248 research outputs found
Skyrmions and Bags in the 2D-O(3) model
Localized static solutions of the 2D-O(3) model are investigated in a
representation with the 3-vector field split into the unit vector
and the modulus . As in the nonlinear version of the model
this allows for the definition of a topological winding number , and for the
separation of the complete configuration space into distinct -sectors. For
small values of the -coupling strength the stable energy minima in
these sectors are characterized by bag formation in the modulus field which in
the standard cartesian representation of the linear O(3) model would be
unstable towards decay into the trivial B=0 vacuum. Stabilized by
-conservation they exhibit a surprising variety of very appealing features
for multiply charged systems. With the total charge bound into one common deep
bag opposite ways of distributing the topological charge density inside the bag
can be realized: Pointlike structures which retain the individuality of single
constituents (or doubly charged pairs), or a deconfined charge density spread
uniformly throughout the interior of the bag. It is suggested that this
extension supplies a crucial link to overcome the unsatisfactory existing
mismatch between multiskyrmion configurations and nuclear structure.Comment: 13 pages, 15 figure
A model of fasciculation and sorting in mixed populations of axons
We extend a recently proposed model (Chaudhuri et al., EPL 87, 20003 (2009))
aiming to describe the formation of fascicles of axons during neural
development. The growing axons are represented as paths of interacting directed
random walkers in two spatial dimensions. To mimic turnover of axons, whole
paths are removed and new walkers are injected with specified rates. In the
simplest version of the model, we use strongly adhesive short-range inter-axon
interactions that are identical for all pairs of axons. We generalize the model
to adhesive interactions of finite strengths and to multiple types of axons
with type-specific interactions. The dynamic steady state is characterized by
the position-dependent distribution of fascicle sizes. With distance in the
direction of axon growth, the mean fascicle size and emergent time scales grow
monotonically, while the degree of sorting of fascicles by axon type has a
maximum at a finite distance. To understand the emergence of slow time scales,
we develop an analytical framework to analyze the interaction between
neighboring fascicles.Comment: 19 pages, 13 figures; version accepted for publication in Phys Rev
First integrals of Ginzburg-Landau equations and stability criteria for vortex-free state in unconventional superconductors
The first integrals of the Ginzburg-Landau equations for a vortex-free state
of superconductors with different mixed symmetries of the order parameter are
found. The general boundary conditions for the order parameter at the ideal
interface between the superconductor and vacuum are derived. Based on these
integrals and boundary conditions, we analyze the stability criteria for
vortex-free state in unconventional superconductors. The threshold field above
which the Abrikosov vortices can enter the superconductor is found to be higher
or equal to the thermodynamic critical field for all states under study.Comment: 8 pages, pdf file, no figure
Physiology of spontaneous [Ca2+]i oscillations in the isolated vasopressin and oxytocin neurones of the rat supraoptic nucleus
AbstractThe magnocellular vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OT) neurones exhibit specific electrophysiological behaviour, synthesise AVP and OT peptides and secrete them into the neurohypophysial system in response to various physiological stimulations. The activity of these neurones is regulated by the very same peptides released either somato-dendritically or when applied to supraoptic nucleus (SON) preparations in vitro. The AVP and OT, secreted somato-dendritically (i.e. in the SON proper) act through specific autoreceptors, induce distinct Ca2+ signals and regulate cellular events. Here, we demonstrate that about 70% of freshly isolated individual SON neurones from the adult non-transgenic or transgenic rats bearing AVP (AVP-eGFP) or OT (OT-mRFP1) markers, produce distinct spontaneous [Ca2+]i oscillations. In the neurones identified (through specific fluorescence), about 80% of AVP neurones and about 60% of OT neurones exhibited these oscillations. Exposure to AVP triggered [Ca2+]i oscillations in silent AVP neurones, or modified the oscillatory pattern in spontaneously active cells. Hyper- and hypo-osmotic stimuli (325 or 275 mOsmol/l) respectively intensified or inhibited spontaneous [Ca2+]i dynamics. In rats dehydrated for 3 or 5days almost 90% of neurones displayed spontaneous [Ca2+]i oscillations. More than 80% of OT-mRFP1 neurones from 3 to 6-day-lactating rats were oscillatory vs. about 44% (OT-mRFP1 neurones) in virgins. Together, these results unveil for the first time that both AVP and OT neurones maintain, via Ca2+ signals, their remarkable intrinsic in vivo physiological properties in an isolated condition
Dynamics of path aggregation in the presence of turnover
We investigate the slow time scales that arise from aging of the paths during
the process of path aggregation. This is studied using Monte-Carlo simulations
of a model aiming to describe the formation of fascicles of axons mediated by
contact axon-axon interactions. The growing axons are represented as
interacting directed random walks in two spatial dimensions. To mimic axonal
turnover, random walkers are injected and whole paths of individual walkers are
removed at specified rates. We identify several distinct time scales that
emerge from the system dynamics and can exceed the average axonal lifetime by
orders of magnitude. In the dynamical steady state, the position-dependent
distribution of fascicle sizes obeys a scaling law. We discuss our findings in
terms of an analytically tractable, effective model of fascicle dynamics.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures; changed the order of presentation, rewritten the
abstract and introduction, changed the title, expanded discussions; the main
results remain the sam
Field dynamics and kink-antikink production in rapidly expanding systems
Field dynamics in a rapidly expanding system is investigated by transforming
from space-time to the rapidity - proper-time frame. The proper-time dependence
of different contributions to the total energy is established. For systems
characterized by a finite momentum cut-off, a freeze-out time can be defined
after which the field propagation in rapidity space ends and the system decays
into decoupled solitons, antisolitons and local vacuum fluctuations. Numerical
simulations of field evolutions on a lattice for the (1+1)-dimensional
model illustrate the general results and show that the freeze-out time and
average multiplicities of kinks (plus antikinks) produced in this 'phase
transition' can be obtained from simple averages over the initial ensemble of
field configurations. An extension to explicitly include additional dissipation
is discussed. The validity of an adiabatic approximation for the case of an
overdamped system is investigated. The (3+1)-dimensional generalization may
serve as model for baryon-antibaryon production after heavy-ion collisions.Comment: 18 pages, 7 figures. Two references added. New subsection III.E
added. Final version accepted for publication in PR
Ordering kinetics of stripe patterns
We study domain coarsening of two dimensional stripe patterns by numerically
solving the Swift-Hohenberg model of Rayleigh-Benard convection. Near the
bifurcation threshold, the evolution of disordered configurations is dominated
by grain boundary motion through a background of largely immobile curved
stripes. A numerical study of the distribution of local stripe curvatures, of
the structure factor of the order parameter, and a finite size scaling analysis
of the grain boundary perimeter, suggest that the linear scale of the structure
grows as a power law of time with a craracteristic exponent z=3. We interpret
theoretically the exponent z=3 from the law of grain boundary motion.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Dynamical Induction of s-wave Component in d-wave Superconductor Driven by Thermal Fluctuations
We investigated the mutual induction effects between the d-wave and the
s-wave components of order parameters due to superconducting fluctuation above
the critical temperatures and calculated its contributions to paraconductivity
and excess Hall conductivity based on the two-component stochastic TDGL
equation. It is shown that the coupling of two components increases
paraconductivity while it decreases excess Hall conductivity compared to the
cases when each component fluctuates independently. We also found the singular
behavior in the paraconductivity and the excess Hall conductivity dependence on
the coupling parameter which is consistent with the natural restriction among
the coefficients of gradient terms.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures included, submitted to J.Phys.Soc.Jp
Induction of non-d-wave order-parameter components by currents in d-wave superconductors
It is shown, within the framework of the Ginzburg-Landau theory for a
superconductor with d_{x^2-y^2} symmetry, that the passing of a supercurrent
through the sample results, in general, in the induction of order-parameter
components of distinct symmetry. The induction of s-wave and
d_{xy(x^2-y^2)-wave components are considered in detail. It is shown that in
both cases the order parameter remains gapless; however, the structure of the
lines of nodes and the lobes of the order parameter are modified in distinct
ways, and the magnitudes of these modifications differ in their dependence on
the (a-b plane) current direction. The magnitude of the induced s-wave
component is estimated using the results of the calculations of Ren et al.
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 74, 3680 (1995)], which are based on a microscopic approach.Comment: 15 pages, includes 2 figures. To appear in Phys. Rev.
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