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At least 379 records · Page 21

Mixing Dynamics Induced by Traveling Magnetic Fields

Microstructural and compositional homogeneity in metals and alloys can only be achieved if the initial melt is homogeneous prior to the onset of solidification processing. Naturally induced convection may initially facilitate this requirement but upon the onset of solidification significant compositional variations generally arise leading to undesired segregation. Application of alternating magnetic fields to promote a uniform bulk liquid concentration during solidification processing has been suggested. To investigate such possibilities an initial study of using traveling magnetic fields (TMF) to promote melt homogenization is reported in this work. Theoretically, the effect of TMF-induced convection on mixing phenomena is studied in the laminar regime of flow. Experimentally, with and without applied fields, both: mixing dynamics by optically monitoring the spreading of an initially localized dye in transparent fluids and, compositional variations in metal alloys have been investigated.

Grugel, Richard N.↗

Mixing Dynamics Induced by Traveling Magnetic Fields

Microstructural and compositional homogeneity in metals and alloys can only be achieved if the initial melt is homogeneous prior to the onset of solidification processing. Naturally induced convection may initially facilitate this requirement but upon the onset of solidification significant compositional variations generally arise leading to undesired segregation. Application of alternating magnetic fields to promote a uniform bulk liquid concentration during solidification processing has been suggested. To investigate such possibilities an initial study of using traveling magnetic fields (TMF) to promote melt homogenization is reported in this work. Theoretically, the effect of TMF-induced convection on mixing phenomena is studied in the laminar regime of flow. Experimentally, with and without applied fields, both 1) mixing dynamics by optically monitoring the spreading of an initially localized dye in transparent fluids and, 2) compositional variations in metal alloys have been investigated.

Grugel, Richard N.↗

Dynamical Response of Mediterranean Precipitation to Greenhouse Gases and Aerosols

Atmospheric aerosols and greenhouse gases affect cloud properties, radiative balance and, thus, the hydrological cycle. Observations show that precipitation has decreased in the Mediterranean since the beginning of the 20th century, and many studies have investigated possible mechanisms. So far, however, the effects of aerosol forcing on Mediterranean precipitation remain largely unknown. Here we compare the modeled dynamical response of Mediterranean precipitation to individual forcing agents in a set of global climate models (GCMs). Our analyses show that both greenhouse gases and aerosols can cause drying in the Mediterranean and that precipitation is more sensitive to black carbon (BC) forcing than to well-mixed greenhouse gases (WMGHGs) or sulfate aerosol. In addition to local heating, BC appears to reduce precipitation by causing an enhanced positive sea level pressure (SLP) pattern similar to the North Atlantic Oscillation-Arctic Oscillation, characterized by higher SLP at midlatitudes and lower SLP at high latitudes. WMGHGs cause a similar SLP change, and both are associated with a northward diversion of the jet stream and storm tracks, reducing precipitation in the Mediterranean while increasing precipitation in northern Europe. Though the applied forcings were much larger, if forcings are scaled to those of the historical period of 1901-2010, roughly one-third (31+/-17%) of the precipitation decrease would be attributable to global BC forcing with the remainder largely attributable to WMGHGs, whereas global scattering sulfate aerosols would have negligible impacts. Aerosol-cloud interactions appear to have minimal impacts on Mediterranean precipitation in these models, at least in part because many simulations did not fully include such processes; these merit further study. The findings from this study suggest that future BC and WMGHG emissions may significantly affect regional water resources, agricultural practices, ecosystems and the economy in the Mediterranean region.

Tang, Tao↗

Impact of Resolution and Parameterized Convection on the Diurnal Cycle of Precipitation in a Global Nonhydrostatic Model

A series of 40-day non-hydrostatic global simulations was run with the NASA Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) model with horizontal grid spacing ranging from 50 km to 3.5 km. Here we evaluate the diurnal cycle of precipitation and organized convection as a function of resolution. For validation we use the TRMM 3B42 and IMERG precipitation products and 4 km Merged Infrared brightness temperature, focusing on three regions: the contiguous United States (CONUS), the Maritime Continent, and Amazonia. We find that higher resolution has mixed impacts on diurnal phase. Regions dominated by non-local propagating convection show the greatest improvement, with better representation of organized convective systems. Precipitation in regions dominated by local thermodynamic forcing tends to peak too early at high resolution. Diurnal amplitudes in all regions develop unrealistic small-scale variability at high resolution, while amplitudes tend to be underestimated at low resolution. The GEOS model uses the Grell-Freitas scale-aware convection scheme, which smoothly reduces parameterized deep convection with increasing resolution. We find that some parameterized convection is beneficial for the diurnal amplitude and phase even with a 3.5 km model grid, but only when throttled with the scale-aware approach. An additional 3.5 km experiment employing the GFDL microphysics scheme and higher vertical resolution shows further improvement in propagating convection, but an earlier rainfall peak in locally forced regions.

Nathan P. Arnold↗

Multiple Probe Measurements at Uranus Motivated By Spatial Variability

Motivation: Spatial variations in the temperature field and composition of Uranus' atmosphere demonstrate a need for multiple entry probes to characterize vertical profiles in multiple locations. We will review variation of composition and temperature, which are produced by dynamical processes on a range of scales from global (polar anomalies, zonal bands) to regional (vortices, storms) [1–2]. In particular, the spatial variation of convective activity is not well understood based on existing remote sensing observations [3]. Understanding how these processes operate, and how they modulate variable composition, is key to constraining bulk atmospheric abundances. Abundances in turn provide cosmochemical constraints on planetary origins. Secondary probes at Uranus: Key measurements for secondary probes are temperature-pressure profiles, along with compositional profiles. Radio occultations are limited to shallow levels less than ~2 bar [4]. In situ temperature-pressure measurements (or atmospheric structure measurements) can unambiguously extend these results to deeper levels. Measurements with vertical resolution of at least 2 km are needed to characterize anomalies like the 1.2-bar feature from the Voyager 2 occultation at 2–6° S [4], which supports a range of temperature gradients depending on assumptions of composition. Simultaneous measurements of temperature, pressure, and composition are key to understanding this class of features. Species such as methane, hydrogen sulfide, and ammonia must be measured along a probe descent profile because they vary over several orders of magnitude due to the strong temperature dependence of their saturation vapor pressures [e.g., 5]. Results of these measurements can be interpreted to understand the potential for moist convective activity in the atmosphere. Lessons from the other giant planets: On Jupiter, the Galileo Probe's entry into a meteorologically distinct five-micron hot spot led many to interpret the local composition as column-stretched, so that well-mixed abundances were reached at deeper levels than in surrounding, unperturbed regions [6–8]. Ground-based microwave measurements and Juno data now indicate that the deep depletion of ammonia is a very widespread atmospheric characteristic not limited to 5-µm hot spots [9–11]. But in the absence of multiple probes, we do not know if the other volatiles H2S and H2O behave in the same way. The open questions for the Jupiter case strongly motivate sending multiple probes to Uranus. On Saturn, retrievals of NH3 and PH3 abundances at shallow levels vary with latitude [12], but it is unknown how deep these differences extend, which is why a Saturn probe (or probes) was a mission theme for NASA's New Frontiers 4 and 5 opportunities [13]. Challenges for secondary probes: Cost is an issue due to the perception that it involves sacrifices to other mission elements. Spacecraft trajectories may be constrained by needs for orbit insertion that limit probe deliveries to different latitudes, and additional limitations may be placed on communication windows for probe descent phases (particularly if multiple probes are released from the orbiter simultaneously) [14]. Finally, composition sensors for miniature secondary probes are not at the required technological maturity [15]. Mass spectrometers are typically too large, massive, and powerhungry, while smaller nanosensors are only beginning to be developed for planetary missions. Finally, the need for probe survival heating is most easily met by radioisotope heat sources, but these require regulatory approvals that are even more difficult to satisfy compared to standard environmental reviews [16], unless the secondary probe is designed as a core element of a mission. References: [1] Molter E.M., et al. (2021) PSJ, 2, 3. [2] Rowe-Gurney N., et al. (2021) Icar, 365, 114506. [3] Hueso R., Sánchez-Lavega A. (2019) SSRv, 215, 52. [4] Lindal G.F., et al. (1987) JGR, 92, 14987– 15001. [5] Simon A.A., et al. (2022) RemS, 14, 1518. [6] Atreya, S.K., et al. (1997) in The Three Galileos: The Man, the Spacecraft, the Telescope, pp. 249–260 (C. Barbieri et al., eds.). [7] Showman A.P., Ingersoll A.P. (1998) Icar, 132, 205–220. [8] Friedson A.J. (2005) Icar, 177, 1–17. [9] de Pater I., et al. (2001) Icar, 149, 66–78. [10] Li C., et al. (2017) GeoRL, 44, 5317–5325. [11] de Pater I., et al. (2019) Icar, 322, 168–191. [12] Fletcher L.N., et al. (2009) Icar, 202, 543–564. [13] National Research Council (2011) Vision and Voyages. [14] Sayanagi K.M., et al. (2020) SSRv, 216, 72. [15] Wong M.H. et al. (2021) BAAS, 53, 486. [16] Zide A., Mendoza-Hill A., Cheney D. (2022) COSPAR Abstracts H0.6-0012-22.

Michael H Wong↗

Femtosecond X-ray Spectroscopy Directly Quantifies Transient Excited-State Mixed Valency

Quantifying charge delocalization associated with short-lived photoexcited states of molecular complexes in solution remains experimentally challenging, requiring local element specific femtosecond experimental probes of time-evolving electron transfer. In this study, we quantify the evolving valence hole charge distribution in the photoexcited charge transfer state of a prototypical mixed valence bimetallic iron–ruthenium complex, [(CN) 5 Fe II CNRu III (NH 3 ) 5 ]-, in water by combining femtosecond X-ray spectroscopy measurements with time-dependent density functional theory calculations of the excited-state dynamics. We estimate the valence hole charge that accumulated at the Fe atom to be 0.6 ± 0.2, resulting from excited-state metal-to-metal charge transfer, on an ~ 60 fs time scale. Our combined experimental and computational approach provides a spectroscopic ruler for quantifying excited-state valency in solvated complexes.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Shock recovery analogs and the origin of mesosiderites

The origin of mesosiderites, which consist of approximately equal-weight proportions of Fe-Ni metal and silicates (gabbros, basalts, orthopyroxenites, dunites), remains an interesting and complex problem in meteoritics. There is general agreement that multiple impact events were probably involved in the formation of these brecciated stony-iron meteorites, but given the heterogeneity of mesosiderites, additional processes have been invoked to explain the unique and intricate textural and compositional makeup of mesosiderites. We conducted a series of shock recovery experiments to test the impact event(s) scenario. The results indicated significant similarities between the shocked analogs and many mesosiderites. We have compared our analogs with a suite of thin sections of Barea mesosiderite. I have conducted a series of flash heating experiments in which equal-weight proportions of gabbro and stainless steel (SS304) powders were compressed into small charges and heated under reducing conditions for short times. These experiments were used to bracket localized, peak postshock temperatures in our analog shots and to compare the mixing relations between the silicate and metal. The shock recovery experiments used porous metal-silicate powder starting mixtures, therefore our experiments are most analogous to an impact scenario where the target is an asteroidal regolith surface composed of a loose mixture of Fe-Ni metal and heterogeneous silicates. Analog experiments may really describe a secondary impact process similar to the late-stage, localized impact melting event. This leaves one of the crucial questions about mesosiderite genesis unanswered, namely what is the source of the Fe-Ni metal that is so intimately distributed in these meteorites?

Rowan, L. R.↗

A Framework for Assessing Economic and Environmental Trade-offs of Internalized Emission Costs in ERCOT Grid Planning

The power grid is on the cusp of a massive transition driven by three major areas: 1) the growth in demand for electricity, 2) efforts to decarbonize the United States economy, and 3) a desire to mitigate social disparities from the impact of electricity generation on local populations. However, most studies of the electricity sector do not include equity impacts in their models. This study seeks to do so by developing a comprehensive and generalizable model tailored to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) grid, designed to incorporate the equity impacts of electricity generation in a decarbonized and resilient framework. To integrate equity into our research, we incorporate environmental externalities into our capacity expansion model of ERCOT. Specifically, we factor in intermediate-level local marginal damages of precursor pollutants (NH3, NOx, primary PM2.5, SO2, and VOC) and global pollutant CO2 into the cost of generating electricity. We do this by taking into account county population, county ambient pollution concentration, and generator emission rates. Leveraging open-source modeling tools, such as PowerGenome, pyGRETA, and GenX we construct a county-level model to account for these costs. We integrate these marginal damages into the variable operations and maintenance costs of generators, for both existing and potential future builds. This study’s findings suggest that the value of a dynamic social cost of carbon (SSC) will cover criteria pollutant marginal damages within the ERCOT grid and solar and wind is expected to increase out to 2035. Key metrics evaluated within this research include fuel mix distribution across technologies, transmission and grid infrastructure costs, CO2 emissions, local pollutants marginal damages, and the variation in generation capacity built by the model. These results and framework can be used to support grid decisions that explicitly include distributional and procedural equity within a decarbonized and sustainable grid framework.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Lightwave-electronic harmonic frequency mixing

Electronic frequency mixers are fundamental building blocks of electronic systems. Harmonic frequency mixing in particular enables broadband electromagnetic signal analysis across octaves of spectrum using a single local oscillator. However, conventional harmonic frequency mixers do not operate beyond hundreds of gigahertz to a few terahertz. If extended to the petahertz scale in a compact and scalable form, harmonic mixers would enable field-resolved optical signal analysis spanning octaves of spectra in a monolithic device without the need for frequency conversion using nonlinear crystals. Here, we demonstrate lightwave-electronic harmonic frequency mixing beyond 0.350 PHz using plasmonic nanoantennas. We demonstrate that the mixing process enables complete, field-resolved detection of spectral content far outside that of the local oscillator, greatly extending the range of detectable frequencies compared to conventional heterodyning techniques. Our work has important implications for applications where optical signals of interest exhibit coherent femtosecond-scale dynamics spanning multiple harmonics.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗

Amorphous Phases on the Surface of Mars

Both primary (volcanic/impact glasses) and secondary (opal/silica, allophane, hisingerite, npOx, S-bearing) amorphous phases appear to be major components of martian surface materials based on orbital and in-situ measurements. A key observation is that whereas regional/global scale amorphous components include altered glass and npOx, local scale amorphous phases include hydrated silica/opal. This suggests widespread alteration at low water-to-rock ratios, perhaps due to snow/ice melt with variable pH, and localized alteration at high water-to-rock ratios. Orbital and in-situ measurements of the regional/global amorphous component on Mars suggests that it is made up of at least three phases: npOx, amorphous silicate (likely altered glass), and an amorphous S-bearing phase. Fundamental questions regarding the composition and the formation of the regional/global amorphous component(s) still remain: Do the phases form locally or have they been homogenized through aeolian activity and derived from the global dust? Is the parent glass volcanic, impact, or both? Are the phases separate or intimately mixed (e.g., as in palagonite)? When did the amorphous phases form? To address the question of source (local and/or global), we need to look for variations in the different phases within the amorphous component through continued modeling of the chemical composition of the amorphous phases in samples from Gale using CheMin and APXS data. If we find variations (e.g., a lack of or enrichment in amorphous silicate in some samples), this may imply a local source for some phases. Furthermore, the chemical composition of the weathering products may give insight into the formation mechanisms of the parent glass (e.g., impact glasses contain higher Al and lower Si [30], so we might expect allophane as a weathering product of impact glass). To address the question of whether these phases are separate or intimately mixed, we need to do laboratory studies of naturally altered samples made up of mixed phases (e.g., palagonite) and synthetic single phases to determine their short-range order structures and calculate their XRD patterns to use in models of CheMin data. Finally, to address the timing of the alteration, we need to study rocks on the martian surface of different ages that may contain glass (volcanic or impact) with MSL and future rovers to better understand how glass alters on the martian surface, if that alteration mechanism is universal, and if alteration spans across long periods of time or if there is a time past which unaltered glass remains.

Rampe, E. B.↗

Spurious poles in the scattering of electric and magnetic charges

Theories with both electric and magnetic charges (“mutually non-local” theories) have several major obstacles to calculating scattering amplitudes. Even when the interaction arises through the kinetic mixing of two, otherwise independent, U(1)’s, so that all low-energy interactions are perturbative, difficulties remain: using a self-dual, local formalism leads to spurious poles at any finite order in perturbation theory. Correct calculations must show how the spurious poles cancel in observable scattering amplitudes. Consistency requires that one type of charge is confined as a result of one of the U(1)’s being broken. Here we show how the constraints of confinement and parity conservation on observable processes manages to cancel the spurious poles in scattering and pair production amplitudes, paving the way for systematic studies of the experimental signatures of “dark” electric-magnetic processes. Along the way we demonstrate some novel effects in electric-magnetic interactions, including that the amplitude for single photon production of magnetic particles by electric particles vanishes.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Dynamical control in a prethermalized molecular ultracold plasma: Local dissipation drives global relaxation

Prethermalization occurs as an important phase in the dynamics of isolated many-body systems when coupled degrees of freedom relax in a subspace separated from a state of complete thermodynamic equilibrium by a gap in energy or other conserved quantity. Slow equilibration from a prethermal phase can localize the dynamics of natural and model systems despite high dimensionality and limited disorder. Here, we report the signature of an enduring prethermal regime of arrested relaxation in the molecular ultracold plasma that forms following the avalanche of a state-selected Rydberg gas of nitric oxide. For a wide range of initial conditions, this system enters a critical phase in which a density of NO + and electrons balances a population of Rydberg molecules. Electron collisions mix orbital angular momentum, scattering Rydberg electrons to states of very high ℓ . The rapid predissociation of molecules in states of low- ℓ purifies this high- ℓ ensemble. The angular momentum barrier that separates NO + ions and electrons creates an extraordinary gap between the plasma states of n ≈ ℓ , with measured n > 200 and penetrating states of ℓ = 0 , 1 , and 2. Evolution to a statistically equilibrated state of N and O atoms cannot occur without Rydberg electron penetration, and this gap blocks relaxation for a millisecond or more. A weak radiofrequency (RF) field drives ℓ -mixing electron collisions that erase this gap, causing wholesale dissipation. Remarkably, a local quantum-state transition promoting an exceedingly small fraction of the molecules in the prethermalized ensemble to a predissociative state also acts with a global effect, driving the entire system to a dissipative equilibrium. Using the Lindblad master equation, we illustrate qualitatively similar dynamics for a toy model of an open quantum system that consists of a localized set of spins on which dissipation acts at a single site as a gateway to equilibrium. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

Wang, Ruoxi↗

Evaluation of Horizon of Viability Optimization Engine for Sustained Power to Critical Infrastructure: Preprint

In the aftermath of increasingly frequent catastrophic events, a typical scenario is Critical Infrastructure (CI) units being supported by available backup sources with a weak power grid that can be intermittent or absent. Such a scenario is significantly challenging in the sense of reliable supply of power to CI units. In this article, an intelligent optimization scheme termed as Horizon of Viability (HoV) engine is developed to guarantee the viability of a sustained reliable supply of power to the CI units over a time-horizon. The proposed HoV engine generates a cost-optimal portfolio of the locally available generation sources and the loads over a time horizon using a mixed-integer convex programming problem. A Controller hardware-in-the-loop (CHIL) platform is developed to evaluate the control performance of the HoV engine. The experimental results corroborates the efficacy in maintaining the viability of the CI units after a grid interruption event. Further, the proposed HoV optimization scheme performs better compared to existing net-load management schemes in the literature.

disaster resiliency↗

Empirical prediction of saline water atomization pressure loss and spray phase change using local flow pressure analysis

A pressure analysis technique was developed to obtain spray spatial evaporation profile in a thermal desalination process. The technique can replace temperature-based evaporation measurement methods that are challenged by liquid-phase interference. It also provides an alternative to optical methods with high cost and complexity. Fundamental analysis was developed to determine local humidity ratios from changes in local static and dynamic pressures. The analysis was applied to data obtained from an external mixing air-assist atomizer. An empirical model was developed for the pressure loss in atomization process and was used in the analysis of humidity ratio. The results were used to develop empirical correlations for local humidity ratio in spray mediums using inlet conditions. Utilizing inlet conditions to predict evaporation profiles is an important contribution as it eliminates the need to take local spray measurements. Obtaining local data is often difficult and expensive; Our method and correlation circumvent the need for that. Finally, the correlations presented in this paper apply to saline water sprays with total dissolved salt of 0-10 wt%. The salinity-specific correlations are accurate to within ±10% of experimental data. The individual models were aggregated into a unified correlation for salinities within 0-10 wt%. The unified correlation is accurate to within ±18% of experimental data.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Stabilizing Non-Abelian Topological Order Against Heralded Noise via Local Lindbladian Dynamics

An important open question for the current generation of highly controllable quantum devices is understanding which phases can be realized as stable steady states under local quantum dynamics. In this work, we show how robust steady-state phases with both Abelian and non-Abelian mixed-state topological order can be stabilized, in two spatial dimensions, against generic “heralded” noise using active dynamics that incorporate measurement and feedback, modeled as a fully local Lindblad master equation. These topologically ordered steady states are two-way connected to pure topologically ordered ground states using local quantum channels, and preserve quantum information for a time that is exponentially large in the system size. Specifically, we present explicit constructions of families of local Lindbladians for both Abelian (ℤ 2 ) and non-Abelian (𝐷 4 ) topological order whose steady states host mixed-state topological order when the noise is below a threshold strength. As the noise strength is increased, these models exhibit first-order transitions to intermediate mixed-state phases where they encode robust classical memories, followed by (first-order) transitions to a trivial steady state at high noise rates. When the noise is imperfectly heralded, steady-state order disappears but our active dynamics significantly enhances the lifetime of the encoded logical information. To carry out the numerical simulations for the non-Abelian 𝐷 4 case, we introduce a generalized stabilizer tableau formalism that permits efficient simulation of the non-Abelian Lindbladian dynamics.

Monte Carlo methods↗

Benchmark Solutions for Radiation Transport in Stochastic Media with Inhomogeneous Material Statistics

Accurately solving implicit Monte Carlo (IMC) thermal photon transport problems with mixed material cells is important in realistic applications. The production IMC package at LLNL treats mixed material cells arising from ALE remap and hydrodynamics using the same approximate model. The new Imp IMC thermal photon transport package currently under development has both a material interface reconstruction (MIR) algorithm and a Levermore-Pomraning (LP) stochastic medium algorithm for treating mixed material cells. Existing stochastic medium algorithms for treating mixed material cells in IMC lack a complete theoretical basis. The IMC LP algorithm implementation has been demonstrated to reproduce published deterministic LP solutions for the particular case of spatially homogeneous material statistics. Realistic simulations will include spatially inhomogeneous material statistics (material mean chord lengths). In a previous investigation, the LP-model for transport in binary stochastic media in rod geometry was generalized to accommodate spatially varying material chord lengths, i.e., the mixing statistics were allowed to be nonhomogeneous. Analytical solutions were obtained and used to produce a verifi cation suite for the Imp IMC Levermore-Pomraning implementation for different spatial variations of the chord lengths. However, the accuracy of the LP model when the mixing statistics are nonhomogeneous has not been assessed and leaves open the question of whether local accuracy is improved or further degraded when chord lengths are not uniform. This shortcoming is rectifi ed here by developing benchmark analytic solutions for transport in binary Markovian stochastic mixtures in rod geometry with nonhomogeneous mixing statistics, using spatially varying chord lengths considered in the previous investigation based on the LP model. Methods for sampling a nonhomogeneous Poisson process (NHPP) are first described and used to construct individual realizations of the binary mixtures in rod geometry. Analytic solutions are then obtained for the forward and backward directed fluxes on a given realization, now viewed as a deterministic medium with alternating layers of the two materials with known interface locations. Finally, material averaged scalar fluxes are obtained using these sampling schemes with spatially linear and quadratic chord lengths and used to assess the accuracy of the previously obtained LP-model results.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Effects of gravity on sheared and nonsheared turbulent nonpremixed flames

The present numerical study is concerned with the fundamental physics of the multiway interaction between turbulence, chemical reaction, and buoyancy in a nonpremixed flame. The method of direct numerical simulation (DNS) is used to solve the instantaneous, three-dimensional governing equations. Because of the present supercomputer limitations, we consider two simple flow geometries, namely an initially uniform flow without shear (equivalent to grid-generated turbulence) and an initially uniform shear flow. In each flow, the fuel and oxidant initially exist as two separate streams. As the reactants mix, chemical reaction takes place and exothermic energy is released causing variations in density. In the presence of a gravity field, the spatial and temporal distributions of the induced buoyancy forces depend on the local density gradients and the direction of the gravitational acceleration. The effects of buoyancy include the generation of local shear, baroclinic production or destruction of vorticity, and countergradient heat and mass transport. Increased vorticity and small-scale turbulence promote further mixing and reaction. However, if the strain-rates become too high, local flame extinction can occur. Our objective is to gain an understanding of the complex interactions between the physical phenomena involved, with particular attention to the effects of buoyancy on the turbulence structure, flame behavior, and factors influencing flame extinction.

Elghobashi, Said↗

Scaling relationships for the elastic moduli and viscosity of mixed lipid membranes

The elastic and viscous properties of biological membranes play a vital role in controlling cell functions that require local reorganization of the membrane components as well as dramatic shape changes such as endocytosis, vesicular trafficking, and cell division. These properties are widely acknowledged to depend on the unique composition of lipids within the membrane, yet the effects of lipid mixing on the membrane biophysical properties remain poorly understood. Here, we present a comprehensive characterization of the structural, elastic, and viscous properties of fluid membranes composed of binary mixtures of lipids with different tail lengths. We show that the mixed lipid membrane properties are not simply additive quantities of the single-component analogs. Instead, the mixed membranes are more dynamic than either of their constituents, quantified as a decrease in their bending modulus, area compressibility modulus, and viscosity. While the enhanced dynamics are seemingly unexpected, we show that the measured moduli and viscosity for both the mixed and single-component bilayers all scale with the area per lipid and collapse onto respective master curves. This scaling links the increase in dynamics to mixing-induced changes in the lipid packing and membrane structure. More importantly, the results show that the membrane properties can be manipulated through lipid composition the same way bimodal blends of surfactants, liquid crystals, and polymers are used to engineer the mechanical properties of soft materials, with broad implications for understanding how lipid diversity relates to biomembrane function.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗