255 research outputs found
Simple observations concerning black holes and probability
It is argued that black holes and the limit distributions of probability
theory share several properties when their entropy and information content are
compared. In particular the no-hair theorem, the entropy maximization and
holographic bound, and the quantization of entropy of black holes have their
respective analogues for stable limit distributions. This observation suggests
that the central limit theorem can play a fundamental role in black hole
statistical mechanics and in a possibly emergent nature of gravity.Comment: 6 pages Latex, final version. Essay awarded "Honorable Mention" in
the Gravity Research Foundation 2009 Essay Competitio
Prevalence of marginally unstable periodic orbits in chaotic billiards
The dynamics of chaotic billiards is significantly influenced by coexisting
regions of regular motion. Here we investigate the prevalence of a different
fundamental structure, which is formed by marginally unstable periodic orbits
and stands apart from the regular regions. We show that these structures both
{\it exist} and {\it strongly influence} the dynamics of locally perturbed
billiards, which include a large class of widely studied systems. We
demonstrate the impact of these structures in the quantum regime using
microwave experiments in annular billiards.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure
On quantum microcanonical equilibrium
A quantum microcanonical postulate is proposed as a basis for the equilibrium properties of small quantum systems. Expressions for the corresponding density of states are derived, and are used to establish the existence of phase transitions for finite quantum systems. A grand microcanonical ensemble is introduced, which can be used to obtain new rigorous results in quantum statistical mechanics.Accepted versio
Logarithmic oscillators: ideal Hamiltonian thermostats
A logarithmic oscillator (in short, log-oscillator) behaves like an ideal
thermostat because of its infinite heat capacity: when it weakly couples to
another system, time averages of the system observables agree with ensemble
averages from a Gibbs distribution with a temperature T that is given by the
strength of the logarithmic potential. The resulting equations of motion are
Hamiltonian and may be implemented not only in a computer but also with
real-world experiments, e.g., with cold atoms.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures. v4: version accepted in Phys. Rev. Let
Superaging correlation function and ergodicity breaking for Brownian motion in logarithmic potentials
We consider an overdamped Brownian particle moving in a confining
asymptotically logarithmic potential, which supports a normalized Boltzmann
equilibrium density. We derive analytical expressions for the two-time
correlation function and the fluctuations of the time-averaged position of the
particle for large but finite times. We characterize the occurrence of aging
and nonergodic behavior as a function of the depth of the potential, and
support our predictions with extensive Langevin simulations. While the
Boltzmann measure is used to obtain stationary correlation functions, we show
how the non-normalizable infinite covariant density is related to the
super-aging behavior.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figure
When do generalized entropies apply? How phase space volume determines entropy
We show how the dependence of phase space volume of a classical
system on its size uniquely determines its extensive entropy. We give a
concise criterion when this entropy is not of Boltzmann-Gibbs type but has to
assume a {\em generalized} (non-additive) form. We show that generalized
entropies can only exist when the dynamically (statistically) relevant fraction
of degrees of freedom in the system vanishes in the thermodynamic limit. These
are systems where the bulk of the degrees of freedom is frozen and is
practically statistically inactive. Systems governed by generalized entropies
are therefore systems whose phase space volume effectively collapses to a
lower-dimensional 'surface'. We explicitly illustrate the situation for
binomial processes and argue that generalized entropies could be relevant for
self organized critical systems such as sand piles, for spin systems which form
meta-structures such as vortices, domains, instantons, etc., and for problems
associated with anomalous diffusion.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure
Entropy and density of states from isoenergetic nonequilibrium processes
Two identities in statistical mechanics involving entropy differences (or
ratios of density of states) at constant energy are derived. The first provides
a nontrivial extension of the Jarzynski equality to the microcanonical ensemble
[C. Jarzynski, Phys. Rev. Lett. 78, 2690 (1997)], which can be seen as a
``fast-switching'' version of the adiabatic switching method for computing
entropies [M. Watanabe, W. P. Reinhardt, Phys. Rev. Lett. 65, 3301 (1990)]. The
second is a thermodynamic integration formula analogous to a well-known
expression for free energies, and follows after taking the quasistatic limit of
the first. Both identities can be conveniently used in conjunction with a
scaling relation (herein derived) that allows one to extrapolate measurements
taken at a single energy to a wide range of energy values. Practical aspects of
these identities in the context of numerical simulations are discussed.Comment: 5 pages, no figure
Foundation of Statistical Mechanics under experimentally realistic conditions
We demonstrate the equilibration of isolated macroscopic quantum systems,
prepared in non-equilibrium mixed states with significant population of many
energy levels, and observed by instruments with a reasonably bound working
range compared to the resolution limit. Both properties are fulfilled under
many, if not all, experimentally realistic conditions. At equilibrium, the
predictions and limitations of Statistical Mechanics are recovered.Comment: Accepted in Phys. Rev. Let
Lubricated friction between incommensurate substrates
This paper is part of a study of the frictional dynamics of a confined solid
lubricant film - modelled as a one-dimensional chain of interacting particles
confined between two ideally incommensurate substrates, one of which is driven
relative to the other through an attached spring moving at constant velocity.
This model system is characterized by three inherent length scales; depending
on the precise choice of incommensurability among them it displays a strikingly
different tribological behavior. Contrary to two length-scale systems such as
the standard Frenkel-Kontorova (FK) model, for large chain stiffness one finds
that here the most favorable (lowest friction) sliding regime is achieved by
chain-substrate incommensurabilities belonging to the class of non-quadratic
irrational numbers (e.g., the spiral mean). The well-known golden mean
(quadratic) incommensurability which slides best in the standard FK model shows
instead higher kinetic-friction values. The underlying reason lies in the
pinning properties of the lattice of solitons formed by the chain with the
substrate having the closest periodicity, with the other slider.Comment: 14 pagine latex - elsart, including 4 figures, submitted to Tribology
Internationa
Relative Entropy: Free Energy Associated with Equilibrium Fluctuations and Nonequilibrium Deviations
Using a one-dimensional macromolecule in aqueous solution as an illustration,
we demonstrate that the relative entropy from information theory, , has a natural role in the energetics of equilibrium and
nonequilibrium conformational fluctuations of the single molecule. It is
identified as the free energy difference associated with a fluctuating density
in equilibrium, and is associated with the distribution deviate from the
equilibrium in nonequilibrium relaxation. This result can be generalized to any
other isothermal macromolecular systems using the mathematical theories of
large deviations and Markov processes, and at the same time provides the
well-known mathematical results with an interesting physical interpretations.Comment: 5 page
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