Hydrodynamics of an expanding fireball

A set of relativistic hydrodynamic equations is solved numerically on the basis of the flux-corrected SHASTA method for one-, two-, and three-dimensional geometries. The accuracy of the proposed method is demonstrated via a comparison with exact analytic solutions for the one-dimensional Riemann problem and a boost-invariant longitudinal expansion in the Bjorken model. The example of an expanding three-dimensional fireball for which initial conditions approximately correspond to PbPb collisions at an energy of about 160 GeV per nucleon is considered. This example indicates that the presumed dynamics of the expansion may affect substantially the results of an analysis of in-medium properties of hadrons that relies on data from experiments with leptons.     

Relaxation in establishing a steady-state stochastic process with 1/<Emphasis Type="Italic">f</Emphasis> spectrum and low-frequency spike statistics

According to theory, fluctuations with a power spectrum inversely proportional to frequency (1/f processes) may arise when dissimilar phase transitions simultaneously take place in physical systems with intense white noise. In this work, relaxation effects in establishing a steady-state stochastic process with non-equilibrium phase transitions are described in terms of two nonlinear stochastic differential equations. The results thus obtained carry information on the statistics of large-scale low-frequency spikes. Step “forgetting” of initial conditions is noted. It is numerically shown that the distributions of the durations and maximal values of extreme low-frequency spikes have a power-type form.     

Fluctuations as probe of the QCD phase transition and freeze-out in heavy ion collisions at LHC and RHIC

We discuss the relevance of higher order cumulants of net baryon number fluctuations for the analysis of freeze-out and critical conditions in heavy ion collisions at LHC and RHIC. Using properties of O(4) scaling functions, we discuss the generic structure of these higher cumulants at vanishing baryon chemical potential and apply chiral model calculations to explore their properties at non-zero baryon chemical potential. We show that the ratios of the sixth to second and eighth to second order cumulants of the net baryon number fluctuations change rapidly in the transition region of the QCD phase diagram. Already at vanishing baryon chemical potential they deviate considerably from the predictions of the hadron resonance gas model which reproduce the second and fourth order cumulants of the net proton number fluctuations at RHIC. We point out that the sixth order cumulants of baryon number and electric charge fluctuations remain negative at the chiral transition temperature. Thus, they offer the possibility to probe the proximity of the chemical freeze-out to the crossover line.     

Self-organized criticality and 1/f fluctuation under conditions of nonequilibrium phase transitions

The results are given of an experimental investigation of fluctuation phenomena under conditions of electric arc discharge. Fluctuations are observed whose spectral density is inversely proportional to frequency (1/f noise). Power dependences are revealed of the fluctuation distribution functions. The behavior of spectral density and of distribution functions is associated with the simultaneous occurrence of various nonequilibrium phase transitions. Within the framework of the mean field theory, a mathematical model is suggested of interacting nonequilibrium phase transitions in a distributed system, which predicts the self-organization of the critical state and the generation of fluctuations with diverging spectral characteristics. An adequate agreement is observed between the suggested model and experimental data.     

Viscosity and thermal conductivity effects at first-order phase transitions in heavy-ion collisions

Effects of viscosity and thermal conductivity on the dynamics of first-order phase transitions are studied. The nuclear gas-liquid and hadron-quark transitions in heavy-ion collisions are considered. We demonstrate that at nonzero thermal conductivity, κ ≠ 0, onset of spinodal instabilities occurs on an isothermal spinodal line, whereas for κ = 0 instabilities take place at lower temperatures, on an adiabatic spinodal.     

DYNAMIC CHAOS AND THE $$(1/f)$$ SPECTRUM DURING INTERACTING NONEQUILIBRIUM PHASE TRANSITIONS

Journal of Applied Mechanics and Technical Physics - A system of two nonlinear stochastic equations is used to simulate fluctuations near a&nbsp;critical transition. Their interaction results...     

Disintegration of flows of superheated liquid films and jets

This paper represents results on investigating the dynamics of boiling and disintegration of superheated liquid films and jets. The first part deals with experimental study of boiling liquid outflow through short cylindrical and slit channels. Evolution of disintegration of a hot water jet flow is observed both at low and moderate superheating and at high and limit superheating, and also for vaporization mechanisms corresponding to these superheatings. Peculiarities of disintegration of jets through slit and cylindrical channels are noticed. Results on measuring the reactive thrust of the jet through a slit channel under different geometrical conditions behind the channel outlet are represented. The 1/f fluctuations in transient regimes of superheated liquid boiling and in transient regimes of behavior of the jet shape are found. The second part of this article represents results on experimental investigation of nonsteady heat transfer and dynamics of the development of crisis phenomena at boiling of a falling subcooled liquid film in the conditions of stepwise heat release. The experimental data were obtained using synchronized high-speed infrared thermography and video. It is shown that with growth and condensation of vapor bubbles, on the liquid film interface appear large-amplitude waves that lead to considerably increasing local intensity of heat transfer. New data on the boiling incipience temperature in a subcooled liquid film, depending on the heat flux density, are obtained. It is found that the development of boiling crisis is a result of appearance of local dry patches and their subsequent growth by the mechanism of longitudinal thermal conductivity in the heat transfer wall as the equilibrium heat flux density is exceeded.     

Stability of a random process with a 1/f spectrum under deterministic action

The stability of the resultant process, which appears upon the interaction of a random process having a 1/f spectrum with a deterministic action, is analyzed using the entropy maximum principle. Under the action of a harmonic force, stable resultant processes are divided into two branches depending on the amplitude of the harmonic force. Due to an exponential relaxation upon an increase in the damping coefficient, the resultant process acquires the Lorentz spectrum without high-energy low-frequency spikes.