A hybrid perturbation Galerkin technique with applications to slender body theory

A two step hybrid perturbation-Galerkin method to solve a variety of applied mathematics problems which involve a small parameter is presented. The method consists of: (1) the use of a regular or singular perturbation method to determine the asymptotic expansion of the solution in terms of the small parameter; (2) construction of an approximate solution in the form of a sum of the perturbation coefficient functions multiplied by (unknown) amplitudes (gauge functions); and (3) the use of the classical Bubnov-Galerkin method to determine these amplitudes. This hybrid method has the potential of overcoming some of the drawbacks of the perturbation method and the Bubnov-Galerkin method when they are applied by themselves, while combining some of the good features of both. The proposed method is applied to some singular perturbation problems in slender body theory. The results obtained from the hybrid method are compared with approximate solutions obtained by other methods, and the degree of applicability of the hybrid method to broader problem areas is discussed

Lattice Interferometer for Ultra-Cold Atoms

We demonstrate an atomic interferometer based on ultra-cold atoms released from an optical lattice. This technique yields a large improvement in signal to noise over a related interferometer previously demonstrated. The interferometer involves diffraction of the atoms using a pulsed optical lattice. For short pulses a simple analytical theory predicts the expected signal. We investigate the interferometer for both short pulses and longer pulses where the analytical theory break down. Longer pulses can improve the precision and signal size. For specific pulse lengths we observe a coherent signal at times that differs greatly from what is expected from the short pulse model. The interferometric signal also reveals information about the dynamics of the atoms in the lattice. We investigate the application of the interferometer for a measurement of $h/m_A$ that together with other well known constants constitutes a measurement of the fine structure constant

Resonant frequency calculations using a hybrid perturbation-Galerkin technique

A two-step hybrid perturbation Galerkin technique is applied to the problem of determining the resonant frequencies of one or several degree of freedom nonlinear systems involving a parameter. In one step, the Lindstedt-Poincare method is used to determine perturbation solutions which are formally valid about one or more special values of the parameter (e.g., for large or small values of the parameter). In step two, a subset of the perturbation coordinate functions determined in step one is used in Galerkin type approximation. The technique is illustrated for several one degree of freedom systems, including the Duffing and van der Pol oscillators, as well as for the compound pendulum. For all of the examples considered, it is shown that the frequencies obtained by the hybrid technique using only a few terms from the perturbation solutions are significantly more accurate than the perturbation results on which they are based, and they compare very well with frequencies obtained by purely numerical methods

Investigating a hybrid perturbation-Galerkin technique using computer algebra

A two-step hybrid perturbation-Galerkin method is presented for the solution of a variety of differential equations type problems which involve a scalar parameter. The resulting (approximate) solution has the form of a sum where each term consists of the product of two functions. The first function is a function of the independent field variable(s) x, and the second is a function of the parameter lambda. In step one the functions of x are determined by forming a perturbation expansion in lambda. In step two the functions of lambda are determined through the use of the classical Bubnov-Gelerkin method. The resulting hybrid method has the potential of overcoming some of the drawbacks of the perturbation and Bubnov-Galerkin methods applied separately, while combining some of the good features of each. In particular, the results can be useful well beyond the radius of convergence associated with the perturbation expansion. The hybrid method is applied with the aid of computer algebra to a simple two-point boundary value problem where the radius of convergence is finite and to a quantum eigenvalue problem where the radius of convergence is zero. For both problems the hybrid method apparently converges for an infinite range of the parameter lambda. The results obtained from the hybrid method are compared with approximate solutions obtained by other methods, and the applicability of the hybrid method to broader problem areas is discussed

A hybrid-perturbation-Galerkin technique which combines multiple expansions

A two-step hybrid perturbation-Galerkin method for the solution of a variety of differential equations type problems is found to give better results when multiple perturbation expansions are employed. The method assumes that there is parameter in the problem formulation and that a perturbation method can be sued to construct one or more expansions in this perturbation coefficient functions multiplied by computed amplitudes. In step one, regular and/or singular perturbation methods are used to determine the perturbation coefficient functions. The results of step one are in the form of one or more expansions each expressed as a sum of perturbation coefficient functions multiplied by a priori known gauge functions. In step two the classical Bubnov-Galerkin method uses the perturbation coefficient functions computed in step one to determine a set of amplitudes which replace and improve upon the gauge functions. The hybrid method has the potential of overcoming some of the drawbacks of the perturbation and Galerkin methods as applied separately, while combining some of their better features. The proposed method is applied, with two perturbation expansions in each case, to a variety of model ordinary differential equations problems including: a family of linear two-boundary-value problems, a nonlinear two-point boundary-value problem, a quantum mechanical eigenvalue problem and a nonlinear free oscillation problem. The results obtained from the hybrid methods are compared with approximate solutions obtained by other methods, and the applicability of the hybrid method to broader problem areas is discussed

A hybrid perturbation-Galerkin method for differential equations containing a parameter

A two-step hybrid perturbation-Galerkin method to solve a variety of differential equations which involve a parameter is presented and discussed. The method consists of: (1) the use of a perturbation method to determine the asymptotic expansion of the solution about one or more values of the parameter; and (2) the use of some of the perturbation coefficient functions as trial functions in the classical Bubnov-Galerkin method. This hybrid method has the potential of overcoming some of the drawbacks of the perturbation method and the Bubnov-Galerkin method when they are applied by themselves, while combining some of the good features of both. The proposed method is illustrated first with a simple linear two-point boundary value problem and is then applied to a nonlinear two-point boundary value problem in lubrication theory. The results obtained from the hybrid method are compared with approximate solutions obtained by purely numerical methods. Some general features of the method, as well as some special tips for its implementation, are discussed. A survey of some current research application areas is presented and its degree of applicability to broader problem areas is discussed

Suppression of Dephasing of Optically Trapped Atoms

Ultra-cold atoms trapped in an optical dipole trap and prepared in a coherent superposition of their hyperfine ground states, decohere as they interact with their environment. We demonstrate than the loss in coherence in an "echo" experiment, which is caused by mechanisms such as Rayleigh scattering, can be suppressed by the use of a new pulse sequence. We also show that the coherence time is then limited by mixing to other vibrational levels in the trap and by the finite lifetime of the internal quantum states of the atoms