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Axel Pelster

Publications and source records attributed to Axel Pelster.

122 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

Boundary-Layer Theory, Strong-Coupling Series, and Large-Order Behavior

The introduction of a lattice converts a singular boundary-layer problem in the continuum into a regular perturbation problem. However, the continuum limit of the discrete problem is extremely nontrivial and is not completely understood. This paper examines two singular boundary-layer problems taken from mathematical physics, the instanton problem and the Blasius equation, and in each case examines two strategies, Pade resummation and variational perturbation theory, to recover the solution to the continuum problem from the solution to the associated discrete problem. Both resummation procedures produce good and interesting results for the two cases, but the results still deviate from the exact solutions. To understand the discrepancy a comprehensive large-order behavior analysis of the strong-coupling lattice expansions for each of the two problems is done.

math-ph↗

Variational Perturbation Theory for Markov Processes

We develop a convergent variational perturbation theory for conditional probability densities of Markov processes. The power of the theory is illustrated by applying it to the diffusion of a particle in an anharmonic potential.

cond-mat↗

Functional Closure of Schwinger-Dyson Equations in Quantum Electrodynamics, Part 1: Generation of Connected and One-Particle Irreducible Feynman Diagrams

Using functional derivatives with respect to free propagators and interactions we derive a closed set of Schwinger-Dyson equations in quantum electrodynamics. Its conversion to graphical recursion relations allows us to systematically generate all connected and one-particle irreducible Feynman diagrams for the $n$-point functions and the vacuum energy together with their correct weights.

hep-th↗

On the Floquet Theory of Delay Differential Equations

We present an analytical approach to deal with nonlinear delay differential equations close to instabilities of time periodic reference states. To this end we start with approximately determining such reference states by extending the Poincar'e Lindstedt and the Shohat expansions which were originally developed for ordinary differential equations. Then we systematically elaborate a linear stability analysis around a time periodic reference state. This allows to approximately calculate the Floquet eigenvalues and their corresponding eigensolutions by using matrix valued continued fractions.

math-ph↗

The Highest-Derivative Version of Variational Perturbation Theory

We systematically investigate different versions of variational perturbation theory by forcing not only the first or second but also higher derivatives of the approximant with respect to the variational parameter to vanish. The choice of the highest derivative version turns out to be the most successful one for approximating the ground-state energy of the anharmonic oscillator. It is therefore used to determine the critical exponent alpha of the specific heat in superfluid 4He in agreement with the value measured in recent space shuttle experiments.

cond-mat↗

Variational Perturbation Theory for the Ground-State Wave Function

We evaluate perturbatively the density matrix in the low-temperature limit and thus the ground-state wave function of the anharmonic oscillator up to second order in the coupling constant. We then employ Kleinert's variational perturbation theory to determine the ground-state wave function for all coupling strengths.

quant-ph↗

Fluctuation Pressure of a Stack of Membranes

We calculate the universal pressure constants of a stack of N membranes between walls by strong-coupling theory. The results are in very good agreement with values from Monte-Carlo simulations.

cond-mat↗

Quantum Statistics of Hydrogen in Strong Magnetic Fields

By an extension of the Feynman-Kleinert variational approach, we calculate the temperature-dependent effective classical potential governing the quantum statistical properties of a hydrogen atom in a uniform magnetic field. In the zero-temperature limit, we obtain ground state energies which are accurate for all magnetic field strengths from weak to strong fields.

quant-ph↗

Recursive Graphical Construction of Feynman Diagrams and Their Multiplicities in phi^4- and in phi^2A-Theory

The free energy of a field theory can be considered as a functional of the free correlation function. As such it obeys a nonlinear functional differential equation which can be turned into a recursion relation. This is solved order by order in the coupling constant to find all connected vacuum diagrams with their proper multiplicities. The procedure is applied to a multicomponent scalar field theory with a phi^4-self-interaction and then to a theory of two scalar fields phi and A with an interaction phi^2 A. All Feynman diagrams with external lines are obtained from functional derivatives of the connected vacuum diagrams with respect to the free correlation function. Finally, the recursive graphical construction is automatized by computer algebra with the help of a unique matrix notation for the Feynman diagrams.

hep-th↗

Generating Functionals for Harmonic Expectation Values of Paths with Fixed End Points. Feynman Diagrams for Nonpolynomial Interactions

We introduce a general class of generating functionals for the calculation of quantum-mechanical expectation values of arbitrary functionals of fluctuating paths with fixed end points in configuration or momentum space. The generating functionals are calculated explicitly for harmonic oscillators with time-dependent frequency, and used to derive a smearing formulas for correlation functions of polynomial and nonpolynomials functions of time-dependent positions and momenta. These formulas summarize the effect of thermal and quantum fluctuations, and serve to derive generalized Wick rules and Feynman diagrams for perturbation expansions of nonpolynomial interactions.

quant-ph↗

Smearing Formula for Higher-Order Effective Classical Potentials

In the variational approach to quantum statistics, a smearing formula describes efficiently the consequences of quantum fluctuations upon an interaction potential. The result is an effective classical potential from which the partition function can be obtained by a simple integral. In this work, the smearing formula is extended to higher orders in the variational perturbation theory. An application to the singular Coulomb potential exhibits the same fast convergence with increasing orders that has been observed in previous variational perturbation expansions of the anharmonic oscillator with quartic potential.

quant-ph↗