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We derive a new nonlinear criterion for the occurrence of fast relaxation (crash) events at the edge of high-confinement-mode plasmas. These fast relaxation events called ELMs (edge-localized modes) evolve from ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) instabilities, but the crash is not due only to linear physics. We show that for an ELM crash to occur, the coherence time of the relative phase between potential and pressure perturbations must be long enough to allow growth to large amplitude. This phase coherence time is determined by both linear and nonlinear dynamics. An ELM crash requires that the instability growth rate exceed a critical value, i.e., γ>γc, where γc is set by 1/τc and τc is the phase coherence time. For 0< γ< γc, MHD turbulence develops and drives enhanced turbulent transport. The results indicate that the shape of the growth rate spectrum γ(n) is important to whether the result is a crash or turbulence. We demonstrate that ELMs can be mitigated by reducing the phase coherence time without changing linear instability. These findings also offer an explanation of the occurrence of ELM-free H-mode regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even though synchronization in autonomous systems has been observed for over three centuries, reports of systematic experimental studies on synchronized oscillators are limited. Here, we report on observations of internal synchronization in coupled silicon micromechanical oscillators associated with a reduction in the relative phase random walk that is modulated by the magnitude of the reactive coupling force between the oscillators. Additionally, for the first time, a significant improvement in the frequency stability of synchronized micromechanical oscillators is reported. The concept presented here is scalable and could be suitably engineered to establish the basis for a new class of highly precise miniaturized clocks and frequency references. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate experimentally and numerically that, by injecting common broadband optical noise into two uncoupled lasers, the phases of the respective laser oscillations can be successfully synchronized. Experimental observation of the resulting phase dynamics is achieved using a heterodyne detection method. The present phase synchronization differs from the synchronization induced by coherent light signals or narrow band optical noise in the sense that it occurs without any frequency locking to the injection light. Moreover, it is revealed that there is an optimal intensity of the injection light that maximizes the quality of the phase synchronization. These results can open new perspectives for understanding and functional utilization of the laser phase dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate that E × B shear, V'E×B, governs the dynamics of the cross phase of the peelingballooning-(PB-)mode-driven heat flux, and so determines the evolution from the edge-localized (ELMy) H mode to the quiescent (Q) H mode. A physics-based scaling of the critical E × B shearing rate (V'E×B.cr) for accessing the QH mode is predicted. The ELMy H mode to the QH-mode evolution is shown to follow from the conversion from a phase locked state to a phase slip state. In the phase locked state, PB modes are pumped continuously, so bursts occur. In the slip state, the PB activity is a coherent oscillation. Stronger E × B shearing implies a higher phase slip frequency. This finding predicts a new state of cross phase dynamics and shows a new way to understand the physics mechanism for ELMy to the QH-mode evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a system for observing the correlated phase dynamics of two mesoscopic ensembles of atoms through their collective coupling to an optical cavity. We find a dynamical quantum phase transition induced by pump noise and cavity output coupling. The spectral properties of the superradiant light emitted from the cavity show that at a critical pump rate the system undergoes a transition from the behavior of two independent oscillators to the phase locking that is the signature of quantum synchronization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider a f Josephson junction, which has a bistable zero-voltage state with the stationary phases ...=±f. In the nonzero voltage state the phase "moves" viscously along a tilted periodic double-well potential. When the tilting is reduced quasistatically, the phase is retrapped in one of the potential wells. We study the viscous phase dynamics to determine in which well (-f or +f) the phase is retrapped for a given damping, when the junction returns from the finite-voltage state back to the zero-voltage state. In the limit of low damping, the f Josephson junction exhibits a butterfly effect-extreme sensitivity of the destination well on damping. This leads to an impossibility to predict the destination well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the relative phase between two weakly interacting ID condensates of bosonic atoms after suddenly switching on the tunnel coupling. The following phase dynamics is governed by the quantum sine-Gordon equation. In the semiclassical limit of weak interactions, we observe the parametric amplification of quantum fluctuations leading to the formation of breathers with a finite lifetime. The typical lifetime and density of these "quasibreathers" are derived employing exact solutions of the classical sine-Gordon equation. Both depend on the initial relative phase between the condensates, which is considered as a tunable parameter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissipation encodes the interaction of a quantum system with the environment and regulates the activation regimes of a Brownian particle. We have engineered grain boundary biepitaxial YBaCuO junctions to drive a direct transition from a quantum activated running state to a phase diffusion regime. The crossover to the quantum regime is tuned by the magnetic field and dissipation is described by a fully consistent set of junction parameters. To unravel phase dynamics in moderately damped systems is of general interest for advances in the comprehension of retrapping phenomena and in view of quantum hybrid technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new method is introduced for analysis of interactions between time-dependent coupled oscillators, based on the signals they generate. It distinguishes unsynchronized dynamics from noise-induced phase slips and enables the evolution of the coupling functions and other parameters to be followed. It is based on phase dynamics, with Bayesian inference of the time-evolving parameters achieved by shaping the prior densities to incorporate knowledge of previous samples. The method is tested numerically and applied to reveal and quantify the time-varying nature of cardiorespiratory interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spontaneous contractions of cardiomyocytes are driven by calcium oscillations due to the activity of ionic calcium channels and pumps. The beating phase is related to the time-dependent deviation of the oscillations from their average frequency, due to noise and the resulting cellular response. Here, we demonstrate experimentally that, in addition to the short-time (1-2 Hz), beat-to-beat variability, there are long-time correlations (tens of minutes) in the beating phase dynamics of isolated cardiomyocytes. Our theoretical model relates these long-time correlations to cellular regulation that restores the frequency to its average, homeostatic value in response to stochastic perturbations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We perform experiments and phase model simulations with a ring network of oscillatory electrochemical reactions to explore the effect of random connections and nonisochronicity of the interactions on the pattern formation. A few additional links facilitate the emergence of the fully synchronized state. With larger nonisochronicity, complex rotating waves or persistent irregular phase dynamics can derail the convergence to global synchronization. The observed long transients of irregular phase dynamics exemplify the possibility of a sudden onset of hypersynchronous behavior without any external stimulus or network reorganization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated the phase dynamics of a superconducting tunnel junction at ultralow temperatures in the presence of high damping, where the interaction with environmental degrees of freedom represents the leading energy scale. In this regime, theory predicts the dynamics to follow a generalization of the classical Smoluchowski description, the quantum Smoluchowski equation, thus, exhibiting overdamped quantum Brownian motion characteristics. For this purpose, we have performed current-biased measurements on the small-capacitance Josephson junction of a scanning tunneling microscope placed in a low impedance environment at milli-Kelvin temperatures. We can describe our experimental findings with high accuracy by using a quantum phase diffusion model based on the quantum Smoluchowski equation. In this way we experimentally demonstrate that overdamped quantum systems follow quasiclassical dynamics with significant quantum effects as the leading corrections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new, frequency modulation mechanism for zonal flow pattern formation is presented. The model predicts the probability distribution function of the flow strength as well as the evolution of the characteristic spatial scale. Magnetic toroidicity-induced global phase dynamics is shown to determine the spatial structure of the flow. A key result is the observation that global phase patterning can lead to zonal flow formation in the absence of turbulence inhomogeneity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]