Low Momentum Classical Mechanics with Effective Quantum Potentials

A recently introduced effective quantum potential theory is studied in a low momentum region of phase space. This low momentum approximation is used to show that the new effective quantum potential induces a space-dependent mass and a smoothed potential both of them constructed from the classical potential. The exact solution of the approximated theory in one spatial dimension is found. The concept of effective transmission and reflection coefficients for effective quantum potentials is proposed and discussed in comparison with an analogous quantum statistical mixture problem. The results are applied to the case of a square barrier.Comment: 4 figure

A nonlinear equation for ionic diffusion in a strong binary electrolyte

The problem of the one dimensional electro-diffusion of ions in a strong binary electrolyte is considered. In such a system the solute dissociates completely into two species of ions with unlike charges. The mathematical description consists of a diffusion equation for each species augmented by transport due to a self consistent electrostatic field determined by the Poisson equation. This mathematical framework also describes other important problems in physics such as electron and hole diffusion across semi-conductor junctions and the diffusion of ions in plasmas. If concentrations do not vary appreciably over distances of the order of the Debye length, the Poisson equation can be replaced by the condition of local charge neutrality first introduced by Planck. It can then be shown that both species diffuse at the same rate with a common diffusivity that is intermediate between that of the slow and fast species (ambipolar diffusion). Here we derive a more general theory by exploiting the ratio of Debye length to a characteristic length scale as a small asymptotic parameter. It is shown that the concentration of either species may be described by a nonlinear integro-differential equation which replaces the classical linear equation for ambipolar diffusion but reduces to it in the appropriate limit. Through numerical integration of the full set of equations it is shown that this nonlinear equation provides a better approximation to the exact solution than the linear equation it replaces.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur

On the Long Time Behavior of the Quantum Fokker-Planck equation

We analyze the long time behavior of transport equations for a class of dissipative quantum systems with Fokker-planck type scattering operator, subject to confining potentials of harmonic oscillator type. We establish the conditions under which there exists a thermal equilibrium state and prove exponential decay towards it, using (classical) entropy-methods. Additionally, we give precise dispersion estimates in the cases were no equilibrium state exists

Heavy-Fermion Instability in Double-Degenerate Plasmas

In this work we study the propagations of normal frequency modes for quantum hydrodynamic (QHD) waves in the linear limit and introduce a new kind of instability in a double-degenerate plasma. Three different regimes, namely, low, intermediate and high magnetic field strengths are considered which span the applicability of the work to a wide variety of environments. Distinct behavior is observed for different regimes, for instance, in the laboratory-scale field regime no frequency-mode instability occurs unlike those of intermediate and high magnetic-field strength regimes. It is also found that the instability of this kind is due to the heavy-fermions which appear below a critical effective-mass parameter ($\mu_{cr}=\sqrt{3}$) and that the responses of the two (lower and upper frequency) modes to fractional effective-mass change in different effective-mass parameter ranges (below and above the critical value) are quite opposite to each other. It is shown that, the heavy-fermion instability due to extremely high magnetic field such as that encountered for a neutron-star crust can lead to confinement of stable propagations in both lower and upper frequency modes to the magnetic poles. Current study can have important implications for linear wave dynamics in both laboratory and astrophysical environments possessing high magnetic fields

Dynamics of spin 1/2 quantum plasmas

The fully nonlinear governing equations for spin 1/2 quantum plasmas are presented. Starting from the Pauli equation, the relevant plasma equations are derived, and it is shown that nontrivial quantum spin couplings arise, enabling studies of the combined collective and spin dynamics. The linear response of the quantum plasma in an electron--ion system is obtained and analyzed. Applications of the theory to solid state and astrophysical systems as well as dusty plasmas are pointed out.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, to appear in Physical Review Letter