Randall=0APlease don't go away! This group gets to stand on the shoulders o=
f several giants! I read with great interest everything you write. I often =
don't quite understand some of your topics, but this is how I learn.=0AKeep=
 up the good work.=0APete Rowe=0A=C2=A0San Jose=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A_____________=
___________________=0AFrom: Randall Peters =0ATo: "'p=
snlist@..............." =0ASent: Monday, August 15,=
 2011 6:27 AM=0ASubject: mesoanelastic complexity=0A=0A=0ABrett,=0A=C2=A0=
=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Thanks for the encouragement of your latest submis=
sion to the list-serve.=C2=A0 I will be glad to exchange ideas with you on =
the matter of internal friction that derives from defect structures in spri=
ngs.=C2=A0 I could write a book on the subject, but as you note=E2=80=94mos=
t of our readers would probably not want that degree of detail. =C2=A0It=E2=
=80=99s like my daughters, who in their student days used to say, =E2=80=9C=
Dad we didn=E2=80=99t want that much answer to the question=E2=80=9D.=C2=A0=
 =C2=A0I would nevertheless like to point out the following to everyone.=C2=
=A0 As a physicist, I was trained (in characteristic fashion) to =E2=80=98h=
it problems head-on=E2=80=99.=C2=A0 I have several times through the years =
been at gatherings (not involving me directly) in which one might think tha=
t a =E2=80=98knock-down drag out=E2=80=99 fight was about to erupt.=C2=A0 A=
ctually, =E2=80=98after the dust settled=E2=80=99, those who had =E2=80=98l=
ocked horns=E2=80=99 were once again engaged in friendly fashion, of the ty=
pe that characterized their relationship
 before the head-banging.=C2=A0 It=E2=80=99s just the modus operandus in wh=
ich we in my profession have practiced their trade for many generations. =
=C2=A0Before some personal encounters in which my need for diplomacy was de=
monstrated to be seriously deficient, I didn=E2=80=99t appreciate how this =
practice is alien to most other disciplines, such as seismology. =C2=A0=0A=
=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0I also want to point out how much I have pers=
onally enjoyed and benefitted as the recipient of feedback from you list-se=
rve folks in general.=C2=A0 The most important recent example is that which=
 resulted in the partnership I enjoy with Larry Cochrane, involving the Vol=
ksMeter.=C2=A0 But recently Chuck Burch and Randy Pratt gave me practical h=
elp with the Hilbert transform=E2=80=94which I should have been exposed to =
years ago (since my undergraduate degree was in engineering)=E2=80=94but I =
had never heard about.=C2=A0 As the result of their recommendations, the Hi=
lbert transform is now part of the Mathematica software that I use to gener=
ate frequency domain information, as part of the grant that I=E2=80=99m wor=
king with two medical colleagues (NIH support to do 3-axis seismocardiograp=
hy).=C2=A0 And finally I want to mention the friendship that I enjoy with C=
hris Chapman, who recommended to me the lecture that I gave on the present =
subject, to the physics department at the
 University of Glasgow, several years ago.=C2=A0 All of us are so glad, Chr=
is, to see you back (almost now on all =E2=80=98cylinders=E2=80=99) followi=
ng your terrifying health crisis.=C2=A0 I never would have met Chris, and b=
een hosted in fine manner by him there in England before going to Scotland=
=E2=80=94were it not for this group of =E2=80=98rank amateurs=E2=80=99.=C2=
=A0 Moreover, I would never have encountered your true greatness, that is i=
mpacting even the professional world=E2=80=94were it not for the recommenda=
tion given to me by one of my physics department colleagues at Mercer Unive=
rsity.=C2=A0 Years ago, because of the resistance to my work (not just seis=
mology, but also from some parts of physics), Matt Marone recommended that =
I begin to interact with folks like yourselves.=C2=A0 =0A=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=
=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0These examples speak to the dramatic positive benefit tha=
t I have enjoyed, of doing =E2=80=98honest to goodness=E2=80=99 interdiscip=
linary research, as opposed to giving the concept =E2=80=98lip service=E2=
=80=99, as is so now widespread in academic circles.=C2=A0 To do so, one mu=
st =E2=80=98swallow the pride=E2=80=99 that so often operates around the =
=E2=80=98not invented here syndrome=E2=80=99. =0A=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=
=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0One thing I have come painfully to recognize, =E2=80=9Cit=
=E2=80=99s not so much what you know, but who you know=E2=80=9D when it com=
es to getting your ideas =E2=80=98out there=E2=80=99.=C2=A0 I would have ma=
de little progress with my most important specialty, were it not for the in=
ternet.=C2=A0 If you type either =E2=80=98nonlinear damping=E2=80=99 or =E2=
=80=98linear damping=E2=80=99 into Google (without the tick marks for a lit=
eral search), you will see that my publications on the subject are ranked v=
ery =E2=80=98high=E2=80=99 on the basis of web-visibility.=C2=A0 This deriv=
es in large measure from the influence of Clarence W. deSilva, Professor of=
 Mechanical Engineering (faculty of Applied Science) at the University of B=
ritish Columbia.=C2=A0 That he gave me =E2=80=98carte blanche=E2=80=99 libe=
rty to write two chapters on the subject for two of his now well known engi=
neering reference books=E2=80=94was a source of great personal satisfaction=
, for the following reason.=C2=A0 Clarence holds two PhD=E2=80=99s, one in =
Mechanical Engineering (Dynamic
 System Control) from MIT, and the other in Information Engineering from th=
e University of Cambridge in England.=C2=A0 Considering the stature of both=
 these institutions, I think his opinions on the subject are worthy of note=
.. =0A=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0Then there is my invit=
ed article, titled =E2=80=9CFriction at the mesoscale=E2=80=9D that was pub=
lished in Contemporary Physics (by Taylor and Francis, Ltd, London).=C2=A0 =
This paper would never have been possible were it not for my chance meeting=
 years ago at Texas Tech University, of one of the highly esteemed leaders =
of the laser physics world (Peter Milonni).=C2=A0 More recently, Peter even=
 assisted (me and a mechanical engineering Mercer faculty colleague, Loren =
Somner) in the better writing of a paper titled =E2=80=9CIntuitive derivati=
on of Reynolds Number=E2=80=9D=C2=A0 (a now popular to the internet paper t=
hat was deemed by a referee as =E2=80=98worthless=E2=80=99).=C2=A0 I mentio=
n these matters because of the peculiar scientific place in which we find o=
urselves, here in the beginnings of the 21st century.=C2=A0 One might think=
 that new ideas are readily embraced, when in fact my experiences have been=
 just the opposite.=C2=A0 My earliest encounters with this unexpected trend=
 occurred in
 the 1990=E2=80=99s while at TTU, in trying to be promoted to the rank of P=
rofessor.=C2=A0 In my letter of denial, the Dean of our college wrote how =
=E2=80=9Cshe hoped I would be eventually able to say I told you so=E2=80=9D=
=E2=80=94concerning my research in mesodynamics. =0A=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=
=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0I am mystified by the resistance that I continue to me=
et in some circles.=C2=A0 I mention here just two examples, because of thei=
r present relevance to the poor state of science education in this country.=
=C2=A0 A prominent figure in the =E2=80=9CInternational Pendulum Project=E2=
=80=9D, where I was an invited speaker with expenses paid (in Sydney in 200=
2) =E2=80=93 once told me that it was his opinion of science education in t=
he U.S.=C2=A0 =E2=80=93 that =E2=80=9Cit was beyond redemption=E2=80=9D.=C2=
=A0=C2=A0 I took to heart his comments, since this capable individual has t=
raveled extensively in our country, and interacted with some of our best kn=
own educators. =C2=A0=C2=A0Of course my thinking on the matter has been als=
o influenced by the recent education fiasco in Atlanta (cheating scandal in=
 general, not involving just science education) =C2=A0=0A=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=
=C2=A0=C2=A0Recently, I worked with two physics majors at Mercer on a probl=
em which is readily treated theoretically.=C2=A0 =C2=A0It ought to be well =
known to the science and engineering community that the common expression f=
or the tidal force is a first order approximation.=C2=A0 In fact, as we hav=
e demonstrated in our article titled =E2=80=9Casymmetric tidal force=E2=80=
=9D, there is a 5% difference between the zenith and nadir components of th=
e crustal tide due to our Moon=E2=80=99s influence on the earth.=C2=A0 For =
a closer satellite this difference between zenith and nadir components can =
be dramatic.=C2=A0 I figured this paper would be readily published, but in =
fact it was summarily rejected by arxiv=E2=80=94my first occasion to be tre=
ated by them in this manner.=C2=A0 =0A=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0T=
hen there was my paper that derived also from student interactions in the c=
lassroom a year ago, =C2=A0titled =E2=80=9Cinductor phasor subtlety=E2=80=
=9D .=C2=A0 One would think the subtleties of that paper would have been re=
cognized decades ago-- for reason of the great attention given to the Stein=
metz phasor by both the physics world and the electrical engineering world.=
=C2=A0 =0A=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0If you have read this far in =
my =E2=80=98ramblings=E2=80=99, then thanks for your patience with me.=C2=
=A0 And as I said at the start, Brett=E2=80=94I will be glad to talk with y=
ou about some specifics of your questions.=C2=A0 But I think we should do s=
o by means of email between the two of us=E2=80=94unless some others make k=
nown their great interest for us to do otherwise.=C2=A0 And most of all=E2=
=80=94Larry, I would like to know your thinking about the matter.=C2=A0 I d=
on=E2=80=99t want your list serve to get immersed in =E2=80=98politics=E2=
=80=99 that have nothing to do with your mandate for existence.=C2=A0 If yo=
u prefer to make your wishes known, only by way of my Mercer email address,=
 that will be fine.=C2=A0 =0A=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0Thanks to all,=
Randall
Please don't go away! This group gets to stand on the =
shoulders of several giants! I read with great interest everything you writ=
e. I often don't quite understand some of your topics, but this is how I le=
arn.
Keep up the good work.
P=
ete Rowe
 San Jose
<=
/span>

From: =
Randall Peters <PETERS_RD@..........>
To: "'psnlist@..............."
 <psnlist@..............>
Se=
nt: Monday, August 15, 2011 6:27 AM
Subject: mesoanelastic complexity

Brett,
      Thanks for the encouragem=
ent of your latest submission to the list-serve.  I will be glad to ex=
change ideas with you on the matter of internal friction that derives from =
defect structures in springs.  I could write a book on the subject, bu=
t as you note=E2=80=94most of our readers would probably not want that degr=
ee of detail.  It=E2=80=99s like my daughters, who in their student da=
ys used to say, =E2=80=9CDad we didn=E2=80=99t want that much answer to the=
 question=E2=80=9D.   I would nevertheless like to point out the =
following to everyone.  As a physicist, I was trained (in characterist=
ic fashion) to =E2=80=98hit problems head-on=E2=80=99.  I have several=
 times through the years been at gatherings (not involving me directly) in =
which one might think that a =E2=80=98knock-down drag out=E2=80=99 fight wa=
s about to
 erupt.  Actually, =E2=80=98after the dust settled=E2=80=99, those who=
 had =E2=80=98locked horns=E2=80=99 were once again engaged in friendly fas=
hion, of the type that characterized their relationship before the head-ban=
ging.  It=E2=80=99s just the modus operandus in which we in my profess=
ion have practiced their trade for many generations.  Before some pers=
onal encounters in which my need for diplomacy was demonstrated to be serio=
usly deficient, I didn=E2=80=99t appreciate how this practice is alien to m=
ost other disciplines, such as seismology.  
     I also want to point out how=
 much I have personally enjoyed and benefitted as the recipient of feedback=
 from you list-serve folks in general.  The most important recent exam=
ple is that which resulted in the partnership I enjoy with Larry Cochrane, =
involving the VolksMeter.  But recently Chuck Burch and Randy Pratt ga=
ve me practical help with the
 Hilbert transform=E2=80=94which I should have been exposed to years ago (s=
ince my undergraduate degree was in engineering)=E2=80=94but I had never he=
ard about.  As the result of their recommendations, the Hilbert transf=
orm is now part of the Mathematica software that I use to generate frequenc=
y domain information, as part of the grant that I=E2=80=99m working with tw=
o medical colleagues (NIH support to do 3-axis seismocardiography).  A=
nd finally I want to mention the friendship that I enjoy with Chris Chapman=
, who recommended to me the lecture that I gave on the present subject, to =
the physics department at the University of Glasgow, several years ago.&nbs=
p; All of us are so glad, Chris, to see you back (almost now on all =E2=80=
=98cylinders=E2=80=99) following your terrifying health crisis.  I nev=
er would have met Chris, and been hosted in fine manner by him there in Eng=
land before going to Scotland=E2=80=94were it not for this group of =E2=80=
=98rank amateurs=E2=80=99.  Moreover,
 I would never have encountered your true greatness, that is impacting even=
 the professional world=E2=80=94were it not for the recommendation given to=
 me by one of my physics department colleagues at Mercer University.  =
Years ago, because of the resistance to my work (not just seismology, but a=
lso from some parts of physics), Matt Marone recommended that I begin to in=
teract with folks like yourselves.  
      These examples speak to the dr=
amatic positive benefit that I have enjoyed, of doing =E2=80=98honest to go=
odness=E2=80=99 interdisciplinary research, as opposed to giving the concep=
t =E2=80=98lip service=E2=80=99, as is so now widespread in academic circle=
s.  To do so, one must =E2=80=98swallow the pride=E2=80=99 that so oft=
en operates around the =E2=80=98not invented here syndrome=E2=80=99. 
=
      &n=
bsp;One thing I have come painfully to recognize,
 =E2=80=9Cit=E2=80=99s not so much what you know, but who you know=E2=80=9D=
 when it comes to getting your ideas =E2=80=98out there=E2=80=99.  I w=
ould have made little progress with my most important specialty, were it no=
t for the internet.  If you type either =E2=80=98nonlinear damping=E2=
=80=99 or =E2=80=98linear damping=E2=80=99 into Google (without the tick ma=
rks for a literal search), you will see that my publications on the subject=
 are ranked very =E2=80=98high=E2=80=99 on the basis of web-visibility.&nbs=
p; This derives in large measure from the influence of Clarence W. deSilva,=
 Professor of Mechanical Engineering (faculty of Applied Science) at the Un=
iversity of British Columbia.  That he gave me =E2=80=98carte blanche=
=E2=80=99 liberty to write two chapters on the subject for two of his now w=
ell known engineering reference books=E2=80=94was a source of great persona=
l satisfaction, for the following reason.  Clarence holds two PhD=E2=
=80=99s, one in Mechanical Engineering (Dynamic System Control) from MIT, a=
nd the other
 in Information Engineering from the University of Cambridge in England.&nb=
sp; Considering the stature of both these institutions, I think his opinion=
s on the subject are worthy of note. 
        Then there is my invit=
ed article, titled =E2=80=9CFriction at the mesoscale=E2=80=9D that was pub=
lished in Contemporary Physics (by Taylor and Francis, Ltd, London).  =
This paper would never have been possible were it not for my chance meeting=
 years ago at Texas Tech University, of one of the highly esteemed leaders =
of the laser physics world (Peter Milonni).  More recently, Peter even=
 assisted (me and a mechanical engineering Mercer faculty colleague, Loren =
Somner) in the better writing of a paper titled =E2=80=9CIntuitive derivati=
on of Reynolds Number=E2=80=9D  (a now popular to the internet paper t=
hat was deemed by a referee as =E2=80=98worthless=E2=80=99).  I mentio=
n these matters because of the
 peculiar scientific place in which we find ourselves, here in the beginnin=
gs of the 21st century.  One might think that new ideas are=
 readily embraced, when in fact my experiences have been just the opposite.=
  My earliest encounters with this unexpected trend occurred in the 19=
90=E2=80=99s while at TTU, in trying to be promoted to the rank of Professo=
r.  In my letter of denial, the Dean of our college wrote how =E2=80=
=9Cshe hoped I would be eventually able to say I told you so=E2=80=9D=E2=80=
=94concerning my research in mesodynamics. 
       I am mystified by the =
resistance that I continue to meet in some circles.  I mention here ju=
st two examples, because of their present relevance to the poor state of sc=
ience education in this country.  A prominent figure in the =E2=80=9CI=
nternational Pendulum Project=E2=80=9D, where I was an invited speaker with=
 expenses paid (in Sydney in
 2002) =E2=80=93 once told me that it was his opinion of science education =
in the U.S.  =E2=80=93 that =E2=80=9Cit was beyond redemption=E2=80=9D=
..   I took to heart his comments, since this capable individual h=
as traveled extensively in our country, and interacted with some of our bes=
t known educators.   Of course my thinking on the matter has been=
 also influenced by the recent education fiasco in Atlanta (cheating scanda=
l in general, not involving just science education)  
     Recently, I worked=
 with two physics majors at Mercer on a problem which is readily treated th=
eoretically.   It ought to be well known to the science and engin=
eering community that the common expression for the tidal force is a first =
order approximation.  In fact, as we have demonstrated in our article =
titled =E2=80=9Casymmetric tidal force=E2=80=9D, there is a 5% difference b=
etween the zenith and nadir
 components of the crustal tide due to our Moon=E2=80=99s influence on the =
earth.  For a closer satellite this difference between zenith and nadi=
r components can be dramatic.  I figured this paper would be readily p=
ublished, but in fact it was summarily rejected by arxiv=E2=80=94my first o=
ccasion to be treated by them in this manner.  
      Then there was my p=
aper that derived also from student interactions in the classroom a year ag=
o,  titled =E2=80=9Cinductor phasor subtlety=E2=80=9D .  One woul=
d think the subtleties of that paper would have been recognized decades ago=
-- for reason of the great attention given to the Steinmetz phasor by both =
the physics world and the electrical engineering world.  
      If you ha=
ve read this far in my =E2=80=98ramblings=E2=80=99, then thanks for your pa=
tience with me.  And as I
 said at the start, Brett=E2=80=94I will be glad to talk with you about som=
e specifics of your questions.  But I think we should do so by means o=
f email between the two of us=E2=80=94unless some others make known their g=
reat interest for us to do otherwise.  And most of all=E2=80=94Larry, =
I would like to know your thinking about the matter.  I don=E2=80=99t =
want your list serve to get immersed in =E2=80=98politics=E2=80=99 that hav=
e nothing to do with your mandate for existence.  If you prefer to mak=
e your wishes known, only by way of my Mercer email address, that will be f=
ine.  
   &nb=
sp; Thanks to all,
  
      Ran=