Ground-based testing of the dynamics of flexible space structures using band mechanisms

A suspension system based on a band mechanism is studied to provide the free-free conditions for ground based validation testing of flexible space structures. The band mechanism consists of a noncircular disk with a convex profile, preloaded by torsional springs at its center of rotation so that static equilibrium of the test structure is maintained at any vertical location; the gravitational force will be directly counteracted during dynamic testing of the space structure. This noncircular disk within the suspension system can be configured to remain unchanged for test articles with the different weights as long as the torsional spring is replaced to maintain the originally designed frequency ratio of W/k sub s. Simulations of test articles which are modeled as lumped parameter as well as continuous parameter systems, are also presented

Seismic Waveguide of Metamaterials

We have developed a new method of an earthquake-resistant design to support conventional aseismic designs using acoustic metamaterials. We suggest a simple and practical method to reduce the amplitude of a seismic wave exponentially. Our device is an attenuator of a seismic wave. Constructing a cylindrical shell-type waveguide that creates a stop-band for the seismic wave, we convert the wave into an evanescent wave for some frequency range without touching the building we want to protect.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

High H_2 Uptake in Li-, Na-, K-Metalated Covalent Organic Frameworks and Metal Organic Frameworks at 298 K

The Yaghi laboratory has developed porous covalent organic frameworks (COFs), COF102, COF103, and COF202, and metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), MOF177, MOF180, MOF200, MOF205, and MOF210, with ultrahigh porosity and outstanding H2 storage properties at 77 K. Using grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulations with our recently developed first principles based force field (FF) from accurate quantum mechanics (QM), we calculated the molecular hydrogen (H2) uptake at 298 K for these systems, including the uptake for Li-, Na-, and K-metalated systems. We report the total, delivery and excess amount in gravimetric and volumetric units for all these compounds. For the gravimetric delivery amount from 1 to 100 bar, we find that eleven of these compounds reach the 2010 DOE target of 4.5 wt % at 298 K. The best of these compounds are MOF200-Li (6.34) and MOF200-Na (5.94), both reaching the 2015 DOE target of 5.5 wt % at 298 K. Among the undoped systems, we find that MOF200 gives a delivery amount as high as 3.24 wt % while MOF210 gives 2.90 wt % both from 1 to 100 bar and 298 K. However, none of these compounds reach the volumetric 2010 DOE target of 28 g H_2/L. The best volumetric performance is for COF102-Na (24.9), COF102-Li (23.8), COF103-Na (22.8), and COF103-Li (21.7), all using delivery g H_2/L units for 1–100 bar. These are the highest volumetric molecular hydrogen uptakes for a porous material under these thermodynamic conditions. Thus, one can obtain outstanding H_2 uptakes with Li, Na, and K doping of simple frameworks constructed from simple, cheap organic linkers. We present suggestions for strategies for synthesis of alkali metal-doped MOFs or COFs

Particle-in-cell and weak turbulence simulations of plasma emission

The plasma emission process, which is the mechanism for solar type II and type III radio bursts phenomena, is studied by means of particle-in-cell and weak turbulence simulation methods. By plasma emission, it is meant as a loose description of a series of processes, starting from the solar flare associated electron beam exciting Langmuir and ion-acoustic turbulence, and subsequent partial conversion of beam energy into the radiation energy by nonlinear processes. Particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation is rigorous but the method is computationally intense, and it is difficult to diagnose the results. Numerical solution of equations of weak turbulence (WT) theory, termed WT simulation, on the other hand, is efficient and naturally lends itself to diagnostics since various terms in the equation can be turned on or off. Nevertheless, WT theory is based upon a number of assumptions. It is, therefore, desirable to compare the two methods, which is carried out for the first time in the present paper with numerical solutions of the complete set of equations of the WT theory and with two-dimensional electromagnetic PIC simulation. Upon making quantitative comparisons it is found that WT theory is largely valid, although some discrepancies are also found. The present study also indicates that it requires large computational resources in order to accurately simulate the radiation emission processes, especially for low electron beam speeds. Findings from the present paper thus imply that both methods may be useful for the study of solar radio emissions as they are complementary.Comment: 21 pages, 9 figure

Two Circular-Rotational Eigenmodes in Vortex Gyrotropic Motions in Soft Magnetic Nanodots

We found, by micromagnetic numerical and analytical calculations, that the clockwise (CW) and counterclockwise (CCW) circular-rotational motions of a magnetic vortex core in a soft magnetic circular nanodot are the elementary eigenmodes existing in the gyrotropic motion with respect to the corresponding CW and CCW circular-rotational-field eigenbasis. Any steady-state vortex gyrotropic motions driven by a linearly polarized oscillating in-plane magnetic field in the linear regime can be perfectly understood according to the superposition of the two circular eigenmodes, which show asymmetric resonance characteristics reflecting the vortex polarization. The relative magnitudes in the amplitude and phase between the CCW and CW eigenmodes determine the elongation and orientation of the orbital trajectories of the vortex core motions, respectively, which trajectories vary with the polarization and chirality of the given vortex as well as the field frequency across the resonance frequency.Comment: 30 pages, 7 figure

Adsorption Mechanism and Uptake of Methane in Covalent Organic Frameworks: Theory and Experiment

We determined the methane (CH_4) uptake (at 298 K and 1 to 100 bar pressure) for a variety of covalent organic frameworks (COFs), including both two-dimensional (COF-1, COF-5, COF-6, COF-8, and COF-10) and three-dimensional (COF-102, COF-103, COF-105, and COF-108) systems. For all COFs, the CH_4 uptake was predicted from grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulations based on force fields (FF) developed to fit accurate quantum mechanics (QM) [second order Møller−Plesset (MP2) perturbation theory using doubly polarized quadruple-ζ (QZVPP) basis sets]. This FF was validated by comparison with the equation of state for CH_4 and by comparison with the experimental uptake isotherms at 298 K (reported here for COF-5 and COF-8), which agrees well (within 2% for 1−100 bar) with the GCMC simulations. From our simulations we have been able to observe, for the first time, multilayer formation coexisting with a pore filling mechanism. The best COF in terms of total volume of CH_4 per unit volume COF absorbent is COF-1, which can store 195 v/v at 298 K and 30 bar, exceeding the U.S. Department of Energy target for CH_4 storage of 180 v/v at 298 K and 35 bar. The best COFs on a delivery amount basis (volume adsorbed from 5 to 100 bar) are COF-102 and COF-103 with values of 230 and 234 v(STP: 298 K, 1.01 bar)/v, respectively, making these promising materials for practical methane storage

Structural determination of archaeal UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 4-epimerase from Methanobrevibacter ruminantium M1 in complex with the bacterial cell wall intermediate UDP-N-acetylmuramic acid

The crystal structure of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 4-epimerase (UDP-GlcNAc 4-epimerase; WbpP; EC 5.1.3.7), from the archaeal methanogen Methanobrevibacter ruminantium strain M1, was determined to a resolution of 1.65 Å. The structure, with a single monomer in the crystallographic asymmetric unit, contained a conserved N-terminal Rossmann fold for nucleotide binding and an active site positioned in the C-terminus. UDP-GlcNAc 4-epimerase is a member of the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase superfamily, sharing sequence motifs and structural elements characteristic of this family of oxidoreductases and bacterial 4-epimerases. The protein was co-crystallized with coenzyme NADH and UDP-N-acetylmuramic acid, the latter an unintended inclusion and well known product of the bacterial enzyme MurB and a critical intermediate for bacterial cell wall synthesis. This is a non-native UDP sugar amongst archaea and was most likely incorporated from the Eschericha coli expression host during purification of the recombinant enzyme

Magnetic domain-wall motion by propagating spin waves

We found by micromagnetic simulations that the motion of a transverse wall (TW) type domain wall in magnetic thin-film nanostripes can be manipulated via interaction with spin waves (SWs) propagating through the TW. The velocity of the TW motion can be controlled by changes of the frequency and amplitude of the propagating SWs. Moreover, the TW motion is efficiently driven by specific SW frequencies that coincide with the resonant frequencies of the local modes existing inside the TW structure. The use of propagating SWs, whose frequencies are tuned to those of the intrinsic TW modes, is an alternative approach for controlling TW motion in nanostripes

Fractional statistics in the fractional quantum Hall effect

A microscopic confirmation of the fractional statistics of the {\em quasiparticles} in the fractional quantum Hall effect has so far been lacking. We calculate the statistics of the composite-fermion quasiparticles at $\nu=1/3$ and $\nu=2/5$ by evaluating the Berry phase for a closed loop encircling another composite-fermion quasiparticle. A careful consideration of subtle perturbations in the trajectory due to the presence of an additional quasiparticle is crucial for obtaining the correct value of the statistics. The conditions for the applicability of the fractional statistics concept are discussed.Comment: Phys. Rev. Lett., in pres