Emergence of a singularity for Toeplitz determinants and Painleve V

We obtain asymptotic expansions for Toeplitz determinants corresponding to a family of symbols depending on a parameter $t$. For $t$ positive, the symbols are regular so that the determinants obey Szeg\H{o}'s strong limit theorem. If $t=0$, the symbol possesses a Fisher-Hartwig singularity. Letting $t\to 0$ we analyze the emergence of a Fisher-Hartwig singularity and a transition between the two different types of asymptotic behavior for Toeplitz determinants. This transition is described by a special Painlev\'e V transcendent. A particular case of our result complements the classical description of Wu, McCoy, Tracy, and Barouch of the behavior of a 2-spin correlation function for a large distance between spins in the two-dimensional Ising model as the phase transition occurs.Comment: 46 page

Oscillating behaviour of the spectrum for a plasmonic problem in a domain with a rounded corner

We investigate the eigenvalue problem $-\text{div}(\sigma \nabla u) = \lambda u\ (\mathscr{P})$ in a 2D domain $\Omega$ divided into two regions $\Omega_{\pm}$. We are interested in situations where $\sigma$ takes positive values on $\Omega_{+}$ and negative ones on $\Omega_{-}$. Such problems appear in time harmonic electromagnetics in the modeling of plasmonic technologies. In a recent work [15], we highlighted an unusual instability phenomenon for the source term problem associated with $(\mathscr{P})$: for certain configurations, when the interface between the subdomains $\Omega_{\pm}$ presents a rounded corner, the solution may depend critically on the value of the rounding parameter. In the present article, we explain this property studying the eigenvalue problem $(\mathscr{P})$. We provide an asymptotic expansion of the eigenvalues and prove error estimates. We establish an oscillatory behaviour of the eigenvalues as the rounding parameter of the corner tends to zero. We end the paper illustrating this phenomenon with numerical experiments.Comment: Mathematical Modelling and Numerical Analysis (ESAIM: M2AN), 09/12/2016. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1304.478

Asymptotics for a special solution to the second member of the Painleve I hierarchy

We study the asymptotic behavior of a special smooth solution y(x,t) to the second member of the Painleve I hierarchy. This solution arises in random matrix theory and in the study of Hamiltonian perturbations of hyperbolic equations. The asymptotic behavior of y(x,t) if x\to \pm\infty (for fixed t) is known and relatively simple, but it turns out to be more subtle when x and t tend to infinity simultaneously. We distinguish a region of algebraic asymptotic behavior and a region of elliptic asymptotic behavior, and we obtain rigorous asymptotics in both regions. We also discuss two critical transitional asymptotic regimes.Comment: 19 page

The existence of a real pole-free solution of the fourth order analogue of the Painleve I equation

We establish the existence of a real solution y(x,T) with no poles on the real line of the following fourth order analogue of the Painleve I equation, x=Ty-({1/6}y^3+{1/24}(y_x^2+2yy_{xx})+{1/240}y_{xxxx}). This proves the existence part of a conjecture posed by Dubrovin. We obtain our result by proving the solvability of an associated Riemann-Hilbert problem through the approach of a vanishing lemma. In addition, by applying the Deift/Zhou steepest-descent method to this Riemann-Hilbert problem, we obtain the asymptotics for y(x,T) as x\to\pm\infty.Comment: 27 pages, 5 figure

PopCORN: Hunting down the differences between binary population synthesis codes

Binary population synthesis (BPS) modelling is a very effective tool to study the evolution and properties of close binary systems. The uncertainty in the parameters of the model and their effect on a population can be tested in a statistical way, which then leads to a deeper understanding of the underlying physical processes involved. To understand the predictive power of BPS codes, we study the similarities and differences in the predicted populations of four different BPS codes for low- and intermediate-mass binaries. We investigate whether the differences are caused by different assumptions made in the BPS codes or by numerical effects. To simplify the complex problem of comparing BPS codes, we equalise the inherent assumptions as much as possible. We find that the simulated populations are similar between the codes. Regarding the population of binaries with one WD, there is very good agreement between the physical characteristics, the evolutionary channels that lead to the birth of these systems, and their birthrates. Regarding the double WD population, there is a good agreement on which evolutionary channels exist to create double WDs and a rough agreement on the characteristics of the double WD population. Regarding which progenitor systems lead to a single and double WD system and which systems do not, the four codes agree well. Most importantly, we find that for these two populations, the differences in the predictions from the four codes are not due to numerical differences, but because of different inherent assumptions. We identify critical assumptions for BPS studies that need to be studied in more detail.Comment: 13 pages, +21 pages appendix, 35 figures, accepted for publishing in A&A, Minor change to match published version, most important the added link to the website http://www.astro.ru.nl/~silviato/popcorn for more detailed figures and informatio

Progenitors of Supernovae Type Ia

Despite the significance of Type Ia supernovae (SNeIa) in many fields in astrophysics, SNeIa lack a theoretical explanation. The standard scenarios involve thermonuclear explosions of carbon/oxygen white dwarfs approaching the Chandrasekhar mass; either by accretion from a companion or by a merger of two white dwarfs. We investigate the contribution from both channels to the SNIa rate with the binary population synthesis (BPS) code SeBa in order to constrain binary processes such as the mass retention efficiency of WD accretion and common envelope evolution. We determine the theoretical rates and delay time distribution of SNIa progenitors and in particular study how assumptions affect the predicted rates.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures, appeared in proceedings for "The 18th European White Dwarf Workshop

Higher order analogues of the Tracy-Widom distribution and the Painleve II hierarchy

We study Fredholm determinants related to a family of kernels which describe the edge eigenvalue behavior in unitary random matrix models with critical edge points. The kernels are natural higher order analogues of the Airy kernel and are built out of functions associated with the Painlev\'e I hierarchy. The Fredholm determinants related to those kernels are higher order generalizations of the Tracy-Widom distribution. We give an explicit expression for the determinants in terms of a distinguished smooth solution to the Painlev\'e II hierarchy. In addition we compute large gap asymptotics for the Fredholm determinants.Comment: 45 page

A curious instability phenomenon for a rounded corner in presence of a negative material

We study a 2D scalar harmonic wave transmission problem between a classical dielectric and a medium with a real-valued negative permittivity/permeability which models a metal at optical frequency or an ideal negative metamaterial. We highlight an unusual instability phenomenon for this problem when the interface between the two media presents a rounded corner. To establish this result, we provide an asymptotic expansion of the solution, when it is well-defined, in the geometry with a rounded corner. Then, we prove error estimates. Finally, a careful study of the asymptotic expansion allows us to conclude that the solution, when it is well-defined, depends critically on the value of the rounding parameter. We end the paper with a numerical illustration of this instability phenomenon