34 research outputs found
Simultaneous Brownian Motion of N Particles in a Temperature Gradient
A system of N Brownian particles suspended in a nonuniform heat bath is
treated as a thermodynamic system whith internal degrees of freedom, in this
case their velocities and coordinates. Applying the scheme of non-equilibrium
thermodynamics, one then easily obtains the Fokker-Planck equation for
simultaneous Brownian motion of N particles in a temperature gradient. This
equation accounts for couplings in the motion as a result of hydrodynamic
interactions between particles.Comment: 9 pages, RevTe
Apparent Superluminal Behavior
The apparent superluminal propagation of electromagnetic signals seen in
recent experiments is shown to be the result of simple and robust properties of
relativistic field equations. Although the wave front of a signal passing
through a classically forbidden region can never move faster than light, an
attenuated replica of the signal is reproduced ``instantaneously'' on the other
side of the barrier. The reconstructed signal, causally connected to the
forerunner rather than the bulk of the input signal, appears to move through
the barrier faster than light.Comment: 8 pages, no figure
Diffusion in Stationary Flow from Mesoscopic Non-equilibrium Thermodynamics
We analyze the diffusion of a Brownian particle in a fluid under stationary
flow. By using the scheme of non-equilibrium thermodynamics in phase space, we
obtain the Fokker-Planck equation which is compared with others derived from
kinetic theory and projector operator techniques. That equation exhibits
violation of the fluctuation dissipation-theorem. By implementing the
hydrodynamic regime described by the first moments of the non-equilibrium
distribution, we find relaxation equations for the diffusion current and
pressure tensor, allowing us to arrive at a complete description of the system
in the inertial and diffusion regimes. The simplicity and generality of the
method we propose, makes it applicable to more complex situations, often
encountered in problems of soft condensed matter, in which not only one but
more degrees of freedom are coupled to a non-equilibrium bath.Comment: 10 pages, accepted in Phys. Rev.
Diffusion in Stationary Flow from Mesoscopic Non-equilibrium Thermodynamics
We analyze the diffusion of a Brownian particle in a fluid under stationary
flow. By using the scheme of non-equilibrium thermodynamics in phase space, we
obtain the Fokker-Planck equation which is compared with others derived from
kinetic theory and projector operator techniques. That equation exhibits
violation of the fluctuation dissipation-theorem. By implementing the
hydrodynamic regime described by the first moments of the non-equilibrium
distribution, we find relaxation equations for the diffusion current and
pressure tensor, allowing us to arrive at a complete description of the system
in the inertial and diffusion regimes. The simplicity and generality of the
method we propose, makes it applicable to more complex situations, often
encountered in problems of soft condensed matter, in which not only one but
more degrees of freedom are coupled to a non-equilibrium bath.Comment: 10 pages, accepted in Phys. Rev.
Langevin Equation for the Rayleigh model with finite-ranged interactions
Both linear and nonlinear Langevin equations are derived directly from the
Liouville equation for an exactly solvable model consisting of a Brownian
particle of mass interacting with ideal gas molecules of mass via a
quadratic repulsive potential. Explicit microscopic expressions for all kinetic
coefficients appearing in these equations are presented. It is shown that the
range of applicability of the Langevin equation, as well as statistical
properties of random force, may depend not only on the mass ratio but
also by the parameter , involving the average number of molecules in
the interaction zone around the particle. For the case of a short-ranged
potential, when , analysis of the Langevin equations yields previously
obtained results for a hard-wall potential in which only binary collisions are
considered. For the finite-ranged potential, when multiple collisions are
important (), the model describes nontrivial dynamics on time scales
that are on the order of the collision time, a regime that is usually beyond
the scope of more phenomenological models.Comment: 21 pages, 1 figure. To appear in Phys. Rev.
Tunneling dynamics in relativistic and nonrelativistic wave equations
We obtain the solution of a relativistic wave equation and compare it with
the solution of the Schroedinger equation for a source with a sharp onset and
excitation frequencies below cut-off. A scaling of position and time reduces to
a single case all the (below cut-off) nonrelativistic solutions, but no such
simplification holds for the relativistic equation, so that qualitatively
different ``shallow'' and ``deep'' tunneling regimes may be identified
relativistically. The nonrelativistic forerunner at a position beyond the
penetration length of the asymptotic stationary wave does not tunnel;
nevertheless, it arrives at the traversal (semiclassical or
B\"uttiker-Landauer) time "tau". The corresponding relativistic forerunner is
more complex: it oscillates due to the interference between two saddle point
contributions, and may be characterized by two times for the arrival of the
maxima of lower and upper envelops. There is in addition an earlier
relativistic forerunner, right after the causal front, which does tunnel.
Within the penetration length, tunneling is more robust for the precursors of
the relativistic equation
Energy and Climate Implications for Agricultural Nutrient Use Efficiency
Energy and climate change are beginning to dominate the global political agenda and will drive policy formation that will shape the future of agriculture. Energy issues threaten national security and economic stability, as well as access to low-cost nutrient inputs for agriculture. Climate change has the potential to cause serious disruption to agricultural productivity. Paradoxically, nutrient use in agriculture to increase crop yields has the potential to negatively impact climate. This chapter will discuss recent and future energy and climate trends, the relationships between agricultural nutrient use efficiency and biofuels, and how global land limitations will shape agriculture in the future. Comparative gross energy yield and nitrogen use efficiency for ethanol production from crop residue, switchgrass, grain sorghum, sweet sorghum, and corn grain is presented, showing small differences in nitrogen use efficiency, but large differences in gross energy yields. In addition to considering the need to increase crop productivity to meet the demands of a growing population and bioenergy, agricultural nutrient use efficiency must be reconsidered with respect to the important energy and climate challenges shaping agriculture today