Operation of a planar Penning trap

We demonstrate experimentally the confinement of electrons in a novel planar Penning trap. Measurement of the eigenfrequencies of the trapped electron cloud exhibits similar behaviour as in conventional 3-dimensional penning traps. The trap may be of future use in quantum computing schemes using single cold electrons.     

Characterization of an oriented metastable atom source based on a magnetic hexapole

The M_J-state selection of the metastable rare-gas (Rg*) was achieved by a magnetic hexapole that is composed of permanent magnets. The performance of the magnetic hexapole was examined by characterizing the velocity distribution and the spatial profile of the state selected Rg* beam. The characterization was carried out using position resolved time-of-flight analysis and its trajectory simulation. The magnetic hexapole enhanced the beam intensity at least one order of magnitude owing to the focusing effect. In addition, the magnetic hexapole was found to act as a good velocity selector.     

Fluorescence spectroscopy of silver clusters formed in rare gas droplets

The Pick Up technique allows continuous formation of high density metal cluster beams in the otherwise hardly accessible size range Me₂ to about Me₅₀. With an apparatus based on the use of cryo-condensation pumps, Ar as inert gas for production of the host clusters by adiabatic expansion and silver as metal we demonstrate how the various source parameters influence the composition and mean size of the resulting cluster distributions. The analysis in the gas phase by means fluorescence spectroscopy allows to conclude that an Ar shell encapsulates the metal clusters. Received 30 November 2000     

Power injected in dissipative systems and the fluctuation theorem

We consider three examples of dissipative dynamical systems involving many degrees of freedom, driven far from equilibrium by a constant or time dependent forcing. We study the statistical properties of the injected and dissipated power as well as the fluctuations of the total energy of these systems. The three systems under consideration are: a shell model of turbulence, a gas of hard spheres colliding inelastically and excited by a vibrating piston, and a Burridge-Knopoff spring-block model. Although they involve different types of forcing and dissipation, we show that the statistics of the injected power obey the “fluctuation theorem" demonstrated in the case of time reversible dissipative systems maintained at constant total energy, or in the case of some stochastic processes. Although this may be only a consequence of the theory of large deviations, this allows a possible definition of “temperature" for a dissipative system out of equilibrium. We consider how this “temperature" scales with the energy and the number of degrees of freedom in the different systems under consideration. Received 26 June 2000 and Received in final form 24 October 2000     

The role of diffusion in the chaotic advection of a passive scalar with finite lifetime

We study the influence of diffusion on the scaling properties of the first order structure function, S₁, of a two-dimensional chaotically advected passive scalar with finite lifetime, i.e., with a decaying term in its evolution equation. We obtain an analytical expression for S₁ where the dependence on the diffusivity, the decaying coefficient and the stirring due to the chaotic flow is explicitly stated. We show that the presence of diffusion introduces a crossover length-scale, the diffusion scale (L_d), such that the scaling behaviour for the structure function is analytical for length-scales shorter than L_d, and shows a scaling exponent that depends on the decaying term and the mixing of the flow for larger scales. Therefore, the scaling exponents for scales larger than L_d are not modified with respect to those calculated in the zero diffusion limit. Moreover, L_d turns out to be independent of the decaying coefficient, being its value the same as for the passive scalar with infinite lifetime. Numerical results support our theoretical findings. Our analytical and numerical calculations rest upon the Feynmann-Kac representation of the advection-reaction-diffusion partial differential equation. Received 18 March 2002 Published online 31 July 2002     

Nonlinear dynamics of dimers on periodic substrates

We study the dynamics of a dimer moving on a periodic one-dimensional substrate as a function of the initial kinetic energy at zero temperature. The aim is to describe, in a simplified picture, the microscopic dynamics of diatomic molecules on periodic surfaces, which is of importance for thin film formation and crystal growth. We find a complex behaviour, characterized by a variety of dynamical regimes, namely oscillatory, “quasi-diffusive” (chaotic) and drift motion. Parametrically resonant excitations of internal vibrations can be induced both by oscillatory and drift motion of the centre of mass. For weakly bound dimers a chaotic regime is found for a whole range of velocities between two non-chaotic phases at low and high kinetic energy. The chaotic features have been monitored by studying the Lyapunov exponents and the power spectra. Moreover, for a short-range interaction, the dimer can dissociate due to the parametric excitation of the internal motion. Received 8 July 2002 / Received in final form 15 November 2002 Published online 27 January 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: fusco@sci.kun.nl.     

Dynamics of twists on antiferromagnetic spin chains: Theory

The equation of motion of twists on classical antiferromagnetic Heisenberg spin chains are derived. It is shown that twists interact via position- and velocity-dependent long-range two-body forces. A quiescent regime is identified wherein the system conserves momentum. With increasing kinetic energy the system exits this regime and momentum conservation is violated due to walls annihilation. A bitwist system is shown to be integrable and its exact solution is analysed. Many-twist systems are discussed and novel periodic twist lattice solutions are found on closed chains. The stability of these solutions is discussed. Received 12 June 2002 Published online 2 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: rbbll@phy.cam.ac.uk     

Spike-burst and other oscillations in a system composed of two coupled, drastically different elements

The dynamics of a system composed of two nonlinearly coupled, drastically different nonlinear and eventually oscillatory elements is studied. The rich variety of attractors of the system is studied with the help of phase space analysis and Poincare maps. Received 19 March 1999 and Received in final form 1 November 1999     

Hypersensitivity to small signals in a stochastic system with multiplicative colored noise

Recently we discovered the phenomenon of hypersensitivity to small time-dependent signals in a simple stochastic system, the Kramers oscillator with multiplicative white noise. In the present work we study, theoretically and experimentally with analog simulations, an influence of noise correlation time on hypersensitivity in a nonlinear oscillator with piecewise-linear current-voltage characteristic and multiplicative colored dichotomous noise. We found that the region of hypersensitive behavior is defined by universal scaling index, whereas the specifics of a particular system reveals itself only in the dependence of the above index on system parameters. The dependence of gain factor on noise correlation time is of bell-shaped (resonant) type. Received 27 April 2000 and Received in final form 2 November 2000     

Spatial orders appearing at instabilities of synchronous chaos of spatiotemporal systems

Various spatial orders introduced by the instabilities of synchronous chaotic state of spatiotemporal systems are investigated by considering coupled map lattice and chaotic partial differential equation. In particular, the motions of on-off intermittent states at the onset of the instabilities are studied in detail. The chaotic desynchronized patterns can be described by a simple universal form, including three parts: the synchronous chaos; a spatially ordered pattern, determined by the unstable mode of the reference synchronous chaos; and on-off intermittency of the scale of this given pattern. Received 31 July 2002 / Received in final form 20 November 2002 Published online 31 December 2002     

Controlling global stochasticity of Hamiltonian systems by nonlinear perturbation

A method of controlling global stochasticity in Hamiltonian systems by applying nonlinear perturbation is proposed. With the well-known standard map we demonstrate that this control method can convert global stochasticity into regular motion in a wide chaotic region for arbitrary initial condition, in which the control signal remains very weak after a few kicks. The system in which chaos has been controlled approximates to the original Hamiltonian system, and this approach appears robust against small external noise. The mechanism underlying this high control efficiency is intuitively explained. Received 15 January 2002 Published online 6 June 2002     

Thermodynamics and transport in an active Morse ring chain

We investigate the stochastic dynamics of an one-dimensional ring with N self-driven Brownian particles. In this model neighboring particles interact via conservative Morse potentials. The influence of the surrounding heat bath is modeled by Langevin-forces (white noise) and a constant viscous friction coefficient γ. The Brownian particles are provided with internal energy depots which may lead to active motions of the particles. The depots are realized by an additional nonlinearly velocity-dependent friction coefficient γ ₁(v) in the equations of motions. In the first part of the paper we study the partition functions of time averages and thermodynamical quantities (e.g. pressure) characterizing the stationary physical system. Numerically calculated non-equilibrium phase diagrams are represented. The last part is dedicated to transport phenomena by including a homogeneous external force field that breaks the symmetry of the model. Here we find enhanced mobility of the particles at low temperatures. Received 21 July 2001     

Clusters in an assembly of globally coupled bistable oscillators

We study the dynamics of an assembly of globally coupled bistable elements. We show that bistability of elements results in some new features of clustering in the assembly when there is global coupling. We provide conditions for the existence of stable amplitude-phase clusters and splay-phase states. Received 12 June 1998 and Received in final form 30 November 1998     

Diode laser slit-jet spectra and analysis of the fundamental of 1-chloro-1,1-difluoroethane (HCFC-142b)

High resolution infrared spectra (0.001 cm^-1) have been measured for mixtures of 1-chloro-1,1-difluoroethane in Ne, expanded in a supersonic planar jet. The ν ₇ fundamental has been analyzed for both isotopic species, CH₃CF₂ ³⁵Cl and CH₃CF₂ ³⁷Cl. A weak b-type component has been observed for the first time. Received 20 May 2002 / Received in final form 10 July 2002 Published online 24 September 2002 RID="a" ID="a"Also: Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiche Universitá di Napoli “Federico II” Complesso Universitario di M.S. Angelo, 80126 Napoli, Italy. e-mail: m.snels@isac.cnr.it     

Time delay as a key to apoptosis induction in the p53 network

A feedback mechanism that involves the proteins p53 and mdm2, induces cell death as a controlled response to severe DNA damage. A minimal model for this mechanism demonstrates that the response may be dynamic and connected with the time needed to translate the mdm2 protein. The response takes place if the dissociation constant k between p53 and mdm2 varies from its normal value. Although it is widely believed that it is an increase in k that triggers the response, we show that the experimental behaviour is better described by a decrease in the dissociation constant. The response is quite robust upon changes in the parameters of the system, as required by any control mechanism, except for few weak points, which could be connected with the onset of cancer. Received 8 May 2002 / Received in final form 9 July 2002 Published online 17 September 2002     

Role of the driving frequency in a randomly perturbed Hodgkin-Huxley neuron with suprathreshold forcing

The present paper examines the influence of the forcing frequency on the response of a randomly perturbed Hodgkin-Huxley system in the realm of suprathreshold amplitudes. Our results show that, in the presence of noise, the choice of driving frequency can seriously affect the precision of the external information transmission. At the same level of noise the precision can either decrease or increase depending on the driving frequency. We demonstrate that the destructive influence of noise on the interspike interval can be effectively reduced. That is, with driving signals in certain frequency ranges, the system can show stable periodic spiking even for relatively large noise intensities. Here, the most accurate transmission of an external signal occurs. Outside these frequency ranges, noise of the same intensity destroys the regularity of the spike trains by suppressing the generation of some spikes. On the other hand, we show that noise can have a reconstructive role for certain driving frequencies. Here, increasing noise intensity enhances the coherence of the neuronal response.     

Controlling chaos by a modified straight-line stabilization method

By adjusting external control signal, rather than some available parameters of the system, we modify the straight-line stabilization method for stabilizing an unstable periodic orbit in a neighborhood of an unstable fixed point formulated by Ling Yang et al., and derive a more simple analytical expression of the external control signal adjustment. Our technique solves the problem that the unstable fixed point is independent of the system parameters, for which the original straight-line stabilization method is not suitable. The method is valid for controlling dissipative chaos, Hamiltonian chaos and hyperchaos, and may be most useful for the systems in which it may be difficult to find an accessible system parameter in some cases. The method is robust under the presence of weak external noise. Received 10 January 2001     

Multi-affinity and multi-fractality in systems of chaotic elements with long-wave forcing

Multi-scaling properties in quasi-continuous arrays of chaotic maps driven by long-wave random force are studied. The spatial pattern of the amplitude X(x,t) is characterized by multi-affinity, while the field defined by its coarse-grained spatial derivative exhibits multi-fractality. The strong behavioral similarity of the X- and Y-fields respectively to the velocity and energy dissipation fields in fully-developed fluid turbulence is remarkable, still our system is unique in that the scaling exponents are parameter-dependent and exhibit nontrivial q-phase transitions. A theory based on a random multiplicative process is developed to explain the multi-affinity of the X-field, and some attempts are made towards the understanding of the multi-fractality of the Y-field. Received 16 November 1998     

Noise-induced bifurcations and chaos in the average motion of globally-coupled oscillators

A system of coupled master equations simplified from a model of noise-driven globally coupled bistable oscillators under periodic forcing is investigated. In the thermodynamic limit, the system is reduced to a set of two coupled differential equations. Rich bifurcations to subharmonics and chaotic motions are found. This behavior can be found only for certain intermediate noise intensities. Noise with intensities which are too small or too large will certainly spoil the bifurcations. In a system with large though finite size, the bifurcations to chaos induced by noise can still be detected to a certain degree. Received 6 April 1999 and Received in final form 1 November 1999     

Short-range plasma model for intermediate spectral statistics

We propose a plasma model for spectral statistics displaying level repulsion without long-range spectral rigidity, i.e. statistics intermediate between random matrix and Poisson statistics similar to the ones found numerically at the critical point of the Anderson metal-insulator transition in disordered systems and in certain dynamical systems. The model emerges from Dysons one-dimensional gas corresponding to the eigenvalue distribution of the classical random matrix ensembles by restricting the logarithmic pair interaction to a finite number k of nearest neighbors. We calculate analytically the spacing distributions and the two-level statistics. In particular we show that the number variance has the asymptotic form Σ²(L) ∼χL for large L and the nearest-neighbor distribution decreases exponentially when s→∞, P(s) ∼ exp(- Λs) with Λ = 1/χ = kβ + 1, where β is the inverse temperature of the gas (β = 1, 2 and 4 for the orthogonal, unitary and symplectic symmetry class respectively). In the simplest case of k = β = 1, the model leads to the so-called Semi-Poisson statistics characterized by particular simple correlation functions e.g. P(s) = 4s exp(- 2s). Furthermore we investigate the spectral statistics of several pseudointegrable quantum billiards numerically and compare them to the Semi-Poisson statistics. Received 13 September 2000