The morphology of dunes

The motion of dunes and their morphology is a fascinating, largely unexplored subject. Already the barchan, the simplest moving dune, poses many questions. We will present some results of field measurements on desert and costal dunes. Then we will present a model which consists of three coupled equations of motion for the topography, the shear stress of the wind and the sand flux. These evolution equations are verified on the experimental data and new possibilities of simulations of dunes are put in perspective.     

Toroidal hydromagnetics

The complete set of hydromagnetic equations is transformed into Poisson equations and equations of motion for flux densities and their associated variables. The toroidal components of the vector potential A and of the momentum density $\text{a}\text{≠}\text{πv}$ are represented by the po loidal flux densities Ψ and Ψ, respectively, for which the equations of motion are derived. The poloidal components A_⊥ and a_⊥ are represen ed by the potentials atΦ, U and φ, u, for which we obtain Poisson equations in the poloidal plane. Thus one has to solve two Dirichlet and two von Neumann problems at every time step. The source terms of the four Poisson equations define the remaining four variables, namely, $\text{Λ = ▽ ·}\text{A}$,$\text{Ω=(▽×}\text{A}\text{)ζ/R}$, $\text{λ=?·}\text{a}$, and $\text{ω=(?×}\text{a}\text{)ζ/R}$, for which equations of motion are also derived. In the limit of small toroidicity ? we look fo r a selfconsistent scaling of the equations with v_⊥～ε. But the curl of v_⊥×B in Faraday's law creates a toroidal plasma component of B which is one order of magnitude larger than in the case of a low β equilibrium; therefore, the motion becomes fully three-dimensional. Finally, an artificial pressure law is needed to balance the lowest order of the Lorentz force. The conclusion is then that the scaling laws previously used are not applicable for toroidal geometry, and that the effort to obtain numerical solutions is not dramatically higher than without using any scaling law.     

Tsallis' quantum q-fields

We generalize several well known quantum equations to a Tsallis' q-scenario, and provide a quantum version of some classical fields associated with them in the recent literature. We refer to the q-Schro¨dinger, q-KleinGordon, q-Dirac, and q-Proca equations advanced in, respectively, Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 140601(2011), EPL 118,61004(2017) and references therein. We also introduce here equations corresponding to q-Yang-Mills fields, both in the Abelian and non-Abelian instances. We show how to define the q-quantum field theories corresponding to the above equations, introduce the pertinent actions, and obtain equations of motion via the minimum action principle.These q-fields are meaningful at very high energies(Te V scale) for q = 1.15, high energies(Ge V scale) for q = 1.001,and low energies(Me V scale) for q =1.000001 [Nucl. Phys. A 955(2016) 16 and references therein].(See the ALICE experiment at the LHC). Surprisingly enough, these q-fields are simultaneously q-exponential functions of the usual linear fields' logarithms.     

A generally covariant formulation of classical electrodynamics for charges of finite extension

A generally covariant formulation of classical electrodynamics for charges of finite extension has been developed. The charges are required to maintain a prescribed “rigid” shape throughout the course of their motion. An action principle is formulated for the coupled system consisting of the charges plus electromagnetic and gravitational fields. The action principle yields a complicated set of coupled integro-differential equations for the motion and fields. A perturbation expansion in powers of the size of the charge distribution is obtained. In the limit that the size of the charge tends to zero, only a few kinematical features survive in the equations of motion. The resulting equations of motion have the DeWitt-Brehme [Ann. Phys.9 (1969), 220] form, but with additional curvature-coupling terms which were omitted by them owing to an algebraic error.     

A simple method to design non-collision relative orbits for close spacecraft formation flying

A set of linearized relative motion equations of spacecraft flying on unperturbed elliptical orbits are specialized for particular cases, where the leader orbit is circular or equatorial. Based on these extended equations, we are able to analyze the relative motion regulation between a pair of spacecraft flying on arbitrary unperturbed orbits with the same semi-major axis in close formation. Given the initial orbital elements of the leader, this paper presents a simple way to design initial relative orbital elements of close spacecraft with the same semi-major axis, thus preventing collision under non-perturbed conditions. Considering the mean influence of J₂ perturbation, namely secular J₂ perturbation, we derive the mean derivatives of orbital element differences, and then expand them to first order. Thus the first order expansion of orbital element differences can be added to the relative motion equations for further analysis. For a pair of spacecraft that will never collide under non-perturbed situations, we present a simple method to determine whether a collision will occur when J₂ perturbation is considered. Examples are given to prove the validity of the extended relative motion equations and to illustrate how the methods presented can be used. The simple method for designing initial relative orbital elements proposed here could be helpful to the preliminary design of the relative orbital elements between spacecraft in a close formation, when collision avoidance is necessary.     

The spin dynamics of an anisotropic fermi supefluid (3He?)

In this paper we develop a general theory of the spin dynamics of anisotropic Fermi superfluids of the generalized BCS type, under conditions which should be realistic for any such phase of liquid ³He occurring below 3 mK. No restrictions are placed on the nature of the pairing configuration. The system is described in terms of the total spin vector S, and a vector T(n) which describes the amplitude and spin quantization axes of the pairs forming at a given point n on the Fermi surface; the kinematic relations between these quantities are emphasized. An approximation of the Born-Oppenheimer type is used to derive the general equations of motion of S and T; it is pointed out that relaxation of T due to collisions is inhibited by the coherent nature of the superfluid state. The equations of motion are solved for the particular case of unsaturated c.w. resonance, and it is shown that the nature of the transverse (usual) resonance spectrum is a strong function of the kind of configuration occurring; in particular, either one or two finite-frequency resonances may occur, depending on the configuration. A resonance is also predicted to occur when the r.f. field is polarized along the static external field. Specific predictions of the form of the transverse and “longitudinal” spectra are made for all the unitary l = 1 states, and it is shown that these predictions are unaffected by renormalization effects. The “Balian-Werthamer” state is predicted to show a longitudinal resonance but no transverse shift. The theory is compared with other approaches to the problem and its relevance to the anomalous low-temperature phases of liquid ³He is discussed.     

Quantum theory of pure liquid metals as two-component systems

With the ultimate aims of clarifying the interpretation and the utility of effective ion-ion interactions in liquid metals, and of understanding the unusual isotopic mass dependence of the shear viscosity of liquid metal Li, a fully quantum statistical mechanical theory is developed from the many-body Hamiltonian of the conduction electron-positive ion assembly.We have set up quantum equations of motion which are analogs of classical continuity and conservation equations by expanding the equation for the Wigner distribution function about its diagonal. The most important of these equations for our present purposes relates the time derivative of the current density j(r, t) to the flux of current and to density-density correlation functions for electrons, electron-ions, and ions.This theory is then applied to neutron scattering by liquid metals. While the theory is sufficiently general in principle to treat electron-ion interaction of arbitrary strength, it is shown that when the interacion is weak, the usual results are recovered, along with the effective ion-ion interaction. In this latter connection, it is also demonstrated how the effective Ornstein-Zernike function C(q) in a liquid metal is related to bare ion and bare electron direct correlation functions and to the bare electron partial structure factor. Combining C(q) with one of the classical equations of liquid structure such as Born-Green or Percus-Yevick then relates the effective ion-ion interaction to the partial correlation functions of the bare ions and electrons.It is further shown how gradient expansions of the correlation functions lead to equations of motion for the density, current, and energy density which are simply the hydrodynamic equations of the present quantum theory of two-component systems. It is pointed out that the analog of the Navier-Stokes equation for the two-component system may be used to identify the quantity $\text{4}\text{3}\text{η + ζ}$ for the liquid metal, η and ζ being respectively the shear and bulk viscosities. Finally, it is demonstrated that $\text{4}\text{3}\text{η + ζ}$ depends explicitly on functional derivatives of the nonequilibrium pair distribution functions of ion-ion, electron-ion, and electron-electron correlations.     

A Clifford Algebra Approach to the Classical Problem of a Charge in a Magnetic Monopole Field

The motion of an electric charge in the field of a magnetic monopole is described by means of a Lagrangian model written in terms of the Clifford algebra of the physical space. The equations of motion are written in terms of a radial equation (involving r=|r|, where r(t) is the charge trajectory) and a rotor equation (written in terms of an unitary operator spinor R). The solution corresponding to the charge trajectory in the field of a magnetic monopole is given in parametric form. The model can be generalized in order to describe the motion of a charge in the field of a magnetic monopole and other additional central forces, and as an example, we discuss the classical ones involving linear and inverse square interactions.     

Bloch electron dynamics

New equations of motion for a Bloch electron [momentum p=h k,energy ε _n(p),zone number n, charge -e]: $$m_j \frac{{dv_j }}{{dt}} = - e(E + v \times B)_j $$ are proposed, where v≡?ε_n(p)/?p is the velocity, and {m_j}are the principal masses m _j ^? 1=?²ε_n/?p _j ² along the normal and the two principal axes of curvatures at each point of the constant-energy surface represented by ε=ε_n(p).Their advantages over the prevalent equations of motion where the left-hand-side is replaced by hk _j are demonstrated by examining de Haas-van Alphen oscillations and orientation-dependent cyclotron resonance peaks.     

Spin gauge fields: From Berry phase to topological spin transport and Hall effects

The paper examines the emergence of gauge fields during the evolution of a particle with a spin that is described by a matrix Hamiltonian with n different eigenvalues. It is shown that by introducing a spin gauge field a particle with a spin can be described as a spin multiplet of scalar particles situated in a non-Abelian pure gauge (forceless) field U (n). As the result, one can create a theory of particle evolution that is gauge-invariant with regards to the group Uⁿ (1). Due to this, in the adiabatic (Abelian) approximation the spin gauge field is an analogue of n electromagnetic fields U (1) on the extended phase space of the particle. These fields are force ones, and the forces of their action enter the particle motion equations that are derived in the paper in the general form. The motion equations describe the topological spin transport, pumping, and splitting. The Berry phase is represented in this theory analogously to the Dirac phase of a particle in an electromagnetic field. Due to the analogy with the electromagnetic field, the theory becomes natural in the four-dimensional form. Besides the general theory, the article considers a number of important particular examples, both known and new.     

ESN: One-dimensional Sn transport module for electrons

ESN is a time-dependent, one-dimensional Lagrangian transport code that solves the electron multigroup, discrete ordinates transport equations with electromagnetic fields. An exponential spatial differencing scheme based upon inversion of the homogeneous transport equation is employed with the diamond approximation in angle. Energy transfers are allowed between adjacent groups (continuous approximation). Sources of any functional form are permissible. Scattering and slowing down are treated in the Fokker-Planck representation. Electromagnetic fields enter the equations through E, v×B Lorentz terms and are treated as effective collisional sources. Transport cross sections are also generated by the module. We describe the methods and modifications used to track electrons in the S_n representation and present results and comparisons using ESN.     

Correction to the low-energy scattering of monopoles

Following Manton, and Atiyah and Hitchin we consider approximating solutions to the dynamic Yang-Mills-Higgs equations by motions on the finite-dimensional space M_k of stable k-monopoles. For initial data transverse to M_k the approximate motion will not be geodesic motion but instead will be motion in an effective potential on M_k.     

On the definitions of entropy and temperature in the extended thermodynamics of irreversible processes

New definitions of entropy and temperature for uniform systems that fast exchange heat with the environment are considered. Instead of the known local equilibrium hypothesis, a local uniformity hypothesis is proposed. Within the proposed formalism of extended thermodynamics of irreversible processes, dual-phase-lag transfer equations are obtained. To cite this article: S.I. Serdyukov, C. R. Physique 8 (2007).     

General relativistic dynamics of compact binary systems

The equations of motion of compact binary systems have been derived in the post-Newtonian (PN) approximation of general relativity. The current level of accuracy is 3.5PN order. The conservative part of the equations of motion (neglecting the radiation reaction damping terms) is deducible from a generalized Lagrangian in harmonic coordinates, or equivalently from an ordinary Hamiltonian in ADM coordinates. As an application, we investigate the problem of the dynamical stability of circular binary orbits against gravitational perturbations up to the 3PN order. We find that there is no innermost stable circular orbit or ISCO at the 3PN order for equal masses. To cite this article: L. Blanchet, C. R. Physique 8 (2007).     

Local conserved currents for CPN σ-models

We present a new method to derive an infinite series of conserved local charges for the two-dimensional CP^N σ-models. The generating relation for the conservation laws is a couple of first-order nonlinear differential equations. The method displays transparently the connection of the local charges with nonlocal dynamical charges of CP^N models previously found.     

An effective potential for classical Yang-Mills fields as outline for bifurcation on gauge orbit space

Classical Yang-Mills (Y.M.) equations with static external sources are formulated as a Hamiltonian system with gauge symmetry in A₀ = 0 gauge. Using the concept of a “momentum mapping” (J. Marsden and A. Weinstein, Rep. Math. Phys.5 (1974), 121) on symplectic manifolds with symmetry, an analogue of centrifugal potential of a mass point in a spherically symmetric potential is derived. This gives rise to an effective potentialV_eff, whose critical points are rigorously proved to be in one-to-one correspondence with static Y.M. solutions. V_eff additionally depends on the prescribed external source ?, which is as a constant of motion analogous to angular moment of the mass point. Thus bifurcation of static solutions is caused by bifurcation of critical points of V_eff under variation of the external parameter ?. Some closing remarks on dynamics and stability on gauge orbit space are added.     

Scattering of relativistic electrons by a focused laser pulse

The problem of the motion of a classical relativistic electron in a focused high-intensity laser pulse is solved. A new three-dimensional model of the electromagnetic field, which is an exact solution of Maxwell’s equations, is proposed to describe a stationary laser beam. An extension of the model is proposed. This extension describes a laser pulse of finite duration and is an approximate solution of Maxwell’s equations. The equations for the average motion of an electron in the field of a laser pulse, described by our model, are derived assuming weak spatial and temporal nonuniformities of the field. It is shown that, to a first approximation in the parameters of the nonuniformities, the average (ponderomotive) force acting on a particle is described by the gradient of the ponderomotive potential, but it loses its potential character even in second order. It is found that the three-dimensional ponderomotive potential is asymmetric. The trajectories of relativistic electrons moving in a laser field are obtained and the cross sections for scattering of electrons by a stationary laser beam are calculated. It is shown that reflection of electrons from the laser pulse and the surfing effect are present in the model studied. It is found that for certain impact parameters of the incident electrons the asymmetic ponderomotive potential can manifest itself effectively as an attractive potential. It is also shown that even in the case of a symmetric potential the scattering cross section contains singularities, known as rainbow scattering. The results are applicable for fields characterized by large (compared to 1) values of the dimensionless parameter η² = e ²〈E ²〉/m ²ω² and arbitrary electron energies.     

Microscopic calculation of low-energy deuteron-deuteron scattering on the basis of the cluster-reduction method

The cluster-reduction method is used to solve numerically the differential equations for the s-wave Yakubovsky components characterizing the nnpp system in the S=2 spin state. Elastic deuteron-deuteron scattering is analyzed for the case where nucleon-nucleon interaction is simulated by the MT I–III potentials. Effective equations describing the relative motion of clusters is derived. The scattering length and phase shifts for low-energy deuteron-deuteron scattering are calculated.     

Field of linear frames as a fundamental self-interacting system

We present some philosophical and physical arguments supporting the hypothesis that the most fundamental self-interacting field in an amorphous space-time is the field of linear frames, i.e. the quadruple of vector bosons. We construct a wide class of Lagrangian dynamical models invariant under the total group of diffeomorphisms and under the natural action of the proper linear group GL⁺ (4, R) on the tetrad field. There exist some links between these models and the Hamiltonian dynamical systems on GL⁺ (3, R) (the mechanics of affinely-rigid bodies [23] [27]). We present the general form of field equations, conservation laws and Bianchi identities. There exist some formal similarities between our Lagrangians and those used in non-linear electrodynamics, in particular in the Born–Infeld theory [21]. We also give a few rough remarks concerning models invariant under natural subgroups of GL⁺ (4, R), i.e. under SL(4, R) and SO(1, 3; R) (special linear group and Lorentz group). The latter class includes the conventional Einstein relativity and the more general metrical-parallelism models. It turns out that there are GL⁺ (4, R)-invariant Lagrangians which are structurally alike the conventional Einstein Lagrangian.We have not derived as yet either mathematical or physical consequences of the presented model. Nevertheless, it seems to follow from our discussion that, a priori, the GL⁺ (4, R)-invariant tetrad models could be competitive with the Einstein theory. The next thing to be done would be a careful mathematical analysis of these models and attempts to compare their consequences with those of the Einstein relativity and of other field theories.