arXiv subjects

H. J. Herrmann

Publications and source records attributed to H. J. Herrmann.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2015

Cooling Effect of the Richtmyer-Meshkov Instability

We provide numerical evidence that the Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM) instability contributes to the cooling of a relativistic fluid. Due to the presence of jet particles traveling throughout the medium, shock waves are generated in the form of Mach cones. The interaction of multiple shock waves can trigger the RM instability, and we have found that this process leads to a down-cooling of the relativistic fluid. To confirm the cooling effect of the instability, shock tube Richtmyer-Meshkov instability simulations are performed. Additionally, in order to provide an experimental observable of the RM instability resulting from the Mach cone interaction, we measure the two particle correlation function and highlight the effects of the interaction. The simulations have been performed with an improved version of the relativistic lattice Boltzmann model, including general equations of state and external forces.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2015

Bursts in discontinuous Aeolian saltation

Close to the onset of Aeolian particle transport through saltation we find in wind tunnel experiments a regime of discontinuous flux characterized by bursts of activity. Scaling laws are observed in the time delay between each burst and in the measurements of the wind fluctuations at the fluid threshold Shields number $θ_c$. The time delay between each burst decreases on average with the increase of the Shields number until sand flux becomes continuous. A numerical model for saltation including the wind-entrainment from the turbulent fluctuations can reproduce these observations and gives insight about their origin. We present here also for the first time measurements showing that with feeding it becomes possible to sustain discontinuous flux even below the fluid threshold.

physics.ao-ph↗

arXiv2015

Lattice Boltzmann Model for Electronic Structure Simulations

Recently, a new connection between density functional theory and kinetic theory has been proposed. In particular, it was shown that the Kohn-Sham (KS) equations can be reformulated as a macroscopic limit of the steady-state solution of a suitable single-particle kinetic equation. By using a discrete version of this new formalism, the exchange and correlation energies of simple atoms and the geometrical configuration of the methane molecule were calculated accurately. Here, we discuss the main ideas behind the lattice kinetic approach to electronic structure computations, offer some considerations for prospective extensions, and also show additional numerical results, namely the geometrical configuration of the water molecule.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2015

Analysis of the velocity field of granular hopper flow

We report the analysis of radial characteristics of the flow of granular material through a conical hopper. The discharge is simulated for various orifice sizes and hopper opening angles. Velocity profiles are measured along two radial lines from the hopper cone vertex: along the main axis of the cone and along its wall. An approximate power law dependence on the distance from the orifice is observed for both profiles, although differences between them can be noted. In order to quantify these differences, we propose a Local Mass Flow index that is a promising tool in the direction of a more reliable classification of the flow regimes in hoppers.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2015

Stochastic Loewner Evolution Relates Anomalous Diffusion and Anisotropic Percolation

We disclose the origin of anisotropic percolation perimeters in terms of the Stochastic Loewner Evolution (SLE) process. Precisely, our results from extensive numerical simulations indicate that the perimeters of multi-layered and directed percolation clusters at criticality are the scaling limits of the Loewner evolution of an anomalous Brownian motion, being subdiffusive and superdiffusive, respectively. The connection between anomalous diffusion and fractal anisotropy is further tested by using long-range power-law correlated time series (fractional Brownian motion) as driving functions in the evolution process. The fact that the resulting traces are distinctively anisotropic corroborates our hypothesis. Under the conceptual framework of SLE, our study therefore reveals new perspectives for mathematical and physical interpretations of non-Markovian processes in terms of anisotropic paths at criticality and vice-versa.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2015

High-Order Kinetic Relaxation Schemes as High-Accuracy Poisson Solvers

We present a new approach to find accurate solutions to the Poisson equation, as obtained from the steady-state limit of a diffusion equation with strong source terms. For this purpose, we start from Boltzmann's kinetic theory and investigate the influence of higher order terms on the resulting macroscopic equations. By performing an appropriate expansion of the equilibrium distribution, we provide a method to remove the unnecessary terms up to a desired order and show that it is possible to find, with high level of accuracy, the steady-state solution of the diffusion equation for sizeable Knudsen numbers. In order to test our kinetic approach, we discretise the Boltzmann equation and solve the Poisson equation, spending up to six order of magnitude less computational time for a given precision than standard lattice Boltzmann methods.

physics.comp-ph↗

arXiv2015

Critical Cooperation Range to Improve Spatial Network Robustness

A robust worldwide air-transportation network (WAN) is one that minimizes the number of stranded passengers under a sequence of airport closures. Building on top of this realistic example, here we address how spatial network robustness can profit from cooperation between local actors. We swap a series of links within a certain distance, a cooperation range, while following typical constraints of spatially embedded networks. We find that the network robustness is only improved above a critical cooperation range. Such improvement can be described in the framework of a continuum transition, where the critical exponents depend on the spatial correlation of connected nodes. For the WAN we show that, except for Australia, all continental networks fall into the same universality class. Practical implications of this result are also discussed.

physics.soc-ph↗

arXiv2015

Complex networks from space-filling bearings

Two dimensional space-filling bearings are dense packings of disks that can rotate without slip. We consider the entire first family of bearings for loops of size four and propose a hierarchical construction of their contact network. We provide analytic expressions for the clustering coefficient and degree distribution, revealing bipartite scale-free behavior with tunable degree exponent depending on the bearing parameters. We also analyze their average shortest path and percolation properties.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2015

Granular front formation in free-surface flow of concentrated suspensions

Granular fronts are a common yet unexplained phenomenon emerging during the gravity driven free-surface flow of concentrated suspensions. They are usually believed to be the result of fluid convection in combination with particle size segregation. However, suspensions composed of uniformly sized particles also develop a granular front. Within a large rotating drum, a stationary recirculating avalanche is generated. The flowing material is a mixture of a visco-plastic fluid obtained from a kaolin-water dispersion, with spherical ceramic particles denser than the fluid. The goal is to mimic the composition of many common granular-fluid materials, like fresh concrete or debris flow. In these materials, granular and fluid phases have the natural tendency to segregate due to particle settling. However, through the shearing caused by the rotation of the drum, a reorganization of the phases is induced, leading to the formation of a granular front. By tuning the material properties and the drum velocity, it is possible to control this phenomenon. The setting is reproduced in a numerical environment, where the fluid is solved by a Lattice-Boltzmann Method, and the particles are explicitly represented using the Discrete Element Method. The simulations confirm the findings of the experiments, and provide insight into the internal mechanisms. Comparing the time-scale of particle settling with the one of particle recirculation, a non-dimensional number is defined, and is found to be effective in predicting the formation of a granular front.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2014

Watersheds in disordered media

What is the best way to divide a rugged landscape? Since ancient times, watersheds separating adjacent water systems that flow, for example, toward different seas, have been used to delimit boundaries. Interestingly, serious and even tense border disputes between countries have relied on the subtle geometrical properties of these tortuous lines. For instance, slight and even anthropogenic modifications of landscapes can produce large changes in a watershed, and the effects can be highly nonlocal. Although the watershed concept arises naturally in geomorphology, where it plays a fundamental role in water management, landslide, and flood prevention, it also has important applications in seemingly unrelated fields such as image processing and medicine. Despite the far-reaching consequences of the scaling properties on watershed-related hydrological and political issues, it was only recently that a more profound and revealing connection has been disclosed between the concept of watershed and statistical physics of disordered systems. This review initially surveys the origin and definition of a watershed line in a geomorphological framework to subsequently introduce its basic geometrical and physical properties. Results on statistical properties of watersheds obtained from artificial model landscapes generated with long-range correlations are presented and shown to be in good qualitative and quantitative agreement with real landscapes.

physics.geo-ph↗

arXiv2014

Dean Instability in Double-Curved Channels

We study the Dean instability in curved channels using the lattice Boltzmann model for generalized metrics. For this purpose, we first improve and validate the method by measuring the critical Dean number at the transition from laminar to vortex flow for a streamwise curved rectangular channel, obtaining very good agreement with the literature values. Taking advantage of the easy implementation of arbitrary metrics within our model, we study the fluid flow through a double-curved channel, using ellipsoidal coordinates, and study the transition to vortex flow in dependence of the two perpendicular curvature radii of the channel. We observe not only transitions to 2-cell vortex flow, but also to 4-cell and even 6-cell vortex flow, and we find that the critical Dean number at the transition to 2-cell vortex flow exhibits a minimum when the two curvature radii are approximately equal.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2014

Usage leading to an abrupt collapse of connectivity

Network infrastructures are essential for the distribution of resources such as electricity and water. Typical strategies to assess their resilience focus on the impact of a sequence of random or targeted failures of network nodes or links. Here we consider a more realistic scenario, where elements fail based on their usage. We propose a dynamic model of transport based on the Bak-Tang-Wiesenfeld sandpile model where links fail after they have transported more than an amount $μ$ (threshold) of the resource and we investigate it on the square lattice. As we deal with a new model, we provide insight on its fundamental behavior and dependence on parameters. We observe that for low values of the threshold due to a positive feedback of link failure, an avalanche develops that leads to an abrupt collapse of the lattice. By contrast, for high thresholds the lattice breaks down in an uncorrelated fashion. We determine the critical threshold $μ^*$ separating these two regimes and show how it depends on the toppling threshold of the nodes and the mass increment added stepwise to the system. We find that the time of major disconnection is well described with a linear dependence on $μ$. Furthermore, we propose a lower bound for $μ^*$ by measuring the strength of the dynamics leading to abrupt collapses.

physics.soc-ph↗

arXiv2014

Modelling the influence of photospheric turbulence on solar flare statistics

Solar flares stem from the reconnection of twisted magnetic field lines in the solar photosphere. The energy and waiting time distributions of these events follow complex patterns that have been carefully considered in the past and that bear some resemblance with earthquakes and stockmarkets. Here we explore in detail the tangling motion of interacting flux tubes anchored in the plasma and the energy ejections resulting when they recombine. The mechanism for energy accumulation and release in the flow is reminiscent of self-organized criticality. From this model we suggest the origin for two important and widely studied properties of solar flare statistics, including the time-energy correlations. We first propose that the scale-free energy distribution of solar flares is largely due to the twist exerted by the vorticity of the turbulent photosphere. Second, the long-range temporal and time-energy correlations appear to arise from the tube-tube interactions. The agreement with satellite measurements is encouraging.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2014

Shortest path and Schramm-Loewner Evolution

We numerically show that the statistical properties of the shortest path on critical percolation clusters are consistent with the ones predicted for Schramm-Loewner evolution (SLE) curves for $κ=1.04\pm0.02$. The shortest path results from a global optimization process. To identify it, one needs to explore an entire area. Establishing a relation with SLE permits to generate curves statistically equivalent to the shortest path from a Brownian motion. We numerically analyze the winding angle, the left passage probability, and the driving function of the shortest path and compare them to the distributions predicted for SLE curves with the same fractal dimension. The consistency with SLE opens the possibility of using a solid theoretical framework to describe the shortest path and it raises relevant questions regarding conformal invariance and domain Markov properties, which we also discuss.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2014

Mandala Networks: ultra-robust, ultra-small-world and highly sparse graphs

The increasing demands in security and reliability of infrastructures call for the optimal design of their embedded complex networks topologies. The following question then arises: what is the optimal layout to fulfill best all the demands? Here we present a general solution for this problem with scale-free networks, like the Internet and airline networks. Precisely, we disclose a way to systematically construct networks which are 100$\%$ robust against random failures as well as to malicious attacks. Furthermore, as the sizes of these networks increase, their shortest paths become asymptotically invariant and densities of links go to zero, making them ultra-small worlds and highly sparse, respectively. The first property is ideal for communication and navigation purposes, while the second is interesting economically.

physics.soc-ph↗

arXiv2014

Retention capacity of correlated surfaces

We extend the water retention model [C. L. Knecht et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 045703 (2012)] to correlated random surfaces. We find that the retention capacity of discrete random landscapes is strongly affected by spatial correlations among the heights. This phenomenon is related to the emergence of power-law scaling in the lake volume distribution. We also solve the uncorrelated case exactly for a small lattice and present bounds on the retention of uncorrelated landscapes.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2014

Flood avalanches in a semiarid basin with a dense reservoir network

This study investigates flood avalanches in a dense reservoir network in the semiarid north-eastern Brazil. The population living in this area strongly depends on the availability of the water from this network. Water is stored during intense wet-season rainfall events and evaporates from the reservoir surface during the dry season. These seasonal changes are the driving forces behind the water dynamics in the network. The reservoir network and its connectivity properties during flood avalanches are investigated with a model called ResNetM, which simulates each reservoir explicitly. It runs on the basis of daily calculated water balances for each reservoir. A spilling reservoir contributes with water to the reservoir downstream, which can trigger avalanches affecting, in some cases, large fractions of the network. The main focus is on the study of the relation between the total amount of water stored and the largest observable cluster of connected reservoirs that overspill in the same day. It is shown that the thousands of small and middle-sized reservoirs are eminent for the retention of water upstream the large ones. Therefore, they prevent large clusters at a low level of water. Concerning connectivity measures, the actual reservoir network, which evolved without an integrated plan, performed better (i.e., generated smaller avalanches for similar amount of stored water) than numerous stochastically generated artificial reservoir networks on the same river network.

physics.data-an↗

arXiv2013

Breathing synchronization in interconnected networks

Global synchronization in a complex network of oscillators emerges from the interplay between its topology and the dynamics of the pairwise interactions among its numerous components. When oscillators are spatially separated, however, a time delay appears in the interaction which might obstruct synchronization. Here we study the synchronization properties of interconnected networks of oscillators with a time delay between networks and analyze the dynamics as a function of the couplings and communication lag. We discover a new breathing synchronization regime, where two groups appear in each network synchronized at different frequencies. Each group has a counterpart in the opposite network, one group is in phase and the other in anti-phase with their counterpart. For strong couplings, instead, networks are internally synchronized but a phase shift between them might occur. The implications of our findings on several socio-technical and biological systems are discussed.

nlin.AO↗