Analysis of Parameter Values in the van der Waals and Platteeuw Theory for Methane Hydrates Using Monte Carlo Molecular Simulations

The van der Waals and Platteuw (vdVVP) theory has been successfully used to model the thermodynamics of gas hydrates. However, earlier studies have shown that this could be due to the presence of a large number of adjustable parameters whose values are obtained through regression with experimental data. To test this assertion, we carry out a systematic and rigorous study of the performance of various models of vdWP theory that have been proposed over the years. The hydrate phase equilibrium data used for this study is obtained from Monte Carlo molecular simulations of methane hydrates. The parameters of the vdWP theory are regressed from this equilibrium data and compared with their true values obtained directly from simulations. This comparison reveals that (i) methane-water interactions beyond the first cage and methane-methane interactions make a significant contribution to the partition function and thus cannot be neglected, (ii) the rigorous Monte Carlo integration should be used to evaluate the Langmuir constant instead of the spherical smoothed cell approximation, (iii) the parameter values describing the methane-water interactions cannot be correctly regressed from the equilibrium data using the vdVVP theory in its present form, (iv) the regressed empty hydrate property values closely match their true values irrespective of the level of rigor in the theory, and (v) the flexibility of the water lattice forming the hydrate phase needs to be incorporated in the vdWP theory. Since methane is among the simplest of hydrate forming molecules, the conclusions from this study should also hold true for more complicated hydrate guest molecules.

Modified Adomian Decomposition Method for Van der Pol equations

In the paper, the well known Adomian Decomposition Method (ADM) is modified to solve the parabolic equations. The present method is quite different than the numerical method. The results are compared with the existing exact or analytical method. The already known existing Adomian Decomposition Method is modified to improve the accuracy and convergence. Thus, the modified method is named as Modified Adomian Decomposition Method (MADM). The Modified Adomian Decomposition Method results are found to converge very quickly and are more accurate compared to ADM and numerical methods. MADM is quite efficient and is practically well suited for use in these problems. Several examples are given to check the reliability of the present method. Modified Adomian Decomposition Method is a non-numerical method which can be adapted for solving parabolic equations. In the current paper, the principle of the decomposition method is described, and its advantages are shown in the form of parabolic equations. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/).

Emergent photophenomena in three dimensional van der Waals heterostructures

We report on the fabrication and observation of emergent opto-electronic phenomena in three dimensional, micron-sized van der Waals heterostructures self-assembled from atomic layers of graphene and hexagonal boron nitride in varying ratios.

Pull-in Instability Study of Carbon Nanotube Tweezers Under the Influence of Van der Waals Forces

The pull-in instability of two nanotubes under van der Waals force is studied. The cantilever beam with large deformation model is used. The influence of nanotube parameters such as the interior radius, the gap distance between the two nanotubes, etc, on the pull-in instability is studied. The critical nanotube length is determined for each specific set of nanotube parameters. The Galerkin method is applied to discretize the governing equations, and it shows good convergence.

Morphological Stability of Epitaxial Thin Elastic Films by Van Der Waals Force

The morphological stability of epitaxial thin elastic films on a substrate by van der Waals force is discussed. It is found that only van der Waals force with negative Hamaker constant (A < 0) tends to stabilize the film, and the lower bound for the Hamaker constant is also obtained for the stability of thin film. The critical value of the undulation wavelength is found to be a function of both film thickness and external stress. The charateristic time-scale for surface mass diffusion scales to the fourth power to the wavelength of the perturbation.

Combined effect of surface tension, gravity and van der Waals force induced by a non-contact probe tip on the shape of liquid surface

Aiming at understanding how a liquid film on a substrate affects the atomic force microscopic image in experiments, we present an analytical representation of the shape of liquid surface under van der Waals interaction induced by a non-contact probe tip. The analytical expression shows good consistence with the corresponding numerical results. According to the expression, we find that the vertical scale of the liquid dome is mainly governed by a combination of van der Waals force, surface tension and probe tip radius, and is weekly related to gravity. However, its horizontal extension is determined by the capillary length.

Influence of van der Waals and Casimir Forces on Electrostatic Torsional Actuators

The influence of van der Waals (vdW) and Casimir forces on the stability of the electrostatic torsional nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) actuators is analyzed in the paper. With the consideration of vdW and Casimir effects, the dependence of the critical tilting angle and pull-in voltage on the sizes of structure is investigated. And the influence of vdW torque is compared with that of Casimir torque. The modified coefficients of vdW and Casimir torques on the pull-in voltage are, respectively, calculated. When the gap is sufficiently small, pull-in can still take place with arbitrary small angle perturbation because of the action of vdW and Casimir torques even if there is not electrostatic torque. And the critical pull-in gaps for two cases are, respectively, derived.

Dynamic Stability of Electrostatic Torsional Actuators with van Der Waals Effect

electrostatic torsional nano-electro-mechanical systems (NEMS) actuators is analyzed in the paper. The dependence of the critical tilting angle and voltage is investigated on the sizes of structure with the consideration of vdW effects. The pull-in phenomenon without the electrostatic torque is studied, and a critical pull-in gap is derived. A dimensionless equation of motion is presented, and the qualitative analysis of it shows that the equilibrium points of the corresponding autonomous system include center points, stable focus points, and unstable saddle points. The Hopf bifurcation points and fork bifurcation points also exist in the system. The phase portraits connecting these equilibrium points exhibit periodic orbits, heteroclinic orbits, as well as homoclinic orbits.

Estudio de la respuesta al potasio, usando Aspergillus niger van tieghem en varios suelos de Nicaragua

Se midió la respuesta a la fertilización con potasio, usando el método de Mehlich para potasio soluble con Aspergillus niger, en cuatro suelos de Nicaragua que contenían 370, 690, 1450 y 3500 libras de K20 por manzana respectivamente. A estos se le aplicaron tratamientos de 0, 50, 100, 150, 300, 500, 600 y 1,000 libras de K20 por manzana. Entre 50 y 150 lbs/mz. de K20 aplicadas, no hubo respuesta. Aplicaciones de 300 lbs/mz. produjeron respuesta en relación proporcional inversa al contenido de K20 salubre de los suelos. Aplicaciones de 500 y 600 lbs/mz. produjeron la misma respuesta y sus efectos estuvieron también en relación inversa al contenido de K20 soluble. Las aplicaciones de 1,000 lbs/mz. produjeron respuesta en todos los suelos, excepto en el D alto en K20 disponible. El grado de respuesta concordó con el contenido de K20 extraible en HC1 0.1N.

Los inicios de la vascología en Holanda: El Essai de grammaire de la langue basque de Willem J. van Eys (1865, 1867)

Ed. by Xabier Artiagoitia, Patxi Goenaga & Joseba A. Lakarra.

Dieta do boto-cinza (Sotalia guianensis Van Benédén, 1864) (Cetacea: Delphinidae) na Baía de Sepetiba (RJ)

O boto-cinza (Sotalia guianensis Van Benédén, 1864) é um pequeno cetáceo da família Delphinidae. Ocorre em águas costeiras da América do Sul e Central, associado à ambientes estuarinos, às baías e áreas protegidas. Estudos sobre hábitos alimentares são importantes para avaliar os padrões de relação entre presa e predador. Desta forma, o conhecimento da composição da dieta do predador pode fornecer informações a respeito de sua distribuição, padrões de migração e de seu comportamento, além de contribuir com informações sobre a biologia e comportamento de suas presas. Neste trabalho, são abordados aspectos da ecologia alimentar do boto-cinza da Baía de Sepetiba, com o objetivo de caracterizar a dieta e compará-la em relação ao sexo, classe etária e estações do ano, a partir da análise do conteúdo estomacal de 76 botos-cinza encalhados entre 2005 e 2011. Os itens alimentares recuperados dos estômagos como otólitos e ossos de peixes, bicos de cefalópodes, carapaças de crustáceos, foram identificados baseando-se em trabalhos de identificação e em uma coleção de referência. O comprimento e biomassa das presas foram estimados com o uso de equações de regressão encontradas na literatura para estas espécies. As amostras foram separadas em machos adultos, fêmeas adultas e juvenis, e em estações quente/chuvosa (out-abr) e fria/seca (mai-set), em que os estômagos foram recuperados. Um total de 1800 presas foi identificado, relativo a 23 espécies de teleósteo, quatro espécies de cefalópode e três de crustáceo. O boto-cinza da Baía de Sepetiba apresentou uma dieta tipicamente piscívora, com um hábito alimentar no qual, poucas espécies foram consumidas em alta frequencia. Todas as presas identificadas têm distribuição costeira sendo a maioria estuarina de pequeno porte ou juvenil. As presas mais importantes na dieta do boto-cinza, segundo o índice de importância relativa (IIR), foram Cetengraulis edentulus; Micropogonias furnieri; Mugil spp.; Chloroscombrus chrysurus; Cynoscion jamaicensis; Stellifer sp.; e Sciadeichthys luniscutis. Dentre os cefalópodes, a lula Doryteuthis plei foi à presa mais importante. Este estudo indica que o boto-cinza apresenta variações intra-específicas no seu hábito alimentar entre fêmeas adultas, machos adultos e juvenis, além de variações sazonais na composição de sua dieta. A partir do conhecimento do comportamento e hábito de suas presas, pode-se concluir que, Sotalia guianensis da Baía de Sepetiba se alimenta ao longo de toda a Baía, além de utilizar áreas costeiras próximas para atividades de alimentação e forrageio.