258 research outputs found
Structure Factors and Their Distributions in Driven Two-Species Models
We study spatial correlations and structure factors in a three-state
stochastic lattice gas, consisting of holes and two oppositely ``charged''
species of particles, subject to an ``electric'' field at zero total charge.
The dynamics consists of two nearest-neighbor exchange processes, occuring on
different times scales, namely, particle-hole and particle-particle exchanges.
Using both, Langevin equations and Monte Carlo simulations, we study the
steady-state structure factors and correlation functions in the disordered
phase, where density profiles are homogeneous. In contrast to equilibrium
systems, the average structure factors here show a discontinuity singularity at
the origin. The associated spatial correlation functions exhibit intricate
crossovers between exponential decays and power laws of different kinds. The
full probability distributions of the structure factors are universal
asymmetric exponential distributions.Comment: RevTex, 18 pages, 4 postscript figures included, mistaken half-empty
page correcte
Birkhoff type decompositions and the Baker-Campbell-Hausdorff recursion
We describe a unification of several apparently unrelated factorizations
arisen from quantum field theory, vertex operator algebras, combinatorics and
numerical methods in differential equations. The unification is given by a
Birkhoff type decomposition that was obtained from the Baker-Campbell-Hausdorff
formula in our study of the Hopf algebra approach of Connes and Kreimer to
renormalization in perturbative quantum field theory. There we showed that the
Birkhoff decomposition of Connes and Kreimer can be obtained from a certain
Baker-Campbell-Hausdorff recursion formula in the presence of a Rota-Baxter
operator. We will explain how the same decomposition generalizes the
factorization of formal exponentials and uniformization for Lie algebras that
arose in vertex operator algebra and conformal field theory, and the even-odd
decomposition of combinatorial Hopf algebra characters as well as to the Lie
algebra polar decomposition as used in the context of the approximation of
matrix exponentials in ordinary differential equations.Comment: accepted for publication in Comm. in Math. Phy
Equilibration processes in the Warm-Hot Intergalactic Medium
The Warm-Hot Intergalactic Medium (WHIM) is thought to contribute about 40-50
% to the baryonic budget at the present evolution stage of the universe. The
observed large scale structure is likely to be due to gravitational growth of
density fluctuations in the post-inflation era. The evolving cosmic web is
governed by non-linear gravitational growth of the initially weak density
fluctuations in the dark energy dominated cosmology. Non-linear structure
formation, accretion and merging processes, star forming and AGN activity
produce gas shocks in the WHIM. Shock waves are converting a fraction of the
gravitation power to thermal and non-thermal emission of baryonic/leptonic
matter. They provide the most likely way to power the luminous matter in the
WHIM. The plasma shocks in the WHIM are expected to be collisionless.
Collisionless shocks produce a highly non-equilibrium state with anisotropic
temperatures and a large differences in ion and electron temperatures. We
discuss the ion and electron heating by the collisionless shocks and then
review the plasma processes responsible for the Coulomb equilibration and
collisional ionisation equilibrium of oxygen ions in the WHIM. MHD-turbulence
produced by the strong collisionless shocks could provide a sizeable
non-thermal contribution to the observed Doppler parameter of the UV line
spectra of the WHIM.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Space Science
Reviews, special issue "Clusters of galaxies: beyond the thermal view",
Editor J.S. Kaastra, Chapter 8; work done by an international team at the
International Space Science Institute (ISSI), Bern, organised by J.S.
Kaastra, A.M. Bykov, S. Schindler & J.A.M. Bleeke
Dynamic Evolution Model of Isothermal Voids and Shocks
We explore self-similar hydrodynamic evolution of central voids embedded in
an isothermal gas of spherical symmetry under the self-gravity. More
specifically, we study voids expanding at constant radial speeds in an
isothermal gas and construct all types of possible void solutions without or
with shocks in surrounding envelopes. We examine properties of void boundaries
and outer envelopes. Voids without shocks are all bounded by overdense shells
and either inflows or outflows in the outer envelope may occur. These
solutions, referred to as type void solutions, are further
divided into subtypes and
according to their characteristic behaviours across the sonic critical line
(SCL). Void solutions with shocks in envelopes are referred to as type
voids and can have both dense and quasi-smooth edges.
Asymptotically, outflows, breezes, inflows, accretions and static outer
envelopes may all surround such type voids. Both cases of
constant and varying temperatures across isothermal shock fronts are analyzed;
they are referred to as types and
void shock solutions. We apply the `phase net matching procedure' to construct
various self-similar void solutions. We also present analysis on void
generation mechanisms and describe several astrophysical applications. By
including self-gravity, gas pressure and shocks, our isothermal self-similar
void (ISSV) model is adaptable to various astrophysical systems such as
planetary nebulae, hot bubbles and superbubbles in the interstellar medium as
well as supernova remnants.Comment: 24 pages, 13 figuers, accepted by ApS
Recent Advances in Understanding Particle Acceleration Processes in Solar Flares
We review basic theoretical concepts in particle acceleration, with
particular emphasis on processes likely to occur in regions of magnetic
reconnection. Several new developments are discussed, including detailed
studies of reconnection in three-dimensional magnetic field configurations
(e.g., current sheets, collapsing traps, separatrix regions) and stochastic
acceleration in a turbulent environment. Fluid, test-particle, and
particle-in-cell approaches are used and results compared. While these studies
show considerable promise in accounting for the various observational
manifestations of solar flares, they are limited by a number of factors, mostly
relating to available computational power. Not the least of these issues is the
need to explicitly incorporate the electrodynamic feedback of the accelerated
particles themselves on the environment in which they are accelerated. A brief
prognosis for future advancement is offered.Comment: This is a chapter in a monograph on the physics of solar flares,
inspired by RHESSI observations. The individual articles are to appear in
Space Science Reviews (2011
Dynamic Evolution of a Quasi-Spherical General Polytropic Magnetofluid with Self-Gravity
In various astrophysical contexts, we analyze self-similar behaviours of
magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) evolution of a quasi-spherical polytropic magnetized
gas under self-gravity with the specific entropy conserved along streamlines.
In particular, this MHD model analysis frees the scaling parameter in the
conventional polytropic self-similar transformation from the constraint of
with being the polytropic index and therefore
substantially generalizes earlier analysis results on polytropic gas dynamics
that has a constant specific entropy everywhere in space at all time. On the
basis of the self-similar nonlinear MHD ordinary differential equations, we
examine behaviours of the magnetosonic critical curves, the MHD shock
conditions, and various asymptotic solutions. We then construct global
semi-complete self-similar MHD solutions using a combination of analytical and
numerical means and indicate plausible astrophysical applications of these
magnetized flow solutions with or without MHD shocks.Comment: 21 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in APS
Prospects for Constraining Cosmology with the Extragalactic Cosmic Microwave Background Temperature
Observers have demonstrated that it is now feasible to measure the cosmic
microwave background (CMB) temperature at high redshifts. We explore the
possible constraints on cosmology which might ultimately be derived from such
measurements. Besides providing a consistency check on standard and alternative
cosmologies, possibilities include: constraints on the inhomogeneity and
anisotropy of the universe at intermediate redshift ; an
independent probe of peculiar motions with respect to the Hubble flow; and
constraining the epoch of reionization. We argue that the best possibility is
as a probe of peculiar motions. We show, however, that the current measurement
uncertainty (K) in the local present absolute CMB
temperature imposes intrinsic limits on the use of such CMB temperature
measurements as a cosmological probe. At best, anisotropies at intermediate
redshift could only be constrained at a level of and peculiar
motions could only be determined to an uncertainty of km
s. If the high CMB temperature can only be measured with a precision
comparable to the uncertainty of the local interstellar CMB temperature, then
peculiar motions could be determined to an uncertainty of .Comment: 8 pages 2 Figures, PRD Submitte
Forward pi^0 Production and Associated Transverse Energy Flow in Deep-Inelastic Scattering at HERA
Deep-inelastic positron-proton interactions at low values of Bjorken-x down
to x \approx 4.10^-5 which give rise to high transverse momentum pi^0 mesons
are studied with the H1 experiment at HERA. The inclusive cross section for
pi^0 mesons produced at small angles with respect to the proton remnant (the
forward region) is presented as a function of the transverse momentum and
energy of the pi^0 and of the four-momentum transfer Q^2 and Bjorken-x.
Measurements are also presented of the transverse energy flow in events
containing a forward pi^0 meson. Hadronic final state calculations based on QCD
models implementing different parton evolution schemes are confronted with the
data.Comment: 27 pages, 8 figures and 3 table
Low Q^2 Jet Production at HERA and Virtual Photon Structure
The transition between photoproduction and deep-inelastic scattering is
investigated in jet production at the HERA ep collider, using data collected by
the H1 experiment. Measurements of the differential inclusive jet
cross-sections dsigep/dEt* and dsigmep/deta*, where Et* and eta* are the
transverse energy and the pseudorapidity of the jets in the virtual
photon-proton centre of mass frame, are presented for 0 < Q2 < 49 GeV2 and 0.3
< y < 0.6. The interpretation of the results in terms of the structure of the
virtual photon is discussed. The data are best described by QCD calculations
which include a partonic structure of the virtual photon that evolves with Q2.Comment: 20 pages, 5 Figure
Hadron Production in Diffractive Deep-Inelastic Scattering
Characteristics of hadron production in diffractive deep-inelastic
positron-proton scattering are studied using data collected in 1994 by the H1
experiment at HERA. The following distributions are measured in the
centre-of-mass frame of the photon dissociation system: the hadronic energy
flow, the Feynman-x (x_F) variable for charged particles, the squared
transverse momentum of charged particles (p_T^{*2}), and the mean p_T^{*2} as a
function of x_F. These distributions are compared with results in the gamma^* p
centre-of-mass frame from inclusive deep-inelastic scattering in the
fixed-target experiment EMC, and also with the predictions of several Monte
Carlo calculations. The data are consistent with a picture in which the
partonic structure of the diffractive exchange is dominated at low Q^2 by hard
gluons.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figures, submitted to Phys. Lett.
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