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Brownian motion and beyond: first-passage, power spectrum, non-Gaussianity, and anomalous diffusion
(2019)
Brownian motion is a ubiquitous physical phenomenon across the sciences. After its discovery by Brown and intensive study since the first half of the 20th century, many different aspects of Brownian motion and stochastic processes in general have been addressed in Statistical Physics. In particular, there now exists a very large range of applications of stochastic processes in various disciplines. Here we provide a summary of some of the recent developments in the field of stochastic processes, highlighting both the experimental findings and theoretical frameworks.
We explore electron preacceleration at high-Mach-number nonrelativistic perpendicular shocks at, e.g., young supernova remnants, which are a prerequisite of further acceleration to very high energies via diffusive shock acceleration. Using fully kinetic particle-in-cell simulations of shocks and electron dynamics in them, we investigate the influence of shock-surfing acceleration (SSA) at the shock foot on the nonthermal population of electrons downstream of the shock. The SSA is followed by further energization at the shock ramp where the Weibel instability spawns a type of second-order Fermi acceleration. The combination of these two processes leads to the formation of a nonthermal electron population, but the importance of SSA becomes smaller for larger ion-to-electron mass ratios in the simulation. We discuss the resulting electron spectra and the relevance of our results to the physics of systems with real ion-to-electron mass ratios and fully three-dimensional behavior.
Polar crown filaments form above the polarity inversion line between the old magnetic flux of the previous cycle and the new magnetic flux of the current cycle. Studying their appearance and their properties can lead to a better understanding of the solar cycle. We use full-disk data of the Chromospheric Telescope (ChroTel) at the Observatorio del Teide, Tenerife, Spain, which were taken in three different chromospheric absorption lines (H alpha lambda 6563 angstrom, Ca II K lambda 3933 angstrom, and He I lambda 10830 angstrom), and we create synoptic maps. In addition, the spectroscopic He I data allow us to compute Doppler velocities and to create synoptic Doppler maps. ChroTel data cover the rising and decaying phase of Solar Cycle 24 on about 1000 days between 2012 and 2018. Based on these data, we automatically extract polar crown filaments with image-processing tools and study their properties. We compare contrast maps of polar crown filaments with those of quiet-Sun filaments. Furthermore, we present a super-synoptic map summarizing the entire ChroTel database. In summary, we provide statistical properties, i.e. number and location of filaments, area, and tilt angle for both the maximum and the declining phase of Solar Cycle 24. This demonstrates that ChroTel provides a promising data set to study the solar cycle.
Storm Time Depletions of Multi-MeV Radiation Belt Electrons Observed at Different Pitch Angles
(2019)
During geomagnetic storms, the rapid depletion of the high-energy (several MeV) outer radiation belt electrons is the result of loss to the interplanetary medium through the magnetopause, outward radial diffusion, and loss to the atmosphere due to wave-particle interactions. We have performed a statistical study of 110 storms using pitch angle resolved electron flux measurements from the Van Allen Probes mission and found that inside of the radiation belt (L* = 3 - 5) the number of storms that result in depletion of electrons with equatorial pitch angle alpha(eq) = 30 degrees is higher than number of storms that result in depletion of electrons with equatorial pitch angle alpha(eq) = 75 degrees. We conclude that this result is consistent with electron scattering by whistler and electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves. At the outer edge of the radiation belt (L* >= 5.2) the number of storms that result in depletion is also large (similar to 40-50%), emphasizing the significance of the magnetopause shadowing effect and outward radial transport.
We consider a simple model for active random walk with general temporal correlations, and investigate the shape of the probability distribution function of the displacement during a short time interval. We find that under certain conditions the distribution exhibits multiple peaks and we show analytically and numerically that the existence of these peaks is governed by the walker?s tendency to move forward, while the correlations between the timing of its active motion control the magnitude and shape of the peaks. In particular, we find that in a homogeneous system such peaks can occur only if the persistence is strong enough.
We study the dynamics of the ring of identical phase oscillators with nonlinear nonlocal coupling. Using the Ott - Antonsen approach, the problem is formulated as a system of partial derivative equations for the local complex order parameter. In this framework, we investigate the existence and stability of twisted states. Both fully coherent and partially coherent stable twisted states were found (the latter ones for the first time for identical oscillators). We show that twisted states can be stable starting from a certain critical value of the medium length, or on a length segment. The analytical results are confirmed with direct numerical simulations in finite ensembles.
The actin cytoskeleton and its response to external chemical stimuli is fundamental to the mechano-biology of eukaryotic cells and their functions. One of the key players that governs the dynamics of the actin network is the motor protein myosin II. Based on a phase space embedding we have identified from experiments three phases in the cytoskeletal dynamics of starved Dictyostelium discoideum in response to a precisely controlled chemotactic stimulation. In the first two phases the dynamics of actin and myosin II in the cortex is uncoupled, while in the third phase the time scale for the recovery of cortical actin is determined by the myosin II dynamics. We report a theoretical model that captures the experimental observations quantitatively. The model predicts an increase in the optimal response time of actin with decreasing myosin II-actin coupling strength highlighting the role of myosin II in the robust control of cell contraction.
A stellar census in globular clusters with MUSE: A spectral catalogue of emission-line sources
(2019)
Aims. Globular clusters produce many exotic stars due to a much higher frequency of dynamical interactions in their dense stellar environments. Some of these objects were observed together with several hundred thousand other stars in our MUSE survey of 26 Galactic globular clusters. Assuming that at least a few exotic stars have exotic spectra (i.e. spectra that contain emission lines), we can use this large spectroscopic data set of over a million stellar spectra as a blind survey to detect stellar exotica in globular clusters. Methods. To detect emission lines in each spectrum, we modelled the expected shape of an emission line as a Gaussian curve. This template was used for matched filtering on the di fferences between each observed 1D spectrum and its fitted spectral model. The spectra with the most significant detections of H alpha emission are checked visually and cross-matched with published catalogues. Results. We find 156 stars with H alpha emission, including several known cataclysmic variables (CV) and two new CVs, pulsating variable stars, eclipsing binary stars, the optical counterpart of a known black hole, several probable sub-subgiants and red stragglers, and 21 background emission-line galaxies. We find possible optical counterparts to 39 X-ray sources, as we detected H alpha emission in several spectra of stars that are close to known positions of Chandra X-ray sources. This spectral catalogue can be used to supplement existing or future X-ray or radio observations with spectra of potential optical counterparts to classify the sources.
Lévy flights are paradigmatic generalised random walk processes, in which the independent stationary increments—the 'jump lengths'—are drawn from an -stable jump length distribution with long-tailed, power-law asymptote. As a result, the variance of Lévy flights diverges and the trajectory is characterised by occasional extremely long jumps. Such long jumps significantly decrease the probability to revisit previous points of visitation, rendering Lévy flights efficient search processes in one and two dimensions. To further quantify their precise property as random search strategies we here study the first-passage time properties of Lévy flights in one-dimensional semi-infinite and bounded domains for symmetric and asymmetric jump length distributions. To obtain the full probability density function of first-passage times for these cases we employ two complementary methods. One approach is based on the space-fractional diffusion equation for the probability density function, from which the survival probability is obtained for different values of the stable index and the skewness (asymmetry) parameter . The other approach is based on the stochastic Langevin equation with -stable driving noise. Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages for explicit calculations and numerical evaluation, and the complementary approach involving both methods will be profitable for concrete applications. We also make use of the Skorokhod theorem for processes with independent increments and demonstrate that the numerical results are in good agreement with the analytical expressions for the probability density function of the first-passage times.
Precipitation patterns and extremes are significantly influenced by various climatic factors and large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns. This study uses wavelet coherence analysis to detect significant interannual and interdecadal oscillations in monthly precipitation extremes across India and their teleconnections to three prominent climate indices, namely, Nino 3.4, Pacific Decadal Oscillation, and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). Further, partial wavelet coherence analysis is used to estimate the standalone relationship between the climate indices and precipitation after removing the effect of interdependency. The wavelet analysis of monthly precipitation extremes at 30 different locations across India reveals that (a) interannual (2-8 years) and interdecadal (8-32 years) oscillations are statistically significant, and (b) the oscillations vary in both time and space. The results from the partial wavelet coherence analysis reveal that Nino 3.4 and IOD are the significant drivers of Indian precipitation at interannual and interdecadal scales. Intriguingly, the study also confirms that the strength of influence of large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns on Indian precipitation extremes varies with spatial physiography of the region.
Understanding and disentangling photophysical properties of long-lived photoexcitations in bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells, which contribute mostly to photocurrent, provide essential guidelines to their improvement. However, to construct improved physical models, their rational design relies on reliable measurement techniques for charge recombination. Here, we combine photocurrent and photoinduced absorption spectroscopy (PCPIA) to directly probe the free carrier concentration and investigate loss mechanisms of long-lived excitations in nearly 10% efficient PPDT2FBT/PC70BM BHJ solar cells under steady-state operational conditions. From the PCPIA data obtained under open- circuit and short-circuit conditions, the absorption cross section and the concentration of photoexcitations are obtained. This material system exhibits an exceptionally low bimolecular recombination rate, about 300 times smaller than the diffusion-controlled electron and hole encounter rate. Furthermore, we observe that the fill factor is limited by losses originating from long-lived photoexcitations undergoing dispersive bimolecular recombination.
We predict the recoil-induced molecular dissociation in hard-x-ray photoionization. The recoil effect is caused by electronic and photon momentum exchange with the molecule. We show the strong role of relativistic effects for the studied molecular fragmentation. The recoil-induced fragmentation of the molecule is caused by elongation of the bond due to the vibrational recoil effect and because of the centrifugal force caused by the rotational recoil. The calculations of the x-ray photoelectron spectra of the H-2 and NO molecules show that the predicted effects can be observed in high-energy synchrotrons like SOLEIL, SPring-8, PETRA, and XFEL SACLA. The relativistic effect enhances the recoil momentum transfer and makes it strongly sensitive to the direction of ejection of the fast photoelectron with respect to the photon momentum.
Both climate-change damages and climate-change mitigation will incur economic costs. While the risk of severe damages increases with the level of global warming (Dell et al., 2014; IPCC, 2014b, 2018; Lenton et al., 2008), mitigating costs increase steeply with more stringent warming limits (IPCC, 2014a; Luderer et al., 2013; Rogelj et al., 2015). Here, we show that the global warming limit that minimizes this century's total economic costs of climate change lies between 1.9 and 2 ∘C, if temperature changes continue to impact national economic growth rates as observed in the past and if instantaneous growth effects are neither compensated nor amplified by additional growth effects in the following years. The result is robust across a wide range of normative assumptions on the valuation of future welfare and inequality aversion. We combine estimates of climate-change impacts on economic growth for 186 countries (applying an empirical damage function from Burke et al., 2015) with mitigation costs derived from a state-of-the-art energy–economy–climate model with a wide range of highly resolved mitigation options (Kriegler et al., 2017; Luderer et al., 2013, 2015). Our purely economic assessment, even though it omits non-market damages, provides support for the international Paris Agreement on climate change. The political goal of limiting global warming to “well below 2 degrees” is thus also an economically optimal goal given above assumptions on adaptation and damage persistence.
In this paper, we explore the time-energy domain quantum-classical transition comparing a classical pump-probe experiment on a diatomic molecule to its quantum enhanced counterpart, where the pump and probe pulses are substituted by the signal and idler beams of a spontaneous parametric down conversion (SPDC) source. Absorption of biphotons generated with SPDC exploits quantum time-energy entanglement to enhance the overall yield and selectivity of the process, when compared with a classical pump-probe setup, while maintaining femtosecond time resolution. We systematically study the effects of correlation strength on process efficiency and selectivity, comparing the results to classical pump-probe spectra. An excitation scheme to improve the yield based on spectral narrowing of biphotons is shown. The results indicate that the quantum improvements in yield are caused by a more efficient use of the total power available for the process.
In this Letter, we propose that the x-ray and the TeV observations in the vicinity of Geminga can be understood in the framework of anisotropic diffusion of injected electrons or positrons. This interpretation only requires the turbulence in the vicinity of Geminga to be sub-Alfvenic with the local mean magnetic field direction approximately aligned with our line of sight towards Geminga, without invoking extreme conditions for the environment, such as an extremely small diffusion coefficient and a weak magnetic field of submicrogauss as suggested in previous literature.
Charge extraction methods are popular for measuring the charge carrier density in thin film organic solar cells and to draw conclusions about the order and coefficient of nongeminate charge recombination. However, results from such studies may be falsified by inhomogeneous steady state carrier profiles or surface recombination. Here, we present a detailed drift-diffusion study of two charge extraction methods, bias-assisted charge extraction (BACE) and time-delayed collection field (TDCF). Simulations are performed over a wide range of the relevant parameters. Our simulations reveal that both charge extraction methods provide reliable information about the recombination order and coefficient if the measurements are performed under appropriate conditions. However, results from BACE measurements may be easily affected by surface recombination, in particular for small active layer thicknesses and low illumination densities. TDCF, on the other hand, is more robust against surface recombination due to its transient nature but also because it allows for a homogeneous high carrier density to be inserted into the active layer. Therefore, TDCF is capable to provide meaningful information on the order and coefficient of recombination even if the model conditions are not exactly fulfilled. We demonstrate this for an only 100 nm thick layer of a highly efficient nonfullerene acceptor (NFA) blend, comprising the donor polymer PM6 and the NFA Y6. TDCF measurements were performed as a function of delay time for different laser fluences and bias conditions. The full set of data could be consistently fitted by a strict second order recombination process, with a bias- and fluence-independent bimolecular recombination coefficient k(2) = 1.7 x 10(-17)m(3) s(-1). BACE measurements performed on the very same layer yielded the identical result, despite the very different excitation conditions. This proves that recombination in this blend is mostly through processes in the bulk and that surface recombination is of minor importance despite the small active layer thickness. Published under license by AIP Publishing.
Near ambient pressure - x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (NAP-XPS) is a less traditional form of XPS that allows samples to be analyzed at relatively high pressures, i.e., at 2500Pa or higher. With NAP-XPS, one can analyze moderately volatile liquids, biological samples, porous materials, and/or polymeric materials that outgas significantly. In this submission we show C 1s, O 1s, and survey NAP-XPS spectra from poly(L-lactic acid). The C 1s and O 1s envelopes were fit with three and two Gaussian-Lorentzian sum functions, respectively. Water vapor (800Pa) was used as the residual gas for charge compensation, which was confirmed by the sharp peak at 535.0 eV in the O 1s narrow scan. The uniqueness plot corresponding to the C 1s fit shows that the fit parameters had statistical significance. C 1s and O 1s spectra of PLLA damaged by exposure to x-rays for ca. 1 hour are also included. Published by the AVS.
We propose an efficient method for demodulation of phase modulated signals via iterated Hilbert transform embeddings. We show that while a usual approach based on one application of the Hilbert transform provides only an approximation to a proper phase, with iterations the accuracy is essentially improved, up to precision limited mainly by discretization effects. We demonstrate that the method is applicable to arbitrarily complex waveforms, and to modulations fast compared to the basic frequency. Furthermore, we develop a perturbative theory applicable to a simple cosine waveform, showing convergence of the technique.
Dielectric Relaxation Spectroscopy (DRS) and Thermally Stimulated Depolarization Current (TSDC) measurements were employed to study dielectric-relaxation processes, structural transitions and electric-polarization phenomena in poly(vinylidenefluoride-trifluoroethylene-chlorofluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE-CFE)) terpolymer films. Results from DRS confirm the existence of two separate dispersion regions related to a para-to-ferroelectric phase transition and to the glass transition. The dipolar TSDC peak correlates with the loss peak of the ? relaxation that represents the glass transition. The electric polarization calculated from the dipolar TSDC peak (glass transition) shows a non-linear electric-field dependence and saturates at high electric poling fields. As the observed behaviour is essentially the same as that of the electric polarization obtained from direct polarization-versus-electric-field hysteresis measurements, TSDC experiments are also suitable for studying the polarization in relaxor-ferroelectric polymers. A saturation polarization of 44 mC m(?2) was found for an electric field of 190 MV m(?1).
The stability of conducting Taylor-Couette flows under the presence of toroidal magnetic background fields is considered. For strong enough magnetic amplitudes such magnetohydrodynamic flows are unstable against non-axisymmetric perturbations which may also transport angular momentum. In accordance with the often used diffusion approximation, one expects the angular momentum transport to be vanishing for rigid rotation. In the sense of a non-diffusive Lambda effect, however, even for rigidly rotating z-pinches, an axisymmetric angular momentum flux appears which is directed outward (inward) for large (small) magnetic Mach numbers. The internal rotation in a magnetized rotating tank can thus never be uniform. Those particular rotation laws are used to estimate the value of the instability-induced eddy viscosity for which the non-diffusive Lambda effect and the diffusive shear-induced transport compensate each other. The results provide the Shakura & Sunyaev viscosity ansatz leading to numerical values linearly growing with the applied magnetic field.