Numerical experiments on billiards

We investigate decay properties of correlation functions in a class of chaotic billiards. First we consider the statistics of Poincaré recurrences (induced by a partition of the billiard): the results are in agreement with theoretical bounds by Bunimovich, Sinai, and Bleher, and are consistent with a purely exponential decay of correlations out of marginality. We then turn to the analysis of the velocity-velocity correlation function: except for intermittent situations, the decay is purely exponential, and the decay rates scale in a simple way with the (uniform) curvature of the dispersing arcs. A power-law decay is instead observed when the system is equivalent to an infinite-horizon Lorentz gas. Comments are given on the behaviour of other types of correlation functions, whose decay, during the observed time scale, appears slower than exponential.     

Calculation of the Normal Vibrations of Benzene in the First Singlet Electron-Excited State 1 B 2u

Using the CIS/6-311+G^** method, the normal vibrations of the benzene molecule in the first singlet electron-excited state ¹ B _2u have been calculated. The algorithm of calculation of the force field in dependent coordinates by the method of generalized inversion is described. A method of autoscaling in dependent natural coordinates is suggested. For six groups of natural coordinates scaling factors have been obtained, the use of which has led to agreement between the calculated and experimental frequencies of the vibrations of benzene. The frequencies of the B _1u -symmetry-type vibrations, for which there is no experimental assignment, have been calculated. The problem of selection of the force field in dependent coordinates is discussed.     

The O(N) vector model in the large-N limit revisited: multicritical points and double scaling limit

The multicritical points of the O(N)-invariant N vector model in the large-N limit are re-examined. Of particular interest are the subtleties involved in the stability of the phase structure at critical dimensions. In the limit N → ∞ while the coupling g → g_c in a correlated manner (the double scaling limit) a massless bound state O(N) singlet is formed and powers of 1/N are compensated by IR singularities. The persistence of the N → ∞ results beyond the leading order is then studied with particular interest in the possible existence of a phase with propagating small mass vector fields and a massless singlet bound state. We point out that under certain conditions the double scaled theory of the singlet field is non-interacting in critical dimensions.     

Subtleties in data analysis related to the size of critical region

We comment on the analysis of the critical behavior of a layered driven diffusive system recently done by Achahbar and Marro. We discuss why we believe their method of taking the thermodynamic limit and determining the order-parameter exponent leads to unreliable estimates.     

Density-Functional Theory Calculations of Normal Modes and Raman Intensities for Tetraazaporphin

The structure, harmonic frequencies, and nonresonance Raman intensities for porphin, tetraazaporphin (TAP), and three of its isotopomers are calculated by the density-functional theory of B3LYP/6-31G(d). Scaling of force constants for porphin in nonredundant natural coordinates is performed. The scaling factors obtained were used to predict the force field and normal modes of TAP and three of its isotopomers. Two alternative methods are used to carry out reliable assignment of the TAP frequencies: wavenumber-linear scaling method and frequency-shift method. There is good agreement between the frequencies predicted within the framework of the three methods used. The conservativeness of the out-of-plane B _2g - and B _3g -modes for porphin and TAP is examined. The Raman spectrum for TAP is simulated. A refinement of the assignment of the experimental frequencies for TAP of even symmetry types on the basis of the calculations performed is made.     

Conformally Invariant Quantization at Order Three

Let (M, g) be a pseudo-Riemannian manifold and the space of densities of degree on M. Denote the space of differential operators from to of order k and S _k with = – the corresponding space of symbols. We construct (the unique) conformally invariant quantization map . This result generalizes that of Duval and Ovsienko.     

Scaling Cosmology

We show that with the help of a suitable coupling between dark energy and cold dark matter it is possible to reproduce any scaling solution _{X M} a , where _X and _M are the densities of dark energy and dark matter, respectively. We demonstrate how the case = 1 alleviates the coincidence problem. Future observations of supernovae at high redshift as well as quasar pairs which are planned to discriminate between different cosmological models will also provide direct constraints on the coupling between dark matter and dark energy.     

Operational characteristics and power scaling of a transverse flow transversely excited CW CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> laser

Transverse flow transversely excited (TFTE) CO₂ lasers are easily scalable to multikilowatt level. The laser power can be scaled up by increasing the volumetric gas flow and discharge volume. It was observed in a TFTE CW CO₂ laser having single row of pins as an anode and tubular cathode that the laser power was not increasing when the discharge volume and the gas volumetric flow were increased by increasing the electrode separation keeping the gas flow velocity constant. The discharge voltage too remained almost constant with the change of electrode separation at the same gas flow velocity. This necessitated revision of the scaling laws for designing this type of high power CO₂ laser. Experimental results of laser performance for different electrode separations are discussed and the modifications in the scaling laws are presented.     

Bethe ansatz calculations for the eight-vertex model on a finite strip

Bethe ansatz equations for the eigenvalues of the transfer matrix of the eight-vertex model are solved numerically to yield mass gap data on infinitely long strips of up to 512 sites in width. The finite-size corrections, at criticality, to the free energy per site and polarization gap are found to be in agreement with recent studies of theXXZ spin chain. The leading corrections to the finite-size scaling estimates of the critical line and thermal exponent are also found, providing an explanation of the poor convergence seen in earlier studies. Away from criticality, the linear scaling fields are derived exactly in the full parameter space of the spin system, allowing a thorough test of a recently proposed method of extracting linear scaling fields and related exponents from finite lattice data.     

Distribution functions for random walk processes on networks: An analytic method

A novel analytic method for deriving and analyzing probability distribution functions of variables arising in random walk problems is presented. Applications of the method to quasi-one-dimensional systems show that the generating functions of interest possess simple poles, and no branch cuts outside the unit complex disk. This fact makes it possible to derive closed formulas for the full probability distribution functions and to analyze their properties. We find that transverse structures attached to a one-dimensional backbone can be responsible for the appearance of power laws in observables such as the distribution of first arrival times or the total current moving through a (model) photoexcited dirty semiconductor (our results compare well with experiment). We conclude that in some cases a geometrical effect, e.g., that of a transverse structure, may be indistinguishable from a dynamical effect (long waiting time); we also find universal shapes of distribution functions (humped structures) which are not characterized by power laws. The role of bias in determining properties of quasi-one-dimensional structures is examined. A master equation for generating functions is derived and applied to the computation of currents. Our method is also applied to a fractal structure, yielding nontrivial power laws. In all finite networks considered, all probability distributions decay exponentially for asymptotically long times.For a relatively recent review with some historical background see Ref. 2.