We derive the complex Ginzburg-Landau equation for the dynamical self-diffraction of optical waves in a nonlinear cavity. The case of the reflection geometry of wave interaction as well as a medium that possesses the cubic nonlinearity (including a local and a nonlocal nonlinear responses) and the relaxation is considered. A stable localized spatial structure in the form of a “dark” dissipative soliton is formed in the cavity in the steady state. The envelope of the intensity pattern, as well as of the dynamical grating amplitude, takes the shape of a $\tanh$ function. The obtained complex Ginzburg-Landau equation describes the dynamics of this envelope; at the same time, the evolution of this spatial structure changes the parameters of the output waves. New effects are predicted in this system due to the transformation of the dissipative soliton which takes place during the interaction of a pulse with a continuous wave, such as retention of the pulse shape during the transmission of impulses in a long nonlinear cavity, and giant amplification of a seed pulse, which takes energy due to redistribution of the pump continuous energy into the signal.

The $q$-state Potts model has stood at the frontier of research in statistical mechanics for many years. In the absence of a closed-form solution, much of the past effort has focused on locating its critical manifold, trajectory in the parameter $\{q,e^J\}$ space where $J$ is the reduced interaction, along which the free energy is singular. However, except in isolated cases, antiferromagnetic (AF) models with $J<0$ have been largely neglected. In this paper we consider the Potts model with AF interactions focusing on obtaining its critical manifold in exact and/or closed-form expressions. We first reexamine the known critical frontiers in light of AF interactions. For the square lattice we confirm the Potts self-dual point to be the sole critical frontier for $J>0$. We also locate its critical frontier for $J<0$ and find it to coincide with a solvability condition observed by Baxter in 1982 [R. J. Baxter, Proc. R. Soc. London Ser. A 388, 43 (1982)]. For the honeycomb lattice we show that the known critical frontier holds for all $J$, and determine its critical $q_c=\frac{1}{2}(3+\sqrt{5})=2.61803$ beyond which there is no transition. For the triangular lattice we confirm the known critical frontier to hold only for $J>0$. More generally we consider the centered-triangle (CT) and Union-Jack (UJ) lattices consisting of mixed $J$ and $K$ interactions, and deduce critical manifolds under homogeneity hypotheses. For $K=0$ the CT lattice is the diced lattice, and we determine its critical manifold for all $J$ and find $q_c=3.32472$. For $K=0$ the UJ lattice is the square lattice and from this we deduce both the $J>0$ and $J<0$ critical manifolds and $q_c=3$. Our theoretical predictions are compared with recent numerical results.

The Ising model is studied on a series of hyperbolic two-dimensional lattices which are formed by tessellation of triangles on negatively curved surfaces. In order to treat the hyperbolic lattices, we propose a generalization of the corner transfer matrix renormalization group method using a recursive construction of asymmetric transfer matrices. Studying the phase transition, the mean-field universality is captured by means of a precise analysis of thermodynamic functions. The correlation functions and the density-matrix spectra always decay exponentially even at the transition point, whereas power-law behavior characterizes criticality on the Euclidean flat geometry. We confirm the absence of a finite correlation length in the limit of infinite negative Gaussian curvature.

In this paper we report on bubble growth rates and on the statistics of bubble topology for the coarsening of a dry foam contained in the narrow gap between two hemispheres. By contrast with coarsening in flat space, where six-sided bubbles neither grow nor shrink, we observe that six-sided bubbles grow with time at a rate that depends on their size. This result agrees with the modification to von Neumann's law predicted by J. E. Avron and D. Levine [Phys. Rev. Lett. 69, 208 (1992)]. For bubbles with a different number of sides, except possibly seven, there is too much noise in the growth rate data to demonstrate a difference with coarsening in flat space. In terms of the statistics of bubble topology, we find fewer three-, four-, and five-sided bubbles, and more bubbles with six or more sides, in comparison with the stationary distribution for coarsening in flat space. We also find good general agreement with the Aboav-Weaire law for the average number of sides of the neighbors of an $n$-sided bubble.

We investigate the fine structure of the $sp3$ hybridized covalent bond geometry that governs the tetrahedral architecture around the central C${}_{\alpha }$ carbon of a protein backbone, and for this we develop new visualization techniques to analyze high-resolution x-ray structures in the Protein Data Bank. We observe that there is a correlation between the deformations of the ideal tetrahedral symmetry and the local secondary structure of the protein. We propose a universal coarse-grained energy function to describe the ensuing side-chain geometry in terms of the C${}_{\beta }$ carbon orientations. The energy function can model the side-chain geometry with a subatomic precision. As an example we construct the C${}_{\alpha }$-C${}_{\beta }$ structure of HP35 chicken villin headpiece. We obtain a configuration that deviates less than 0.4 Å in root-mean-square distance from the experimental x-ray structure.

The Metropolitan Seoul Subway system is examined through the use of the gravity model. Exponents describing the power-law dependence on the time distance between stations are obtained, which reveals a universality for subway lines of the same topology. In the short (time) distance regime the number of passengers between stations does not grow with the decrease in the distance, thus deviating from the power-law behavior. It is found that such reduction in passengers is well described by the Hill function. Further, temporal fluctuations in the passenger flow data, fitted to the gravity model modified by the Hill function, are analyzed to reveal the Yule-type nature inherent in the structure of Seoul.

Spherical Couette flow (flow between concentric rotating spheres) is one of flows under consideration for the laboratory magnetic dynamos. Recent experiments have shown that such flows may excite Coriolis restored inertial modes. The present work aims to better understand the properties of the observed modes and the nature of their excitation. Using numerical solutions describing forced inertial modes of a uniformly rotating fluid inside a spherical shell, we first identify the observed oscillations of the Couette flow with nonaxisymmetric, retrograde, equatorially antisymmetric inertial modes, confirming first attempts using a full sphere model. Although the model has no differential rotation, identification is possible because a large fraction of the fluid in a spherical Couette flow rotates rigidly. From the observed sequence of the excited modes appearing when the inner sphere is slowed down by step, we identify a critical Rossby number associated with a given mode, below which it is excited. The matching between this critical number and the one derived from the phase velocity of the numerically computed modes shows that these modes are excited by an instability likely driven by the critical layer that develops in the shear layer, staying along the tangent cylinder of the inner sphere.

Transverse stability of the drive beam is critical to plasma wakefield accelerators. A long, relativistic particle beam propagating in an overdense plasma is subject to beam envelope modulation and centroid displacement (hosing) instabilities. Coupled equations for the beam centroid and envelope are derived and solved. It is shown that the hosing growth rate is comparable to self-modulation, and coupling of the self-modulation enhances beam hosing and induces harmonic content. Large amounts of hosing significantly alters the structure of the plasma wakefields.

A general theory for multiple quasi-phase-matched third-harmonic generation is investigated systematically. We find that there are up to 24 configurations for third-harmonic generation by cascaded two-parametric processes. All these configurations can be divided into three categories based on the coupling types of the harmonic fields. Each category has a set of coupled wave equations that describe its characteristics. The analytical solutions reveal some features, such as the polarization tuning and quasi-phase-matched gap effect.

Large-degree nodes may have a larger influence on the network, but they can be bottlenecks for spreading information since spreading attempts tend to concentrate on these nodes and become redundant. We discuss that the reverse preferential spread (distributing information inversely proportional to the degree of the receiving node) has an advantage over other spread mechanisms. In large uncorrelated networks, we show that the mean number of nodes that receive information under the reverse preferential spread is an upper bound among any other weight-based spread mechanisms, and this upper bound is indeed a logistic growth independent of the degree distribution.

We investigate different one-dimensional quantum spin-$\frac{1}{2}$ chain models, and by combining analytical and numerical calculations we prove that their ground state wave functions in the natural spin basis are multifractals with, in general, nontrivial fractal dimensions.

By applying the Edwards self-consistent field theory, we calculate the polymer density and free energy excesses caused by the presence of nanocolloids in the excluded volume polymer system. Using the obtained results, we have calculated the depletion potential $U$ as a function of the separation between colloids, colloid radius, polymer volume fraction, and polymer gyration radius. Upon analyzing the obtained results against the known exact asymptotic small-separation limit and scaling relations, we propose an approximate expression for $U$ that builds upon our exact result. This expression is shown to give excellent agreement with Monte Carlo simulations. Reliability of the derived analytical expression for the depletion potential and its relation to the previous theoretical and simulation work are thoroughly discussed.

Bending of the seemingly stiff DNA double helix is a fundamental physical process for any living organism. Specialized proteins recognize DNA inducing and stabilizing sharp curvatures of the double helix. However, experimental evidence suggests a high protein-independent flexibility of DNA. On the basis of coarse-grained simulations, we propose that DNA experiences thermally induced kinks associated with the spontaneous formation of internal bubbles. Comparison of the protein-induced DNA curvature calculated from the Protein Data Bank with that sampled by our simulations suggests that thermally induced distortions can account for ∼80$\%$ of the DNA curvature present in experimentally solved structures.

We study mean-field dynamo action in renovating flows with finite and nonzero correlation time ($\tau$) in the presence of shear. Previous results obtained when shear was absent are generalized to the case with shear. The question of whether the mean magnetic field can grow in the presence of shear and nonhelical turbulence, as seen in numerical simulations, is examined. We show in a general manner that, if the motions are strictly nonhelical, then such mean-field dynamo action is not possible. This result is not limited to low (fluid or magnetic) Reynolds numbers nor does it use any closure approximation; it only assumes that the flow renovates itself after each time interval $\tau$. Specifying to a particular form of the renovating flow with helicity, we recover the standard dispersion relation of the ${\alpha }^2\Omega$ dynamo, in the small $\tau$ or large wavelength limit. Thus mean fields grow even in the presence of rapidly growing fluctuations, surprisingly, in a manner predicted by the standard quasilinear closure, even though such a closure is not strictly justified. Our work also suggests the possibility of obtaining mean-field dynamo growth in the presence of helicity fluctuations, although having a coherent helicity will be more efficient.

We consider the dynamics of $N$ rigid particles of arbitrary mass that are constrained to move on a frictionless ring. Collisions between particles are inelastic with a constant coefficient of restitution $e$, and between collisions the particles move with constant velocity. We study sequences of collisions that are self-similar in the sense that the relative positions return to their original relative positions after the collision sequence while the relative velocities are reduced by a constant factor. For a given collision sequence, we develop the analytic machinery to determine the particle velocities and the locations of collisions, and we show that the problem of determining self-similar orbits reduces to solving an eigenvalue problem to obtain the particle velocities and solving a linear system to obtain the locations of interparticle collisions. For inelastic systems, we show that the collision locations can always be uniquely determined. We also show that this is in sharp contrast to the case of elastic systems in which infinite families of self-similar orbits can coexist.

Stochastic thermostats commonly used in molecular dynamics trajectories are known, under certain conditions, to exhibit a synchronization effect whereby trajectories initialized at different points in phase space synchronize to a single master trajectory if they are subjected to the same sequence of random forces. We investigate the spatiotemporal robustness of this effect analytically and with molecular dynamics simulations in one and three dimensions in the strong coupling limit. We first investigate the response of the system to a time- and spacewise local perturbation and show that desynchronization behaves diffusively at long times for infinite systems. We then explore the behavior of temporally persistent but spatially local perturbations and observe strikingly different behaviors as a function of dimensionality: in one dimension, the desynchronization propagates through the whole lattice and grows with time, while in three dimensions, the desynchronization remains localized in the neighborhood of the perturbation.

We build a theoretical platform for predicting the behavior of tethered-bead single-molecule experiments, accounting for bead translational and rotational fluctuations, the specific type of experimental setup, and the detailed application of tension to the tether molecule. Within this framework, the external force applied to the bead is distinguished from the instantaneous force transduced to the tether molecule, resulting in a distinction between the observable response of the bead and the underlying force fluctuations felt by the tether that directly affect the biomolecular processes being studied. Our theoretical model indicates that the spread of the distribution of tether forces increases with applied external force, resulting in substantial deviations between the external and tether forces. We find that the impact of rotational and translational fluctuations of the bead motion is larger in magnetic tweezers than optical tweezers. However, this distinction diminishes at large external forces, and our asymptotic expressions offer a simple route for experimental analyses. Overall, our theory demonstrates that fluctuations in the tether molecule due to bead rotation and translation lead to a broad range of tether forces.

Random matrix theory (RMT) and network methods are applied to investigate the correlation and network properties of 20 financial indices. The results are compared before and during the financial crisis of 2008. In the RMT method, the components of eigenvectors corresponding to the second largest eigenvalue form two clusters of indices in the positive and negative directions. The components of these two clusters switch in opposite directions during the crisis. The network analysis uses the Fruchterman-Reingold layout to find clusters in the network of indices at different thresholds. At a threshold of 0.6, before the crisis, financial indices corresponding to the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific form separate clusters. On the other hand, during the crisis at the same threshold, the American and European indices combine together to form a strongly linked cluster while the Asia-Pacific indices form a separate weakly linked cluster. If the value of the threshold is further increased to 0.9 then the European indices (France, Germany, and the United Kingdom) are found to be the most tightly linked indices. The structure of the minimum spanning tree of financial indices is more starlike before the crisis and it changes to become more chainlike during the crisis. The average linkage hierarchical clustering algorithm is used to find a clearer cluster structure in the network of financial indices. The cophenetic correlation coefficients are calculated and found to increase significantly, which indicates that the hierarchy increases during the financial crisis. These results show that there is substantial change in the structure of the organization of financial indices during a financial crisis.

The phenomenon of liquid bridge formation due to an applied electric field is investigated. A solution of a charged catenary is presented, which allows one to determine the static and dynamical stability conditions where charged liquid bridges are possible. The creeping height, the bridge radius and length, as well as the shape of the bridge are calculated showing an asymmetric profile, in agreement with observations. The flow profile is calculated from the Navier-Stokes equation leading to a mean velocity, which combines charge transport with neutral mass flow and which describes recent experiments on water bridges.

Molecular dynamics simulations were carried out to investigate the reorientational motion of a rigid (fixed bond length), asymmetric diatomic molecule in the liquid and glassy states. In the latter the molecule reorients via large-angle jumps, which we identify with the Johari-Goldstein (JG) dynamics. This relaxation process has a broad distribution of relaxation times, and at least deeply in the glassy state, the mobility of a given molecule remains fixed over time; that is, there is no dynamic exchange among molecules. Interestingly, the JG relaxation time for a molecule does not depend on the local density, although the nonergodicity factor is weakly correlated with the packing efficiency of neighboring molecules. In the liquid state the intensity of the JG process increases significantly, eventually subsuming the slower α relaxation. This evolution of the JG motion into structural relaxation underlies the correlation of many properties of the JG and α dynamics.