Unconventional Hamilton-type variational principles for analytical mechanics

According to the basic idea of classical yin-yang complementarity and modern dual-complementarity, in a simple and unified new way proposed by Luo, the un-conventional Hamilton-type variational principles of holonomic conservative system in analytical mechanics can be established systematically. This unconventional Hamilton-type variational principle can fully characterize the initial-value problem of analytical mechanics, so that it is an important innovation for the Hamilton-type variational principle. In this paper, an important integral relation is given, which can be considered as the expression of the generalized principle of virtual work for analytical mechanics in mechanics. Based on this relation, it is possible not only to obtain the principle of virtual work of holonomic conservative system in analytical mechanics, but also to derive systematically the complementary functionals for three-field and two-field unconventional variational principles, and the functional for the one-field one by the generalized Legendre transformation given in this paper. Further, with this new approach, the intrinsic relationship among various principles can be explained clearly. Meanwhile, the unconventional Hamilton-type variational principles of nonholonomic conservative system in analytical mechanics can also be established systematically in this paper.     

Granular statistical mechanics – a personal perspective

The science of granular matter has expanded from an activity for specialised engineering applications to a fundamental field in its own right. This has been accompanied by an explosion of research and literature, which cannot be reviewed in one paper. A key to progress in this field is the formulation of a statistical mechanical formalism that could help develop equations of state and constitutive relations. This paper aims at reviewing some milestones in this direction. An essential basic step toward the development of any static and quasi-static theory of granular matter is a systematic and useful method to quantify the grain-scale structure and we start with a review of such a method. We then review and discuss the ongoing attempt to construct a statistical mechanical theory of granular systems. Along the way, we will clarify a number of misconceptions in the field, as well as highlight several outstanding problems.     

Statistical mechanics of Arakawa’s discretizations

The results of statistical analysis of simulation data obtained from long time integrations of geophysical fluid models greatly depend on the conservation properties of the numerical discretization used. This is illustrated for quasi-geostrophic flow with topographic forcing, for which a well established statistical mechanics exists. Statistical mechanical theories are constructed for the discrete dynamical systems arising from three discretizations due to Arakawa [Arakawa, Computational design for long-term numerical integration of the equations of fluid motion: two-dimensional incompressible flow. Part I. J. Comput. Phys. 1 (1966) 119–143] which conserve energy, enstrophy or both. Numerical experiments with conservative and projected time integrators show that the statistical theories accurately explain the differences observed in statistics derived from the discretizations.     

Micro-scale mechanics of the surface- nanocrystalline Al-alloy material

Recentresearchesshowthatthehighstrengthnano-structuredmaterialscanbefabricatedbyusingsomeadvancedtechniques,andthemechanicalbehavioroftheconventionalmaterialscanbeimprovedbyusingasurface-nanocrystallinetechnique.Forexample,byusingthesevereplasticdeformation(SPD)method,onecanfabricatethenanocrystallinematerials[15].TheadoptedSPDmethodsmainlyincludethelargetorsionmethod[1],thelargepressingmethod[4]andtheultrasonicshotpeening(USP)method[5],etc.Theconstructionfeaturesofboththenano-structuredbl…     

Measurement and “beables” in quantum mechanics

It is argued that the measurement problem reduces to the problem of modeling quasi-classical systems in a modified quantum mechanics with superselection rules. A measurement theorem is proved, demonstrating, on the basis of a principle for selecting the quantities of a system that are determinate (i.e., have values) in a given state, that after a suitable interaction between a systemS and a quasi-classical systemM, essentially only the quantity measured in the interaction and the indicator quantity ofM are determinate. The theorem justifies interpreting the noncommutative algebra of observables of a quantum mechanical system as an algebra of beables, in Bell's sense.     

Three-body scattering in Poincaré-invariant quantum mechanics

The relativistic three-nucleon problem is formulated by constructing a dynamical unitary representation of the Poincaré group on the three-nucleon Hilbert space. Two-body interactions are included that preserve the Poincaré symmetry, lead to the same invariant two-body S-matrix as the corresponding non-relativistic problem, and result in a three-body S-matrix satisfying cluster properties. The resulting Faddeev equations are solved by direct integration, without partial waves for both elastic and breakup reactions at laboratory energies up to 2?GeV.     

C λ-extended oscillator algebra and parasupersymmetric quantum mechanics

The C -extended oscillator algebra is generated by {1, a, a , N, T}, where T is the generator of the cyclic group C of order . It can be realized as a generalized deformed oscillator algebra (GDOA). Its unirreps can thus be easily exhibited using the representation theory of GDOAs and their carrier spaces show a Z-grading structure. Within its infinite-dimensional Fock space representation, this algebra provides a bosonization of parasupersymmetric quantum mechanics of order p = – 1.     

Statistical mechanics analysis of the “twins paradox”

The aging of the two brothers in the twins paradox is analyzed through the space-time evolution of the densities that correspond to their internal complex structure. Taking into account their relative motion, it is shown that the traveling brother evolves over a shorter interval of time than his twin, which makes him younger than his brother.     

Statistical mechanics of inhomogeneous model colloid—polymer mixtures

We describe two strategies for tackling the equilibrium statistical mechanics of inhomogeneous colloid—polymer mixtures treated in terms of the simple Asakura—Oosawa—Vrij (AO) model, in which colloid—colloid and colloid—polymer interactions are hard-sphere like, whereas the polymer—polymer interaction is zero (perfectly interpenetrating polymer spheres). The first strategy is based upon integrating out the degrees of freedom of the polymer spheres to obtain an effective one-component Hamiltonian for the colloids. This is particularly effective for small size ratios q = σ_p/σ_c < 0.1547, where σ_p and σ_c are the diameters of colloid and polymer spheres, respectively, since in this regime three and higher body contributions to the effective Hamiltonian vanish. In the second strategy we employ a geometry based density functional theory (DFT), specifically designed for the AO model but based on Rosenfeld's fundamental measure DFT for additive mixtures of hard-spheres, that treats colloid and polymer on an equal footing and which accounts for the fluid-fluid phase separation occurring for larger values of q. Using the DFT we investigate the properties of the ‘free’ interface between colloid-rich (liquid) and colloid-poor (gas) fluid phases and adsorption phenomena at the interface between the AO mixture and a hard-wall, for a wide range of size ratios. In particular, for q = 0.6 to 1.0, we find rich interfacial phenomena, including oscillatory density profiles at the free interface and novel wetting and layering phase transitions at the hard-wall-colloid gas interface. Where appropriate we compare our DFT results with those from computer simulations and experiment. We outline several very recent extensions of the basic AO model for which geometry based DFTs have also been developed. These include a model in which the effective polymer sphere—polymer sphere interaction is treated as a repulsive step function rather than ideal and one in which the depletant is a fluid of infinitely thin rods (needles) with orientational degrees of freedom rather than (non-interacting) polymer spheres. We comment on the differences between results obtained from these extensions and those of the basic AO model. Whilst the interfacial properties of the AO model share features in common with the those of simple (atomic) fluids, with the polymer reservoir density replacing the inverse temperature, we emphasize that there are important differences which are related to the many-body character of the effective one-component Hamiltonian.     

Statistical mechanics of the nonlinear Schrödinger equation

We investigate the statistical mechanics of a complex fieldø whose dynamics is governed by the nonlinear Schrödinger equation. Such fields describe, in suitable idealizations, Langmuir waves in a plasma, a propagating laser field in a nonlinear medium, and other phenomena. Their Hamiltonian $$H(\phi ) = \int_\Omega {[\frac{1}{2}|\nabla \phi |^2 - (1/p) |\phi |^p ] dx}$$ is unbounded below and the system will, under certain conditions, develop (self-focusing) singularities in a finite time. We show that, whenΩ is the circle and theL ² norm of the field (which is conserved by the dynamics) is bounded byN, the Gibbs measureυ obtained is absolutely continuous with respect to Wiener measure and normalizable if and only ifp andN are such that classical solutions exist for all time—no collapse of the solitons. This measure is essentially the same as that of a one-dimensional version of the more realisitc Zakharov model of coupled Langmuir and ion acoustic waves in a plasma. We also obtain some properties of the Gibbs state, by both analytic and numerical methods, asN and the temperature are varied.     

Fractional sequential mechanics — models with symmetric fractional derivative

The symmetric fractional derivative is introduced and its properties are studied. The Euler-Lagrange equations for models depending on sequential derivatives of type are derived using minimal action principle. The Hamiltonian for such systems is introduced following methods of classical generalized mechanics and the Hamilton’s equations are obtained. It is explicitly shown that models of fractional sequential mechanics are non-conservative. The limiting procedure recovers classical generalized mechanics of systems depending on higher order derivatives. The method is applied to fractional deformation of harmonic oscillator and to the case of classical frictional force proportional to velocity. Presented at the 10th International Colloquium on Quantum Groups: “Quantum Groups and Integrable Systems”, Prague, 21–23 June 2001.     

Unprovability of a “precognition” effect in quantum mechanics

It is shown that nonlocality gives rise to an undecidable proposition, meaning it cannot be proved true nor proved false from the usual assumptions, but is independent of them. A variation on the usual thought experiment is considered in which the observers are timelike separated, but the nonlocality fails to become a precognition effect because of this independence result.     

The revival of Schrödinger's interpretation of quantum mechanics

A distinction is made between two wave functions(x) and(x), The former describing a continuous distribution of electronic matter for a single system, the latter describing the regularities in repeated experiments. The classical field(x) necessarily includes the self energy and accounts for all the radiative processes without the probability interpretation.     

Aφ factory to investigate the foundations of quantum mechanics

A bound on theK oscillating parameter has been obtained by some models of nonlocality. In this paper we stress the fact that aø factory to test the CP-violating parameters in theK system can also probe, through correlated observations of two ⁰, the incompatibility between the quantum mechanics and these formulations of the local realism.     

Operator equations and Moyal products–metrics in quasi-Hermitian quantum mechanics

The Moyal product is used to cast the equation for the metric of a non-Hermitian Hamiltonian in the form of a differential equation. For Hamiltonians of the form p²+V(ix)$p^2+V(ix)$ with V polynomial this is an exact equation. Solving this equation in perturbation theory recovers known results. Explicit criteria for the hermiticity and positive definiteness of the metric are formulated on the functional level.     

Critical assessment of the Schrödinger picture of quantum mechanics

We provide an example in which the Heisenberg and the Schrödinger pictures of quantum mechanics give different results, thus confirming the statement of P.A.M. Dirac that the two pictures may lead to inequivalent results. We consider a one-dimensional nonrelativistic charged harmonic oscillator (frequency ω₀ and mass m), and take into account the action of the radiation reaction and the vacuum electromagnetic forces on the charged oscillator. We show that the Heisenberg picture gives the correct value, ℏω₀/2, for the ground state energy of the harmonic oscillator in both cases of classical and quantized vacuum fields. In the case of the Schrödinger picture, considering classical vacuum fields, and using a simple calculation for the classical radiation reaction force that is valid in the limit of large mass (mc²⪢ℏω₀), we obtain the value ℏω₀ for the ground state energy of the harmonic oscillator. We show that the vacuum electromagnetic forces play a very important role in the understanding of this discrepancy.