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Solitons Seen in a Solid
April 07, 2006Isolated vibrations within a three-dimensional solid have been observed for the first time by researchers in the U.S. and Germany. The work could help explain how metals such as uranium behave when bent, compressed or heated.
Normally, atoms in a crystal will pass their vibrational energy to their neighbors. But under some circumstances, theory predicts that a small patch of atoms could vibrate in place. This is the first time that these "lattice solitons" have been detected in a three-dimensional solid, said Michael Manley, visiting professor of chemical engineering and materials science at UC Davis and a researcher at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, who is first author on the paper.
The researchers used X-ray and neutron scattering experiments to identify lattice solitons in heated uranium crystals. The results show that the isolated vibrations play an important role in uranium metal, something no one had previously considered, Manley said.
Lattice solitons should actually occur in all kinds of solid materials, but they are very hard to find because they appear and disappear so quickly, Manley said. The significance of the paper is that the researchers were able to see them, he said.
Solitons, or solitary waves, were first described by Scottish scientist John Scott Russell in 1834 after seeing such a wave on a canal. In the late 1980s, scientists theorized that solitons might exist in solids and molecules, calling them intrinsic localized modes or discrete breathers, but had no physical evidence of their existence.
In addition to Manley, the research group included Heather Volz, Jason Lashley, Larry Hults and Jim Smith from Los Alamos; Mohana Yethiraj from Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Harald Sinn and Ahmet Alatas from Argonne National Laboratory; and Gerry Lander from Institute for Transuranium Elements in Karlsruhe, Germany. The research is published in Physical Review Letters.
UC Davis
Lattice solitons should actually occur in all kinds of solid materials, but they are very hard to find because they appear and disappear so quickly, Manley said. The significance of the paper is that the researchers were able to see them, he said.
Solitons, or solitary waves, were first described by Scottish scientist John Scott Russell in 1834 after seeing such a wave on a canal. In the late 1980s, scientists theorized that solitons might exist in solids and molecules, calling them intrinsic localized modes or discrete breathers, but had no physical evidence of their existence.
In addition to Manley, the research group included Heather Volz, Jason Lashley, Larry Hults and Jim Smith from Los Alamos; Mohana Yethiraj from Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Harald Sinn and Ahmet Alatas from Argonne National Laboratory; and Gerry Lander from Institute for Transuranium Elements in Karlsruhe, Germany. The research is published in Physical Review Letters.
UC Davis
Solitons Current Events and Solitons News RSSSupercontinuum generation and soliton dynamics milestone achieved
A research team led by Fetah Benabid, University of Bath, has observed for the first time the simultaneous emission of two resonant dispersive waves by optical solitons (waves that maintain their shape while traveling at constant speeds).
Investigation of changes in properties of water under the action of a magnetic field
Professor Pang Xiao-Feng and Deng Bo studied the properties of water, and their changes under the action of a magnetic field were gathered by the spectrum techniques of infrared, Raman, visible, ultraviolet and X-ray lights, which may give an insight into molecular and atomic structures of water.
Light is shed on new fibre's potential to change technology
Photonic crystal fibre's ability to create broad spectra of light, which will be the basis for important developments in technology, has been explained for the first time in an article in the leading science journal Nature-Photonics.
On the (sound) track of anesthetics
Danish scientists challenge the accepted scientific views of how nerves function and of how anesthetics work. Their research suggests that action of nerves is based on sound pulses and that anesthetics inhibit their transmission.
Scientists observe solitary vibrations in uranium
Los Alamos scientists, working with collaborators from around the world, recently observed experimental evidence of solitary vibrations (solitons) in a solid.
MIT closes in on bionic speed
Robots, both large and micro, can potentially go wherever it's too hot, cold, dangerous, small or remote for people to perform any number of important tasks, from repairing leaking water mains to stitching blood vessels together.
DFG Establishes 14 New Research Units: new areas of research at universities
The Grants Committee on General Research Funding of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) has resolved to establish 14 new Research Units. In these Research Units scientists and academics work on special scientific questions in an interdisciplinary and interregional manner. With the funding in this programme, which is designed to last for six years, the DFG is pursuing the objective of promoting the collaboration of outstanding scientists and academics and, thereby, also creating new areas of research at the universities. The DFG will provide more than 20 million euros for funding the Research Units during the next three years. The Research Units in detail:
Latest papers from Royal Society`s Proceedings B (Biological Sciences) and Proceedings A (Mathematical, Physical & Engineering Sciences) journals
Proceedings B (Biological Sciences) http://www.catchword.com/rsl/09628452/previews/contp1-1.htm Age- and density-dependent reproductive effort in male red deer by Dr NG Yoccoz, Dr A Mysterud, Dr R Langvatn and Professor NC Stenseth Male ungulates spend a large amount of their body reserves when fighting with other males for access to females during the rut. In this study of red deer stags in Norway, weight loss during rut is quantified for the first time. Relative weight loss peaked at prime age, and was lower in younger and senescent males. An average 8 year old stag weighing 135 kg lost an impressive 30 kg in 3-4 weeks time. Weight loss was smaller as density increased, and more so for old
Nature press release for 2 May issue
PHYSICS: BOSE EINSTEIN LEAP DOI: 10.1038/nature747 (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature747)
Physics World Digest: February Issue
Date:1 February 1999
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