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D. Vautherin

Publications and source records attributed to D. Vautherin.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2003

Variational Approach to the Dynamics of Bose-Einstein Condensates.I --Variational Ansatz and Quantum Dynamics--

Variational method is applied to describe Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC) interacting via a pseudo-potential, taking into account quantum fluctuations around the mean field by the Gaussian approximation. Contributions from the pair-wise scattering by the singular potential should be removed carefully to avoid double countings in the perturbation series in terms of original bare interaction. We show that this procedure removes all dangerous terms which contain divergences.

cond-mat↗
arXiv1999

Variational calculations with improved energy functionals in gauge theories

For a SU(N) Yang-Mills theory, we present variational calculations using gaussian wave functionals combined with an approximate projection on gauge invariant states. The projection amounts to correcting the energy of the gaussian states by substracting the spurious energy associated with gauge rotations. Based on this improved energy functional, we perform variational calculations of the interaction energy in the presence of external electric and magnetic fields. We verify that the ultraviolet behaviour of our approximation scheme is consistent, as it should, with that expected from perturbation theory. In particular, we recover in this variational framework the standard one-loop beta function, with a transparent interpretation of the screening and anti-screening contributions.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1999

Lifetime of Collective Isospin Rotations of a Quantum Meson Field

We calculate the lifetime of the collective isospin rotating solutions which have been found recently in the case a quantum N-component meson field with exact O(N) symmetry. For this purpose we take into account the small breaking of the O(N) symmetry associated to the non vanishing mass of the pion. This term induces a coupling between collective rotations and intrinsic meson excitations. We evaluate the associated damping time in the framework of linear response theory. We find damping times of the order of 100 fm/c, i.e. substantially longer than reaction times.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1999

Neutrino propagation and spin zero sound in hot neutron matter with Skyrme interactions

We present microscopic calculations of neutrino propagation in hot neutron matter above nuclear density within the framework of the Random Phase Approximation . Calculations are performed for non- degenerate neutrinos using various Skyrme effective interactions. We find that for densities just above nuclear density, spin zero sound is present at zero temperature for all Skyrme forces considered. However it disappears rapidly with increasing temperature due to a strong Landau damping. As a result the mean-free path is given, to a good approximation, by the mean field value. Because of the renormalization of the bare mass in the mean field, the medium is more transparent as compared to the free case. We find, in contrast, that at several times nuclear density, a new type of behavior sets in due to the vicinity of a magnetic instability. It produces a strong reduction of the mean free path. The corresponding transition density however occurs in a region where inputs from more realistic calculations are necessary for the construction of a reliable Skyrme type parametrization.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1998

Mean field theory for collective motion of quantum meson fields

Mean field theory for the time evolution of quantum meson fields is studied in terms of the functional Schroedinger picture with a time-dependent Gaussian variational wave functional. We first show that the equations of motion for the variational wavefunctional can be rewritten in a compact form similar to the Hartree-Bogoliubov equations in quantum many-body theory and this result is used to recover the covariance of the theory. We then apply this method to the O(N) model and present analytic solutions of the mean field evolution equations for an N-component scalar field. These solutions correspond to quantum rotations in isospin space and represent generalizations of the classical solutions obtained earlier by Anselm and Ryskin. As compared to classical solutions new effects arise because of the coupling between the average value of the field and its quantum fluctuations. We show how to generalize these solutions to the case of mean field dynamics at finite temperature. The relevance of these solutions for the observation of a coherent collective state or a disoriented chiral condensate in ultra-relativistic nuclear collisions is discussed.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1998

Quantum generalization of the classical rotating solutions of the O(N) model

Analytic solutions of the mean field evolution equations for an N-component scalar field with O(N) symmetry are presented. These solutions correspond to rotations in isospin space. They represent generalizations of the classical solutions obtained earlier by Anselm and Ryskin. As compared to classical solutions new effects arise because of the coupling between the average value of the field and quantum fluctuations.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1998

Variational calculations in gauge theories with approximate projection on gauge invariant states

Variational calculations using Gaussian wave functionals combined with an approximate projection on gauge invariant states are presented. We find that the energy exhibits a minimum for a wave functional centered around a non vanishing background magnetic field. We show that divergences can be removed by a renormalization of the coupling constant. The resulting expectation value of the gluon condensate is found to be in qualitative agreement with phenomenological estimates.

hep-th↗
arXiv1996

Boost invariant quantum evolution of a meson field at large proper times

We construct asymptotic solutions of the functional Schroedinger equation for a scalar field in the Gaussian approximation at large proper time. These solutions describe the late proper time stages of the expansion of a meson gas with boost invariant boundary conditions. The relevance of these solutions for the formation of a disoriented chiral condensate in ultra relativistic collisions is discussed.

hep-th↗
arXiv1995

Isovector response function of hot nuclear matter with Skyrme interactions

We investigate the role of the effective nucleon-nucleon interaction in the description of giant dipole resonances in hot nuclei. For this purpose we calculate the response function of hot nuclear matter to a small isovector external perturbation using various effective Skyrme interactions. We find that for Skyrme forces with an effective mass close to unity an undamped zero sound mode occurs at zero temperature. This mode gives rise in finite nuclei (calculated via the Steinwedel-Jenssen model) to a resonance whose energy agrees with the observed value. We find that zero sound disappears at a temperature of a few MeV, leaving only a broad peak in the dipole strength. For Skyrme forces with a small value of the effective mass (0.4- 0.5), there is no zero sound at zero temperature but only a weak peak located too high in energy. The strength distribution in this case is nearly independent of temperature and shows small collective effects. The relevance of these results for the saturation of photon multiplicities observed in recent experiments is pointed out.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1994

Response Function of Hot Nuclear Matter

We investigate the response function of hot nuclear matter to a small isovector external field using a simplified Skyrme interaction reproducing the value of the symmetry energy coefficient. We consider values of the momentum transfer corresponding to the dipole oscillation in heavy nuclei. We find that while at zero temperature the particle hole interaction is almost repulsive enough to have a sharp (zero sound type) collective oscillation, such is no longer the case at temperatures of a few MeV. As a result a broadening of the dipole resonance occurs, leading to its quasi disappearence by the time the temperature reaches 5 MeV. The sensivity of the temperature evolution of the width when modifying the residual interaction strength is also examined.

nucl-th↗
arXiv1994

Self Similar Solutions of the Evolution Equation of a Scalar Field in an Expanding Geometry

We consider the functional Schrodinger equation for a self interacting scalar field in an expanding geometry. By performing a time dependent scale transformation on the argument of the field we derive a functional Schrodinger equation whose hamiltonian is time independent but involves a time-odd term associated to a constraint on the expansion current. We study the mean field approximation to this equation and generalize in this case, for interacting fields, the solutions worked out by Bunch and Davies for free fields.

gr-qc↗