type of ground-based lidar at three midlatitude research stations: at the Swiss high alpine Jungfraujoch station (3580 m a.s.l.), in Zürich (Switzerland, 510 m a.s.l.), and in Jülich (Germany, 100 m a.s.l.). The analysis is based on 13 000 h of measurements from 2010 to 2014. To automatically evaluate this extensive data set, we have developed the Fast LIdar Cirrus Algorithm (FLICA), which combines a pixel-based cloud-detection scheme with the classic lidar evaluation techniques. We find mean cirrus optical depths of 0.12 on Jungfraujoch and of 0.14 and 0.17 in Zürich and Jülich, respectively. Above Jungfraujoch, subvisible cirrus clouds (τ < 0.03) have been observed during 6 % of the observation time, whereas above Zürich and Jülich fewer clouds of that type were observed. Cirrus have been observed up to altitudes of 14.4 km a.s.l. above Jungfraujoch, whereas they have only been observed to about 1 km lower at the other stations. These features highlight the advantage of the high-altitude station Jungfraujoch, which is often in the free troposphere above the polluted boundary layer, thus enabling lidar measurements of thinner and higher clouds. In addition, the measurements suggest a change in cloud morphology at Jungfraujoch above ∼ 13 km, possibly because high particle number densities form in the observed cirrus clouds, when many ice crystals nucleate in the high supersaturations following rapid uplifts in lee waves above mountainous terrain. The retrieved optical properties are used as input for a radiative transfer model to estimate the net cloud radiative forcing, CRFNET, for the analyzed cirrus clouds. All cirrus detected here have a positive CRFNET. This confirms that these thin, high cirrus have a warming effect on the Earth's climate, whereas cooling clouds typically have cloud edges too low in altitude to satisfy the FLICA criterion of temperatures below −38 °C. We find CRFNET = 0.9 W m−2 for Jungfraujoch and 1.0 W m−2 (1.7 W m−2) for Zürich (Jülich). Further, we calculate that subvisible cirrus (τ < 0.03) contribute about 5 %, thin cirrus (0.03 < τ < 0.3) about 45 %, and opaque cirrus (0.3 < τ) about 50 % of the total cirrus radiative forcing.

アルコール添加による高出力マイクロ波照射粒子生成プロセス

Microwave has been often used for nano-particle synthesis because rapid growth and mono-dispersed particle size are obtained. However, superheat behavior causes larger bubble size and disorders temperature distribution when higher power of microwave is irradiated. Accordingly, superheat must be prevented for stable operation of nano-particle process. In previous study, we found that bubble formation happened during particle formation at the same time when FeCl3 aqueous solution is heated by microwave. According to the results through in-situ particle size measurement during the irradiation, superheat behavior occurred at the condition of the higher power and lower suspension density. In this study, ethylene glycol with lower electric constant was added to promote particle nucleation and to enlarge particle number density. Moreover, the solute is not dissolved in ethylene glycol as anti-solvent although ethylene glycol is dissolved in water. The results showed that bubble size during the irradiation and particle size after the irradiation became smaller by the ethylene glycol addition. As a result, operation by higher power became possible, and higher particle number density was obtained as synergy effect of anti-solvent effect and quick thermal response by microwave. Finally, addition of alcohol became good method for nano-particle formation process to prevent superheat behavior during higher power irradiation.

Spectral Element Simulation of Complex Particulate Flows

This paper uses a mathematical model Virtual Identity Particles, developed by the author, to simulate conjugated motion of complex particles in a fluid. Assimilated the advantages of Eulerian and Lagrangian approaches, this model treats each particle as a variable source term to the fluid and is designed for simulating numerous particles in two-phase flows. The economic formulation in this model is the salient feature. Considering both precision and computational cost, this model maintains an excellent balance between accuracy and efficiency in modeling particulate flows with complex particles. Simulation results demonstrate that this model is viable for investigating complex particulate flows, especially at a moderately high particle number density.

Highly Durable Indium Tin Oxide Modified Carbon Supporters for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells

Pt nano-particle-attached carbon black particles (Pt/C) are synthesized by an arc plasma deposition (APD) process to improve electrocatalyst properties for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell applications. Thanks to the fine Pt particle size and high Pt particle number density by high resolution-transmission electron spectroscopy image analysis, the electrochemical active surface area of the catalyst is higher than a commercial Pt/C. However, Pt/C particles synthesized by APD process show limitations in Pt content and long-term stability in cyclic voltammetry experiments. Therefore, carbon black supporting Pt particles are modified by depositing indium-tin oxide (ITO) nano-particles by APD technique. Pt-ITO/C electrocatalysts formed by the APD process show high electrochemical performance with enhanced durability due to inertness of conductive metal oxides in oxidative conditions.

Effect of monomer water solubility on cationic microemulsion polymerization of three components (water, surfactant, and monomer)

AbstractHere, we present the oil/water (O/W) microemulsion polymerization in three‐component microemulsions of n‐butyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, and methyl acrylate, monomers with similar chemical structures but different water solubilities using the cationic surfactant dodecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide. The effects of monomer water solubility, initiator type and initial monomer concentration on the polymerization kinetics were studied. Reaction rates were high with final conversions between 70 and 98% depending on the monomer and reaction conditions. The final latexes were bluish, with a particle size ranging between 20 and 50 nm and polymer with molar masses in the order of 106 g mol−1. Increasing monomer water solubility resulted in a slower reaction rate, larger particles and a lower number density of particles. A higher reaction rate, larger average particle size and higher particle number density were obtained by increasing the monomer concentration. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011

Topological analysis of Au particles inAu/SiO2 nanocomposite films designed for molecular conduction measurement through Voronoidiagram

Monolayered Au/SiO2 nanocomposite films with a high Au particle number density and insulating property wereprepared by radio frequency magnetron co-sputtering to develop a new substrate formolecular conduction measurement. The topologies of Au nanoparticles distributed in theSiO2 matrix were statistically evaluated by morphology observation using a field emissionscanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and the Voronoi diagram of a circle set byregarding the Au nanoparticles as a circle generator. The mean Au particle size andthe interparticle distance between neighbours increased with deposition time.However, the fraction of the neighbouring Au nanoparticle combinations havinginterparticle distance shorter than a certain length increased as the deposition timeincreased. The results also demonstrated that many conducting paths several tens ofnanometres long can be created by attaching conductive molecules 2.4 nm long betweenthe Au nanoparticle combinations. Thus this suggests that the nanocompositesubstrate can provide a facile way to measure conducting properties of molecules.

Iron Kα Spectra from an Atomic Modeling Perspective

AbstractIn order to upgrade the diagnostic capability associated with Fe Kα spectra, we have calculated detailed atomic models that include the effects of inner-shell photoionization, autoionization, collisional excitation at relatively high particle number densities, and photoexcitation in plasmas with high X-ray and/or UV energy densities. I discuss some of the potential uses of these models in the context of compact X-ray sources.

Intrinsic speckle noise in off-axis particle holography.

In holographic imaging of particle fields, the interference among coherent wave fronts associated with particle scattering gives rise to intrinsic speckle noise, which sets a fundamental limit on the amount of information that particle holography can deliver. It has been established that the intrinsic speckle noise is especially severe in in-line holography because of superposition of virtual image waves, the direct transmitted wave, and the real image. However, at sufficiently high particle number densities, such as those typical in holographic particle image velocimetry (HPIV) applications, intrinsic speckle noise also arises in off-axis particle holography from self-interference among wave fronts that form the real image of particles. To overcome the latter problem we have constructed a mathematical model that relates the first- and second-order statistical properties of the intrinsic speckle noise to relevant holographic system parameters. Consistent with our experimental data, the model provides a direct estimate of the information capacity of particle holography. We show that the noise-limited information capacity can be expressed as the product of particle number density and the extent of the particle field along the optical axis. A large angular aperture of the hologram contributes directly to achievement of high information capacity. We also show that filtering in either digital or optical form is generally ineffective in removing the intrinsic speckle noise from the particle image as a result of the similar spectral properties of the two. These findings emphasize the importance of angular aperture in designing holographic particle imaging systems.