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We consider the out-of-equilibrium dynamics of the Hamiltonian Mean Field (HMF) model, by focusing in particular on the properties of single-particle diffusion. As we shall here demonstrate analytically, if the autocorrelation of momenta in the so-called quasi-stationary states can be fitted by a q-exponential, then diffusion ought to be normal for q<2, at variance with the interpretation of the numerical experiments proposed in Refs. A. Pluchino, A. Rapisarda, Progress in Theoretical Physics Supplement 162, 18 (2006); A. Pluchino, V. Latora, A. Rapisarda, Physica A 338, 60 (2004); A. Rapisarda, A. Pluchino, Europhysics News 36, 202 (2005)., Comment: Contributed paper for the international Conference on Complexity, Metastability, and Nonextensivity - CTNEXT 07. To appear in the AIP Conference Proceedings 965

Systems with long-range interactions display a short-time relaxation towards Quasi Stationary States (QSSs) whose lifetime increases with system size. With reference to the Hamiltonian Mean Field (HMF) model, we here show that a maximum entropy principle, based on Lynden-Bell's pioneering idea of "violent relaxation", predicts the presence of out-of-equilibrium phase transitions separating the relaxation towards homogeneous (zero magnetization) or inhomogeneous (non zero magnetization) QSSs. When varying the initial condition within a family of "water-bags" with different initial magnetization and energy, first and second order phase transition lines are found that merge at an out--of--equilibrium tricritical point. Metastability is theoretically predicted and numerically checked around the first-order phase transition line., Comment: Physical Review Letters (2007)

The saturated dynamics of a Single-Pass Free Electron Laser is considered within a simplified mean-field approach. A method is proposed to increase the size of the macro-particle, which is responsible for the oscillations of the intensity of the wave. This approach is based on the reconstruction of invariant tori of the dynamics of test particles. To this aim a dedicated control term is derived, the latter acting as a small apt perturbation of the system dynamics. Implications of these findings are discussed in relation to the optimization of the laser source.

We here discuss the emergence of Quasi Stationary States (QSS), a universal feature of systems with long-range interactions. With reference to the Hamiltonian Mean Field (HMF) model, numerical simulations are performed based on both the original $N$-body setting and the continuum Vlasov model which is supposed to hold in the thermodynamic limit. A detailed comparison unambiguously demonstrates that the Vlasov-wave system provides the correct framework to address the study of QSS. Further, analytical calculations based on Lynden-Bell's theory of violent relaxation are shown to result in accurate predictions. Finally, in specific regions of parameters space, Vlasov numerical solutions are shown to be affected by small scale fluctuations, a finding that points to the need for novel schemes able to account for particles correlations., Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures

The intensity of an electromagnetic wave interacting self-consistently with a beam of charged particles as in a free electron laser, displays large oscillations due to an aggregate of particles, called the macro-particle. In this article, we propose a strategy to stabilize the intensity by re-shaping the macro-particle. This strategy involves the study of the linear stability (using the residue method) of selected periodic orbits of a mean-field model. As parameters of an additional perturbation are varied, bifurcations occur in the system which have drastic effect on the modification of the self-consistent dynamics, and in particular, of the macro-particle. We show how to obtain an appropriate tuning of the parameters which is able to strongly decrease the oscillations of the intensity without reducing its mean-value.

A generic feature of systems with long-range interactions is the presence of {\it quasi-stationary} states with non-Gaussian single particle velocity distributions. For the case of the Hamiltonian Mean Field (HMF) model, we demonstrate that a maximum entropy principle applied to the associated Vlasov equation explains known features of such states for a wide range of initial conditions. We are able to reproduce velocity distribution functions with an analytical expression which is derived from the theory with no adjustable parameters. A normal diffusion of angles is detected and a new dynamical effect, two oscillating clusters surrounded by a halo, is also found and theoretically justified., Comment: 4 pages, 3 figs, submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett

A reduced Hamiltonian formulation to reproduce the saturated regime of a single pass free electron laser, around perfect tuning, is here discussed. Asymptotically, $N\_m$ particles are found to organize in a dense cluster, that evolves as an individual massive unit. The remaining particles fill the surrounding uniform sea, spanning a finite portion of phase space, approximately delimited by the average momenta $\omega\_+$ and $\omega\_-$. These quantities enter the model as external parameters, which can be self-consistently determined within the proposed theoretical framework. To this aim, we make use of a statistical mechanics treatment of the Vlasov equation, that governs the initial amplification process. Simulations of the reduced dynamics are shown to successfully capture the oscillating regime observed within the original $N$-body picture., Comment: European Physical Journal B in press (2006) in press