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Results for “synchronization of mobile oscillators”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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Lifelike behavior of chemically oscillating mobile capsules

Inspired by the self-organization of unicellular species into multicellular organisms, we use theory and simulation to design a system of mobile, active microcapsules that produce chemicals according to a catalytic reaction network (CRN). In solution, the catalytic reactions generate a force that drives the flow of the surrounding fluid. The convective flow, in turn, transports the capsules to new chemical surroundings with each successive translation. Consequently, the chemical signal produced by a cluster of capsules is critically dependent on the proximity and spatial configuration of the neighboring capsules. If all of the capsules and chemical products involved in the CRN lie within sufficient proximity, then the system develops oscillatory behavior that drives the dynamic self-assembly of capsules into larger clusters that are capable of collective action. Finally, these simulations indicate potential chemo-mechanic mechanisms that enable single cellular units, such as ameba, to organize into multicellular life forms.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Chemical pumps and flexible sheets spontaneously form self-regulating oscillators in solution

The synchronization of self-oscillating systems is vital to various biological functions, from the coordinated contraction of heart muscle to the self-organization of slime molds. Through modeling, we design bioinspired materials systems that spontaneously form shape-changing self-oscillators, which communicate to synchronize both their temporal and spatial behavior. Here, catalytic reactions at the bottom of a fluid-filled chamber and on mobile, flexible sheets generate the energy to “pump” the surrounding fluid, which also transports the immersed sheets. The sheets exert a force on the fluid that modifies the flow, which in turn affects the shape and movement of the flexible sheets. This feedback enables a single coated (active) and even an uncoated (passive) sheet to undergo self-oscillation, displaying different oscillatory modes with increases in the catalytic reaction rate. Two sheets (active or passive) introduce excluded volume, steric interactions. This distinctive combination of the hydrodynamic, fluid–structure, and steric interactions causes the sheets to form coupled oscillators, whose motion is synchronized in time and space. We develop a heuristic model that rationalizes this behavior. These coupled self-oscillators exhibit rich and tunable phase dynamics, which depends on the sheets’ initial placement, coverage by catalyst and relative size. Moreover, through variations in the reactant concentration, the system can switch between the different oscillatory modes. This breadth of dynamic behavior expands the functionality of the coupled oscillators, enabling soft robots to display a variety of self-sustained, self-regulating moves.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

GaN/AlGaN 2DEGs in the quantum regime: Magneto-transport and photoluminescence to 60 tesla

Here, using high magnetic fields up to 60 T, we report magneto-transport and photoluminescence (PL) studies of a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in a GaN/AlGaN heterojunction grown by molecular-beam epitaxy. Transport measurements demonstrate that the quantum limit can be exceeded (Landau level filling factor v <1) and show evidence for the v =2/3 fractional quantum Hall state. Simultaneous optical and transport measurements reveal synchronous quantum oscillations of both the PL intensity and the longitudinal resistivity in the integer quantum Hall regime. PL spectra directly reveal the dispersion of occupied Landau levels in the 2DEG and, therefore, the electron mass. These results demonstrate the utility of high (pulsed) magnetic fields for detailed measurements of quantum phenomena in high-density 2DEGs.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

A Generic Primary-Control Model for Grid-Forming Inverters: Towards Interoperable Operation & Control

This paper outlines an architectural vision centered around the notion of interoperability to integrate grid-forming inverter-based resources in large-scale grids. With the underlying principle of interoperability guiding developments, we focus on modeling the characteristics of droop, virtual synchronous machine, and virtual oscillator controls. Emphasis is placed on these three controllers since they are leading grid-forming control candidates and are likely to be commonplace as primary-control schemes in future systems. We show that these controllers can each be considered as instantiations of a more generic model and that all these controllers exhibit similar droop-like relations between pertinent terminal variables in steady state. This commonality between controllers gives interoperability among them such that automatic synchronization, power sharing, and voltage regulation can be achieved. Simulation results validate the models and demonstrate how the steady-state droop characteristics of these control methods can be aligned with the aid of the developed modeling paradigm.

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