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In extended inflation, the inflationary era is brought to a close by the process of percolation of true vacuum bubbles produced in a first-order phase transition. This paper discusses several effects that might obtain if the universe undergoes an inflationary first-order phase transition.
The simple case of a homogeneous planet without first-order phase transitions is considered and an investigation is conducted concerning a pure hydrogen planet in which a first-order phase transition takes place from fluid molecular hydrogen to fluid metallic hydrogen. Attention is also given to convection in the presence of a compositional gradient, the effects of helium insolubility in a cooling hydrogen-helium planet, a hydrogen-helium planet in its early evolution, and the case in which influence of phase transition occurs much later in the evolution of the planet.
The characteristics of the hadron-to-quark first-order phase transition differ depending on whether charge neutrality is locally or globally fulfilled. In 𝛽-equilibrated matter, these two possibilities correspond to the Maxwell and Gibbs constructions. Recently, we presented a new framework in which a continuously varying parameter allows one to describe a first-order phase transition in intermediate scenarios to the two extremes of fully local and fully global charge neutrality. In this work, we extend the previous framework to finite temperatures and out-of-𝛽 equilibrium conditions, making it available for simulations of core-collapse supernovae and binary neutron star mergers. We investigate its impact on key thermodynamic quantities across a range of baryon densities, temperatures, and electron fractions. We find that when matter is not in 𝛽 equilibrium, the pressure in the mixed phase is not constant even for the case of fully local charge neutrality. Moreover, we compute the thermal index using three different approaches, demonstrating that the finite-temperature extension of an equation of state using a constant thermal index can be ill defined when applied to the mixed phase.
We calculate low-degree l acoustic (p-mode) oscillations of the giant planet Jupiter. We use two Jupiter models, both of which contain a rocky core, an ice mantle, and a hydrogen-rich envelope. One of the models incorporates the 'plasma phase transition' of hydrogen, a first-order phase transition that yields a density discontinuity in the hydrogen-rich envelope. Our calculations of the acoustic oscillation spectrum of Jupiter have taken account of the effects of the rapid rotation of the planet: the Coriolis force, centrifugal force, and deformation of the equilibrium state. The p-mode frequency spectra of the Jupiter models are summarized in several echelle diagrams. We show that the frequency spectra of the low-degree p-modes are strongly affected by the existence of the rocky core and by avoided crossings among high radial-order p-modes with different l's.
We develop an analytic method of inverting the Tolman–Oppenheimer–Volkoff relations to high accuracy. In principle, a specified energy density–pressure relation gives a unique mass–radius (M–R) relation and vice versa. Our method is developed from the strong correlations that are shown to exist between the neutron star mass–radius curve and the equation of state (EOS) or pressure–energy density relation. Selecting points that have masses equal to fixed fractions of the maximum mass, we find a semi-universal power-law relation between the central energy densities, pressures, sound speeds, chemical potentials, and number densities of those stars, with the maximum mass and the radii of one or more fractional maximum mass points. Rms fitting accuracies, for EOSs without large first-order phase transitions, are typically 0.5% for all quantities at all mass points. The method also works well, although less accurately, in reconstructing the EOS of hybrid stars with first-order phase transitions. These results permit, in effect, an analytic method of inverting an arbitrary M–R curve to yield its underlying EOS. We discuss applications of this inversion technique to the inference of the dense matter EOS from measurements of neutron star masses and radii as a possible alternative to traditional Bayesian approaches.
Employing inelastic x-ray scattering and neutron scattering techniques, we observed nematic and magnetic phase transitions with distinct characters in K5Fe4Ag6Te10. Upon cooling, the nematic order undergoes a strongly first-order phase transition followed by a magnetic transition at TN≈34.7K that is consistent with a second-order transition. The temperature difference between these two phase transitions is ∼1.0(8) K. The observed phenomenon can be attributed to a distinctive first-order preemptive Ising-nematic transition, a characteristic unique to a quasi-two-dimensional scenario marked by strong out-of-plane spatial anisotropy due to weak coupling. Our studies establish K5Fe4Ag6Te10 as the first material in the family of iron pnictides and chalcogenides that possesses a nematic tricritical point preceding the magnetic one upon decreasing nematic coupling.
The axial next-nearest-neighbor Ising model predicts a fractal (infinite) set of phases with incommensurate wave vectors that are separated by first-order phase boundaries. This complexity results from a simple frustration condition between nearest- and next-nearest-neighbor interactions along a chain of Ising spins. Using x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy (XPCS), we investigate the surprising antiferromagnetic dynamics that emerge from such a complex phase diagram over a wide range of temperatures. In this work, we present XPCS measurements of the frustrated magnetic chain compound Lu 2 CoMnO 6 and Monte Carlo simulations. Incommensurate magnetic Bragg peaks slide towards commensurate “up-up-down-down” spin order with decreasing temperature and increasing time. Both simulation and experiment support a counterintuitive “upside-down” temperature dependence of the magnetic dynamics: at higher temperatures in the region of first-order phase boundaries, slower dynamics are observed where the speckle maintains its coherence. At the lowest temperatures, where part of the sample adopts commensurate order, the dynamics speed up and result in fast decoherence.
Here we investigate a model of interacting Dirac fermions in 2 + 1 dimensions with M flavors and N colors having the U(M)×SU(N ) symmetry. In the large-N limit, we find that the U(M) symmetry is spontaneously broken in a variety of ways. In the vacuum, when the parity-breaking flavor-singlet mass is varied, the ground state undergoes a sequence of M first-order phase transitions, experiencing M + 1 phases characterized by symmetry breaking U(M)→U(M – k)×U(k) with k ϵ {0, 1, 2, · · · , M}, bearing a close resemblance to the vacuum structure of three-dimensional QCD. At finite temperature and chemical potential, a rich phase diagram with first and second-order phase transitions and tricritical points is observed. Also exotic phases with spontaneous symmetry breaking of the form as U(3)→U(1) 3 , U(4)→U(2)×U(1) 2 , and U(5)→U(2)2×U(1) exist. For a large flavor-singlet mass, the increase of the chemical potential μ brings about M consecutive first-order transitions that separate the low-μ phase diagram with vanishing fermion density from the high-μ region with a high fermion density.
HoCo 2 exhibits a giant magnetocaloric (MC) effect at its first-order magnetostructural phase transition around 77 K, and understanding the thermodynamic nature of this transition in response to external magnetic fields is crucial for its MC applications. In this study, we present a comprehensive investigation of specific heat and magnetization measurements of HoCo 2 under varying magnetic fields. The specific heat measurements qualitatively indicate a transformation from first- to second-order behavior of this phase transition at higher magnetic fields. However, analysis of the power-law dependence of the magnetic entropy change (Δ S M ∝H n ) and the breakdown of universal behavior in the temperature dependence of Δ S M suggest that the first-order nature remains intact, even up to 7 T. This stability of the first-order nature is further manifested through the distinctive non-linear behavior of modified Arrott plots, with a negative slope in the 6–7 T range.
The growing evidence for nano-hertz gravitational waves, from NANOGrav and other observations, may be pointing to a cosmological first-order phase transition at temperatures of $\mathcal{O}(10-100)\;\mathrm{MeV}$. Such an interpretation requires dynamics beyond the Standard Model in this energy range. If so, it may well be the case that core-collapse supernova explosions would recreate the first-order phase transition leaving a unique imprint on the spectrum of neutrinos emitted in the initial few seconds. This scenario is also suggestive of a low-mass seesaw mechanism to explain neutrino masses. We outline the prospects for future observations of Galactic supernovae to uncover the signals of this scenario, which could get further confirmation with additional pulsar timing array data establishing the primordial origin of the observed nano-hertz gravitational waves.
Here we perform the first study of the principal core g-mode oscillation in hybrid stars containing quark matter, utilizing a crossover model for the hadron-to-quark transition inspired by lattice QCD. The ensuing results are compared with our recent findings of g-mode frequencies in hybrid stars with a first-order phase transition using Gibbs constructions. We find that models using Gibbs construction yield g-mode amplitudes and the associated gravitational energy radiated that dominate over those of the chosen crossover model owing to the distinct behaviors of the equilibrium and adiabatic sound speeds in the various models. Based on our results, we conclude that were g modes to be detected in upgraded LIGO and Virgo detectors it would indicate a first-order phase transition akin to a Gibbs construction.
Abstract Initially, vanadium dioxide seems to be an ideal first-order phase transition case study due to its deceptively simple structure and composition, but upon closer inspection there are nuances to the driving mechanism of the metal-insulator transition (MIT) that are still unexplained. In this study, a local structure analysis across a bulk powder tungsten-substitution series is utilized to tease out the nuances of this first-order phase transition. A comparison of the average structure to the local structure using synchrotron x-ray diffraction and total scattering pair-distribution function methods, respectively, is discussed as well as comparison to bright field transmission electron microscopy imaging through a similar temperature-series as the local structure characterization. Extended x-ray absorption fine structure fitting of thin film data across the substitution-series is also presented and compared to bulk. Machine learning technique, non-negative matrix factorization, is applied to analyze the total scattering data. The bulk MIT is probed through magnetic susceptibility as well as differential scanning calorimetry. The findings indicate the local transition temperature ( $$T_c$$ T c ) is less than the average $$T_c$$ T c supporting the Peierls-Mott MIT mechanism, and demonstrate that in bulk powder and thin-films, increasing tungsten-substitution instigates local V-oxidation through the phase pathway VO $$_2\, \rightarrow$$ 2 → V $$_6$$ 6 O $$_{13} \, \rightarrow$$ 13 → V $$_2$$ 2 O $$_5$$ 5 .
The growing evidence for nanohertz gravitational waves, from NANOGrav and other observations, may be pointing to a cosmological first-order phase transition at temperatures of 𝒪(10−100)MeV. Such an interpretation requires beyond the Standard Model dynamics in this energy range. If so, it may well be the case that galactic core-collapse supernova explosions would produce the key components related to the first-order phase transition, leaving detectable imprints on the spectrum of neutrinos emitted in the initial few seconds of the collapse. This might provide further evidence in support of the early universe interpretation of the nanohertz gravitational wave signal. The scenario proposed here is also suggestive of a low-mass seesaw mechanism to explain neutrino masses. We outline the prospects for future observations of Galactic supernovae to uncover the signals of this scenario, with further confirmation from future pulsar timing array measurements of primordial nanohertz gravitational waves.
Developing phase diagrams for inhomogeneous systems in thermodynamics is difficult, in part, due to the large phase space and the possibility of unstable and metastable solutions arising from first-order phase transitions. Pseudo-arclength continuation (PAC) is a method that allows one to trace out stable and unstable solutions of nonlinear systems. Typically, PAC utilizes the Jacobian in order to implement Newton (or quasi-Newton) steps. In this work, we present a Jacobian-free PAC method that is amenable to the usual workflows in inhomogeneous thermodynamics. We demonstrate our method in systems that have first-order phase transitions, including a novel example of polyelectrolyte complex coacervation in confinement, where multiple surface phase transitions occur and can overlap with one another.
A large magnetocaloric effect with its maximum near the boiling point of natural gas occurs in a rare-earth intermetallic compound Nd 2 In. While behaviors of physical properties indicate that paramagnetic-ferromagnetic transformation supporting the large magnetocaloric effect is firstorder in nature, temperature dependent crystallographic study reveals no changes in lattice symmetry and lack of discontinuities either in phase volume or lattice parameters. In this work we discuss how the borderline first-order nature of phase transformation in Nd 2 In is markedly different from conventional firstorder magnetic transitions occurring in other members of the family – isostructural Pr 2 In and non-isostructural Eu 2 In.
Single crystals of X Pt 5 P (X = Al, Ga, and In), belonging to the 1-5-1 family of compounds, were grown from a Pt-P solution at high temperatures, and measurements of the ambient pressure, temperature-dependent magnetization, resistivity, and x-ray diffraction were made. Additionally, the ambient-pressure Hall resistivity and temperature-dependent resistance under pressure were measured on GaPt 5 P. All three compounds have a tetragonal P4/mmm crystal structure at room temperature with metallic transport and weak diamagnetism over the 2–300 K temperature range. Surprisingly, at ambient pressure, both the transport and magnetization measurements on GaPt 5 P show a steplike feature in the 70–90 K region, suggesting a possible structural phase transition. Neither AlPt 5 P nor InPt 5 P have any signatures of a phase transition in their temperature-dependent electrical resistance and magnetization data. Both the hysteretic nature and sharpness of the features in the GaPt 5 P data suggest that the transition is first-order. Further, single-crystal x-ray diffraction measurements provided further details of the structural transition with a possibility of a crystal symmetry different from P4/mmm below the transition temperature. The transition is characterized by anisotropic changes in the lattice parameters and a volume collapse with respect to the high-temperature tetragonal crystal structure. Furthermore, satellite peaks are observed at two distinct and nonequivalent wave vectors (0, 0, 0.5) and (0.5, 0.5, 0.5), and density functional theory calculations present phonon softening, especially at (0.5, 0.5, 0.5), as a possible driving mechanism. Additionally, we find that the structural transition temperature increases rapidly with increasing pressure, reaching room temperature by ~2.2 GPa, highlighting the high degree of pressure sensitivity of GaPt 5 P and fragile nature of its room-temperature structure. Even though the volume collapse and extreme pressure sensitivity suggest chemical pressure should drive a similar structural change in AlPt 5 P, where both unit-cell dimensions and volume are smaller, its structure is found to be the same as that of the room-temperature GaPt 5 P. Overall, GaPt 5 P stands out as a sole member of the 1-5-1 family of compounds for which a temperature-driven structural change has been observed.
In this paper we investigate quark deconfinement in neutrons stars and their mergers, focusing on the effects of higher orders for the phase transition between hadronic and quark matter. The different descriptions we use to describe matter microscopically contain varying particle degrees of freedom, including nucleons, hyperons, Delta baryons, and light and strange quarks. We use tabulated equations of state from the CompOSE database in which the quark deconfinement phase transition is described as being first order, and then smooth it out by introducing a percolation, replacing the single first-order phase transition with two transitions of second or third order. We then perform binary neutron-star merger simulations using these new equations of state, focusing on groups of binaries with the same single-star mass, radius, and tidal deformability, but different equations of state. Here, we go on to discuss differences in their evolution, and the ramifications for interpreting future gravitational wave observations and the potential to learn about dense matter.
A bottom-up Einstein-Maxwell-dilaton holographic model is used to compute, for the first time, the behavior of several transport coefficients of the hot and baryon-rich strongly coupled quark-gluon plasma at the critical point and also across the first-order phase transition line in the phase diagram. The observables under study are the shear and bulk viscosities, the baryon and thermal conductivities, the baryon diffusion, the jet quenching parameter $\hat{q}$, as well as the heavy-quark drag force and the Langevin diffusion coefficients. These calculations provide a phenomenologically promising estimate for these coefficients, given that our model quantitatively reproduces lattice QCD thermodynamics results, both at zero and finite baryon density, besides naturally incorporating the nearly perfect fluidity of the quark-gluon plasma. Here we find that the diffusion of baryon charge, and also the shear and bulk viscosities, are suppressed with increasing baryon density, indicating that the medium becomes even closer to perfect fluidity at large densities. On the other hand, the jet quenching parameter and the heavy-quark momentum diffusion are enhanced with increasing density. The observables display a discontinuity gap when crossing the first-order phase transition line, while developing an infinite slope at the critical point. The transition temperatures associated with different transport coefficients differ in the crossover region but are found to converge at the critical point.