408 research outputs found
Logarithmic Relaxations in a Random Field Lattice Gas Subject to Gravity
A simple lattice gas model with random fields and gravity is introduced to
describe a system of grains moving in a disordered environment. Off equilibrium
relaxations of bulk density and its two time correlation functions are
numerically found to show logarithmic time dependences and "aging" effects.
Similitudes with dry granular media are stressed. The connections with off
equilibrium dynamics in others kinds of "frustrated" lattice models in presence
of a directional driving force (gravity) are discussed to single out the
appearance of universal features in the relaxation process.Comment: 15 pages, latex, 7 figures include
Comment on ``Two Time Scales and Violation of the Fluctuation-Dissipation Theorem in a Finite Dimensional Model for Structural Glasses''
In cond-mat/0002074 Ricci-Tersenghi et al. find two linear regimes in the
fluctuation-dissipation relation between density-density correlations and
associated responses of the Frustrated Ising Lattice Gas. Here we show that
this result does not seem to correspond to the equilibrium quantities of the
model, by measuring the overlap distribution P(q) of the density and comparing
the FDR expected on the ground of the P(q) with the one measured in the
off-equilibrium experiments.Comment: RevTeX, 1 page, 2 eps figures, Comment on F. Ricci-Tersenghi et al.,
Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 4473 (2000
Memory effects in response functions of driven vortex matter
Vortex flow in driven type II superconductors shows strong memory and history
dependent effects. Here, we study a schematic microscopic model of driven
vortices to propose a scenario for a broad set of these kind of phenomena
ranging from ``rejuvenation'' and ``stiffening'' of the system response, to
``memory'' and ``irreversibility'' in I-V characteristics
Phase coexistence and relaxation of the spherical frustrated Blume-Emery-Griffiths model with attractive particles coupling
We study the equilibrium and dynamical properties of a spherical version of
the frustrated Blume-Emery-Griffiths model at mean field level for attractive
particle-particle coupling (K>0). Beyond a second order transition line from a
paramagnetic to a (replica symmetric) spin glass phase, the density-temperature
phase diagram is characterized by a tricritical point from which,
interestingly, a first order transition line starts with coexistence of the two
phases. In the Langevin dynamics the paramagnetic/spin glass discontinuous
transition line is found to be dependent on the initial density; close to this
line, on the paramagnetic side, the correlation-response plot displays
interrupted aging.Comment: to be published on Europhysics Letter
Mechanics and dynamics of X-chromosome pairing at X inactivation
At the onset of X-chromosome inactivation, the vital process whereby female mammalian cells equalize X products with
respect to males, the X chromosomes are colocalized along their Xic (X-inactivation center) regions. The mechanism
inducing recognition and pairing of the X’s remains, though, elusive. Starting from recent discoveries on the molecular
factors and on the DNA sequences (the so-called "pairing sites") involved, we dissect the mechanical basis of Xic
colocalization by using a statistical physics model. We show that soluble DNA-specific binding molecules, such as those
experimentally identified, can be indeed sufficient to induce the spontaneous colocalization of the homologous
chromosomes but only when their concentration, or chemical affinity, rises above a threshold value as a consequence of a
thermodynamic phase transition. We derive the likelihood of pairing and its probability distribution. Chromosome dynamics
has two stages: an initial independent Brownian diffusion followed, after a characteristic time scale, by recognition and
pairing. Finally, we investigate the effects of DNA deletion/insertions in the region of pairing sites and compare model
predictions to available experimental data
Aging and multiscaling in out of equilibrium dynamical processes in granular media
In the framework of recently introduced frustrated lattice gas models, we
study the out of equilibrium dynamical processes during the compaction process
in granular media. We find irreversible-reversible cycles in agreement with
recent experimental observations. Moreover in analogy with the phenomenology of
the glass transition we find aging effects during the compaction process In
particular we find that the two time density correlation function
asymptotically scales as a function of the single variable .
This result is interpreted in terms of multiscaling properties of the system.Comment: 4 page
Dynamical response functions in models of vibrated granular media
In recently introduced schematic lattice gas models for vibrated dry granular
media, we study the dynamical response of the system to small perturbations of
shaking amplitudes and its relations with the characteristic fluctuations.
Strong off equilibrium features appear and a generalized version of the
fluctuation dissipation theorem is introduced. The relations with thermal
glassy systems and the role of Edwards' compactivity are discussed.Comment: 12 pages, 2 postscript figure
The jamming transition of Granular Media
We briefly review the basics ideas and results of a recently proposed
statistical mechanical approach to granular materials. Using lattice models
from standard Statistical Mechanics and results from a mean field replica
approach and Monte Carlo simulations we find a jamming transition in granular
media closely related to the glass transition in super-cooled liquids. These
models reproduce the logarithmic relaxation in granular compaction and
reversible-irreversible lines, in agreement with experimental data. The models
also exhibit aging effects and breakdown of the usual fluctuation dissipation
relation. It is shown that the glass transition may be responsible for the
logarithmic relaxation and may be related to the cooperative effects underlying
many phenomena of granular materials such as the Reynolds transition.Comment: 18 pages with 6 postscript figures. to appear in J.Phys: Cond. Ma
Two-phase densification of cohesive granular aggregates
When poured into a container, cohesive granular materials form low-density,
open granular aggregates. If pressed upon with a ram, these aggregates densify
by particle rearrangement. Here we introduce experimental evidence to the
effect that particle rearrangement is a spatially heterogeneous phenomenon,
which occurs in the form of a phase transformation between two configurational
phases of the granular aggregate. We then show that the energy landscape
associated with particle rearrangement is consistent with our interpretation of
the experimental results. Besides affording insight into the physics of the
granular state, our conclusions are relevant to many engineering processes and
natural phenomena.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figure
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