1,654 research outputs found
Ground-State and Domain-Wall Energies in the Spin-Glass Region of the 2D Random-Bond Ising Model
The statistics of the ground-state and domain-wall energies for the
two-dimensional random-bond Ising model on square lattices with independent,
identically distributed bonds of probability of and of
are studied. We are able to consider large samples of up to
spins by using sophisticated matching algorithms. We study
systems, but we also consider samples, for different aspect ratios
. We find that the scaling behavior of the ground-state energy and
its sample-to-sample fluctuations inside the spin-glass region () are characterized by simple scaling functions. In particular, the
fluctuations exhibit a cusp-like singularity at . Inside the spin-glass
region the average domain-wall energy converges to a finite nonzero value as
the sample size becomes infinite, holding fixed. Here, large finite-size
effects are visible, which can be explained for all by a single exponent
, provided higher-order corrections to scaling are included.
Finally, we confirm the validity of aspect-ratio scaling for : the
distribution of the domain-wall energies converges to a Gaussian for ,
although the domain walls of neighboring subsystems of size are
not independent.Comment: 11 pages with 15 figures, extensively revise
Background gauge invariance in the antifield formalism for theories with open gauge algebras
We show that any BRST invariant quantum action with open or closed gauge
algebra has a corresponding local background gauge invariance. If the BRST
symmetry is anomalous, but the anomaly can be removed in the antifield
formalism, then the effective action possesses a local background gauge
invariance. The presence of antifields (BRST sources) is necessary. As an
example we analyze chiral gravity.Comment: 17pp., Latex, mispelling in my name! corrected, no other change
Power-law correlations and orientational glass in random-field Heisenberg models
Monte Carlo simulations have been used to study a discretized Heisenberg
ferromagnet (FM) in a random field on simple cubic lattices. The spin variable
on each site is chosen from the twelve [110] directions. The random field has
infinite strength and a random direction on a fraction x of the sites of the
lattice, and is zero on the remaining sites. For x = 0 there are two phase
transitions. At low temperatures there is a [110] FM phase, and at intermediate
temperature there is a [111] FM phase. For x > 0 there is an intermediate phase
between the paramagnet and the ferromagnet, which is characterized by a
|k|^(-3) decay of two-spin correlations, but no true FM order. The [111] FM
phase becomes unstable at a small value of x. At x = 1/8 the [110] FM phase has
disappeared, but the power-law correlated phase survives.Comment: 8 pages, 12 Postscript figure
Preliminary Results of Performance Measurements on a Cylindrical Hall-Effect Thruster with Magnetic Field Generated by Permanent Magnets
The performance of a low-power cylindrical Hall thruster, which more readily lends itself to miniaturization and low-power operation than a conventional (annular) Hall thruster, was measured using a planar plasma probe and a thrust stand. The field in the cylindrical thruster was produced using permanent magnets, promising a power reduction over previous cylindrical thruster iterations that employed electromagnets to generate the required magnetic field topology. Two sets of ring-shaped permanent magnets are used, and two different field configurations can be produced by reorienting the poles of one magnet relative to the other. A plasma probe measuring ion flux in the plume is used to estimate the current utilization for the two magnetic configurations. The measurements indicate that electron transport is impeded much more effectively in one configuration, implying a higher thrust efficiency. Preliminary thruster performance measurements on this configuration were obtained over a power range of 100-250 W. The thrust levels over this power range were 3.5-6.5 mN, with anode efficiencies and specific impulses spanning 14-19% and 875- 1425 s, respectively. The magnetic field in the thruster was lower for the thrust measurements than the plasma probe measurements due to heating and weakening of the permanent magnets, reducing the maximum field strength from 2 kG to roughly 750-800 G. The discharge current levels observed during thrust stand testing were anomalously high compared to those levels measured in previous experiments with this thruster
Random Field Models for Relaxor Ferroelectric Behavior
Heat bath Monte Carlo simulations have been used to study a four-state clock
model with a type of random field on simple cubic lattices. The model has the
standard nonrandom two-spin exchange term with coupling energy and a random
field which consists of adding an energy to one of the four spin states,
chosen randomly at each site. This Ashkin-Teller-like model does not separate;
the two random-field Ising model components are coupled. When , the
ground states of the model remain fully aligned. When , a
different type of ground state is found, in which the occupation of two of the
four spin states is close to 50%, and the other two are nearly absent. This
means that one of the Ising components is almost completely ordered, while the
other one has only short-range correlations. A large peak in the structure
factor appears at small for temperatures well above the transition
to long-range order, and the appearance of this peak is associated with slow,
"glassy" dynamics. The phase transition into the state where one Ising
component is long-range ordered appears to be first order, but the latent heat
is very small.Comment: 7 pages + 12 eps figures, to appear in Phys Rev
Comparisons in Performance of Electromagnet and Permanent-Magnet Cylindrical Hall-Effect Thrusters
Three different low-power cylindrical Hall thrusters, which more readily lend themselves to miniaturization and low-power operation than a conventional (annular) Hall thruster, are compared to evaluate the propulsive performance of each. One thruster uses electromagnet coils to produce the magnetic field within the discharge channel while the others use permanent magnets, promising power reduction relative to the electromagnet thruster. A magnetic screen is added to the permanent magnet thruster to improve performance by keeping the magnetic field from expanding into space beyond the exit of the thruster. The combined dataset spans a power range from 50-350 W. The thrust levels over this range were 1.3-7.3 mN, with thruster efficiencies and specific impulses spanning 3.5-28.7% and 400-1940 s, respectively. The efficiency is generally higher for the permanent magnet thruster with the magnetic screen, while That thruster s specific impulse as a function of discharge voltage is comparable to the electromagnet thruster
Topological Defects in the Random-Field XY Model and the Pinned Vortex Lattice to Vortex Glass Transition in Type-II Superconductors
As a simplified model of randomly pinned vortex lattices or charge-density
waves, we study the random-field XY model on square () and simple cubic
() lattices. We verify in Monte Carlo simulations, that the average
spacing between topological defects (vortices) diverges more strongly than the
Imry-Ma pinning length as the random field strength, , is reduced. We
suggest that for the simulation data are consistent with a topological
phase transition at a nonzero critical field, , to a pinned phase that is
defect-free at large length-scales. We also discuss the connection between the
possible existence of this phase transition in the random-field XY model and
the magnetic field driven transition from pinned vortex lattice to vortex glass
in weakly disordered type-II superconductors.Comment: LATEX file; 5 Postscript figures are available from [email protected]
Discharge Oscillations in a Permanent Magnet Cylindrical Hall-Effect Thruster
Measurements of the discharge current in a cylindrical Hall thruster are presented to quantify plasma oscillations and instabilities without introducing an intrusive probe into the plasma. The time-varying component of the discharge current is measured using a current monitor that possesses a wide frequency bandwidth and the signal is Fourier transformed to yield the frequency spectra present, allowing for the identification of plasma oscillations. The data show that the discharge current oscillations become generally greater in amplitude and complexity as the voltage is increased, and are reduced in severity with increasing flow rate. The breathing mode ionization instability is identified, with frequency as a function of discharge voltage not increasing with discharge voltage as has been observed in some traditional Hall thruster geometries, but instead following a scaling similar to a large-amplitude, nonlinear oscillation mode recently predicted in for annular Hall thrusters. A transition from lower amplitude oscillations to large relative fluctuations in the oscillating discharge current is observed at low flow rates and is suppressed as the mass flow rate is increased. A second set of peaks in the frequency spectra are observed at the highest propellant flow rate tested. Possible mechanisms that might give rise to these peaks include ionization instabilities and interactions between various oscillatory modes
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