Article

Out-of-equilibrium phase transitions in the HMF model: a closer look

Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
(Impact Factor: 2.29). 05/2011; 83(5 Pt 1):051111. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevE.83.051111
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT

We provide a detailed discussion of out-of-equilibrium phase transitions in the Hamiltonian mean-field (HMF) model in the framework of Lynden-Bell's statistical theory of the Vlasov equation. For two-level initial conditions, the caloric curve β(E) only depends on the initial value f(0) of the distribution function. We evidence different regions in the parameter space where the nature of the phase transitions between magnetized and nonmagnetized states changes: (i) For f(0)>0.10965, the system displays a second-order phase transition; (ii) for 0.109497<f(0)<0.10965, the system displays a second-order phase transition and a first-order phase transition; (iii) for 0.10947<f(0)<0.109497, the system displays two second-order phase transitions; and (iv) for f(0)<0.1047, there is no phase transition. The passage from a first-order to a second-order phase transition corresponds to a tricritical point. The sudden appearance of two second-order phase transitions from nothing corresponds to a second-order azeotropy. This is associated with a phenomenon of phase reentrance. When metastable states are taken into account, the problem becomes even richer. In particular, we find another situation of phase reentrance. We consider both microcanonical and canonical ensembles and report the existence of a tiny region of ensemble inequivalence. We also explain why the use of the initial magnetization M(0) as an external parameter, instead of the phase level f(0), may lead to inconsistencies in the thermodynamical analysis. Finally, we mention different causes of incomplete relaxation that could be a limitation to the application of Lynden-Bell's theory.

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ABSTRACT: We study the thermodynamics of quantum particles with long-range interactions at T = 0. Specifically, we generalize the Hamiltonian mean-field (HMF) model to the case of fermions. We consider the Thomas–Fermi approximation that becomes exact in a proper thermodynamic limit with a coupling constant k ~ N. The equilibrium configurations, described by the mean-field Fermi (or waterbag) distribution, are equivalent to polytropes of index n = 1/2. We show that the homogeneous phase, which is unstable in the classical regime, becomes stable in the quantum regime. The homogeneous phase is stabilized by the Pauli exclusion principle. This takes place through a first-order phase transition where the control parameter is the normalized Planck constant. The homogeneous phase is unstable for , metastable for and stable for . The inhomogeneous phase is stable for , metastable for and disappears for (for , there exists an unstable inhomogeneous phase with magnetization ). We point out analogies between the fermionic HMF model and the concept of fermion stars in astrophysics. Finally, as a by-product of our analysis, we obtain new results concerning the Vlasov dynamical stability of the waterbag distribution which is the ground state of the Lynden-Bell distribution in the theory of violent relaxation of the classical HMF model. We show that spatially homogeneous waterbag distributions are Vlasov-stable iff ≥ c = 1/3 and spatially inhomogeneous waterbag distributions are Vlasov-stable iff ≤ * = 0.379 and b ≥ b* = 0.37, where and b are the normalized energy and magnetization. The magnetization curve displays a first-order phase transition at t = 0.352 and the domain of metastability ranges from c to *.
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