Quantum quenches in a spinor condensate

We discuss the ordering of a spin-1 condensate when quenched from its paramagnetic phase to its ferromagnetic phase by reducing magnetic field. We first elucidate the nature of the equilibrium quantum phase transition. Quenching rapidly through this transition reveals XY ordering either at a specific wavevector, or the `light-cone' correlations familiar from relativistic theories, depending on the endpoint of the quench. For a quench proceeding at a finite rate the ordering scale is governed by the Kibble-Zurek mechanism. The creation of vortices through growth of the magnetization fluctuations is also discussed. The long time dynamics again depends on the endpoint, conserving the order parameter in zero field, but not at finite field, with differing exponents for the coarsening of magnetic order. The results are discussed in the light of a recent experiment by Sadler \emph{et al.}Comment: Published versio

Long wavelength spin dynamics of ferromagnetic condensates

We obtain the equations of motion for a ferromagnetic Bose condensate of arbitrary spin in the long wavelength limit. We find that the magnetization of the condensate is described by a non-trivial modification of the Landau-Lifshitz equation, in which the magnetization is advected by the superfluid velocity. This hydrodynamic description, valid when the condensate wavefunction varies on scales much longer than either the density or spin healing lengths, is physically more transparent than the corresponding time-dependent Gross-Pitaevskii equation. We discuss the conservation laws of the theory and its application to the analysis of the stability of magnetic helices and Larmor precession. Precessional instabilities in particular provide a novel physical signature of dipolar forces. Finally, we discuss the anisotropic spin wave instability observed in the recent experiment of Vengalattore et. al. (Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 170403, (2008)).Comment: arXiv version contains additional Section V relevant to the experiment of Vengalattore et. al. (Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 170403, (2008)

Low energy dynamics of spinor condensates

We present a derivation of the low energy Lagrangian governing the dynamics of the spin degrees of freedom in a spinor Bose condensate, for any phase in which the average magnetization vanishes. This includes all phases found within mean-field treatments except for the ferromagnet, for which the low energy dynamics has been discussed previously. The Lagrangian takes the form of a sigma model for the rotation matrix describing the local orientation of the spin state of the gas

FORMATION OF SLOW-REACTING SUBSTANCE OF ANAPHYLAXIS IN HUMAN LUNG TISSUE AND CELLS BEFORE RELEASE

The capacity to extract slow-reacting substance of anaphylaxis (SRS-A) from human lung tissue or cells after immunologic activation, together with the measurement of SRS-A in both the extract and the surrounding fluid, permits study of total SRS-A generation. That the material extracted is SRS-A was established by both differential bioassay and purification. SRS-A accumulation was entirely intracellular after limited IgE-dependent direct or reversed anaphylactic activation. Intracellular accumulation also generally preceded release, with generation of SRS-A continuing well beyond a plateau in the cellular SRS-A level and the release of preformed mediators. The quantity of SRS-A generated after immunologic activation was modulated by the introduction of exogenous cyclic nucleotides, revealing a site of cyclic nucleotide action distinct from that on mediator release. The capacity to determine not only the release of preformed mediators but also the generation of a newly formed mediator, the sum of SRS-A in cells and supernate, adds an additional dimension to the analysis of the cellular events of immediate hypersensitivity

Nonequilibrium theory of Coulomb blockade in open quantum dots

We develop a non-equilibrium theory to describe weak Coulomb blockade effects in open quantum dots. Working within the bosonized description of electrons in the point contacts, we expose deficiencies in earlier applications of this method, and address them using a 1/N expansion in the inverse number of channels. At leading order this yields the self-consistent potential for the charging interaction. Coulomb blockade effects arise as quantum corrections to transport at the next order. Our approach unifies the phase functional and bosonization approaches to the problem, as well as providing a simple picture for the conductance corrections in terms of renormalization of the dot's elastic scattering matrix, which is obtained also by elementary perturbation theory. For the case of ideal contacts, a symmetry argument immediately allows us to conclude that interactions give no signature in the averaged conductance. Non-equilibrium applications to the pumped current in a quantum pump are worked out in detail.Comment: Published versio

Gaussian excitations model for glass-former dynamics and thermodynamics

We describe a model for the thermodynamics and dynamics of glass-forming liquids in terms of excitations from an ideal glass state to a Gaussian manifold of configurationally excited states. The quantitative fit of this three parameter model to the experimental data on excess entropy and heat capacity shows that ``fragile'' behavior, indicated by a sharply rising excess heat capacity as the glass transition is approached from above, occurs in anticipation of a first-order transition -- usually hidden below the glass transition -- to a ``strong'' liquid state of low excess entropy. The dynamic model relates relaxation to a hierarchical sequence of excitation events each involving the probability of accumulating sufficient kinetic energy on a separate excitable unit. Super-Arrhenius behavior of the relaxation rates, and the known correlation of kinetic with thermodynamic fragility, both follow from the way the rugged landscape induces fluctuations in the partitioning of energy between vibrational and configurational manifolds. A relation is derived in which the configurational heat capacity, rather than the configurational entropy of the Adam Gibbs equation, controls the temperature dependence of the relaxation times, and this gives a comparable account of the experimental observations.Comment: 21 pp., 17 fig

Predicting First Traversal Times for Virions and Nanoparticles in Mucus with Slowed Diffusion

AbstractParticle-tracking experiments focusing on virions or nanoparticles in mucus have measured mean-square displacements and reported diffusion coefficients that are orders of magnitude smaller than the diffusion coefficients of such particles in water. Accurate description of this subdiffusion is important to properly estimate the likelihood of virions traversing the mucus boundary layer and infecting cells in the epithelium. However, there are several candidate models for diffusion that can fit experimental measurements of mean-square displacements. We show that these models yield very different estimates for the time taken for subdiffusive virions to traverse through a mucus layer. We explain why fits of subdiffusive mean-square displacements to standard diffusion models may be misleading. Relevant to human immunodeficiency virus infection, using computational methods for fractional subdiffusion, we show that subdiffusion in normal acidic mucus provides a more effective barrier against infection than previously thought. By contrast, the neutralization of the mucus by alkaline semen, after sexual intercourse, allows virions to cross the mucus layer and reach the epithelium in a short timeframe. The computed barrier protection from fractional subdiffusion is some orders of magnitude greater than that derived by fitting standard models of diffusion to subdiffusive data

Codimension Two Branes and Distributional Curvature

In general relativity, there is a well-developed formalism for working with the approximation that a gravitational source is concentrated on a shell, or codimension one surface. By contrast, there are obstacles to concentrating sources on surfaces that have a higher codimension, for example, a string in a spacetime with dimension greater than or equal to four. Here it is shown that, by giving up some of the generality of the codimension one case, curvature can be concentrated on submanifolds that have codimension two. A class of metrics is identified such that (1) the scalar curvature and Ricci densities exist as distributions with support on a co-dimension two submanifold, and (2) using the Einstein equation, the distributional curvature corresponds to a concentrated stress-energy with equation of state p equals minus the energy density, where p is the isotropic pressure tangent to the submanifold. This is the appropriate stress-energy to describe a self-gravitating brane that is governed by an area action, or a brane world deSitter cosmology. The possibility of having a different equation of state arise from a wider class of metrics is discussed.Comment: 18 pages; v2 references added; typos corrected, references added; additional references adde

Linking Species Functional Traits to Specific Biogeochemical Processes under Trawling Pressure

The impact of otter trawling on the relationship between functional traits of benthic invertebrates and specific biogeochemical processes were investigated in the oligotrophic Cretan Sea. The fishery is managed through a seasonal closure during the summer. During two seasons (winter and summer) replicate samples were taken from the field from a commercial trawl ground and an adjacent control area. Environmental parameters related to sediment biogeochemistry were measured including particulate organic carbon, sedimentary organic carbon, bottom water and sedimentary chlorophyll a and phaeopigment concentrations as well as benthic oxygen consumption. A significant impact of trawling was recorded only for bottom water chlorophyll and sedimentary organic carbon. Furthermore, the links between species traits and specific ecosystem processes were affected by trawling, highlighting the importance of unique functional modalities on ecosystem functioning. The traits that mostly influenced benthic biogeochemistry in the control sites were related to bioturbation and burrowing activities. In contrast, in the trawled sites, the associated traits were related to more opportunistic lifestyles and deposit feeding species that do not act as bioturbators. Thus, under trawling disturbance, this shift can decouple the species-sediment relations and affect nutrient cycling.</jats:p