98 research outputs found
A variational formulation of relativistic hydrodynamics
We combine Taub's and Ray's variational approaches to relativistic
hydrodynamics of perfect fluids into another simple formulation.Comment: 3 pages; published versio
Perfect magnetohydrodynamics as a field theory
We propose the generally covariant action for the theory of a self-coupled
complex scalar field and electromagnetism which by virtue of constraints is
equivalent, in the regime of long wavelengths, to perfect magnetohydrodynamics
(MHD). We recover from it the Euler equation with Lorentz force, and the
thermodynamic relations for a prefect fluid. The equation of state of the
latter is related to the scalar field's self potential. We introduce 1+3
notation to elucidate the relation between MHD and field variables. In our
approach the requirement that the scalar field be single valued leads to the
quantization of a certain circulation in steps of ; this feature leads,
in the classical limit, to the conservation of that circulation. The
circulation is identical to that in Oron's generalization of Kelvin's
circulation theorem to perfect MHD; we here characterize the new conserved
helicity associated with it. We also demonstrate the existence for MHD of two
Bernoulli-like theorems for each spacetime symmetry of the flow and geometry;
one of these is pertinent to suitably defined potential flow. We exhibit the
conserved quantities explicitly in the case that two symmetries are
simultaneously present, and give examples. Also in this case we exhibit a new
conserved MHD circulation distinct from Oron's, and provide an example.Comment: RevTeX, 16 pages, no figures; clarifications added and typos
corrected; version to be published in Phys. Rev.
Mixture of Fluids involving Entropy Gradients and Acceleration Waves in Interfacial Layers
Through an Hamiltonian action we write down the system of equations of
motions for a mixture of thermocapillary fluids under the assumption that the
internal energy is a function not only of the gradient of the densities but
also of the gradient of the entropies of each component. A Lagrangian
associated with the kinetic energy and the internal energy allows to obtain the
equations of momentum for each component and for the barycentric motion of the
mixture. We obtain also the balance of energy and we prove that the equations
are compatible with the second law of thermodynamics. Though the system is of
parabolic type, we prove that there exist two tangential acceleration waves
that characterize the interfacial motion. The dependence of the internal energy
of the entropy gradients is mandatory for the existence of this kind of waves.
The differential system is non-linear but the waves propagate without
distortion due to the fact that they are linearly degenerate (exceptional
waves).Comment: 30 page
The Definition of Mach's Principle
Two definitions of Mach's principle are proposed. Both are related to gauge
theory, are universal in scope and amount to formulations of causality that
take into account the relational nature of position, time, and size. One of
them leads directly to general relativity and may have relevance to the problem
of creating a quantum theory of gravity.Comment: To be published in Foundations of Physics as invited contribution to
Peter Mittelstaedt's 80th Birthday Festschrift. 30 page
Human factors and missed solutions to Enigma design weaknesses
The German World War II Enigma suffered from design weaknesses that facilitated its large-scale decryption by the British throughout the war. The author shows that the main technical weaknesses (self-coding and reciprocal coding) could have been avoided using simple contemporary technology, and therefore the true cause of the weaknesses is not technological but must be sought elsewhere. Specifically, human factors issues resulted in the persistent failure to seek out more effective designs. Similar limitations seem to beset the literature on the period, which misunderstands the Enigma weaknesses and therefore inhibits broader thinking about design or realising the critical role of human factors engineering in cryptography
Nonlinear mode coupling in rotating stars and the r-mode instability in neutron stars
We develop the formalism required to study the nonlinear interaction of modes
in rotating Newtonian stars in the weakly nonlinear regime. The formalism
simplifies and extends previous treatments. At linear order, we elucidate and
extend slightly a formalism due to Schutz, show how to decompose a general
motion of a rotating star into a sum over modes, and obtain uncoupled equations
of motion for the mode amplitudes under the influence of an external force.
Nonlinear effects are added perturbatively via three-mode couplings. We
describe a new, efficient way to compute the coupling coefficients, to zeroth
order in the stellar rotation rate, using spin-weighted spherical harmonics.
We apply this formalism to derive some properties of the coupling
coefficients relevant to the nonlinear interactions of unstable r-modes in
neutron stars, postponing numerical integrations of the coupled equations of
motion to a later paper. From an astrophysical viewpoint, the most interesting
result of this paper is that many couplings of r-modes to other rotational
modes (modes with zero frequencies in the non-rotating limit) are small: either
they vanish altogether because of various selection rules, or they vanish to
lowest order in the angular velocity. In zero-buoyancy stars, the coupling of
three r-modes is forbidden entirely and the coupling of two r-modes to one
hybrid rotational mode vanishes to zeroth order in rotation frequency. In
incompressible stars, the coupling of any three rotational modes vanishes to
zeroth order in rotation frequency.Comment: 62 pages, no figures. Corrected error in computation of coupling
coefficients, added new selection rule and an appendix on energy and angular
momentum of mode
Thermal conductivity through the nineteenth century
As a material property and as a metaphor, thermal conductivity occupies an
important position in physical, biological and geological sciences. Yet, its
precise measurement is dependent on using electricity as a proxy because
flowing heat cannot directly be measured.Comment: Submitted to Physics Today. 4,500 words, 4 figure
Variational description of multi-fluid hydrodynamics: Uncharged fluids
We present a formalism for Newtonian multi-fluid hydrodynamics derived from
an unconstrained variational principle. This approach provides a natural way of
obtaining the general equations of motion for a wide range of hydrodynamic
systems containing an arbitrary number of interacting fluids and superfluids.
In addition to spatial variations we use ``time shifts'' in the variational
principle, which allows us to describe dissipative processes with entropy
creation, such as chemical reactions, friction or the effects of external
non-conservative forces. The resulting framework incorporates the
generalization of the entrainment effect originally discussed in the case of
the mixture of two superfluids by Andreev and Bashkin. In addition to the
conservation of energy and momentum, we derive the generalized conservation
laws of vorticity and helicity, and the special case of Ertel's theorem for the
single perfect fluid.
We explicitly discuss the application of this framework to thermally
conducting fluids, superfluids, and superfluid neutron star matter. The
equations governing thermally conducting fluids are found to be more general
than the standard description, as the effect of entrainment usually seems to be
overlooked in this context. In the case of superfluid He4 we recover the
Landau--Khalatnikov equations of the two-fluid model via a translation to the
``orthodox'' framework of superfluidity, which is based on a rather awkward
choice of variables. Our two-fluid model for superfluid neutron star matter
allows for dissipation via mutual friction and also ``transfusion'' via
beta-reactions between the neutron fluid and the proton-electron fluid.Comment: uses RevTeX 4; 20 pages. To appear in PRD. v2: removed discussion of
charged fluids and coupling to electromagnetic fields, which are submitted as
a separate paper for a clearer presentation v3: fixed typo in Eq.(9), updated
some reference
Computing the wavefunction from trajectories: particle and wave pictures in quantum mechanics and their relation
We discuss the particle method in quantum mechanics which provides an exact
scheme to calculate the time-dependent wavefunction from a single-valued
continuum of trajectories where two spacetime points are linked by at most a
single orbit. A natural language for the theory is offered by the hydrodynamic
analogy, in which wave mechanics corresponds to the Eulerian picture and the
particle theory to the Lagrangian picture. The Lagrangian model for the quantum
fluid may be developed from a variational principle. The Euler-Lagrange
equations imply a fourth-order nonlinear partial differential equation to
calculate the trajectories of the fluid particles as functions of their initial
coordinates using as input the initial wavefunction. The admissible solutions
are those consistent with quasi-potential flow. The effect of the superposition
principle is represented via a nonclassical force on each particle. The
wavefunction is computed via the standard map between the Lagrangian
coordinates and the Eulerian fields, which provides the analogue in this model
of Huygens principle in wave mechanics. The method is illustrated by
calculating the time-dependence of a free Gaussian wavefunction. The Eulerian
and Lagrangian pictures are complementary descriptions of a quantum process in
that they have associated Hamiltonian formulations that are connected by a
canonical transformation. The de Broglie-Bohm interpretation, which employs the
same set of trajectories, should not be conflated with the Lagrangian version
of the hydrodynamic interpretation. The theory implies that the mathematical
results of the de Broglie-Bohm model may be regarded as statements about
quantum mechanics itself rather than about its interpretation.Comment: 26 page
Colonial lives of the carceral archipelago: rethinking the neoliberal security state
Mass incarceration, police brutality, and border controls are part and parcel of the everyday experiences of marginalized and racialized communities across the world. Recent scholarship in international relations, sociology, and geography has examined the prevalence of these coercive practices through the prism of “disciplinary,” “penal,” or “authoritarian” neoliberalism. In this collective discussion, we argue that although this literature has brought to the fore neoliberalism's reliance on state violence, it has yet to interrogate how these carceral measures are linked to previous forms of global racial ordering. To rectify this moment of “colonial unknowing,” the collective discussion draws on decolonial approaches, Indigenous studies, and theories of racial capitalism. It demonstrates that “new” and “neoliberal” forms of domestic control must be situated within the global longue durée of racialized and colonial accumulation by dispossession. By mapping contemporary modes of policing, incarceration, migration control, and surveillance onto earlier forms of racial–colonial subjugation, we argue that countering the violence of neoliberalism requires more than nostalgic appeals for a return to Keynesianism. What is needed is abolition—not just of the carceral archipelago, but of the very system of racial capitalism that produces and depends on these global vectors of organized violence and abandonment.
L'incarcération de masse, la brutalité policière et les contrôles aux frontières constituent une partie intégrante des expériences quotidiennes des communautés marginalisées et racialisées du monde entier. Des études récentes en relations internationales, en sociologie et en géographie ont examiné la prévalence de ces pratiques coercitives par le prisme du néolibéralisme « disciplinaire », « pénal » ou « autoritaire ». Dans cet article, nous soutenons que bien que cette littérature ait mis en évidence la dépendance du néolibéralisme à la violence étatique, elle ne s'est pas encore interrogée sur le lien entre ces mesures carcérales et les formes précédentes d'ordre racial mondial. Cet article s'appuie sur le féminisme noir, les approches décoloniales, les études indigènes et les théories de capitalisme racial pour rectifier cette « ignorance coloniale » marquante. Il démontre que les formes « nouvelles » et « néolibérales » de contrôle national doivent se situer dans la longue durée globale de l'accumulation racialisée et coloniale par dépossession. Nous associons les modes contemporains de maintien de l'ordre, d'incarcération, de contrôle migratoire et de surveillance à des formes antérieures d'assujettissement racial/colonial pour soutenir que contrer la violence du néolibéralisme exige davantage que des appels nostalgiques au retour du keynésianisme. Ce qu'il faut, c'est une abolition : non seulement de l'archipel carcéral, mais aussi du système de capitalisme racial en lui-même qui produit et dépend de ces vecteurs globaux de violence organisée et d'abandon.
El encarcelamiento masivo, la brutalidad policial y los controles fronterizos forman parte de las experiencias cotidianas de las comunidades marginadas y racializadas de todo el mundo. Estudios recientes en RI, SociologĂa y GeografĂa han examinado la prevalencia de estas prácticas coercitivas a travĂ©s del prisma del neoliberalismo “disciplinario,” “penal” o “autoritario.” En este artĂculo, sostenemos que, si bien esta literatura puso en primer plano la dependencia del neoliberalismo de la violencia estatal, aĂşn tiene que cuestionar la manera en que estas medidas carcelarias se vinculan a formas anteriores de ordenamiento racial global. Para rectificar este momento de “desconocimiento colonial,” el artĂculo recurre al feminismo negro, a los abordajes descoloniales, a los estudios indĂgenas y a las teorĂas del capitalismo racial. Demuestra que las formas “nuevas” y “neoliberales” de control interno se deben situar dentro de la longue durĂ©e global de la acumulaciĂłn por desposesiĂłn racializada y colonial. Al trazar un mapa de los modos contemporáneos de vigilancia policial, encarcelamiento, control de la migraciĂłn y vigilancia sobre las formas anteriores de subyugaciĂłn racial-colonial, sostenemos que contrarrestar la violencia del neoliberalismo requiere algo más que apelaciones nostálgicas de retorno al keynesianismo. Lo que se necesita es la aboliciĂłn, no solo del archipiĂ©lago carcelario, sino tambiĂ©n del propio sistema de capitalismo racial que produce y depende de estos vectores globales de violencia y abandono organizados
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