The translation-rotation paradox in the nucleation theory

The factor of 10¹⁷ proposed by Lothe and Pound in the theory of nucleation of droplets from the vapor phase is studied using classical statistical mechanics. The controversial factor is derived from partition functions for an isolatedn-mer and for ann-molecular cluster imbedded in the bulk liquid phase. The rotational degrees of freedom have no place in, in agreement with Reiss, Katz, and Cohen's treatment. It is proved that the surface free energy of a cluster is proportional to the surface area. The estimate of what Lothe and Pound called the replacement term is different from those of previous authors. It is concluded that is written as a ratio = _g/_l, where _g and _l , are the volumes per molecule in the gas phase and in the liquid phase, respectively. For water at 300K, is approximately equal to 10₄.     

Debye screening for two-dimensional Coulomb systems at high temperatures

The grand canonical ensemble of a two-dimensional Coulomb system with±1 charges is proved to have screening phenomena in its high-temperature region. The Coulomb potential in a finite region is assumed to be (–)^–1, where is the Laplacian with zero boundary conditions on. The hard-core condition is not assumed. The model is set up by separating (–)^–1 into a shortrange part and a long-range part depending on a parameter. The self-energies are subtracted only for the short-range part and therefore a choice of is a choice of subtraction of self-energies. The method of proof is in general the same as that of Brydges-Federbush Debye screening, except that here a modification for the short-range part of the potentials is needed.     

Simulation calculation of dielectric constants: Comparison of methods on an exactly solvable model

A mean spherical model of classical dipoles on a simple cubic lattice of sideM=2N+1 sites is considered. Exact results are obtained for finite systems using periodic boundary conditions with an external dielectric constant and using reaction field boundary conditions with a cutoff radiusR _c N and an external dielectric constant. The dielectric constant in the disordered phase is calculated using a variety of fluctuation formulas commonly implemented in Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations of dipolar systems. The coupling in the system is measured by the parametery=4 ²/9kT, where ² is the fixed mean square value of the dipole moments on the lattice. The system undergoes a phase transition aty2.8, so that very high dielectric constants cannot be obtained in the disordered phase. The results show clearly the effects of system size, cutoff radius, external dielectric constant, and different measuring techniques on a dielectric constant estimate. It is concluded that with periodic boundary conditions, the rate of approach of the dielectric constant estimate to its thermodynamic limit is asN ^–2/3 and depends only weakly on. Methods of implementing reaction field boundary conditions to give rapid convergence to the thermodynamic limit are discussed.     

Fluctuation corrections of the turbulence spectrum by renormalization group methods

We apply the renormalization group idea to a stationary probability distribution which is supposed to represent a turbulent fluid. In contrast to the common procedure the R.G.T. is defined by eliminating successivelylow wave numbers instead of integrating from largek. This means that instead of starting from the short distance fluctuations, as near phase transitions, the procedure corresponds to the von Weizsäcker-Heisenberg averaging over nestedr-space volumes of decreasing size.Ifd>2 we find a non-trivial fixed point of the R.G. equations. It is stable and attractive for every reasonable choice of the distribution function parameters. The only existing critical exponent is the field dimension. Its anomalous part gives rise to a correction >0 in the exponent of the turbulence spectral function,E(k)k ^–(5/3+). The macroscopic part of the correlation function's scaling exponent, Kolmogoroff's 5/3, is determined by the scaling behaviour of the noise parameter which governs the probability distribution. The correction is explained as being due to the fluctuations. is calculated by-expansion of the R.G.T.,=d–2. One gets ²; extrapolating to=1 it is1/8.Herrn Prof. Dr. G. Ludwig zum 60. Geburtstag gewidmetThis work has been done in part at the Max-Planck-Institut für Physik und Astrophysik, München. I would like to thank Prof. W. Zimmermann and Prof. W. Götze for their warm hospitality     

Ground state of a spin-phonon system. I. Variational estimates

A study is made of the ground-state energy of a spin-one-half particle in a fieldB and interacting with a phonon bath. The infrared-sensitive case of acoustic phonons with point coupling in three dimensions is characterized by two parameters, a coupling constant andB. Units are used where the high-momentum phonon cutoff is unity. There is a curve (B) separating a symmetry-breaking region with a long-range phonon field from a normal region. Two simple, well-known, approximations are compared. The source theory yields discontinuities in the first derivatives of the energy with respect toB and whenB>e ^–1 and an infinite-order transition whenB<e ^–1, but is trivial in the large- region. The classical theory yields discontinuities in the second derivatives but is trivial in the small- region. An improved variationally fixed ground-state wave function is analyzed. It gives a new (B) curve with an infinite-order transition with continuous energy derivatives whenB<e/(e ²–1/4) and with discontinuous derivatives whenB is larger than this value. It is nontrivial in the entire (B) plane. The crossover to classical behavior occurs near =1/2 forB1. But the wave function does not describe quantum fluctuations in the large- phase. A second way of combining source and classical effects is described. It yields a second-order transition (near =1/2 forB1) everywhere. These theories are special cases of a symmetry-breaking transformation together with a one-mode treatment of quantum fluctuations. The transition is viewed in terms of a single mode with a variable length, coupled dynamically to the spin.     

Phase diagrams of the semi-infiniteZ(q) models by real space renormalization-group method

We investigate the three-dimensional semi-infiniteZ(q) models using an infinitesimal Migdal-Kadanoff method. A rich variety of phase diagrams is obtained. The massless spin-wave phase which appears in the infinite two-dimensionalZ(q) models on the Clock line between the disordered and ferromagnetic phase forqq _c is also present in the semi-infinite system on the surface when the bulk is disordered. We also observe that if the bulk is in the phase to which the symmetry is engendered by a subgroupZ(p), such thatp, the surface of the system is in the same phase or in a less symmetrical phase to which the symmetry is engendered by a subgroupZ(m) ofZ(p) such thatp=m (mp) with an integer number satisfying 1p. The case =p corresponds to the least symmetrical phase. Since the infiniteZ(q) models exhibit a rich variety of phase transitions and multicritical points, the semi-infinite models present new ordinary, extraordinary, surface and special phase transitions which do not occur in the semi-infinite Ising-like systems. As theZ(q) model transforms into theX–Y model whenq, we have deduced the phase diagram of the semi-infiniteX–Y model. It is qualitatively similar to the phase diagram of the semi-infinite Ising model.     

Calculation of Ratios of μ and π Masses to the e Mass for a Simplified Model with a Square-Well Potential

In the present paper, the feasibility of constructing a model of elementary and particles based on the Poincaré model of the electron [1] is examined with allowance for schemes of particle decay. The muon and pion in stopped states are considered as spherical resonators for virtual neutrino quanta excited inside an elastic lepton shell; the number of these quanta is determined by the scheme of the corresponding particle decay. In the model, the muon differs from the electron by two additional quanta of the neutrino field. The e, , and masses are calculated with the help of a single parameter. The ratio of and e masses is about (6c/e ²)^2/3, and the ratio of ° and e masses is (3/2)^2/3. The calculated e, , and ° masses are in the 0.547:105.71:134.963 ratios, which is in good agreement with the available experimental data. The calculated electromagnetic radius of the charged pion (±) = 0.5f is close to that calculated from the experimental data. The neutrino mass _e is found to be m( _e ) 0.02 eV.     

A new bundle completion for parallelizable space-times

The Schmidt [9]b-boundaryM, for completing a space-timeM, has several desirable features. It is uniquely determined by the space-time metric in an elegant geometrical manner. The completed space-time is¯M=M M, where¯M= ⁺ M/O ⁺ and ⁺ M is the Cauchy completion (with respect to a toplogical metric induced by the Levi-Cività connection) of a component of the orthonormal frame bundle having structure groupO ⁺. ThenM consists of the endpoints of incomplete curves inM that have finite horizontal lifts in ⁺ M, and ifM= we say thatM isb-complete. It turns out thatM isb-complete if and only ifO ⁺ M is complete. This criterion for space-time completeness is stronger than geodesic completeness and Beem [1] has shown that this remains so even for the restricted class of globally hyperbolic space-times. Clarice [3] has shown that for such space-times the curvature becomes unbounded as theb-boundary is approached.Now ifM, then ⁺ M may contain degenerate fibers; thus the quotient topology for¯M is non-Hausdorff and precludes a manifold structure. Precisely this has been demonstrated by Bosshard [2] for Friedmann space-time, casting doubt on the physical significance of the completion. The only neighborhood of the Friedmann singularity is the whole of¯M, and in the closed model initial and final singularities are identified inM. Similarly, Johnson [7] showed that the completion of Schwarzschild space-time is non-Hausdorff because of degenerate ibers in¯O ⁺ M.Here we introduce a modification of the Schmidt procedure that appears to be useful in avoiding fiber degeneracy and in promoting a Hausdorff completion. The modification is to introduce an explicit vertical component into the metric forO ⁺ M by reference to a standard section, that is, to a parallelizationpMO ⁺ M We prove some general properties of thisp-completion and examine the particular case of a Friedmann space-time where there is a fairly natural choice of parallelization.     

A matrix integral solution to [P,Q]=P and matrix laplace transforms

In this paper we solve the following problems: (i) find two differential operatorsP andQ satisfying [P, Q]=P, whereP flows according to the KP hierarchy P/t _n =[(P ^n/p )₊,P], withp:=ordP2; (ii) find a matrix a integral representation for the associated -function. First we construct an infinite dimensional spaceW= span{ ₀(z, ₁(z,...)} of functions ofz invariant under the action of two operators, multiplication byz ^p andA _c :=z/z–z+c. This requirement is satisfied, for arbitraryp, if ₀ is a certain function generalizing the classical Hänkel function (forp=2); our representation of the generalized Hänkel function as adouble Laplace transform of a simple function, which was unknown even for thep=2 case, enables us to represent the -function associated with the KP time evolution of the spaceW as a double matrix Laplace transform in two different ways. One representation involves an integration over the space of matrices whose spectrum belongs to a wedge-shaped contour ^-+ ^- defined by ^± = ₊e^±i/p. The new integrals above relate to matrix Laplace transforms, in contrast with matrix Fourier transforms, which generalize the Kontsevich integrals and solve the operator equation [P, Q]=1.The support of a National Science Foundation grant #DMS-95-4-51179 is gratefully acknowledged.The hospitality of the Volterra Center at Brandeis University is gratefully acknowledged.The hospitality of the University of Louvain and Brandeis University is gratefully acknowledged.The support of a National Science Foundation grant #DMS-95-4-51179, a Nato, an FNRS and a Francqui Foundation grant is gratefully acknowledged.     

On the correlation for Kac-like models in the convex case

The aim of this paper is to stu the behavior asm tends to of a family of measures exp[- ^(m)(x)]dx ^(m) on ^m , where ^(m) is a potential on ^m which is a perturbation in a suitable sense of the harmonic potential _j x _j ² .     

Self-avoiding walk in five or more dimensions I. The critical behaviour

We use the lace expansion to study the standard self-avoiding walk in thed-dimensional hypercubic lattice, ford5. We prove that the numberc _n ofn-step self-avoiding walks satisfiesc _n ~A ⁿ , where is the connective constant (i.e. =1), and that the mean square displacement is asymptotically linear in the number of steps (i.e.v=1/2). A bound is obtained forc _n(x), the number ofn-step self-avoiding walks ending atx. The correlation length is shown to diverge asymptotically like (^––Z)^1/2. The critical two-point function is shown to decay at least as fast as x^–2, and its Fourier transform is shown to be asymptotic to a multiple ofk ^–2 ask0 (i.e. =0). We also prove that the scaling limit is Gaussian, in the sense of convergence in distribution to Brownian motion. The infinite self-avoiding walk is constructed. In this paper we prove these results assuming convergence of the lace expansion. The convergence of the lace expansion is proved in a companion paper.Supported by the Nishina Memorial Foundation and NSF grant PHY-8896163.Supported by NSERC grant A9351     

“Magic Relation” Between the Structures of Coexisting Phases at a First-Order Phase Transition in a Hard Sphere System

In the statistical geometry of a hard sphere system of any number of dimensions, V _o and S _o, the so-called available space and the area of the interface between the available and unavailable space, respectively, can be used as surrogates for chemical potential and pressure. It is shown exactly that, if a first-order transition occurs, the relation dV _o/dS _o=–/2D, where is the diameter of a sphere and D is the dimensionality of the system, must hold for densities in the phase coexistence region. This relation is remarkable in that –/2D is the ratio of the volume to the surface area of a sphere. Also, it is shown that it is possible for the system to have two successive first-order transitions, but that the occurrence of a continuous transition (even in two dimensions) is unlikely. It is argued that this unlikelihood is substantially strengthened by the absence of temperature (except as a trivial factor) as a variable in hard-sphere systems. This suggests that the findings of the KTHNY theory, recent simulations, and colloid experiments (specialized to sticky hard disks) can be extended to true hard disks. The fundamental physics underlying the magic relation is yet to be exposed. The author continues to search for the underlying reason and hopes that the present paper will stimulate others to join the search.     

Energy relaxation in aϕ 4 with long range interactions

We investigate the influence of long range interactions on the relaxation behaviour of a lattice model with an on-site potential of ⁴-type and infinite range harmonic interactions. For finite number of particlesN, it is shown that the autocorrelation functions <E _n(t)E _n > of the fluctuations of the one-particle energiesE _n(t) decays exponentially. The corresponding relaxation time is proportional toN and is given by (T, N) =N₀(T). The temperature dependent time scale ₀ can explicitly be related to the dynamics of a one-particle correlator of the noninteracting system. The results are derived using Mori-Zwanzig projection formalism. The corresponding memory kernel is calculated within a mode coupling approximation and by a perturbative approach. Both results agree in leading order in 1/N. It is speculated that any interaction of range generates a timescale .     

Energy-level statistics of model quantum systems: Universality and scaling in a lattice-point problem

We investigate the statistics of the numberN(R, S) of lattice pointsnZ ², in an annular domain (R, w)=(R+w)A\RA, whereR, w>0. HereA is a fixed convex set with smooth boundary andw is chosen so that the area of (R, w) isS. The statistics comes fromR being taken as random (with a smooth density) in some interval [c ₁ T,c ₂,T],c ₂>c ₁>0. We find that in the limitT the variance and distribution of N=N(R; S)–S depend strongly on howS grows withT. There is a saturation regimeS/T, asT, in which the fluctuations in N coming from the two boundaries of are independent. Then there is a scaling regime,S/Tz, 0<z<, in which the distribution depends onz in an almost periodic way going to a Gaussian asz0. The variance in this limit approachesz for genericA, but can be larger for degenerate cases. The former behavior is what one would expect from the Poisson limit of a distribution for annuli of finite area.     

MHD laminar thin-film flow along a vertcal wall

An accelerating magnetohydrodynamic laminar flow of an electrically conducting fluid under the influence of gravity and in presence of transverse magnetic field is investigated in the paper. Using a cubic polynomial for the velocity profile inside the boundary layer, the momentum integral equation is solved numerically by Runge-Kutta method to determine the boundary layer thickness and the corresponding film thickness is then calculated for the entrance region. The effect of magnetic field on these solutions is shown in graphical form.List of symbols u, v local velocity components - p pressure - density - kinematic viscosity - viscosity= - electrical conductivity - g acceleration due to gravity - U _s (x) inviscid core velocity - h(x) film thicknes - (x) boundary layer thickness - M Hartmann number - B ₀ external magnetic field The authors remain thankful to the referee for some helpful criticisms.     

Field Theory of Branching and Annihilating Random Walks

We develop a systematic analytic approach to the problem of branching and annihilating random walks, equivalent to the diffusion-limited reaction processes 2A and A (m + 1) A, where m 1. Starting from the master equation, a field-theoretic representation of the problem is derived, and fluctuation effects are taken into account via diagrammatic and renormalization group methods. For d > 2, the mean-field rate equation, which predicts an active phase as soon as the branching process is switched on, applies qualitatively for both even and odd m, but the behavior in lower dimensions is shown to be quite different for these two cases. For even m, and d near 2, the active phase still appears immediately, but with nontrivial crossover exponents which we compute in an expansion in = 2 – d, and with logarithmic corrections in d = 2. However, there exists a second critical dimension d_c 4/3 below which a nontrivial inactive phase emerges, with asymptotic behavior characteristic of the pure annihilation process. This is confirmed by an exact calculation in d = 1. The subsequent transition to the active phase, which represents a new nontrivial dynamic universality class, is then investigated within a truncated loop expansion, which appears to give a correct qualitative picture. The model with m = 2 is also generalized to N species of particles, which provides yet another universality class and which is exactly solvable in the limit N . For odd m, we show that the fluctuations of the annihilation process are strong enough to create a nontrivial inactive phase for all d 2. In this case, the transition to the active phase is in the directed percolation universality class. Finally, we study the modification when the annihilation reaction is 3A . When m = 0 (mod 3) the system is always in its active phase, but with logarithmic crossover corrections for d = 1, while the other cases should exhibit a directed percolation transition out of a fluctuation-driven inactive phase.     

Polarization of the secondary nucleons in thepp → ppπ 0 andpp→npπ+ reactions at 1000 MeV

The calculation of the secondary nucleons polarization in thepppp⁰ andppnp⁺ reactions at 1000 MeV is effected in the framework of the one-pion exchange model. It is shown that polarization is due to the interference of the resonant amplitude with the non-resonant amplitudes of theN virtual scattering. The angular dependence of the polarization is sensitive to the behaivour of theN scattering amplitudes off the mass shell.Submitted to the symposium Mesons and Light Nuclei, Liblice, Czechoslovakia, June 1981.     

Infrared behaviour of metallic systems in one, two and three dimensions

A simple approximate expression for the electron lifetime() in metals is rederived and discussed for different dimensions. In the 3D-case we get the well known Drude behaviour, i.e. a constant. In one dimension() is strongly frequency-dependent in the IR. The 2D-case is intermediate to the preceding ones. These results are essentially due to the different form of the Fermi surface for an electron gas in one, two and three dimensions.     

A Monomial Basis for the Virasoro Minimal Series M(p,p′) : The Case 1<p′/p<2

Quadratic relations are given explicitly in two cases of chiral conformal field theory, and monomial bases of the representation spaces are constructed by using the Fourier components of the intertwiners. The first case is the (2,1) primary fields for the (p,p)-minimal series M_r,s (1rp–1,1sp–1) for the Virasoro algebra where 1<p/p<2. We restrict ourselves to the case p3, for which the (2,1) primary field exists. The second case is the intertwiners corresponding to the two-dimensional representation for the level k integrable highest weight modules V() (0k) for the affine Lie algebra      

Infrared behaviour of metallic systems in one,two and three dimensions

A simple approximate expression for the electron lifetime() in metals is rederived and discussed for different dimensions. In the 3D-case we get the well known Drude behaviour, i.e. a constant. In one dimension() is strongly frequency-dependent in the IR. The 2D-case is intermediate to the preceding ones. These results are essentially due to the different form of the Fermi surface for an electron gas in one, two and three dimensions.