models:toy_models:sine_gordon
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| - | ====== Sine-Gordon Model: $ \quad \mathcal{L} = \frac{1}{2} \left( (\partial_\mu \phi)^2 \right) - (1-cos \phi) $ ====== | + | <WRAP lag>$ \mathcal{L} = \frac{1}{2} \left( (\partial_\mu \phi)^2 \right) - (1-cos \phi) $</WRAP> |
| - | <tabbox Why is it interesting?> | + | ====== Sine-Gordon Model ====== |
| - | The Sine-Gordon model is a toy model that helps to understand fundamental notions like [[advanced_notions:quantum_field_theory:duality|duality]] in a simplified setup. | + | <tabbox Intuitive> |
| + | The Sine-Gordon model describes a coupled set of pendulums that hang from a common support rod. | ||
| + | This system is the easiest system where something very non-trivial can happen. | ||
| - | In addition, the equations of the theory permit topological non-trivial solutions called solitons. Many basic features of such solitons can be studied in the Sine-Gordon model in a simplified setup. | + | Usually, when we think of waves we have something like in the following image in mind: |
| + | {{ :models:normalpendulumwave.png?nolink&400 |}} | ||
| + | One pendulum gets pushed a little and since neighboring pendulums are coupled other pendulums also will start to swing. As a result, a wave travels through the system of pendulums. | ||
| - | The name "Sine-Gordon model" is a wordplay, because the equation of motion of the model is similar to the famous [[equations:klein-gordon_equation|Klein-Gordon equation]] and contains a [[basic_tools:trigonometric_functions|sinus function]]. | + | Now, there can also be another type of non-trivial configuration of the system that is less common. We can pick one end of the support rod and twist it by $360^\circ$ while keeping the other end fixed. As a result, we get a twist in the system of pendulums as shown in the following image: |
| + | {{ :models:solitonpendulumwave.png?nolink&400 |}} | ||
| + | | ||
| + | This twist is stable and just sits there as long as we don't do anything. In other words: the twist does not travel, it is stationary. In addition, the twist is stable. The field cannot relax back to the untwisted state since to do this it would need to move all pendulums and since needs too much energy. Such a field configuration is called a [[advanced_notions:quantum_field_theory:solitons|soliton]]. | ||
| - | <tabbox Layman> | + | It becomes important when we study how waves of the usual type travel through our system. The twist is like a barrier where usual waves get reflected. Hence, to fully understand a system like the system of pendulums here, we need to take into account that there can be twists. The most general ground state is not simply the state where all pendulums just hang downwards. This is only the naive ground state. However, the equations that describe the system also permit the twisted configurations and therefore they can appear in nature and must be taken into account. |
| - | {{ :models:normalpendulumwave.png?nolink&400 |}} | ||
| - | {{ :models:solitonpendulumwave.png?nolink&400 |}} | + | |
| - | | + | <tabbox Concrete> |
| - | <tabbox Student> | + | |
| **Specification of the Model** | **Specification of the Model** | ||
| Line 83: | Line 88: | ||
| So in the simplest case we have simply $\phi(\infty)= \phi(-\infty)=0$. In words, this means that there is no twist in the system. However, for all other possible values of the field at the boundary, we have one or more twists in the system. For example, in the example above we twisted the support rod at $x=- \infty$ once by $360^\circ = 2\pi$ and left it at $x= \infty$ as it was. This means the boundary conditions of this field configuration are | So in the simplest case we have simply $\phi(\infty)= \phi(-\infty)=0$. In words, this means that there is no twist in the system. However, for all other possible values of the field at the boundary, we have one or more twists in the system. For example, in the example above we twisted the support rod at $x=- \infty$ once by $360^\circ = 2\pi$ and left it at $x= \infty$ as it was. This means the boundary conditions of this field configuration are | ||
| - | $$ \phi(\infty)0 0, \quad \phi(-\infty)= 2\pi . $$ | + | $$ \phi(\infty) = 0, \quad \phi(-\infty)= 2\pi . $$ |
| This is what characterizes soliton. A soliton is a topological nontrivial field configuration and we can now understand why it is stable. To get rid of such a twist in the system we have to move all pendulums from $x=-\infty$ to $x = \infty$. There are infinitely many pendulums that need to be moved and hence the energy that would be required to get rid of such a twist is infinity. However, the energy stored in the twist is finite. This follows because the field configuration is in the ground state at infinity. The thing is that it is at different ground states at $x=-\infty$ to $x = \infty$. | This is what characterizes soliton. A soliton is a topological nontrivial field configuration and we can now understand why it is stable. To get rid of such a twist in the system we have to move all pendulums from $x=-\infty$ to $x = \infty$. There are infinitely many pendulums that need to be moved and hence the energy that would be required to get rid of such a twist is infinity. However, the energy stored in the twist is finite. This follows because the field configuration is in the ground state at infinity. The thing is that it is at different ground states at $x=-\infty$ to $x = \infty$. | ||
| Line 94: | Line 99: | ||
| **Solitonic Solutions in Detail** | **Solitonic Solutions in Detail** | ||
| + | |||
| Since solitons are stable and static, we now try to find such a solution of the field equations. Static means that a soliton is time-independent and therefore we can make the ansatz that our soliton solution is time independent. This yields the __static Sine-Gordon equation__ | Since solitons are stable and static, we now try to find such a solution of the field equations. Static means that a soliton is time-independent and therefore we can make the ansatz that our soliton solution is time independent. This yields the __static Sine-Gordon equation__ | ||
| Line 111: | Line 117: | ||
| Since we know that at infinity we must have $\partial^x \phi \to 0$ and $\cos \phi \to 1$ in order to have a configuration with finite energy, we can deduce $A=1$. | Since we know that at infinity we must have $\partial^x \phi \to 0$ and $\cos \phi \to 1$ in order to have a configuration with finite energy, we can deduce $A=1$. | ||
| + | |||
| + | {{ :models:kinksol2.png?nolink&400|}} | ||
| Now, using $\cos 2\phi = 1-\sin \phi$ and integrating yields | Now, using $\cos 2\phi = 1-\sin \phi$ and integrating yields | ||
| Line 121: | Line 129: | ||
| We can rewrite this as | We can rewrite this as | ||
| - | $$ \phi(x) = 4\arctan \left( e^{\pm (x-x_)} \right). $$ | + | $$ \phi(x)_k = 4\arctan \left( e^{\pm (x-x_)} \right) \tag{Eq. 1} $$ |
| + | |||
| - | {{ :models:kinksol.png?nolink&400|}} | ||
| The $\pm$ in the exponent corresponds to solitons with winding number $n=\pm 1$. The solution with $n=1$ is known as the __kink solution__ and the solution with $n=-1$ as the __antikink solution__. | The $\pm$ in the exponent corresponds to solitons with winding number $n=\pm 1$. The solution with $n=1$ is known as the __kink solution__ and the solution with $n=-1$ as the __antikink solution__. | ||
| + | {{ :models:kinkenergy.png?nolink&400|}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | When we plot the kink solution we can see that it is a wave-packet of finite energy that is centered around $x_0$. In other words, a kink is like a potential barrier in the system. | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | If we now want to calculate the mass of the kink, we have to integrate the Hamiltonian density since it simply represents the energy. We get the Hamiltonian density, as usual, from the Lagrangian density and the integrated result is | ||
| + | |||
| + | $$ E[\phi] = \int_{-\infty}^\infty dx \left( \frac{1}{2} \left( (\partial_\mu \phi)^2 \right) + (1-cos \phi) \right) = \int_{-\infty}^\infty dx \left( \frac{1}{2} \left( (\partial_\mu \phi)^2 \right) + U(x) \right) $$ | ||
| + | |||
| + | To get the specific energy density of the kink, we need to calculate the derivative of the solution in Eq. 1: | ||
| + | $$ \partial_x \phi(x)_k = \frac{4}{1-e^{2(x-x_)}} = \frac{4}{e^{(x-x_)}+e^{-(x-x_)}} = 2 \text{sech}(x-x_0).$$ | ||
| + | |||
| + | Putting this into the potential yields | ||
| + | |||
| + | $$ U(x) = 2 \text{sech}^2(x-x_0). $$ | ||
| + | |||
| + | The total energy of the kink is therefore | ||
| + | |||
| + | $$ E[\phi_k] = 4 \int_{-\infty}^\infty dx \text{sech}^2(x-x_0) = 8. $$ | ||
| ---- | ---- | ||
| Line 135: | Line 164: | ||
| - | <tabbox Researcher> | + | <tabbox Abstract> |
| + | The Sine-Gordon model is [[advanced_notions:duality|dual]] to the massive Thirring model. | ||
| - | <note tip> | + | This is surprising since the Sine-Gordon model is a purely scalar theory, while the massive Thirring model is a purely fermionic theory. However, the solitons in the Sine-Gordon model are fermionic, while the solitons in the Thirring model are scalars. |
| - | The motto in this section is: //the higher the level of abstraction, the better//. | + | |
| - | </note> | + | ^ ^ massive Thirring model ^ Sine-Gordon model | |
| + | | **fermions** | fundamental | solitons | | ||
| + | | **bosons** | solitons | fundamental | | ||
| | | ||
| - | <tabbox Examples> | + | Explicitly this means, that although the Lagrangian of the massive Thirring model and the Sine-Gordon model look completely different, they ultimately describe the same physics. The only thing that is different is the perspective. |
| - | --> Example1# | + | The duality can be shown by verifying that the currents in both theories are equal. Expressed differently, if the greens functions are equal the theories are equal. |
| - | + | ---- | |
| - | <-- | + | |
| - | --> Example2:# | + | The duality was shown by Coleman in |
| - | + | * Coleman, S. (1975). [[https://journals.aps.org/prd/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevD.11.2088|"Quantum sine-Gordon equation as the massive Thirring model"]]. Physical Review D. 11 (8): 2088. | |
| - | <-- | + | |
| + | <tabbox Why is it interesting?> | ||
| + | |||
| + | The Sine-Gordon model is a toy model that helps to understand fundamental notions like [[advanced_notions:duality|duality]] in a simplified setup. | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | In addition, the equations of the theory permit topological non-trivial solutions called solitons. Many basic features of such solitons can be studied in the Sine-Gordon model in a simplified setup. | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | The name "Sine-Gordon model" is a wordplay, because the equation of motion of the model is similar to the famous [[equations:klein-gordon_equation|Klein-Gordon equation]] and contains a [[basic_tools:trigonometric_functions|sinus function]]. | ||
| - | <tabbox FAQ> | ||
| - | | ||
| <tabbox History> | <tabbox History> | ||
| The Sine-Gordon equation was originally | The Sine-Gordon equation was originally | ||
models/toy_models/sine_gordon.1521295059.txt.gz · Last modified: 2018/03/17 13:57 (external edit)
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