27,727 research outputs found
Comparative study of semiclassical approaches to quantum dynamics
Quantum states can be described equivalently by density matrices, Wigner
functions or quantum tomograms. We analyze the accuracy and performance of
three related semiclassical approaches to quantum dynamics, in particular with
respect to their numerical implementation. As test cases, we consider the time
evolution of Gaussian wave packets in different one-dimensional geometries,
whereby tunneling, resonance and anharmonicity effects are taken into account.
The results and methods are benchmarked against an exact quantum mechanical
treatment of the system, which is based on a highly efficient Chebyshev
expansion technique of the time evolution operator.Comment: 32 pages, 8 figures, corrected typos and added references; version as
publishe
Entropy production in quantum Yang-Mills mechanics in semi-classical approximation
We discuss thermalization of isolated quantum systems by using the
Husimi-Wehrl entropy evaluated in the semiclassical treatment. The Husimi-Wehrl
entropy is the Wehrl entropy obtained by using the Husimi function for the
phase space distribution. The time evolution of the Husimi function is given by
smearing the Wigner function, whose time evolution is obtained in the
semiclassical approximation. We show the efficiency and usefullness of this
semiclassical treatment in describing entropy production of a couple of quantum
mechanical systems, whose classical counter systems are known to be chaotic. We
propose two methods to evaluate the time evolution of the Husimi-Wehrl entropy,
the test-particle method and the two-step Monte-Carlo method. We demonstrate
the characteristics of the two methods by numerical calculations, and show that
the simultaneous application of the two methods ensures the reliability of the
results of the Husimi-Wehrl entropy at a given time.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figure
Exact reconstruction with directional wavelets on the sphere
A new formalism is derived for the analysis and exact reconstruction of
band-limited signals on the sphere with directional wavelets. It represents an
evolution of the wavelet formalism developed by Antoine & Vandergheynst (1999)
and Wiaux et al. (2005). The translations of the wavelets at any point on the
sphere and their proper rotations are still defined through the continuous
three-dimensional rotations. The dilations of the wavelets are directly defined
in harmonic space through a new kernel dilation, which is a modification of an
existing harmonic dilation. A family of factorized steerable functions with
compact harmonic support which are suitable for this kernel dilation is firstly
identified. A scale discretized wavelet formalism is then derived, relying on
this dilation. The discrete nature of the analysis scales allows the exact
reconstruction of band-limited signals. A corresponding exact multi-resolution
algorithm is finally described and an implementation is tested. The formalism
is of interest notably for the denoising or the deconvolution of signals on the
sphere with a sparse expansion in wavelets. In astrophysics, it finds a
particular application for the identification of localized directional features
in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) data, such as the imprint of
topological defects, in particular cosmic strings, and for their reconstruction
after separation from the other signal components.Comment: 22 pages, 2 figures. Version 2 matches version accepted for
publication in MNRAS. Version 3 (identical to version 2) posted for code
release announcement - "Steerable scale discretised wavelets on the sphere" -
S2DW code available for download at
http://www.mrao.cam.ac.uk/~jdm57/software.htm
Scalar and vector Slepian functions, spherical signal estimation and spectral analysis
It is a well-known fact that mathematical functions that are timelimited (or
spacelimited) cannot be simultaneously bandlimited (in frequency). Yet the
finite precision of measurement and computation unavoidably bandlimits our
observation and modeling scientific data, and we often only have access to, or
are only interested in, a study area that is temporally or spatially bounded.
In the geosciences we may be interested in spectrally modeling a time series
defined only on a certain interval, or we may want to characterize a specific
geographical area observed using an effectively bandlimited measurement device.
It is clear that analyzing and representing scientific data of this kind will
be facilitated if a basis of functions can be found that are "spatiospectrally"
concentrated, i.e. "localized" in both domains at the same time. Here, we give
a theoretical overview of one particular approach to this "concentration"
problem, as originally proposed for time series by Slepian and coworkers, in
the 1960s. We show how this framework leads to practical algorithms and
statistically performant methods for the analysis of signals and their power
spectra in one and two dimensions, and, particularly for applications in the
geosciences, for scalar and vectorial signals defined on the surface of a unit
sphere.Comment: Submitted to the 2nd Edition of the Handbook of Geomathematics,
edited by Willi Freeden, Zuhair M. Nashed and Thomas Sonar, and to be
published by Springer Verlag. This is a slightly modified but expanded
version of the paper arxiv:0909.5368 that appeared in the 1st Edition of the
Handbook, when it was called: Slepian functions and their use in signal
estimation and spectral analysi
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
Molecular modeling for physical property prediction
Multiscale modeling is becoming the standard approach for process study in a broader framework that promotes computer aided integrated product and process design. In addition to usual purity requirements, end products must meet new constraints in terms of environmental impact, safety of goods and people, specific properties. This chapter adresses the use of molecular modeling tools for the prediction of physical property usefull for chemical engineering practice
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