Correlation function algebra for inhomogeneous fluids

We consider variational (density functional) models of fluids confined in parallel-plate geometries (with walls situated in the planes z=0 and z=L respectively) and focus on the structure of the pair correlation function G(r_1,r_2). We show that for local variational models there exist two non-trivial identities relating both the transverse Fourier transform G(z_\mu, z_\nu;q) and the zeroth moment G_0(z_\mu,z_\nu) at different positions z_1, z_2 and z_3. These relations form an algebra which severely restricts the possible form of the function G_0(z_\mu,z_\nu). For the common situations in which the equilibrium one-body (magnetization/number density) profile m_0(z) exhibits an odd or even reflection symmetry in the z=L/2 plane the algebra simplifies considerably and is used to relate the correlation function to the finite-size excess free-energy \gamma(L). We rederive non-trivial scaling expressions for the finite-size contribution to the free-energy at bulk criticality and for systems where large scale interfacial fluctuations are present. Extensions to non-planar geometries are also considered.Comment: 15 pages, RevTex, 4 eps figures. To appear in J.Phys.Condens.Matte

Effective anisotropies and energy barriers of magnetic nanoparticles with Néel surface anisotropy

Magnetic nanoparticles with Néel surface anisotropy, different internal structures, surface arrangements, and elongation are modeled as many-spin systems. The results suggest that the energy of many-spin nanoparticles cut from cubic lattices can be represented by an effective one-spin potential containing uniaxial and cubic anisotropies. It is shown that the values and signs of the corresponding constants depend strongly on the particle's surface arrangement, internal structure, and shape. Particles cut from a simple cubic lattice have the opposite sign of the effective cubic term, as compared to particles cut from the face-centered cubic lattice. Furthermore, other remarkable phenomena are observed in nanoparticles with relatively strong surface effects. (i) In elongated particles surface effects can change the sign of the uniaxial anisotropy. (ii) In symmetric particles (spherical and truncated octahedral) with cubic core anisotropy surface effects can change the sing of the latter. We also show that the competition between the core and surface anisotropies leads to a new energy that contributes to both the second- and fourth-order effective anisotropies. We evaluate energy barriers ΔE as functions of the strength of the surface anisotropy and the particle size. The results are analyzed with the help of the effective one-spin potential, which allows us to assess the consistency of the widely used formula ΔE/V= K∞ +6 Ks /D, where K∞ is the core anisotropy constant, Ks is a phenomenological constant related to surface anisotropy, and D is the particle's diameter. We show that the energy barriers are consistent with this formula only for elongated particles for which the surface contribution to the effective uniaxial anisotropy scales with the surface and is linear in the constant of the Néel surface anisotropy. © 2007 The American Physical Society

Biological and physical oceanographic observations pertaining to the trawl fishery in a region of persistent coastal upwelling

An upwelling episode in the Point Sal region of the central California coast is examined by using data obtained by a data buoy. The episodes was interrupted by the abrupt abatement of the strong wind which promotes coastal upwelling. The mean hourly upwelling index is calculated to be higher than the 20 year mean monthly value. During 3 days of light wind commercial bottom trawl operations were possible. Shipboard estimates of chlorophyll content in surface waters during trawling show the high concentrations that are indicative of a rich biomass of phytoplankton, a result of the upwelling episode. Satellite imagery shows the extent of the upwelling water to be of the order of 100 km offshore; the result of many upwelling episodes. Shipboard echo sounder data show the presence of various delmersal species and of zooplakton; the latter graze on the phytoplankton in the upper euphotic layers. The fish catch data are recorded according to species for 2 days of trawling, and the catch per trawl hour is recorded

Axisymmetric Three-Integral Models for Galaxies

We describe an improved, practical method for constructing galaxy models that match an arbitrary set of observational constraints, without prior assumptions about the phase-space distribution function (DF). Our method is an extension of Schwarzschild's orbit superposition technique. As in Schwarzschild's original implementation, we compute a representative library of orbits in a given potential. We then project each orbit onto the space of observables, consisting of position on the sky and line-of-sight velocity, while properly taking into account seeing convolution and pixel binning. We find the combination of orbits that produces a dynamical model that best fits the observed photometry and kinematics of the galaxy. A key new element of this work is the ability to predict and match to the data the full line-of-sight velocity profile shapes. A dark component (such as a black hole and/or a dark halo) can easily be included in the models. We have tested our method, by using it to reconstruct the properties of a two-integral model built with independent software. The test model is reproduced satisfactorily, either with the regular orbits, or with the two-integral components. This paper mainly deals with the technical aspects of the method, while applications to the galaxies M32 and NGC 4342 are described elsewhere (van der Marel et al., Cretton & van den Bosch). (abridged)Comment: minor changes, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Supplement

Geometrical families of mechanically stable granular packings

We enumerate and classify nearly all of the possible mechanically stable (MS) packings of bidipserse mixtures of frictionless disks in small sheared systems. We find that MS packings form continuous geometrical families, where each family is defined by its particular network of particle contacts. We also monitor the dynamics of MS packings along geometrical families by applying quasistatic simple shear strain at zero pressure. For small numbers of particles (N < 16), we find that the dynamics is deterministic and highly contracting. That is, if the system is initialized in a MS packing at a given shear strain, it will quickly lock into a periodic orbit at subsequent shear strain, and therefore sample only a very small fraction of the possible MS packings in steady state. In studies with N>16, we observe an increase in the period and random splittings of the trajectories caused by bifurcations in configuration space. We argue that the ratio of the splitting and contraction rates in large systems will determine the distribution of MS-packing geometrical families visited in steady-state. This work is part of our long-term research program to develop a master-equation formalism to describe macroscopic slowly driven granular systems in terms of collections of small subsystems.Comment: 18 pages, 23 figures, 5 table

Static cylindrical symmetry and conformal flatness

We present the whole set of equations with regularity and matching conditions required for the description of physically meaningful static cylindrically symmmetric distributions of matter, smoothly matched to Levi-Civita vacuum spacetime. It is shown that the conformally flat solution with equal principal stresses represents an incompressible fluid. It is also proved that any conformally flat cylindrically symmetric static source cannot be matched through Darmois conditions to the Levi-Civita spacetime. Further evidence is given that when the Newtonian mass per unit length reaches 1/2 the spacetime has plane symmetry.Comment: 13 pages, Late

Theoretical and numerical studies of chemisorption on a line with precursor layer diffusion

We consider a model for random deposition of monomers on a line with extrinsic precursor states. As the adsorbate coverage increases, the system develops non-trivial correlations due to the diffusion mediated deposition mechanism. In a numeric simulation, we study various quantities describing the evolution of the island structure. We propose a simple, self-consistent theory which incorporates pair correlations. The results for the correlations, island density number, average island size and probabilities of island nucleation, growth and coagulation show good agreement with the simulation data.Comment: 17 pages(LaTeX), 11 figures(1 PS file, uuencoded), submmited to Phys. Rev.

The Mathematical Structure of Arrangement Channel Quantum Mechanics

A non-Hermitian matrix Hamiltonian H appears in the wavefunction form of a variety of many-body scattering theories. This operator acts on an arrangement channel Banach or Hilbert space 1(;\u27 = Ell ncr where ,r is the N-particle Hilbert space and a are certain arrangement channels. Various aspects of the spectral and semigroup theory for H are considered. The normalizable and weak (wavelike) eigenvectors ofH are naturally characterized as either physical or spurious. Typically H is scalar spectral and equivalent to H on an H-invariant subspace of physical solutions. If the eigenvectors form a basis, by constructing a suitable biorthogonal system, we show that H is scalar spectral on \u27C. Other concepts including the channel space observables, trace class and trace, density matrix and Moller operators are developed. The sense in which the theory provides a representation of N-particle quantum mechanics and its equivalence to the usual Hilbert space theory is clarified

Properties of the solvation force of a two-dimensional Ising strip in scaling regimes

We consider d=2 Ising strip with surface fields acting on boundary spins. Using the properties of the transfer matrix spectrum we identify two pseudotransition temperatures and show that they satisfy similar scaling relations as expected for real transition temperatures in strips with d>2. The solvation force between the boundaries of the strip is analysed as a function of temperature, surface fields and the width of the strip. For large widths the solvation force can be described by scaling functions in three different regimes: in the vicinity of the critical wetting temperature of 2D semi-infinite system, in the vicinity of the bulk critical temperature, and in the regime of weak surface fields where the critical wetting temperature tends towards the bulk critical temperature. The properties of the relevant scaling functions are discussed

Freezing of He-4 and its liquid-solid interface from Density Functional Theory

We show that, at high densities, fully variational solutions of solid-like type can be obtained from a density functional formalism originally designed for liquid 4He. Motivated by this finding, we propose an extension of the method that accurately describes the solid phase and the freezing transition of liquid 4He at zero temperature. The density profile of the interface between liquid and the (0001) surface of the 4He crystal is also investigated, and its surface energy evaluated. The interfacial tension is found to be in semiquantitative agreement with experiments and with other microscopic calculations. This opens the possibility to use unbiased DF methods to study highly non-homogeneous systems, like 4He interacting with strongly attractive impurities/substrates, or the nucleation of the solid phase in the metastable liquid.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.