Phase Space Variables Research Articles

Derivation of a generalized Langevin equation from a generic time-dependent Hamiltonian

Abstract The traditional Mori-Zwanzig formalism yields equations of motion, so-called generalized Langevin equations (GLEs), for phase-space observables of interest from the microscopic dynamics of a many-body system governed by a time-independent Hamiltonian using projection techniques. By using time-ordered propagators and time-independent projection operators, we derive the GLE for a scalar observable from a generic time-dependent Hamiltonian. The only restriction in our derivation is that the time-dependent part of the Hamiltonian and the observable of interest depend on spatial phase-space variables only. If the observable obeys Gaussian statistics and the time-dependent part of the Hamiltonian can be expressed as an odd power of the observable, the friction memory kernel in the GLE becomes proportional to the second moment of the complementary force, as is the case for a time-independent Hamiltonian in the Mori-Zwanzig formalism.

No time to derive: unraveling total time derivatives in in-in perturbation theory

The in-in formalism provides a way to systematically organize the calculation of primordial correlation functions. Although its theoretical foundations are now firmly settled, the treatment of total time derivative interactions, incorrectly trivialized as “boundary terms”, has been the subject of intense discussions and conceptual mistakes. In this work, we demystify the use of total time derivatives — as well as terms proportional to the linear equations of motion — and show that they can lead to artificially large contributions cancelling at different orders of the in-in operator formalism. We discuss the treatment of total time derivative interactions in the Lagrangian path integral formulation of the in-in perturbation theory, and we showcase the importance of interaction terms proportional to linear equations of motion. We then provide a new route to the calculation of primordial correlation functions, which avoids the generation of total time derivatives, by working directly at the level of the full Hamiltonian in terms of phase-space variables. Instead of integrating by parts, we perform canonical transformations to simplify interactions. We explain how to retrieve correlation functions of the initial phase-space variables from the knowledge of the ones after canonical transformations. As an important first application, we find the explicit sizes of Hamiltonian cubic interactions in single-field inflation with canonical kinetic terms and for any background evolution, straight in terms of the primordial curvature perturbation and its canonical conjugate momentum, as well as the corresponding ones in the tensor sector, and the ones mixing scalars and tensors. We also briefly comment on quartic interactions. Our results are important for performing complete calculations of exchange diagrams in inflation, such as the (scalar and tensor) exchange trispectrum and the one-loop power spectrum. Being already written in a form amenable to characterize quantum properties of primordial fluctuations, they also promise to shed light on the non-linear dynamics of quantum states during inflation.

Probing the quantum nature of gravity using a Bose-Einstein condensate

The effect of noise induced by gravitons has been investigated using a Bose-Einstein condensate. The general complex scalar field theory with a quadratic self-interaction term has been considered in the presence of a gravitational wave. The gravitational wave perturbation is then considered as a sum of discrete Fourier modes in the momentum space. Varying the action and making use of the principle of least action, one obtains two equations of motion corresponding to the gravitational perturbation and the time-dependent part of the pseudo-Goldstone boson. Coming to an operatorial representation and quantizing the phase space variables via appropriately introduced canonical commutation relations between the canonically conjugate variables corresponding to the graviton and bosonic part of the total system, one obtains a proper quantum gravity setup. Then we obtain the Bogoliubov coefficients from the solution of the time-dependent part of the pseudo-Goldstone boson and construct the covariance metric for the bosons initially being in a squeezed state. The entries of the covariance matrix now involves a stochastic contribution which results in an operatorial stochastic structure of the quantum Fisher information. Using the stochastic average of the Fisher information, we obtain a lower bound on the amplitude parameter of the gravitational wave. As the entire calculation is done at zero temperature, the bosonic system, by construction, will behave as a Bose-Einstein condensate. For a Bose-Einstein condensate with a single mode, we observe that the lower bound of the expectation value of the square of the uncertainty in the amplitude measurement does not become infinite when the total observational term approaches zero. It always has a finite value if the gravitons are initially in a squeezed state with high enough squeezing. In order to sum over all possible momentum modes, we next consider a noise term with a suitable Gaussian weight factor which decays over time. We then obtain the lower bound on the final expectation value of the square of the variance in the amplitude parameter. Because of the noise induced by the graviton, there is a minimum value of the measurement time below which it is impossible to detect any gravitational wave using a Bose-Einstein condensate. Finally, we consider interaction between the phonon modes of the Bose-Einstein condensate which results in a decoherence. We observe that the decoherence effect becomes significant for gravitons with minimal squeezing. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

A quest for precipitation attractors in weather radar archives

Abstract. Archives of composite weather radar images represent an invaluable resource to study the predictability of precipitation. In this paper, we compare two distinct approaches to construct empirical low-dimensional attractors from radar precipitation fields. In the first approach, the phase space variables of the attractor are defined using the domain-scale statistics of precipitation fields, such as the mean precipitation, fraction of rain, and spatial and temporal correlations. The second type of attractor considers the spatial distribution of precipitation and is built by principal component analysis (PCA). For both attractors, we investigate the density of trajectories in phase space, growth of errors from analogue states, and fractal properties. To represent different scales and climatic and orographic conditions, the analyses are done using multi-year radar archives over the continental United States (≈4000×4000 km2, 21 years) and the Swiss Alpine region (≈500×500 km2, 6 years).

Dynamical system analysis of scalar field cosmology in coincident f(Q) gravity

In this article, we investigate scalar field cosmology in the coincident f(Q) gravity formalism. We calculate the motion equations of f(Q) gravity under the flat Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker background in the presence of a scalar field. We consider a non-linear f(Q) model, particularly f(Q) = − Q + α Q n , which is nothing but a polynomial correction to the Symmetric Teleparallel Equivalent to General Relativity (STEGR) case. Further, we assumed two well-known specific forms of the potential function, specifically the exponential from V(ϕ) = V 0 e −β ϕ and the power-law form V(ϕ) = V 0 ϕ −k . We employ some phase-space variables and transform the cosmological field equations into an autonomous system. We calculate the critical points of the corresponding autonomous systems and examine their stability behaviors. We discuss the physical significance corresponding to the exponential case for parameter values n = 2 and n = − 1 with β = 1, and n = − 1 with β=3 . Moreover, we discuss the same corresponding to the power-law case for the parameter value n = − 2 and k = 0.16. We also analyze the behavior of corresponding cosmological parameters such as scalar field and dark energy density, deceleration, and the effective equation of state parameter. Corresponding to the exponential case, we find that the results obtained for the parameter constraints in Case III is better among all three cases, and that represents the evolution of the Universe from a decelerated stiff era to an accelerated de-Sitter era via matter-dominated epoch. Further, in the power-law case, we find that all trajectories exhibit identical behavior, representing the evolution of the Universe from a decelerated stiff era to an accelerated de-Sitter era. Lastly, we conclude that the exponential case shows better evolution as compared to the power-law case.

Turning graphene into a lab for noncommutativity

It was recently shown that, taking into account the granular structure of graphene lattice, the Dirac-like dynamics of its quasiparticles resists beyond the lowest energy approximation. This can be described in terms of new phase-space variables, (X→,P→), that enjoy generalized Heisenberg algebras. In this letter, we add to that picture the important case of noncommuting X→, for which [Xi,Xj]=iθij and we find that θij=ℓ2ϵij, with ℓ the lattice spacing. We close by giving both the general recipe and a possible specific kinematic setup for the practical implementation of this approach to test noncommutative theories in tabletop analog experiments on graphene.

Squeezing, chaos and thermalization in periodically driven quantum systems: the case of bosonic preheating

The phenomena of Squeezing and chaos have recently been studied in the context of inflation. We apply this formalism in the post-inflationary preheating phase. During this phase, the inflaton field undergoes quasi-periodic oscillation, which acts as a driving force for the resonant growth of quantum fluctuation or particle production. Furthermore, the quantum state of the fluctuations is known to have evolved into a squeezed state. In this submission, we explore the underlying connection between the resonant growth, squeezing, and chaos by computing the Out of Time Order Correlator (OTOC) of phase space variables and establishing a relation among the Lyapunov, Floquet exponents, and squeezing parameters. For our study, we consider observationally favored α-attractor E-model of inflaton coupled with the bosonic field. After the production, the system of produced bosonic fluctuations/particles from the inflaton is supposed to thermalize, and that is believed to have an intriguing connection to the nature of chaos of the system under perturbation. We conjecture a relation between the thermalization temperature (T¯SS\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ {\\overline{T}}_{\ extrm{SS}} $$\\end{document}) of the system and quantum squeezing, which is further shown to be consistent with the well-known Rayleigh-Jeans formula for the temperature symbolized as T¯RJ\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ {\\overline{T}}_{\ extrm{RJ}} $$\\end{document}, and that is T¯SS≃T¯RJ\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ {\\overline{T}}_{\ extrm{SS}}\\simeq {\\overline{T}}_{\ extrm{RJ}} $$\\end{document}. Finally, we show that the system temperature is in accord with the well-known lower bound on the temperature of a chaotic system proposed by Maldacena-Shenker-Stanford (MSS).

Phase-space analysis of the viscous fluid cosmological models in the coincident [formula omitted] gravity

In this article, we consider a newly proposed parameterization of the viscosity coefficient ζ, specifically ζ=ζ̄0ΩmsH, where ζ̄0=ζ0Ωm0s within the coincident f(Q) gravity formalism. We consider a non-linear function f(Q)=−Q+αQn, where α and n are arbitrary model parameters, which is a power-law correction to the STEGR scenario. We find an autonomous system by invoking the dimensionless density parameters as the governing phase-space variables. We discuss the physical significance of the model corresponding to the parameter choices n=−1 and n=2 along with the exponent choices s=0,0.5, and 1.05. We find that model I shows the stable de-Sitter type or stable phantom type (depending on the choice of exponent s) behavior with no transition epoch, whereas model II shows the evolutionary phase from the radiation epoch to the accelerated de-Sitter epoch via passing through the matter-dominated epoch. Hence, we conclude that model I provides a good description of the late-time cosmology but fails to describe the transition epoch, whereas model II modifies the description in the context of the early universe and provides a good description of the matter and radiation era along with the transition phase.

Looking for Carroll particles in two time spacetime

We make an attempt to describe Carroll particles with a nonvanishing value of energy (i.e. the Carroll particles which always stay in rest) in the framework of two time physics, developed in the series of papers by I. Bars and his coauthors. In the spacetime with one additional time dimension and one additional space dimension one can localize the symmetry which exists between generalized coordinate and their conjugate momenta. Such a localization implies the introduction of the gauge fields, which in turn implies the appearance of some first-class constraints. Choosing different gauge-fixing conditions and solving the constraints one obtain different time parameters, Hamiltonians, and generally, physical systems in the standard one time spacetime. In this way such systems as nonrelativistic particle, relativistic particles, hydrogen atoms, and harmonic oscillators were described as dual systems in the framework of two time physics. Here, we find a set of gauge fixing conditions which provides as with such a parametrization of the phase-space variables in the two time world which gives the description of Carroll particle in the one time world. Besides, we construct the quantum theory of such a particle using an unexpected correspondence between our parametrization and that obtained by Bars for the hydrogen atom in 1999. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Estimation of Continuous Distribution of Iterated Fission Probability Using an Artificial Neural Network with Monte Carlo-Based Training Data

The Monte Carlo neutron transport method is used to accurately estimate various quantities, such as k-eigenvalue and integral neutron flux. However, in the case of estimating a distribution of a desired quantity, the Monte Carlo method does not typically provide continuous distribution. Recently, the functional expansion tally (FET) and kernel density estimation (KDE) methods have been developed to provide a continuous distribution of a Monte Carlo tally. In this paper, we propose a method to estimate a continuous distribution of a quantity in all phase-space variables using a fully connected feedforward artificial neural network (ANN) model with Monte Carlo-based training data. As a proof of concept, a continuous distribution of iterated fission probability (IFP) was estimated by ANN models in two distinct fissile systems. The ANN models were trained on the training data created using the Monte Carlo IFP method. The estimated IFP distributions by the ANN models were compared with the Monte Carlo-based data that include the training data. Additionally, the IFP distributions by the ANN models were also compared with the adjoint angular neutron flux distributions obtained with the deterministic neutron transport code PARTISN. The comparisons showed varying degrees of agreement or discrepancy; however, it was observed that the ANN models learned the general trend of the IFP distributions from the Monte Carlo-based training data.

Structural Fluctuation, Relaxation, and Folding of Protein: An Approach Based on the Combined Generalized Langevin and RISM/3D-RISM Theories

In 2012, Kim and Hirata derived two generalized Langevin equations (GLEs) for a biomolecule in water, one for the structural fluctuation of the biomolecule and the other for the density fluctuation of water, by projecting all the mechanical variables in phase space onto the two dynamic variables: the structural fluctuation defined by the displacement of atoms from their equilibrium positions, and the solvent density fluctuation. The equation has an expression similar to the classical Langevin equation (CLE) for a harmonic oscillator, possessing terms corresponding to the restoring force proportional to the structural fluctuation, as well as the frictional and random forces. However, there is a distinct difference between the two expressions that touches on the essential physics of the structural fluctuation, that is, the force constant, or Hessian, in the restoring force. In the CLE, this is given by the second derivative of the potential energy among atoms in a protein. So, the quadratic nature or the harmonicity is only valid at the minimum of the potential surface. On the contrary, the linearity of the restoring force in the GLE originates from the projection of the water’s degrees of freedom onto the protein’s degrees of freedom. Taking this into consideration, Kim and Hirata proposed an ansatz for the Hessian matrix. The ansatz is used to equate the Hessian matrix with the second derivative of the free-energy surface or the potential of the mean force of a protein in water, defined by the sum of the potential energy among atoms in a protein and the solvation free energy. Since the free energy can be calculated from the molecular mechanics and the RISM/3D-RISM theory, one can perform an analysis similar to the normal mode analysis (NMA) just by diagonalizing the Hessian matrix of the free energy. This method is referred to as the Generalized Langevin Mode Analysis (GLMA). This theory may be realized to explore a variety of biophysical processes, including protein folding, spectroscopy, and chemical reactions. The present article is devoted to reviewing the development of this theory, and to providing perspective in exploring life phenomena.

Modified gauge-unfixing formalism and gauge symmetries in the noncommutative chiral bosons theory

Abstract We use the gauge-unfixing (GU) formalism framework in a two-dimensional noncommutative chiral bosons (NCCB) model to disclose new hidden symmetries. That amounts to converting a second-class system to a first-class one without adding any extra degrees of freedom in phase space. The NCCB model has two second-class constraints —one of them turns out as a gauge symmetry generator while the other one, considered as a gauge-fixing condition, is disregarded in the converted gauge-invariant system. We show that it is possible to apply a conversion technique based on the GU formalism direct to the second-class variables present in the NCCB model, constructing deformed gauge-invariant GU variables, a procedure which we name here as modified GU formalism. For the canonical analysis in noncommutative phase space, we compute the deformed Dirac brackets between all original phase space variables. We obtain two different gauge-invariant versions for the NCCB system and, in each case, a GU Hamiltonian is derived satisfying a corresponding first-class algebra. Finally, the phase space partition function is presented for each case allowing for a consistent functional quantization for the obtained gauge-invariant NCCB.

Shadows of new physics on Dirac materials, analog GUPs and other amusements

We discuss here how, when higher-order effects in the parameter , related to the lattice spacing ℓ, are considered, pristine graphene, and other Dirac materials, can be used as tabletop systems where generalized commutation relations are naturally realized. Such generalized algebras of quantization, which lead to generalized versions of the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, are under intense scrutiny these days, as they could manifest a fundamental length scale of spacetime. Despite the efforts and the many intriguing results, there are no experimental signatures of any generalized uncertainty principle (GUP). Therefore, our results here, which tell how to use tabletop physical systems to test certain GUPs in analog experiments, should be of interest to practitioners of quantum gravity. We identify three different energy regimes that we call “layers”, where the physics is still of a Dirac type but within precisely described limits. The higher the energy, the more sensitive the Dirac system becomes to the effects of the lattice. Here such lattice plays the role of a discrete space where the Dirac quasi-particles live. With the goals just illustrated, we had to identify the mapping between the high-energy coordinates, X i , and the low-energy ones, x i , i.e., those measured in the lab. We then obtained three generalized Heisenberg algebras. For two of them we have the noticeable result that X i = x i , and for the third one we obtained an improvement with respect to an earlier work: the generalized coordinates expressed in terms of the standard phase space variables, X i (x, p), and higher order terms.

The thermodynamic efficiency of the Lorenz system

We study the thermodynamic efficiency of the Malkus–Lorenz waterwheel. For this purpose, we derive an exact analytical formula that describes the efficiency of this dissipative structure as a function of the phase space variables and the constant parameters of the dynamical system. We show that, generally, as the machine is progressively driven far from thermodynamic equilibrium by increasing its uptake of matter from the environment, it also tends to increase its efficiency. However, sudden drops in the efficiency are found at critical bifurcation points leading to chaotic dynamics. We relate these discontinuous crises in the efficiency to a reduction of the attractor’s average value projected along the phase space dimensions that contribute to the rate of entropy generation in the system. In this manner, we provide a thermodynamic criterion that, presumably, governs the evolution of far-from-equilibrium dissipative systems towards their self-assembly and synchronization into increasingly complex networks and structures.

Continuous-Energy Time-Dependent Coarse Mesh Transport (COMET) Method for Kinetics Calculations

In this paper, the novel continuous-energy coarse mesh transport (COMET) method is extended to perform time-dependent neutronics calculations in highly heterogeneous reactor core problems. In this method, the time-dependent transport equation is converted into a series of steady-state transport equations by estimating the time derivative term using implicit finite differencing. The resulting steady-state transport equations, having additional terms that are imbedded in the total collision term and in the volumetric source terms, are then solved by the steady-state COMET method, in which all the phase-space variables, including energy, are treated continuously. Finally, the fission density distribution constructed by the steady-state COMET is used to solve a set of ordinary differential equations to obtain the delayed neutron precursor concentrations. The time-dependent COMET method is benchmarked against a direct continuous-energy Monte Carlo method (i.e., MCNP) in a set of infinite homogeneous problems and a set of single-assembly benchmark problems consisting of identical pin cells. It is found that the COMET results agree very well with the Monte Carlo reference solutions while maintaining its formidable computational speed (orders of magnitude faster than the Monte Carlo method).

F(Q, T) gravity, its covariant formulation, energy conservation and phase-space analysis

In the present article we analyze the matter-geometry coupled f(Q, T) theory of gravity. We offer the fully covariant formulation of the theory, with which we construct the correct energy balance equation and employ it to conduct a dynamical system analysis in a spatially flat Friedmann–Lemaître–Robertson–Walker spacetime. We consider three different functional forms of the f(Q, T) function, specifically, f(Q,T)=alpha Q+ beta T, f(Q,T)=alpha Q+ beta T^2, and f(Q,T)=Q+ alpha Q^2+ beta T. We attempt to investigate the physical capabilities of these models to describe various cosmological epochs. We calculate Friedmann-like equations in each case and introduce some phase space variables to simplify the equations in more concise forms. We observe that the linear model f(Q,T)=alpha Q+ beta T with beta =0 is completely equivalent to the GR case without cosmological constant Lambda . Further, we find that the model f(Q,T)=alpha Q+ beta T^2 with beta ne 0 successfully depicts the observed transition from decelerated phase to an accelerated phase of the universe. Lastly, we find that the model f(Q,T)= Q+ alpha Q^2+ beta T with alpha ne 0 represents an accelerated de-Sitter epoch for the constraints beta < -1 or beta ge 0.

An exact imaginary-time path-integral phase-space formulation of multi-time correlation functions.

An exact representation of quantum mechanics using the language of phase-space variables provides a natural starting point to introduce and develop semiclassical approximations for the calculation of time correlation functions. Here, we introduce an exact path-integral formalism for calculations of multi-time quantum correlation functions as canonical averages over ring-polymer dynamics in imaginary time. The formulation provides a general formalism that exploits the symmetry of path integrals with respect to permutations in imaginary time, expressing correlations as products of imaginary-time-translation-invariant phase-space functions coupled through Poisson bracket operators. The method naturally recovers the classical limit of multi-time correlation functions and provides an interpretation of quantum dynamics in terms of "interfering trajectories" of the ring-polymer in phase space. The introduced phase-space formulation provides a rigorous framework for the future development of quantum dynamics methods that exploit the invariance of imaginary time path integrals to cyclic permutations.

Hamilton’s equations in the covariant teleparallel equivalent of general relativity

We present Hamilton's equations for the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity (TEGR), which is a reformulation of general relativity based on a curvatureless, metric compatible, and torsionful connection. For this, we consider the Hamiltonian for TEGR obtained through the vector, antisymmetric, symmetric and trace-free, and trace irreducible decomposition of the phase space variables. We present the Hamiltonian for TEGR in the covariant formalism for the first time in the literature, by considering a spin connection depending on Lorentz matrices. We introduce the mathematical formalism necessary to compute Hamilton's equations in both Weitzenbock gauge and covariant formulation, where for the latter we must introduce new fields: Lorentz matrices and their associated momenta. We also derive explicit relations between the conjugate momenta of the tetrad and the conjugate momenta for the metric that are traditionally defined in GR, which are important to compare both formalisms.

Linking the ADM formulation to other Hamiltonian formulations of general relativity

We obtain the Arnowitt-Deser-Misner formulation of general relativity in $n$ dimensions ($n \geq 3$) from its either $SO(n-1,1)$ [$SO(n)$] or $SO(n-1)$ Palatini Hamiltonian formulations and vice versa [we recall that $SO(n-1,1)$ [$SO(n)$] requires no gauge fixing whereas $SO(n-1)$ involves the time gauge]. Similarly, the Hamiltonian formulation of general relativity in terms of Ashtekar-Barbero variables can also be directly obtained from the Arnowitt-Deser-Misner Hamiltonian formulation and vice versa, which is an alternative approach to the way followed by Barbero. We give the relevant maps among the phase-space variables and relate the corresponding symplectic structures and the first-class constraints.

Carrollian hydrodynamics from symmetries

In this work, we revisit Carrollian hydrodynamics, a type of non-Lorentzian hydrodynamics which has recently gained increasing attentions due to its underlying connection with dynamics of spacetime near null boundaries, and we aim at exploring symmetries associated with conservation laws of Carrollian fluids. With an elaborate construction of Carroll geometries, we generalize the Randers–Papapetrou metric by incorporating the fluid velocity field and the sub-leading components of the metric into our considerations and we argue that these two additional fields are compulsory phase space variables in the derivation of Carrollian hydrodynamics from symmetries. We then present a new notion of symmetry, called the near-Carrollian diffeomorphism, and demonstrate that this symmetry consistently yields a complete set of Carrollian hydrodynamic equations. Furthermore, due to the presence of the new phase space fields, our results thus generalize those already presented in the previous literatures. Lastly, the Noether charges associated with the near-Carrollian diffeomorphism and their time evolutions are also discussed.