arXiv subjects

Herbert Spohn

Publications and source records attributed to Herbert Spohn.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

arXiv2011

The height distribution of the KPZ equation with sharp wedge initial condition: numerical evaluations

The time-dependent probability distribution function of the height for the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation with sharp wedge initial conditions has been obtained recently as a convolution between the Gumbel distribution and a difference of two Fredholm determinants. We evaluate numerically this distribution over the whole time span. The crossover from the short time behavior, which is Gaussian, to the long time behavior, which is governed by the GUE Tracy-Widom distribution, is clearly visible.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2011

Radiative damping: a case study

We are interested in the motion of a classical charge coupled to the Maxwell self-field and subject to a uniform external magnetic field, B. This is a physically relevant, but difficult dynamical problem, to which contributions range over more than one hundred years. Specifically, we will study the Sommerfeld-Page approximation which assumes an extended charge distribution at small velocities. The memory equation is then linear and many details become available. We discuss how the friction equation arises in the limit of "small" B and contrast this result with the standard Taylor expansion resulting in a second order equation for the velocity of the charge.

physics.class-ph↗

arXiv2011

The No-Binding Regime of the Pauli-Fierz Model

The Pauli-Fierz model $H(α)$ in nonrelativistic quantum electrodynamics is considered. The external potential $V$ is sufficiently shallow and the dipole approximation is assumed. It is proven that there exist constants $0<α_-< α_+$ such that $H(α)$ has no ground state for $|α|<α_-$, which complements an earlier result stating that there is a ground state for $|α| > α_+$. We develop a suitable extension of the Birman-Schwinger argument. Moreover for any given $δ>0$ examples of potentials $V$ are provided such that $α_+-α_-<δ$.

math-ph↗

arXiv2011

The One-dimensional KPZ Equation and the Airy Process

Our previous work on the one-dimensional KPZ equation with sharp wedge initial data is extended to the case of the joint height statistics at n spatial points for some common fixed time. Assuming a particular factorization, we compute an n-point generating function and write it in terms of a Fredholm determinant. For long times the generating function converges to a limit, which is established to be equivalent to the standard expression of the n-point distribution of the Airy process.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2011

The 1+1-dimensional Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation and its universality class

We explain the exact solution of the 1+1 dimensional Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation with sharp wedge initial conditions. Thereby it is confirmed that the continuum model belongs to the KPZ universality class, not only as regards to scaling exponents but also as regards to the full probability distribution of the height in the long time limit.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2011

Two-point generating function of the free energy for a directed polymer in a random medium

We consider a 1+1 dimensional directed continuum polymer in a Gaussian delta-correlated space-time random potential. For this model the moments (= replica) of the partition function, Z(x,t), can be expressed in terms of the attractive delta-Bose gas on the line. Based on a recent study of the structure of the eigenfunctions, we compute the generating function for Z(x_1,t), Z(x_2,t) under a particular decoupling assumption and thereby extend recent results on the one-point generating function of the free energy to two points. It is established that in the long time limit the fluctuations of the free energy are governed by the two-point distribution of the Airy process, which further supports that the long time behavior of the KPZ equation is the same as derived previously for lattice growth models.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2010

Scaling limit for a class of gradient fields with nonconvex potentials

We consider gradient fields $(ϕ_x:x\in \mathbb{Z}^d)$ whose law takes the Gibbs--Boltzmann form $Z^{-1}\exp\{-\sum_{< x,y>}V(ϕ_y-ϕ_x)\}$, where the sum runs over nearest neighbors. We assume that the potential $V$ admits the representation \[V(η):=-\log\int\varrho({d}κ)\exp\biggl[-{1/2}κ\et a^2\biggr],\] where $\varrho$ is a positive measure with compact support in $(0,\infty)$. Hence, the potential $V$ is symmetric, but nonconvex in general. While for strictly convex $V$'s, the translation-invariant, ergodic gradient Gibbs measures are completely characterized by their tilt, a nonconvex potential as above may lead to several ergodic gradient Gibbs measures with zero tilt. Still, every ergodic, zero-tilt gradient Gibbs measure for the potential $V$ above scales to a Gaussian free field.

math.PR↗

arXiv2010

On Scattering of Solitons for Maxwell Equation Coupled to a Particle

We establish long time soliton asymptotics for the nonlinear system of Maxwell equations coupled to a charged particle. The coupled system has a six dimensional manifold of soliton solutions. We show that in the long time approximation, any solution, with an initial state close to the solitary manifold, is a sum of a soliton and a dispersive wave which is a solution of the free Maxwell equations. It is assumed that the charge density satisfies the Wiener condition. The proof further develops the general strategy based on the symplectic projection in Hilbert space onto the solitary manifold, modulation equations for the parameters of the projection, and decay of the transversal component.

math-ph↗

arXiv2010

Heat conduction and phonon localization in disordered harmonic crystals

We investigate the steady state heat current in two and three dimensional isotopically disordered harmonic lattices. Using localization theory as well as kinetic theory we estimate the system size dependence of the current. These estimates are compared with numerical results obtained using an exact formula for the current given in terms of a phonon transmission function, as well as by direct nonequilibrium simulations. We find that heat conduction by high-frequency modes is suppressed by localization while low-frequency modes are strongly affected by boundary conditions. Our {\color{black}heuristic} arguments show that Fourier's law is valid in a three dimensional disordered solid except for special boundary conditions. We also study the pinned case relevant to localization in quantum systems and often used as a model system to study the validity of Fourier's law. Here we provide the first numerical verification of Fourier's law in three dimensions. In the two dimensional pinned case we find that localization of phonon modes leads to a heat insulator.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2010

Weakly nonlinear Schrödinger equation with random initial data

It is common practice to approximate a weakly nonlinear wave equation through a kinetic transport equation, thus raising the issue of controlling the validity of the kinetic limit for a suitable choice of the random initial data. While for the general case a proof of the kinetic limit remains open, we report on first progress. As wave equation we consider the nonlinear Schrodinger equation discretized on a hypercubic lattice. Since this is a Hamiltonian system, a natural choice of random initial data is distributing them according to the corresponding Gibbs measure with a chemical potential chosen so that the Gibbs field has exponential mixing. The solution psi_t(x) of the nonlinear Schrodinger equation yields then a stochastic process stationary in x in Z^d and t in R. If lambda denotes the strength of the nonlinearity, we prove that the space-time covariance of psi_t(x) has a limit as lambda -> 0 for t=lambda^(-2)*tau, with tau fixed and |tau| sufficiently small. The limit agrees with the prediction from kinetic theory.

math-ph↗

arXiv2010

The one-dimensional KPZ equation: an exact solution and its universality

We report on the first exact solution of the KPZ equation in one dimension, with an initial condition which physically corresponds to the motion of a macroscopically curved height profile. The solution provides a determinantal formula for the probability distribution function of the height $h(x,t)$ for all $t>0$. In particular, we show that for large $t$, on the scale $t^{1/3}$, the statistics is given by the Tracy-Widom distribution, known already from the theory of GUE random matrices. Our solution confirms that the KPZ equation describes the interface motion in the regime of weak driving force. Within this regime the KPZ equation details how the long time asymptotics is approached.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2010

The crossover regime for the weakly asymmetric simple exclusion process

We consider the asymmetric simple exclusion process in one dimension with weak asymmetry (WASEP) and 0-1 step initial condition. Our interest are the fluctuations of the time-integrated particle current at some prescribed spatial location. One expects a crossover from Gaussian to Tracy-Widom distributed fluctuations. The appropriate crossover scale is an asymmetry of order $ε^{-1/2}$, times of order $ε^{-2}$, and a spatial location of order $ε^{-3/2}$. For this parameter window we obtain the limiting distribution function of the integrated current in terms of an integral over the difference of two Fredholm determinants. For large times, on the scale $ε^{-2}$, this distribution function converges to the one of Tracy-Widom.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2010

Random Growth Models

The link between a particular class of growth processes and random matrices was established in the now famous 1999 article of Baik, Deift, and Johansson on the length of the longest increasing subsequence of a random permutation. During the past ten years, this connection has been worked out in detail and led to an improved understanding of the large scale properties of one-dimensional growth models. The reader will find a commented list of references at the end. Our objective is to provide an introduction highlighting random matrices. From the outset it should be emphasized that this connection is fragile. Only certain aspects, and only for specific models, the growth process can be reexpressed in terms of partition functions also appearing in random matrix theory.

math.PR↗

arXiv2010

Exact height distributions for the KPZ equation with narrow wedge initial condition

We consider the KPZ equation in one space dimension with narrow wedge initial condition, $h(x,t=0)=- |x|/δ$, $δ\ll 1$. Based on previous results for the weakly asymmetric simple exclusion process with step initial conditions, we obtain a determinantal formula for the one-point distribution of the solution $h(x,t)$ valid for any $x$ and $t>0$. The corresponding distribution function converges in the long time limit, $t\to\infty$, to the Tracy-Widom distribution. The first order correction is a shift of order $t^{-1/3}$. We provide numerical computations based on the exact formula.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2009

Dynamical phase transition for a quantum particle source

We analyze the time evolution describing a quantum source for noninteracting particles, either bosons or fermions. The growth behaviour of the particle number (trace of the density matrix) is investigated, leading to spectral criteria for sublinear or linear growth in the fermionic case, but also establishing the possibility of exponential growth for bosons. We further study the local convergence of the density matrix in the long time limit and prove the semiclassical limit.

math-ph↗

arXiv2009

Heat transport and phonon localization in mass-disordered harmonic crystals

We investigate the steady state heat current in two and three dimensional disordered harmonic crystals in a slab geometry, connected at the boundaries to stochastic white noise heat baths at different temperatures.The disorder causes short wavelength phonon modes to be localized so the heat current in this system is carried by the extended phonon modes which can be either diffusive or ballistic. Using ideas both from localization theory and from kinetic theory we estimate the contribution of various modes to the heat current and from this we obtain the asymptotic system size dependence of the current. These estimates are compared with results obtained from a numerical evaluation of an exact formula for the current, given in terms of a frequency transmission function, as well as from direct nonequilibrium simulations. These yield a strong dependence of the heat flux on boundary conditions. Our analytical arguments show that for realistic boundary conditions the conductivity is finite in three dimensions but we are not able to verify this numerically, except in the case where the system is subjected to an external pinning potential. This case is closely related to the problem of localization of electrons in a random potential and here we numerically verify that the pinned three dimensional system satisfies Fourier's law while the two dimensional system is a heat insulator. We also investigate the inverse participation ratio of different normal modes.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2009

Superdiffusivity of the 1D lattice Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation

The continuum Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation in one dimension is lattice discretized in such a way that the drift part is divergence free. This allows to determine explicitly the stationary measures. We map the lattice KPZ equation to a bosonic field theory which has a cubic anti-hermitian nonlinearity. Thereby it is established that the stationary two-point function spreads superdiffusively.

math-ph↗

arXiv2009

The retarded van der Waals potential - revisited

The retarded van-der-Waals potential, as first obtained by Casimir and Polder, is usually computed on the basis of nonrelativistic QED. The hamiltonian describes two infinitely heavy nuclei, charge $e$, separated by a distance $R$ and two spinless electrons, charge $-e$, nonrelativistically coupled to the quantized radiation field. Casimir and Polder use the dipole approximation and small coupling to the Maxwell field. We employ here the full hamiltonian and determine the asymptotic strength of the leading $-R^{-7}$ potential, which is valid for all $e$. Our computation is based on a path integral representation and expands in $1/R$, rather than in $e$.

math-ph↗