592 research outputs found
Geometry of the ergodic quotient reveals coherent structures in flows
Dynamical systems that exhibit diverse behaviors can rarely be completely
understood using a single approach. However, by identifying coherent structures
in their state spaces, i.e., regions of uniform and simpler behavior, we could
hope to study each of the structures separately and then form the understanding
of the system as a whole. The method we present in this paper uses trajectory
averages of scalar functions on the state space to: (a) identify invariant sets
in the state space, (b) form coherent structures by aggregating invariant sets
that are similar across multiple spatial scales. First, we construct the
ergodic quotient, the object obtained by mapping trajectories to the space of
trajectory averages of a function basis on the state space. Second, we endow
the ergodic quotient with a metric structure that successfully captures how
similar the invariant sets are in the state space. Finally, we parametrize the
ergodic quotient using intrinsic diffusion modes on it. By segmenting the
ergodic quotient based on the diffusion modes, we extract coherent features in
the state space of the dynamical system. The algorithm is validated by
analyzing the Arnold-Beltrami-Childress flow, which was the test-bed for
alternative approaches: the Ulam's approximation of the transfer operator and
the computation of Lagrangian Coherent Structures. Furthermore, we explain how
the method extends the Poincar\'e map analysis for periodic flows. As a
demonstration, we apply the method to a periodically-driven three-dimensional
Hill's vortex flow, discovering unknown coherent structures in its state space.
In the end, we discuss differences between the ergodic quotient and
alternatives, propose a generalization to analysis of (quasi-)periodic
structures, and lay out future research directions.Comment: Submitted to Elsevier Physica D: Nonlinear Phenomen
Global aspects of the renormalization group and the Hierarchy problem
The discovery of the Higgs boson by the ATLAS and CMS collaborations allowed
us to precisely determine its mass being 125.09 0.24GeV. This value is
intriguing as it lies at the frontier between the regions of stability and
meta-stability of the standard model vacuum. It is known that the hierarchy
problem can be interpreted in terms of the near criticality between the two
phases. The coefficient of the Higgs bilinear in the scalar potential, ,
is pushed by quantum corrections away from zero, towards the extremes of the
interval where is the Planck mass. In this
article, I show that demanding topological invariance for the renormalisation
group allows us to extend the beta functions such that the particular value of
the Higgs mass parameter observed in our universe regains naturalness. In
holographic terms, invariance to changes of topology in the bulk is dual to a
natural large hierarchy in the boundary quantum field theory. The demand of
invariance to topology changes in the bulk appears to be strongly tied to the
invariance of string theory to T-duality in the presence of H-fluxes.Comment: arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1407.4574, (ref. [20] in
manuscript, author note), arXiv:hep-th/9504148, (ref. [14] in manuscript,
author note) by other author
Computational Method for Phase Space Transport with Applications to Lobe Dynamics and Rate of Escape
Lobe dynamics and escape from a potential well are general frameworks
introduced to study phase space transport in chaotic dynamical systems. While
the former approach studies how regions of phase space are transported by
reducing the flow to a two-dimensional map, the latter approach studies the
phase space structures that lead to critical events by crossing periodic orbit
around saddles. Both of these frameworks require computation with curves
represented by millions of points-computing intersection points between these
curves and area bounded by the segments of these curves-for quantifying the
transport and escape rate. We present a theory for computing these intersection
points and the area bounded between the segments of these curves based on a
classification of the intersection points using equivalence class. We also
present an alternate theory for curves with nontransverse intersections and a
method to increase the density of points on the curves for locating the
intersection points accurately.The numerical implementation of the theory
presented herein is available as an open source software called Lober. We used
this package to demonstrate the application of the theory to lobe dynamics that
arises in fluid mechanics, and rate of escape from a potential well that arises
in ship dynamics.Comment: 33 pages, 17 figure
Spectral, Combinatorial, and Probabilistic Methods in Analyzing and Visualizing Vector Fields and Their Associated Flows
In this thesis, we introduce several tools, each coming from a different branch of mathematics, for analyzing real vector fields and their associated flows.
Beginning with a discussion about generalized vector field decompositions, that mainly have been derived from the classical Helmholtz-Hodge-decomposition, we decompose a field into a kernel and a rest respectively to an arbitrary vector-valued linear differential operator that allows us to construct decompositions of either toroidal flows or flows obeying differential equations of second (or even fractional) order and a rest. The algorithm is based on the fast Fourier transform and guarantees a rapid processing and an implementation that can be directly derived from the spectral simplifications concerning differentiation used in mathematics.
Moreover, we present two combinatorial methods to process 3D steady vector fields, which both use
graph algorithms to extract features from the underlying vector field. Combinatorial approaches are known to be less sensitive to noise than extracting individual trajectories. Both of the methods are extensions of an existing 2D technique to 3D fields.
We observed that the first technique can generate overly coarse results and therefore we present a second method that works using the same concepts but produces more detailed results. Finally, we discuss several possibilities for categorizing the invariant sets with respect to the flow.
Existing methods for analyzing separation of streamlines are often restricted to a finite time or a local area. In the frame of this work, we introduce a new method that complements them by allowing an infinite-time-evaluation of steady planar vector fields. Our algorithm unifies combinatorial and probabilistic methods and introduces the concept of separation in time-discrete Markov chains. We compute particle distributions instead of the streamlines of single particles. We encode the flow into a map and then into a transition matrix for each time direction. Finally, we compare the results of our grid-independent algorithm to the popular Finite-Time-Lyapunov-Exponents and discuss the discrepancies.
Gauss\'' theorem, which relates the flow through a surface to the vector field inside the surface, is an important tool in flow visualization. We are exploiting the fact that the theorem can be further refined on polygonal cells and construct a process that encodes the particle movement through the boundary facets of these cells using transition matrices. By pure power iteration of transition matrices, various topological features, such as separation and invariant sets, can be extracted without having to rely on the classical techniques, e.g., interpolation, differentiation and numerical streamline integration
Gravitating discs around black holes
Fluid discs and tori around black holes are discussed within different
approaches and with the emphasis on the role of disc gravity. First reviewed
are the prospects of investigating the gravitational field of a black
hole--disc system by analytical solutions of stationary, axially symmetric
Einstein's equations. Then, more detailed considerations are focused to middle
and outer parts of extended disc-like configurations where relativistic effects
are small and the Newtonian description is adequate.
Within general relativity, only a static case has been analysed in detail.
Results are often very inspiring, however, simplifying assumptions must be
imposed: ad hoc profiles of the disc density are commonly assumed and the
effects of frame-dragging and completely lacking. Astrophysical discs (e.g.
accretion discs in active galactic nuclei) typically extend far beyond the
relativistic domain and are fairly diluted. However, self-gravity is still
essential for their structure and evolution, as well as for their radiation
emission and the impact on the environment around. For example, a nuclear star
cluster in a galactic centre may bear various imprints of mutual star--disc
interactions, which can be recognised in observational properties, such as the
relation between the central mass and stellar velocity dispersion.Comment: Accepted for publication in CQG; high-resolution figures will be
available from http://www.iop.org/EJ/journal/CQ
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