17,731 research outputs found
On the propagation of semiclassical Wigner functions
We establish the difference between the propagation of semiclassical Wigner
functions and classical Liouville propagation. First we re-discuss the
semiclassical limit for the propagator of Wigner functions, which on its own
leads to their classical propagation. Then, via stationary phase evaluation of
the full integral evolution equation, using the semiclassical expressions of
Wigner functions, we provide the correct geometrical prescription for their
semiclassical propagation. This is determined by the classical trajectories of
the tips of the chords defined by the initial semiclassical Wigner function and
centered on their arguments, in contrast to the Liouville propagation which is
determined by the classical trajectories of the arguments themselves.Comment: 9 pages, 1 figure. To appear in J. Phys. A. This version matches the
one set to print and differs from the previous one (07 Nov 2001) by the
addition of two references, a few extra words of explanation and an augmented
figure captio
Uniform approximation for the overlap caustic of a quantum state with its translations
The semiclassical Wigner function for a Bohr-quantized energy eigenstate is
known to have a caustic along the corresponding classical closed phase space
curve in the case of a single degree of freedom. Its Fourier transform, the
semiclassical chord function, also has a caustic along the conjugate curve
defined as the locus of diameters, i.e. the maximal chords of the original
curve. If the latter is convex, so is its conjugate, resulting in a simple fold
caustic. The uniform approximation through this caustic, that is here derived,
describes the transition undergone by the overlap of the state with its
translation, from an oscillatory regime for small chords, to evanescent
overlaps, rising to a maximum near the caustic. The diameter-caustic for the
Wigner function is also treated.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figure
Chaos and a Resonance Mechanism for Structure Formation in Inflationary Models
We exhibit a resonance mechanism of amplification of density perturbations in
inflationary mo-dels, using a minimal set of ingredients (an effective
cosmological constant, a scalar field minimally coupled to the gravitational
field and matter), common to most models in the literature of inflation. This
mechanism is based on the structure of homoclinic cylinders, emanating from an
unstable periodic orbit in the neighborhood of a saddle-center critical point,
present in the phase space of the model. The cylindrical structure induces
oscillatory motions of the scales of the universe whenever the orbit visits the
neighborhood of the saddle-center, before the universe enters a period of
exponential expansion. The oscillations of the scale functions produce, by a
resonance mechanism, the amplification of a selected wave number spectrum of
density perturbations, and can explain the hierarchy of scales observed in the
actual universe. The transversal crossings of the homoclinic cylinders induce
chaos in the dynamics of the model, a fact intimately connected to the
resonance mechanism occuring immediately before the exit to inflation.Comment: 4 pages. This essay received an Honorable Mention from the Gravity
Research Foundation, 1998-Ed. To appear in Mod. Phys. Lett.
Quantization of multidimensional cat maps
In this work we study cat maps with many degrees of freedom. Classical cat
maps are classified using the Cayley parametrization of symplectic matrices and
the closely associated center and chord generating functions. Particular
attention is dedicated to loxodromic behavior, which is a new feature of
two-dimensional maps. The maps are then quantized using a recently developed
Weyl representation on the torus and the general condition on the Floquet
angles is derived for a particular map to be quantizable. The semiclassical
approximation is exact, regardless of the dimensionality or of the nature of
the fixed points.Comment: 33 pages, latex, 6 figures, Submitted to Nonlinearit
Estudos de hidrologia em povoamentos de Quercus suber e caracterizaçao mesológica do ecossistema
Semiclassical Evolution of Dissipative Markovian Systems
A semiclassical approximation for an evolving density operator, driven by a
"closed" hamiltonian operator and "open" markovian Lindblad operators, is
obtained. The theory is based on the chord function, i.e. the Fourier transform
of the Wigner function. It reduces to an exact solution of the Lindblad master
equation if the hamiltonian operator is a quadratic function and the Lindblad
operators are linear functions of positions and momenta.
Initially, the semiclassical formulae for the case of hermitian Lindblad
operators are reinterpreted in terms of a (real) double phase space, generated
by an appropriate classical double Hamiltonian. An extra "open" term is added
to the double Hamiltonian by the non-hermitian part of the Lindblad operators
in the general case of dissipative markovian evolution. The particular case of
generic hamiltonian operators, but linear dissipative Lindblad operators, is
studied in more detail. A Liouville-type equivariance still holds for the
corresponding classical evolution in double phase, but the centre subspace,
which supports the Wigner function, is compressed, along with expansion of its
conjugate subspace, which supports the chord function.
Decoherence narrows the relevant region of double phase space to the
neighborhood of a caustic for both the Wigner function and the chord function.
This difficulty is avoided by a propagator in a mixed representation, so that a
further "small-chord" approximation leads to a simple generalization of the
quadratic theory for evolving Wigner functions.Comment: 33 pages - accepted to J. Phys.
Independents and citizen’s groups in Portuguese municipalities
Portugal has been living in Democracy for the last three decades. After the revolution of April 25th 1974, and a two year transition period, democratic institutions have begun to function with some regularity, towards a multi-party system. There have been four major parties in Portugal since 1974/1975: the Socialist Party (PS), the Social Democrat Party (PSD), the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) and the Popular Party (former CDS – Social Democrat Centre, now CDS-PP), on the right wing (see analysis of statutes in Lobo, 2003: 253-261). The two major parties, the Socialist Party (PS – centre left) and the Social Democrat Party (PSD – centre right), usually alternate in the control of central government, sometimes in coalition to other parties. This two-party system characterizes most democracies nowadays.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio
Fighting disease and epidemics: Ricardo Jorge and the internationalization of Portuguese science
Ricardo Jorge was one of the principal doctors responsible for the sanitary transition in Portugal. He created and enforced the most important policies for disease control, both endemic and epidemic, which scourged the western world between the mid nineteenth century and beginning of the twentieth. His professional training and academic and scientific performances reveal Ricardo Jorge's value in Portuguese science and his efforts for its internationalization. His capacities were confirmed by the emergency of the sanitary situations with which he was confronted and by the authorities' confidence in him, by putting him in charge of the bubonic plague elimination process.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio
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