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We present a finite element discretisation to model the interaction between a poroelastic structure and an elastic medium. The consolidation problem considers fully coupled deformations across an interface, ensuring continuity of displacement and total traction, as well as no-flux for the fluid phase. Our formulation of the poroelasticity equations incorporates displacement, fluid pressure, and total pressure, while the elasticity equations adopt a displacement-pressure formulation. Notably, the transmission conditions at the interface are enforced without the need for Lagrange multipliers. We demonstrate the stability and convergence of the divergence-conforming finite element method across various polynomial degrees. The a priori error bounds remain robust, even when considering large variations in intricate model parameters such as Lam\'e constants, permeability, and storativity coefficient. To enhance computational efficiency and reliability, we develop residual-based a posteriori error estimators that are independent of the aforementioned coefficients. Additionally, we devise parameter-robust and optimal block diagonal preconditioners. Through numerical examples, including adaptive scenarios, we illustrate the scheme's properties such as convergence and parameter robustness.

We numerically investigate the role of mechanical stress in modifying the conductivity properties of the cardiac tissue and its impact in computational models for cardiac electromechanics. We follow a theoretical framework recently proposed in [Cherubini, Filippi, Gizzi, Ruiz-Baier, JTB 2017], in the context of general reaction-diffusion-mechanics systems using multiphysics continuum mechanics and finite elasticity. In the present study, the adapted models are compared against preliminary experimental data of pig right ventricle fluorescence optical mapping. These data contribute to the characterization of the observed inhomogeneity and anisotropy properties that result from mechanical deformation. Our novel approach simultaneously incorporates two mechanisms for mechano-electric feedback (MEF): stretch-activated currents (SAC) and stress-assisted diffusion (SAD); and we also identify their influence into the nonlinear spatiotemporal dynamics. It is found that i) only specific combinations of the two MEF effects allow proper conduction velocity measurement; ii) expected heterogeneities and anisotropies are obtained via the novel stress-assisted diffusion mechanisms; iii) spiral wave meandering and drifting is highly mediated by the applied mechanical loading. We provide an analysis of the intrinsic structure of the nonlinear coupling using computational tests, conducted using a finite element method. In particular, we compare static and dynamic deformation regimes in the onset of cardiac arrhythmias and address other potential biomedical applications.

The low-energy light-by-light cross section as determined by the nonlinear Euler-Heisenberg QED Lagrangian is evaluated in the presence of constant magnetic fields in the center-of-mass system of the colliding photons. This cross section has a complicated dependence on directions and polarizations. The overall magnitude decreases as the magnetic field is increased from zero, but this trend is reversed for ultrastrong magnetic fields $B\gtrsim B_c$, where the cross section eventually grows quadratically with the magnetic field strength perpendicular to the collision axis. This effect is due to interactions involving the lowest Landau level of virtual Dirac particles; it is absent in scalar QED. An even more dramatic effect is found for virtual charged vector mesons where the one-loop cross section diverges at the critical field strength due to an instability of the lowest Landau level and the possibility of the formation of a superconducting vacuum state. We also discuss (the absence of) implications for the recent observation of light-by-light scattering in heavy-ion collisions., Comment: 23 pages, 6 figures (v3: minor improvements, references added)

We introduce a family of hybrid discretisations for the numerical approximation of optimal control problems governed by the equations of immiscible displacement in porous media. The proposed schemes are based on mixed and discontinuous finite volume element methods in combination with the optimise-then-discretise approach for the approximation of the optimal control problem, leading to nonsymmetric algebraic systems, and employing minimum regularity requirements. Estimates for the error (between a local reference solution of the infinite dimensional optimal control problem and its hybrid approximation) measured in suitable norms are derived, showing optimal orders of convergence.

This work reports the results of the theoretical investigation of nonlinear dynamics and spiral wave breakup in a generalized two-variable model of cardiac action potential accounting for thermo-electric coupling and diffusion nonlinearities. As customary in excitable media, the common Q10 and Moore factors are used to describe thermo-electric feedback in a 10-degrees range. Motivated by the porous nature of the cardiac tissue, in this study we also propose a nonlinear Fickian flux formulated by Taylor expanding the voltage dependent diffusion coefficient up to quadratic terms. A fine tuning of the diffusive parameters is performed a priori to match the conduction velocity of the equivalent cable model. The resulting combined effects are then studied by numerically simulating different stimulation protocols on a one-dimensional cable. Model features are compared in terms of action potential morphology, restitution curves, frequency spectra and spatio-temporal phase differences. Two-dimensional long-run simulations are finally performed to characterize spiral breakup during sustained fibrillation at different thermal states. Temperature and nonlinear diffusion effects are found to impact the repolarization phase of the action potential wave with non-monotone patterns and to increase the propensity of arrhythmogenesis.

The formation of black holes or naked singularities is studied in a model in which a homogeneous time-dependent scalar field with an exponential potential couples to four dimensional gravity with negative cosmological constant. An analytic solution is derived and its consequences are discussed. The model depends only on one free parameter, which determines the equation of state and decides the fate of the spacetime. Without fine tuning the value of this parameter the collapse ends in a generic formation of a black hole or a naked singularity. The latter case violates the cosmic censorship conjecture., Comment: 16 pages, 6 figures, v3: final version to be published in Class. Quantum Grav

Predictions for charged hadron, identified light hadron, quarkonium, photon, jet and gauge bosons in p+Pb collisions at sqrt s_NN = 5 TeV are compiled and compared. When test run data are available, they are compared to the model predictions., Comment: 84 pages

An addendum to our previous papers in Phys. Lett. B539 (2002) 46 and Phys. Lett. B502 (2001) 51, contributed to the CERN meeting "First data from the LHC heavy ion run", March 4, 2011, Comment: 6 pages, contribution to the CERN meeting "First data from the LHC heavy ion run", March 4, 2011

Proceedings of ISMD08, Comment: Edited by: J. Bartels, K. Borras, G. Gustafson, H. Jung, K. Kutak, S. Levonian, and J. Mnich

We consider second-order viscous hydrodynamics in conformal field theories at finite temperature. We show that conformal invariance imposes powerful constraints on the form of the second-order corrections. By matching to the AdS/CFT calculations of correlators, and to recent results for Bjorken flow obtained by Heller and Janik, we find three (out of five) second-order transport coefficients in the strongly coupled N=4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory. We also discuss how these new coefficents can arise within the kinetic theory of weakly coupled conformal plasmas. We point out that the Mueller-Israel-Stewart theory, often used in numerical simulations, does not contain all allowed second-order terms and, frequently, terms required by conformal invariance., Comment: 32 pages, 1 figure; v2: references added; v3: typos corrected

We give the modification of formulas for $p_{\perp}$-broadening and energy loss which are necessary to calculate parton interactions in a medium with flow. Arguments are presented leading to the conclusion that for large $p_{\perp}$-spectra observed in heavy ion collisions at RHIC, the influence of transverse flow on the determination of the "quenching power" of the produced medium is small. This leaves open the question of the interpretation of data in a consistent perturbative framework., Comment: 8 pages and 4 figures; version v2 includes more consistent notations and correction of fig.2; version v3 contains a misprint correction, an added sentence in section 3C and in the Introduction as well as in section 4 a rephrasing of comments about references [31,32,35]

We use the 2PI effective action of a relativistic scalar field theory to derive kinetic equations for a Bose-condensed system near the phase transition.We start from equations of motion derived within a 1/N-expansion at NLO. In taking the non-relativistic limit we obtain a generalized Gross-Pitaevskii equation for the condensate field. Within the Popov approximation we explicitly compute the collision term up to order g^2 using the Kadanoff-Baym formalism. For the sake of self-consistency we derive in the same way a Boltzmann equation for the non-condensate distribution function. The final results are in agreement to those previously obtained by Griffin, Nikuni and Zaremba and by Stoof., Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures; minor changes, references added

We discuss the inclusive dilepton cross section for proton (quark)-nucleus collisions at high energies in the very forward rapidity region. Starting from the calculation in the quasi-classical approximation, we include low-x evolution effects in the nucleus and predict leading twist shadowing together with anomalous scaling behaviour., Comment: 32 pages, LaTex, 6 figures, a few modifications of the text

We discuss the importance of high-pT hadron and jet measurements in nucleus-nucleus collisions at the CERN Large Hadron Collider., Comment: The writeup of the working group "Jet Physics" for the CERN Yellow Report on "Hard Probes in Heavy Ion Collisions at the LHC", 123 pages. Subgroup convenors: R. Baier, X.N. Wang, U.A. Wiedemann (theory) and I.P. Lokhtin, A. Morsch (experiment). Editor: U.A. Wiedemann

A short summary of the physics underlying jet quenching is given, Comment: 10 pages, LaTex, 11 postscript figures, Proceedings of Quark Matter 2002, Nantes, France, July 18-24, 2002

We discuss the recent claim that hadron multiplicities measured at RHIC energies are directly described in terms of gluon degrees of freedom fixed from the initial conditions of central heavy ion collisions. The argument is based on the parton saturation scenario expected to be valid at high parton densities and on the assumption of conserved gluon number. Alternatively we conjecture that "bottom-up" equilibration before hadronization modifies this picture, due to nonconservation of the number of gluons., Comment: 8 pages

We derive the nonequilibrium real-time evolution of an O(N) - invariant scalar quantum field theory in the presence of a nonvanishing expectation value of the quantum field. Using a systematic 1/N expansion of the 2PI effective action to next-to-leading order, we obtain nonperturbative evolution equations which include scattering and memory effects. The equivalence of the direct method, which requires the resummation of an infinite number of skeleton diagrams, with the auxiliary-field formalism, which involves only one diagram at next-to-leading order, is shown., Comment: 29 pages, 8 figures, PRD version (minor typos corrected, footnote added)

We determine how the yield of large transverse momentum hadrons is modified due to induced gluon radiation off a hard parton traversing a QCD medium. The quenching factor is formally a collinear- and infrared-safe quantity and can be treated perturbatively. In spite of that, in the $p_\perp$ region of practical interest, its value turns out to be extremely sensitive to large distances and can be used to unravel the properties of dense quark-gluon final states produced in heavy ion collisions. We also find that the standard modelling of quenching by shifting $p_\perp$ in the hard parton cross section by the mean energy loss is inadequate., Comment: 20 pp, 5 eps figures

We investigate the time dependence of the quantum statistical model with $\lambda \phi^4/4!$ self-interaction and consider the resulting induced particle number density. For a special example in which the classical approximation exhibits parametric resonance, the effects of the back reaction and especially of collisions, treated in a perturbative way, are analysed., Comment: LaTeX, 9 pages, 7 figures

The induced momentum spectrum of soft gluons radiated from a high energy quark produced in and propagating through a QCD medium is reexamined in the BDMPS formalism. A mistake in our published work (Physical Review C60 (1999) 064902) is corrected. The correct dependence of the fractional induced loss $R(\theta_{{\rm cone}})$ as a universal function of the variable $\theta^2_{{\rm cone}} L^3 \hat q$ where $L$ is the size of the medium and $\hat q$ the transport coefficient is presented. We add the proof that the radiated gluon momentum spectrum derived in our formalism is equivalent with the one derived in the Zakharov-Wiedemann approach., Comment: LaTex, 5 pages, 1 figure

We describe how thermalization occurs in heavy ion collisions in the framework of perturbative QCD. When the saturation scale $Q_s$ is large compared to $\Lambda_{QCD}$, thermalization takes place during a time of order $\alpha^{-13/5}Q_s^{-1}$ and the maximal temperature achieved is $\alpha^{2/5}Q_s$., Comment: 11 pages; acknowledgement added; section IIIB slightly extended, version accepted for publication in Phys. Lett. B

We critically examine recently published results on the thermal production of massive vector bosons in a quark-gluon plasma. We claim the production rate is a collinear safe observable., Comment: 6 pages LATEX document

We investigate the decay of metastable states with broken CP-symmetry which have recently been proposed by Kharzeev, Pisarski and Tytgat to form in hot hadronic matter. We consider the efficiency of the amplification of the $\eta'$-field via parametric resonance, taking the backreaction into account. For times of the order $t\approx 10 fm$, we find a particle density of about $0.7/fm^3$ and a correlation length of $\xi_{max}\approx 2.5 fm$. The corresponding momentum spectra show a non-thermal behaviour., Comment: 11 pages latex file with 4 gif - figures. Uses elsart.cls (included)

We review the properties of energetic parton propagation in hot or cold QCD matter, as obtained in recent works. Advances in understanding the energy loss - collisional and radiative - are summarized, with emphasis on the latter: it features very interesting properties which may help to detect the quark-gluon plasma produced in heavy ion collisions. We describe two different theoretical approaches, which lead to the same radiated gluon energy spectrum. The case of a longitudinally expanding QCD plasma is investigated. The energy lost by a jet with given opening angle is calculated in view of making predictions for the suppression (quenching) of hard jet production. Phenomenological implications for the difference between hot and cold matter are discussed. Numerical estimates of the loss suggest that it may be significantly enhanced in hot compared to cold matter., Comment: 49 pages latex file with 11 embedded PS figures. Uses ar.sty (included), one equation revised. submitted to Annual Review of Nuclear and Particle Science

Within the Closed Time Path Formalism of Thermal Field Theory we calculate the hard photon emission rate as well as the collisional energy-loss rate for a quark-gluon plasma away from chemical equilibrium. Mass singularities are shown to be dynamically screened within HTL-resummed perturbation theory also away from equilibrium. Additional (pinch) singularities are absent and well defined results are obtained., Comment: Talk given at the Japanese Workshop on Thermal Quantum Field Theories and their Applications, Kyoto, Japan, 25.-27. August 1999, 6 pages

We compute the pressure of a finite density quark-gluon plasma at zero temperature to leading order in hard-thermal-loop perturbation theory, which includes the fermionic excitations and Landau damping. The result is compared with the weak-coupling expansion for finite positive chemical potential $\mu$ through order $\alpha_s^2$ and with a quasiparticle model with a mass depending on $\mu$., Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures

The induced momentum spectrum of soft gluons radiated from a high energy quark propagating through a QCD medium is derived in the BDMPS formalism. A calorimetric measurement for the medium dependent energy lost by a jet with opening angle $\theta_{{\rm cone}}$ is proposed.The fraction of this energy loss with respect to the integrated one appears to be the relevant observable.It exhibits a universal behaviour in terms of the variable $\theta^2_{{\rm cone}} L^3 \hat q$ where $L$ is the size of the medium and $\hat q$ the transport coefficient. Phenomenological implications for the differences between cold and hot QCD matter are discussed., Comment: 13 pages and 7 figures, RevTex

We investigate the production rate for hard real photons and the collisional energy loss in the quark-gluon plasma away from chemical equilibrium. Applying the Hard-Thermal-Loop resummation scheme away from equilibrium, we can show that Landau damping provides dynamical screening for both fermion and boson exchange present in the two quantities., Comment: 5 pages RevTeX, 2 figures, remarks for clarification and one reference added, typos corrected

We extend the BDMPS formalism for calculating radiative energy loss to the case when the radiated gluon carries a finite fraction of the quark momentum. Some virtual terms, previously overlooked, are now included. The equivalence between the formalism of BDMPS and that of B.Zakharov is explicitly demonstrated., Comment: 23 pages, 7 eps figures; uses amsmath

We study analytically the medium-induced energy loss of a high energy parton passing through a finite size QCD plasma, which is expanding longitudinally according to Bjorken's model. We extend the BDMPS formalism already applied to static media to the case of a quark which hits successive layers of matter of decreasing temperature, and we show that the resulting radiative energy loss can be as large as 6 times the corresponding one in a static plasma at the reference temperature $T = T (L)$, which is reached after the quark propagates a distance $L$., Comment: 19 pages, REVTEX. 1 figure

The electromagnetic emissivity from QCD media away from equilibrium is studied in the framework of closed time path thermal field theory. For the dilepton rate a nonequilibrium mesonic medium is considered applying finite temperature perturbation theory for $\pi -\rho$ interactions. The dilepton rate is derived up to the order $g_\rho^2$. For hard photon production a quark gluon plasma is assumed and calculations are performed in leading order in the strong coupling constant. These examples are chosen in order to investigate the role of possible pinch terms in boson and in fermion propagators, respectively. The implications of the results for phenomenology are also discussed., Comment: 16 pages LaTeX, 11 figures using epsfig. To be published in the proceedings of the XXXVII-th Cracow School of Theoretical Physics, Dynamics of Strong Interactions, Zakopane, June 1997

In the framework of closed time path thermal field theory we investigate the production rate of hard thermal photons from a QCD plasma away from equilibrium. Dynamical screening provides a finite rate for chemically non-equilibrated distributions of quarks and gluons just as it does in the equilibrium situation. Pinch singularities are shown to be absent in the real photon rate even away from equilibrium., Comment: 10 pages RevTex, 2 ps figures included

The production of soft dileptons in a thermal mesonic medium is discussed in the context of recent CERN experimental data reported by the CERES Collaboration. We do not intend to give a general and critical review, but instead concentrate mainly on our approach, however, incorporating many of the recent attempts in the literature. We calculate the contributions to the dilepton yield arising from pion annihilation and $\pi -\rho$ scattering. It is shown that thermal dileptons from $\pi -\rho$ scattering give a significant contribution to the low-mass yield, however, it can only partly account for the experimentally observed soft dilepton excess seen in S-Au and Pb-Au collisions at SPS energy. The out off-equilibrium effects as well as a dropping vector meson mass are discussed in the context of the thermal dilepton yield. We emphasize, following the results of Li, Ko, and Brown, that, until now, the best way to provide a quantitative explanation of the observed enhancement of low-mass dileptons by the CERN experiments is the assumption of a decreasing vector meson mass in a high density thermal medium., Comment: 9 pages LaTeX, 7 ps figures included, needs stwol.sty Invited talk presented by K. Redlich at the 28th International Conference on High Energy Physics, July 1996, Warszawa, Poland

A systematic study of low mass dilepton production from $\pi-\rho$ interactions in a hot medium is presented. Applying finite temperature perturbation theory the dilepton rate, respectively the virtual photon rate, is computed up to order $g_\rho^2$. For dilepton masses below the $\rho$ the two-body reactions $\pi\pi\to \rho \gamma^*$, $\pi\rho\to \pi \gamma^*$, and the decay process $\rho \to \pi \pi \gamma^*$ give significant contributions. Non-equilibrium contributions to the thermal rate are estimated, including the modification of the particle distribution function with non-zero pion chemical potential. The comparison of the dilepton rate with the recent data measured in nucleus-nucleus collisions at SPS energy by the CERES Collaboration is also performed. It is shown that the additional thermal dileptons from $\pi-\rho$ interactions can partially account for the access of the soft dilepton yield seen experimentally., Comment: 21 pages LaTeX, 8 figs with epsfig.sty macro included

Chiral theories of constituent quarks interacting with bosons and photons at high temperatures are studied. In the expected chirally symmetric phase effective electromagnetic anomalous couplings for e.g. $\pi \sigma \to \gamma \gamma, ~ \gamma \to \pi \pi \pi \sigma, $ etc., are derived by applying functional methods., Comment: 6 pages, LaTeX, Talk at the workshop on QCD: Confinement, Collisions, and Chaos, AUP Paris 1996

The medium-induced $p_{\perp}$-broadening and induced gluon radiation spectrum of a high energy quark or gluon traversing a large nucleus is studied. Multiple scattering of the high energy parton in the nucleus is treated in the Glauber approximation. We show that -dE/dz, the radiative energy loss of the parton per unit length, grows as L, the length of the nuclear matter, as does the characteristic transverse momentum squared of the parton $p_{\perp W}^2$. We find dE/dz = (1/8)\alpha_s N_c $p_{\perp W}^2$ holds independent of the details of the parton-nucleon scatterings so long as L is large. Numerical estimates suggest that $p_{\perp}$-broadening and energy loss may be significantly enhanced in hot matter as compared to cold matter, thus making the study of such quantities a possible signal for quark-gluon plasma formation., Comment: LaTex2e, 18 pages, epsf, 2 postscript figures

The medium induced energy loss spectrum of a high energy quark or gluon traversing a hot QCD medium of finite volume is studied. We model the interaction by a simple picture of static scattering centres. The total induced energy loss is found to grow as $L^2$, where $L$ is the extent of the medium. The solution of the energy loss problem is reduced to the solution of a Schr\"odinger-like equation whose ``potential'' is given by the single-scattering cross section of the high energy parton in the medium. These resuls should be directly applicable to a quark-gluon plasma., Comment: 29 pages, LaTeX2e, 43 figures

The calculation of the radiative energy loss encountered by a fast charged particle which undergoes multiple scattering is being investigated. A detailed derivation of the Landau-Pomeranchuk-Migdal coherent effect in QED is given, focusing on the specific feature of the Coulomb interaction. As a result the radiation intensity per unit length in the coherent regime is shown to be proportional to $\sqrt \omega$ for a photon energy $\omega$ times a logarithmic enhancement which is determined exactly., Comment: 19 pages, LaTeX style

We discuss chiral theories of constituent quarks interacting with bosons at high temperatures. In the chirally symmetric phase we demonstrate by applying functional methods the presence of effective anomalous couplings for e.g. $\pi \sigma \to \gamma \gamma, ~ \gamma \to \pi \pi \pi \sigma, ~K K \to \pi \pi \pi \sigma$, etc., as they have recently been discussed by Pisarski., Comment: 8 pages, ReVTeX

Soft gluon radiation induced by multiple scattering of a fast quark or gluon propagating through QCD matter is discussed. After revisiting the Landau-Pomeranchuk-Migdal effect in QED we show that large formation times of bremsstrahlung quanta determine the QCD radiation intensity (in analogy to QED) and derive the gluon energy spectrum. Coherent suppression takes place as compared to the Bethe-Heitler situation of independent emissions. As a result the energy loss of fast partons in a QCD medium depends on the incident energy $E$ similarly to QED, $-dE/dz \propto \sqrt{E}$., Comment: 13 pages, 3 included figures, latex file

The self-consistent determination of the damping rate of a fast moving fermion in a hot QED plasma is reexamined. We argue how a detailed investigation of the analytic properties of the retarded fermion Green's function motivated by the cutting rules at finite temperature may resolve ambiguities related to the proper definition of the mass-shell condition., Comment: ReVTeX, 10 pages, 2 LaTeX figures included, 3 others available on request