arXiv subjects

N. Ahmadi

Publications and source records attributed to N. Ahmadi.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2023

Multi-scale observation of magnetotail reconnection onset: 1. macroscopic dynamics

We analyze a magnetotail reconnection onset event on 3 July 2017 that was observed under otherwise quiescent magnetospheric conditions by a fortuitous conjunction of six space and ground-based observatories. The study investigates the large-scale coupling of the solar wind - magnetosphere system that precipitated the onset of the magnetotail reconnection, focusing on the processes that thinned and stretched the cross-tail current layer in the absence of significant flux loading during a two-hour-long preconditioning phase. It is demonstrated with data in the (1) upstream solar wind, (2) at the low-latitude magnetopause, (3) in the high-latitude polar cap, and (4) in the magnetotail that the typical picture of solar wind-driven current sheet thinning via flux loading does not appear relevant for this particular event. We find that the current sheet thinning was, instead, initiated by a transient solar wind pressure pulse and that the current sheet thinning continued even as the magnetotail and solar wind pressures decreased. We suggest that field line curvature induced scattering (observed by Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS)) and precipitation (observed by Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP)) of high-energy thermal protons may have evacuated plasma sheet thermal energy, which may require a thinning of the plasma sheet to preserve pressure equilibrium with the solar wind.

physics.space-ph↗

arXiv2023

Multi-scale observation of magnetotail reconnection onset: 2. microscopic dynamics

We analyze the local dynamics of magnetotail reconnection onset using Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) data. In conjunction with MMS, the macroscopic dynamics of this event were captured by a number of other ground and space-based observatories, as is reported in a companion paper. We find that the local dynamics of the onset were characterized by the rapid thinning of the cross-tail current sheet below the ion inertial scale, accompanied by the growth of flapping waves and the subsequent onset of electron tearing. Multiple kinetic-scale magnetic islands were detected coincident with the growth of an initially sub-Alfvénic, demagnetized tailward ion exhaust. The onset and rapid enhancement of parallel electron inflow at the exhaust boundary was a remote signature of the intensification of reconnection Earthward of the spacecraft. Two secondary reconnection sites are found embedded within the exhaust from a primary X-line. The primary X-line was designated as such on the basis that (1) while multiple jet reversals were observed in the current sheet, only one reversal of the electron inflow was observed at the high-latitude exhaust boundary, (2) the reconnection electric field was roughly 5 times larger at the primary X-line than the secondary X-lines, and (3) energetic electron fluxes increased and transitioned from anti-field-aligned to isotropic during the primary X-line crossing, indicating a change in magnetic topology. The results are consistent with the idea that a primary X-line mediates the reconnection of lobe magnetic field lines and accelerates electrons more efficiently than its secondary X-line counterparts.

physics.space-ph↗

arXiv2022

Frustrated mixed-spin ladders: Evidence for a bond order wave phase between rung-singlet and Haldane phases

In frustrated spin ladders the interplay of frustration and correlations leads to the familiar Haldane (H) and rung-singlet (RS) phases. The nature of the transition between these two phases is still under debate. In this paper we tackle this issue using tools of quantum information theory. We consider frustrated mixed-spin-(1, 1/2) ladders with antiferromagnetic leg, rung and diagonal couplings, and calculate various quantities, such as the entanglement entropy (EE), the Schmidt gap, and the level degeneracy of the entanglement spectrum (ES). We use two numerical techniques, the infinite time-evolving block decimation (iTEBD) and the density matrix renormalization group (DMRG). We demonstrate that there exists an intermediate phase in which the ES levels do not exhibit the characteristic degeneracies of the H and RS phases. To understand the underlying physics in this phase, we investigate short-range spin correlations along legs, rungs and diagonals and show that in this intermediate phase long-wavelength modulations occur, akin to bond order waves.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2020

The Dynamics of a High Mach Number Quasi-Perpendicular Shock: MMS Observations

Shock parameters at Earth's bow shock in rare instances can approach the Mach numbers predicted at supernova remnants. We present our analysis of a high Alfvén Mach number ($M_A= 27$) shock utilizing multipoint measurements from the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) spacecraft during a crossing of Earth's quasi-perpendicular bow shock. We find that the shock dynamics are mostly driven by reflected ions, perturbations that they generate, and nonlinear amplification of the perturbations. Our analyses show that reflected ions create modest magnetic enhancements upstream of the shock which evolve in a nonlinear manner as they traverse the shock foot. They can transform into proto-shocks that propagate at small angles to the magnetic field and towards the bow shock. The nonstationary bow shock shows signatures of both reformation and surface ripples. Our observations indicate that although shock reformation occurs, the main shock layer never disappears. These observations are at high plasma $β$, a parameter regime which has not been well explored by numerical models.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2020

Multi-scale coupling during magnetopause reconnection: the interface between the electron and ion diffusion regions

Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) encountered the primary low-latitude magnetopause reconnection site when the inter-spacecraft separation exceeded the upstream ion inertial length. Classical signatures of the ion diffusion region (IDR), including a sub-ion-Alfvénic de-magnetized ion exhaust, a super-ion-Alfvénic magnetized electron exhaust, and Hall electromagnetic fields, are identified. The opening angle between the magnetopause and magnetospheric separatrix is $30^\circ\pm5^\circ$. The exhaust preferentially expands sunward, displacing the magnetosheath. Intense pileup of reconnected magnetic flux occurs between the magnetosheath separatrix and the magnetopause in a narrow channel intermediate between the ion and electron scales. The strength of the pileup (normalized values of 0.3-0.5) is consistent with the large angle at which the magnetopause is inclined relative to the overall reconnection coordinates. MMS-4, which was two ion inertial lengths closer to the X-line than the other three spacecraft, observed intense electron-dominated currents and kinetic-to-electromagnetic-field energy conversion within the pileup. MMS-1, 2, and 3 did not observe the intense currents nor the particle-to-field energy conversion but did observe the pileup, indicating that the edge of the generation region was contained within the tetrahedron. Comparisons with particle-in-cell simulations reveal that the electron currents and large inclination angle of the magnetopause are interconnected features of the asymmetric Hall effect. Between the separatrix and the magnetopause, high-density inflowing magnetosheath electrons brake and turn into the outflow direction, imparting energy to the normal magnetic field and generating the pileup. The findings indicate that electron dynamics are likely an important influence on the magnetic field structure within the ion diffusion region.

physics.space-ph↗

arXiv2020

Topological and non-topological features of generalized Su-Schrieffer-Heeger models

The (one-dimensional) Su-Schrieffer-Heeger Hamiltonian, augmented by spin-orbit coupling and longer-range hopping, is studied at half filling for an even number of sites. The ground-state phase diagram depends sensitively on the symmetry of the model. Charge-conjugation (particle-hole) symmetry is conserved if hopping is only allowed between the two sublattices of even and odd sites. In this case (of BDI symmetry) we find a variety of topologically non-trivial phases, characterized by different numbers of edge states (or, equivalently, different quantized Zak phases). The transitions between these phases are clearly signalled by the entanglement entropy. Charge-conjugation symmetry is broken if hopping within the sublattices is admitted (driving the system into the AI symmetry class). We study specifically next-nearest-neighbor hopping with amplitudes $t_a$ and $t_b$ for the $A$ and $B$ sublattices, respectively. For $t_a=t_b$ parity is conserved, and also the quantized Zak phases remain unchanged in the gapped regions of the phase diagram. However, metallic patches appear due to the overlap between conduction and valence bands in some regions of parameter space. The case of alternating next-nearest neighbor hopping, $t_a=-t_b$, is also remarkable, as it breaks both charge-conjugation $C$ and parity $P$ but conserves the product $CP$. Both the Zak phase and the entanglement spectrum still provide relevant information, in particular about the broken parity. Thus the Zak phase for small values of $t_a$ measures the disparity between bond strengths on $A$ and $B$ sublattices, in close analogy to the proportionality between the Zak phase and the polarization in the case of the related Aubry-André model.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2019

Electron Heating by Debye-Scale Turbulence in Guide-Field Reconnection

We report electrostatic Debye-scale turbulence developing within the diffusion region of asymmetric magnetopause reconnection with moderate guide field using observations by the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission. We show that Buneman waves and beam modes cause efficient and fast thermalization of the reconnection electron jet by irreversible phase mixing, during which the jet kinetic energy is transferred into thermal energy. Our results show that the reconnection diffusion region in the presence of a moderate guide field is highly turbulent, and that electrostatic turbulence plays an important role in electron heating.

physics.space-ph↗

arXiv2018

Electron-Scale Dynamics of the Diffusion Region during Symmetric Magnetic Reconnection in Space

Magnetic reconnection is an energy conversion process important in many astrophysical contexts including the Earth's magnetosphere, where the process can be investigated in-situ. Here we present the first encounter of a reconnection site by NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) spacecraft in the magnetotail, where reconnection involves symmetric inflow conditions. The unprecedented electron-scale plasma measurements revealed (1) super-Alfvenic electron jets reaching 20,000 km/s, (2) electron meandering motion and acceleration by the electric field, producing multiple crescent-shaped structures, (3) spatial dimensions of the electron diffusion region implying a reconnection rate of 0.1-0.2. The well-structured multiple layers of electron populations indicate that, despite the presence of turbulence near the reconnection site, the key electron dynamics appears to be largely laminar.

physics.space-ph↗

arXiv2007

Fermat's principle in quantum gravitational optics

Interactions incorporating the vacuum polarization effects in curved backgrounds modify the null cone structure in such a way that the photon trajectories would not be the space-time geodesics anymore. The gravitational birefringence introduced as a direct consequence of these effects, will allow shifts in the photon velocities leading to polarization dependent superluminal propagation. Taking these effects into account we study Fermat's principle in the context of the 1+3 (threading) formulation of the space-time decomposition. We find an expression for the modified spacetime refractive index and show it is proportional to the light cone correction to the first order. Consequences of this modification on polarization sum rules and spatial light paths are considered.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2007

Quantum gravitational optics: the induced phase

The geometrical approximation of the extended Maxwell equation in curved spacetime incorporating interactions induced by the vacuum polarization effects is considered. Taking into account these QED interactions and employing the analogy between eikonal equation in geometrical optics and Hamilton-Jacobi equation for the particle motion, we study the phase structure of the modified theory. There is a complicated, local induced phase which is believed to be responsible for the modification of the classical picture of light ray. The main features of QGO could be obtained through the study of this induced phase. We discuss initial principles in conventional and modified geometrical optics and compare the results.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2006

Quantum gravitational optics in the field of a gravitomagnetic monopole

Vacuum polarization in QED in a background gravitational field induces interactions which {\it effectively} modify the classical picture of light rays as the null geodesics of spacetime. After a short introduction on the main aspects of the quantum gravitational optics, as a nontrivial example, we study this effect in the background of NUT space characterizing the spacetime of a spherical mass endowed with a gravitomagnetic monopole charge, the so called NUT factor.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2006

Quantum gravitational optics: Effective Raychaudhuri equation

Vacuum polarization in QED in a background gravitational field induces interactions which {\it effectively} modify the classical picture of light rays, as the null geodesics of spacetime. These interactions violate the strong equivalence principle and affect the propagation of light leading to superluminal photon velocities. Taking into account the QED vacuum polarization, we study the propagation of a bundle of rays in a background gravitational field. To do so we consider the perturbative deformation of Raychaudhuri equation through the influence of vacuum polarization on photon propagation. We analyze the contribution of the above interactions to the optical scalars namely, shear, vorticity and expansion using the Newman-Penrose formalism.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2006

Topology, Mass and Casimir energy

The vacuum expectation value of the stress energy tensor for a massive scalar field with arbitrary coupling in flat spaces with non-trivial topology is discussed. We calculate the Casimir energy in these spaces employing the recently proposed {\it optical approach} based on closed classical paths. The evaluation of the Casimir energy consists in an expansion in terms of the lengths of these paths. We will show how different paths with corresponding weight factors contribute in the calculation. The optical approach is also used to find the mass and temperature dependence of the Casimir energy in a cavity and it is shown that the massive fields cannot be neglected in high and low temperature regimes. The same approach is applied to twisted as well as spinor fields and the results are compared with those in the literature.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2005

Massive spinor fields in flat spacetimes with non-trivial topology

The vacuum expectation value of the stress-energy tensor is calculated for spin $1\over 2$ massive fields in several multiply connected flat spacetimes. We examine the physical effects of topology on manifolds such as $R^3 \times S^1$, $R^2\times T^2$, $R^1 \times T^3$, the Mobius strip and the Klein bottle. We find that the spinor vacuum stress tensor has the opposite sign to, and twice the magnitude of, the scalar tensor in orientable manifolds. Extending the above considerations to the case of Misner spacetime, we calculate the vacuum expectation value of spinor stress-energy tensor in this space and discuss its implications for the chronology protection conjecture.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2001

p-species integrable reaction-diffusion processes

We consider a process in which there are p-species of particles, i.e. A_1,A_2,...,A_p, on an infinite one-dimensional lattice. Each particle $A_i$ can diffuse to its right neighboring site with rate $D_i$, if this site is not already occupied. Also they have the exchange interaction A_j+A_i --> A_i+A_j with rate $r_{ij}.$ We study the range of parameters (interactions) for which the model is integrable. The wavefunctions of this multi--parameter family of integrable models are found. We also extend the 2--species model to the case in which the particles are able to diffuse to their right or left neighboring sites.

cond-mat↗

arXiv2000

A new class of integrable diffusion-reaction processes

We consider a process in which there are two types of particles, A and B, on an infinite one-dimensional lattice. The particles hop to their adjacent sites, like the totally asymmetric exclusion process (ASEP), and have also the following interactions: A+B -> B+B and B+A -> B+B, all occur with equal rate. We study this process by imposing four boundary conditions on ASEP master equation. It is shown that this model is integrable, in the sense that its N-particle S-matrix is factorized into a product of two-particle S-matrices and, more importantly, the two-particle S-matrix satisfy quantum Yang-Baxter equation. Using coordinate Bethe-ansatz, the N-particle wavefunctions and the two-particle conditional probabilities are found exactly. Further, by imposing four reasonable physical conditions on two-species diffusion-reaction processes (where the most important ones are the equality of the reaction rates and the conservation of the number of particles in each reaction), we show that among the 4096 types of the interactions which have these properties and can be modeled by a master equation and an appropriate set of boundary conditions, there are only 28 independent interactions which are integrable. We find all these interactions and also their corresponding wave functions. Some of these may be new solutions of quantum Yang-Baxter equation.

cond-mat↗