arXiv subjects

H. Punzmann

Publications and source records attributed to H. Punzmann.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Mixing properties of bi-disperse ellipsoid assemblies: Mean-field behaviour in a granular matter experiment

The structure and spatial statistical properties of amorphous ellipsoid assemblies have profound scientific and industrial significance in many systems, from cell assays to granular materials. This paper uses a fundamental theoretical relationship for mixture distributions to explain the observations of an extensive X-ray computed tomography study of granular ellipsoidal packings. We study a size-bi-disperse mixture of two types of ellipsoids of revolutions that have the same aspect ratio of alpha approximately equal to 0.57 and differ in size, by about 10% in linear dimension, and compare these to mono-disperse systems of ellipsoids with the same aspect ratio. Jammed configurations with a range of packing densities are achieved by employing different tapping protocols. We numerically interrogate the final packing configurations by analyses of the local packing fraction distributions calculated from the Voronoi diagrams. Our main finding is that the bi-disperse ellipsoidal packings studied here can be interpreted as a mixture of two uncorrelated mono-disperse packings, insensitive to the compaction protocol. Our results are consolidated by showing that the local packing fraction shows no correlation beyond their first shell of neighbours in the binary mixtures. We propose a model of uncorrelated binary mixture distribution that describes the observed experimental data with high accuracy. This analysis framework will enable future studies to test whether the observed mean-field behaviour is specific to the particular granular system or the specific parameter values studied here or if it is observed more broadly in other bi-disperse non-spherical particle systems.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2022

Field-theory spin and momentum in water waves

Spin is a fundamental yet nontrivial intrinsic angular-momentum property of quantum particles or fields, which appears within relativistic field theory. The spin density in wave fields is described by the theoretical Belinfante-Rosenfeld construction based on the difference between the canonical and kinetic momentum densities. These quantities are usually considered as abstract and non-observable per se. Here, we demonstrate, both theoretically and experimentally, that the Belinfante-Rosenfeld construction naturally arises in gravity (water surface) waves. There, the canonical momentum is associated with the generalized Stokes-drift phenomenon, while the spin is generated by subwavelength circular motion of water particles. Thus, we directly observe these fundamental field-theory properties as microscopic mechanical properties of a classical wave system. Our findings shed light onto the nature of spin and momentum in wave fields, demonstrate the universality of relativistic field-theory concepts, and offer a new platform for their studies.

physics.class-ph↗

arXiv2014

Three-dimensional fluid motion in Faraday waves: creation of vorticity and generation of two-dimensional turbulence

We study the generation of 2D turbulence in Faraday waves by investigating the creation of spatially periodic vortices in this system. Measurements which couple a diffusing light imaging technique and particle tracking algorithms allow the simultaneous observation of the three-dimensional fluid motion and of the temporal changes in the wave field topography. Quasi-standing waves are found to coexist with a spatially extended fluid transport. More specifically, the destruction of regular patterns of oscillons coincides with the emergence of a complex fluid motion whose statistics are similar to that of two-dimensional turbulence. We reveal that a lattice of oscillons generates vorticity at the oscillon scale in the horizontal flow. The interaction of these vortices explain how 2D turbulence is fueled by almost standing waves. Remarkably, the curvature of Lagrangian trajectories reveals a "footprint" of the forcing scale vortices in fully developed turbulence. 2D Navier-Stokes turbulence should be considered a source of disorder in Faraday waves. These findings also provide a new paradigm for vorticity creation in 2D flows.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2014

Taylor particle dispersion during transition to fully developed two-dimensional turbulence

We report new measurements of single particle dispersion in turbulent two-dimensional (2D) flows. Laboratory experiments in electromagnetically driven and Faraday wave driven turbulence reveal a transition from weakly dispersing superdiffusive regime to strongly dispersing Brownian diffusion as the flow energy is increased in a broad range. The transition to fully developed 2D turbulence is characterized by the topological changes in the fluid particle trajectories and the development of self-similar diffusion. The degree of 2D turbulence development can be quantified by a parameter describing the deviation of single particle dispersion from the Taylor dispersion.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2013

Inverse energy cascade and emergence of large coherent vortices in turbulence driven by Faraday waves

We report the generation of large coherent vortices via inverse energy cascade in Faraday wave driven turbulence. The motion of floaters in the Faraday waves is three dimensional but its horizontal velocity fluctuations show unexpected similarity with two-dimensional turbulence. The inverse cascade is detected by measuring frequency spectra of the Lagrangian velocity, and it is confirmed by computing the third moment of the horizontal velocity fluctuations. This is observed in deep water in a broad range of wavelengths. The results broaden the scope of recent findings on Faraday waves in thin layers [A. von Kameke, \textit{et al.}, \textit{Phys. Rev. Lett.} \textbf{107}, 074502 (2011)].

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2010

Modulation instability and capillary wave turbulence

Formation of turbulence of capillary waves is studied in laboratory experiments. The spectra show multiple exponentially decreasing harmonics of the parametrically excited wave which nonlinearly broaden with the increase in forcing. Spectral broadening leads to the development of the spectral continuum which scales as $\propto f^{-2.8}$, in agreement with the weak turbulence theory (WTT) prediction. Modulation instability of capillary waves is shown to be responsible for the transition from discrete to broadband spectrum. The instability leads to spectral broadening of the harmonics, randomization of their phases, it isolates the wave field from the wall, eventually allows the transition from 4- to 3-wave interactions as the dominant nonlinear process, thus creating the prerequisites assumed in WTT.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2010

Capillary rogue waves

We report the first observation of extreme wave events (rogue waves) in parametrically driven capillary waves. Rogue waves are observed above a certain threshold in forcing. Above this threshold, frequency spectra broaden and develop exponential tails. For the first time we present evidence of strong four-wave coupling in non-linear waves (high tricoherence), which points to modulation instability as the main mechanism in rogue waves. The generation of rogue waves is identified as the onset of a distinct tail in the probability density function of the wave heights. Their probability is higher than expected from the measured wave background.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2009

Phase randomization of three-wave interactions in capillary waves

We present new experimental results on the transition from the coherent-phase to the random-phase three-wave interactions in capillary waves under parametric excitation. Above the excitation threshold, coherent wave harmonics spectrally broaden. An increase in the pumping amplitude increases spectral widths of wave harmonics and eventually causes a strong decrease in the degree of the three-wave phase coupling. The results point to the modulation instability of capillary waves, which leads to breaking of continuous waves into ensembles of short-lived wavelets or envelope solitons, as the reason for the phase randomization of three-wave interactions.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2008

Turbulence-condensate interaction in two dimensions

We present experimental results on turbulence generated in thin fluid layers in the presence of a large-scale coherent flow, or a spectral condensate. It is shown that the condensate modifies the third-order velocity moment in a much wider interval of scales than the second one. The modification may include the change of sign of the third moment in the inverse cascade. This observation may help resolve a controversy on the energy flux in mesoscale atmospheric turbulence (10-500 km): to recover a correct energy flux from the third velocity moment one needs first to subtract the coherent flow. We find that the condensate also increases the velocity flatness.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2008

What drives mesoscale atmospheric turbulence?

Measurements of atmospheric winds in the mesoscale range (10-500 km) reveal remarkably universal spectra with the $k^{-5/3}$ power law. Despite initial expectations of the inverse energy cascade, as in two-dimensional (2D) turbulence, measurements of the third velocity moment in atmosphere, suggested a direct energy cascade. Here we propose a possible solution to this controversy by accounting for the presence of a large-scale coherent flow, or a spectral condensate. We present new experimental laboratory data and show that the presence of a large-scale shear flow modifies the third-order velocity moment in spectrally condensed 2D turbulence, making it, in some conditions, similar to that observed in the atmosphere.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2007

Strong ExB shear flows in the pedestal region in H-mode plasma

We report the first experimental observation of stationary zonal flows in the pedestal region of the H-mode plasma in the H-1 toroidal heliac. Strong peaks in E_r shear mark the top and foot of the density pedestal. Strong m=n=0 low-frequency (f < 0.6 kHz) zonal flows are observed in regions of increased E_r, suggesting substantial contribution of zonal flows to the spatial modulation of E_r radial profiles. Radial localization of zonal flows is correlated with a region of zero magnetic shear and low-order (7/5) rational surfaces.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2004

Self-organization in turbulence as a route to order in plasma and fluids

Transitions from turbulence to order are studied experimentally in thin fluid layers and magnetically confined toroidal plasma. It is shown that turbulence self-organizes through the mechanism of spectral condensation. The spectral redistribution of the turbulent energy leads to the reduction in the turbulence level, generation of coherent flow, reduction in the particle diffusion and increase in the system's energy. The higher order state is sustained via the nonlocal spectral coupling of the linearly unstable spectral range to the large-scale mean flow. The similarity of self-organization in two-dimensional fluids and low-to-high confinement transitions in plasma suggests the universality of the mechanism.

physics.plasm-ph↗