2,744 research outputs found
Magnetic Lensing near Ultramagnetized Neutron Stars
Extremely strong magnetic fields change the vacuum index of refraction. This
induces a lensing effect that is not unlike the lensing phenomenon in strong
gravitational fields. The main difference between the two is the polarization
dependency of the magnetic lensing, a behaviour that induces a handful of
interesting effects. The main prediction is that the thermal emission of
neutron stars with extremely strong magnetic fields is polarized - up to a few
percent for the largest fields known. This potentially allows a direct method
for measuring their magnetic fields.Comment: To appear in MNRAS, 12 pages, 9 figure
Nonlinear Electromagnetic Waves in Magnetosphere of a Magnetar
We compute electromagnetic wave propagation through the magnetosphere of a
magnetar. The magnetosphere is modeled as the QED vacuum and a cold, strongly
magnetized plasma. The background field and electromagnetic waves are treated
nonperturbatively and can be arbitrarily strong. This technique is particularly
useful for examining non-linear effects in propagating waves. Waves travelling
through such a medium typically form shocks; on the other hand we focus on the
possible existence of waves that travel without evolving. Therefore, in order
to examine the nonlinear effects, we make a travelling wave ansatz and
numerically explore the resulting wave equations. We discover a class of
solutions in a homogeneous plasma which are stabilized against forming shocks
by exciting nonorthogonal components which exhibit strong nonlinear behaviour.
These waves may be an important part of the energy transmission processes near
pulsars and magnetars.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, edited for clarity and references added, version
accepted for publication by MNRA
Dynamical quantum phase transitions: a brief survey
Nonequilibrium states of closed quantum many-body systems defy a
thermodynamic description. As a consequence, constraints such as the principle
of equal a priori probabilities in the microcanonical ensemble can be relaxed,
which can lead to quantum states with novel properties of genuine
nonequilibrium nature. In turn, for the theoretical description it is in
general not sufficient to understand nonequilibrium dynamics on the basis of
the properties of the involved Hamiltonians. Instead it becomes important to
characterize time-evolution operators which adds time as an additional scale to
the problem. In these Perspectives we summarize recent progress in the field of
dynamical quantum phase transitions, which are phase transitions in time with
temporal nonanalyticities in matrix elements of the time-evolution operator.
These transitions are not driven by an external control parameter, but rather
occur due to sharp internal changes generated solely by unitary real-time
dynamics. We discuss the obtained insights on general properties of dynamical
quantum phase transitions, their physical interpretation, potential future
research directions, as well as recent experimental observations.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure
Dynamical quantum phase transitions: scaling and universality
Dynamical quantum phase transitions (DQPTs) at critical times appear as
non-analyticities during nonequilibrium quantum real-time evolution. Although
there is evidence for a close relationship between DQPTs and equilibrium phase
transitions, a major challenge is still to connect to fundamental concepts such
as scaling and universality. In this work, renormalization group
transformations in complex parameter space are formulated for quantum quenches
in Ising models showing that the DQPTs are critical points associated with
unstable fixed points of equilibrium Ising models. Therefore, these DQPTs obey
scaling and universality. On the basis of numerical simulations, signatures of
these DQPTs in the dynamical buildup of spin correlations are found with an
associated power-law scaling determined solely by the fixed point's
universality class. An outlook is given on how to explore this dynamical
scaling experimentally in systems of trapped ions.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, minor changes, version as publishe
Dynamical quantum phase transitions in systems with broken-symmetry phases
In this work it is shown that dynamical quantum phase transitions in
Loschmidt echos control the nonequilibrium dynamics of the order parameter
after particular quantum quenches in systems with broken-symmetry phases. A
direct connection between Loschmidt echos and the order parameter dynamics is
established which links nonequilibrium microscopic probabilities to the
system's macroscopic dynamical properties. These concepts are illustrated
numerically using exact diagonalization for quantum quenches in the XXZ chain
with initial N\'eel states. An outlook is given how to explore these
predictions experimentally with ultra-cold gases in optical lattices.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, updated reference
Dynamical quantum phase transitions: a review
Quantum theory provides an extensive framework for the description of the
equilibrium properties of quantum matter. Yet experiments in quantum simulators
have now opened up a route towards generating quantum states beyond this
equilibrium paradigm. While these states promise to show properties not
constrained by equilibrium principles such as the equal a priori probability of
the microcanonical ensemble, identifying general properties of nonequilibrium
quantum dynamics remains a major challenge especially in view of the lack of
conventional concepts such as free energies. The theory of dynamical quantum
phase transitions attempts to identify such general principles by lifting the
concept of phase transitions to coherent quantum real-time evolution. This
review provides a pedagogical introduction to this field. Starting from the
general setting of nonequilibrium dynamics in closed quantum many-body systems,
we give the definition of dynamical quantum phase transitions as phase
transitions in time with physical quantities becoming nonanalytic at critical
times. We summarize the achieved theoretical advances as well as the first
experimental observations, and furthermore provide an outlook onto major open
questions as well as future directions of research.Comment: Any comments or suggestions are highly welcome, extended presentatio
Quenching a Quantum Critical State by the Order Parameter: Dynamical Quantum Phase Transitions and Quantum Speed Limits
Quantum critical states exhibit strong quantum fluctuations and are therefore
highly susceptible to perturbations. In this work we study the dynamical
stability against a sudden coupling to these strong fluctuations by quenching
the order parameter of the underlying transition. Such a quench can generate
superextensive energy fluctuations. This leads to a dynamical quantum phase
transition (DQPT) with nonanalytic real-time behavior in the resulting decay of
the initial state. By establishing a general connection between DQPTs and
quantum speed limits, this allows us to obtain a yet unrecognized quantum speed
limit with unconventional system size dependence. These findings are
illustrated for the one-dimensional and the infinitely-connected
transverse-field Ising model. The main concepts, however, are general and can
be applied also to other critical states. An outlook is given onto the
implications of the superextensive energy fluctuations on potential restricted
thermalization despite of nonintegrability.Comment: 4 pages + supplementary, 3 figures, published versio
QED can explain the non-thermal emission from SGRs and AXPs : Variability
Owing to effects arising from quantum electrodynamics (QED),
magnetohydrodynamical fast modes of sufficient strength will break down to form
electron-positron pairs while traversing the magnetospheres of strongly
magnetised neutron stars. The bulk of the energy of the fast mode fuels the
development of an electron-positron fireball. However, a small, but potentially
observable, fraction of the energy ( ergs) can generate a
non-thermal distribution of electrons and positrons far from the star. This
paper examines the cooling and radiative output of these particles. Small-scale
waves may produce only the non-thermal emission. The properties of this
non-thermal emission in the absence of a fireball match those of the quiescent,
non-thermal radiation recently observed non-thermal emission from several
anomalous X-ray pulsars and soft-gamma repeaters. Initial estimates of the
emission as a function of angle indicate that the non-thermal emission should
be beamed and therefore one would expect this emission to be pulsed as well.
According to this model the pulsation of the non-thermal emission should be
between 90 and 180 degrees out of phase from the thermal emission from the
stellar surface.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, to appear in the proceedings of the conference
"Isolated Neutron Stars: from the Interior to the Surface" (April 2006,
London), eds. D. Page, R. Turolla, & S. Zane, Astrophysics & Space Scienc
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