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P. L. Christiansen

Publications and source records attributed to P. L. Christiansen.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

Lattice stretching bistability and dynamic heterogeneity

A simple one-dimensional lattice model is suggested to describe the experimentally observed plateau in force-stretching diagrams for some macromolecules. This chain model involves the nearest-neighbor interaction of a Morse-like potential (required to have a saturation branch) and an harmonic second-neighbor coupling. Under an external stretching applied t o the chain ends, the intersite Morse-like potential results in the appearance of a double-well potential within each chain monomer, whereas the interaction between the second neighbors provide s a homogeneous bistable (degenerate) ground state, at least within a certain part of the chain. As a result, different conformational changes occur in the chain under the external forcing. The transition regions between these conformations are described as topological solitons. With a strong second-neighbor interaction, the solitons describe the transition between the bistable ground states. However, the key point of the model is the appearance of a heterogenous structure, when the second-neighbor coupling is sufficiently weak. In this case, a part of the chain has short bonds with a single-well potential, whereas the complementary part admits strongly stretched bonds with a double-well potential. This case allows us to explain the existence of a plateau in the force-stretching diagram for DNA and alpha-helix protein. Finally, the soliton dynamics are studied in detail.

nlin.PS↗

Conformational transformations induced by the charge-curvature interaction at finite temperature

The role of thermal fluctuations on the conformational dynamics of a single closed filament is studied. It is shown that, due to the interaction between charges and bending degrees of freedom, initially circular aggregates may undergo transformation to polygonal shape. The transition occurs both in the case of hardening and softening charge-bending interaction. In the former case the charge and curvature are smoothly distributed along the chain while in the latter spontaneous kink formation is initiated. The transition to a non-circular conformation is analogous to the phase transition of the second kind.

cond-mat.other↗

Quantum oscillations in a two-mode atom-molecule Bose-Einstein condensate -- the discrete WKB approach

Quantum effects in a system of coupled atomic and molecular Bose-Einstein condensates in the framework of a two-mode model are studied numerically and analytically, using the discrete WKB approach. In contrast to the mean-field approximation, the WKB analytical results are in a very good agreement with numerical results. The quantum fluctuations of the atomic and molecular populations are calculated, and found to be of the same order of magnitude as their mean values.

cond-mat.other↗

Conformational transformations induced by the charge-curvature interaction

A simple phenomenological model for describing the conformational dynamics of biological macromolecules via the nonlinearity-induced instabilities is proposed. It is shown that the interaction between charges and bending degrees of freedom of closed molecular aggregates may act as drivers giving impetus to conformational dynamics of biopolymers. It is demonstrated that initially circular aggregates may undergo transformation to polygonal shapes and possible application to aggregates of bacteriochlorophyl a molecules is considered.

cond-mat.soft↗

Localization of nonlinear excitations in curved waveguides

Motivated by the example of a curved waveguide embedded in a photonic crystal, we examine the effects of geometry in a ``quantum channel'' of parabolic form. We study the linear case and derive exact as well as approximate expressions for the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the linear problem. We then proceed to the nonlinear setting and its stationary states in a number of limiting cases that allow for analytical treatment. The results of our analysis are used as initial conditions in direct numerical simulations of the nonlinear problem and localized excitations are found to persist, as well as to have interesting relaxational dynamics. Analogies of the present problem in contexts related to atomic physics and particularly to Bose-Einstein condensation are discussed.

nlin.PS↗

Resonant enhancement of the jump rate in a double-well potential

We study the overdamped dynamics of a Brownian particle in the double-well potential under the influence of an external periodic (AC) force with zero mean. We obtain a dependence of the jump rate on the frequency of the external force. The dependence shows a maximum at a certain driving frequency. We explain the phenomenon as a switching between different time scales of the system: interwell relaxation time (the mean residence time) and the intrawell relaxation time. Dependence of the resonant peak on the system parameters, namely the amplitude of the driving force A and the noise strength (temperature) D has been explored. We observe that the effect is well pronounced when A/D > 1 and if A/D 1 the enhancement of the jump rate can be of the order of magnitude with respect to the Kramers rate.

nlin.CD↗

Kink propagation in a two-dimensional curved Josephson junction

We consider the propagation of sine-Gordon kinks in a planar curved strip as a model of nonlinear wave propagation in curved wave guides. The homogeneous Neumann transverse boundary conditions, in the curvilinear coordinates, allow to assume a homogeneous kink solution. Using a simple collective variable approach based on the kink coordinate, we show that curved regions act as potential barriers for the wave and determine the threshold velocity for the kink to cross. The analysis is confirmed by numerical solution of the 2D sine-Gordon equation.

nlin.PS↗

Discrete kink dynamics in hydrogen-bonded chains I: The one-component model

We study topological solitary waves (kinks and antikinks) in a nonlinear one-dimensional Klein-Gordon chain with the on-site potential of a double-Morse type. This chain is used to describe the collective proton dynamics in quasi-one-dimensional networks of hydrogen bonds, where the on-site potential plays role of the proton potential in the hydrogen bond. The system supports a rich variety of stationary kink solutions with different symmetry properties. We study the stability and bifurcation structure of all these stationary kink states. An exactly solvable model with a piecewise ``parabola-constant'' approximation of the double-Morse potential is suggested and studied analytically. The dependence of the Peierls-Nabarro potential on the system parameters is studied. Discrete travelling-wave solutions of a narrow permanent profile are shown to exist, depending on the anharmonicity of the Morse potential and the cooperativity of the hydrogen bond (the coupling constant of the interaction between nearest-neighbor protons).

nlin.PS↗

Stationary and moving breathers in a simplified model of curved alpha--helix proteins

The existence, stability and movability of breathers in a model for alpha-helix proteins is studied. This model basically consists a chain of dipole moments parallel to it. The existence of localized linear modes brings about that the system has a characteristic frequency, which depends on the curvature of the chain. Hard breathers are stable, while soft ones experiment subharmonic instabilities that preserve, however the localization. Moving breathers can travel across the bending point for small curvature and are reflected when it is increased. No trapping of breathers takes place.

nlin.PS↗

Nonclassical statistics of intracavity coupled $χ^{(2)}$ waveguides: the quantum optical dimer

A model is proposed where two $χ^{(2)}$ nonlinear waveguides are contained in a cavity suited for second-harmonic generation. The evanescent wave coupling between the waveguides is considered as weak, and the interplay between this coupling and the nonlinear interaction within the waveguides gives rise to quantum violations of the classical limit. These violations are particularly strong when two instabilities are competing, where twin-beam behavior is found as almost complete noise suppression in the difference of the fundamental intensities. Moreover, close to bistable transitions perfect twin-beam correlations are seen in the sum of the fundamental intensities, and also the self-pulsing instability as well as the transition from symmetric to asymmetric states display nonclassical twin-beam correlations of both fundamental and second-harmonic intensities. The results are based on the full quantum Langevin equations derived from the Hamiltonian and including cavity damping effects. The intensity correlations of the output fields are calculated semi-analytically using a linearized version of the Langevin equations derived through the positive-P representation. Confirmation of the analytical results are obtained by numerical simulations of the nonlinear Langevin equations derived using the truncated Wigner representation.

quant-ph↗

Simple Mechanical Equivalents of Stepping Rotary Dynamics in F$_1$-ATPase

Two simple (rotator and one-particle) mechanistic models are suggested to describe simultaneously at a minimal level of sophistication two basic functions of F$_1$-ATPase: a motor regime driven by ATP hydrolysis and its inverted function as ATP synthesis. This description is consistent with the so-called rotary binding-change mechanism, a milestone of functioning ATP synthase, and uses a stepping (driving) function associated with two sequences of time instants, at which hydrolysis and synthesis reactions occur. It is useful to analyse experimental data and numerical simulations indeed predict corresponding dynamic behavior.

physics.bio-ph↗

Transparency Resonances and Bound States of the $δ^\prime$ Junction

Exact positive and negative energy solutions for the eigenvalue problem of the Schrödinger equation in one dimension with a $δ^\prime$ interaction are found and analyzed. An infinite series of transparency resonance levels in the strength of this interaction is shown to exist. This result is against the actual belief that the $δ^\prime$ potential acts as a totally reflecting wall. A finite number of bound states is obtained, contrary to the previous result on the existence of only one bound state. A new effect of a {\it negative stepwise} drop in the electron density across the $δ^\prime$ junction is observed. The solutions are also applied to the propagation of the electromagnetic field in dielectric media.

math-ph↗

Curvature-induced symmetry breaking in nonlinear Schrodinger models

We consider a curved chain of nonlinear oscillators and show that the interplay of curvature and nonlinearity leads to a symmetry breaking when an asymmetric stationary state becomes energetically more favorable than a symmetric stationary state. We show that the energy of localized states decreases with increasing curvature, i.e. bending is a trap for nonlinear excitations. A violation of the Vakhitov-Kolokolov stability criterium is found in the case where the instability is due to the softening of the Peierls internal mode.

patt-sol↗

Quasi-Periodic and Periodic Solutions for Systems of Coupled Nonlinear SCHRÖdinger Equations

We consider travelling periodic and quasiperiodic wave solutions of a set of coupled nonlinear Schrödimger equations. In fibre optics these equations can be used to model single mode fibers with strong birefringence and two-mode optical fibres. Recently these equations appear as modes, which describe pulse-pulse interaction in wavelength-division-multiplexed channels of optical fiber transmission systems. Two phase quasi-periodic solutions for integrable Manakov system are given in tems of two-dimensional Kleinian functions. The reduction of quasi-periodic solutions to elliptic functions is dicussed. New solutions in terms of generalized Hermite polynomilas, which are associated with two-gap Treibich-Verdier potentials are found.

solv-int↗

New boundary conditions for integrable lattices

New boundary conditions for integrable nonlinear lattices of the XXX type, such as the Heisenberg chain and the Toda lattice are presented. These integrable extensions are formulated in terms of a generic XXX Heisenberg magnet interacting with two additional spins at each end of the chain. The construction uses the most general rank 1 ansatz for the 2x2 L-operator satisfying the reflection equation algebra with rational r-matrix. The associated quadratic algebra is shown to be the one of dynamical symmetry for the A1 and BC2 Calogero-Moser problems. Other physical realizations of our quadratic algebra are also considered.

hep-th↗