Variational theory of the Ricci curvature tensor dynamics

In this letter a new Lagrangian variational principle is proved to hold for the Einstein field equations, in which the independent variational tensor field is identified with the Ricci curvature tensor $$R^{\mu \nu }$$ R μ ν rather than the metric tensor $$g_{\mu \nu }$$ g μ ν . The corresponding Lagrangian function, denoted as $$L_{R}$$ L R , is realized by a polynomial expression of the Ricci 4-scalar $$R\equiv g_{\mu \nu }R^{\mu \nu }$$ R ≡ g μ ν R μ ν and of the quadratic curvature 4-scalar $$\rho \equiv R^{\mu \nu }R_{\mu \nu }$$ ρ ≡ R μ ν R μ ν . The Lagrangian variational principle applies both to vacuum and non-vacuum cases and for its validity it demands a non-vanishing, and actually also positive, cosmological constant $$\Lambda >0$$ Λ > 0 . Then, by implementing the deDonder–Weyl formalism, the physical conditions for the existence of a manifestly-covariant Hamiltonian structure associated with such a Lagrangian formulation are investigated. As a consequence, it is proved that the Ricci tensor can obey a Hamiltonian dynamics which is consistent with the solutions predicted by the Einstein field equations.

Analytical angular solutions for the atom–diatom interaction potential in a basis set of products of two spherical harmonics: two approaches

We present general analytical expressions for the matrix elements of the atom–diatom interaction potential, expanded in terms of Legendre polynomials, in a basis set of products of two spherical harmonics, especially significant to the recently developed adiabatic variational theory for cold molecular collision experiments [J. Chem. Phys. 143, 074114 (2015); J. Phys. Chem. A 121, 2194 (2017)]. We used two approaches in our studies. The first involves the evaluation of the integral containing trigonometric functions with arbitrary powers. The second approach is based on the theorem of addition of spherical harmonics.

Homotopy Perturbation Method for the Fractal Toda Oscillator

The fractal Toda oscillator with an exponentially nonlinear term is extremely difficult to solve; Elias-Zuniga et al. (2020) suggested the equivalent power-form method. In this paper, first, the fractal variational theory is used to show the basic property of the fractal oscillator, and a new form of the Toda oscillator is obtained free of the exponential nonlinear term, which is similar to the form of the Jerk oscillator. The homotopy perturbation method is used to solve the fractal Toda oscillator, and the analytical solution is examined using the numerical solution which shows excellent agreement. Furthermore, the effect of the order of the fractal derivative on the vibration property is elucidated graphically.

Fermat Metrics

In this paper we present a survey of Fermat metrics and their applications to stationary spacetimes. A Fermat principle for light rays is stated in this class of spacetimes and we present a variational theory for the light rays and a description of the multiple image effect. Some results on variational methods, as Ljusternik-Schnirelmann and Morse Theory are recalled, to give a description of the variational methods used. Other applications of the Fermat metrics concern the global hyperbolicity and the geodesic connectedeness and a characterization of the Sagnac effect in a stationary spacetime. Finally some possible applications to other class of spacetimes are considered.

Variational Analysis of Composite Models with Applications to Continuous Optimization

The paper is devoted to a comprehensive study of composite models in variational analysis and optimization the importance of which for numerous theoretical, algorithmic, and applied issues of operations research is difficult to overstate. The underlying theme of our study is a systematical replacement of conventional metric regularity and related requirements by much weaker metric subregulatity ones that lead us to significantly stronger and completely new results of first-order and second-order variational analysis and optimization. In this way, we develop extended calculus rules for first-order and second-order generalized differential constructions while paying the main attention in second-order variational theory to the new and rather large class of fully subamenable compositions. Applications to optimization include deriving enhanced no-gap second-order optimality conditions in constrained composite models, complete characterizations of the uniqueness of Lagrange multipliers, strong metric subregularity of Karush-Kuhn-Tucker systems in parametric optimization, and so on.

New variational theory for coupled nonlinear fractal Schrödinger system

Purpose The purpose of this paper is the coupled nonlinear fractal Schrödinger system is defined by using fractal derivative, and its variational principle is constructed by the fractal semi-inverse method. The approximate analytical solution of the coupled nonlinear fractal Schrödinger system is obtained by the fractal variational iteration transform method based on the proposed variational theory and fractal two-scales transform method. Finally, an example illustrates the proposed method is efficient to deal with complex nonlinear fractal systems. Design/methodology/approach The coupled nonlinear fractal Schrödinger system is described by using the fractal derivative, and its fractal variational principle is obtained by the fractal semi-inverse method. A novel approach is proposed to solve the fractal model based on the variational theory. Findings The fractal variational iteration transform method is an excellent method to solve the fractal differential equation system. Originality/value The author first presents the fractal variational iteration transform method to find the approximate analytical solution for fractal differential equation system. The example illustrates the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed approach.

Coupling of quantum gravitational field with Riemann and Ricci curvature tensors

The theoretical problem of establishing the coupling properties existing between the classical and quantum gravitational field with the Ricci and Riemann curvature tensors of General Relativity is addressed. The mathematical framework is provided by synchronous Hamilton variational principles and the validity of classical and quantum canonical Hamiltonian structures for the gravitational field dynamics. It is shown that, for the classical variational theory, manifestly-covariant Hamiltonian functions expressed by either the Ricci or Riemann tensors are both admitted, which yield the correct form of Einstein field equations. On the other hand, the corresponding realization of manifestly-covariant quantum gravity theories is not equivalent. The requirement imposed is that the Hamiltonian potential should represent a positive-definite quadratic form when performing a quadratic expansion around the equilibrium solution. This condition in fact warrants the existence of positive eigenvalues of the quantum Hamiltonian in the harmonic-oscillator representation, to be related to the graviton mass. Accordingly, it is shown that in the background of the deSitter space-time, only the Ricci tensor coupling is physically admitted. In contrast, the coupling of quantum gravitational field with the Riemann tensor generally prevents the possibility of achieving a Hamiltonian potential appropriate for the implementation of the quantum harmonic-oscillator solution.