Phase transitions in self-gravitating systems and bacterial populations surrounding a central body.

We study the nature of phase transitions in a self-gravitating classical gas in the presence of a central body. The central body can mimic a black hole at the center of a galaxy or a rocky core (protoplanet) in the context of planetary formation. In the chemotaxis of bacterial populations, sharing formal analogies with self-gravitating systems, the central body can be a supply of "food" that attracts the bacteria (chemoattractant). We consider both microcanonical (fixed energy) and canonical (fixed temperature) descriptions and study the inequivalence of statistical ensembles. At high energies (respectively, high temperatures), the system is in a "gaseous" phase and at low energies (respectively, low temperatures) it is in a condensed phase with a "cusp-halo" structure, where the cusp corresponds to the rapid increase of the density of the gas at the contact with the central body. For a fixed density ρ_{*} of the central body, we show the existence of two critical points in the phase diagram, one in each ensemble, depending on the core radius R_{*}: for small radii R_{*}R_{*}^{CCP}, there is no phase transition at all. We study how the nature of these phase transitions changes as a function of the dimension of space. We also discuss the analogies and the differences with phase transitions in the self-gravitating Fermi gas [P. H. Chavanis, Phys. Rev. E 65, 056123 (2002)1063-651X10.1103/PhysRevE.65.056123].

Long-term relaxation of one-dimensional self-gravitating systems.

We investigate the long-term relaxation of one-dimensional (1D) self-gravitating systems, using both kinetic theory and N-body simulations. We consider thermal and Plummer equilibria, with and without collective effects. All combinations are found to be in clear agreement with respect to the Balescu-Lenard and Landau predictions for the diffusion coefficients. Interestingly, collective effects reduce the diffusion by a factor ∼10. The predicted flux for Plummer equilibrium matches the measured one, which is a remarkable validation of kinetic theory. We also report on a situation of quasikinetic blocking for the same equilibrium.

Self-gravitating clusters of Fermi-Dirac gas with planar, cylindrical, or spherical symmetry: Evolution of density profiles with temperature.

We calculate density profiles for self-gravitating clusters of an ideal Fermi-Dirac gas with nonrelativistic energy-momentum relation and macroscopic mass at thermal equilibrium. Our study includes clusters with planar symmetry in dimensions D=1,2,3, clusters with cylindrical symmetry in D=2,3, and clusters with spherical symmetry in D=3. Wall confinement is imposed where needed for stability against escape. The length scale and energy scale in use render all results independent of total mass and prove adequate at all temperatures. We present exact analytic expressions for (fully degenerate) T=0 density profiles in four of the six combinations of symmetry and dimensionality. Our numerical results for T>0 describe the emergence, upon quasistatic cooling, of a core with incipient degeneracy surrounded by a more dilute halo. The equilibrium macrostates are found to depend more strongly on the cluster symmetry than on the space dimensionality. We demonstrate the mechanical and thermal stability of spherical clusters with coexisting phases.

Self-gravitating clusters of Bose-Einstein gas with planar, cylindrical, or spherical symmetry: Gaseous density profiles and onset of condensation.

We calculate density profiles for self-gravitating clusters of an ideal Bose-Einstein gas with nonrelativistic energy-momentum relation and macroscopic mass at thermal equilibrium. Our study includes clusters with planar symmetry in dimensions D=1,2,3, clusters with cylindrical symmetry in D=2,3, and clusters with spherical symmetry in D=3. Wall confinement is imposed where needed to prevent escape. The length scale and energy scale in use for the gaseous phase render density profiles for gaseous macrostates independent of total mass. Density profiles for mixed-phase macrostates have a condensed core surrounded by a gaseous halo. The spatial extension of the core is negligibly small on the length scale tailored for the halo. The mechanical stability conditions as evident in caloric curves permit multiple macrostates to coexist. Their status regarding thermal equilibrium is examined by a comparison of free energies. The onset of condensation takes place at a nonzero temperature in all cases. The critical singularities and the nature of the phase transition vary with the symmetry of the cluster and the dimensionality of the space.

Kinetic theory of one-dimensional homogeneous long-range interacting systems with an arbitrary potential of interaction.

Finite-N effects unavoidably drive the long-term evolution of long-range interacting N-body systems. The Balescu-Lenard kinetic equation generically describes this process sourced by 1/N effects but this kinetic operator exactly vanishes by symmetry for one-dimensional homogeneous systems: such systems undergo a kinetic blocking and cannot relax as a whole at this order in 1/N. It is therefore only through the much weaker 1/N^{2} effects, sourced by three-body correlations, that these systems can relax, leading to a much slower evolution. In the limit where collective effects can be neglected, but for an arbitrary pairwise interaction potential, we derive a closed and explicit kinetic equation describing this very long-term evolution. We show how this kinetic equation satisfies an H-theorem while conserving particle number and energy, ensuring the unavoidable relaxation of the system toward the Boltzmann equilibrium distribution. Provided that the interaction is long-range, we also show how this equation cannot suffer from further kinetic blocking, i.e., the 1/N^{2} dynamics is always effective. Finally, we illustrate how this equation quantitatively matches measurements from direct N-body simulations.

Caloric curves of classical self-gravitating systems in general relativity.

We determine the caloric curves of classical self-gravitating systems at statistical equilibrium in general relativity. In the classical limit, the caloric curves of a self-gravitating gas depend on a unique parameter ν=GNm/Rc^{2}, called the compactness parameter, where N is the particle number and R the system's size. Typically, the caloric curves have the form of a double spiral. The "cold spiral," corresponding to weakly relativistic configurations, is a generalization of the caloric curve of nonrelativistic classical self-gravitating systems. The "hot spiral," corresponding to strongly relativistic configurations, is similar (but not identical) to the caloric curve of the ultrarelativistic self-gravitating black-body radiation. We introduce two types of normalization of energy and temperature to obtain asymptotic caloric curves describing, respectively, the cold and the hot spirals in the limit ν→0. As the number of particles increases, the cold and the hot spirals approach each other, merge at ν_{S}^{'}=0.128, form a loop above ν_{S}=0.1415, reduce to a point at ν_{max}=0.1764, and finally disappear. Therefore, the double spiral shrinks when the compactness parameter ν increases, implying that general relativistic effects render the system more unstable. We discuss the nature of the gravitational collapse at low and high energies with respect to a dynamical (fast) or a thermodynamical (slow) instability. We also provide an historical account of the developments of the statistical mechanics of classical self-gravitating systems in Newtonian gravity and general relativity.

Kinetic theory of one-dimensional homogeneous long-range interacting systems sourced by 1/N

The long-term dynamics of long-range interacting N-body systems can generically be described by the Balescu-Lenard kinetic equation. However, for one-dimensional homogeneous systems, this collision operator exactly vanishes by symmetry. These systems undergo a kinetic blocking, and cannot relax as a whole under 1/N resonant effects. As a result, these systems can only relax under 1/N^{2} effects, and their relaxation is drastically slowed down. In the context of the homogeneous Hamiltonian mean field model, we present a closed and explicit kinetic equation describing self-consistently the very long-term evolution of such systems, in the limit where collective effects can be neglected, i.e., for dynamically hot initial conditions. We show in particular how that kinetic equation satisfies an H theorem that guarantees the unavoidable relaxation to the Boltzmann equilibrium distribution. Finally, we illustrate how that kinetic equation quantitatively matches with the measurements from direct N-body simulations.

First Star-Forming Structures in Fuzzy Cosmic Filaments.

In hierarchical models of structure formation, the first galaxies form in low-mass dark matter potential wells, probing the behavior of dark matter on kiloparsec scales. Even though these objects are below the detection threshold of current telescopes, future missions will open an observational window into this emergent world. In this Letter, we investigate how the first galaxies are assembled in a "fuzzy" dark matter (FDM) cosmology where dark matter is an ultralight ∼10^{-22} eV boson and the primordial stars are expected to form along dense dark matter filaments. Using a first-of-its-kind cosmological hydrodynamical simulation, we explore the interplay between baryonic physics and unique wavelike features inherent to FDM. In our simulation, the dark matter filaments show coherent interference patterns on the boson de Broglie scale and develop cylindrical solitonlike cores, which are unstable under gravity and collapse into kiloparsec-scale spherical solitons. Features of the dark matter distribution are largely unaffected by the baryonic feedback. On the contrary, the distributions of gas and stars, which do form along the entire filament, exhibit central cores imprinted by dark matter-a smoking gun signature of FDM.

Secular dynamics of long-range interacting particles on a sphere in the axisymmetric limit.

We investigate the secular dynamics of long-range interacting particles moving on a sphere, in the limit of an axisymmetric mean-field potential. We show that this system can be described by the general kinetic equation, the inhomogeneous Balescu-Lenard equation. We use this approach to compute long-term diffusion coefficients, that are compared with direct simulations. Finally, we show how the scaling of the system's relaxation rate with the number of particles fundamentally depends on the underlying frequency profile. This clarifies why systems with a monotonic profile undergo a kinetic blocking and cannot relax as a whole under 1/N resonant effects. Because of its general form, this framework can describe the dynamics of globally coupled classical Heisenberg spins, long-range couplings in liquid crystals, or the orbital inclination evolution of stars in nearly Keplerian systems.

Supernovae: an example of complexity in the physics of compressible fluids.

Because the collapse of massive stars occurs in a few seconds, while the stars evolve on billions of years, the supernovae are typical complex phenomena in fluid mechanics with multiple time scales. We describe them in the light of catastrophe theory, assuming that successive equilibria between pressure and gravity present a saddle-center bifurcation. In the early stage we show that the loss of equilibrium may be described by a generic equation of the Painlevé I form. This is confirmed by two approaches, first by the full numerical solutions of the Euler-Poisson equations for a particular pressure-density relation, secondly by a derivation of the normal form of the solutions close to the saddle-center. In the final stage of the collapse, just before the divergence of the central density, we show that the existence of a self-similar collapsing solution compatible with the numerical observations imposes that the gravity forces are stronger than the pressure ones. This situation differs drastically in its principle from the one generally admitted where pressure and gravity forces are assumed to be of the same order. Moreover it leads to different scaling laws for the density and the velocity of the collapsing material. The new self-similar solution (based on the hypothesis of dominant gravity forces) which matches the smooth solution of the outer core solution, agrees globally well with our numerical results, except a delay in the very central part of the star, as discussed. Whereas some differences with the earlier self-similar solutions are minor, others are very important. For example, we find that the velocity field becomes singular at the collapse time, diverging at the center, and decreasing slowly outside the core, whereas previous works described a finite velocity field in the core which tends to a supersonic constant value at large distances. This discrepancy should be important for explaining the emission of remnants in the post-collapse regime. Finally we describe the post-collapse dynamics, when mass begins to accumulate in the center, also within the hypothesis that gravity forces are dominant.

Effective merging dynamics of two and three fluid vortices: application to two-dimensional decaying turbulence.

We present a kinetic theory of two-dimensional decaying turbulence in the context of two-body and three-body vortex merging processes. By introducing the equations of motion for two or three vortices in the effective noise due to all the other vortices, we demonstrate analytically that a two-body mechanism becomes inefficient at low vortex density n<<1. When the more efficient three-body vortex mergings are considered (involving vortices of different signs), we show that n~t(-ξ), with ξ=1. We generalize this argument to three-dimensional geostrophic turbulence, finding ξ=5/4, in excellent agreement with direct Navier-Stokes simulations [McWilliams et al., J. Fluid Mech. 401, 1 (1999)].

Instability of a uniformly collapsing cloud of classical and quantum self-gravitating Brownian particles.

We study the growth of perturbations in a uniformly collapsing cloud of self-gravitating Brownian particles. This problem shares analogies with the formation of large-scale structures in a universe experiencing a "big-crunch" or with the formation of stars in a molecular cloud experiencing gravitational collapse. Starting from the barotropic Smoluchowski-Poisson system, we derive a new equation describing the evolution of the density contrast in the comoving (collapsing) frame. This equation can serve as a prototype to study the process of self-organization in complex media with structureless initial conditions. We solve this equation analytically in the linear regime and compare the results with those obtained by using the "Jeans swindle" in a static medium. The stability criteria, as well as the laws for the time evolution of the perturbations, differ. The Jeans criterion is expressed in terms of a critical wavelength λ(J) while our criterion is expressed in terms of a critical polytropic index γ(4/3). In a static background, the system is stable for λ<λ(J) and unstable for λ>λ(J). In a collapsing cloud, the system is stable for γ>γ(4/3) and unstable for γ<γ(4/3). If γ=γ(4/3), it is stable for λ<λ(J) and unstable for λ>λ(J). We also study the fragmentation process in the nonlinear regime. We determine the growth of the skewness, the long-wavelength tail of the power spectrum and find a self-similar solution to the nonlinear equations valid for large times. Finally, we consider dissipative self-gravitating Bose-Einstein condensates with short-range interactions and show that, in a strong friction limit, the dissipative Gross-Pitaevskii-Poisson system is equivalent to the quantum barotropic Smoluchowski-Poisson system. This yields new types of nonlinear mean-field Fokker-Planck equations, including quantum effects.

Noise-induced dynamical phase transitions in long-range systems.

In the thermodynamic limit, the time evolution of isolated long-range interacting systems is properly described by the Vlasov equation. This equation admits nonequilibrium dynamically stable stationary solutions characterized by a zero order parameter. We show that the presence of external noise sources, such as a heat bath, can reduce their lifetime and induce at a specific time a dynamical phase transition marked by a nonzero order parameter. This transition may be used as a distinctive experimental signature of the temporary existence of nonequilibrium Vlasov-stable states. In particular, we present evidence of a regime characterized by an order parameter pulse. Our analytical results are corroborated by numerical simulations of a paradigmatic long-range model.

Exact analytical solution of the collapse of self-gravitating Brownian particles and bacterial populations at zero temperature.

We provide an exact analytical solution of the collapse dynamics of self-gravitating Brownian particles and bacterial populations at zero temperature. These systems are described by the Smoluchowski-Poisson system or Keller-Segel model in which the diffusion term is neglected. As a result, the dynamics is purely deterministic. A cold system undergoes a gravitational collapse, leading to a finite-time singularity: The central density increases and becomes infinite in a finite time t{coll}. The evolution continues in the postcollapse regime. A Dirac peak emerges, grows, and finally captures all the mass in a finite time t{end}, while the central density excluding the Dirac peak progressively decreases. Close to the collapse time, the pre- and postcollapse evolutions are self-similar. Interestingly, if one starts from a parabolic density profile, one obtains an exact analytical solution that describes the whole collapse dynamics, from the initial time to the end, and accounts for non-self-similar corrections that were neglected in previous works. Our results have possible application in different areas including astrophysics, chemotaxis, colloids, and nanoscience.

Statistical mechanics of Beltrami flows in axisymmetric geometry: theory reexamined.

A simplified thermodynamic approach of the incompressible axisymmetric Euler equations is considered based on the conservation of helicity, angular momentum, and microscopic energy. Statistical equilibrium states are obtained by maximizing the Boltzmann entropy under these sole constraints. We assume that these constraints are selected by the properties of forcing and dissipation. The fluctuations are found to be Gaussian, while the mean flow is in a Beltrami state. Furthermore, we show that the maximization of entropy at fixed helicity, angular momentum, and microscopic energy is equivalent to the minimization of macroscopic energy at fixed helicity and angular momentum. This provides a justification of this selective decay principle from statistical mechanics. These theoretical predictions are in good agreement with experiments of a von Kármán turbulent flow and provide a way to measure the temperature of turbulence and check fluctuation-dissipation relations. Relaxation equations are derived that could provide an effective description of the dynamics toward the Beltrami state and the progressive emergence of a Gaussian distribution. They can also provide a numerical algorithm to determine maximum entropy states or minimum energy states.

Microcanonical quasistationarity of long-range interacting systems in contact with a heat bath.

On the basis of analytical results and molecular dynamics simulations, we clarify the nonequilibrium dynamics of a long-range interacting system in contact with a heat bath. For small couplings with the bath, we show that the system can first be trapped in a Vlasov quasistationary state, then a microcanonical one follows, and finally canonical equilibrium is reached at the bath temperature. We demonstrate that, even out of equilibrium, Hamiltonian reservoirs microscopically coupled with the system and Langevin thermostats provide equivalent descriptions. Our identification of the key parameters determining the quasistationary lifetimes could be exploited to control experimental systems such as the free-electron laser, in the presence of external noise or inherent imperfections.

Dynamical phase transitions in long-range Hamiltonian systems and Tsallis distributions with a time-dependent index.

We study dynamical phase transitions in systems with long-range interactions, using the Hamiltonian mean field model as a simple example. These systems generically undergo a violent relaxation to a quasistationary state (QSS) before relaxing towards Boltzmann equilibrium. In the collisional regime, the out-of-equilibrium one-particle distribution function (DF) is a quasistationary solution of the Vlasov equation, slowly evolving in time due to finite- N effects. For subcritical energy densities, we exhibit cases where the DF is well fitted by a Tsallis q distribution with an index q(t) slowly decreasing in time from q approximately = 3 (semiellipse) to q=1 (Boltzmann). When the index q(t) reaches an energy-dependent critical value q_(crit) , the nonmagnetized (homogeneous) phase becomes Vlasov unstable and a dynamical phase transition is triggered, leading to a magnetized (inhomogeneous) state. While Tsallis distributions play an important role in our study, we explain this dynamical phase transition by using only conventional statistical mechanics. For supercritical energy densities, we report the existence of a magnetized QSS with a very long lifetime.

Fluctuation-dissipation relations and statistical temperatures in a turbulent von Kármán flow.

We experimentally characterize the fluctuations of the nonhomogeneous nonisotropic turbulence in an axisymmetric von Kármán flow. We show that these fluctuations satisfy relations, issued from the Euler equation, which are analogous to classical fluctuation-dissipation relations in statistical mechanics. We use these relations to estimate statistical temperatures of turbulence.

Critical dynamics of self-gravitating Langevin particles and bacterial populations.

We study the critical dynamics of the generalized Smoluchowski-Poisson system (for self-gravitating Langevin particles) or generalized Keller-Segel model (for the chemotaxis of bacterial populations). These models [P. H. Chavanis and C. Sire, Phys. Rev. E 69, 016116 (2004)] are based on generalized stochastic processes leading to the Tsallis statistics. The equilibrium states correspond to polytropic configurations with index n similar to polytropic stars in astrophysics. At the critical index n_{3}=d(d-2) (where d>or=2 is the dimension of space), there exists a critical temperature Theta_{c} (for a given mass) or a critical mass M_{c} (for a given temperature). For Theta>Theta_{c} or MM_{c} the system collapses and forms, in a finite time, a Dirac peak containing a finite fraction M_{c} of the total mass surrounded by a halo. We study these regimes numerically and, when possible, analytically by looking for self-similar or pseudo-self-similar solutions. This study extends the critical dynamics of the ordinary Smoluchowski-Poisson system and Keller-Segel model in d=2 corresponding to isothermal configurations with n_{3}-->+infinity . We also stress the analogy between the limiting mass of white dwarf stars (Chandrasekhar's limit) and the critical mass of bacterial populations in the generalized Keller-Segel model of chemotaxis.

Maximum entropy principle explains quasistationary states in systems with long-range interactions: the example of the Hamiltonian mean-field model.

A generic feature of systems with long-range interactions is the presence of quasistationary states with non-Gaussian single particle velocity distributions. For the case of the Hamiltonian mean-field model, we demonstrate that a maximum entropy principle applied to the associated Vlasov equation explains known features of such states for a wide range of initial conditions. We are able to reproduce velocity distribution functions with an analytic expression which is derived from the theory with no adjustable parameters. A normal diffusion of angles is detected, which is consistent with Gaussian tails of velocity distributions. A dynamical effect, two oscillating clusters surrounded by a halo, is also found and theoretically justified.