Understanding the Protected Nodes and Collapse of the Fermi Arcs in Underdoped Cuprate Superconductors

We show how recent angle resolved photoemission measurements addressing the Fermi arcs in the cuprates reveal a very natural phenomenological description of the complex superfluid phase. Importantly, this phenomenology is consistent with a previously presented microscopic theory. By distinguishing the order parameter and the excitation gap, we are able to demonstrate how the collapse of the arcs below $T_c$ into well defined nodes is associated with the \emph{smooth} emergence of superconducting coherence. Comparison of this theory with experiment shows good semi-quantitative agreement.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, replaced with updated versio

Hurewicz Theorem for Assouad-Nagata dimension

Given a function $f\colon X\to Y$ of metric spaces, its {\it asymptotic dimension} \asdim(f) is the supremum of \asdim(A) such that $A\subset X$ and \asdim(f(A))=0. Our main result is \begin{Thm} \label{ThmAInAbstract} \asdim(X)\leq \asdim(f)+\asdim(Y) for any large scale uniform function $f\colon X\to Y$. \end{Thm} \ref{ThmAInAbstract} generalizes a result of Bell and Dranishnikov in which $f$ is Lipschitz and $X$ is geodesic. We provide analogs of \ref{ThmAInAbstract} for Assouad-Nagata dimension $\dim_{AN}$ and asymptotic Assouad-Nagata dimension \ANasdim. In case of linearly controlled asymptotic dimension \Lasdim we provide counterexamples to three questions in a list of problems of Dranishnikov. As an application of analogs of \ref{ThmAInAbstract} we prove \begin{Thm} \label{ThmBInAbstract} If $1\to K\to G\to H\to 1$ is an exact sequence of groups and $G$ is finitely generated, then \ANasdim (G,d_G)\leq \ANasdim (K,d_G|K)+\ANasdim (H,d_H) for any word metrics metrics $d_G$ on $G$ and $d_H$ on $H$. \end{Thm} \ref{ThmBInAbstract} extends a result of Bell and Dranishnikov for asymptotic dimension

Kosterlitz-Thouless and Potts transitions in a generalized XY model

We present extensive numerical simulations of a generalized XY model with nematic-like terms recently proposed by Poderoso {\it et al} [PRL 106(2011)067202]. Using finite size scaling and focusing on the $q=3$ case, we locate the transitions between the paramagnetic (P), the nematic-like (N) and the ferromagnetic (F) phases. The results are compared with the recently derived lower bounds for the P-N and P-F transitions. While the P-N transition is found to be very close to the lower bound, the P-F transition occurs significantly above the bound. Finally, the transition between the nematic-like and the ferromagnetic phases is found to belong to the 3-states Potts universality class.Comment: Extended and updated version of arXiv:1207.3447v

Education as a Complex System: Conceptual and Methodological Implications

Education is a complex system, which has conceptual and methodological implications for education research and policy. In this article, an overview is first provided of the Complex Systems Conceptual Framework for Learning (CSCFL), which consists of a set of conceptual perspectives that are generally shared by educational complex systems, organized into two focus areas: collective behaviors of a system, and behaviors of individual agents in a system. Complexity and research methodologies for education are then considered, and it is observed that commonly used quantitative and qualitative techniques are generally appropriate for studying linear dynamics of educational systems. However, it is proposed that computational modeling approaches, being extensively used for studying nonlinear characteristics of complex systems in other fields, can provide a methodological complement to quantitative and qualitative education research approaches. Two research case studies of this approach are discussed. We conclude with a consideration of how viewing education as a complex system using complex systems’ conceptual and methodological tools can help advance education research and also inform policy

Competing nematic interactions in a generalized XY model in two and three dimensions

We study a generalization of the XY model with an additional nematic-like term through extensive numerical simulations and finite-size techniques, both in two and three dimensions. While the original model favors local alignment, the extra term induces angles of $2\pi/q$ between neighboring spins. We focus here on the $q=8$ case (while presenting new results for other values of $q$ as well) whose phase diagram is much richer than the well known $q=2$ case. In particular, the model presents not only continuous, standard transitions between Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless (BKT) phases as in $q=2$, but also infinite order transitions involving intermediate, competition driven phases absent for $q=2$ and 3. Besides presenting multiple transitions, our results show that having vortices decoupling at a transition is not a suficient condition for it to be of BKT type.Comment: 13 pages, 16 figure

On dynamical bit sequences

Let X^{(k)}(t) = (X_1(t), ..., X_k(t)) denote a k-vector of i.i.d. random variables, each taking the values 1 or 0 with respective probabilities p and 1-p. As a process indexed by non-negative t, $X^{(k)}(t)$ is constructed--following Benjamini, Haggstrom, Peres, and Steif (2003)--so that it is strong Markov with invariant measure ((1-p)\delta_0+p\delta_1)^k. We derive sharp estimates for the probability that ``X_1(t)+...+X_k(t)=k-\ell for some t in F,'' where F \subset [0,1] is nonrandom and compact. We do this in two very different settings: (i) Where \ell is a constant; and (ii) Where \ell=k/2, k is even, and p=q=1/2. We prove that the probability is described by the Kolmogorov capacitance of F for case (i) and Howroyd's 1/2-dimensional box-dimension profiles for case (ii). We also present sample-path consequences, and a connection to capacities that answers a question of Benjamini et. al. (2003)Comment: 25 pages. This a substantial revision of an earlier paper. The material has been reorganized, and Theorem 1.3 is ne

Signature for the Shape of the Universe

If the universe has a nontrivial shape (topology) the sky may show multiple correlated images of cosmic objects. These correlations can be couched in terms of distance correlations. We propose a statistical quantity which can be used to reveal the topological signature of any Robertson-Walker (RW) spacetime with nontrivial topology. We also show through computer-aided simulations how one can extract the topological signatures of flat, elliptic, and hyperbolic RW universes with nontrivial topology.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, LaTeX2e. This paper is a direct ancestor of gr-qc/9911049, put in gr-qc archive to make it more accessibl

Normal zone in YBa2Cu3O6+xYBa_2Cu_3O_{6+x}-coated conductors

We consider the distribution of an electric field in YBCO-coated conductors for a situation in which the DC transport current is forced into the copper stabilizer due to a weak link -- a section of the superconducting film with a critical current less than the transport current. The electric field in the metal substrate is also discussed. The results are compared with recent experiments on normal zone propagation in coated conductors for which the substrate and stabilizer are insulated from each other. The potential difference between the substrate and stabilizer, and the electric field in the substrate outside the normal zone can be accounted for by a large screening length in the substrate, comparable to the length of the sample. During a quench, the electric field inside the interface between YBCO and stabilizer, as well as in the buffer layer, can be several orders of magnitude greater than the longitudinal macroscopic electric field inside the normal zone. We speculate on the possibility of using possible microscopic electric discharges caused by this large ($\sim$kV/cm) electric field as a means to detect a quench.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figure