Noncanonical Poisson Bracket Research Articles

Hamiltonian formulation of X-point collapse in an extended magnetohydrodynamics framework

The study of X-point collapse in magnetic reconnection has witnessed extensive research in the context of space and laboratory plasmas. In this paper, a recently derived mathematical formulation of X-point collapse applicable in the regime of extended magnetohydrodynamics is shown to possess a noncanonical Hamiltonian structure composed of five dynamical variables inherited from its parent model. The Hamiltonian and the noncanonical Poisson brackets are both derived, and the latter is shown to obey the requisite properties of antisymmetry and the Jacobi identity (an explicit proof of the latter is provided). In addition, the governing equations for the Casimir invariants are presented, and one such solution is furnished. The above features can be harnessed and expanded in future work, such as developing structure-preserving integrators for this dynamical system.

A nonequilibrium statistical mechanics derivation of the hydrodynamic equations of simple fluids using a noncanonical form of the Poisson bracket

The continuum level hydrodynamic equations of a simple fluid were derived by Irving and Kirkwood directly from discrete particle dynamics using statistical mechanics almost 75 years ago. Their elegant derivation demonstrated the fundamental molecular basis of macroscopic fluid flow and culminated in molecular expressions for the stress tensor and heat current density that have since been employed in countless molecular simulations to date. In this article, an alternative derivation is presented, which leads to more general expressions for the fundamental transport relationships and which arrives at them in a more straightforward chain of consistency that ensues directly from the Principle of Least Action. The main point of departure from the Irving–Kirkwood derivation is the application of a transformation mapping of the total momentum of each individual particle onto the sum of its peculiar momentum and its momentum relative to the local velocity field. This mapping provides a phase-space distribution function applicable in the space of particle positions and peculiar momentum, from which a noncanonical Poisson bracket can be derived in terms of the same set of microscopic variables. For a given dynamic variable, expressed in terms of particle positions and peculiar momenta, the expectation value of the noncanonical Poisson bracket of the dynamic variable is shown to correspond to the evolution equation of the expectation value of the dynamic variable. This allows for a direct derivation of all macroscopic density evolution equations (mass, momentum, and energy density fields) using a systematic procedure free of assumptions concerning the macroscopic state of the system. Furthermore, an explicit expression of the time evolution of the entropy density at the hydrodynamic level is derived following the same procedure. Finally, in the limit of short-range interparticle interactions, a molecular-based expression for the local stress tensor as properly defined from continuum mechanics is developed at the hydrodynamic level that elucidates the continuum mechanics connection of the general stress expression of Irving and Kirkwood.

A Hamiltonian description of finite-time singularity in Euler's fluid equations

The recently proposed low degree-of-freedom model of Moffatt and Kimura [1,2] for describing the approach to finite-time singularity of the incompressible Euler fluid equations is investigated. The model assumes an initial finite-energy configuration of two vortex rings placed symmetrically on two tilted planes. The Hamiltonian structure of the inviscid limit of the model is obtained. The associated noncanonical Poisson bracket [3] and two invariants, one that serves as the Hamiltonian and the other a Casimir invariant, are discovered. It is shown that the system is integrable with a solution that lies on the intersection for the two invariants, just as for the free rigid body of mechanics whose solution lies on the intersection of the kinetic energy and angular momentum surfaces. Also, a direct quadrature is given and used to demonstrate the Leray form for finite-time singularity in the model. To the extent the Moffatt and Kimura model accurately represents Euler's ideal fluid equations of motion, we have shown the existence of finite-time singularity.

Hamiltonian formulation for perfect fluid equations with the ℓ–conformal Galilei symmetry

The Hamiltonian formulation for perfect fluid equations with the ℓ-conformal Galilei symmetry is proposed. For an arbitrary half-integer value of the parameter ℓ, the Hamilton and non-canonical Poisson brackets are found, in terms of which the original higher derivative equations of motion take the conventional Hamiltonian form. The full set of conserved charges is found and their algebra is established.

Action principles and conservation laws for Chew–Goldberger–Low anisotropic plasmas

The ideal Chew–Goldberger–Low (CGL) plasma equations, including the double adiabatic conservation laws for the parallel ($p_\parallel$) and perpendicular pressure ($p_\perp$), are investigated using a Lagrangian variational principle. An Euler–Poincaré variational principle is developed and the non-canonical Poisson bracket is obtained, in which the non-canonical variables consist of the mass flux${\boldsymbol {M}}$, the density$\rho$, the entropy variable$\sigma =\rho S$and the magnetic induction${\boldsymbol {B}}$. Conservation laws of the CGL plasma equations are derived via Noether's theorem. The Galilean group leads to conservation of energy, momentum, centre of mass and angular momentum. Cross-helicity conservation arises from a fluid relabelling symmetry, and is local or non-local depending on whether the gradient of$S$is perpendicular to${\boldsymbol {B}}$or otherwise. The point Lie symmetries of the CGL system are shown to comprise the Galilean transformations and scalings.

Nambu dynamics and its noncanonical Hamiltonian representation in many degrees of freedom systems

Abstract Nambu dynamics is a generalized Hamiltonian dynamics of more than two variables, whose time evolutions are given by the Nambu bracket, a generalization of the canonical Poisson bracket. Nambu dynamics can always be represented in the form of noncanonical Hamiltonian dynamics by defining the noncanonical Poisson bracket by means of the Nambu bracket. For the time evolution to be consistent, the Nambu bracket must satisfy the fundamental identity, while the noncanonical Poisson bracket must satisfy the Jacobi identity. However, in many degrees of freedom systems, it is well known that the fundamental identity does not hold. In the present paper we show that, even if the fundamental identity is violated, the Jacobi identity for the corresponding noncanonical Hamiltonian dynamics could hold. As an example we evaluate these identities for a semiclassical system of two coupled oscillators.

Semi-classical Lindblad master equation for spin dynamics

We derive the semi-classical Lindblad master equation in phase space for both canonical and non-canonical Poisson brackets using the Wigner–Moyal formalism and the Moyal star-product. The semi-classical limit for canonical dynamical variables, i.e. canonical Poisson brackets, is the Fokker–Planck equation, as derived before. We generalize this limit and show that it holds also for non-canonical Poisson brackets. Examples are gyro-Poisson brackets, which occur in spin ensembles, systems of recent interest in atomic physics and quantum optics. We show that the equations of motion for the collective spin variables are given by the Bloch equations of nuclear magnetization with relaxation. The Bloch and relaxation vectors are expressed in terms of the microscopic operators: the Hamiltonian and the Lindblad functions in the Wigner–Moyal formalism.

Lagrangian and Dirac constraints for the ideal incompressible fluid and magnetohydrodynamics

The incompressibility constraint for fluid flow was imposed by Lagrange in the so-called Lagrangian variable description using his method of multipliers in the Lagrangian (variational) formulation. An alternative is the imposition of incompressibility in the Eulerian variable description by a generalization of Dirac’s constraint method using noncanonical Poisson brackets. Here it is shown how to impose the incompressibility constraint using Dirac’s method in terms of both the canonical Poisson brackets in the Lagrangian variable description and the noncanonical Poisson brackets in the Eulerian description, allowing for the advection of density. Both cases give the dynamics of infinite-dimensional geodesic flow on the group of volume preserving diffeomorphisms and explicit expressions for this dynamics in terms of the constraints and original variables is given. Because Lagrangian and Eulerian conservation laws are not identical, comparison of the various methods is made.

Hamiltonian description of vortex systems

In the framework of 2D ideal Hydrodynamics a vortex system is defined as a smooth vorticity function having few positive local maxima and negative local minima separated by curves of zero vorticity. Invariants of such structures are discussed following from the vorticity conservation law and invertibility of Lagrangian motion. Hamiltonian formalism for vortex systems is developed by introducing new functional variables diagonalizing the original non-canonical Poisson bracket.

Hamiltonian gyrofluid reductions of gyrokinetic equations

We provide a general framework for deriving Hamiltonian electromagnetic gyrofluid models from a Hamiltonian system of gyrokinetic equations. The presented procedure permits to derive gyrofluid models for an arbitrary number of moments with respect to the velocity coordinate parallel to an equilibrium magnetic field. The resulting gyrofluid models account, in particular, for finite Larmor radius effects, equilibrium temperature anisotropies and fluctuations of the magnetic field in the direction parallel to the equilibrium magnetic field, thus generalizing Hamiltonian gyrofluid models previously presented in the literature. The Hamiltonian reduction procedure leading from the parent gyrokinetic model to the gyrofluid models is formulated in two stages. In the first step, after having shown that the parent gyrokinetic system indeed posseses a Hamiltonian structure, a Hamiltonian system is derived, by means of a Poisson sub-algebra argument, which describes the evolution of the perturbation of the gyrocenter distribution function, averaged with respect to the magnetic moment coordinate. The second stage brings from the latter model to the gyrofluid models by means of a closure relation, applicable at an arbitrary order in the moment hierarchy, which guarantees the preservation of a Hamiltonian structure. Casimir invariants of the noncanonical Poisson brackets of the gyrofluid models are provided. It is also shown how, in the two-dimensional limit, the gyrofluid model equations can be cast in the form of advection equations for Lagrangian invariants transported by generalized incompressible velocity fields, thus extending results obtained for previous Hamiltonian gyrofluid and drift-fluid models. The Hamiltonian reduction procedure is applied to derive a five-field gyrofluid model evolving the first two moments for the electron species and the first three moments for the ion species. The Casimir invariants and the Lagrangian advection formulation are provided explicitly for the five-field model. Remarks concerning possible variants of the procedure are discussed. As an example, it is shown how, by means of a variant of the procedure, it is possible to derive an isothermal two-field model for kinetic Alfvén waves including equilibrium electron temperature anisotropy effects.

Non-canonical Hamiltonian structure and Poisson bracket for two-dimensional hydrodynamics with free surface

We consider the Euler equations for the potential flow of an ideal incompressible fluid of infinite depth with a free surface in two-dimensional geometry. Both gravity and surface tension forces are taken into account. A time-dependent conformal mapping is used which maps the lower complex half-plane of the auxiliary complex variable $w$ into the fluid’s area, with the real line of $w$ mapped into the free fluid’s surface. We reformulate the exact Eulerian dynamics through a non-canonical non-local Hamiltonian structure for a pair of the Hamiltonian variables. These two variables are the imaginary part of the conformal map and the fluid’s velocity potential, both evaluated at the fluid’s free surface. The corresponding Poisson bracket is non-degenerate, i.e. it does not have any Casimir invariant. Any two functionals of the conformal mapping commute with respect to the Poisson bracket. The new Hamiltonian structure is a generalization of the canonical Hamiltonian structure of Zakharov (J. Appl. Mech. Tech. Phys., vol. 9(2), 1968, pp. 190–194) which is valid only for solutions for which the natural surface parametrization is single-valued, i.e. each value of the horizontal coordinate corresponds only to a single point on the free surface. In contrast, the new non-canonical Hamiltonian equations are valid for arbitrary nonlinear solutions (including multiple-valued natural surface parametrization) and are equivalent to the Euler equations. We also consider a generalized hydrodynamics with the additional physical terms in the Hamiltonian beyond the Euler equations. In that case we identify powerful reductions that allow one to find general classes of particular solutions.

Translationally symmetric extended MHD via Hamiltonian reduction: Energy-Casimir equilibria

The Hamiltonian structure of ideal translationally symmetric extended MHD (XMHD) is obtained by employing a method of Hamiltonian reduction on the three-dimensional noncanonical Poisson bracket of XMHD. The existence of the continuous spatial translation symmetry allows the introduction of Clebsch-like forms for the magnetic and velocity fields. Upon employing the chain rule for functional derivatives, the 3D Poisson bracket is reduced to its symmetric counterpart. The sets of symmetric Hall, Inertial, and extended MHD Casimir invariants are identified, and used to obtain energy-Casimir variational principles for generalized XMHD equilibrium equations with arbitrary macroscopic flows. The obtained set of generalized equations is cast into Grad-Shafranov-Bernoulli (GSB) type, and special cases are investigated: static plasmas, equilibria with longitudinal flows only, and Hall MHD equilibria, where the electron inertia is neglected. The barotropic Hall MHD equilibrium equations are derived as a limiting case of the XMHD GSB system, and a numerically computed equilibrium configuration is presented that shows the separation of ion-flow from electro-magnetic surfaces.

Beatification: Flattening the Poisson bracket for two-dimensional fluid and plasma theories

A perturbative method called beatification is presented for a class of two-dimensional fluid and plasma theories. The Hamiltonian systems considered, namely, the Euler, Vlasov-Poisson, Hasegawa-Mima, and modified Hasegawa-Mima equations, are naturally described in terms of noncanonical variables. The beatification procedure amounts to finding the correct transformation that removes the explicit variable dependence from a noncanonical Poisson bracket and replaces it with a fixed dependence on a chosen state in the phase space. As such, beatification is a major step toward casting the Hamiltonian system in its canonical form, thus enabling or facilitating the use of analytical and numerical techniques that require or favor a representation in terms of canonical, or beatified, Hamiltonian variables.

Derivation of the Hall and extended magnetohydrodynamics brackets

There are several plasma models intermediate in complexity between ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) and two-fluid theory, with Hall and Extended MHD being two important examples. In this paper, we investigate several aspects of these theories, with the ultimate goal of deriving the noncanonical Poisson brackets used in their Hamiltonian formulations. We present fully Lagrangian actions for each, as opposed to the fully Eulerian, or mixed Eulerian-Lagrangian, actions that have appeared previously. As an important step in this process, we exhibit each theory's two advected fluxes (in analogy to ideal MHD's advected magnetic flux), discovering also that with the correct choice of gauge they have corresponding Lie-dragged potentials resembling the electromagnetic vector potential, and associated conserved helicities. Finally, using the Euler-Lagrange map, we show how to derive the noncanonical Eulerian brackets from canonical Lagrangian ones.

Concomitant Hamiltonian and topological structures of extended magnetohydrodynamics

The paper describes the unique geometric properties of ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), and demonstrates how such features are inherited by extended MHD, viz. models that incorporate two-fluid effects (the Hall term and electron inertia). The generalized helicities, and other geometric expressions for these models are presented in a topological context, emphasizing their universal facets. Some of the results presented include: the generalized Kelvin circulation theorems; the existence of two Lie-dragged 2-forms; and two concomitant helicities that can be studied via the Jones polynomial, which is widely utilized in Chern–Simons theory. The ensuing commonality is traced to the existence of an underlying Hamiltonian structure for all the extended MHD models, exemplified by the presence of a unique noncanonical Poisson bracket, and its associated energy.

A method for Hamiltonian truncation: a four-wave example

A method for extracting finite-dimensional Hamiltonian systems from a class of 2 + 1 Hamiltonian mean field theories is presented. These theories possess noncanonical Poisson brackets, which normally resist Hamiltonian truncation, but a process of beatification by coordinate transformation near a reference state is described in order to perturbatively overcome this difficulty. Two examples of four-wave truncation of Euler’s equation for scalar vortex dynamics are given and compared: one a direct non-Hamiltonian truncation of the equations of motion, the other obtained by beatifying the Poisson bracket and then truncating.

Hamiltonian structure and conservation laws of two‐dimensional linear elasticity theory

In this study, the existence of Hamiltonian structures for a two‐dimensional, linear‐elastic model is considered. We show that this model admits the so‐called noncanonical singular Poisson bracket. Casimir functionals are found by using the singularity properties of the Poisson bracket obtained. We also demonstrate that these functionals are conserved for an arbitrary choice of Hamiltonian. Excepting the energy functional, we prove that there no exists conservation laws of zero order.

Weakly nonlinear dynamics in noncanonical Hamiltonian systems with applications to fluids and plasmas

A method, called beatification, is presented for rapidly extracting weakly nonlinear Hamiltonian systems that describe the dynamics near equilibria of systems possessing Hamiltonian form in terms of noncanonical Poisson brackets. The procedure applies to systems like fluids and plasmas in terms of Eulerian variables that have such noncanonical Poisson brackets, i.e., brackets with nonstandard and possibly degenerate form. A collection of examples of both finite and infinite dimensions is presented.

Hamiltonian magnetic reconnection with parallel electron heat flux dynamics

We analyse, both analytically and numerically, a two-dimensional six-field fluid model for collisionless magnetic reconnection, accounting for temperature and heat flux fluctuations along the direction of the magnetic guide field. We show that the model possesses a Hamiltonian structure with a non-canonical Poisson bracket. This bracket is characterized by the presence of six infinite families of Casimirs, associated with Lagrangian invariants. This reveals that the model can be reformulated as a system of advection equations, thus generalizing previous results obtained for Hamiltonian isothermal fluid models for reconnection. Numerical simulations indicate that the presence of heat flux and temperature fluctuations yields slightly larger growth rates and similar saturated island amplitudes, with respect to the isothermal models. For values of the sonic Larmor radius much smaller than the electron skin depth, heat flux fluctuations tend to be suppressed and temperature fluctuations follow density fluctuations. Increasing the sonic Larmor radius results in an increasing fraction of magnetic energy converted into heat flux, at the expense of temperature fluctuations. In particular, heat flux fluctuations tend to become relevant along the magnetic island separatrices. The qualitative structures associated with the electron field variables are also reinterpreted in terms of the rotation of the Lagrangian invariants of the system.

Polymer quantization versus the Snyder noncommutative space

We study a noncanonical Hilbert space representation of the polymer quantum mechanics. It is shown that the Heisenberg algebra gets some modifications in the constructed setup, from which a generalized uncertainty principle will naturally come out. Although the extracted physical results are the same as those obtained from the standard canonical representation, the noncanonical representation may be notable in view of its possible connection with the generalized uncertainty theories suggested by string theory. In this regard, by considering a Snyder-deformed Heisenberg algebra, we show that since the translation group is not deformed, it can be identified with a polymer-modified Heisenberg algebra. In the classical level, it is shown that the noncanonical Poisson brackets are related to their canonical counterparts by means of a Darboux transformation on the corresponding phase space.