Novel Dynamical Resonances in Finite-Temperature Bose-Einstein Condensates

We describe a variety of intriguing mode-coupling effects which can occur in a confined Bose-Einstein condensed system at finite temperature. These arise from strong interactions between a condensate fluctuation and resonances of the thermal cloud yielding strongly non-linear behaviour. We show how these processes can be affected by altering the aspect ratio of the trap, thereby changing the relevant mode-matching conditions. We illustrate how direct driving of the thermal cloud can lead to significant shifts in the excitation spectrum for a number of modes and provide further experimental scenarios in which the dramatic behaviour observed for the $m=0$ mode at JILA (Jin {\it et al.} 1997) can be repeated. Our theoretical description is based on a successful second-order finite-temperature quantum field theory which includes the full coupled dynamics of the condensate and thermal cloud and all relevant finite-size effects

Modeling laser wakefield accelerators in a Lorentz boosted frame

Modeling of laser-plasma wakefield accelerators in an optimal frame of reference \cite{VayPRL07} is shown to produce orders of magnitude speed-up of calculations from first principles. Obtaining these speedups requires mitigation of a high-frequency instability that otherwise limits effectiveness in addition to solutions for handling data input and output in a relativistically boosted frame of reference. The observed high-frequency instability is mitigated using methods including an electromagnetic solver with tunable coefficients, its extension to accomodate Perfectly Matched Layers and Friedman's damping algorithms, as well as an efficient large bandwidth digital filter. It is shown that choosing the frame of the wake as the frame of reference allows for higher levels of filtering and damping than is possible in other frames for the same accuracy. Detailed testing also revealed serendipitously the existence of a singular time step at which the instability level is minimized, independently of numerical dispersion, thus indicating that the observed instability may not be due primarily to Numerical Cerenkov as has been conjectured. The techniques developed for Cerenkov mitigation prove nonetheless to be very efficient at controlling the instability. Using these techniques, agreement at the percentage level is demonstrated between simulations using different frames of reference, with speedups reaching two orders of magnitude for a 0.1 GeV class stages. The method then allows direct and efficient full-scale modeling of deeply depleted laser-plasma stages of 10 GeV-1 TeV for the first time, verifying the scaling of plasma accelerators to very high energies. Over 4, 5 and 6 orders of magnitude speedup is achieved for the modeling of 10 GeV, 100 GeV and 1 TeV class stages, respectively

Effects of Hyperbolic Rotation in Minkowski Space on the Modeling of Plasma Accelerators in a Lorentz Boosted Frame

Laser driven plasma accelerators promise much shorter particle accelerators but their development requires detailed simulations that challenge or exceed current capabilities. We report the first direct simulations of stages up to 1 TeV from simulations using a Lorentz boosted calculation frame resulting in a million times speedup, thanks to a frame boost as high as gamma=1300. Effects of the hyperbolic rotation in Minkowski space resulting from the frame boost on the laser propagation in the plasma is shown to be key in the mitigation of a numerical instability that was limiting previous attempts

Speeding up simulations of relativistic systems using an optimal boosted frame

It can be computationally advantageous to perform computer simulations in a Lorentz boosted frame for a certain class of systems. However, even if the computer model relies on a covariant set of equations, it has been pointed out that algorithmic difficulties related to discretization errors may have to be overcome in order to take full advantage of the potential speedup. We summarize the findings, the difficulties and their solutions, and show that the technique enables simulations important to several areas of accelerator physics that are otherwise problematic, including self-consistent modeling in three-dimensions of laser wakefield accelerator stages at energies of 10 GeV and above.Comment: To be published in the proceedings of DPF-2009, Detroit, MI, July 2009, eConf C09072

Measurements of Young\u27s Modulus of Elasticity of the Canine Aorta with Ultrasound

We have developed an ultrasonic technique for determining the dynamic Young\u27s modulus of elasticity (E) of the canine aorta in vivo. Young\u27s modulus was measured in the descending thoracic aorta (DTA) and the abdominal aorta (AA) of 12 dogs over a range of mean blood pressures from 40-200 mmHg. The vessels were excised and dynamic moduli were determined in vitro postmortem from pressure-volume curves. The data so obtained were compared to the in vivo values. In vivo and in vitro moduli increased exponentially with mean distending pressure (P). The equation of best fit for these data was of the form E= E0 exp(aP). Constants E0 and a depended on the site of measurement (AA or DTA) and upon the particular animal. In vivo and in vitro moduli were not significantly different in the AA (AA: in vivo E0 = 667 ± 382 mmHg, a = 0.017 ± 0.004 mmHg-1; in vitro E0 = 888 ± 367, a= 0.016 ± 0.002). However, in vivo moduli exceeded in vitro moduli in the DTA. (DTA: in vivo E0 = 687 ± 241, a = 0.016 ± 0.004; in vitro E0 = 349 ± 64, a= 0.018 ± 0.003). The increased stiffness of the DTA compared to the AA in vivo may be due to the in situ tethering of the aorta to the spine by the parietal pleura

Relationship between pulse-wave velocity and arterial elasticity

Pulse wave velocity (PWV) was measured in situ in 11 isolated canine common carotid arteries. Seven arteries exhibited a linear PWV vs. pressure function at pressures ranging from 0 to 200 mmHg. Four arteries yielded a linear relationship between PWV and pressure between 1 and 100 mmHg; for these vessels the relationship was nonlinear at higher pressures. Seven arteries (five from the group which was linear up to 200 mmHg and two from the group which was linear up to 100 mmHg) were excised and pressure/volume measurements were made in vivo. Using pressure/volume data, the Moens-Korteweg equation was evaluated as a predictor of the PWV vs. pressure relationship over the linear region. An expression was developed to enable prediction of the pressure/volume relationship using the coefficients at the linear PWV vs. pressure function, and these predictions were evaluated. We found that, for this range, the Moens-Korteweg equation provides a very good basis for predicting the increase in PWV with increasing bias pressure. In addition, we found that the pressure/volume relationship of common carotid arteries is well represented by an exponential of the form V/V0 = Keαf(P) , which was derived as the inverse solution to the Moens-Korteweg equation

Efficacy and safety of the reciprocal pulse defibrillator current waveform

The efficacy and safety of a new defibrillating current waveform, consisting of a low-tilt 5 ms trapezoidal pulse followed closely by a second identical pulse of opposite polarity, was tested m seven isolated, perfused, working canine hearts suspended in an isoresistive, isosmotic shock bath at 37 oC. The efficacy and safety of the reciprocal pulse was compared with a single 5 ms pulse, a single 10 ms pulse, and a dual (unidirectional) 5 ms pulse waveform. The mean threshold average current densities for the 5 ms single pulse, 10 ms single pulse, dual 5 ms pulse, and reciprocal pulse (absolute values) were 50, 38, 36, and 37 mA/cm2, respectively. The corresponding mean threshold energy densities in the shock bath were 2.8, 2.9, 2.9, and 3.1 mJ/cm3. Despite the differences in threshold current density among the waveforms, no differences in safety factor (shock strength for 50 per cent post-shock depression, divided by threshold shock strength) were found among the waveforms. The current safety factors were 5.4, 5.4, 5.6, and 5.5 for the 5 ms single pulse, 10 ms single pulse, dual unidirectional pulse and reciprocal pulse, respectively. The corresponding energy density safety factors were 25, 27, 29, and 27. Thus the use of this reciprocal pulse waveform provides no advantage in efficacy or safety over waveforms of the same total duration