Geometric discretization through primal-dual meshes

This thesis introduces new tools for geometric discretization in computer graphics and computational physics. Our work builds upon the duality between weighted triangulations and power diagrams to provide concise, yet expressive discretization of manifolds and differential operators. Our exposition begins with a review of the construction of power diagrams, followed by novel optimization procedures to fully control the local volume and spatial distribution of power cells. Based on this power diagram framework, we develop a new family of discrete differential operators, an effective stippling algorithm, as well as a new fluid solver for Lagrangian particles. We then turn our attention to applications in geometry processing. We show that orthogonal primal-dual meshes augment the notion of local metric in non-flat discrete surfaces. In particular, we introduce a reduced set of coordinates for the construction of orthogonal primal-dual structures of arbitrary topology, and provide alternative metric characterizations through convex optimizations. We finally leverage these novel theoretical contributions to generate well-centered primal-dual meshes, sphere packing on surfaces, and self-supporting triangulations.

Scheme for unconventional geometric quantum computation in cavity QED

In this paper, we present a scheme for implementing the unconventional geometric two-qubit phase gate with nonzero dynamical phase based on two-channel Raman interaction of two atoms in a cavity. We show that the dynamical phase and the total phase for a cyclic evolution are proportional to the geometric phase in the same cyclic evolution; hence they possess the same geometric features as does the geometric phase. In our scheme, the atomic excited state is adiabatically eliminated, and the operation of the proposed logic gate involves only the metastable states of the atoms; thus the effect of the atomic spontaneous emission can be neglected. The influence of the cavity decay on our scheme is examined. It is found that the relations regarding the dynamical phase, the total phase, and the geometric phase in the ideal situation are still valid in the case of weak cavity decay. Feasibility and the effect of the phase fluctuations of the driving laser fields are also discussed.

The streaming of 1.3-2.3 MeV cosmic-ray protons during periods between prompt solar particle events

The anisotropy of 1.3 - 2.3 MeV protons in interplanetary space has been measured using the Caltech Electron/Isotope Spectrometer aboard IMP-7 for 317 6-hour periods from 72/273 to 74/2. Periods dominated by prompt solar particle events are not included. The convective and diffusive anisotropies are determined from the observed anisotropy using concurrent solar wind speed measurements and observed energy spectra. The diffusive flow of particles is found to be typically toward the sun, indicating a positive radial gradient in the particle density. This anisotropy is inconsistent with previously proposed sources of low-energy proton increases seen at 1 AU which involve continual solar acceleration.

The typical properties of this new component of low-energy cosmic rays have been determine d for this period which is near solar minimum. The particles have a median intensity of 0.06 protons/ cm^(2)-sec-sr-MeV and a mean spectral index of -3.15.The amplitude of the diffusive anisotropy is approximately proportional to the solar wind speed. The rate at which particles are diffusing toward the sun is larger than the rate at which the solar wind is convecting the particles away from the sun. The 20 to 1 proton to alpha ratio typical of this new component has been reported by Mewaldt, et al. (1975b).

A propagation model with κ_(rr) assumed independent of radius and energy is used to show that the anisotropy could be due to increases similar to those found by McDonald, et al. (1975) at ~3 AU. The interplanetary Fermi-acceleration model proposed by Fisk (1976) to explain the increases seen near 3 AU is not consistent with the ~12 per cent diffusive anisotropy found.

The dependence of the diffusive anisotropy on various parameters is shown. A strong dependence of the direction of the diffusive anisotropy on the concurrently measured magnetic field direction is found, indicating a κ_⊥ less than κ_∥ to be typical for this large data set.

Influência do sistema de cimentação e do modo de ativação na resistência ao push-out de pinos de fibra de vidro

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a influência do tipo de sistema de cimentação (condicionamento ácido total ou autoadesivo), do modo de ativação (autoativado ou dual), do terço do conduto radicular (cervical, médio ou apical) e da espessura do filme de cimento sobre a resistência de união de pinos de fibra de vidro cimentados em dentes humanos. Quarenta raízes foram incluídas em resina epóxi, submetidas a tratamento endodôntico e obturadas com guta percha e cimento endodôntico sem eugenol. Decorridos sete dias, os condutos foram preparados a uma profundidade de 10mm com brocas padronizadas do sistema dos pinos de fibra (WhitePost DC #2) e aleatoriamente divididos em 4 grupos, conforme o sistema de cimentação e o modo de ativação: (G1) RelyX ARC/Adper Scotchbond Multi-Purpose Plus (condicionamento ácido total), ativação dual, (G2) RelyX ARC/Adper Scotchbond Multi-Purpose Plus, autoativado, (G3) RelyX U100 (autoadesivo), dual e (G4) RelyX U100, autoativado. Após uma semana, cada raiz foi seccionada em máquina de corte, originando 6 fatias de 1 mm de espessura (n=60). Antes do ensaio de push-out cada fatia foi fotografada em ambas as faces, para determinação do raio dos pinos e da espessura do filme de cimento. Após o ensaio mecânico, novas imagens foram capturadas para determinação do modo de falha. Para automatizar a determinação da espessura de cimento, foi desenvolvida uma macro no software KS 400. Os dados foram estatisticamente analisados com ANOVA 3 fatores (resistência de união) e teste de Kruskall-Wallis (espessura do cimento). Comparações múltiplas foram realizadas com o teste Student-Newman-Keuls. Análise de regressão, modelo linear, foi empregada para verificar a correlação entre espessura do cimento e resistência de união. Todos os testes foram aplicados com α = 0,05. O fator cimento exerceu influência significativa para a resistência de união (p = 0,0402): o RelyX U100 apresentou a maior média. A ativação dual elevou os valores de resistência de união em comparação ao modo quimicamente ativado (p < 0,0001). Houve diferenças significantes entre os grupos, sendo G1 (22,4 4,0 MPa) > G3 (20,4 3,6 MPa) > G4 (17,8 5,2 MPa) > G2 (13,5 4,3 MPa). O terço do conduto não exerceu influência significativa sobre a resistência adesiva (p = 0,4749). As espessuras dos filmes de cimento foram estatisticamente diferentes nos diferentes terços: cervical (102 45 m) > médio (75 29 m) > apical (52 28m). Não foi observada forte correlação entre os valores de espessura e os de resistência ao push-out (r = - 0,2016, p = 0,0033). O tipo de falha predominante foi a mista, exceto para o G2, que apresentou 74% das falhas na interface cimento-pino. Dessa forma, o cimento autoadesivo apresentou melhor desempenho que o convencional, e ambos os sistemas duais, sobretudo o RelyX ARC, apresentaram dependência da fotoativação para atingirem maiores valores de resistência de união.

Relativistic mean field theory: methods and applications

We develop a method for performing one-loop calculations in finite systems that is based on using the WKB approximation for the high energy states. This approximation allows us to absorb all the counterterms analytically and thereby avoids the need for extreme numerical precision that was required by previous methods. In addition, the local approximation makes this method well suited for self-consistent calculations. We then discuss the application of relativistic mean field methods to the atomic nucleus. Self-consistent, one loop calculations in the Walecka model are performed and the role of the vacuum in this model is analyzed. This model predicts that vacuum polarization effects are responsible for up to five percent of the local nucleon density. Within this framework the possible role of strangeness degrees of freedom is studied. We find that strangeness polarization can increase the kaon-nucleus scattering cross section by ten percent. By introducing a cutoff into the model, the dependence of the model on short-distance physics, where its validity is doubtful, is calculated. The model is very sensitive to cutoffs around one GeV.

A model for energy and morphology of crystalline grain boundaries with arbitrary geometric character

It has been well-established that interfaces in crystalline materials are key players in the mechanics of a variety of mesoscopic processes such as solidification, recrystallization, grain boundary migration, and severe plastic deformation. In particular, interfaces with complex morphologies have been observed to play a crucial role in many micromechanical phenomena such as grain boundary migration, stability, and twinning. Interfaces are a unique type of material defect in that they demonstrate a breadth of behavior and characteristics eluding simplified descriptions. Indeed, modeling the complex and diverse behavior of interfaces is still an active area of research, and to the author's knowledge there are as yet no predictive models for the energy and morphology of interfaces with arbitrary character. The aim of this thesis is to develop a novel model for interface energy and morphology that i) provides accurate results (especially regarding "energy cusp" locations) for interfaces with arbitrary character, ii) depends on a small set of material parameters, and iii) is fast enough to incorporate into large scale simulations.

In the first half of the work, a model for planar, immiscible grain boundary is formulated. By building on the assumption that anisotropic grain boundary energetics are dominated by geometry and crystallography, a construction on lattice density functions (referred to as "covariance") is introduced that provides a geometric measure of the order of an interface. Covariance forms the basis for a fully general model of the energy of a planar interface, and it is demonstrated by comparison with a wide selection of molecular dynamics energy data for FCC and BCC tilt and twist boundaries that the model accurately reproduces the energy landscape using only three material parameters. It is observed that the planar constraint on the model is, in some cases, over-restrictive; this motivates an extension of the model.

In the second half of the work, the theory of faceting in interfaces is developed and applied to the planar interface model for grain boundaries. Building on previous work in mathematics and materials science, an algorithm is formulated that returns the minimal possible energy attainable by relaxation and the corresponding relaxed morphology for a given planar energy model. It is shown that the relaxation significantly improves the energy results of the planar covariance model for FCC and BCC tilt and twist boundaries. The ability of the model to accurately predict faceting patterns is demonstrated by comparison to molecular dynamics energy data and experimental morphological observation for asymmetric tilt grain boundaries. It is also demonstrated that by varying the temperature in the planar covariance model, it is possible to reproduce a priori the experimentally observed effects of temperature on facet formation.

Finally, the range and scope of the covariance and relaxation models, having been demonstrated by means of extensive MD and experimental comparison, future applications and implementations of the model are explored.

Mean-speed measurements in two-dimensional, incompressible, fully-developed turbulent channel flow

Mean velocity profiles were measured in the 5” x 60” wind channel of the turbulence laboratory at the GALCIT, by the use of a hot-wire anemometer. The repeatability of results was established, and the accuracy of the instrumentation estimated. Scatter of experimental results is a little, if any, beyond this limit, although some effects might be expected to arise from variations in atmospheric humidity, no account of this factor having been taken in the present work. Also, slight unsteadiness in flow conditions will be responsible for some scatter.

Irregularities of a hot-wire in close proximity to a solid boundary at low speeds were observed, as have already been found by others.

That Kármán’s logarithmic law holds reasonably well over the main part of a fully developed turbulent flow was checked, the equation u/u_t = 6.0 + 6.25 log₁₀ y^ut/v being obtained, and, as has been previously the case, the experimental points do not quite form one straight line in the region where viscosity effects are small. The values of the constants for this law for the best over-all agreement were determined and compared with those obtained by others.

The range of Reynolds numbers used (based on half-width of channel) was from 20,000 to 60,000.

Radius of curvature measurements for laser beams: A simple method

A simple method for measuring the radius of curvature of laser beams is introduced. It has been developed to estimate the astigmatic aberration of a diode laser. Compared with the interferornetry, this method is convenient and straightforward. (c) 2005 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Nuclear hyperfine interactions in W^(182), W^(183), and Pt^(195) as studies by the Mossbauer effect

The Mössbauer technique has been used to study the nuclear hyperfine interactions and lifetimes in W¹⁸² (2⁺ state) and W¹⁸³ (3/2^- and 5/2^- states) with the following results: g(5/2^-)/g(2⁺) = 1.40 ± 0.04; g(3/2^- = -0.07 ± 0.07; Q(5/2^-)/Q(2⁺) = 0.94 ± 0.04; T_1/2(3/2^-) = 0.184 ± 0.005 nsec; T_1/2(5/2^-) >̰ 0.7 nsec. These quantities are discussed in terms of a rotation-particle interaction in W¹⁸³ due to Coriolis coupling. From the measured quantities and additional information on γ-ray transition intensities magnetic single-particle matrix elements are derived. It is inferred from these that the two effective g-factors, resulting from the Nilsson-model calculation of the single-particle matrix elements for the spin operators ŝ_z and ŝ₊, are not equal, consistent with a proposal of Bochnacki and Ogaza.

The internal magnetic fields at the tungsten nucleus were determined for substitutional solid solutions of tungsten in iron, cobalt, and nickel. With g(2⁺) = 0.24 the results are: |H_eff(W-Fe)| = 715 ± 10 kG; |H_eff(W-Co)| = 360 ± 10 kG; |H_eff(W-Ni)| = 90 ± 25 kG. The electric field gradients at the tungsten nucleus were determined for WS₂ and WO₃. With Q(2⁺) = -1.81b the results are: for WS₂, eq = -(1.86 ± 0.05) 10¹⁸ V/cm²; for WO₃, eq = (1.54 ± 0.04) 10¹⁸ V/cm² and ƞ = 0.63 ± 0.02.

The 5/2^- state of Pt¹⁹⁵ has also been studied with the Mössbauer technique, and the g-factor of this state has been determined to be -0.41 ± 0.03. The following magnetic fields at the Pt nucleus were found: in an Fe lattice, 1.19 ± 0.04 MG; in a Co lattice, 0.86 ± 0.03 MG; and in a Ni lattice, 0.36 ± 0.04 MG. Isomeric shifts have been detected in a number of compounds and alloys and have been interpreted to imply that the mean square radius of the Pt¹⁹⁵ nucleus in the first-excited state is smaller than in the ground state.