92 research outputs found
Microfield distributions in strongly coupled two-component plasmas
The electric microfield distribution at charged particles is studied for
two-component electron-ion plasmas using molecular dynamics simulation and
theoretical models. The particles are treated within classical statistical
mechanics using an electron-ion Coulomb potential regularized at distances less
than the de Broglie length to take into account the quantum-diffraction
effects. The potential-of-mean-force (PMF) approximation is deduced from a
canonical ensemble formulation. The resulting probability density of the
electric microfield satisfies exactly the second-moment sum rule without the
use of adjustable parameters. The correlation functions between the charged
radiator and the plasma ions and electrons are calculated using molecular
dynamics simulations and the hypernetted-chain approximation for a
two-component plasma. It is shown that the agreement between the theoretical
models for the microfield distributions and the simulations is quite good in
general.Comment: 18 figures. Submitted to Phys. Rev.
Renormalized cluster expansion of the microfield distribution in a strongly coupled two-component plasmas
The electric microfield distribution (MFD) at an impurity ion is studied for
two-component (TCP) electron-ion plasmas using molecular dynamics simulation
and theoretical models. The particles are treated within classical statistical
mechanics using an electron-ion Coulomb potential regularized at distances less
than the de Broglie length to take into account quantum-diffraction effects.
Corrections to the potential-of-mean-force exponential (PMFEX) approximation
recently proposed for MFD in a strongly coupled TCP [Phys. Rev. E 72, 036403
(2005)] are obtained and discussed. This has been done by a generalization of
the standard Baranger-Mozer and renormalized cluster expansion techniques
originally developed for the one-component plasmas to the TCPs. The results
obtained for a neutral point are compared with those from molecular dynamics
simulations. It is shown that the corrections do not help to improve the PMFEX
approximation for a TCP with low ionic charge Z. But starting with Z > 5 the
PMFEX model is substantially improved and the agreement with numerical
simulations is excellent. We have also found that with increasing coupling the
PMFEX approximation becomes invalid to predict the MFD at a neutral point while
its corrected version agrees satisfactory with the simulations.Comment: 17 pages, 10 figures, submitted to Physical Review
Bioenergy as climate change mitigation option within a 2 °C targetâuncertainties and temporal challenges of bioenergy systems
Bioenergy is given an important role in reaching national and international climate change targets. However, uncertainties relating to emission reductions and the timeframe for these reductions are increasingly recognised as challenges whether bioenergy can deliver the required reductions. This paper discusses and highlights the challenges and the importance of the real greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction potential of bioenergy systems and its relevance for a global 450 ppm CO2e stabilisation target in terms of uncertainties and temporal aspects. The authors aim to raise awareness and emphasise the need for dynamic and consequential approaches for the evaluation of climate change impacts of bioenergy systems to capture the complexity and challenges of their real emission reduction potential within a 2 °C target. This review does not present new research results. This paper shows the variety of challenges and complexity of the problem of achieving real GHG emission reductions from bioenergy systems. By reflecting on current evaluation methods of emissions and impacts from bioenergy systems, this review points out that a rethinking and going beyond static approaches is required, considering each bioenergy systems according to its own characteristics, context and feedbacks. With the development of knowledge and continuously changing systems, policies should be designed in a way that they provide a balance between flexibility to adapt to new information and planning security for investors. These will then allow considering if a bioenergy system will deliver the required emission saving in the appropriate timeframe or not
Statistics of the gravitational force in various dimensions of space: from Gaussian to Levy laws
We discuss the distribution of the gravitational force created by a
Poissonian distribution of field sources (stars, galaxies,...) in different
dimensions of space d. In d=3, it is given by a Levy law called the Holtsmark
distribution. It presents an algebraic tail for large fluctuations due to the
contribution of the nearest neighbor. In d=2, it is given by a marginal
Gaussian distribution intermediate between Gaussian and Levy laws. In d=1, it
is exactly given by the Bernouilli distribution (for any particle number N)
which becomes Gaussian for N>>1. Therefore, the dimension d=2 is critical
regarding the statistics of the gravitational force. We generalize these
results for inhomogeneous systems with arbitrary power-law density profile and
arbitrary power-law force in a d-dimensional universe
Statistical mechanics of two-dimensional vortices and stellar systems
The formation of large-scale vortices is an intriguing phenomenon in
two-dimensional turbulence. Such organization is observed in large-scale
oceanic or atmospheric flows, and can be reproduced in laboratory experiments
and numerical simulations. A general explanation of this organization was first
proposed by Onsager (1949) by considering the statistical mechanics for a set
of point vortices in two-dimensional hydrodynamics. Similarly, the structure
and the organization of stellar systems (globular clusters, elliptical
galaxies,...) in astrophysics can be understood by developing a statistical
mechanics for a system of particles in gravitational interaction as initiated
by Chandrasekhar (1942). These statistical mechanics turn out to be relatively
similar and present the same difficulties due to the unshielded long-range
nature of the interaction. This analogy concerns not only the equilibrium
states, i.e. the formation of large-scale structures, but also the relaxation
towards equilibrium and the statistics of fluctuations. We will discuss these
analogies in detail and also point out the specificities of each system.Comment: Chapter of the forthcoming "Lecture Notes in Physics" volume:
``Dynamics and Thermodynamics of Systems with Long Range Interactions'', T.
Dauxois, S. Ruffo, E. Arimondo, M. Wilkens Eds., Lecture Notes in Physics
Vol. 602, Springer (2002
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