J. Mason

Bio: J. Mason is an academic researcher from Birkbeck, University of London. The author has contributed to research in topics: Atomic packing factor & Random close pack. The author has an hindex of 2, co-authored 2 publications receiving 883 citations.

The Rock Physics Handbook: Tools for Seismic Analysis of Porous Media

Abstract: Preface 1. Basic tools 2. Elasticity and Hooke's law 3. Seismic wave propagation 4. Effective media 5. Granular media 6. Fluid effects on wave propagation 7. Empirical relations 8. Flow and diffusion 9. Electrical properties Appendices.

Under what conditions can a glass be formed

Abstract: Summary Generally substances are more stable in a crystalline than in a glassy state. Therefore, to form a glass, crystallization must be bypassed. Under certain conditions, the melts of many substances can be cooled to the glass state. Whether or not the melt of a given material forms a glass is determined principally by a set of factors which can be specified to some extent in the laboratory, namely, the cooling rate, - T, the liquid volume, v], and the seed density, ps and upon a set of materials constants: the reduced crystal–liquid interfacial tension, α the fraction, f, of acceptor sites in the crystal surface, and the reduced glass temperature, Trg . The glass-forming tendency will be greater the larger are - T and Trg and the smaller are v]. ps, and f. The number and variety of substances which have been prepared in a glassy or ‘amorphous solid’ form have been greatly increased with techniques in which the material is condensed from solution on to a surface held well below its glass temperature. T...

Phase behaviour of concentrated suspensions of nearly hard colloidal spheres

Abstract: Suspensions of spherical colloidal particles in a liquid show a fascinating variety of phase behaviour which can mimic that of simple atomic liquids and solids. ‘Colloidal fluids’1–4, in which there are significant short-range correlations between the positions of neighbouring particles, and ‘colloidal crystals’5–7, which have long-range spatial order, have been investigated extensively. We report here a detailed study of the phase diagram of suspensions of colloidal spheres which interact through a steep repulsive potential. With increasing particle concentration we observed a progression from colloidal fluid, to fluid and crystal phases in coexistence, to fully crystallized samples. At the highest concentrations we obtained very viscous samples in which full crystallization had not occurred after several months and in which the particles appeared to be arranged as an amorphous ‘colloidal glass’. The empirical phase diagram can be reproduced reasonably well by an effective hard-sphere model. The observation of the colloidal glass phase is interesting both in itself and because of possible relevance to the manufacture of high-strength ceramics8.

Theoretical perspective on the glass transition and amorphous materials

Abstract: A theoretical perspective is provided on the glass transition in molecular liquids at thermal equilibrium, on the spatially heterogeneous and aging dynamics of disordered materials, and on the rheology of soft glassy materials. We start with a broad introduction to the field and emphasize its connections with other subjects and its relevance. The important role played by computer simulations in studying and understanding the dynamics of systems close to the glass transition at the molecular level is given. The recent progress on the subject of the spatially heterogeneous dynamics that characterizes structural relaxation in materials with slow dynamics is reviewed. The main theoretical approaches are presented describing the glass transition in supercooled liquids, focusing on theories that have a microscopic, statistical mechanics basis. We describe both successes and failures and critically assess the current status of each of these approaches. The physics of aging dynamics in disordered materials and the rheology of soft glassy materials are then discussed, and recent theoretical progress is described. For each section, an extensive overview is given of the most recent advances, but we also describe in some detail the important open problems that will occupy a central place in this field in the coming years.

The Rock Physics Handbook

Abstract: Responding to the latest developments in rock physics research, this popular reference book has been thoroughly updated while retaining its comprehensive coverage of the fundamental theory, concepts, and laboratory results. It brings together the vast literature from the field to address the relationships between geophysical observations and the underlying physical properties of Earth materials - including water, hydrocarbons, gases, minerals, rocks, ice, magma and methane hydrates. This third edition includes expanded coverage of topics such as effective medium models, viscoelasticity, attenuation, anisotropy, electrical-elastic cross relations, and highlights applications in unconventional reservoirs. Appendices have been enhanced with new materials and properties, while worked examples (supplemented by online datasets and MATLAB® codes) enable readers to implement the workflows and models in practice. This significantly revised edition will continue to be the go-to reference for students and researchers interested in rock physics, near-surface geophysics, seismology, and professionals in the oil and gas industries.