Finite temperature effective actions

We present, from first principles, a direct method for evaluating the exact fermion propagator in the presence of a general background held at finite temperature, which can be used to determine the finite temperature effective action for the system. As applications, we determine the complete one loop finite temperature effective actions for (0 + 1)-dimensional QED as well as the Schwinger model. These effective actions, which are derived in the real time (closed time path) formalism, generate systematically all the Feynman amplitudes calculated in thermal perturbation theory and also show that the retarded (advanced) amplitudes vanish in these theories. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Number of particle creation and decoherence in the nonideal dynamical Casimir effect at finite temperature

In this work we investigate the dynamical Casimir effect in a nonideal cavity by deriving an effective Hamiltonian. We first compute a general expression for the average number of particle creation, applicable for any law of motion of the cavity boundary, under the only restriction of small velocities. We also compute a general expression for the linear entropy of an arbitrary state prepared in a selected mode, also applicable for any law of motion of a slow moving boundary. As an application of our results we have analyzed both the average number of particle creation and linear entropy within a particular oscillatory motion of the cavity boundary. On the basis of these expressions we develop a comprehensive analysis of the resonances in the number of particle creation in the nonideal dynamical Casimir effect. We also demonstrate the occurrence of resonances in the loss of purity of the initial state and estimate the decoherence times associated with these resonances. Since our results were obtained in the framework of the perturbation theory, they are restricted, under resonant conditions, to a short-time approximation. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Predicting random effects with an expanded finite population mixed model

Prediction of random effects is an important problem with expanding applications. In the simplest context, the problem corresponds to prediction of the latent value (the mean) of a realized cluster selected via two-stage sampling. Recently, Stanek and Singer [Predicting random effects from finite population clustered samples with response error. J. Amer. Statist. Assoc. 99, 119-130] developed best linear unbiased predictors (BLUP) under a finite population mixed model that outperform BLUPs from mixed models and superpopulation models. Their setup, however, does not allow for unequally sized clusters. To overcome this drawback, we consider an expanded finite population mixed model based on a larger set of random variables that span a higher dimensional space than those typically applied to such problems. We show that BLUPs for linear combinations of the realized cluster means derived under such a model have considerably smaller mean squared error (MSE) than those obtained from mixed models, superpopulation models, and finite population mixed models. We motivate our general approach by an example developed for two-stage cluster sampling and show that it faithfully captures the stochastic aspects of sampling in the problem. We also consider simulation studies to illustrate the increased accuracy of the BLUP obtained under the expanded finite population mixed model. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

ENO adaptive method for solving one-dimensional conservation laws

In this work an efficient third order non-linear finite difference scheme for solving adaptively hyperbolic systems of one-dimensional conservation laws is developed. The method is based oil applying to the solution of the differential equation an interpolating wavelet transform at each time step, generating a multilevel representation for the solution, which is thresholded and a sparse point representation is generated. The numerical fluxes obtained by a Lax-Friedrichs flux splitting are evaluated oil the sparse grid by an essentially non-oscillatory (ENO) approximation, which chooses the locally smoothest stencil among all the possibilities for each point of the sparse grid. The time evolution of the differential operator is done on this sparse representation by a total variation diminishing (TVD) Runge-Kutta method. Four classical examples of initial value problems for the Euler equations of gas dynamics are accurately solved and their sparse solutions are analyzed with respect to the threshold parameters, confirming the efficiency of the wavelet transform as an adaptive grid generation technique. (C) 2008 IMACS. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Symmetry breaking in the genetic code: Finite groups

We investigate the possibility of interpreting the degeneracy of the genetic code, i.e., the feature that different codons (base triplets) of DNA are transcribed into the same amino acid, as the result of a symmetry breaking process, in the context of finite groups. In the first part of this paper, we give the complete list of all codon representations (64-dimensional irreducible representations) of simple finite groups and their satellites (central extensions and extensions by outer automorphisms). In the second part, we analyze the branching rules for the codon representations found in the first part by computational methods, using a software package for computational group theory. The final result is a complete classification of the possible schemes, based on finite simple groups, that reproduce the multiplet structure of the genetic code. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nonhomogeneous subalgebras of Lie and special Jordan superalgebras

We consider polynomial identities satisfied by nonhomogeneous subalgebras of Lie and special Jordan superalgebras: we ignore the grading and regard the superalgebra as an ordinary algebra. The Lie case has been studied by Volichenko and Baranov: they found identities in degrees 3, 4 and 5 which imply all the identities in degrees <= 6. We simplify their identities in degree 5, and show that there are no new identities in degree 7. The Jordan case has not previously been studied: we find identities in degrees 3, 4, 5 and 6 which imply all the identities in degrees <= 6, and demonstrate the existence of further new identities in degree 7. our proofs depend on computer algebra: we use the representation theory of the symmetric group, the Hermite normal form of an integer matrix, the LLL algorithm for lattice basis reduction, and the Chinese remainder theorem. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Excitations and finite-size properties of an integrable supersymmetric electronic model

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Two-dimensional modeling of material failure in reinforced concrete by means of a continuum strong discontinuity approach

The paper presents a new methodology to model material failure, in two-dimensional reinforced concrete members, using the Continuum Strong Discontinuity Approach (CSDA). The mixture theory is used as the methodological approach to model reinforced concrete as a composite material, constituted by a plain concrete matrix reinforced with two embedded orthogonal long fiber bundles (rebars). Matrix failure is modeled on the basis of a continuum damage model, equipped with strain softening, whereas the rebars effects are modeled by means of phenomenological constitutive models devised to reproduce the axial non-linear behavior, as well as the bondslip and dowel effects. The proposed methodology extends the fundamental ingredients of the standard Strong Discontinuity Approach, and the embedded discontinuity finite element formulations, in homogeneous materials, to matrix/fiber composite materials, as reinforced concrete. The specific aspects of the material failure modeling for those composites are also addressed. A number of available experimental tests are reproduced in order to illustrate the feasibility of the proposed methodology. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Two-dimensional position-dependent massive particles in the presence of magnetic fields

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Numeric simulation of pollutant dispersion by a control-volume based on finite element method

The dispersion of pollutants in the environment is an issue of great interest as it directly affects air quality, mainly in large cities. Experimental and numerical tools have been used to predict the behavior of pollutant species dispersion in the atmosphere. A software has been developed based on the control-volume based on the finite element method in order to obtain two-dimensional simulations of Navier-Stokes equations and heat or mass transportation in regions with obstacles, varying position of the pollutant source. Numeric results of some applications were obtained and, whenever possible, compared with literature results showing satisfactory accordance. Copyright (C) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

NUMERICAL SIMULATION of CONVECTION-DIFFUSION PROBLEMS BY THE CONTROL-VOLUME-BASED FINITE-ELEMENT METHOD

This work presents a numerical study of the tri-dimensional convection-diffusion equation by the control-volume-based on finite-element method using quadratic hexahedral elements. Considering that the equation governing this problem in its main variable may represent several properties, including temperature, turbulent kinetic energy, viscous dissipation rate of the turbulent kinetic energy, specific dissipation rate of the turbulent kinetic energy, or even the concentration of a contaminant in a given medium, among others, the wide applicability of this problem is thus evidenced. Three cases of temperature distributions will be studied specifically in this work, in addition to one case of pollutant dispersion upon analysis of the concentration of a contaminant in a fixed flow point. Some comparisons will be carried out against works found in the open literature, while others will be done according to each phenomenon characteristics.

Finite Element Stress Analysis of Edentulous Mandibles with Different Bone Types Supporting Multiple-Implant Superstructures

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Effect of Superstructure Materials and Misfit on Stress Distribution in a Single Implant-Supported Prosthesis: A Finite Element Analysis

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

A mass-transportation approach to a one dimensional fluid mechanics model with nonlocal velocity

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Finite-well potential in the 3D nonlinear Schrodinger equation: application to Bose-Einstein condensation

Using variational and numerical solutions we show that stationary negative-energy localized (normalizable) bound states can appear in the three-dimensional nonlinear Schrodinger equation with a finite square-well potential for a range of nonlinearity parameters. Below a critical attractive nonlinearity, the system becomes unstable and experiences collapse. Above a limiting repulsive nonlinearity, the system becomes highly repulsive and cannot be bound. The system also allows nonnormalizable states of infinite norm at positive energies in the continuum. The normalizable negative-energy bound states could be created in BECs and studied in the laboratory with present knowhow.