Nonequilibrium Population Research Articles

Pr:YAG temperature imaging in gas-phase flows

In this study, a new thermographic phosphor for planar gas-phase thermometry is investigated. The thermographic phosphor used is composed of trivalent praseodymium (Pr3+) ions doped into a yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) host. Spectrally-resolved emission data were taken in a furnace for temperatures up to 1,300 K. The emission spectra were used to develop a temperature measurement strategy utilizing a non-equilibrium population ratio. The developed temperature measurement technique was demonstrated in a turbulent heated air jet for exit temperatures ranging from 300 to 750 K. The results demonstrate the promise of the Pr:YAG phosphor for obtaining high-precision single-shot temperature measurements in gas-phase flows.

Bias asymmetry in the conductance profile of magnetic ions on surfaces probed by scanning tunneling microscopy

The conductance profiles of magnetic transition-metal atoms, such as Fe, Co, and Mn, deposited on surfaces and probed by a scanning tunneling microscope (STM), provide detailed information on the magnetic excitations of such nanomagnets. In general, the profiles are symmetric with respect to the applied bias. However, a set of recent experiments has shown evidence for inherent asymmetries when either a normal or a spin-polarized STM tip is used. In order to explain such asymmetries, here we expand our previously developed perturbative approach to electron-spin scattering to the spin-polarized case and to the inclusion of out of equilibrium spin populations. In the case of a magnetic STM tip, we demonstrate that the asymmetries are driven by the nonequilibrium occupation of the various atomic spin levels, an effect that is reminiscent of electron spin transfer. In contrast, when the tip is not spin polarized, such a nonequilibrium population cannot be built up. In this circumstance, we propose that the asymmetry simply originates from the transition metal ion density of states and from the uneven electronic coupling between the scattering magnetic atoms and both the tip and the substrate. These effects are included in the formalism as a nonvanishing real component to the spin-scattering self-energy.

Quantum noise properties of multiphoton transitions in driven nonlinear resonators

We investigate the quantum noise properties of a weakly nonlinear Duffing resonator in the deep quantum regime, where only a few quanta are excited. This regime is dominated by the appearance of coherent multiphoton resonances in the nonlinear response of the resonator to the modulation. We determine simple expressions for the photon noise spectrum and find that the multiphoton resonances also induce a multiple peak structure in that spectrum. When the corresponding multiphoton Rabi oscillations are underdamped, zero-temperature quantum fluctuations determine comparable populations of all quasienergy states which belong to a resonant multiphoton doublet. Most interestingly, the quantum fluctuations probe the multiphoton transitions by inducing several peaks in the noise spectrum of the resonator observables. In particular, the noise of the photon number contains complete information about the multiphoton states and their stationary populations via pairs of nearly symmetric peaks at opposite frequencies. Their widths are determined by the damping of the Rabi oscillations and their heights are proportional to the stationary nonequilibrium populations. A finite detuning from a multiphoton resonance generates a quasielastic noise peak at zero frequency. In addition, we relate the stationary populations of the quasienergy states with an effective quantum temperature and discuss the role of a finite temperature.

Mathematical modeling of high-pressure oil-splitting reactor using a reduced population balance model

A reduced non-equilibrium bivariate population balance model is developed to model simultaneous reversible chemical reaction and extraction of an industrial scale high-pressure oil-splitting reactor with a first-order reversible kinetics. The model includes details about the reacting mixture by considering the discrete (particulate) nature of the dispersed phase. This, however; increases the mathematical complexity of the model and results in a coupled system of partial differential equations (PDE) of hyperbolic type with nonlinear source terms. The characteristics analysis shows that these hyperbolic PDEs have two dominant and distinct characteristic speeds: The mean droplet speed and the mean continuous phase (oil) speed. This generates a set of contact waves moving along the reactor height in opposite directions. Therefore, modern numerical methods based on CFD literature are applicable to provide a numerical solution of the developed model. As a first step in the numerical investigation, a finite volume method with a first-order upwind scheme is developed and implemented. Also, sufficient conditions of stability are derived and implemented. The numerical model is validated against analytical solution of a special case, where numerical convergence in the sense of l2-norm is established. Numerical simulation results showed that the unreacted oil concentration profile decreased exponentially along the reactor height. On the other hand, the glycerine concentration in the oil phase passes through a maximum due to the simultaneous reaction and extraction processes. Three operating parameters: temperature, mean droplet diameter and excess water flow rate were studied to highlight their effect on the reactor performance. The most important parameter was the reactor operating temperature, where 240 °C was found sufficient for complete oil conversion. This agrees with the operating temperature in industrial practice.

Spin-precession-assisted supercurrent in a superconducting quantum point contact coupled to a single-molecule magnet

The supercurrent of a quantum point contact coupled to a nanomagnet strongly depends on the dynamics of the nanomagnet's spin. We employ a fully microscopic model to calculate the transport properties of a junction coupled to a spin whose dynamics is modeled as Larmor precession brought about by an external magnetic field and find that the dynamics affects the charge and spin currents by inducing transitions between the continuum states below the superconducting gap edge and the Andreev levels. This redistribution of the quasiparticles leads to a non-equilibrium population of the Andreev levels and an enhancement of the supercurrent which is visible as a modified current-phase relation as well as a non-monotonous critical current as function of temperature. The non-monotonous behavior is accompanied by a corresponding change in spin-transfer torques acting on the precessing spin and leads to the possibility of using temperature as a means to tune the back-action on the spin.

A range‐wide genetic bottleneck overwhelms contemporary landscape factors and local abundance in shaping genetic patterns of an alpine butterfly (Lepidoptera: Pieridae: Colias behrii)

Spatial and environmental heterogeneity are major factors in structuring species distributions in alpine landscapes. These landscapes have also been affected by glacial advances and retreats, causing alpine taxa to undergo range shifts and demographic changes. These nonequilibrium population dynamics have the potential to obscure the effects of environmental factors on the distribution of genetic variation. Here, we investigate how demographic change and environmental factors influence genetic variation in the alpine butterfly Colias behrii. Data from 14 microsatellite loci provide evidence of bottlenecks in all population samples. We test several alternative models of demography using approximate Bayesian computation (ABC), with the results favouring a model in which a recent bottleneck precedes rapid population growth. Applying independent calibrations to microsatellite loci and a nuclear gene, we estimate that this bottleneck affected both northern and southern populations 531-281 years ago, coinciding with a period of global cooling. Using regression approaches, we attempt to separate the effects of population structure, geographical distance and landscape on patterns of population genetic differentiation. Only 40% of the variation in F(ST) is explained by these models, with geographical distance and least-cost distance among meadow patches selected as the best predictors. Various measures of genetic diversity within populations are also decoupled from estimates of local abundance and habitat patch characteristics. Our results demonstrate that demographic change can have a disproportionate influence on genetic diversity in alpine species, contrasting with other studies that suggest landscape features control contemporary demographic processes in high-elevation environments.

Majorana qubit decoherence by quasiparticle poisoning

We consider the problem of quasiparticle poisoning in a nanowire-based realization of a Majorana qubit, where a spin-orbit-coupled semiconducting wire is placed on top of a (bulk) superconductor. By making use of recent experimental data exhibiting evidence of a low-temperature residual non-equilibrium quasiparticle population in superconductors, we show by means of analytical and numerical calculations that the dephasing time due to the tunneling of quasiparticles into the nanowire may be problematically short to allow for qubit manipulation.

Lattice and surface effects in the out-of-equilibrium dynamics of the Hubbard model

We study, by means of the time-dependent Gutzwiller approximation, the out of equilibrium dynamics of a half-filled Hubbard-Holstein model of correlated electrons interacting with local phonons. Inspired by pump-probe experiments, where intense light pulses selectively induce optical excitations that trigger a transient out-of-equilibrium dynamics, here we inject energy in the Hubbard bands by a non-equilibrium population of empty and doubly-occupied sites. We first consider the case of a global perturbation, acting over the whole sample, and find evidence of a mean-field dynamical transition where the lattice gets strongly distorted above a certain energy threshold, despite the weak strength of the electron-phonon coupling by comparison with the Hubbard repulsion. Next, we address a slab geometry for a correlated heterostructure and study the relaxation dynamics across the system when the perturbation acts locally on the first layer. While for weak deviations from equilibrium the excited surface is able to relax by transferring its excess energy to the bulk, for large deviations the excess energy stays instead concentrated into the surface layer. This self-trapping occurs both in the absence as well as in the presence of electron-phonon coupling. Phonons actually enforce the trapping by distorting at the surface.

Slow relaxation of longitudinal multispin orders in weakly and strongly coupled two-spin systems.

Longitudinal multispin order (LOMO) corresponds to a nonequilibrium population distribution in spin systems that exhibit scalar (J), dipolar, or quadrupolar coupling. We investigated the relaxation of longitudinal two-spin order (2-LOMO) in systems that had either weakly or strongly J-coupled spins. Our results indicated longer relaxation times for the 2-LOMO state compared with the corresponding longitudinal single-spin state (1-LOMO). Accessing nuclear spin states that have relaxation times longer than T(1), without the use of external contrast agents, is potentially useful for in vivo imaging and also for studying systems using dynamically hyperpolarized nuclear spins where longer life times are sought to increase the time available to study (bio)chemical events.

Ultrafast Optical Excitation of a Persistent Surface-State Population in the Topological InsulatorBi2Se3

Using femtosecond time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we investigated the nonequilibrium dynamics of the topological insulator Bi2Se3. We studied p-type Bi2Se3, in which the metallic Dirac surface state and bulk conduction bands are unoccupied. Optical excitation leads to a metastable population at the bulk conduction band edge, which feeds a nonequilibrium population of the surface state persisting for >10 ps. This unusually long-lived population of a metallic Dirac surface state with spin texture may present a channel in which to drive transient spin-polarized currents.

Observation of the spin-injection terahertz emission in planar ferromagnetic two-layer structures

The spin-injection emission of the system that consists of a nonmagnetic conducting rod and two-layer planar heteroepitaxial structure formed by thin metal and magnetite films is experimentally studied. The electromagnetic emission in the terahertz range is demonstrated for the first time due to the creation of the nonequilibrium population of the spin energy subbands (relatively low current densities of about 105 A/cm2 are needed at room temperature).

Microwave quantum optics and electron transport through a metallic dot strongly coupled to a transmission line cavity

We investigate theoretically the properties of the photon state and the electronic transport in a system consisting of a metallic quantum dot strongly coupled to a superconducting microwave transmission line cavity. Within the framework of circuit quantum electrodynamics we derive a Hamiltonian for arbitrary strong capacitive coupling between the dot and the cavity. The dynamics of the system is described by a quantum master equation, accounting for the electronic transport as well as the coherent, non-equilibrium properties of the photon state. The photon state is investigated, focusing on, for a single active mode, signatures of microwave polaron formation and the effects of a non-equilibrium photon distribution. For two active photon modes, intra mode conversion and polaron coherences are investigated. For the electronic transport, electrical current and noise through the dot and the influence of the photon state on the transport properties are at the focus. We identify clear transport signatures due to the non-equilibrium photon population, in particular the emergence of superpoissonian shot-noise at ultrastrong dot-cavity couplings.

Model and algorithm for linkage disequilibrium analysis in a non-equilibrium population.

The multilocus analysis of polymorphisms has emerged as a vital ingredient of population genetics and evolutionary biology. A fundamental assumption used for existing multilocus analysis approaches is Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium at which maternally- and paternally-derived gametes unite randomly during fertilization. Given the fact that natural populations are rarely panmictic, these approaches will have a significant limitation for practical use. We present a robust model for multilocus linkage disequilibrium analysis which does not rely on the assumption of random mating. This new disequilibrium model capitalizes on Weir’s definition of zygotic disequilibria and is based on an open-pollinated design in which multiple maternal individuals and their half-sib families are sampled from a natural population. This design captures two levels of associations: one is at the upper level that describes the pattern of cosegregation between different loci in the parental population and the other is at the lower level that specifies the extent of co-transmission of non-alleles at different loci from parents to their offspring. An MCMC method was implemented to estimate genetic parameters that define these associations. Simulation studies were used to validate the statistical behavior of the new model.

Multiallelic models of genetic effects and variance decomposition in non-equilibrium populations

Quantitative genetics stems from the theoretical models of genetic effects, which are re-parameterizations of the genotypic values into parameters of biological (genetic) relevance. Different formulations of genetic effects are adequate to address different subjects. We thus need to generalize and unify them under a common framework for enabling researchers to easily transform genetic effects between different biological meanings. The Natural and Orthogonal Interactions (NOIA) model of genetic effects has been developed to achieve this aim. Here, we further implement the statistical formulation of NOIA with multiple alleles under Hardy–Weinberg departures (HWD). We show that our developments are straightforwardly connected to the decomposition of the genetic variance and we point out several emergent properties of multiallelic quantitative genetic models, as compared to the biallelic ones. Further, NOIA entails a natural extension of one-locus developments to multiple epistatic loci under linkage equilibrium. Therefore, we present an extension of the orthogonal decomposition of the genetic variance to multiple epistatic, multiallelic loci under HWD. We illustrate this theory with a graphical interpretation and an analysis of published data on the human acid phosphatase (ACP1) polymorphism.

Nonequilibrium effects in a Josephson junction coupled to a precessing spin

We present a theoretical study of a Josephson junction consisting of two s-wave superconducting leads coupled over a classical spin. When an external magnetic field is applied, the classical spin will precess with the Larmor frequency. This magnetically active interface results in a time-dependent boundary condition with different tunneling amplitudes for spin-up and spin-down quasiparticles and where the precession produces spin-flip scattering processes. We show that as a result, the Andreev states develop sidebands and a non-equilibrium population which depend on the precession frequency and the angle between the classical spin and the external magnetic field. The Andreev states lead to a steady-state Josephson current whose current-phase relation could be used for characterizing the precessing spin. In addition to the charge transport, a magnetization current is also generated.This spin current is time-dependent and its polarization axis rotates with the same precession frequency as the classical spin.

A Microscopic Approach for THz Intersubband Challenges

The main candidate to be a practical and low cost high power THz source is the intersubband-based quantum cascade laser, which can have a tremendous impact in many practical applications, including last mile and indoor telecommunication systems. In this review we discuss current challenges for THz intersubband device development from a microscopic point of view. Next summarize the search for new mechanisms and structure designs that can lead to intersubband gain without population inversion. This is a very important topic of current research, since is both an extremely elegant phenomenon from the basic physics of view and crucial for effective lasing in the THz range. The reason is that scattering phenomena can lead to level broadenings of the same order of magnitude of the lasing transitions, making population inversion by carrier injection in upper lasing subbands extremely difficult. Previous work in the literature is compared and contrasted with a new scheme that may lead to high temperature lasing by engineering the nonequilibrium population inversion with a combination of band structure and many body effects mediated by a k-space filter.

Regional differentiation and post-glacial expansion of the Atlantic silverside, Menidia menidia, an annual fish with high dispersal potential.

The coastal marine environment of the Northwest Atlantic contains strong environmental gradients that create distinct marine biogeographic provinces by limiting dispersal, recruitment, and survival. This region has also been subjected to numerous Pleistocene glacial cycles, resulting in repeated extirpations and recolonizations in northern populations of marine organisms. In this study, we examined patterns of genetic structure and historical demography in the Atlantic silverside, Menidia menidia, an annual marine fish with high dispersal potential but with well-documented patterns of clinal phenotypic adaptation along the environmental gradients of the Northwest Atlantic. Contrary to previous studies indicating genetic homogeneity that should preclude regional adaptation, results demonstrate subtle but significant (F ST = 0.07; P < 0.0001) genetic structure among three phylogeographic regions that partially correspond with biogeographic provinces, suggesting regional limits to gene flow. Tests for non-equilibrium population dynamics and latitudinal patterns in genetic diversity indicate northward population expansion from a single southern refugium following the last glacial maximum, suggesting that phylogeographic and phenotypic patterns have relatively recent origins. The recovery of phylogeographic structure and the partial correspondence of these regions to recognized biogeographic provinces suggest that the environmental gradients that shape biogeographic patterns in the Northwest Atlantic may also limit gene flow in M. menidia, creating phylogeographic structure and contributing to the creation of latitudinal phenotypic clines in this species. Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00227-010-1577-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Numerically exact path-integral simulation of nonequilibrium quantum transport and dissipation

We develop an iterative, numerically exact approach for the treatment of nonequilibrium quantum transport and dissipation problems that avoids the real-time sign problem associated with standard Monte Carlo techniques. The method requires a well-defined decorrelation time of the non-local influence functional for proper convergence to the exact limit. Since finite decorrelation times may arise either from temperature or from a voltage drop at zero temperature, the approach is well suited for the description of the real-time dynamics of single-molecule devices and quantum dots driven to a steady-state via interaction with two or more electron leads. We numerically investigate two non-trivial models: the evolution of the nonequilibrium population of a two-level system coupled to two electronic reservoirs, and quantum transport in the nonequilibrium Anderson model. For the latter case, two distinct formulations are described. Results are compared to those obtained by other techniques.

Nonequilibrium population of the first vibrational level of O2(1Σ) molecules in O2 — O2(1Δ) — H2O gas flow at the output of chemical singlet-oxygen generator

The concentrations of electron-excited particles have been determined by measuring the absolute spectral irradiance in the range of 600 — 800 nm of O2 — O2(1Δ) — H2O gas mixture at the output of a chemical singlet-oxygen generator (SOG). A nonequilibrium population of the first vibrational level of O2(1Σ) molecules has been clearly observed and found to depend on the water vapour content. In correspondence with the results of these measurements and according to the analysis of kinetics processes in the O2 — O2(1Δ) — H2O mixture, the maximum number of vibrational quanta generated in the O2(1Δ) + O2(1Δ) → O2(1Σ) + O2(3Σ) reaction is 0.05 ± 0.03. It is concluded that the vibrational population of O2(1Δ) at the output of the SOG used in a chemical oxygen—iodine laser is close to thermal equilibrium value.

The distinct effects of habitat fragmentation on population size

We sought to understand how the separation of habitats into spatially isolated fragments influences the abundance of organisms. Using a simple, deterministic model of population growth, we compared analytically exact solutions predicting abundance of consumers in two isolated patches with abundance of consumers in a single large patch where the carrying capacity of the large patch is the sum of the carrying capacities of the isolated ones. For the deterministic model, the effect of fragmentation was to slow the rate of population growth in the fragmented habitat relative to the intact one. We also analyzed a stochastic version of the model to examine the effect of fragmentation on population abundance when resources vary randomly in time. For the stochastic model, the effect of fragmentation was to reduce population abundance. We proved in closed-form, that for a non-equilibrium population exhibiting logistic population growth, fragmentation will reduce population size even when the total carrying capacity is not affected by fragmentation. We provide a theoretical basis for the prediction that habitat fragmentation amplifies the effect of habitat loss on the abundance of mobile organisms.