arXiv subjects

James Friend

Publications and source records attributed to James Friend.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Stochastic Operator Inference for reduced-order modeling of capillary wave turbulence using experimental measurements

Modeling complex physical phenomena directly from experimental data poses fundamental challenges: measurement devices introduce noise and biases into the data, the governing equations are often unknown or intractable, and the dynamics observed experimentally may exhibit stochastic behavior. In this paper, we consider capillary wave turbulence---an example of nonlinear wave interactions at a microfluidic interface---measured by ultra-high-speed digital holographic microscopy. With the goal to learn an efficient model directly from these data, we adapt a stochastic extension of Operator Inference to learn low-dimensional stochastic differential equation representations of the microscale wave dynamics from experimental measurements. Each experiment is repeated 16 times, and 10 different conditions are created by changing the nondimensional acoustic capillary number through an excitation device. In addition, we propose a new strategy to select the reduced-order model dimension, based on both mean and covariance errors. We further add Tikhonov regularization to the stochastic Operator Inference framework and show that, beyond its conventional role as a numerical stabilization technique in deterministic settings, it has a physically meaningful interpretation as controlling the spectral content of the learned stochastic dynamics. We demonstrate that the resulting stochastic reduced-order models faithfully capture salient physical features of capillary wave turbulence across a range of experimental conditions.

physics.comp-ph↗

arXiv2026

Turning Porous Functional Materials into Directional Transport Platforms with Unidirectional Surface Acoustic Waves

Porous media underpin absorption, filtration, separation, and high-area interfacial transport in chemical and diagnostic systems, yet sustained directional flow through them remains difficult because tortuous pore networks and strong acoustic losses promote bypassing, weak flow, and counterflow. Here, we show that floating-electrode unidirectional transducers (FEUDTs) convert porous materials into actively pumped transport platforms by generating predominantly unidirectional surface acoustic waves (SAWs) that couple more effectively than conventional interdigital transducers across wet multilayer interfaces. By varying pore size, permeability, sample thickness, and fluid viscosity, we find that transport is strongly enhanced when the SAW wavelength is comparable to the characteristic pore dimension, providing a practical design rule for acoustically activated porous media. Under these conditions, FEUDTs drive directional flow velocities up to 0.6 mm s$^{-1}$ at sub-watt input power, about 600 times faster than diffusion alone. FEUDTs also sustain pumping in prewetted porous media, where capillary contributions are removed, yielding velocities that exceed capillary-driven flow under matched conditions while remaining far above thermally induced transport. A reduced theoretical framework captures the main experimental trends and identifies transducer architecture, pore geometry, and actuation strength as the key parameters governing long-range, tunable transport in porous functional materials.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2023

Direct observation of small scale capillary wave turbulence using high speed digital holographic microscopy

It is now known that capillary waves driven upon a fluid interface by high frequency ($>1$~MHz) ultrasound exhibit capillary wave turbulence: the appearance of waves with phase and wavelength far removed from the excitation signal that drives them. An important step towards understanding atomization phenomena driven in this system, these capillary waves may now be studied using high-speed digital holographic microscopy. We observe Zakharov-Kolmogorov weak wave turbulence for a limited range of input power, and find broader turbulence phenomena outside this range. We see discrete thresholds as the input power is increased, where higher and higher frequency responses are driven in the capillary waves with sudden onset between regimes. Here, we employ spatial analysis to find one such extension of the capillary wave response to higher frequencies, suggesting there is additional information in the spatial distribution of the capillary wave that is rarely if ever measured. We verify via frequency modulation that nonlinear resonance broadening is present, which undermines the use of Faraday wave or parametric wave theories to characterize these waves, important in the context of atomization which is not a Faraday wave process.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2022

Onset of visible capillary waves from high-frequency acoustic excitation

Remarkably, the interface of a fluid droplet will produce visible capillary waves when exposed to acoustic waves. For example, a small ($\sim\! 1 \mu$L) sessile droplet will oscillate at a low $\sim\!10^2$~Hz frequency when weakly driven by acoustic waves at $\sim\!10^6$~Hz frequency and beyond. We measured such a droplet's interfacial response to 6.6~MHz ultrasound to gain insight into the energy transfer mechanism that spans these vastly different timescales, using high-speed microscopic digital transmission holography, a unique method to capture three-dimensional surface dynamics at nanometer space and microsecond time resolutions. We show that low-frequency capillary waves are driven into existence via a feedback mechanism between the acoustic radiation pressure and the evolving shape of the fluid interface. The acoustic pressure is distributed in the standing wave cavity of the droplet, and as the shape of the fluid interface changes in response to the distributed pressure present on the interface, the standing wave field also changes shape, feeding back to produce changes in the acoustic radiation pressure distribution in the cavity. A physical model explicitly based upon this proposed mechanism is provided, and simulations using it were verified against direct observations of both the microscale droplet interface dynamics from holography and internal pressure distributions using microparticle image velocimetry. The pressure-interface feedback model accurately predicts the vibration amplitude threshold at which capillary waves appear, the subsequent amplitude and frequency of the capillary waves, and the distribution of the standing wave pressure field within the sessile droplet responsible for the capillary waves.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2022

Identification of weakly- to strongly-turbulent three-wave processes in a micro-scale system

We find capillary wave turbulence (WT) to span multiple dynamical regimes and geometries -- from weakly to strongly nonlinear WT (SWT) and from shallow to deep domains -- all within a 40uL volume millifluidic system. This study is made viable with recent advances in ultra-high-speed digital holographic microscopy, providing 10-us time and 10-nm spatial resolutions for images across the entire field of view, and encompassing a complete wave system at speeds sufficient to capture the salient wave phenomena. We provide a set of tractable parameters that identify the four fundamental WT regimes present in this simple system. A proposed nonlinearity measure permits comparative analysis while varying input conditions. This work augments current understanding of WT regimes and behaviors, and directly applies to many fields beyond fluid mechanics. For example, SWT appears upon the fluid interface at powers less than required for atomization, indicating that further study of SWT is needed to properly understand ultrasound-driven fuel spray atomization and drug and agricultural nebulization.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2021

On-chip unidirectional waveguiding for surface acoustic waves along a defect line in a triangular lattice

The latest advances in topological physics have yielded a rich toolset to design highly robust wave transfer systems, for overcoming issues like beam steering and lateral diffraction in surface acoustic waves (SAWs). However, presently used designs for topologically protected SAWs have been largely limited to spin or valley-polarized phases, which rely on non-zero Berry curvature effects. Here we propose and experimentally demonstrate a highly robust SAW waveguide on lithium niobate (LiNbO3), based on a line defect within a true triangular phononic lattice, which instead employs an intrinsic chirality of phase vortices and maintains a zero Berry curvature. The guided SAW mode spans a wide bandwidth and shows confinement in the lateral direction with 3 dB attenuation within half of the unit-cell length. SAW routing around sharp bends has been demonstrated in such waveguide, with less than ~4% reflection per bend. The waveguide has also been found robust for defect lines with different configurations. The fully on-chip system permits unidirectional SAW modes that are tightly bound to the waveguide, which provides a compact footprint ideal for miniaturization of practical applications and offers insight into the possibility of manipulating highly focused SAW propagation.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2021

Onset of low-frequency capillary waves driven by high-frequency ultrasound

High frequency thickness mode ultrasound is an energy-efficient way to atomize high-viscosity fluid at high flow rate into fine aerosol mists of micron-sized droplet distributions. However the complex physics of the atomization process is not well understood. It is found that with low power the droplet vibrates at low frequency (O[100 Hz]) when driven by high-frequency ultrasound (O[1 MHz] and above). To study the mechanism of the energy transfer that spans these vastly different timescales, we measure the droplet's interfacial response to 6.6~MHz ultrasound excitation using high-speed digital holography. We show that the onset of low-frequency capillary waves is driven by feedback interplay between the acoustic radiation pressure distribution and the droplet surface. These dynamics are mediated by the Young-Laplace boundary between the droplet interior and ambient environment. Numerical simulations are performed via global optimization against the rigorously defined interfacial physics. The proposed pressure-interface feedback model is explicitly based on the pressure distribution hypothesis. For low power acoustic excitation, the simulations reveal a stable oscillatory feedback that induces capillary wave formation. The simulation results are confirmed with direct observations of the microscale droplet interface dynamics as provided by the high resolution holographic measurements. The pressure-interface feedback model accurately predicts the on-source vibration amplitude required to initiate capillary waves, and interfacial oscillation amplitude and frequency. The radiation pressure distribution is likewise confirmed with particle migration observations. Viscous effects on wave attenuation are also studied by comparing experimental and simulated results for a pure water droplet and 90% wt.- 10% wt. glycerol-water solution droplet.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2021

Unveiling the Burgers-Riccati physics of fast acoustic streaming

Inaccurate slow streaming models of acoustically-induced fluid flow remain in use due to the lack of a generalized alternative. The Multiscale Articulated Differentials Method (MADaM; [see co-article]) solves this problem with a complete, scale-sensitive spatiotemporal expansion. Applied to classic axial Eckart streaming, the MADaM produces, in terms of a Burgers equation, a long-sought transient solution able to accommodate frequencies and amplitudes far beyond slow streaming models. Steady streaming is governed by a corresponding Riccati equation that, when solved, produces simple expressions explaining innate features of fast acoustic streaming.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2021

Modeling fast acoustic streaming: steady state and transient flow solutions

We describe a novel mathematical method to supplant the classic approach and properly treat the spatiotemporal scale disparities present between the acoustics and remaining fluid dynamics. The method is applied in this work to well-known problems of semi-infinite extent defined by the Navier-Stokes equations, and preserves unsteady fluid behavior driven by the acoustic wave. The separation of the governing equations between the fast (acoustic) and slow (hydrodynamic) spatiotemporal scales are shown to naturally arise from the intrinsic properties of the fluid under forcing, not by arbitrary assumption beforehand. Solution of the unsteady streaming field equations provides physical insight into observed temporal evolution of bulk streaming flows that, to date, have not been modeled. A Burgers equation is derived from the new method to represent unsteady flow. By then assuming steady flow, a Riccati equation is found to represent it. Solving these equations produces direct, concise insight into the nonlinearity of the acoustic streaming phenomenon alongside an absolute, universal upper bound of 50\% for the energy efficiency in transducing acoustic energy input to the acoustic streaming energy output. Rigorous validation with respect to experimental and theoretical results from the classic literature is presented to connect this work to past efforts by many authors.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2012

Fluid-Structure Interaction in Deformable Microchannels

A microfluidic device is constructed from PDMS with a single channel having a short section that is a thin flexible membrane, in order to investigate the complex fluid-structure interaction that arises between a flowing fluid and a deformable wall. Experimental measurements of membrane deformation and pressure drop are compared with predictions of two-dimensional and three-dimensional computational models which numerically solve the equations governing the elasticity of the membrane coupled with the equations of motion for the fluid. It is shown that the two-dimensional model, which assumes a finite thickness elastic beam that is infinitely wide, approximates reasonably well the three-dimensional model, and is in excellent agreement with experimental observations of the profile of the membrane, when the width of the membrane is beyond a critical thickness, determined to be roughly twice the length of the membrane.

cond-mat.soft↗