Flow curves of colloidal dispersions close to the glass transition: Asymptotic scaling laws in a schematic model of mode coupling theory

The flow curves, viz. the curves of stationary stress under steady shearing, are obtained close to the glass transition in dense colloidal dispersions using asymptotic expansions in a schematic model of mode coupling theory. The shear thinning of the viscosity in fluid states and the yielding of glassy states is discussed. At the transition between fluid and shear-molten glass, simple and generalized Herschel-Bulkley laws are derived with power law exponents that can be computed for different particle interactions from the equilibrium structure factor.Comment: 14 pages, 14 figures, 4 tables, Eur. Phys. J. E (submitted

Non--Newtonian viscosity of interacting Brownian particles: comparison of theory and data

A recent first-principles approach to the non-linear rheology of dense colloidal suspensions is evaluated and compared to simulation results of sheared systems close to their glass transitions. The predicted scenario of a universal transition of the structural dynamics between yielding of glasses and non-Newtonian (shear-thinning) fluid flow appears well obeyed, and calculations within simplified models rationalize the data over variations in shear rate and viscosity of up to 3 decades.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures; J. Phys. Condens. Matter to be published (Jan. 2003

Equations of structural relaxation

In the mode coupling theory of the liquid to glass transition the long time structural relaxation follows from equations solely determined by equilibrium structural parameters. The present extension of these structural relaxation equations to arbitrarily short times on the one hand allows calculations unaffected by model assumptions about the microscopic dynamics and on the other hand supplies new starting points for analytical studies. As a first application, power-law like structural relaxation at a glass-transition singularity is explicitly proven for a special schematic MCT model.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures; talk given at the Seventh international Workshop on disordered Systems, Molveno, Italy, March 199

Schnabl's L_0 Operator in the Continuous Basis

Following Schnabl's analytic solution to string field theory, we calculate the operators ${\cal L}_0,{\cal L}_0^\dagger$ for a scalar field in the continuous $\kappa$ basis. We find an explicit and simple expression for them that further simplifies for their sum, which is block diagonal in this basis. We generalize this result for the bosonized ghost sector, verify their commutation relation and relate our expressions to wedge state representations.Comment: 1+16 pages. JHEP style. Typos correcte

A quantitative test of the mode-coupling theory of the ideal glass transition for a binary Lennard-Jones system

Using a molecular dynamics computer simulation we determine the temperature dependence of the partial structure factors for a binary Lennard-Jones system. These structure factors are used as input data to solve numerically the wave-vector dependent mode-coupling equations in the long time limit. Using the so determined solutions, we compare the predictions of mode-coupling theory (MCT) with the results of a previously done molecular dynamics computer simulation [Phys. Rev. E 51, 4626 (1995), ibid. 52, 4134 (1995)]. From this comparison we conclude that MCT gives a fair estimate of the critical coupling constant, a good estimate of the exponent parameter, predicts the wave-vector dependence of the various nonergodicity parameters very well, except for very large wave-vectors, and gives also a very good description of the space dependence of the various critical amplitudes. In an attempt to correct for some of the remaining discrepancies between the theory and the results of the simulation, we investigate two small (ad hoc) modifications of the theory. We find that one modification gives a worse agreement between theory and simulation, whereas the second one leads to an improved agreement.Comment: Figures available from W. Ko

Evaluation of photogrammetric flight under icing conditions on March 23, 1978

In a double passage through a route laid out in a stagnation zone of the Bavarian forest, it was found that the stagnation and attendant elevation increases the danger of icing. Conversely, it turned out that formation of precipitation reduces the icing intensity. A comparison of both factors showed: the reduction of ice formation through precipitation equals the increase due to stagnation, or even exceeds it

3-D numerical modeling of methane hydrate deposits

Within the German gas hydrate initiative SUGAR, we have developed a new tool for predicting the formation of sub-seafloor gas hydrate deposits. For this purpose, a new 2D/3D module simulating the biogenic generation of methane from organic material and the formation of gas hydrates has been added to the petroleum systems modeling software package PetroMod®. T ypically, PetroMod® simulates the thermogenic generation of multiple hydrocarbon components including oil and gas, their migration through geological strata, and finally predicts the oil and gas accumulation in suitable reservoir formations. We have extended PetroMod® to simulate gas hydrate accumulations in marine and permafrost environments by the implementation of algorithms describing (1) the physical, thermodynamic, and kinetic properties of gas hydrates; and (2) a kinetic continuum model for the microbially mediated, low temperature degradation of particulate organic carbon in sediments. Additionally, the temporal and spatial resolutions of PetroMod® were increased in order to simulate processes on time scales of hundreds of years and within decimeters of spatial extension. As a first test case for validating and improving the abilities of the new hydrate module, the petroleum systems model of the Alaska North Slope developed by IES (currently Shlumberger) and the USGS has been chosen. In this area, gas hydrates have been drilled in several wells, and a field test for hydrate production is planned for 2011/2012. The results of the simulation runs in PetroMod® predicting the thickness of the gas hydrate stability field, the generation and migration of biogenic and thermogenic methane gas, and its accumulation as gas hydrates will be shown during the conference. The predicted distribution of gas hydrates will be discussed in comparison to recent gas hydrate findings in the Alaska North Slope region