Physical Sciences

Abstract: Wearable electronic textiles (e-textiles) are increasingly being explored for healthcare, sports, military, and smart wearable applications, creating a growing demand for sustainable and flexible energy harvesting systems. In this study, a cost-effective and ultra-flexible textile-assisted thermoelectric generator (TEG) was developed using recycled electronic and textile waste materials. Discarded copper and aluminum foils recovered from electronic waste were integrated into a recycled woven fabric composed of 70% cotton, 28% polyester, and 2% elastane to fabricate the wearable thermoelectric device. The fabricated system demonstrated a measurable thermoelectric response, producing a maximum output voltage of 180.75 mV under a temperature difference (ΔT) of 5.82 K. The results demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing waste-derived conductive materials and recycled textiles for flexible thermoelectric energy harvesting applications. In addition to its lightweight and wearable structure, the developed device highlights the potential of sustainable smart textile systems for low-power wearable electronics and self-powered sensing applications. This work contributes to the advancement of environmentally sustainable smart textiles by combining waste reutilization, wearable energy harvesting, and flexible electronic integration within a single textile platform. Future research may focus on improving thermal contact efficiency, long-term durability, output stability, and scalable fabrication strategies for practical wearable energy harvesting applications.

Abstract: Interpreting interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) imagery is a critical task in monitoring volcanic and seismic activity, yet the process usually requires expert knowledge and manual analysis. As the volume of satellite observations continues to increase, automated methods capable of describing and interpreting these images become increasingly important in order to assist geophysical monitoring efforts. In this work, we investigate the feasibility of automated image captioning for InSAR data using modern vision-language models. We utilize the Hephaestus dataset which is a large collection of annotated interferograms focused on volcanic deformation, and apply a series of preprocessing steps to curate a balanced dataset of deforming and non-deforming images. Two generative image captioning architectures, the Generative Image-to-Text Transformer (GIT) and Bootstrapping Language-Image Pretraining (BLIP), are fine-tuned to output natural language descriptions of the InSAR images. In addition, we implement a retrieval-based model that aligns image and text representations within a shared embedding space and retrieves the most semantically similar caption. The performance of these approaches is evaluated using standard captioning metrics and qualitative inspection of generated descriptions. Our results suggest that pre-trained vision–language models can adapt to specialized scientific imagery despite being trained primarily on natural image datasets. This study represents an initial step towards automated interpretation systems capable of assisting researchers in large-scale InSAR monitoring applications.

Abstract: In this work, we describe a new wavelike nonlinear heat conduction model aimed at implementing chiral thermal management and dynamic tunable chiral thermal emission on rotating conductors exposed to a chopped laser beam. We assume the existence of a rotational dynamical thermal Hall effect due to a self-induced out-of-equilibrium Barnett magnetic field, demonstrating that it allows for the transverse deviation of the harmonic heat flux and the modulation of the phase velocity of helical thermal waves propagating on the rotating metallic disks. We introduce a novel dynamic approach to thermoelectricity with complex valued thermal field dependent transport coefficients,deducing then a new dynamic chiral Thomson effect. We show that it is proportional to the angular velocity vector of the rotating disk, providing an estimate of its average Thomson voltage coefficient in the case of a ferromagnetic sample. We exploit then the laser-induced chiral Thomson electric field associated with a time-dependent Barnett magnetic field to enhance dynamic magnetic phase transitions and to tune time dependent Curie temperature fluctuations. We introduce finally a dynamic tunable chiral thermal emissivity dependent on a gauge breaking thermal Poynting vector, outlining its relevance for a novel rotational approach to chiral nonreciprocal photonics.

Abstract: Selective energy conversion in confined catalytic nanocavities is examined through a coupled reactive‑photonic framework rather than only as a microscale flame‑stability problem. The experimental basis combines visible/NIR spectral measurements from Pt‑coated anodic porous alumina (APA) nanocavities with a smooth zirconia reference, together with structural information on ordered nanocavity platforms. Within the measured window, the Pt‑coated APA spectrum departs more strongly from the corresponding grey‑body fit than the zirconia reference, providing direct experimental indication that confinement alters radiative behaviour at accessible wavelengths. We interpret this divergence through a photonic‑chemical coupling framework in which high‑aspect‑ratio cavities reduce access to free‑space long‑wavelength radiative escape while increasing wall‑coupled relaxation and catalytic‑interface interaction. A converged FDTD benchmark at the dominant CO₂-4.3 µm band (Purcell factor Fp ≈ 1.26) shows moderate total LDOS enhancement while aperture flux is suppressed by more than six orders of magnitude relative to total radiated power. This indicates that the cavity redirects the emitted energy into wall‑coupled channels rather than allowing free‑space axial emission. The result is not a full mid‑IR device demonstration, but a mechanistically grounded, computationally supported case that confined combustion in Pt‑coated APA can operate as an integrated selective emitter and wall‑coupled heat‑redistribution architecture relevant to thermophotovoltaic and hybrid TPV/TEG energy conversion.

Abstract: In this work, a numerical investigation of an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) based on a bilayer architecture is presented, with particular emphasis on the influence of ZnO nanoparticles (ZNPs) concentration on charge transport, recombination dynamics, exci-ton formation, and luminescence performance. The studied device consists of a hole injec-tion layer combined with an electron transport and emissive layer based on Alq₃ doped with ZNPs. The impact of ZNPs concentration has been explicitly introduced into carrier mobility, dielectric permittivity, Langevin recombination rate, and radiative exciton decay. The simulation results show that increasing ZNPs concentration enhances charge bal-ance, recombination efficiency, exciton density, and luminescence power. Furthermore, the variation of ZNPs concentration from 0% to 10% in Alq₃ polymer layer increases the electron charge density from 0.65 x 10²¹cm^-3 to 1.4 x 10²¹cm^-3, the recombination rate from 1.25 x10²⁵ cm^-3 s^-1 to 12.5 x10²⁵ cm^-3 s^-1, the exciton density from 0.05 x 10¹⁵cm^-3 to 0.75 x 10¹⁵cm^-3 and the power of luminescence from 0.015W/μm² to 0.75W/μm². Since, the per-formance of Alq3-ZNPs-OLED is tenfold higher than of Alq3-OLED pure. These findings demonstrate that the incorporation of ZNPs is a key parameter for ameliorate and opti-mizing OLED performance which can serve many optoelectronic designs.

Abstract: Vibroacoustic monitoring provides a measurement-based approach for investigating heritage spaces in which architectural morphology, environmental conditions and sound-related practices are physically interrelated. This study applies a portable and non-invasive monitoring protocol to the medieval cave sanctuary of San Michele di Mezzo, located in Fisciano, Southern Italy. The site consists of stratified natural and built spaces, including a lower cave, an upper cave and a later upper church, and rep-resents a relevant case study for assessing the acoustic behaviour of small, irregular and fragile cultural heritage environments. The experimental procedure combined calibrated microphone recordings, time-domain signal inspection, third-octave-band analysis and impulse-response-derived room-acoustic indicators, including reverbera-tion, clarity and definition parameters. The results show that the lower and upper caves are acoustically differentiated, with the lower cave displaying more favourable clarity and definition values in selected low–mid frequency bands relevant to vocal practices. At higher frequencies, the differences become less systematic, indicating that the acoustic distinction between the two spaces is frequency-dependent rather than absolute. Comparative data from other cave and cave-like environments further con-textualize the measured response of San Michele di Mezzo. The findings do not imply intentional acoustic design; rather, they show that the long-lasting devotional central-ity of the lower cave is compatible with measurable acoustic conditions supporting spoken or sung ritual practices. More broadly, the study contributes to applied vi-broacoustics by demonstrating that low-invasive field monitoring can provide repro-ducible acoustic indicators for heritage interpretation, conservation-oriented docu-mentation and the investigation of intangible sound-related dimensions of cultural heritage.

Abstract: Accurate ionization energies are essential for understanding electronic structures of atoms and molecules, benchmarking quantum-chemical methods, and modeling ioni-zation processes in chemical and biological systems. In this work, we report calculated ionization energies of the H, C, N, O, P, and S atoms using a range of quan-tum-chemical approaches, aiming at reproducing the experimental values within the chemical accuracy. The methods include the electron propagator approximations OVGF and P3+, the coupled-cluster methods CCSD(T), CCSDT, and IP-EOM-CCSD, and the composite methods G3 and CBS-QB3. The CCSD(T), CCSDT, G3, and CBS-QB3 methods, together with the DFT method with B2PLYP density functional and several post-Hartree-Fock methods, were used in conjunction with the energy-difference (ΔSCF) approach. The coupled-cluster calculations were combined with the aug-cc-pVXZ-DK, aug-cc-pVXZ, and ANO-RCC basis sets, all-electron correlation, DKH2 scalar relativistic corrections, and extrapolation to the complete basis set (CBS) limit. The OVGF and P3+ methods do not reach chemical accuracy on average, while CCSD(T) and CCSDT combined with the aug-cc-pVXZ-DK basis set and CBS extrapolation achieve chemical accuracy for all atoms. CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVXZ-DK with CBS extrapolation provides the best compromise between accuracy and computational cost, and can be used as a reference for these atomic ionization energies.

Abstract: This article provides general expressions for the phase velocity and the Doppler shift of the electromagnetic fields radiated from a uniformly moving Hertzian dipole measured by a uniformly moving observer. The results show that the phase velocity of the electromagnetic wave is always equal to when measured exactly in the direction pointing to the birthplace of the field. The expression for the Doppler effect is of the same form of the Newtonian type classical formula, which implies that it might be not proper to consider that the classical formula for the Doppler shift is the low speed approximation of the conventional relativistic formula.

Abstract: The fall of droplets of an aqueous NaCl solution in a vertical channel, filled with heated dry air, is studied. Water from the droplets evaporates quickly, and crystals of a solid salt crust form on their surface. At a later stage of the process, the remaining solution is removed from the droplet using a jet of water vapor that passes through the pores of the polycrystalline crust. It was first observed that some of the drying droplets suddenly shifted to one side under the influence of the reactive force generated by the vapor jet. The resulting salt particles are weakly porous and consist of many crystals. It has been proven that these particles don’t have a central cavity. The use of seawater and the role of salt particles in protecting against thermal radiation from fires are briefly discussed. Calculations based on Mie theory have shown that the contribution of light scattering by hollow sea salt particles formed above the ocean surface during relatively slow evaporation of seawater droplets can be significant in the ocean's heat balance.

Abstract: Dielectric surface loss from junction wiring represents a critical secondary limit for superconducting transmon coherence. We present a quasi-one-dimensional analytical framework to minimise this loss, enabling rapid optimisation without computationally expensive 3D simulations. We compare uniform strips (V1) against linear (V2–V3) and optimised hybrid tapers (V4–V5). We demonstrate that geometric tapering suppresses wiring participation by up to 99.6%, reducing it from 0.0756 ppm (V1) to 0.0003 ppm (V4). Crucially, however, a simple linear taper (T1 ≈ 127.306 μs) yields coherence virtually indistinguishable from theoretically optimal complex profiles (T1 ≈ 127.323 μs) in the current pad-dominated regime. We thus establish a definitive design rule: standard linear tapering is sufficient to eliminate wiring loss as a bottleneck, rendering fabrication-sensitive complex shapes unnecessary for next-generation, low-loss devices.

Abstract: Crack paths are predicted using empirical mixed-mode criteria, while branching is attributed to a singular critical velocity. We show that fracture directionality and branching emerge from intrinsic thermodynamic topology. Mapping dissipation density to geometric distance defines a Finsler manifold from the interplay between the Eshelby tensor and directional fracture energy. Crack propagation becomes a Hamiltonian geodesic whose affine parameter is the physical crack advance. Classical mixed-mode criteria are linearized artifacts of this geodesic motion in isotropic (Riemannian) limits, enforced by macroscopic scale invariance. Analyzing Finsler Jacobi fields yields a geometric bifurcation condition: branching occurs when the curvature of the resistance field cancels the driving field. This framework predicts that materials with strong microstructural anisotropy undergo deterministic branching at quasi-static velocities, establishing velocity as a secondary parameter modifying the driving curvature rather than originating bifurcation.

Abstract: This work introduces the Steepest Descent Evolution Principle (SDEP), a general variational framework that explains how systems evolve by following the path of steepest energy decrease. The principle is formulated in a broad mathematical setting, encompassing normed vector spaces, Banach spaces, and Hilbert spaces, where functional derivatives and gradients provide the foundation for its dynamics. Using Dirichlet energies as test cases, we show that the SDEP naturally recovers classical diffusion laws: the heat equation in the continuum and diffusion equations on graphs governed by the graph Laplacian. These results highlight the unifying power of the principle, offering a simple recipe for deriving dynamical equations across different contexts. Beyond classical physics, the framework opens avenues for applications in data science, network dynamics, and optimization, where energy-based models and steepest descent play a central role.

Abstract: For battery management systems, accurate remaining useful life (RUL) prediction is important, yet models trained offline may not remain well matched to individual cells during operation, because degradation trajectories differ across cells and evolve over aging stages. This study examines a lightweight online personalization strategy under a representative convolutional neural network–long short-term memory (CNN–LSTM) online-transfer setting while keeping the backbone architecture and fixed input length unchanged. The proposed method restricts online updates to a small adaptation path and adjusts the effective history span according to recent degradation behavior. Experiments on 22 test cells under unseen protocols show that the method improves average post-adaptation RUL performance relative to the representative baseline, reducing the root mean square error (RMSE) from 186.00 to 160.58. The number of trainable parameters involved in online updating is reduced from 74,880 to 2,193, while the average update time per step decreases slightly from 2.54 s to 2.29 s. Cell-level analysis further shows that the benefit is not uniform across all cells, motivating more selective updating for safer deployment. Overall, the results indicate that lightweight online personalization can improve the accuracy–cost trade-off of deployment-oriented battery prognostics.

Abstract: The traditional scalar representation of the friction coefficient has long been challenged by the orthogo-nal orientation of frictional force (F) and normal force (N), which violates basic orientational laws of physics. As early as 1972, Hart [1] first proposed that the friction coefficient should be a second-order tensor, but his work lacked a rigorous mathematical formulation of the tensor components and failed to reveal its non-symmetric naturekey limitations that prevented broader acceptance. Here, we address these critical gaps by deriving the explicit form of the friction coefficient tensor via tensor algebra, dimensional analysis, and orientational constraints. We show that the friction coefficient tensor is given by µ = N⁻²F ⊗ N (where N = ∥N∥) with non-symmetric components µij = N⁻²Fi Nj, and verify its compatibility with friction shear stress (also a second-order tensor). This formulation resolves the orientational inconsistency of Amontons-Coulomb’s law and provides a quantitative framework to describe anisotropic frictional behavior, which is essential for applications ranging from nanotribology to seismic engineering. Our work not only completes Hart’s pioneering but incomplete hypothesis but also establishes a physically sound foundation for the tensorial description of friction.

Abstract: This study presents the numerical simulation of thermoacoustic (TA) wave propagation in time domain using the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) method, along with a comparative analysis against the k-Space pseudospectral method (k-Wave). A physically realistic thermoacoustic source is modeled using a Gaussian initial pressure distribution, and the resulting pressure signals are recorded using a point sensor. The numerical results obtained from both methods show excellent agreement for different grid resolutions when a fixed Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy (CFL) number is maintained. However, discrepancies arise when different CFL numbers are used for varying grid resolutions, leading to mismatched signal responses. Further investigations are conducted using various realistic source configurations, including circular (disk), Chebyshev polynomial based ($1^{st}$ order), and asymmetric (rock-like) shapes. The corresponding time domain signals and frequency spectra are analyzed using both FDTD and k-space methods. It is observed that the two methods exhibit strong agreement in the low frequency regime, while noticeable deviations occur at higher frequencies. Further the study highlights the limitations associated with binary image based sources. Sharpe discontinuities at the edges introduces non-physical high frequency components, resulting in spurious oscillations and degraded signal quality. A multi sensor configuration is utilized to analyze the signals at different locations.

Abstract: High-intensity, repetitive exercise induces metabolic stress and neuromuscular fatigue in skeletal muscle. Muscle fatigue involves both peripheral and central mechanisms, impairing contractile function and increasing pain perception, thereby compromising athletic performance and elevating injury risk. Using a repeated-measures crossover design, eight male amateur swimmers completed five experimental sessions at one-week intervals. Following an isokinetic fatigue protocol, five recovery interventions were applied in randomized order: control, foam roller (FR), vibration foam roller (VFR), whole-body vibration at 12 Hz (WBV-12), and 20 Hz (WBV-20). Outcome measures included visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, blood lactate concentration, and knee extensor peak torque assessed at three time points. Significant main effects of recovery method were observed for VAS scores (F = 2.892, p = .036, η² = 0.248), blood lactate (F = 2.937, p = .034, η² = 0.251), and peak torque (p < .05). Active recovery interventions, particularly vibration-based modalities, were more effective than passive rest. WBV-20 demonstrated the most consistent recovery effects, suggesting its potential as an effective post-exercise recovery strategy.

Abstract: We develop a unified theoretical framework for thin-film hydrodynamics on inclined 14 solid substrates, integrating capillarity, intermolecular forces, gravitational symmetry 15 breaking, confined transport, and stochastic wetting into a single formulation. Starting 16 from lubrication theory with capillary curvature and disjoining-pressure interactions, we 17 obtain a general thin-film equation that incorporates inclination-driven advection, na- 18 noscale stabilization, and humidity-controlled source–sink fluxes. A dimensionless anal- 19 ysis shows that, within the long-wave lubrication approximation, inclination induces a 20 leading-order coupling among the Bond, Péclet, and Damköhler numbers. This coupling 21 defines a characteristic inclination-parameterized trajectory Γ(θ) in the (Bo, Pe, Da) space: 22 material parameters set the system’s position along this curve, while the geometric con- 23 straint governs the ordering of hydrodynamic, transport, and confinement regimes. We 24 further derive quantitative crossover criteria associated with transport transitions (Pe ≃ 25 1) and reactive-confinement loss (Da ≃ 1), providing explicit regime boundaries that can 26 be evaluated for representative parameter ranges. A representative parameterization of 27 an ultrathin atmospheric electrolyte film is then used to make these crossovers explicit, 28 yielding illustrative inclination thresholds for the onset of transport reorganization and 29 reactive-confinement loss. 30 Coupling the deterministic structure to a minimal stochastic closure captures intermittent 31 wet–dry dynamics under environmental forcing. In this closure, inclination selectively ac- 32 celerates the drying pathway through the drainage time (and thus λdry), while re-wetting 33 remains primarily humidity-controlled, providing a leading-order basis for wet-state per- 34 sistence and time-of-wetness versus θ. The resulting framework provides a general phys- 35 ical description of confined films under geometric asymmetry, relevant to wetting, inter- 36 facial drainage, confined transport, and thin-film systems in which symmetry breaking 37 and coupled interfacial–transport processes coexist across scales.

Abstract: Flexible textile membranes were prepared by impregnating woven cotton fabrics with silicone-oil (SO)-based suspensions containing carbonyl iron (CI) microparticles and iron oxide microfibers (µFe). The microfibers were obtained by a microwave-assisted microplasma process and then co-dispersed with CI in SO. In the final membranes, the CI content was kept constant at Φ_CI = 10 vol.%, whereas the microfiber fraction was 0, 10 and 20 vol.%. The resulting membranes were used as dielectric layers in planar capacitors and examined at 1 kHz under a static magnetic field of up to 150 mT and compressive pressure up to 10 kPa. In every composition, the capacitance rose with increasing magnetic flux density, but both the zero-field capacitance and the field-induced capacitance change became smaller as the microfiber content increased. A monotonic, nearly linear increase in capacitance was also observed under compression over the tested pressure range. Within a simplified parallel-plate and magnetic-stress analysis, the capacitance data were further used to estimate the apparent relative permittivity, together with capacitance-derived indicators of deformation and stiffness. These estimates suggest field-induced stiffening of the membranes and to a higher apparent low-field stiffness at higher microfiber loading. The obtained hybrid CI/µFe microfiber textile membranes can serve as composition-tunable dielectric layers whose electrical response is influenced by both magnetic field and compressive loading, making them relevant for flexible capacitor-based elements.

Abstract: This work investigates the performance improvement of a four-probe ballistic rectifier on bilayer graphene (BLG) through the formation of an energy gap under a perpendicular electric field. For this purpose, exfoliated BLG was deposited on oxidized p+-Si and structured into an asymmetric cross junction with 90 nm wide channels. The junction consists of a straight voltage stem (contacts U,L) and slanted current injectors (contacts 1,2). The differential conductance of the stem, g_UL, as a function of back-gate bias, V_BG, reveals clear indications of energy gap formation and lateral depletion zones at the edges of the channel. The _DC characteristic of the ballistic rectifier, V_UL(I₁₂), shows an increase of the output voltage VUL with increasing V_BG. We attribute this to reduced diffuse scattering at the rough edges when the lateral depletion zones form smooth barriers.

Abstract: Illyrian helmets represent a key element of Iron Age martial culture in the western Bal-kans, reflecting technological knowledge, workshop traditions, and long-distance cultural exchange. Based on the currently available archaeological record, Illyrian helmets are first attested in contexts dating to the 8th-7th centuries BC, with finds concentrated in Greece and the central and western Balkans, including Macedonia, Albania, Dalmatia, and the wider interior. Over time, the form developed into several variants (Types I-IIIB). This study presents the elemental characterization of the total set of 27 Illyrian helmets exca-vated in Albania and currently preserved in local museum collections, a region where the later types are particularly well attested. As the helmets are intact and exhibited in mu-seums, non-destructive micro-XRF analysis was employed. The main research questions addressed how the alloy composition, including minor and trace elements, reflects local metallurgical practices and distinguishes Illyrian helmets from similar helmets in neigh-boring regions. The results indicate the consistent use of bronze alloys dominated by cop-per (89-95.3%) with low tin contents (3.5-9.9%), consistent with established alloying prac-tices for durable protective equipment. Minor and trace elements, including iron (up to 1.5%), lead (up to 0.76%), arsenic (up to 0.09%), zinc (up to 1.17%), and antimony (up to 2.36%), likely reflect metallurgical choices, recycling practices, or impurities linked to re-gional copper deposits. These elemental signatures, particularly the association of arsenic, antimony, zinc, and iron, suggest regional metallurgical characteristics and offer addi-tional insight into Illyrian bronze production, while helping to distinguish these helmets from contemporaneous finds in other parts of the Balkans and Europe.