Layer- and bulk-roton excitations of 4He in porous media

We examine the energetics of bulk- and layer-roton excitations of 4He in various porous medial such as aerogel, Geltech, or Vycor, in order to find out what conclusions can be drawn from experiments on the energetics about the physisorption mechanism. The energy of the layer-roton minimum depends sensitively on the substrate strength, thus providing a mechanism for a direct measurement of this quantity. On the other hand, bulklike roton excitations are largely independent of the interaction between the medium and the helium atoms, but the dependence of their energy on the degree of filling reflects the internal structure of the matrix and can reveal features of 4He at negative pressures. While bulklike rotons are very similar to their true bulk counterparts, the layer modes are not in close relation to two-dimensional rotons and should be regarded as a third, completely independent kind of excitation.     

Collectivity in the optical response. of small metal clusters

The question of whether the linear absorption spectra of metal clusters can be interpreted as density oscillations (collective “plasmons”) or can only be understood as transitions between distinct molecular states is still a matter of debate for clusters with only a few electrons. We calculate the photo-absorption spectra of Na₂ and Na₅ ⁺ comparing two different methods: quantum fluid dynamics and time-dependent density functional theory. The changes in the electronic structure associated with particular excitations are visualized in “snapshots” via transition densities. Our analysis shows that even for the smallest clusters, the observed excitations can be interpreted as intuitively understandable density oscillations. For Na₅ ⁺, the importance of self-interaction corrections to the adiabatic local density approximation is demonstrated. Received: 1 July 2001 / Published online: 10 October 2001     

Theory of resonant Raman scattering from low-energy collective excitations of interacting electrons in quantum wires

The Raman spectra of quantum wires in the region of electronic intra-band excitations are investigated using one- and two-band models based on the Luttinger approximation with spin. Structures related to charge and spin density modes are identified, and analyzed with respect to their behavior with photon energy and temperature. It is found that the low-energy peaks in the polarized spectra, close to resonance that are commonly assigned to “single particle excitations”, can be interpreted as the signature of spin density excitations. A broad structure in the resonant depolarized spectrum is predicted above the frequency of the spin density excitations. This is due to simultaneous but independent propagation of spin and charge density modes. The results, when compared with experiment, show, that the electronic collective excitations of quantum wires at low energies are characteristic for a non-Fermi liquid. Received: 25 March 1998 / Accepted: 3 June 1998     

Medium effects in the production and π0γ decay of ω-mesons in pA collisions in the GeV region

The ω resonance production and its π⁰γ decay in pA reactions close to threshold is considered within the Intranuclear Cascade (INC) model. The π⁰γ invariant-mass distribution shows two components which correspond to the ω decay “inside” and “outside” the nucleus, respectively. The “inside” component is distorted by medium effects, which introduce a mass shift as well as collisional broadening for the ω-meson and its decaying pion. The relative contribution of the “inside” component is analyzed in detail for different kinematical conditions and nuclear targets. It is demonstrated that a measurement of the correlation in azimuthal angle between the π⁰ and γ momenta allows to separate events related to the “inside”ω decay from different sources of background when uncorrelated π⁰'s and γ's are produced. Received: 2 April 2001 / Accepted: 5 June 2001     

Baryon resonances in the mean field approach and a simple explanation of the Θ<Superscript>+</Superscript> pentaquark

We suggest to classify baryon resonances as single-quark states in a mean field, and/or as its collective excitations. Identifying the Roper resonance N(1440, 1/2⁺), the nucleon resonance N(1535, 1/2⁻), and the singlet hyperon Λ(1405, 1/2⁻) as single-quark excitations, we find that there must be an exotic S = +1 baryon resonance Θ⁺ (the “pentaquark”) with a mass about 1440 + 1535 − 1405 = 1570 MeV and spin-parity 1/2⁺. We argue that Θ⁺ is an analog of the Gamov-Teller excitation long known in nuclear physics.     

Rotational quantum friction in superfluids: Radiation from object rotating in superfluid vacuum

The friction experienced by a body rotating in a superfluid liquid at T=0 is discussed. The effect is analogous to the amplification of electromagnetic radiation and spontaneous emission by a body or black hole rotating in the quantum vacuum, first discussed by Zel’dovich and Starobinsky. The friction is caused by the interaction of the part of the liquid which is rigidly connected with the rotating body and thus represents a comoving detector, with the “Minkowski” superfluid vacuum outside the body. The emission process is the quantum tunneling of quasiparticles from the detector to the ergoregion, where the energy of quasiparticles is negative in the rotating frame. This quantum rotational friction caused by the emission of quasiparticles is estimated for phonons and rotons in superfluid ⁴He and for Bogoliubov fermions in superfluid ³He. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 69, No. 4, 257–262 (25 February 1999) Published in English in the original Russian journal. Edited by Steve Torstveit.     

DNA molecule as an elastic Heisenberg chain

A DNA molecule is simulated by an anisotropic elastic fiber which defines the configuration of the molecule central line and is supplemented with a chain of quantum two-level systems imitating hydrogen bonds between two polynucleotide chains in the DNA double helix. The system Hamiltonian consists of Kirchhoff’s classical elastic energy and the energy of a quantum anisotropic chain of “spins” 1/2. The two-level systems and macroscopic vector variables which determine the conformation of the central line are coupled by a classical vector field q, which is introduced to take into account the existence of two polynucleotide strands. Averaging over fast (microscopic) variables yields an effective potential U(q). In the approximation of weak coupling between the systems, the spectrum of elementary excitations and effective potential U(q) have been calculated in explicit form. The relation between elementary excitations in the “magnetic” subsystem and so-called breathing modes [C. Mandel, N. R. Kallenbach, and S. W. Englander, J. Mol. Biol. 135, 391 (1980); G. Manning, Biopolymers 22, 689 (1983)] corresponding to low-frequency excitations in DNA molecules is discussed. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 111, 1833–1844 (May 1997)     

Entropy and Nonlinear Nonequilibrium Thermodynamic Relation for Heat Conducting Steady States

Among various possible routes to extend entropy and thermodynamics to nonequilibrium steady states (NESS), we take the one which is guided by operational thermodynamics and the Clausius relation. In our previous study, we derived the extended Clausius relation for NESS, where the heat in the original relation is replaced by its “renormalized” counterpart called the excess heat, and the Gibbs-Shannon expression for the entropy by a new symmetrized Gibbs-Shannon-like expression. Here we concentrate on Markov processes describing heat conducting systems, and develop a new method for deriving thermodynamic relations. We first present a new simpler derivation of the extended Clausius relation, and clarify its close relation with the linear response theory. We then derive a new improved extended Clausius relation with a “nonlinear nonequilibrium” contribution which is written as a correlation between work and heat. We argue that the “nonlinear nonequilibrium” contribution is unavoidable, and is determined uniquely once we accept the (very natural) definition of the excess heat. Moreover it turns out that to operationally determine the difference in the nonequilibrium entropy to the second order in the temperature difference, one may only use the previous Clausius relation without a nonlinear term or must use the new relation, depending on the operation (i.e., the path in the parameter space). This peculiar “twist” may be a clue to a better understanding of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics of NESS.     

“Quasi-Planck” spectra of capillary turbulence on the surface of liquid hydrogen

We report the first observation of “quasi-Planck” spectra of capillary turbulence on the surface of liquid hydrogen in the dissipation domain. Capillary waves have been driven by low-frequency random force. We have observed that the frequency spectrum of surface elevation changes its dependence from power-like 〈|η_ω²|〉 ∼ ω^−2,8 at middle-frequency domain to “quasi-Planck” distribution ∼e ^ω/ω _d at higher frequencies. The frequency ω _d is proportional to the boundary frequency between inertial interval and dissipation domain and it is scaled up with the increase of driving force.     

Silver nanoparticle coverage dependence of surface-enhanced Raman scattering

We report surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) from 4-mercaptopyridine adsorbed on nanotextured silver surfaces as the coverage of silver is varied. The degree of surface enhancement is strongly dependent on silver coverage and correlated to the extinction of the surface at the Raman excitation wavelength, that extinction being determined by multiparticle surface plasmon resonances. The coverage dependence of the Raman intensity is consistent with signals being dominated by molecules at junctions inside nanoparticle aggregates where electromagnetic energy is localized into “hot spots” by interactions of the incident and scattered fields with the surface plasmons. The Raman intensity drops precipitously near the conductivity percolation threshold because these hot spots are destroyed when conducting paths allow plasmons to propagate. Our approach to substrate preparation provides clean surfaces with average enhancements ≥10⁷, an order of magnitude larger than typical for SERS. PACS 78.67.-n; 78.68.+m; 33.20.Fb     

Creation evidence of the second non-dispersive Zakharenko wave by helium atomic beams in superfluid helium-II at low temperatures

In this work, the experimental results of the creation of the second non-dispersive Zakharenko wave (C _ph = C _g ≠ 0) in the negative roton branch (the so-called second sound) of the bulk elementary excitations (BEEs) energy spectra are introduced. Several BEE signals detected by a bolometer situated in the isotopically pure liquid helium-II at low temperatures ∼100 mK are shown, which give evidence of negative roton creation in the liquid by helium atomic beams striking the liquid surface. The negative roton signals were clearly distinguished by the following ways: the negative roton signal created by helium atomic beams appeared earlier than the positive roton signal created by the beams, and presence of both positive and negative roton signals together. It is natural that the negative roton creation by the beams requires the ⁴He-atom energies ∼12 K, while the positive roton creation by the atomic beams requires energies ∼35 K. Therefore, successive increase in the heater power resulting in an increase in the ⁴He-atom energies gives solid evidence that the negative rotons are first created in the liquid by the helium atomic beams.      

On the Stability of Realistic Three-Body Problems

We consider the system Sun—Jupiter—Ceres as an example of a planar, circular, restricted three-body problem and, after substituting the mass ratio of Jupiter/Sun (which is approximately 10^-3) with a parameter , we prove the existence of stable quasi-periodic motions with frequencies close to the observed (average) frequencies reported in “The Astronomical Almanac” for . The proof is “computer-assisted”. Received: 1 April 1996 / Accepted: 25 October 1996     

Retrieval of the quasi-optimal signal activating the excitable systems using preceding noise samples

We propose a method for obtaining a signal leading to the activation of an excitable dynamic system for a signal energy close to minimal. The efficiency of this technique, which is based on recording and processing of noise samples preceding the activation was tested using the FitzHugh–Nagumo, Hodgkin–Huxley, and Luo–Rudy models as examples. It is shown that the proposed procedure gives good results when the noise intensity is smaller than or close to the system activation energy. The criteria of “low” and “high” intensities of fluctuations are proposed. The method of increasing the stability of the excitable system with respect to “low-intensity” noise by filtering or another way of suppression of the spectral components that make the main contribution to the energetically optimal activation signal is justified. The relation between eigenvalues of the linearized system of the Hamiltonian equations, which describe the optimal trajectories and the activation signal, and eigenvalues of the excitable system linearized near the initial equilibroum state is found.     

Proton–proton interaction in constituent quarks model at LHC energies

In this paper we consider soft processes at LHC energies in the framework of the constituent quark model. We show that this rather naive model is able to describe all available soft process data at lower energies and to predict the behavior of the total cross section, the elastic and diffractive cross sections at LHC energy. It turns out that the “input” pomeron that has been used in this approach has parameters that are close to the so called “hard” pomeron with rather large intercept Δ≈0.12 and small value of the slope α^′ _P≈0.08 GeV^-2. We show that the elastic amplitude has a minimum at impact parameter b=0 and a maximum at b≈2 GeV^-1. Such a behavior is the result of overlapping of the parton clouds that belong to the different quarks in the hadron.     

Dynamics of electroconvective nematic liquid crystal structures in a nonharmonic electric field

The emergence of electroconvection in a nematic liquid crystal under the action of a nonharmonic electric field is investigated. Analysis is carried out using a 2D model. We propose new forms of the varying electric field acting on the system, for which subharmonic oscillations exist: (a) electric field of a trapezoidal form and (b) external field varying in accordance with the law of “joined cosines.” The behavior of synchronous excitations in the insulating and conducting regimes, as well as subharmonic oscillations, is analyzed. The parametric instability domains are found, and the critical frequencies of transition between different response regimes are determined. The stability maps of the nematic liquid crystal are constructed on the frequency-voltage amplitude plane.     

Correlations in quantum dots

The lowest excitations of a repulsively interacting few particle system are investigated within correlated “pocket state” basis functions. For long range interaction and non-isotropic confining potentials the method becomes exact, in the limit of large mean inter-particle distancesr _s. The multiplet structure of the many-electron energy levels is explained and the ratios δ between the lowest excitation energies, which are related to the electron spin, are determined quantitatively using group theoretical means. The δ are independent of the detailed form of the inter-particle repulsion and of sufficiently larger _s. The obtained δ-values are confirmed by available numerical data. The method is applied to 1D and 2D quantum dots.     

On the superfluidity of classical liquid in nanotubes,I. Case of even number of neutrons

We show that the superfluidity effect in nanotubes arises in a classical liquid (regarded as the limit as h → 0 of the quantum liquid) and involves not only the Bogolyubov “running waves,” but also a “standing wave.” This is obtained from the variational equations in the context of ultrasecondary quantization. It is stressed that the “atomic” size of the nanotube plays a crucial role in the phenomena.     

Atom as a “dressed” nucleus

We show that the electrostatic potential of an atomic nucleus “seen” by a fast charged projectile at short distances is quantum mechanically smeared due to nucleus motion around the atomic center of inertia. For example, the size of the “positive charge cloud” in the Hydrogen ground state is much larger than the proper proton size. For target atoms in excited initial states, the effect is even larger. The elastic scattering at large angles is generally weaker than the Rutherford scattering since the effective potential at short distances is softer than the Colombian one due to a natural “cutoff”. In addition, the large-angle scattering leads to target atom excitations due to pushing the nucleus (⇒ inelastic processes). The Rutherford cross section is in fact inclusive rather than elastic. These results are analogous to those from QED. Non-relativistic atomic calculations are presented. The difference and the value of these calculations arise from nonperturbatively (exact) nucleus “dressing” that immediately leads to correct physical results and to significant technical simplifications. In these respects a nucleus bound in an atom is a simple but rather realistic model of a “dressed” charge in the QFT. This idea is briefly demonstrated on a real electron model (electronium) which is free from infinities.      

On the superfluidity of classical liquid in nanotubes,II. Case of odd number of neutrons

We show that the superfluidity effect in nanotubes arises in a classical liquid (regarded as the limit as h → 0 of the quantum liquid) and involves not only the Bogolyubov “running waves,” but also a “standing wave.” This is obtained from the variational equations in the context of ultrasecondary quantization. We consider cases of Bose and Fermi liquids.