Kinetic limit of N-body description of wave-particle self- consistent interaction

A system of N particles eN=(x1,v1,...,xN,vN) interacting self-consistently with M waves Zn=An*exp(iTn) is considered. Hamiltonian dynamics transports initial data (eN(0),Zn(0)) to (eN(t),Zn(t)). In the limit of an infinite number of particles, a Vlasov-like kinetic equation is generated for the distribution function f(x,v,t), coupled to envelope equations for the M waves. Any initial data (f(0),Z(0)) with finite energy is transported to a unique (f(t),Z(t)). Moreover, for any time T>0, given a sequence of initial data with N particles distributed so that the particle distribution fN(0)-->f(O) weakly and with Zn(0)-->Z(O) as N tends to infinity, the states generated by the Hamiltonian dynamics at all time 0<t<T are such that (eN(t),Zn(t)) converges weakly to (f(t),Z(t)). Comments: Kinetic theory, Plasma physics.Comment: 18 pages, LaTe

Linearity of calibration curves: use and misuse of the correlation coefficient.

correlation coefficient is commonly used to evaluate the degree of linear association between two variables. However, it can be shown that a correlation coefficient very close to one might also be obtained for a clear curved relationship. Other statistical tests, like the Lack-of-fit and Mandel's fitting test thus appear more suitable for the validation of the linear calibration model. A number of cadmium calibration curves from atomic absorption spectroscopy were assessed for their linearity. All the investigated calibration curves were characterized by a high correlation coefficient (r >0.997) and low quality coefficient (QClinearity; goodness of fit; correlation coefficient; lack-of-fit; calibration; absorption;

Equilibrium statistical mechanics for single waves and wave spectra in Langmuir wave-particle interaction

Under the conditions of weak Langmuir turbulence, a self-consistent wave-particle Hamiltonian models the effective nonlinear interaction of a spectrum of M waves with N resonant out-of-equilibrium tail electrons. In order to address its intrinsically nonlinear time-asymptotic behavior, a Monte Carlo code was built to estimate its equilibrium statistical mechanics in both the canonical and microcanonical ensembles. First the single wave model is considered in the cold beam/plasma instability and in the O'Neil setting for nonlinear Landau damping. O'Neil's threshold, that separates nonzero time-asymptotic wave amplitude states from zero ones, is associated to a second order phase transition. These two studies provide both a testbed for the Monte Carlo canonical and microcanonical codes, with the comparison with exact canonical results, and an opportunity to propose quantitative results to longstanding issues in basic nonlinear plasma physics. Then the properly speaking weak turbulence framework is considered through the case of a large spectrum of waves. Focusing on the small coupling limit, as a benchmark for the statistical mechanics of weak Langmuir turbulence, it is shown that Monte Carlo microcanonical results fully agree with an exact microcanonical derivation. The wave spectrum is predicted to collapse towards small wavelengths together with the escape of initially resonant particles towards low bulk plasma thermal speeds. This study reveals the fundamental discrepancy between the long-time dynamics of single waves, that can support finite amplitude steady states, and of wave spectra, that cannot.Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures, to appear in Physics of Plasma

On the misuse of the correlation coefficient to assess linearity of calibration curves.

The correlation coefficient is commonly used to evaluate the degree of linear association between two variables. However, it can be shown that a correlation coefficient very close to one might also be obtained for a clearly curved relationship. Other statistical tests, like the Lack-of-fit and Mandel's fitting test appear therefore more suitable for the validation of the linear calibration model. A number of cadmium calibration curves from atomic absorption spectroscopy were assessed for their linearity. All the investigated calibration curves were characterised by a high correlation coefficient (r > 0.997) and low quality coefficient (QCEfficiency; Distribution; Variable; Value; Expected; Yield;

Phase transition in the collisionless regime for wave-particle interaction

Gibbs statistical mechanics is derived for the Hamiltonian system coupling self-consistently a wave to N particles. This identifies Landau damping with a regime where a second order phase transition occurs. For nonequilibrium initial data with warm particles, a critical initial wave intensity is found: above it, thermodynamics predicts a finite wave amplitude in the limit of infinite N; below it, the equilibrium amplitude vanishes. Simulations support these predictions providing new insight on the long-time nonlinear fate of the wave due to Landau damping in plasmas.Comment: 12 pages (RevTeX), 2 figures (PostScript