arXiv subjects

Armin Bergermann

Publications and source records attributed to Armin Bergermann.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Reconciling chemical models of X-ray Thomson Scattering with the Bethe $f$-sum rule

X-ray Thomson scattering (XRTS) is a key diagnostic for high-energy-density plasmas, which can exhibit significant quantum effects even at elevated temperatures. XRTS experiments are commonly interpreted using the Chihara decomposition, that was derived in the chemical picture and, thus, separates contributions from bound and free electrons. Despite being the de-facto standard for analysing measurements, a well-known shortcoming is that the standard bound-state treatment in the form of the impulse approximation fails to satisfy fundamental theoretical constraints, most notably the Bethe $f$-sum rule (BFSR). The problem arises due to the usage of plane waves in the impulse approximation as well as non-negligible contributions from bound-bound transitions. In this work, we present a minimal analytical extension of the Chihara decomposition of the dynamic structure factor for matter in the ground state, using hydrogenic bound-free and bound-bound transitions. We demonstrate that compliance with the BFSR is only achieved when both bound-bound transitions are explicitly included and an exact treatment of the bound-free contribution is applied. Finally, detector ray-tracing simulations for atomic hydrogen demonstrate experimentally detectable deviations from the standard Chihara model. The model will be made available in the open source XRTS library xDAVE [Bellenbaum et al., Phys. Plasmas (in print), arxiv:2604.27237].

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2026

Electronic Signature of Melting Onset in Polycrystalline Copper at Extreme Conditions

Ultrafast melting is fundamentally a structural transition of the ionic lattice, but this rearrangement also reshapes the electronic properties by changing the energy landscape and scattering mechanisms. Although the electrons react almost instantaneously, it is not a priori clear how much lattice disorder is required for a significant response. Here, we show that the onset of melting already produces a clear electronic signature in polycrystalline copper. Using single-shot terahertz time-domain spectroscopy on thin films excited over a wide range of laser fluences, we infer the transient conductivity during the first picoseconds after excitation. The data, supported by two-temperature molecular-dynamics simulations, show that before melting, electron transport is substantially limited by grain-boundary scattering and that melting strongly suppresses this channel. As melting begins at these interfaces, we observe a transient increase in the conductivity that directly marks the onset of the phase transition. More broadly, these results show that ionic and electronic relaxation stages are closely coupled in nonequilibrium laser-driven matter and that optical measurements can resolve distinct stages of melting.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2026

Miscibility and Transport Properties in Hydrogen-Neon Mixtures

The mixing behavior of hydrogen with heavier elements plays a key role in modeling the interiors of giant planets such as Jupiter and Saturn. Using density functional theory combined with molecular dynamics, we investigate hydrogen-neon mixtures and find that the minimum pressure required to trigger phase separation is substantially lower than in hydrogen-helium mixtures. Our simulations further reveal that the presence of neon stabilizes hydrogen molecules even at temperatures of 10000 K and pressures of 10 Mbar, similar to trends observed in hydrogen-helium mixtures but significantly more pronounced. This stabilization is accompanied by a reduction of several orders of magnitude in the electrical conductivity compared to pure hydrogen. These results, together with the larger X-ray scattering cross section of neon, establish hydrogen-neon as a valuable experimental surrogate for probing phase separation in hydrogen-rich mixtures and provide new insight into the physical mechanisms in hydrogen and mixtures with heavier elements under planetary interior conditions

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2026

Direct simulations of H-He mixtures at planetary interior conditions: demixing, insulator-metal transition and miscibility boundaries

Accurate knowledge of the electrical and thermal conductivities and structural properties of hydrogen-helium mixtures under thermodynamic conditions within and beyond the immiscibility range is very important to predict the thermal evolution and internal structure of gas giant planets like Jupiter and Saturn. Here, we propose a novel method to determine the immiscibility boundary accurately without the need for free energy calculations, while providing consistent insights into structural and transport properties of mixtures. We show with direct large-scale ab initio simulations that the insulator-metal transition (IMT) of the hydrogen subsystem is strongly affected by an admixture with a small fraction of helium and occurs at temperatures significantly higher than those of pure hydrogen. At pressures below 150 GPa, the IMT boundary is not related anymore to the H2 subsystem dissociation, the system remains insulating even after the full dissociation of H2 molecules and its transition to an H-He mixture. The offset of the IMT in the H-He mixture relative to the dissociation region in the hydrogen subsystem and the significant reduction of static electrical and thermal conductivity by a factor between two and a few thousand relative to pure hydrogen found in mixtures have consequences for Jupiter and Saturn's thermal evolution, internal structure, and dynamo action, affecting a large fraction of the interior of both planets.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2025

The Possibility of Hydrogen-Water Demixing in Uranus, Neptune, K2-18b and TOI-270d

The internal structures of Uranus and Neptune remain unknown. In addition, sub-Neptunes are now thought to be the most common type of exoplanets. Understanding the physical processes that govern the interiors of such planets is therefore essential. Phase separation between hydrogen and water may occur in cold, water-rich intermediate-mass planets. We assess whether it could occur in Uranus, Neptune, K2-18\,b and TOI-270\,d, and investigate its effect on the planetary evolution and inferred internal structure. We couple planetary evolution models with recent \textit{ab initio} calculations of the hydrogen-water phase diagram, allowing for temperature shifts to account for uncertainties in miscibility gaps. We find that demixing may occur and could lead to a complete depletion of water in the outermost regions of Uranus and Neptune. Temperature offsets of up to 1100~K lead to a depleted region comprising as much as 16\% of the planet's mass, and an increase in planetary radius by nearly 20\%. For K2-18\,b, our models suggest that hydrogen-water demixing is ongoing and may explain the absence of water features in its JWST spectrum. A temperature offset of 500~K is required to get a complete depletion of water in the atmosphere of K2-18\,b. TOI-270\,d may also have experienced hydrogen-water demixing. When applying a similar temperature offset on the phase diagram as for K2-18\,b, we find a partial depletion of water in the atmosphere of TOI-270\,d, consistent with JWST's detection of water. Hydrogen-water immiscibility may play a key role in shaping the structure and evolution of both Solar System giant planets like Uranus and Neptune, and cold/temperate exoplanets such as K2-18\,b and TOI-270\,d. Accounting for such internal processes is crucial to accurately interpret atmospheric observations from current (e.g., JWST) and upcoming (e.g., ARIEL) missions.

astro-ph.EP↗