A physical limitation of the Wigner “distribution” function in molecular transport

We present an example revealing that the sign of the “momentum” P   of the Wigner “distribution” function f(q,P)$f(q,P)$ is not necessarily associated with the direction of motion in the real world. This aspect, which is not related to the well-known limitation of the Wigner function that traces back to the Heisenberg?s uncertainty principle, is particularly relevant in transport studies, wherein it is helpful to distinguish between electrons flowing from electrodes into devices and vice versa.     

Quasi-stationary states of the NRT nonlinear Schrödinger equation

With regards to the nonlinear Schrödinger equation recently advanced by Nobre, Rego-Monteiro, and Tsallis (NRT), based on Tsallis q$q$-thermo-statistical formalism, we investigate the existence and properties of its quasi-stationary solutions, which have the time and space dependences “separated” in a q$q$-deformed fashion. One recovers the normal factorization into purely spatial and purely temporal factors, corresponding to the standard, linear Schrödinger equation, when the deformation vanishes (q=1)$(q=1)$. We discuss various specific examples of exact, quasi-stationary solutions of the NRT equation. In particular, we obtain a quasi-stationary solution for the Moshinsky model, providing the first example of an exact solution of the NRT equation for a system of interacting particles.     

A comparison of intertemporal choices for oneself versus someone else based on Tsallis’ statistics

Impulsivity and inconsistency in intertemporal choice (discounting) have drawn attention in econophysics and neuroeconomics. Although it is well established that most people often show irrational discounting (e.g., hyperbolic discounting), little is known regarding whether the irrationality is mitigated or not, when the choice was performed by someone else instead of subject herself. This point is important for economic policy-making. In order to compare consistency and impulsivity in choices for oneself versus someone else, we experimentally estimated the consistency parameter q in Tsallis’ statistics-based discount function for oneself and someone else, by assessing the points of subjective equality (indifference points) at 7 delays (1 week to 25 years) in humans. We observed that (i) most people are more inconsistent when the outcomes of intertemporal choice are only relevant to someone else (q=−8.89) than when relevant to oneself (q=−2.63), and (ii) impulsivity, distinguished from inconsistency by utilizing the Tsallis statistics-based q-exponential discount function, is also larger in the choice for someone else than for oneself. Our results indicate that (i) leaving decision-making processes with some others may neither reduce impulsivity nor correct inconsistency and (ii) when q-exponential discounting is utilized, the definition range of q-parameter should be extended to q<0, and smaller (q<1) and larger (q>1) values indicate more inconsistent discounting. Together, the usefulness of the q-exponential discounting for analyzing the dynamic consistency of economic policy was demonstrated in the present study.     

A social discounting model based on Tsallis’ statistics

Social decision making (e.g. social discounting and social preferences) has been attracting attention in economics, econophysics, social physics, behavioral psychology, and neuroeconomics. This paper proposes a novel social discounting model based on the deformed algebra developed in the Tsallis’ non-extensive thermostatistics. Furthermore, it is suggested that this model can be utilized to quantify the degree of consistency in social discounting in humans and analyze the relationships between behavioral tendencies in social discounting and other-regarding economic decision making under game-theoretic conditions. Future directions in the application of the model to studies in econophysics, neuroeconomics, and social physics, as well as real-world problems such as the supply of live organ donations, are discussed.     

Quantum Bohmian model for financial market

We apply methods of quantum mechanics for mathematical modeling of price dynamics at the financial market. The Hamiltonian formalism on the price/price-change phase space describes the classical-like evolution of prices. This classical dynamics of prices is determined by “hard” conditions (natural resources, industrial production, services and so on). These conditions are mathematically described by the classical financial potential V(q),$V(q),$ where q=(_q1,…,_qn)$q=(q_1,\dots ,q_n)$ is the vector of prices of various shares. But the information exchange and market psychology play important (and sometimes determining) role in price dynamics. We propose to describe such behavioral financial factors by using the pilot wave (Bohmian) model of quantum mechanics. The theory of financial behavioral waves takes into account the market psychology. The real trajectories of prices are determined (through the financial analogue of the second Newton law) by two financial potentials: classical-like V(q)$V(q)$ (“hard” market conditions) and quantum-like U(q)$U(q)$ (behavioral market conditions).     

Exploring associations between micro-level models of innovation diffusion and emerging macro-level adoption patterns

A micro-level agent-based model of innovation diffusion was developed that explicitly combines (a) an individual’s perception of the advantages or relative utility derived from adoption, and (b) social influence from members of the individual’s social network. The micro-model was used to simulate macro-level diffusion patterns emerging from different configurations of micro-model parameters. Micro-level simulation results matched very closely the adoption patterns predicted by the widely-used Bass macro-level model (Bass, 1969 [1]). For a portion of the p−q$p-q$ domain, results from micro-simulations were consistent with aggregate-level adoption patterns reported in the literature. Induced Bass macro-level parameters p$p$ and q$q$ responded to changes in micro-parameters: (1) p$p$ increased with the number of innovators and with the rate at which innovators are introduced; (2) q$q$ increased with the probability of rewiring in small-world networks, as the characteristic path length decreases; and (3) an increase in the overall perceived utility of an innovation caused a corresponding increase in induced p$p$ and q$q$ values. Understanding micro to macro linkages can inform the design and assessment of marketing interventions on micro-variables–or processes related to them–to enhance adoption of future products or technologies.     

A case of subdominant/suppressed “high energy” contribution to the baryon asymmetry of the Universe in flavoured leptogenesis

The CP-violation necessary for the generation of the baryon asymmetry of the Universe YB$Y_B$ in the “flavoured” leptogenesis scenario can arise from the “low energy” PMNS neutrino mixing matrix U   and/or from the “high energy” part of neutrino Yukawa couplings, which can mediate CP-violating phenomena only at some high energy scale. The possible interplay between these two types of CP-violation is analysed. The type I see-saw model with three heavy right-handed Majorana neutrinos having hierarchical spectrum is considered. We show that in the case of inverted hierarchical light neutrino mass spectrum, there exist regions in the corresponding leptogenesis parameter space where the relevant “high energy” phases have large CP-violating values, but the purely “high energy” contribution in YB$Y_B$ plays a subdominant role in the production of baryon asymmetry compatible with the observations. In some of these regions the purely “high energy” contribution in YB$Y_B$ is so strongly suppressed that one can have successful leptogenesis only if the requisite CP-violation is provided by the Majorana phase(s) in the neutrino mixing matrix.     

Theoretical study of solvent-mediated Ising-like systems: One-dimensional version

We theoretically study physical properties of solutes placed in a straight line and at regular intervals. The solute is a rigid-body and has an arrow-like shape, which changes its direction up (↑$\uparrow$) or down (↓$\downarrow$). If the rigid solutes are immersed in a continuum solvent, nothing happens in the system (it is an obvious fact). However, the property of the directions differs in a granular solvent (e.g., hard-sphere solvent). Depending on the distance between the nearest-neighbor solutes, the directional correlation between them is periodically changed as follows: “parallel-tendency (↑↑$\uparrow \uparrow$)” ↔$\leftrightarrow$ “random” ↔$\leftrightarrow$ “antiparallel-tendency (↑↓$\uparrow \downarrow$)”. Studying a newly created nanosystem, it is able to discover interesting properties hiding in the nanosystem. We believe that such an approach contributes to the development of nanotechnology.     

Formulation of the Hellmann–Feynman theorem for the “second choice” version of Tsallis’ thermostatistics

An approach to formulating the Hellmann–Feynman theorem within the “second choice” formalism of non-extensive statistical mechanics is considered. For the state of thermal equilibrium, we derive a relation of Hellmann–Feynman type between the derivative of the non-extensive free energy with respect to the external parameter and the quantum statistical q$q$-average of the derivative of the Hamilton operator. We also give a proper extension for an arbitrary observable commuting with the Hamiltonian. Some reasons for the usefulness of new formulas are discussed.     

Periodic behavior of collapse–revival phenomenon in the full nonlinear interaction between a three-level atom and a single-mode field

In this paper based on a generalization of the Jaynes–Cummings model we solve the dynamical Hamiltonian describing the interaction between a (Λ$\Lambda$ or V-type) three-level atom and a single-mode field in the “full nonlinear regime” and then the analytical form of state vector of the system is explicitly obtained. In this manner, we encountered with “intensity-dependent detuning” as well as “intensity-dependent atom–field coupling” in our two models. Via choosing an appropriate deformation function (which imposes nonlinearity to the system) we consider the influence of Kerr-like medium from which the resonance condition for a selected number of quanta is achieved (selective transition is occurred). Furthermore, by these considerations, we may find the optimum values for atom–field coupling constants which provide a regular periodic behavior of probability amplitudes for the two considered atomic systems. Moreover, to show this periodic time behavior, the temporal evolution of the probability of the allowed atomic transitions as well as the Mandel parameter (as a non-classical sign) is depicted for various circumstances. As is observed, complete revivals may appear in some particular situations.     

On the role of symmetries in the theory of photonic crystals

We discuss the role of the symmetries in photonic crystals and classify them according to the Cartan–Altland–Zirnbauer scheme. Of particular importance are complex conjugation C$C$ and time-reversal T$T$, but we identify also other significant symmetries. Borrowing the jargon of the classification theory of topological insulators, we show that C$C$ is a “particle–hole-type symmetry” rather than a “time-reversal symmetry” if one considers the Maxwell operator in the first-order formalism where the dynamical Maxwell equations can be rewritten as a Schrödinger equation; The symmetry which implements physical time-reversal is a “chiral-type symmetry”. We justify by an analysis of the band structure why the first-order formalism seems to be more advantageous than the second-order formalism. Moreover, based on the Schrödinger formalism, we introduce a class of effective (tight-binding) models called Maxwell–Harper operators. Some considerations about the breaking of the “particle–hole-type symmetry” in the case of gyrotropic crystals are added at the end of this paper.     

Effects of publications in proceedings on the measure of the core size of coauthors

Coauthors (CA) of a “lead investigator” (LI) can receive a rank (r$r$) according to their “importance” in having published joint publications with the LI. It is commonly accepted, without any proof, that publications in peer review journals and for example conference proceedings do not have the same “value” in a CV, and the same applies to papers contributing to encyclopedia and book chapters. It is examined here whether the relationship between the number (J$J$) of publications of some scientist with her/his coauthors, ranked according to their decreasing importance, i.e. J∝1/r^α$J\propto 1/r^{\alpha }$, as found by Ausloos (2013) [1], still holds if the overall publication list is broken into such specific types of publications. Several authors, with different careers, but mainly having worked in the field of statistical mechanics, are studied here to sort out answers to the questions. The exponent α$\alpha$ turns out to be weakly scientist dependent, only if the maximum value of J$J$ and r$r$ is large and is ∼+1$\sim +1$ then. The _mA$m_A$ core value, i.e. the core number of CAs, for proceedings only is about half of the total one, i.e. when all publications are counted. Contributions to the numerical values from both encyclopedia and book chapters are marginal. The role of a time span on _mA$m_A$ is also examined in two cases in relation to career activity considerations. It can be considered that the findings serve as a contrasting point of view on how to quantify an individual (publication) career as recently done by Petersen et al. (2010, 2012, 2011) ,  and , here emphasizing the collaboration size and evolution, rather than a citation count, moreover specifying the type of publication. Through the various _mA$m_A$’s one can distinguish different behavior patterns of a scientific publication with CAs.     

A Monte Carlo study of ant traffic in a uni-directional trail

In this study, we aim to investigate ant traffic in the uni-directional ant trail. We consider two types of ants moving in the trail: one of which smells well and the other does not. The theoretical base of the study is similar to that of the Nagel–Schreckenberg (NaSch) model, but we do not use the exclusion rule, the asymmetrical exclusion rule is employed instead. Ants are placed on the trail as mixed. By keeping the number of ‘poor-smelling ants’ constant, the traffic in the trail is studied as a function of the number of “good-smelling” ants and the evaporation rate probability of pheromone f$f$. The fundamental physical quantities, i.e., mean speed V$V$ and flux F$F$, interestingly show non-monotonic density dependence for some values of f$f$ at some densities.     

Supertwistors and massive particles

In the (super)twistor formulation of massless (super)particle mechanics, the mass-shell constraint is replaced by a “spin-shell” constraint from which the spin content can be read off. We extend this formalism to massive (super)particles (with N$N$-extended space–time supersymmetry) in three and four space–time dimensions, explaining how the spin-shell constraints are related to spin, and we use it to prove equivalence of the massive N=1$N=1$ and BPS-saturated N=2$N=2$ superparticle actions. We also find the supertwistor form of the action for “spinning particles” with N$N$-extended worldline supersymmetry, massless in four dimensions and massive in three dimensions, and we show how this simplifies special features of the N=2$N=2$ case.     

Some properties of generalized Fisher information in the context of nonextensive thermostatistics

We present two extended forms of Fisher information that fit well in the context of nonextensive thermostatistics. We show that there exists an interplay between these generalized Fisher information, the generalized q$q$-Gaussian distributions and the q$q$-entropies. The minimum of the generalized Fisher information among distributions with a fixed moment, or with a fixed q$q$-entropy is attained, in both cases, by a generalized q$q$-Gaussian distribution. This complements the fact that the q$q$-Gaussians maximize the q$q$-entropies subject to a moment constraint, and yields new variational characterizations of the generalizedq$q$-Gaussians. We show that the generalized Fisher information naturally pop up in the expression of the time derivative of the q$q$-entropies, for distributions satisfying a certain nonlinear heat equation. This result includes as a particular case the classical de Bruijn identity. Then we study further properties of the generalized Fisher information and of their minimization. We show that, though non additive, the generalized Fisher information of a combined system is upper bounded. In the case of mixing, we show that the generalized Fisher information is convex for q≥1$q\ge 1$. Finally, we show that the minimization of the generalized Fisher information subject to moment constraints satisfies a Legendre structure analog to the Legendre structure of thermodynamics.     

The Tsallis–Laplace transform

We introduce here the q$q$-Laplace transform as a new weapon in Tsallis’ arsenal, discussing its main properties and analyzing some examples. The q$q$-Gaussian instance receives special consideration. Also, we derive the q$q$-partition function from the q$q$-Laplace transform.