163 research outputs found
Bifurcation Phenomenon in a Spin Relaxation
Spin relaxation in a strong-coupling regime (with respect to the spin system)
is investigated in detail based on the spin-boson model in a stochastic limit.
We find a bifurcation phenomenon in temperature dependence of relaxation
constants, which is never observed in the weak-coupling regime. We also discuss
inequalities among the relaxation constants in our model and show the
well-known relation 2\Gamma_T >= \Gamma_L, for example, for a wider parameter
region than before.Comment: REVTeX4, 5 pages, 5 EPS figure
Time of arrival through interacting environments: Tunneling processes
We discuss the propagation of wave packets through interacting environments.
Such environments generally modify the dispersion relation or shape of the wave
function. To study such effects in detail, we define the distribution function
P_{X}(T), which describes the arrival time T of a packet at a detector located
at point X. We calculate P_{X}(T) for wave packets traveling through a
tunneling barrier and find that our results actually explain recent
experiments. We compare our results with Nelson's stochastic interpretation of
quantum mechanics and resolve a paradox previously apparent in Nelson's
viewpoint about the tunneling time.Comment: Latex 19 pages, 11 eps figures, title modified, comments and
references added, final versio
From the cell membrane to the nucleus: unearthing transport mechanisms for Dynein
Mutations in the motor protein cytoplasmic dynein have been found to cause Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, spinal muscular atrophy, and severe intellectual disabilities in humans. In mouse models, neurodegeneration is observed. We sought to develop a novel model which could incorporate the effects of mutations on distance travelled and velocity. A mechanical model for the dynein mediated transport of endosomes is derived from first principles and solved numerically. The effects of variations in model parameter values are analysed to find those that have a significant impact on velocity and distance travelled. The model successfully describes the processivity of dynein and matches qualitatively the velocity profiles observed in experiments
The Exact Correspondence between Phase Times and Dwell Times in a Symmetrical Quantum Tunneling Configuration
The general and explicit relation between the phase time and the dwell time
for quantum tunneling or scattering is investigated. Considering a symmetrical
collision of two identical wave packets with an one-dimensional barrier, here
we demonstrate that these two distinct transit time definitions give connected
results where, however, the phase time (group delay) accurately describes the
exact position of the scattered particles. The analytical difficulties that
arise when the stationary phase method is employed for obtaining phase
(traversal) times are all overcome. Multiple wave packet decomposition allows
us to recover the exact position of the reflected and transmitted waves in
terms of the phase time, which, in addition to the exact relation between the
phase time and the dwell time, leads to right interpretation for both of them.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figure
Small Corrections to the Tunneling Phase Time Formulation
After reexamining the above barrier diffusion problem where we notice that
the wave packet collision implies the existence of {\em multiple} reflected and
transmitted wave packets, we analyze the way of obtaining phase times for
tunneling/reflecting particles in a particular colliding configuration where
the idea of multiple peak decomposition is recovered. To partially overcome the
analytical incongruities which frequently rise up when the stationary phase
method is adopted for computing the (tunneling) phase time expressions, we
present a theoretical exercise involving a symmetrical collision between two
identical wave packets and a unidimensional squared potential barrier where the
scattered wave packets can be recomposed by summing the amplitudes of
simultaneously reflected and transmitted wave components so that the conditions
for applying the stationary phase principle are totally recovered. Lessons
concerning the use of the stationary phase method are drawn.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figure
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