[1] Tsunami earthquakes, shallow events that produce larger tsunamis than expected given their surface wave magnitudes (Ms), typically have long durations and a source spectrum depleted in short period energy. Seven cases of underthrusting tsunami earthquakes provide information on the rupture processes, but little constraint on geographic distribution or frequency. We compare their rupture cha...

*Correspondence: [email protected] 1Laboratoire de Physique, Université de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CNRS, 46 Allée d’Italie, 69007 Lyon, France Abstract We report on an experimental device that makes it possible to assess the frictional properties of the contact between a slider and a horizontal surface, and to study the resulting trajectories of the slider whe...

Micro-/nanoelectromechanical systems demand robust ultrathin films for lubrication. As they can drastically modify the frictional properties of surfaces, few nanometers thick self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) constitute accepted candidates as boundary lubricants. Their high stability and easy preparation make them attractive also for low cost applications. Given their high order, organosulfur SA...

The dry frictional contact between two solid surfaces is well known to obey Coulomb friction laws. In particular, the static friction force resisting the relative lateral (tangential) motion of solid surfaces, initially at rest, is known to be proportional to the normal force and independent of the area of the macroscopic surfaces in contact. Experimentally, the static friction force has been o...

The surface structure and chemistry of polymers affect their functionality for a great range of applications in areas as diverse as biosensors, corrosion protection, semiconductor processing, biofouling, tissue engineering and biomaterials technology. Some of those applications require purposeful tailoring of laterally differentiated regions (e.g., array structures for multi-channel/multi-analy...

The physicochemical properties of bovine prothrombin and of bovine thrombin were previously described in this journal (1, 2). A derivative of bovine prothrombin, autoprothrombin II, has now been obtained in sufficient quality and quantity for study. In this report we describe some of the physicochemical properties of our product, including sedimentation coefficient, diffusion coefficient, intri...

Seismological observations show that many destructive earthquakes nucleate within, or propagate through, thick sequences of carbonates and evaporites. For example, along the Apennines range (Italy) carbonate and evaporite sequences are present at hypocentral depths for recent major earthquakes (5.0oMwo6.3). However, little is known about the frictional properties of these rocks, which are domin...

The dynamic interplay between static and sliding friction is fundamental to many animal movements. One interesting example of stick-slip friction is found in the sound-producing apparatus of many spiny lobster species (Palinuridae). The acoustic movements of the spiny lobster's plectrum over the file are generated by stick-slip friction between the two surfaces. We examined the microscopic anat...

Nanoscale carbon lubricants such as graphene, have garnered increased interest as protective surface coatings for devices, but its tribological properties have been shown to depend on its interactions with the underlying substrate surface and its degree of surface conformity. This conformity is especially of interest as real interfaces exhibit roughness on the order of ∼10 nm that can dramatica...

Orthodontic forces for sliding tooth movement during space closure are applied at a distance from the centre of resistance of the teeth. For this reason, the teeth will tip until contacts are established between the archwire and diagonally opposite corners of the bracket wings. They will also rotate until the wire contacts opposite corners of the ligature tie or the buccal shield with self-liga...