3,450 research outputs found
Optimal transport in competition with reaction: the Hellinger-Kantorovich distance and geodesic curves
We discuss a new notion of distance on the space of finite and nonnegative
measures which can be seen as a generalization of the well-known
Kantorovich-Wasserstein distance. The new distance is based on a dynamical
formulation given by an Onsager operator that is the sum of a Wasserstein
diffusion part and an additional reaction part describing the generation and
absorption of mass.
We present a full characterization of the distance and its properties. In
fact the distance can be equivalently described by an optimal transport problem
on the cone space over the underlying metric space. We give a construction of
geodesic curves and discuss their properties
Invariant higher-order variational problems II
Motivated by applications in computational anatomy, we consider a
second-order problem in the calculus of variations on object manifolds that are
acted upon by Lie groups of smooth invertible transformations. This problem
leads to solution curves known as Riemannian cubics on object manifolds that
are endowed with normal metrics. The prime examples of such object manifolds
are the symmetric spaces. We characterize the class of cubics on object
manifolds that can be lifted horizontally to cubics on the group of
transformations. Conversely, we show that certain types of non-horizontal
geodesics on the group of transformations project to cubics. Finally, we apply
second-order Lagrange--Poincar\'e reduction to the problem of Riemannian cubics
on the group of transformations. This leads to a reduced form of the equations
that reveals the obstruction for the projection of a cubic on a transformation
group to again be a cubic on its object manifold.Comment: 40 pages, 1 figure. First version -- comments welcome
Sampling efficiency of transverse forces in dense liquids
Sampling the Boltzmann distribution using forces that violate detailed
balance can be faster than with the equilibrium evolution, but the acceleration
depends on the nature of the nonequilibrium drive and the physical situation.
Here, we study the efficiency of forces transverse to energy gradients in dense
liquids through a combination of techniques: Brownian dynamics simulations,
exact infinite-dimensional calculation and a mode-coupling approximation. We
find that the sampling speedup varies non-monotonically with temperature, and
decreases as the system becomes more glassy. We characterize the interplay
between the distance to equilibrium and the efficiency of transverse forces by
means of odd transport coefficients
Quantum Thermodynamics
Quantum thermodynamics is an emerging research field aiming to extend
standard thermodynamics and non-equilibrium statistical physics to ensembles of
sizes well below the thermodynamic limit, in non-equilibrium situations, and
with the full inclusion of quantum effects. Fuelled by experimental advances
and the potential of future nanoscale applications this research effort is
pursued by scientists with different backgrounds, including statistical
physics, many-body theory, mesoscopic physics and quantum information theory,
who bring various tools and methods to the field. A multitude of theoretical
questions are being addressed ranging from issues of thermalisation of quantum
systems and various definitions of "work", to the efficiency and power of
quantum engines. This overview provides a perspective on a selection of these
current trends accessible to postgraduate students and researchers alike.Comment: 48 pages, improved and expanded several sections. Comments welcom
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