Weighted Distances in Scale-Free Configuration Models

Journal of Statistical Physics - In this paper we study first-passage percolation in the configuration model with empirical degree distribution that follows a power-law with exponent $$\tau \in...     

Small-Mass Behavior of Quantum Gibbs States for Lattice Models with Unbounded Spins

We construct the distribution of the infinite-dimensional Markov process associated with a finite-temperature Gibbs state for a quantum mechanical anharmonic crystal. The corresponding state is constructed via a cluster expansion technique for an arbitrary fixed temperature and, correspondingly, small enough masses of particles.     

Optimality Regions and Fluctuations for Bernoulli Last Passage Models

We study the sequence alignment problem and its independent version, the discrete Hammersley process with an exploration penalty. We obtain rigorous upper bounds for the number of optimality regions in both models near the soft edge. At zero penalty the independent model becomes an exactly solvable model and we identify cases for which the law of the last passage time converges to a Tracy-Widom law.     

Exact Solutions for Jaynes-Cummings Models with Non-degenerate Two-Photon Transitions in the Ladder Configuration

In the present paper, the eigenfunctions and eigenvalues of the Hamiltonian of the interacting system have been obtained in two generalized Jaynes Cummings models separately, one in which the transition are mediated by two different modes of photon in the ladder configuration and the other involving two mode multi-photon interaction between the field and the atom. Effect of intensity dependent coupling between the field and the atom in both the above-mentioned cases have been investigated. Graphical features of the time dependence of population inversion have been analyzed when one of the field modes is prepared initially in a coherent state while the other one in a vacuum state.     

Parallel Correlation Studies of Fluctuations and the Impact of Perturbations in the Magnetic Configuration

The plasma turbulence in the boundary of fusion relevant experiments is known to have a quasi two‐dimensional nature: the scale lengths perpendicular to the magnetic field are in the order of mm to cm, but parallel to the magnetic field, the correlation lengths are in the order of several meters. Recent parallel correlation studies with Langmuir probes at the JET tokamak over very long connection lengths (23 m and 66 m probe tip separation along the magnetic field) showed a correlation of less than 50%, in contrast to the finding of 80–90% correlation in other devices at measurements with smaller probe tip separations. However, it was not clear if this is a genuine physical property of the electrostatic turbulence in the scrape‐off layer or whether perturbations in the magnetic configuration had caused an additional decorrelation by a time‐dependent misalignment of the two probe tips along the connecting field line. In this contribution we analyze the effect of such perturbations in the magnetic configuration on the parallel correlation measurements in a simple model and compare the results with those of the measurements at JET.     

Phase Transitions and Spatio-Temporal Fluctuations in Stochastic Lattice Lotka–Volterra Models

We study the general properties of stochastic two-species models for predator-prey competition and coexistence with Lotka–Volterra type interactions defined on a d-dimensional lattice. Introducing spatial degrees of freedom and allowing for stochastic fluctuations generically invalidates the classical, deterministic mean-field picture. Already within mean-field theory, however, spatial constraints, modeling locally limited resources, lead to the emergence of a continuous active-to-absorbing state phase transition. Field-theoretic arguments, supported by Monte Carlo simulation results, indicate that this transition, which represents an extinction threshold for the predator population, is governed by the directed percolation universality class. In the active state, where predators and prey coexist, the classical center singularities with associated population cycles are replaced by either nodes or foci. In the vicinity of the stable nodes, the system is characterized by essentially stationary localized clusters of predators in a sea of prey. Near the stable foci, however, the stochastic lattice Lotka–Volterra system displays complex, correlated spatio-temporal patterns of competing activity fronts. Correspondingly, the population densities in our numerical simulations turn out to oscillate irregularly in time, with amplitudes that tend to zero in the thermodynamic limit. Yet in finite systems these oscillatory fluctuations are quite persistent, and their features are determined by the intrinsic interaction rates rather than the initial conditions. We emphasize the robustness of this scenario with respect to various model perturbations.     

Landau Hamiltonians with Unbounded Random Potentials

We prove the almost sure existence of a pure point spectrum for the two-dimensional Landau Hamiltonian with an unbounded Anderson-like random potential, provided that the magnetic field is sufficiently large. For these models, the probability distribution of the coupling constant is assumed to be absolutely continuous. The corresponding densityg has support equal to , and satisfies , for some > 0. This includes the case of Gaussian distributions. We show that the almost sure spectrum is , provided the magnetic field B0. We prove that for each positive integer n, there exists a field strength B _n , such that for all B>B _n , the almost sure spectrum is pure point at all energies except in intervals of width about each lower Landau level , for m < n. We also prove that for any B0, the integrated density of states is Lipschitz continuous away from the Landau energiesE _n (B). This follows from a new Wegner estimate for the finite-area magnetic Hamiltonians with random potentials.     

Unbounded Entropy in Spacetimes with Positive Cosmological Constant

In theories of gravity with a positive cosmological constant, we consider product solutions with flux, of the form (A)dS _p ×S ^q . Most solutions are shown to be perturbatively unstable, including all uncharged dS _p ×S ^q spacetimes. For dimensions greater than four, the stable class includes universes whose entropy exceeds that of de Sitter space, in violation of the conjectured N-bound. Hence, if quantum gravity theories with finite-dimensional Hilbert space exist, the specification of a positive cosmological constant will not suffice to characterize the class of spacetimes they describe.     

Discrete Kinetic Models for Molecular Motors: Asymptotic Velocity and Gaussian Fluctuations

We consider random walks on quasi one dimensional lattices, as introduced in Faggionato and Silvestri (Random Walks on Quasi One Dimensional Lattices: Large Deviations and Fluctuation Theorems, 2014). This mathematical setting covers a large class of discrete kinetic models for non-cooperative molecular motors on periodic tracks. We derive general formulas for the asymptotic velocity and diffusion coefficient, and we show how to reduce their computation to suitable linear systems of the same degree of a single fundamental cell, with possible linear chain removals. We apply the above results to special families of kinetic models, also catching some errors in the biophysics literature.     

Traffic Flow Models Considering an Internal Degree of Freedom

We solve numerically the integrodifferential equation for the equilibrium case of Paveri–Fontana's Boltzmann-like traffic equation. Beside space and actual velocity, Paveri–Fontana used an additional phase space variable, the desired velocity, to distinguish between the various driver characters. We refine his kinetic equation by introducing a modified cross section in order to incorporate finite vehicle length. We then calculate from the equilibrium solution the mean-velocity–density relation and investigate its dependence on the imposed desired velocity distribution. A further modification is made by modeling the interaction as an imperfect showing-down process. We find that the velocity cumulants of the stationary homogeneous solution essentially only depend on the first two cumulants, but not on the exact shape of the imposed desired velocity distribution. The equilibrium solution can therefore be approximated by a bivariate Gaussian distribution which is in agreement with empirical velocity distributions. From the improved kinetic equation we then derive a macroscopic model by neglecting third and higher order cumulants. The equilibrium solution of the macroscopic model is compared with the cumulants of the kinetic equilibrium solution and shows good agreement, thus justifying the closure assumption.     

Locally Perturbed Random Walks with Unbounded Jumps

Szász and Telcs (J. Stat. Phys. 26(3), 1981) have shown that for the diffusively scaled, simple symmetric random walk, weak convergence to the Brownian motion holds even in the case of local impurities if d≥2. The extension of their result to finite range random walks is straightforward. Here, however, we are interested in the situation when the random walk has unbounded range. Concretely we generalize the statement of Szász and Telcs (J. Stat. Phys. 26(3), 1981) to unbounded random walks whose jump distribution belongs to the domain of attraction of the normal law. We do this first: for diffusively scaled random walks on Z ^d (d≥2) having finite variance; and second: for random walks with distribution belonging to the non-normal domain of attraction of the normal law. This result can be applied to random walks with tail behavior analogous to that of the infinite horizon Lorentz-process; these, in particular, have infinite variance, and convergence to Brownian motion holds with the superdiffusive \(\sqrt{n\log n}\) scaling.     

Unbounded derivations commuting with compact group actions

Let be a closed * derivation in aC* algebra which commutes with an ergodic action of a compact group on . Then generates aC* dynamics of . Similar results are obtained for non-ergodic actions on abelianC* algebras and on the algebra of compact operators.Research supported by N.S.F.     

Limit Theorems for Height Fluctuations in a Class of Discrete Space and Time Growth Models

We introduce a class of one-dimensional discrete space-discrete time stochastic growth models described by a height function h_t(x) with corner initialization. We prove, with one exception, that the limiting distribution function of h_t(x) (suitably centered and normalized) equals a Fredholm determinant previously encountered in random matrix theory. In particular, in the universal regime of large x and large t the limiting distribution is the Fredholm determinant with Airy kernel. In the exceptional case, called the critical regime, the limiting distribution seems not to have previously occurred. The proofs use the dual RSK algorithm, Gessel's theorem, the Borodin–Okounkov identity and a novel, rigorous saddle point analysis. In the fixed x, large t regime, we find a Brownian motion representation. This model is equilvalent to the Seppäläinen–Johansson model. Hence some of our results are not new, but the proofs are.     

Fermionic Quantization and Configuration Spaces for the Skyrme and Faddeev-Hopf Models

The fundamental group and rational cohomology of the configuration spaces of the Skyrme and Faddeev-Hopf models are computed. Physical space is taken to be a compact oriented 3-manifold, either with or without a marked point representing an end at infinity. For the Skyrme model, the codomain is any Lie group, while for the Faddeev-Hopf model it is S². It is determined when the topology of configuration space permits fermionic and isospinorial quantization of the solitons of the model within generalizations of the frameworks of Finkelstein-Rubinstein and Sorkin. Fermionic quantization of Skyrmions is possible only if the target group contains a symplectic or special unitary factor, while fermionic quantization of Hopfions is always possible. Geometric interpretations of the results are given. The first author was partially supported by NSF grant DMS-0204651 The second author was partially supported by EPSRC grant GR/R66982/01     

PAC-Bayes Unleashed: Generalisation Bounds with Unbounded Losses

We present new PAC-Bayesian generalisation bounds for learning problems with unbounded loss functions. This extends the relevance and applicability of the PAC-Bayes learning framework, where most of the existing literature focuses on supervised learning problems with a bounded loss function (typically assumed to take values in the interval [0;1]). In order to relax this classical assumption, we propose to allow the range of the loss to depend on each predictor. This relaxation is captured by our new notion of HYPothesis-dependent rangE (HYPE). Based on this, we derive a novel PAC-Bayesian generalisation bound for unbounded loss functions, and we instantiate it on a linear regression problem. To make our theory usable by the largest audience possible, we include discussions on actual computation, practicality and limitations of our assumptions.     

Exact Connections between Current Fluctuations and the Second Class Particle in a Class of Deposition Models

We consider a large class of nearest neighbor attractive stochastic interacting systems that includes the asymmetric simple exclusion, zero range, bricklayers’ and the symmetric K-exclusion processes. We provide exact formulas that connect particle flux (or surface growth) fluctuations to the two-point function of the process and to the motion of the second class particle. Such connections have only been available for simple exclusion where they were of great use in particle current fluctuation investigations. MSC: 60K35, 82C41     

Magnetic Field in a Screw Flow with Fluctuations

We consider the influence of fluctuations in a screw flow of a conducting liquid on the effect of magnetic field self-excitation; the solution of this problem is important for experimental realization of a turbulent dynamo. We propose a theoretical approach based on the solution of averaged equations obtained in the limit of a short correlation time. The applicability of this approach is confirmed by direct numerical simulation of the initial equations. We demonstrate the influence of the correlation of fluctuations on the dynamo effect threshold. It is shown that the solution of the mean-field equations differs from the solution based on direct numerical simulation for a finite correlation time. The advantages and disadvantages of the two approaches are estimates, as well as the importance of the discovered difference in the context of problems of magnetic field self-excitation. The influence of helicity and intermittency on the type of the solution is considered.     

Unbounded Energy Growth in Hamiltonian Systems with a Slowly Varying Parameter

We study Hamiltonian systems which depend slowly on time. We show that if the corresponding frozen system has a uniformly hyperbolic invariant set with chaotic behaviour, then the full system has orbits with unbounded energy growth (under very mild genericity assumptions). We also provide formulas for the calculation of the rate of the fastest energy growth. We apply our general theory to non-autonomous perturbations of geodesic flows and Hamiltonian systems with billiard-like and homogeneous potentials. In these examples, we show the existence of orbits with the rates of energy growth that range, depending on the type of perturbation, from linear to exponential in time. Our theory also applies to non-Hamiltonian systems with a first integral.     

Fluctuations in coagulating systems

Time-dependent fluctuations in a system of coagulating particles are studied, using the master equation for the probability distributionsP(m,t) for the occupation numbersm={m _k} (k=1,2,...) of thek-cluster states. Van Kampen's-expansion is used to determine the deterministic (order ⁰) and fluctuating part (order ^–1/2) of the solution. We calculate the time-dependent behavior of the fluctuations in the cluster size distribution. The model under consideration is of special interest since it exhibits a phase transition (gelation). For monodisperse initial states we give explicit expressions for the probability distribution of the fluctuations and for the equal-time and two-time correlation functions also near the phase transition. For general initial conditions we study the fluctuations (1) for large cluster sizes, (2) in the scaling limit (near the critical point), and (3) for large times. Our results show that the deterministic approach to coagulation processes (Smoluchowski theory) is invalid very close to the gelpointt _c and at large times (tt _M), where the distance from the gelpoint and the timet _M depend upon the size of the system.