arXiv subjects

B. M. A. G. Piette

Publications and source records attributed to B. M. A. G. Piette.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Impact of magnetic fields on polaron dynamics in low-dimensional systems

We study the impact of an external magnetic field on the long-range electron transport in quasi-one-dimensional materials, such as polypeptides, (semi-) conducting polymers and macromolecules, taking into account the electron-lattice interaction. At relatively strong electron-lattice interaction extra electrons get self-trapped in the deformation potential well and form stable bound states, called large polarons which in the continuum approximation are known as solitons. Here we do not use the continuum approximation but solve the system of discrete nonlinear equations numerically. We show that the impact of a magnetic field on polaron dynamics depends not only on the field strength, but also on the parameter values of the system which define the properties of solitons such as their energy, amplitude and width of localisation. We also study the impact of a magnetic field on a polaron created by a donor complex on a chain.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2012

Dynamic response of open cell dry foams

We study the mechanical response of an open cell dry foam subjected to periodic forcing using experiments and theory. Using the measurements of the static and dynamic stress-strain relationship, we derive an over-damped model of the foam, as a set of infinitesimal non-linear springs, where the damping term depends on the local foam strain. We then analyse the properties of the foam when subjected to large amplitudes periodic stresses and determine the conditions for which the foam becomes optimally absorbing.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2012

Phase Transition and Anisotropic Deformations of Neutron Star Matter

The Skyrme model is a low energy, effective field theory for QCD which when coupled to a gravitational field provides an ideal semi-classical model to describe neutron stars. We use the Skyrme crystal solution composed of a lattice of $α$-like particles as a building block to construct minimum energy neutron star configurations, allowing the crystal to be strained anisotropically. We find that below 1.49 solar masses the stars' crystal deforms isotropically and that above this critical mass, it undergoes anisotropic strain. We then find that the maximum mass allowed for a neutron star is 1.90 solar masses, in close agreement with a recent observation of the most massive neutron star yet found. The radii of the computed solutions also match the experimentally estimated values of approximately 10km.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2011

Spontaneous Polaron Transport in Biopolymers

Polarons, introduced by Davydov to explain energy transport in $α$-helices, correspond to electrons localised on a few lattice sites because of their interaction with phonons. While the static polaron field configurations have been extensively studied, their displacement is more difficult to explain. In this paper we show that, when the next to nearest neighbour interactions are included, for physical values of the parameters, polarons can spontaneously move, at T=0, on bent chains that exhibit a positive gradient in their curvature. At room temperature polarons perform a random walk but a curvature gradient can induce a non-zero average speed similar to the one observed at zero temperature. We also show that at zero temperature a polaron bounces on sharply kinked junctions. We interpret these results in light of the energy transport by transmembrane proteins.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2007

Towards Skyrmion Stars: Large Baryon Configurations in the Einstein-Skyrme Model

We investigate the large baryon number sector of the Einstein-Skyrme model as a possible model for baryon stars. Gravitating hedgehog skyrmions have been investigated previously and the existence of stable solitonic stars excluded due to energy considerations. However, in this paper we demonstrate that by generating gravitating skyrmions using rational maps, we can achieve multi-baryon bound states whilst recovering spherical symmetry in the limit where B becomes large.

hep-th↗

arXiv2004

Planar Skyrmions: Vibrational Modes and Dynamics

We study Skyrmion dynamics in a (2+1)-dimensional Skyrme model. The system contains a dimensionless parameter alpha, with alpha=0 corresponding to the O(3) sigma-model. If two Skyrmions collide head-on, then they can either coalesce or scatter -- this depends on alpha and on the incident speed v, and is affected by transfer of energy to and from the internal vibrational modes of the Skyrmions. We classify these internal modes and compute their spectrum, for a range of values of alpha. In particular, we find that there is a fractal-like structure of scattering windows, analogous to those seen for kink-antikink scattering in 1+1 dimensions.

hep-th↗

arXiv2001

Spherically symmetric solutions of the 6th order SU(N) Skyrme models

We use the generalised rational map ansatz introduced by Ioannidou et al. to construct analytically some topologically non-trivial solutions of the generalised SU(3) Skyrme model defined by adding a sixth order term to the usual Lagrangian. These solutions are radially symmetric and some of them can be interpreted as bound states of Skyrmions. The same ansatz is used to construct low-energy configuration of the SU(N) Skyrme model.

hep-th↗

arXiv2001

Understanding Skyrmions using Rational Maps

We discuss an ansatz for Skyrme fields in three dimensions which uses rational maps between Riemann spheres, and produces shell-like structures of polyhedral form. Houghton, Manton and Sutcliffe showed that a single rational map gives good approximations to the minimal energy Skyrmions up to baryon number of order ten. We show how the method can be generalised by using two or more rational maps to give a double-shell or multi-shell structure. Particularly interesting examples occur at baryon numbers twelve and fourteen.

hep-th↗

arXiv2001

Instantons in 4-dimensional gauged O(5) Skyrme models

We consider a family of four-dimensional non-linear sigma models based on an O(5) symmetric group, whose fields take their values on the 4-sphere S4. An SO(4)-subgroup of the model is gauged. The solutions of the model are characterised by two distinct topological charges, the Chern-Pontryagin charge of the gauge field and the degree of the map, i.e. the winding number, of the S4 field. The one dimensional equations arising from the variation of the action density subjected to spherical symmetry are integrated numerically. Several properties of the solutions thus constructed are pointed out. The only solution with unit Chern-Pontryagin charge are the usual BPST instantons with zero S4 winding number, while solutions with unit S4 winding number have zero Chern-Pontryagin charge.

hep-th↗

arXiv1999

On the interactions of Skyrmions with domain walls

We study classical solutions of a particular version of the modified Skyrme model in (3+1) dimensions. The model possesses Skyrmion solutions as well as stable domain walls that connect different vacua of the theory. We show that there is an attractive interaction between Skyrmions and domain walls. Thus Skyrmions can be captured by the domain walls. We show also that, when the mass term is of a special type, the model possesses bound states of Skyrmions and of the domain wall. They look like deformed 2-dimensional Skyrmions captured by the wall. The field configurations of these solutions can interpreted as having come from the evolution of the 3-dimensional Skyrmions captured by the domain wall. For more conventional choices of the mass term of the model in the model the attraction between the Skyrmions and the wall leads to the capture of the Skyrmions which are then turned into topological waves which spread out on the wall. We have observed, numerically, such captures and the emission of the waves. We speculate that this observation may be useful in the explanation of the problem of baryogenesis and baryon-antibaryon asymmetry of the Universe.

hep-th↗

arXiv1995

Skyrme-Maxwell Solitons in (2+1) Dimensions

A gauged (2+1)-dimensional version of the Skyrme model is investigated. The gauge group is $U(1)$ and the dynamics of the associated gauge potential is governed by a Maxwell term. In this model there are topologically stable soliton solutions carrying magnetic flux which is not topologically quantized. The properties of rotationally symmetric solitons of degree one and two are discussed in detail. It is shown that the electric field for such solutions is necessarily zero. The solitons' shape, mass and magnetic flux depend on the $U(1)$ coupling constant, and this dependence is studied numerically from very weak to very strong coupling.

hep-th↗

arXiv1994

Dynamics of Baby Skyrmions

Baby Skyrmions are topological solitons in a (2+1)-dimensional field theory which resembles the Skyrme model in important respects. We apply some of the techniques and approximations commonly used in discussions of the Skyrme model to the dynamics of baby Skyrmions and directly test them against numerical simulations. Specifically we study the effect of spin on the shape of a single baby Skyrmion, the dependence of the forces between two baby Skyrmions on the baby Skyrmions' relative orientation and the forces between two baby Skyrmions when one of them is spinning.

hep-ph↗

arXiv1994

Multisolitons in a Two-dimensional Skyrme Model

The Skyrme model can be generalised to a situation where static fields are maps from one Riemannian manifold to another. Here we study a Skyrme model where physical space is two-dimensional euclidean space and the target space is the two-sphere with its standard metric. The model has topological soliton solutions which are exponentially localised. We describe a superposition procedure for solitons in our model and derive an expression for the interaction potential of two solitons which only involves the solitons' asymptotic fields. If the solitons have topological degree 1 or 2 there are simple formulae for their interaction potentials which we use to prove the existence of solitons of higher degree. We explicitly compute the fields and energy distributions for solitons of degrees between one and six and discuss their geometrical shapes and binding energies.

hep-th↗