Other Physics Commons^™

Solutions For Fermi Questions, May 2019: Question 1: Graduation Speeches; Question 2: Fan Propulsion, Larry Weinstein

Physics Faculty Publications

[Introduction] How many person-hoursare spent listening to graduation speeches each year? How long is this in lifetimes?

Answer: Just about everyone graduates high school and goes to their graduation, usually with guests. Only about 30% of Americans (more than 10% and less than 100% graduate college, so we will ignore those graduates. Therefore we need to estimate the number of graduating high school seniors, the number of guests per senior, and the length of the graduation speeches.

Predicted Deepwater Bathymetry From Satellite Altimetry: Non-Fourier Transform Alternatives, Maxsimo Salazar

Dissertations

Robert Parker (1972) demonstrated the effectiveness of Fourier Transforms (FT) to compute gravitational potential anomalies caused by uneven, non-uniform layers of material. This important calculation relates the gravitational potential anomaly to sea-floor topography. As outlined by Sandwell and Smith (1997), a six-step procedure, utilizing the FT, then demonstrated how satellite altimetry measurements of marine geoid height are inverted into seafloor topography. However, FTs are not local in space and produce Gibb’s phenomenon around discontinuities. Seafloor features exhibit spatial locality and features such as seamounts and ridges often have sharp inclines. Initial tests compared the windowed-FT to wavelets in reconstruction of …

Generalized Fock Spaces And The Stirling Numbers, Daniel Alpay, Motke Porat

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

The Bargmann-Fock-Segal space plays an important role in mathematical physics and has been extended into a number of directions. In the present paper, we imbed this space into a Gelfand triple. The spaces forming the Fréchet part (i.e., the space of test functions) of the triple are characterized both in a geometric way and in terms of the adjoint of multiplication by the complex variable, using the Stirling numbers of the second kind. The dual of the space of test functions has a topological algebra structure, of the kind introduced and studied by the first named author and Salomon.

Simulating The Electrical Properties Of Random Carbon Nanotube Networks Using A Simple Model Based On Percolation Theory, Roberto Abril Valenzuela

Physics

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been subject to extensive research towards their possible applications in the world of nanoelectronics. The interest in carbon nanotubes originates from their unique variety of properties useful in nanoelectronic devices. One key feature of carbon nanotubes is that the chiral angle at which they are rolled determines whether the tube is metallic or semiconducting. Of main interest to this project are devices containing a thin film of randomly arranged carbon nanotubes, known as carbon nanotube networks. The presence of semiconducting tubes in a CNT network can lead to a switching effect when the film is electro-statically …

On Maxwell-Dirac Isomorphism, Florentin Smarandache, Victor Christianto

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Thinking Out Loud On Early Creation Through The Lens Of Hermeneutics Of Sherlock Holmes (Towards A Model Of Universe Based On Turbulence-Generated Sound Theory), Victor Christianto, Florentin Smarandache

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

In recent years, apparently the Big Bang as described by the Lambda CDM-Standard Model Cosmology has become widely accepted by majority of physics and cosmology communities. Even some people have concluded that it has no serious alternative in horizon. Is that true? First, as we argued elsewhere, Big Bang story relies on singularity. In other words, when we are able to describe the observed data without invoking singularity, then Big Bang model is no longer required. Therefore, here we explore a few alternative stories other than Big Bang story, which most cosmologists believe it is the nearest to Biblical account …

Question 1: Iceberg To Los Angeles, Question 2: Lost Luggage, Larry Weinstein

Physics Faculty Publications

How much fuel would it take to tow a large enough iceberg to Los Angeles to provide fresh water for the city for an entire year? (Thanks to John Adam of Old Dominion University and co-author of Guesstimation for suggesting the question.)

U.S.-based airlines lost 1.7 million pieces of luggage in 2016. How tall a mountain will this make? What is the probability an airline will lose our luggage on our next flight? (Thanks to John Adam of Old Dominion University and co-author of Guesstimation for suggesting the question.)

Fractional Order Thermoelastic Deflection In A Thin Circular Plate, J. J. Tripathi, S. D. Warbhe, K. C. Deshmukh, J. Verma

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

In this work, a quasi-static uncoupled theory of thermoelasticity based on time fractional heat conduction equation is used to model a thin circular plate, whose lower surface is maintained at zero temperature whereas the upper surface is insulated. The edge of the circular plate is fixed and clamped. Integral transform technique is used to derive the analytical solutions in the physi-cal domain. The numerical results for temperature distributions and thermal deflection are com-puted and represented graphically for Copper material.

Thermoelastic Analysis Of A Nonhomogeneous Hollow Cylinder With Internal Heat Generation, V. R. Manthena, N. K. Lamba, G. D. Kedar

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

In the present paper, we have determined the heat conduction and thermal stresses of a hollow cylinder with inhomogeneous material properties and internal heat generation. All the material properties except Poisson’s ratio and density are assumed to be given by a simple power law in axial direction. We have obtained the solution of the two dimensional heat conduction equation in the transient state in terms of Bessel’s and trigonometric functions. The influence of inhomogeneity on the thermal and mechanical behavior is examined. Numerical computations are carried out for both homogeneous and nonhomogeneous cylinders and are represented graphically.

Evolution Of Superoscillations For Schrödinger Equation In A Uniform Magnetic Field, Fabrizio Colombo, Jonathan Gantner, Daniele C. Struppa

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Aharonov-Berry superoscillations are band-limited functions that oscillate faster than their fastest Fourier component. Superoscillations appear in several fields of science and technology, such as Aharonov’s weak measurement in quantum mechanics, in optics, and in signal processing. An important issue is the study of the evolution of superoscillations using the Schrödinger equation when the initial datum is a weak value. Some superoscillatory functions are not square integrable, but they are real analytic functions that can be extended to entire holomorphic functions. This fact leads to the study of the continuity of a class of convolution operators acting on suitable spaces of …

On Syntropy & Precognitive Interdiction Based On Wheeler-Feynman’S Absorber Theory, Florentin Smarandache, Victor Christianto, Yunita Umniyati

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

It has been known for long time that intuition plays significant role in many professions and human life, including in entrepreneurship, government, and also in detective or law enforcement activities. Women are known to possess better intuitive feelings or “hunch” compared to men. Despite these examples, such a precognitive interdiction is hardly accepted in established science. In this letter, we discuss briefly the advanced solutions of Maxwell equations, and then explore plausible connection between syntropy and precognition.

Mathematical Description And Mechanistic Reasoning: A Pathway Toward Stem Integration, Paul J. Weinberg

Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER)

Because reasoning about mechanism is critical to disciplined inquiry in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) domains, this study focuses on ways to support the development of this form of reasoning. This study attends to how mechanistic reasoning is constituted through mathematical description. This study draws upon Smith’s (2007) characterization of mathematical description of scientific phenomena as ‘‘bootstrapping,’’ where negotiating the relationship between target phenomena and represented relations is fundamental to learning. In addition, the development of mathematical representation presents a viable pathway towards STEM integration. In this study, participants responded to an assessment of mechanistic reasoning while cognitive interviews …

Thermal Stress Analysis In A Functionally Graded Hollow Elliptic-Cylinder Subjected To Uniform Temperature Distribution, V. R. Manthena, N. K. Lamba, G. D. Kedar

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

In this paper, an analytical method of a thermoelastic problem for a medium with functionally graded material properties is developed in a theoretical manner for the elliptic-cylindrical coordinate system under the assumption that the material properties except for Poisson’s ratio and density are assumed to vary arbitrarily with the exponential law in the radial direction. An attempt has been made to reconsider the fundamental system of equations for functionally graded solids in a two-dimensional state under thermal and mechanical loads. The general solution of displacement formulation is obtained by the introduction of appropriate transformation and carried out the analysis by …

On A Class Of Quaternionic Positive Definite Functions And Their Derivatives, Daniel Alpay, Fabrizio Colombo, Irene Sabadini

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

In this paper, we start the study of stochastic processes over the skew field of quaternions. We discuss the relation between positive definite functions and the covariance of centered Gaussian processes and the construction of stochastic processes and their derivatives. The use of perfect spaces and strong algebras and the notion of Fock space are crucial in this framework.

Question 1: Time Texting; Question 2: Opening Doors, Larry Weinstein

Physics Faculty Publications

[Introduction] How much total time do Americans spend texting every year?

Can a typical human open a 20-ton door (swinging on hinges around a vertical axis like a normal room door) with no mechanical assistance?

Complex Solutions Of The Time Fractional Gross-Pitaevskii (Gp) Equation With External Potential By Using A Reliable Method, Nasir Taghizadeh, Mona N. Foumani

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

In this article, modified (G'/G )-expansion method is presented to establish the exact complex solutions of the time fractional Gross-Pitaevskii (GP) equation in the sense of the conformable fractional derivative. This method is an effective method in finding exact traveling wave solutions of nonlinear evolution equations (NLEEs) in mathematical physics. The present approach has the potential to be applied to other nonlinear fractional differential equations. Based on two transformations, fractional GP equation can be converted into nonlinear ordinary differential equation of integer orders. In the end, we will discuss the solutions of the fractional GP equation with external potentials.

Infographics And Mathematics: A Mechanism For Effective Learning In The Classroom, Ivan Sudakov, Thomas Bellsky, Svetlana Usenyuk, Victoria V. Polyakova

Physics Faculty Publications

This work discusses the creation and use of infographies in an undergraduate mathematics course. Infographies are a visualization of information combining data, formulas, and images. This article discusses how to form an infographic and uses infographics on topics within mathematics and climate as examples. It concludes with survey data from undergraduate students on both the general use of infographics and on the specific infographics designed by the authors.

Four Tails Problems For Dynamical Collapse Theories, Kelvin J. Mcqueen

Philosophy Faculty Articles and Research

The primary quantum mechanical equation of motion entails that measurements typically do not have determinate outcomes, but result in superpositions of all possible outcomes. Dynamical collapse theories (e.g. GRW) supplement this equation with a stochastic Gaussian collapse function, intended to collapse the superposition of outcomes into one outcome. But the Gaussian collapses are imperfect in a way that leaves the superpositions intact. This is the tails problem. There are several ways of making this problem more precise. But many authors dismiss the problem without considering the more severe formulations. Here I distinguish four distinct tails problems. The first (bare tails …

Question 1: "Up" — A Fermi Question About Buoyancy; Question 2: Traffic Jams, Larry Weinstein

Physics Faculty Publications

Is it possible for a house to fly by the uplift of balloons, like in the movie "Up"? (written by R. Allart, A. Cazenave, and A. Müller, University of Geneva)

How much total time do Americans spend waiting in traffic each year? What is the total cost of this time?

Question 1: Kill The K-Cup; Question 2: Water Cooling, Larry Weinstein

Physics Faculty Publications

According to KillTheKCup.org, single-use non-recyclable Keurig K-cups “are killing our planet.” How large is the environmental impact of K-Cups?

How much more cooling do you get from drinking cold rather than room-temperature water on a hot day? How much do you sweat per day when the ambient temperature is about 35 °C (95 °F)?

Question 1: Shaving Time; Question 2: Half-Filling The Gas Tank, Larry Weinstein

Physics Faculty Publications

How much total time does a typical American spend shaving during his or her life? How much total time per year do Americans spend shaving?

How much money can you save by only half-filling your car's gas tank to reduce weight?

A Potential Foundation For Emergent Space-Time, Kevin H. Knuth, Newshaw Bahreyni

Physics Faculty Scholarship

We present a novel derivation of both the Minkowski metric and Lorentz transformations from the consistent quantification of a causally ordered set of events with respect to an embedded observer. Unlike past derivations, which have relied on assumptions such as the existence of a 4-dimensional manifold, symmetries of space-time, or the constant speed of light, we demonstrate that these now familiar mathematics can be derived as the unique means to consistently quantify a network of events. This suggests that space-time need not be physical, but instead the mathematics of space and time emerges as the unique way in which an …

Physics: Rethinking The Foundations, Kevin H. Knuth

Physics Faculty Scholarship

Physics is traditionally conceived of as a set of laws that universally governs the behavior of physical systems. These laws, however they are decreed, are believed to govern the behavior of not only everything in the universe, but the form of the universe itself. However, this traditional concept of physics as a universal governance is at odds with our modern theories of quantum mechanics and relativity, which place the observer and information in a central role. In this talk, I aim to rethink the foundations and attempt to build physics from the bottom up based on a very simple foundational …

Viscosity Dependence Of Faraday Wave Formation Thresholds, Lisa Michelle Slaughter

Physics

This experiment uses an electromagnetic shaker to produce standing wave patterns on the surface of a vertically oscillating sample of silicon liquid. These surface waves, known as Faraday waves, form shapes such as squares, lines, and hexagons. They are known to be dependent upon the frequency and amplitude of the forcing as well as on the viscosity and depth of the liquid in the dish. At a depth of 4mm and for various silicon liquids having kinematic viscosities of 10, 20, and 38 cSt, we determined the acceleration at which patterns form for frequencies between 10 and 60 Hz. For …

Characterization Of The Drilling Via The Vibration Augmenter Of Rotary-Drills And Sound Signal Processing Of Impacted Pipe As A Potential Water Height Assessment Tool, Nicholas Morris

STAR Program Research Presentations

The focus of the internship has been on two topics: a) Characterize the drilling performance of a novel percussive augmenter – this drill was developed by the JPL’s Advanced Technologies Group and its performance was characterized; and b) Examine the feasibility of striking a pipe as a means of assessing the water height inside the pipe. The purpose of this investigation is to examine the possibility of using a simple method of applying impacts to a pipe wall and determining the water height from the sonic characteristic differences including damping, resonance frequencies, etc. Due to multiple variables that are relevant …

Generalized Finite-Difference Time-Domain Schemes For Solving Nonlinear Schrödinger Equations, Frederick Ira Moxley Iii

Doctoral Dissertations

The nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLSE) is one of the most widely applicable equations in physical science, and characterizes nonlinear dispersive waves, optics, water waves, and the dynamics of molecules. The NLSE satisfies many mathematical conservation laws. Moreover, due to the nonlinearity, the NLSE often requires a numerical solution, which also satisfies the conservation laws. Some of the more popular numerical methods for solving the NLSE include the finite difference, finite element, and spectral methods such as the pseudospectral, split-step with Fourier transform, and integrating factor coupled with a Fourier transform. With regard to the finite difference and finite element methods, …

Relations Between Distorted And Original Angles In Str, Florentin Smarandache

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

Using the Oblique-Length Contraction Factor, which is a generalization of Lorentz Contraction Factor, one shows several trigonometric relations between distorted and original angles of a moving object lengths in the Special Theory of Relativity.

Information-Based Physics: An Intelligent Embedded Agent's Guide To The Universe, Kevin H. Knuth

Physics Faculty Scholarship

In this talk, I propose an approach to understanding the foundations of physics by considering the optimal inferences an intelligent agent can make about the universe in which he or she is embedded. Information acts to constrain an agent’s beliefs. However, at a fundamental level, any information is obtained from interactions where something influences something else. Given this, the laws of physics must be constrained by both the nature of such influences and the rules by which we can make inferences based on information about these influences. I will review the recent progress we have made in this direction. This …

Oblique-Length Contraction Factor In The Special Theory Of Relativity, Florentin Smarandache

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

In this paper one generalizes the Lorentz Contraction Factor for the case when the lengths are moving at an oblique angle with respect to the motion direction. One shows that the angles of the moving relativistic objects are distorted.

Two Numerical Algorithms For Solving A Partial Integro-Differential Equation With A Weakly Singular Kernel, Jeong-Mi Yoon, Shishen Xie, Volodymyr Hrynkiv

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

Two numerical algorithms based on variational iteration and decomposition methods are developed to solve a linear partial integro-differential equation with a weakly singular kernel arising from viscoelasticity. In addition, analytic solution is re-derived by using the variational iteration method and decomposition method.