Our understanding of nature, and in particular of physics and the laws governing it, has changed radically since the days of the ancient Greek natural philosophers. This book explains how and why these changes occurred, through landmark experiments as well as theories that - for their time - were revolutionary. The presentation covers Mechanics, Optics, Electromagnetism, Thermodynamics, Relativity Theory, Atomic Physics and Quantum Physics. The book places emphasis on ideas and on a qualitative presentation, rather than on mathematics and equations. Thus, although primarily addressed to those who are studying or have studied science, it can also be read by non-specialists. The author concludes with a discussion of the evolution and organization of universities, from ancient times until today, and of the organization and dissemination of knowledge through scientific publications and conferences.

The book presents a snapshot of the state-of-art in the field of turbulence modeling and covers the latest developments concerning direct numerical simulations, large eddy simulations, compressible turbulence, coherent structures, two-phase flow simulation and other related topics. It provides readers with a comprehensive review of both theory and applications, describing in detail the authors own experimental results. The book is based on the proceedings of the third Turbulence and Interactions Conference (TI 2012), which was held on June 11-14 in La Saline-les-Bains, La Reunion, France and includes both keynote lectures and outstanding contributed papers presented at the conference. This multifaceted collection, which reflects the conferences emphasis on the interplay of theory, experiments and computing in the process of understanding and predicting the physics of complex flows and solving related engineering problems, offers a practice-oriented guide for students, researchers and professionals in the field of computational fluid dynamics, turbulence modeling and related areas.

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The monograph is devoted to the investigation of physical processes that govern the phonon transport in bulk and nanoscale single-crystal samples of cubic symmetry. Special emphasis is given to the study of phonon focusing in cubic crystals and its influence on the boundary scattering and lattice thermal conductivity of bulk materials and nanostructures.

Geothermal Power Generation: Developments and Innovation provides an update to the advanced energy technologies that are urgently required to meet the challenges of economic development, climate change mitigation, and energy security. As geothermal resources are considered renewable and can be used to generate baseload electricity while producing very low levels of greenhouse gas emissions, they can play a key role in future energy needs. This book, edited by a highly respected expert, provides a comprehensive overview of the major aspects of geothermal power production. The chapters, contributed by specialists in their respective areas, cover resource discovery, resource characterization, energy conversion systems, and design and economic considerations. The final section provides a range of fascinating case studies from across the world, ranging from Larderello to Indonesia. Users will find this to be an essential text for research and development professionals and engineers in the geothermal energy industry, as well as postgraduate researchers in academia who are working on geothermal energy.

This monograph provides a concise presentation of a mathematical approach to metastability, a wide-spread phenomenon in the dynamics of non-linear systems - physical, chemical, biological or economic - subject to the action of temporal random forces typically referred to as noise, based on potential theory of reversible Markov processes. The authors shed new light on the metastability phenomenon as a sequence of visits of the path of the process to different metastable sets, and focuses on the precise analysis of the respective hitting probabilities and hitting times of these sets. The theory is illustrated with many examples, ranging from finite-state Markov chains, finite-dimensional diffusions and stochastic partial differential equations, via mean-field dynamics with and without disorder, to stochastic spin-flip and particle-hop dynamics and probabilistic cellular automata, unveiling the common universal features of these systems with respect to their metastable behaviour. The monograph will serve both as comprehensive introduction and as reference for graduate students and researchers interested in metastability.

This thesis offers important new insights into and a deeper understanding of premixed flame instabilities and hydrogen safety. Further, it explains the underlying mechanisms that control the combustion processes in tubes. The author's previous scientific accomplishments, which include a series of high-quality publications in the best journals in our field, Combustion and Flame and International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, are very impressive and have already made a significant contribution to combustion science.

The book presents a collection of selected papers from the I Workshop of the Venezuelan Society of Fluid Mechanics held on Margarita Island, Venezuela from November 4 to 9, 2012. Written by experts in their respective fields, the contributions are organized into five parts: - Part I Invited Lectures, consisting of full-length technical papers on both computational and experimental fluid mechanics covering a wide range of topics from drops to multiphase and granular flows to astrophysical flows, - Part II Drops, Particles and Waves - Part III Multiphase and Multicomponent Flows - Part IV Atmospheric and Granular Flows - and Part V Turbulent and Astrophysical Flows. The book is intended for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students as well as for physicists, chemists and engineers teaching and working in the field of fluid mechanics and its applications. The contributions are the result of recent advances in theoretical and experimental research in fluid mechanics, encompassing both fundamentals as well as applications to fluid engineering design, including pipelines, turbines, flow separators, hydraulic systems and biological fluid elements, and to granular, environmental and astrophysical flows.

This book focuses on a critical discussion of the status and prospects of current approaches in quantum mechanics and quantum field theory, in particular concerning gravity. It contains a carefully selected cross-section of lectures and discussions at the seventh conference "Progress and Visions in Quantum Theory in View of Gravity" which took place in fall 2018 at the Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences in Leipzig. In contrast to usual proceeding volumes, instead of reporting on the most recent technical results, contributors were asked to discuss visions and new ideas in foundational physics, in particular concerning foundations of quantum field theory. A special focus has been put on the question of which physical principles of quantum (field) theory can be considered fundamental in view of gravity. The book is mainly addressed to mathematicians and physicists who are interested in fundamental questions of mathematical physics. It allows the reader to obtain a broad and up-to-date overview of a fascinating active research area.

This book offers an overview of models, measurements, calculations and examples connecting musical acoustics and music psychology. Indeed, many mathematical formulations that explain musical acoustics can also be used to help predict human auditory perception.

This book provides current, comprehensive, and clear explanations of the physics behind medical and biomedical applications of shock waves. Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy is one of the greatest medical advances of our time, and its techniques and clinical devices are continuously evolving. Further research continues to improve the understanding of calculi fragmentation and tissue-damaging mechanisms. Shock waves are also used in orthopedics and traumatology. Possible applications in oncology, cardiology, dentistry, gene therapy, cell transfection, transformation of fungi and bacteria, as well as the inactivation of microorganisms are promising approaches for clinical treatment, industrial applications and research. Medical and Biomedical Applications of Shock Waves is useful as a guide for students, technicians and researchers working in universities and laboratories. Chemists, biologists, physicians and veterinarians, involved in research or clinical practice will find useful advice, but also engineers and physicists may benefit from the overview of current research endeavors and future directions. Furthermore, it may also serve to direct manufacturers towards the design of more efficient and safer clinical, industrial and laboratory equipment.

This book provides an overview of essential research on and developments in the electrohydrodynamic (EHD) direct-writing technique and its applications. Firstly, it presents mechano- and helix electrospinning methods to achieve direct writing of straight/serpentine micro/nano fibers in high resolution. Secondly, it examines functional inks and multi nozzle arrays for EHD printing, which are used to efficientlyform patterns and devices. Thirdly, the book discusses the various control methods adopted in the context of EHD to improve the controllability of the electrospun fibers. Lastly, it addresses the equipment used in EHD printing and its applications, while also outlining challenges for the field's future development. Combining academic and industrial viewpoints, the book provides in-depth information for experienced researchers, as well as a valuable guide for those just entering the field.

This is a guide to the design and application of elliptical dielectric waveguides and fibers. Written by one of the pioneers of optical fiber technology, it shows the theoretical basis of the technology, demonstrates the practical uses for elliptical fibers, guides the reader through design criteria and trade-offs, and gives immediate access to collected data and references on the topic. "Elliptical Fiber Waveguides" begins with an historical overview, and then provides detailed coverage of specific waveguide and fiber modes, including all relevant specifications and data currently available. The book examines the use of elliptical fibers for a wide variety of recent applications, including sensors, rare-earth-doped fiber sources, and amplifiers. With its 278 equations, 161 figures, and nearly 200 references to the literature, "Elliptical Fiber Waveguides" brings together in one source the complete body of information currently available on this promising technology.

This book discusses the conceptual theory of structural dynamics, using simplified methods and clear, concise explanations. It illustrates all the hypotheses in a simple and effective way and describes in detail the derivation of all related formulations. Further, comprehensive step-by-step explanations combined with conceptual derivations, drawings and figures allow readers to grasp all the analytical formulations related to the dynamics of structures. Covering free and forced vibrations of single- and multi-degree of freedom systems represented as structure, subjected to dynamic load, the book also explores the most common types of dynamic loads applicable to structures, such as harmonic loads, impact loads and earthquakes, presenting relevant details, derivations and effective problems to explain the concept for various conditions. In addition, each chapter provides examples at different levels to help students, researchers and engineers gain a better understanding of the topics better, and includes numerous real-world problems to familiarize readers with the challenges related to structural engineering.

The series of texts composing this book is based on the lectures presented during the II Jose Plinio Baptista School of Cosmology, held in Pedra Azul (Espirito Santo, Brazil) between 9 and 14 March 2014. This II JBPCosmo has been entirely devoted to the problem of understanding theoretical and observational aspects of Cosmic Background Radiation (CMB).The CMB is one of the most important phenomena in Physics and a fundamental probe of our Universe when it was only 400,000 years old. It is an extraordinary laboratory where we can learn from particle physics to cosmology; its discovery in 1965 has been a landmark event in the history of physics.The observations of the anisotropy of the cosmic microwave background radiation through the satellites COBE, WMAP and Planck provided a huge amount of data which are being analyzed in order to discover important informations regarding the composition of our universe and the process of structure formation.

Many events that affect global energy production and consumption have occurred since the second edition of Energy in the 21st Century appeared in 2011. For example, an earthquake and tsunami in Japan led to the disruption of the Fukushima nuclear facility and a global re-examination of the safety of the nuclear industry. Oil and natural gas prices continue to be volatile, and the demand for energy has been affected by the global economy. The third edition updates data and the discussion of recent events.Energy in the 21st Century has been used as the text for an introductory energy course for the general college student population. Based on student feedback, we have included several features that enhance the value of the third edition as a textbook. In particular, we have included learning objectives at the beginning of each chapter, end of chapter activities, a comprehensive index, and a glossary. Points to Ponder are abbreviated as P2P in the Learning Objectives boxes and are provided throughout the text. They are designed to encourage the reader to consider the material from different perspectives.

Many events that affect global energy production and consumption have occurred since the second edition of Energy in the 21st Century appeared in 2011. For example, an earthquake and tsunami in Japan led to the disruption of the Fukushima nuclear facility and a global re-examination of the safety of the nuclear industry. Oil and natural gas prices continue to be volatile, and the demand for energy has been affected by the global economy. The third edition updates data and the discussion of recent events.Energy in the 21st Century has been used as the text for an introductory energy course for the general college student population. Based on student feedback, we have included several features that enhance the value of the third edition as a textbook. In particular, we have included learning objectives at the beginning of each chapter, end of chapter activities, a comprehensive index, and a glossary. Points to Ponder are abbreviated as P2P in the Learning Objectives boxes and are provided throughout the text. They are designed to encourage the reader to consider the material from different perspectives.

Theory of Electroelasticity analyzes the stress, strain, electric field and electric displacement in electroelastic structures such as sensors, actuators and other smart materials and structures. This book also describes new theories such as the physical variational principle and the inertial entropy theory. It differs from the traditional method by using the physical variational principle to derive the governing equations of the piezoelectric material, whereas the Maxwell stress is obtained automatically. By using the inertial entropy theory, the temperature wave equation is obtained very easily. The book is intended for scientists, researchers and engineers in the areas of mechanics, physics, smart material and control engineering as well as mechanical, aeronautical and civil engineering, etc. Zhen-Bang Kuang is a professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

This book explores the interplay of bubble dynamics and shock waves, covering shock wave emission by laser generated bubbles, pulsating bubbles near boundaries, interaction of shock waves with bubble clouds, applications in shock wave lithotripsy, and more.

This volume is designed as an introductory text and reference book for graduate students, researchers and practitioners in the fields of astronomy, astrodynamics, satellite systems, space sciences and astrophysics. The purpose of the book is to emphasize the similarities between celestial mechanics and astrodynamics, and to present recent advances in these two fields so that the reader can understand the inter-relations and mutual influences. The juxtaposition of celestial mechanics and astrodynamics is a unique approach that is expected to be a refreshing attempt to discuss both the mechanics of space flight and the dynamics of celestial objects. "Celestial Mechanics and Astrodynamics: Theory and Practice" also presents the main challenges and future prospects for the two fields in an elaborate, comprehensive and rigorous manner. The book presents homogenous and fluent discussions of the key problems, rendering a portrayal of recent advances in the field together with some basic concepts and essential infrastructure in orbital mechanics. The text contains introductory material followed by a gradual development of ideas interweaved to yield a coherent presentation of advanced topics.

This book presents the fundamentals of modern tensor calculus for students in engineering and applied physics, emphasizing those aspects that are crucial for applying tensor calculus safely in Euclidian space and for grasping the very essence of the smooth manifold concept. After introducing the subject, it provides a brief exposition on point set topology to familiarize readers with the subject, especially with those topics required in later chapters. It then describes the finite dimensional real vector space and its dual, focusing on the usefulness of the latter for encoding duality concepts in physics. Moreover, it introduces tensors as objects that encode linear mappings and discusses affine and Euclidean spaces. Tensor analysis is explored first in Euclidean space, starting from a generalization of the concept of differentiability and proceeding towards concepts such as directional derivative, covariant derivative and integration based on differential forms. The final chapter addresses the role of smooth manifolds in modeling spaces other than Euclidean space, particularly the concepts of smooth atlas and tangent space, which are crucial to understanding the topic. Two of the most important concepts, namely the tangent bundle and the Lie derivative, are subsequently worked out.

This volume developed from a Workshop on Natural Locomotion in Fluids and on Surfaces: Swimming, Flying, and Sliding which was held at the Institute for Mathematics and its Applications (IMA) at the University of Minnesota, from June 1-5, 2010. The subject matter ranged widely from observational data to theoretical mechanics, and reflected the broad scope of the workshop. In both the prepared presentations and in the informal discussions, the workshop engaged exchanges across disciplines and invited a lively interaction between modelers and observers. The articles in this volume were invited and fully refereed. They provide a representative if necessarily incomplete account of the field of natural locomotion during a period of rapid growth and expansion. The papers presented at the workshop, and the contributions to the present volume, can be roughly divided into those pertaining to swimming on the scale of marine organisms, swimming of microorganisms at low Reynolds numbers, animal flight, and sliding and other related examples of locomotion.

This thesis approaches impact resistance in dense suspensions from a new perspective. The most well-known example of dense suspensions, a mixture of cornstarch and water, provides enough impact resistance to allow a person to run across its surface. In the past, this phenomenon had been linked to "shear thickening" under a steady shear state attributed to hydrodynamic interactions or granular dilation. However, neither explanation accounted for the stress scales required for a person to run on the surface. Through this research, it was discovered that the impact resistance is due to local compression of the particle matrix. This compression forces the suspension across the jamming transition and precipitates a rapidly growing solid mass. This growing solid, as a result, absorbs the impact energy. This is the first observation of such jamming front, linking nonlinear suspension dynamics in a new way to the jamming phase transition known from dry granular materials.

This contributed volume is based on talks given at the August 2016 summer school "Fluids Under Pressure," held in Prague as part of the "Prague-Sum" series. Written by experts in their respective fields, chapters explore the complex role that pressure plays in physics, mathematical modeling, and fluid flow analysis. Specific topics covered include: Oceanic and atmospheric dynamics Incompressible flows Viscous compressible flows Well-posedness of the Navier-Stokes equations Weak solutions to the Navier-Stokes equations Fluids Under Pressure will be a valuable resource for graduate students and researchers studying fluid flow dynamics.

This book introduces two of the most exciting heat pumping technologies, the coabsorbent and the thermal recovery (mechanical vapor) compression, characterized by a high potential in primary energy savings and environmental protection. New cycles with potential applications of nontruncated, truncated, hybrid truncated, and multi-effect coabsorbent types are introduced in this work.

Thermal-to-work recovery compression (TWRC) is the first of two particular methods explored here, including how superheat is converted into work, which diminishes the compressor work input. In the second method, thermal-to-thermal recovery compression (TTRC), the superheat is converted into useful cooling and/or heating, and added to the cycle output effect via the coabsorbent technology. These and other methods of discharge gas superheat recovery are analyzed for single-, two-, three-, and multi-stage compression cooling and heating, ammonia and ammonia-water cycles, and the effectiveness results are given.

The author presents absorption-related topics, including the divided-device method for mass and heat transfer analysis, and truncation as a unique method for a better source-task match. Along with advanced gax recovery, the first and second principles of COP and exergy calculation, the ideal point approaching (i.p.a.) effect and the two-point theory of mass and heat transfer, the book also addresses the new wording of the Laplace equation, the Marangoni effect true explanation, and the new mass and heat exchangers based on this effect.

The work goes on to explore coabsorbent separate and combined cooling, heating, and power (CHP) production and advanced water-lithium bromide cycle air-conditioning, as well as analyzing high-efficiency ammonia-water heat-driven heating and industrial low-temperature cooling, in detail.

Readers will learn how coabsorbent technology is based on classic absorption, but is more general. It is capable of offering effective solutions for all cooling and heating applications (industry, agriculture, district, household, etc.), provided that two supplying heat-sink sources with temperatures outdistanced by a minimum of 12-15 C are available.This book has clear and concise presentation and illustrates the theory and applications with diagrams, tables, and flowcharts."