Exact sum rules for inhomogeneous drums

We derive general expressions for the sum rules of the eigenvalues of drums of arbitrary shape and arbitrary density, obeying different boundary conditions. The formulas that we present are a generalization of the analogous formulas for one dimensional inhomogeneous systems that we have obtained in a previous paper. We also discuss the extension of these formulas to higher dimensions. We show that in the special case of a density depending only on one variable the sum rules of any integer order can be expressed in terms of a single series. As an application of our result we derive exact sum rules for the homogeneous circular annulus with different boundary conditions, for a homogeneous circular sector and for a radially inhomogeneous circular annulus with Dirichlet boundary conditions.     

A variational principle for the scattered wave

A Schwinger-type variational principle is presented for the scattered field in the case of scalar wave scattering with an arbitrary field incident on an object of arbitrary shape with homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions. The result is variationally invariant at field points ranging from the surface of the scatterer to the farfield and is an important extension of the usual Schwinger variational principle for the scattering amplitude, which is a farfield quantity. Also, a generic procedure, physically motivated by the general principles of boundary conditions and shadowing, is presented for constructing simple trial functions to approximate the fields. The variational principle and the trial function design are tested for the special case of a spherical scatterer and accurate answers are found over the entire frequency range.     

General Considerations on the Finite-Size Corrections for Coulomb Systems in the Debye--Hückel Regime

We study the statistical mechanics of classical Coulomb systems in a low coupling regime (Debye--Hückel regime) in a confined geometry with Dirichlet boundary conditions for the electric potential. We use a method recently developed by the authors which relates the grand partition function of a Coulomb system in a confined geometry with a certain regularization of the determinant of the Laplacian on that geometry with Dirichlet boundary conditions. We study several examples of fully confining geometry in two and three dimensions and semi-confined geometries where the system is confined only in one or two directions of the space. We also generalize the method to study systems confined in arbitrary geometries with smooth boundary. We find a relation between the expansion for small argument of the heat kernel of the Laplacian and the large-size expansion of the grand potential of the Coulomb system. This allow us to find the finite-size expansion of the grand potential of the system in general. We recover known results for the bulk grand potential (in two and three dimensions) and the surface tension (for two-dimensional systems). We find the surface tension for three-dimensional systems. For two-dimensional systems our general calculation of the finite-size expansion gives a proof of the existence a universal logarithmic finite-size correction predicted some time ago, at least in the low coupling regime. For three-dimensional systems we obtain a prediction for the curvature correction to the grand potential of a confined system.     

Magnons localised on surface steps: a theoretical model

We present the solution of the full magnetic problem arising from the absence of magnetic translation symmetry in two dimensions due to an extended magnetic surface step on the surface boundary of an insulating magnetic substrate. The calculation concerns in particular the spin fluctuation dynamics of a magnetic atomic step in the surface of a ferromagnetic simple cubic lattice, the spin order being in the direction normal to surface boundary. Only exchange interactions are considered between the spins in the model. The theoretical approach determines the evanescent spin fluctuation field in the two dimensional plane normal to the direction of the step edge. This field arises owing to the absence of magnetic translation symmetry in this plane, and is completely independent of the form of the surface defect, underlying the general character of the calculation. We show the existence of optical localised magnon modes propagating along the step, their fields being evanescent in the plane normal to the step direction. Received 17 February 1999     

Effect of the dependence of the specular reflectance on the angle of incidence of electrons on the impedance

We obtain the solution to the problem of the skin effect in a metal with specular-diffusion boundary conditions for arbitrary values of the anomaly parameter in the form of the Neumann series. For this purpose, we develop a method based on the idea of representation of not only the boundary condition imposed on the field (as is conventionally done), but also the boundary condition imposed on the distribution function, in the form of a source. The specular reflectance is an arbitrary function of the angle of incidence of electrons on the metal surface.     

Force density induced on a sphere in linear hydrodynamics: I. Fixed sphere,stick boundary conditions

We evaluate the surface force density induced on a sphere placed in an arbitrary nonstationary flow field of a viscous incompressible fluid for stick boundary conditions. The calculation leads to a generalization of Faxén's theorem to force multipole moments of arbitrary order.     

Stability of droplets and channels on homogeneous and structured surfaces

Wetting of structured or imprinted surfaces which leads to a variety of different morphologies such as droplets, channels or thin films is studied theoretically using the general framework of surface or interface thermodynamics. The first variation of the interfacial free energy leads to the well-known Laplace equation and a generalized Young equation which involves spatially dependent interfacial tensions. Furthermore, we perform the second variation of the free energy for arbitrary surface patterns and arbitrary shape of the wetting morphology in order to derive a new and general stability criterion. The latter criterion is then applied to cylindrical segments or channels on homogeneous and structured surfaces. Received 4 August 1999     

Casimir Force of Piston Systems with Arbitrary Cross Sections under Different Boundary Conditions

We study the Casimir force between two pistons under different boundary conditions inside an infinite cylinder with arbitrary cross section. It is found that the attractive or repulsive character of the Casimir force for a scalar field is determined only by the boundary condition along the longitudinal direction and is independent of the cross section, transverse boundary conditions and the mass of the field. Under symmetric Dirichlet-Dirichlet, Neumann-Neumann and periodic longitudinal boundary conditions the Casimir force is always attractive, but is repulsive under non-symmetric Dirichlet-Neumann and anti-periodic longitudinal boundary conditions. The Casimir force of the electromagnetic field in an ideal conductive piston is also investigated. This force is always attractive regardless of the shape of the cross section and the transverse boundary conditions.     

A Polyakov action on Riemann surfaces (II)

We continue the model independent study of the Polyakov action on an arbitrary compact surface without boundary of genus larger than 2 as the general solution of the relevant conformal Ward identity. A general formula for the Polyakov action and an explicit calculation of the energy-momentum tensor density is provided. It is further shown how Polyakov's SL(2,C) symmetry emerges in a curved base surface.     

Solutions of Laplace's equation with simple boundary conditions,and their applications for capacitors with multiple symmetries

We find solutions of Laplace's equation with special boundary conditions, using a general curvilinear system of coordinates. We call this purely geometrical solutions Basic Harmonic Functions (BHF's). From them we obtain more general solutions with arbitrary constant values on the boundaries. Further, the BHF's are used to obtain the capacitance of many electrostatic configurations of conductors. Applications in complex geometries are given. Finally, expressions for electric fields between two conductors and surface charge densities are obtained in terms of generalized curvilinear coordinates. The present method can be extrapolated to other linear homogeneous differential equations.     

Integral form of the time-dependent radiation transfer equation—III. Moving boundaries

The theory of characteristics is used to give the general time-dependent integral form of the transfer equation in a time-dependent, inhomogeneous medium, submitted to arbitrary boundary and initial conditions. The medium emits and absorbs radiations, but scattering is neglected. The boundary condition is applied to a moving surface. The general solution is given analytically in Cartesian and spherical coordinates for a 1-D configuration.     

Eigenstates and scattering solutions for billiard problems: A boundary wall approach

It was proposed about a decade ago [M.G.E. da Luz, A.S. Lupu-Sax, E.J. Heller, Phys. Rev. E 56 (1997) 2496] a simple approach for obtaining scattering states for arbitrary disconnected open or closed boundaries C, with different boundary conditions. Since then, the so called boundary wall method has been successfully used to solve different open boundary problems. However, its applicability to closed shapes has not been fully explored. In this contribution we present a complete account of how to use the boundary wall to the case of billiard systems. We review the general ideas and particularize them to single connected closed shapes, assuming Dirichlet boundary conditions for the C’s. We discuss the mathematical aspects that lead to both the inside and outside solutions. We also present a different way to calculate the exterior scattering S matrix. From it, we revisit the important inside-outside duality for billiards. Finally, we give some numerical examples, illustrating the efficiency and flexibility of the method to treat this type of problem.     

The effects of elastic supports on the transient vibroacoustic response of a window caused by sonic booms

The transient vibration and sound radiation (TVSR) of plate-like structures with general elastic boundary conditions was investigated using the time-domain finite element method (TDFEM) and time-domain boundary element method (TDBEM). In this model, the structure can have arbitrary elastic boundary conditions and hence the effects of the boundary conditions on the TVSR can be effectively studied. The predicted results agreed well with existing experimental data using two classical boundary conditions: simply supported at all edges and clamped-free-free-free. The TVSR of a single panel with a more general boundary condition in two connected chambers was also measured. The predicted results agreed well with these experimental results. The prediction method was subsequently applied to evaluate the effects of elastic boundary supports on the TVSR of a window caused by a sonic boom. Loudness, non-audible acoustic perception, and tactile vibration thresholds were analyzed for different boundary conditions (varying between clamped and simply supported). The possibility of improving the transient vibration and noise isolation performance by selecting an appropriate boundary condition was thereby demonstrated.     

Diffusive growth of a single droplet with three different boundary conditions

We study a single, motionless three-dimensional droplet growing by adsorption of diffusing monomers on a 2D substrate. The diffusing monomers are adsorbed at the aggregate perimeter of the droplet with different boundary conditions. Models with both an adsorption boundary condition and a radiation boundary condition, as well as a phenomenological model, are considered and solved in a quasistatic approximation. The latter two models allow particle detachment. In the short time limit, the droplet radius grows as a power of the time with exponents of 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 for the models with adsorption, radiation and phenomenological boundary conditions, respectively. In the long time limit a universal growth rate as is observed for the radius of the droplet for all models independent of the boundary conditions. This asymptotic behaviour was obtained by Krapivsky [#!krapquasi!#] where a similarity variable approach was used to treat the growth of a droplet with an adsorption boundary condition based on a quasistatic approximation. Another boundary condition with a constant flux of monomers at the aggregate perimeter is also examined. The results exhibit a power law growth rate with an exponent of 1/3 for all times. Received 19 July 1999     

Magnon edge modes

We present a theory of long wavelength magnons localized at the apex of a semi-infinite, right angle wedge of a simple cubic, Heisenberg ferromagnet, with nearest and next nearest neighbor exchange interactions, formed by the intersection of two [100] surfaces. The finite difference equation of motion for the magnon creation operators is converted into a partial differential equation in the long wavelength limit, which incorporates the boundary conditions on these operators at the faces of the wedge. The modes obtained are wavelike in the direction parallel to the edge of the wedge, and their amplitudes decay exponentially with increasing distance into the wedge from its apex. The energies of these models lie below those of bulk and surface magnons.     

On the solutions of 3-particle spin elliptic Calogero-Moser systems

We describe a class of the singular solutions to the multicomponent analogs of the Lamé equation, arising as equations of motion of the elliptic Calogero-Moser systems of particles carrying spin 1/2. At special value of the coupling constant we propose the ansatz which allows one to get meromorphic solutions with two arbitrary parameters. They are quantized upon the requirement of the regularity of the wave function on the hyperplanes at which particles meet and imposing periodic boundary conditions. We find also the extra integrals of motion for three-particle systems which commute with the Hamiltonian for arbitrary values of the coupling constant.     

Kinetic theory of hydrodynamic flows. I. The generalized normal solution method and its application to the drag on a sphere

We consider the flow of a dilute gas around a macroscopic heavy object. The state of the gas is described by an extended Boltzmann equation where the interactions between the gas molecules and the object are taken into account in computing the rate of change of the distribution function of the gas. We then show that the extended Boltzmann is equivalent to the usual Boltzmann equation, supplemented by boundary conditions imposed on the distribution function at the surface of the object. The remainder of the paper is devoted to a study of the solution of the extended Boltzmann equation in the case that the mean free path of a gas molecule is small compared to some characteristic dimension of the macroscopic object. We show that the Chapman-Enskog normal solution of the ordinary Boltzmann equation is not in general a solution of the extended equation near the surface of the object and must be supplemented by a boundary layer term. We then introduce a projection operator method which allows us to decompose the solution of the extended equation into a normal solution part and a boundary layer part when the gas flow is sufficiently slow. As a specific example of the method we consider the flow around a sphere, and derive the Stokes-Boussinesq form for the frequency-dependent force on the sphere for arbitrary slip coefficient. This derivation is the first one that starts from the Boltzmann equation for a general dilute gas and incorporates the effect of the boundary layer on the drag force.Work supported by the National Science Foundation.     

Wightman function and scalar Casimir densities for a wedge with two cylindrical boundaries

Wightman function, the vacuum expectation values of the field square and the energy-momentum tensor are investigated for a massive scalar field with general curvature coupling parameter inside a wedge with two coaxial cylindrical boundaries. It is assumed that the field obeys Dirichlet boundary condition on bounding surfaces. The application of a variant of the generalized Abel-Plana formula enables to extract from the expectation values the contribution corresponding to the geometry of a wedge with a single shell and to present the interference part in terms of exponentially convergent integrals. The local properties of the vacuum are investigated in various asymptotic regions of the parameters. The vacuum forces acting on the boundaries are presented as the sum of self-action and interaction terms. It is shown that the interaction forces between the separate parts of the boundary are always attractive. The generalization to the case of a scalar field with Neumann boundary condition is discussed.