Recombinant Landscapes in the American City

How are urban actors, such as landscape designers, community groups, developers and local politicians, actively restructuring their environments to meet the challenges of the American city in the new global context? Grahame Shane outlines the approaches to landscape that have been emerging since the mid-20th century and are set to recombine urban assemblages whether they are located in historic city centres, postindustrial waterfronts or suburban sprawl. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

涡旋光束和光学涡旋

就涡旋光束和光学涡旋的基本特征和原理进行了概述,对其产生、传播及应用进行了介绍.对涡旋光束和光学涡旋的研究动态进行了叙述,并对其未来的研究和应用前景进行了展望.     

Flux Dynamics in NdO1−x F x FeAs Bulk Sample

We present data of multiharmonic magneto-dynamic experiments. In particular, we performed ac magnetic susceptibility experiments on layered pnictide-oxide quaternary compound NdOFeAs doped with fluorine. The experiments allow one to measure the critical temperature and probe the flux dynamic behavior using the third harmonic component of the ac susceptibility of an NdF_0.16FeAsO_0.84 bulk sample as a function of temperature and frequency of the applied ac magnetic fields. Measured signals are connected with the nonlinear superconducting flux dynamic behavior and are characterized by a “flux critical states” sustaining a superconducting critical current. In this framework the irreversibility line that describes the stable superconducting state has been extracted from the onset of the third harmonic signal vs. frequency. Finally we present also the analysis of the flux dynamic dimensionality in the investigated sample.     

Flow visualization in an annulus between co-axis rotating cylinders with a circular jet on stationary outer cylinder

This work experimentally investigated the effects of jet flow and flow outlet configuration on the fluid flow in an annulus between co-axis rotating cylinders. By using the incense and the laser light, smoke flow visualization in a rotating annulus can be obtained. Firstly, the flow behavior in a rotating annular without jet flow and flow outlet was investigated. When Taylor number (Ta) exceeded 1708, the well-known Taylor vortices were successfully observed. Subsequently, the flow characteristics in a rotating annular with a jet flow and various flow outlet configurations were investigated. The circle jet nozzle was located at the middle position of the stationary outer cylinder. In addition, two flow outlet configurations were employed. One was the model of single outlet at the right side of the annulus, the other was the model of double outlets at both side of the annulus. The jet Reynolds number (Re) was 1351. The Taylor number (Ta) varied from 545 to 24,217. When the impinging force and the inertia force from the jet flow interacted with the Coriolis force and the centrifugal force due to rotation, the fluid flow should become very complicated. The experimental results indicated that the rapid rotation broke the original stream line of the jet flow. On the other hand, when the jet flow turned 90° to be the axial flow, it would suppress the onset of Taylor vortices. Finally, fixing the Re and Ta, the model of single outlet more suppressed the onset of Taylor vortices than the model of double outlets did.     

Experimental and Numerical Investigation of a Novel Spiral Micromixer with Sinusoidal Channel Walls

A novel spiral micromixer with sinusoidal channel walls was designed to enhance the mixing index in the low to intermediate Reynolds number range (1 < Re < 100). To analyze the fluid flow, a set of numerical simulations were performed using the finite-difference method. The microchip was fabricated from polydimethylsiloxane, employing the soft-lithography technique. The degree of mixing was increased by 99.11 % when using the proposed micromixer, compared to 59.44 % for a simple spiral micromixer. The introduced microchannel drastically reduced the mixing length, increasing the mixing index of a 0.5-loop spiral-sinusoidal microchannel compared to that of the simple spiral microchannel with 1.5 loops. The mixing index of the 3-loop mixer was higher than that of the microchannel with 1.5 loops, and its pressure drop was increased.     

Phase-Change Perovskite Microlaser with Tunable Polarization Vortex

Metasurfaces supporting optical bound states in the continuum (BICs) are emerging as simple and compact optical cavities to realize polarization-vortex lasers. The winding of the polarization around the singularity defines topological charges which are generally set by the cavity design and cannot be altered without changing geometrical parameters. Here, a subwavelength-thin phase-change halide perovskite BIC metasurface functioning as a tunable polarization vortex microlaser is demonstrated. Upon the perovskite structural phase transitions, both its refractive index and gain vary substantially, inducing reversible and bistable switching between distinct polarization vortexes underpinned by opposite topological charges. Dynamic tuning and switching of the resulting vector beams may find use in microscopy imaging, particle trapping and manipulation, and optical data storage.     

A decoupled method to identify affecting mechanism of crosswind on performance of a natural draft dry cooling tower

The natural draft dry cooling tower (NDDCT) has been increasingly used for cooling in power generation in arid area. As crosswind affects the performance of a NDDCT in a complicated way, and the basic affecting mechanism is unclear, attempts have been made to improve the performance of a NDDCT based on limited experiences. This paper introduces a decoupled method to study the complicated crosswind effects on the inlet and outlet of a NDDCT separately by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling and hot state experiments. Accordingly, the basic affecting mechanism of crosswind on the NDDCT performance is identified. Crosswind changes the inlet flow field of a NDDCT and induces mainstream vortices inside the tower, so as to degrade the ventilation. Besides, low crosswind deflects the upward plume at the outlet to further degrade the ventilation, while high crosswind induces the low pressure area at the outlet to reduce the ventilation degradation.     

An Introduction to Quantum Turbulence

Turbulence in a superfluid differs from that in a classical fluid because the flow of a superfluid is strongly influenced by quantum effects. Such turbulence is therefore often described as quantum turbulence. We give a brief historical account of the study of quantum turbulence, explaining how our understanding of it has developed. Particular attention is then paid to developments during the past ten years, which have seen the study of types of quantum turbulence that have close classical analogues. Similarities and differences between the classical and quantum cases are discussed, and aspects that are either not understood or the subject of speculation are emphasized. The paper provides an introduction to other and more detailed presentations in the Symposium.      

圆柱尾迹中气体射流平均浓度分布的实验研究

本文发展了一种新的等温热线浓度测量技术，详细测量了圆柱尾迹中ＣＯ２气体射流的浓度分布，研究了空气来流速度、圆柱直径、射流初始速度、喷孔直径、喷孔间距等参数对射流浓度分布的影响；通过对大量实验数据的统计分析，拟合出了圆柱尾迹中气体射流浓度沿轴向和径向分布的经验关系式。     

Label‐Free Virus Capture and Release by a Microfluidic Device Integrated with Porous Silicon Nanowire Forest

Viral diseases are perpetual threats to human and animal health. Detection and characterization of viral pathogens require accurate, sensitive, and rapid diagnostic assays. For field and clinical samples, the sample preparation procedures limit the ultimate performance and utility of the overall virus diagnostic protocols. This study presents the development of a microfluidic device embedded with porous silicon nanowire (pSiNW) forest for label‐free size‐based point‐of‐care virus capture in a continuous curved flow design. The pSiNW forests with specific interwire spacing are synthesized in situ on both bottom and sidewalls of the microchannels in a batch process. With the enhancement effect of Dean flow, this study demonstrates that about 50% H5N2 avian influenza viruses are physically trapped without device clogging. A unique feature of the device is that captured viruses can be released by inducing self‐degradation of the pSiNWs in physiological aqueous environment. About 60% of captured viruses can be released within 24 h for virus culture, subsequent molecular diagnosis, and other virus characterization and analyses. This device performs viable, unbiased, and label‐free virus isolation and release. It has great potentials for virus discovery, virus isolation and culture, functional studies of virus pathogenicity, transmission, drug screening, and vaccine development.