Fragmentation Probability Research Articles

Stochastic Fragmentation in Protoplanetary Disks under External Irradiation

Abstract It has been shown that disk fragmentation within several tens of au from the star is very difficult when the gravitational instability and cooling time criterion are considered. However, in the stochastic fragmentation scenario, things may be different. We investigate stochastic fragmentation in protoplanetary disks. In the stochastic fragmentation model, we consider the effects of the external irradiation on the fragmentation process. For the stochastic fragmentation, owing to the probability of generating bound fragments at longer cooling times relative to the critical value and the short collapsing times in the external irradiation region, the inner boundary of the fragmentation region extends inward to 19 au. We find that the required self-gravitating lifetime for fragmentation in the external irradiation region is far less than the self-gravitating lifetime of the disk. Therefore, once a radius is in the external irradiation region, the fragmentation probability increases quickly to 1 after gravitational instability sets in, and fragmentation occurs within a short period of time. We also find that the self-gravitating lifetime required for fragmentation decreases significantly as the radius increases in the external irradiation region.

Phenomena and mechanism of molten copper column interaction with water

The steam explosion accidents frequently occur in the metallurgical industry, causing significant personal injury and property damage. In this paper, the experiments on the interaction of a molten copper column with water were carried out under different temperatures and masses of the molten copper column. Five fragmentation phenomena of the copper column can be observed. The fragmentation probability is significantly large when the temperature of molten copper falls in the range of 1200–$$1400\,^{\circ }\hbox {C}$$. As the mass of molten copper increases, the fragmentation probability of the copper column in water decreases, while the fragmentation probability at the vessel bottom increases. Two fragmentation models are proposed based upon the morphological structures of molten copper and fluid instability. The instability is the main reason for the fragmentation of the copper column with the streamline structure, while the rapid evaporation of cooling water inside the concave structure is the dominant mechanism for the fragmentation of a copper column with a concave structure.

Fragmentation Production of Θ0c(uuddc-) and Θ+b(uuddb-) Pentaquarks in the Diquark Model

Heavy hadrons have been the focus of attention because of their worthwhile properties. So far the fragmentation function (FF) and total fragmentation probability (F.P) for heavy baryons and mesons have been calculated in quark model and diquark model in leading order of perturbative QCD. After the discovery of pentaquarks, their fragmentation probabilities were estimated based on the known measurementsof c or b quarks into mesons and baryons. In this note we calculate the direct fragmentation function of $$ \overline{c}\to {\varTheta}_c^0\left( uudd\overline{c}\right) $$ and $$ \overline{b}\to {\varTheta}_b^{+}\left( uudd\overline{b}\right) $$ processes in leading order of perturbative QCD, employing the diquark model with considerable precision. Consistent with such a process we set up the kinematics of the fragmentation of a heavy antiquark into a pentaquark such that the effect of the Fermi motion of the constituents is ignored. We show that using the diquark model for studying pentaquark can provide reasonably good theoretical results. The findings of this study accord with those in the previous studies.

Conflict-related Sexual Violence and Rebel Group Fragmentation

To what extent does sexual violence influence rebel group fragmentation? A substantial body of research explores wartime rape as a cohesion-building mechanism following forced recruitment. However, the relationship between sexual violence and broader organizational structural integrity has not been systematically tested. Our study on the effects of sexual violence on rebel group fragmentation provides this test. We argue that sexual violence increases cohesion at the battalion level but increases the risk of fragmentation of the broader organization because lieutenants are more likely to split from organizations if they are confident that their subordinate battalions are cohesive and will follow them. We test this argument on a global sample of 105 rebel organizations active between 1989 and 2014. The results provide robust support for the argument showing sexual violence increases the probability of fragmentation by a factor of six. This presents a crucial contribution to our understanding of sexual violence and rebel group fragmentation.

A Motion of No Confidence: Leadership and Rebel Fragmentation

AbstractWhy do rebel organizations splinter into competing factions during civil war? To explain this outcome, I leverage variation in rebel leadership. I argue that rebel leaders draw on their pre-war experiences—i.e., their military and political experiences—to manage their organizations during conflict. These experiences bear unique patterns of rebel management and, thus, corresponding risks of fragmentation. Empirical evidence comes from a two-stage research design and original data featuring over 200 rebel leaders from 1989 to 2014. In the first stage, I estimate the probability of group fragmentation with a series of logistic regression models. In the second stage, I use Cox proportional-hazards models to estimate leadership effects on the rate of group fragmentation. Results indicate that variation in rebel leadership corresponds with unique risks of fragmentation. In particular, the results suggest that leaders with real military experience are best equipped to maintain group cohesion. This study offers insight into the processes by which rebel groups splinter into armed factions. In addition, it makes an important contribution to the broader discussion on the roles of structure and agency in shaping the dynamics of civil war.

Dynamical versus statistical production of Intermediate Mass Fragments at Fermi Energies

The emission probability of Intermediate Mass Fragments (IMFs) in non-central reactions has been investigated in collisions of heavy $$^{124}\hbox {Xe}$$ projectiles with the two different medium-mass targets of $$^{64}\hbox {Ni}$$ and $$^{64}\hbox {Zn}$$ at the laboratory energy of 35 A MeV. The two colliding systems differ only for the target atomic number Z and, consequently, for the isospin N/Z ratio. The probability of IMFs emission from the projectile-like fragment has been measured, showing an enhancement of the IMFs emission for the neutron rich $$^{64}\hbox {Ni}$$ target. Most of the observed projectile break-up yield is associated with the production of only one IMF, that is, a quasi-binary splitting of projectile in two fragments in a broad range of charge asymmetry. For the events with one IMF, the relative contributions of the dynamical and statistical emissions have been evaluated. We find an enhancement of dynamical break-up probability for the neutron rich target with respect to the neutron poor one. The analysis suggests influence of the target isospin in inducing the dynamical break-up of projectile-like fragments. The new data have been also compared with previous published results of $$^{112,124}\hbox {Sn}$$ + $$^{58,64}\hbox {Ni}$$ systems, in order to disentangle between isospin effects against system-size effects on the emission probability. The comparisons between previous and new data suggest that the dynamical break-up is determined by the N/Z content of both projectile and target; for the cases here investigated, the influence of the system size on the dynamical emission probability can be excluded.

When Jihadist Factions Split: A Data-Driven Network Analysis

This article investigates group fragmentation in the al-Qaeda and Islamic State ecosystems, employing network analysis to examine the impact of specific network conditions on the probability of a faction splitting. Using new datasets of faction–faction (FF) and terrorist–terrorist (TT) relationships, the article tests 18 hypotheses exploring connections between factional splits and the number, polarity, and strength of FF and TT relationships, among other factors. The article offers three major findings. First, a greater number of relationships between factions is positively correlated with the probability of fragmentation. Second, having a small or moderate number of a faction’s members belonging to another faction increases the probability of a split, but more significant cross-factional membership decreases the probability. Third, both high-degree centrality of a faction’s leader and significant variations in the degree centrality within a faction’s leadership structure is correlated with increased probability of a split.

Sleep stage dynamics in young patients with sleep bruxism.

We hypothesized that sleep stage dynamics are different in patients with sleep bruxism (SB) and that these changes are associated with the occurrence of rhythmic masticatory muscle activity (RMMA). Fifteen healthy controls and 15 patients with SB underwent overnight polysomnography. Sleep variables and survival curves of continuous runs of each sleep stage were compared between the groups. Stage transition dynamics and the probability of stage fragmentation were analyzed for three epochs before and after the epoch with RMMA. Survival curves of continuous runs of each sleep stage, terminated with or without RMMA, were also compared. There were no significant differences in sleep variables between the groups, except for shorter sleep latency, shorter rapid eye movement (REM) latency, and longer total N1 duration in SB patients than in controls. REM sleep and N2 were significantly less continuous in SB patients than in controls. In the SB group, stage fragmentation probability was significantly increased for the epoch with RMMA compared with the baseline for all stages. Meanwhile, the occurrence of RMMA did not affect the continuity of N2 or REM; however, the occurrence of RMMA was preceded by more continuous N3 runs. Sleep stage dynamics differed between SB patients and controls. RMMA does not result in sleep disruption but is likely associated with dissipation of sleep pressure. Less continuity of REM sleep in SB may provide insights into the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of SB, which may be related to REM sleep processes such as cortical desynchronized states or brainstem activation.

Production asymmetry of open charm mesons within unfavoured ragmentation scenario

We consider unfavoured light quark/antiquark to D meson fragmentation. We discuss nonperturbative effects for small transverse momenta. The asymmetry for D+ and D- production measured by the LHCb collaboration provides natural constraints on the parton (quark/antiquark) fragmentation functions. We find that already a fraction of $q/\overline q \to D$ fragmentation probability is sufficient to account for the measured asymmetry. Large D-meson production asymmetries are found for large xF which is related to dominance of light quark/antiquark $q/\overline q \to D$ fragmentation over the standard c → D fragmentation. As a consequence, prompt atmospheric neutrino flux at high neutrino energies can be much larger than for the conventional c → D fragmentation. The latter can constitute a sizeable background for the cosmic neutrinos claimed to be observed recently by the IceCube Observatory.

Interaction of Water Droplets in Air Flow at Different Degrees of Flow Turbulence

Presented are results of experiments on high-speed video recording of collisions of water droplets in a gas medium as part of aerosol. Parameters of the gas (air) flow and aerosol cloud were monitored using cross-correlation complexes and optical methods of Particle Image Velocimetry, Particle Tracking Velocimetry, Interferometric Particle Imagine, and Shadow Photography. Conditions at different degrees of gas flow turbulence were considered. The characteristic Reynolds numbers ranged from 1100 to 2800. The relative probabilities of coagulation, scattering, and fragmentation of water droplets upon their collisions were calculated. Experimental dependences of probabilistic criteria on parameters of droplets and flow have been obtained for subsequent mathematical modeling. It has been shown that fragmentation and complete breakup of droplets can enable several-fold increase in the relative area of the liquid. The effect of the degree of gas flow turbulence on parameters of recorded processes of interaction of droplets has been established. The results of the experiments were subjected to criterion processing, theWeber and Reynolds numbers taken into account.

Gluon fragmentation into quarkonium at next-to-leading order using FKS subtraction

We present the calculation at next-to-leading order (NLO) in αs of the fragmentation function of a gluon into heavy quarkonium in the color-octet spin-singlet S-wave channel. To calculate the real NLO corrections, we adapt a subtraction scheme introduced by Frixione, Kunszt, and Signer. Ultraviolet and infrared divergences in the real NLO corrections are calculated analytically by evaluating the phase-space integrals of the subtraction terms using dimensional regularization. The subtracted phase-space integrals are then evaluated in 4 space-time dimensions. The divergences in the virtual NLO corrections are also calculated analytically. After renormalization, all the divergences cancel. The NLO corrections significantly increase the fragmentation probability for a gluon into the spin-singlet quarkonium states ηc and ηb.

Distributional fixed-point equations for island nucleation in one dimension: The inverse problem

The self-consistency of the distributional fixed-point equation (DFPE) approach to understanding the statistical properties of island nucleation and growth during submonolayer deposition is explored. We perform kinetic Monte Carlo simulations, in which point islands nucleate on a one-dimensional lattice during submonolyer deposition with critical island size $i$, and examine the evolution of the inter-island gaps as they are fragmented by new island nucleation. The DFPE couples the fragmentation probability distribution within the gaps to the consequent gap size distribution (GSD), and we find a good fit between the DFPE solutions and the observed GSDs for $i = 0, 1, 2, 3$. Furthermore, we develop numerical methods to address the inverse problem, namely the problem of obtaining the gap fragmentation probability from the observed GSD, and again find good self-consistency in the approach. This has consequences for its application to experimental situations where only the GSD is observed, and where the growth rules embodied in the fragmentation process must be deduced.

Influence of relative humidity on the heterogeneous oxidation of secondary organic aerosol

Abstract. Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) is a complex mixture of hundreds of semi-volatile to extremely low-volatility organic compounds that are chemically processed in the atmosphere, including via heterogeneous oxidation by gas-phase radicals. Relative humidity (RH) has a substantial impact on particle phase, which can affect how SOA evolves in the atmosphere. In this study, SOA from dark α-pinene ozonolysis is heterogeneously aged by OH radicals in a flow tube at low and high RH. At high RH (RH =89 %) there is substantial loss of particle volume (∼60 %) at an equivalent atmospheric OH exposure of 3 weeks. In contrast, at low RH (RH =25 %) there is little mass loss (<20 %) at the same OH exposure. Mass spectra of the SOA particles were measured as a function of OH exposure using a vacuum ultraviolet aerosol mass spectrometer (VUV-AMS). The mass spectra observed at low RH overall exhibit minor changes with oxidation and negligible further changes above an OH exposure =2×1012 molecule cm−3 s suggesting limited impact of oxidation on the particle composition. In contrast, the mass spectra observed at high RH exhibit substantial and continuous changes as a function of OH exposure. Further, at high RH clusters of peaks in the mass spectra exhibit unique decay patterns, suggesting different responses of various species to oxidation. A model of heterogeneous oxidation has been developed to understand the origin of the difference in aging between the low- and high-RH experiments. Differences in diffusivity of the SOA between the low- and high-RH experiments alone can explain the difference in compositional change but cannot explain the difference in mass loss. Instead, the difference in mass loss is attributable to RH-dependent differences in the OH uptake coefficient and/or the net probability of fragmentation, with either or both larger at high RH compared to low RH. These results illustrate the important impact of relative humidity on the fate of SOA in the atmosphere.

Direct observations of single particle fragmentation in the early stages of combustion under dry and wet conventional and oxy-fuel conditions

This article investigates the single particle fragmentation of three solid fuels in the early stages of combustion under dry and wet conventional and oxy-fuel conditions. The three solid fuels studied were a low rank sub-bituminous Colombian coal, a low-rank/high-ash sub-bituminous Brazilian coal, and a charcoal residue from black acacia. Particles, with size in the range 125–150 µm, were burned in a drop tube furnace with a constant wall temperature of 1475 K, under six different mixtures of O2/N2/CO2/H2O, which allowed simulating dry and wet conventional and oxy-fuel combustion conditions. A high-speed camera was used to record the fragmentation process during the early stages of combustion and the collected images were treated to characterize the fragmentation mode, probability and time. The observed fragmentation modes are characterized by the occurrence of exfoliation, radial fragmentation or a combination of both. The results disclose that the fragmentation mode is strongly affected by the fuel type, but less affected by the atmosphere; the fragmentation probability is strongly affected by both the fuel type and the atmosphere; and, finally, fragmentation in air occurs significantly dispersed after ignition, but it tends to cluster closer to the ignition under simulated oxy-fuel conditions.

D meson production asymmetry, unfavored fragmentation, and consequences for prompt atmospheric neutrino production

We consider unfavoured light quark/antiquark to $D$ meson fragmentation. We discuss nonperturbative effects for small transverse momenta. The asymmetry for $D^+$ and $D^-$ production measured by the LHCb collaboration provides natural constraints on the parton (quark/antiquark) fragmentation functions. We find that already a fraction of $q/{\bar q} \to D$ fragmentation probability is sufficient to account for the measured asymmetry. We make predictions for similar asymmetry for neutral $D$ mesons. Large $D$-meson production asymmetries are found for large $x_F$ which is related to dominance of light quark/antiquark $q/\bar q \to D$ fragmentation over the standard $c \to D$ fragmentation. As a consequence, prompt atmospheric neutrino flux at high neutrino energies can be much larger than for the conventional $c \to D$ fragmentation. The latter can constitute a sizeable background for the cosmic neutrinos claimed to be observed recently by the IceCube Observatory. Large rapidity-dependent $D^+/D^-$ and $D^0/{\bar D}^0$ asymmetries are predicted for low ($\sqrt{s} =$ 20 - 100 GeV) energies. The $q/\bar q \to D$ fragmentation leads to enhanced production of $D$ mesons at low energies. At $\sqrt{s}$ = 20 GeV the enhancement factor with respect to the conventional contribution is larger than a factor of five. In the considered picture the large-$x_F$ $D$ mesons are produced dominantly via fragmentation of light quarks/antiquarks. Predictions for fixed target $p+^{4}\!\textrm{He}$ collisions relevant for a fixed target LHCb experiment are presented.

Scaling of species diversity and body mass in mammals: Cope’s rule and the evolutionary cost of large size

Equations are constructed describing the inverse correlation of species diversity and body mass in extant and Cenozoic mammals. Cope’s rule, the tendency for many mammal clades to increase in body size through time, through phyletic change in single lineages or turnover within species groups, is interpreted as a probability function reducing diversity potential as a tradeoff for ecological/evolutionary gains. The inverse rule predicts that large species in clades will be less diverse than smaller species and, unless origination rates remain high among smaller clade members, clades conforming to Cope’s rule will decline in diversity, moving towards extinction. This proposition is evaluated in the Cenozoic histories of five North American mammal clades; cotton rats, felids, canids, hyaenodontids, and equids. Diversity potential of different size classes within the 3.75 million year phyletic history of the muskrat, Ondatra zibethicus, is also examined. A corollary prediction of the inverse rule, that large species should have longer durations (species lifespans) than small species, is unresolved. Successful clades maintain small size or a significant number of smaller species relative to clade average size. The potential loss of unique extant large mammal species justifies the conservation effort to protect them. The similarity of scaling exponents of species diversity to mass around a slope of -1.0 suggests that species diversity is correlated with home range size, the latter related to the probability of population fragmentation.

Single droplet breakup in a rotor-stator mixer

This study presents measurements of droplet transport inside a rotor-stator mixer under turbulent flow conditions and contributes to the understanding of the droplet breakup phenomenon. The measurements contain unique information on droplet breakup down to the limit of equilibrium droplet size. The experimental setup includes a custom-built rotor-stator mixer that provides optical access to the mixing region. High-speed camera imaging is used to study droplet stability and breakup due to turbulent inertial stress at different operating conditions. The analysis reveals when, where, and how the droplets break up inside the rotor-stator mixer. Analysis of the breakup location reveals that droplet breakup mainly occurs in the downstream region of the stator and inside the emanating jets. Prediction of the flow field and turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate from CFD simulations explains the propensity of droplet breakup at different locations in the rotor-stator. It is found that both the average time for droplet-vortex interaction and the distribution increases with the size of mother droplets, and a model is proposed that explains the results fairly well. Measurement of the breakup probabilities reveals a monotonically increase from zero probability at a low We-number to approximately 50% probability at We > 4. The number of fragments formed upon breakage depend on how far the droplets are from equilibrium size and it is found that the probability for multiple fragmentation dominates even close to the equilibrium size.

Functionalization of the Si(1 1 1) 7 × 7 substrate with coronene molecules using simple molecular source

Abstract The present paper aims at describing a source designed and constructed to generate an organic molecular beam under ultrahigh vacuum conditions. The presented construction solution of the evaporation source allows for independent deposition of three different kinds of molecules. The probability of molecules fragmentation is minimized by using a thermocouple being in contact with a molecular crucible, which enables precise temperature control. In addition, cleanness and molecular beam density are monitored using a quadrupole mass spectrometer and quartz microbalance, respectively. The operational parameters of the molecular source are optimized and deposition rates are measured for the coronene molecule in the sublimation temperature range between 430 K and 460 K. The analysis of scanning tunneling microscope images of the Si(1 1 1) 7 × 7 substrate covered with the sub-monolayer of coronene molecules and comparison with previously published data has been used for verification of the molecular source operation.

Relative mass distributions of neutron-rich thermally fissile nuclei within a statistical model

We study the fission yield of recently predicted thermally fissile neutron-rich uranium and thorium nuclei using statistical model. The level density parameters needed for the study are evaluated from the excitation energies of temperature dependent relativistic mean field formalism. The excitation energy and the level density parameter for a given temperature are employed in the convolution integral method to obtain the probability of the particular fragmentation. As representative case, we present the results for the binary fission yield of 250 U and 254 Th. The relative yields are presented for three different temperatures T = 1, 2 and 3 MeV.

A study of probable alpha-ternary fission fragments of 257Fm

The probable α-accompanied cold ternary fission fragments of 257Fm are studied using six types of nuclear proximity potentials. We have studied the driving potential, probability, relative yield and half-lives of possible alpha ternary fission fragments. It is clear from present study that the alpha accompanied cold ternary fission reactions of 257Fm having minimum driving potential, maximum fission yield and small fission half lives for 48Ca + 205Pt + 4He. Hence this combination is recognized as most probable alpha ternary fission fragments of 257Fm due to the presence of doubly magic nucleus 48Ca. This study finds important in the experiments on alpha ternary fission of 257Fm.