Fractal Behaviour in the O(3) Model

We study domain formation in the two-dimensional O(3) model near criticality. The fractal dimension of these domains is determined with good statistical accuracy.Comment: 6 pages + 3 figures (concatenated PS files, uuencoded gz-compressed

Analysing Lyapunov spectra of chaotic dynamical systems

It is shown that the asymptotic spectra of finite-time Lyapunov exponents of a variety of fully chaotic dynamical systems can be understood in terms of a statistical analysis. Using random matrix theory we derive numerical and in particular analytical results which provide insights into the overall behaviour of the Lyapunov exponents particularly for strange attractors. The corresponding distributions for the unstable periodic orbits are investigated for comparison.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

An efficient algorithm simulating a macroscopic system at the critical point

It is well known that conventional simulation algorithms are inefficient for the statistical description of macroscopic systems exactly at the critical point due to the divergence of the corresponding relaxation time (critical slowing down). On the other hand the dynamics in the order parameter space is simplified significantly in this case due to the onset of self-similarity in the associated fluctuation patterns. As a consequence the effective action at the critical point obtains a very simple form. In the present work we show that this simplified action can be used in order to simulate efficiently the statistical properties of a macroscopic system exactly at the critical point. Using the proposed algorithm we generate an ensemble of configurations resembling the characteristic fractal geometry of the critical system related to the self-similar order parameter fluctuations. As an example we simulate the one-component real scalar field theory at the transition point $T=T_c$ as a representative system belonging to the $3-D$ Ising universality class.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, submitted for publication to Journal of Computational Physic

Braneworld models with a non-minimally coupled phantom bulk field: a simple way to obtain the -1-crossing at late times

We investigate general braneworld models, with a non-minimally coupled phantom bulk field and arbitrary brane and bulk matter contents. We show that the effective dark energy of the brane-universe acquires a dynamical nature, as a result of the non-minimal coupling which provides a mechanism for an indirect "bulk-brane interaction" through gravity. For late-time cosmological evolution and without resorting to special ansatzes or to specific areas of the parameter space, we show that the -1-crossing of its equation-of-state parameter is general and can be easily achieved. As an example we provide a simple, but sufficiently general, approximate analytical solution, that presents the crossing behavior.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figure

Pion production from a critical QCD phase

A theoretical scheme which relates multiparticle states generated in ultrarelativistic nuclear collisions to a QCD phase transition is considered in the framework of the universality class provided by the 3-D Ising model. Two different evolution scenarios for the QGP system are examined. The statistical mechanics of the critical state is accounted for in terms of (critical) cluster formation consistent with suitably cast effective action functionals, one for each considered type of expansion. Fractal properties associated with these clusters, characterizing the density fluctuations near the QCD critical point, are determined. Monte-Carlo simulations are employed to generate events, pertaining to the total system, which correspond to signals associated with unconventional sources of pion production

The Critical Endpoint of Bootstrap and Lattice QCD Matter

The critical sector of strong interactions at high temperatures is explored in the frame of two complementary approaches: Statistical Bootstrap for the hadronic phase and Lattice QCD for the Quark-Gluon partition function. A region of thermodynamic instability of hadronic matter was found, as a direct prediction of Statistical Bootstrap. As a result, critical endpoint solutions for nonzero chemical potential were traced in the phase diagram of strongly interacting matter. These solutions are compared with recent lattice QCD results and their proximity to the freeze-out points of experiments with nuclei at high energies is also discussed.Comment: 23 pages, 8 figure

Zeroing in on more photons and gluons

We discuss radiation zeros that are found in gauge tree amplitudes for processes involving multi-photon emission. Previous results are clarified by examples and by further elaboration. The conditions under which such amplitude zeros occur are identical in form to those for the single-photon zeros, and all radiated photons must travel parallel to each other. Any other neutral particle likewise must be massless (e.g. gluon) and travel in that common direction. The relevance to questions like gluon jet identification and computational checks is considered. We use examples to show how certain multi-photon amplitudes evade the zeros, and to demonstrate the connection to a more general result, the decoupling of an external electromagnetic plane wave in the ``null zone". Brief comments are made about zeros associated with other gauge-boson emission.Comment: 26 page

Phase-space analysis of interacting phantom cosmology

We perform a detailed phase-space analysis of various phantom cosmological models, where the dark energy sector interacts with the dark matter one. We examine whether there exist late-time scaling attractors, corresponding to an accelerating universe and possessing dark energy and dark matter densities of the same order. We find that all the examined models, although accepting stable late-time accelerated solutions, cannot alleviate the coincidence problem, unless one imposes a form of fine-tuning in the model parameters. It seems that interacting phantom cosmology cannot fulfill the basic requirement that led to its construction.Comment: 6 figures, use revtex, v2: minor corrections, references added, accepted for publication in JCA

Collinear helium under periodic driving: stabilization of the asymmetric stretch orbit

The collinear eZe configuration of helium, with the electrons on opposite sides of the nucleus, is studied in the presence of an external electromagnetic (laser or microwave) field. We show that the classically unstable "asymmetric stretch" orbit, on which doubly excited intrashell states of helium with maximum interelectronic angle are anchored, can be stabilized by means of a resonant driving where the frequency of the electromagnetic field equals the frequency of Kepler-like oscillations along the orbit. A static magnetic field, oriented parallel to the oscillating electric field of the driving, can be used to enforce the stability of the configuration with respect to deviations from collinearity. Quantum Floquet calculations within a collinear model of the driven two-electron atom reveal the existence of nondispersive wave packets localized on the stabilized asymmetric stretch orbit, for double excitations corresponding to principal quantum numbers of the order of N > 10.Comment: 13 pages, 12 figure