In any first order phase transition a quantity of fundamental importance is the rate at which bubbles of the equilibrium (“true vacuum”) phase nucleate within the metastable (“false vacuum”) phase. The bubble nucleation rate per unit volume, Γ, can be calculated by a method, due to Coleman, 1 which is based on finding a “bounce” solution to the classical Euclidean field equations. Thus, for a t...

Adaptation is a crucial biological function possessed by many sensory systems. Early work has shown that some influential equilibrium models can achieve accurate adaptation. However, recent studies indicate that there are close relationships between adaptation and nonequilibrium. In this paper, we provide an explanation of these two seemingly contradictory results based on Markov models with re...

We investigate the decoherence dynamics of continuous variable entanglement as the system-environment coupling strength varies from the weak-coupling to the strong-coupling regimes. Due to the existence of localized modes in the strong-coupling regime, the system cannot approach equilibrium with its environment, which induces a nonequilibrium quantum phase transition. We analytically solve the ...

A non-equilibrium, two-phase, three-component compositional model for the simulation of alcohol flooding has been developed and tested. Inter-phase mass transfer algorithms allow for transfer of all three components at high concentrations and high mass flux rates using a two-film model. The model has been used to simulate alcohol floods where the alcohol has an affinity for either the water-ric...

We investigate the relationship between the mixing times of the Glauber dynamics of a statistical mechanical system with its thermodynamic equilibrium structure. For this we consider the mean-field Blume-Capel model, one of the simplest statistical mechanical models that exhibits the following intricate phase transition structure: within a two dimensional parameter space there exists a curve at...

The thermodynamic descriptions of the perovskite phase SrZrO3 and the TbBr3-KBr molten salt system were carried out using the available experimental information. Special attention was paid to the structural behavior of SrZrO3 and the decomposition of K3TbBr6 at low temperature, respectively, to illustrate how to select an appropriate thermodynamic model based on crystal structure and chemistry ...

 Microsegregation is one of the most important phenomena occurs during solidification. It usually results in formation of some unexpected second phases which generally affect the mechanical properties and specially reduce the workability of casting products. The aim of this research is to study the effect of cooling rate and grain refinement on the microsegregation in Al-4.8 wt.% Cu. For this p...

It is well known that the Landau theory of continuous phase transitions is a milestone in the process of the development of phase transition theories. Though it does not tally with the nature of phase transitions in the critical regions, the Landau theory as a phenomenological one has been very successful in many kinds of phase transitions such as the ferroelectric phase transitions, i.e. the v...