Hot microswimmers

Hot microswimmers are self-propelled Brownian particles that exploit local heating for their directed self-thermophoretic motion. We provide a pedagogical overview of the key physical mechanisms underlying this promising new technology. It covers the hydrodynamics of swimming, thermophoresis and -osmosis, hot Brownian motion, force-free steering, and dedicated experimental and simulation tools to analyze hot Brownian swimmers.     

On the theory of Brownian motion. I. Interaction between Brownian particles

The molecular theory of the Brownian motion of heavy particles in a homogeneous solvent of light particles is extended to cover the case of interactions between the Brownian particles. This will have physical effects in the concentration dependence of the Brownian particle self-diffusion coefficient. A density expansion for the Brownian particle friction coefficient is derived, and an approximation permitting the first density correction to be calculated is suggested.This work, part of research supported by NSF Grant GP-8497, was done under the tenure of a National Science Foundation Senior Postdoctoral Fellowship, and of a sabbatical leave granted by the University of Oregon.     

Physical Limitations on Fundamental Efficiency of SET-Based Brownian Circuits

Brownian circuits are based on a novel computing approach that exploits quantum fluctuations to increase the efficiency of information processing in nanoelectronic paradigms. This emerging architecture is based on Brownian cellular automata, where signals propagate randomly, driven by local transition rules, and can be made to be computationally universal. The design aims to efficiently and reliably perform primitive logic operations in the presence of noise and fluctuations; therefore, a Single Electron Transistor (SET) device is proposed to be the most appropriate technology-base to realize these circuits, as it supports the representation of signals that are token-based and subject to fluctuations due to the underlying tunneling mechanism of electric charge. In this paper, we study the physical limitations on the energy efficiency of the Single-Electron Transistor (SET)-based Brownian circuit elements proposed by Peper et al. using SIMON 2.0 simulations. We also present a novel two-bit sort circuit designed using Brownian circuit primitives, and illustrate how circuit parameters and temperature affect the fundamental energy-efficiency limitations of SET-based realizations. The fundamental lower bounds are obtained using a physical-information-theoretic approach under idealized conditions and are compared against SIMON 2.0 simulations. Our results illustrate the advantages of Brownian circuits and the physical limitations imposed on their SET-realizations.     

Stochastic processes on quantum logics

Stochastic processes on quantum logics are defined and the properties of a Brownian motion process are studied. A stochastic integral with respect to this Brownian motion process is constructed.     

Transverse Transport of Polymeric Nanofluid under Pure Internal Heating: Keller Box Algorithm

The present work aims to investigate transverse Oldroyd-B nanofluid flow on a stretched panel with consideration of internal heat generation. Buongiorno model is utilized to study influence of thermophoresis and Brownian motion effects. A numerical procedure known as Keller box algorithm is used to solve the governed physical model.Graphically velocity, temperature and concentration of nanoparticles are expressed. Also, concerned physical measures such as heat and mass transfer are investigated numerically. The simulations performed revealed that fluid parameters play a significant role in heat transfer under Brownian motion and thermophoresis effects. Local heat flux is elevated while local mass flux is suppressed with enhancing Brownian motion parameter. Streamlines pattern exhibits that flow is more inclined in the presence of Deborah number effects. To the best of our knowledge, transverse flow of an Oldroyd-B type fluid which incorporates the thermal relaxation effects has never been reported before in the presence of Brownian motion and internal heating phenomenon. Therefore we intend to discuss these features in detail. The obtained results are a novel contribution, which can be benchmark for further relevant academic research related to polymer industry.     

Transverse Transport of Polymeric Nanofluid under Pure Internal Heating: Keller Box Algorithm

The present work aims to investigate transverse Oldroyd-B nanofluid flow on a stretched panel with consideration of internal heat generation. Buongiorno model is utilized to study influence of thermophoresis and Brownian motion effects. A numerical procedure known as Keller box algorithm is used to solve the governed physical model. Graphically velocity, temperature and concentration of nanoparticles are expressed. Also, concerned physical measures such as heat and mass transfer are investigated numerically. The simulations performed revealed that fluid parameters play a significant role in heat transfer under Brownian motion and thermophoresis effects. Local heat flux is elevated while local mass flux is suppressed with enhancing Brownian motion parameter. Streamlines pattern exhibits that flow is more inclined in the presence of Deborah number effects. To the best of our knowledge, transverse flow of an Oldroyd-B type fluid which incorporates the thermal relaxation effects has never been reported before in the presence of Brownian motion and internal heating phenomenon. Therefore we intend to discuss these features in detail. The obtained results are a novel contribution, which can be benchmark for further relevant academic research related to polymer industry.     

Collective Transport of Coupled Brownian Motors with Low Randomness

The transport properties of coupled Brownian motors in rocking ratchet are investigated via solving Langevin equation. By means of velocity, diffusion coefficient, and their ratio （Peclet number）, different features from a single particle have been found. In the regime of low-to-moderate D, the average velocity of elastically coupled Brownian motors is larger than that of a single Brownian particles; the Peclet number of elastically coupled Brownian motors is peaked functions of intensity of noise D but the Peclet number of a single Brownian motor decreases monotonously with the increase of a single Brownian motor. The results exhibit an interesting cooperative behavior between coupled particles subjected to a rocking force, which can generate directed transport with low randomness or high transport coherence in symmetrical periodic potential.     

Conformal geometry and invariants of 3-strand Brownian braids

We propose a simple geometrical construction of topological invariants of 3-strand Brownian braids viewed as world lines of 3 particles performing independent Brownian motions in the complex plane z. Our construction is based on the properties of conformal maps of doubly-punctured plane z to the universal covering surface. The special attention is paid to the case of indistinguishable particles. Our method of conformal maps allows us to investigate the statistical properties of the topological complexity of a bunch of 3-strand Brownian braids and to compute the expectation value of the irreducible braid length in the non-Abelian case.     

Controllable 3D atomic Brownian motor in optical lattices

We study a Brownian motor, based on cold atoms in optical lattices, where atomic motion can be induced in a controlled manner in an arbitrary direction, by rectification of isotropic random fluctuations. In contrast with ratchet mechanisms, our Brownian motor operates in a potential that is spatially and temporally symmetric, in apparent contradiction to the Curie principle. Simulations, based on the Fokker-Planck equation, allow us to gain knowledge on the qualitative behaviour of our Brownian motor. Studies of Brownian motors, and in particular ones with unique control properties, are of fundamental interest because of the role they play in protein motors and their potential applications in nanotechnology. In particular, our system opens the way to the study of quantum Brownian motors.     

The dynamical-quantization approach to open quantum systems

The dynamical-quantization approach to open quantum systems does consist in quantizing the Brownian motion starting directly from its stochastic dynamics under the framework of both Langevin and Fokker–Planck equations, without alluding to any model Hamiltonian. On the ground of this non-Hamiltonian quantization method, we can derive a non-Markovian Caldeira–Leggett quantum master equation as well as a non-Markovian quantum Smoluchowski equation. The former is solved for the case of a quantum Brownian particle in a gravitational field whilst the latter for a harmonic oscillator. In both physical situations, we come up with the existence of a non-equilibrium thermal quantum force and investigate its classical limit at high temperatures as well as its quantum limit at zero temperature. Further, as a physical application of our quantum Smoluchowski equation, we take up the tunneling phenomenon of a non-inertial quantum Brownian particle over a potential barrier. Lastly, we wish to point out, corroborating conclusions reached in our previous paper [A. O. Bolivar, Ann. Phys. 326 (2011) 1354], that the theoretical predictions in the present article uphold the view that our non-Hamiltonian quantum mechanics is able to capture novel features inherent in quantum Brownian motion, thereby overcoming shortcomings underlying the Caldeira–Leggett Hamiltonian model.     

Books received

Two losing gambling games, when alternated in a periodic or random fashion, can produce a winning game. This paradox has been inspired by certain physical systems capable of rectifying fluctuations: the so-called Brownian ratchets. In this paper we review this paradox, from Brownian ratchets to the most recent studies on collective games, providing some intuitive explanations of the unexpected phenomena that we will find along the way.     

Self-organizing dynamics of human erythrocytes under shear stress

The characterization of the erythrocytes’ viscoelastic properties is studied from the perspective of bounded correlated random walk (Brownian motion), based on the assumption that diffractometric data involves both deterministic and stochastic components. The photometric readings are obtained by ektacytometry over several millions of shear elongated cells, using a home-made device called Erythrodeformeter. The results suggest that the samples from healthy donors are intrinsically unpredictable (ordinary Brownian motion), while when studying beta thalassemic samples, these exhibit not only a great sensitivity to initial conditions (fractional Brownian motion) but also chaotic behavior. These results could allow us to claim that we have linked nonlinear tools with clinical aspects of the erythrocytes rheological properties.     

A meta-analysis on the effects of haphazard motion of tiny/nano-sized particles on the dynamics and other physical properties of some fluids

Decline in the theoretical and empirical review of Brownian motion is worth noticing, not just because its relevance lies in the field of mathematical physics but due to unavailability of statistical technique. The ongoing debate on transport phenomenon and thermal performance of various fluids in the presence of haphazard motion of tiny particles as explained by Albert Einstein using kinetic theory and Robert Brown is further clinched in this report. This report presents the outcome of detailed inspections of the significance of Brownian motion on the flow of various fluids as reported in forty-three (43) published articles using the method of slope linear regression through the data point. The technique of slope regression through the data points of each physical property of the flow and Brownian motion parameter was established and used to generate four forest plots. The outcome of the study indicates that an increase in Brownian motion corresponds to an enhancement of haphazard motion of tiny particles. In view of this, there would always be a significant difference between the corresponding effects when Brownian motion is small and large in magnitude. Maximum heat transfer rate can be achieved due to Brownian motion in the presence of thermal radiation, thermal convective and mass convective at the wall in three-dimensional flow. In the presence of heat convective and mass convective at the wall, and thermal radiation, a significant increase in Nusselt number due to Brownian motion is guaranteed. A decrease in the concentration of fluid substance due to an increase in Brownian motion is bound to occur. This is not achievable in the case of high entropy generation and homogeneous-heterogeneous quartic autocatalytic kind of chemical reaction.     

Onsager-Machlup Theory and Work Fluctuation Theorem for a Harmonically Driven Brownian Particle

We extend Tooru-Cohen analysis for nonequilibrium steady state (NSS) of a Brownian particle to nonequilibrium oscillatory state (NOS) of Brownian particle by considering time dependent external drive protocol. We consider an unbounded charged Brownian particle in the presence of oscillating electric field and prove work fluctuation theorem, which is valid for any initial distribution and at all times. For harmonically bounded and constantly dragged Brownian particle considered by Tooru and Cohen, work fluctuation theorem is valid for any initial condition (also NSS), but only in large time limit. We use Onsager-Machlup Lagrangian with a constraint to obtain frequency dependent work distribution function, and describe entropy production rate and properties of dissipation functions for the present system using Onsager-Machlup functional.     

Diffusion of Overheated and Overcooled Particles as a Mechanism of Thermal Conductivity in Nanofluids

JETP Letters - A new mechanism of heat transfer in nanofluids is proposed on the basis of two physical principles: Brownian motion of particles in a fluid and thermal resistance of a...     

Burgers equation with self-similar gaussian initial data: Tail probabilities

The statistical properties of solutions of the one-dimensional Burgers equation in the limit of vanishing viscosity are considered when the initial velocity potential is fractional Brownian motion (FBM). We establish the asymptotic power-law order for log-probability of large values, both velocity and shock (amplitude of velocity discontinuity). This confirms the conjecture of U. Frisch and his collaborators. Rigorous results for this problem were previously derived for the case of Brownian motion using Markov techniques. Our approach is based on the intrinsic properties of FBM and the theory of extreme values for Gaussian processes.     

Stochastic differential equations in quantum statistical mechanics. Observables and multiple wiener integrals

The physical and mathematical framework for quantum mechanical stochastic differential equations is discussed as the quantization ofc-number equations that typically describe Brownian motion in polynomial potentials.     

Flow and heat transfer of a nanofluid over a hyperbolically stretching sheet

This article explores the boundary layer flow and heat transfer of a viscous nanofluid bounded by a hyperbolically stretching sheet. Effects of Brownian and thermophoretic diffusions on heat transfer and concentration of nanoparticles are given due attention. The resulting nonlinear problems are computed for analytic and numerical solutions. The effects of Brownian motion and thermophoretic property are found to increase the temperature of the medium and reduce the heat transfer rate. The thermophoretic property thus enriches the concentration while the Brownian motion reduces the concentration of the nanoparticles in the fluid. Opposite effects of these properties are observed on the Sherwood number.