Fourth Order Algorithms for Solving the Multivariable Langevin Equation and the Kramers Equation

We develop a fourth order simulation algorithm for solving the stochastic Langevin equation. The method consists of identifying solvable operators in the Fokker-Planck equation, factorizing the evolution operator for small time steps to fourth order and implementing the factorization process numerically. A key contribution of this work is to show how certain double commutators in the factorization process can be simulated in practice. The method is general, applicable to the multivariable case, and systematic, with known procedures for doing fourth order factorizations. The fourth order convergence of the resulting algorithm allowed very large time steps to be used. In simulating the Brownian dynamics of 121 Yukawa particles in two dimensions, the converged result of a first order algorithm can be obtained by using time steps 50 times as large. To further demostrate the versatility of our method, we derive two new classes of fourth order algorithms for solving the simpler Kramers equation without requiring the derivative of the force. The convergence of many fourth order algorithms for solving this equation are compared.Comment: 19 pages, 2 figure

Dynamical Effects from Asteroid Belts for Planetary Systems

The orbital evolution and stability of planetary systems with interaction from the belts is studied using the standard phase-plane analysis. In addition to the fixed point which corresponds to the Keplerian orbit, there are other fixed points around the inner and outer edges of the belt. Our results show that for the planets, the probability to move stably around the inner edge is larger than the one to move around the outer edge. It is also interesting that there is a limit cycle of semi-attractor for a particular case. Applying our results to the Solar System, we find that our results could provide a natural mechanism to do the orbit rearrangement for the larger Kuiper Belt Objects and thus successfully explain the absence of these objects beyond 50 AU.Comment: accepted by International Journal of Bifurcation and Chaos in Aug. 2003, AAS Latex, 27 pages with 6 color figure

The Gamow-Teller States in Relativistic Nuclear Models

The Gamow-Teller(GT) states are investigated in relativistic models. The Landau-Migdal(LM) parameter is introduced in the Lagrangian as a contact term with the pseudo-vector coupling. In the relativistic model the total GT strength in the nucleon space is quenched by about 12% in nuclear matter and by about 6% in finite nuclei, compared with the one of the Ikeda-Fujii-Fujita sum rule. The quenched amount is taken by nucleon-antinucleon excitations in the time-like region. Because of the quenching, the relativistic model requires a larger value of the LM parameter than non-relativistic models in describing the excitation energy of the GT state. The Pauli blocking terms are not important for the description of the GT states.Comment: REVTeX4, no figure

Non-Markovian dynamics of a nanomechanical resonator measured by a quantum point contact

We study the dynamics of a nanomechanical resonator (NMR) subject to a measurement by a low transparency quantum point contact (QPC) or tunnel junction in the non-Markovian domain. We derive the non-Markovian number-resolved (conditional) and unconditional master equations valid to second order in the tunneling Hamiltonian without making the rotating-wave approximation and the Markovian approximation, generally made for systems in quantum optics. Our non-Markovian master equation reduces, in appropriate limits, to various Markovian versions of master equations in the literature. We find considerable difference in dynamics between the non-Markovian cases and its Markovian counterparts. We also calculate the time-dependent transport current through the QPC which contains information about the measured NMR system. We find an extra transient current term proportional to the expectation value of the symmetrized product of the position and momentum operators of the NMR. This extra current term, with a coefficient coming from the combination of the imaginary parts of the QPC reservoir correlation functions, has a substantial contribution to the total transient current in the non-Markovian case, but was generally ignored in the studies of the same problem in the literature. Considering the contribution of this extra term, we show that a significantly qualitative and quantitative difference in the total transient current between the non-Markovian and the Markovian wide-band-limit cases can be observed. Thus, it may serve as a witness or signature of the non-Markovian features in the coupled NMR-QPC system.Comment: Accepted for publication in Physical Review B (20 pages, 13 figures

A new broken U(1)-symmetry in extreme type-II superconductors

A phase transition within the molten phase of the Abrikosov vortex system without disorder in extreme type-II superconductors is found via large-scale Monte-Carlo simulations. It involves breaking a U(1)-symmetry, and has a zero-field counterpart, unlike vortex lattice melting. Its hallmark is the loss of number-conservation of connected vortex paths threading the entire system {\it in any direction}, driving the vortex line tension to zero. This tension plays the role of a generalized ``stiffness'' of the vortex liquid, and serves as a probe of the loss of order at the transition, where a weak specific heat anomaly is found.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Differentiation of Lactobacillus-probiotic strains by visual comparison of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) profiles

In the present study, distinctive RAPD fingerprints were generated for 12 Lactobacillus-probiotic strains from 5 Lactobacillus species (L. brevis, L. reuteri, L. gallinarium, L. salivarius and L. panis) after optimization of the RAPD parameters such as MgCl2, Taq polymerase, primer concentration and type of primer. The strains were differentiated under the same PCR protocol but different concentration of primer OPM-05 (50 pmole to differentiate the 5 L. brevis strains and 75 pmole to differentiate 2 strains of L. gallinarium, 3 strains of L. reuteri, a strain of L. panis and L. salivarius). The RAPD fingerprints generated could be differentiated by visual comparison of the profiles, without being analysed by relevant software. This allows specific, rapid, immediate and convenient identification of the Lactobacillus strains

On the Analytic Structure of the Quark Self-Energy in Nambu-Jona- Lasinio Models

The self-energy of quarks is investigated for various models which are inspired by the Nambu--Jona-Lasinio (NJL) model. Including, beyond the Hartree-Fock approximation, terms up to second-order in the quark interaction, the real and imaginary parts of scalar and vector components of the self-energy are discussed. The second-order contributions depend on the energy and momentum of the quark under consideration. This leads to solutions of the Dirac equation which are significantly different from those of a free quark or a quark with constant effective mass, as obtained in the Hartree-Fock approximation.Comment: 15 pages LaTeX, 6 figures can be obtained from author