We examine the time-dependent behavior of a nonlinear system driven by a two-frequency forcing. By using a non-perturbative approach, we are able to derive an asymptotic expression, valid in the long-time limit, for the time average of the output var
iable which describes the response of the system. We identify several universal features of the asymptotic response of the system, which are independent of the details of the model. In particular, we determine an asymptotic expression for the width of the resonance observed by keeping one frequency fixed, and varying the other one. We show that this width is smaller than the usually assumed Fourier width by a factor determined by the two driving frequencies, and independent of the model system parameters. Additional general features can also be identified depending on the specific symmetry properties of the system. Our results find direct application in the study of sub-Fourier signal processing with nonlinear systems.
We analyse the relationship between irrationality and quasiperiodicity in nonlinear driven systems. To that purpose we consider a nonlinear system whose steady-state response is very sensitive to the periodic or quasiperiodic character of the input s
ignal. In the infinite time limit, an input signal consisting of two incommensurate frequencies will be recognised by the system as quasiperiodic. We show that this is in general not true in the case of finite interaction times. An irrational ratio of the driving frequencies of the input signal is not sufficient for it to be recognised by the nonlinear system as quasiperiodic, resulting in observations which may differ by several orders of magnitude from the expected quasiperiodic behavior. Thus, the system response depends on the nature of the irrational ratio, as well as the observation time. We derive a condition for the input signal to be identified by the system as quasiperiodic. Such a condition also takes into account the sub-Fourier response of the nonlinear system.
We consider the problem of the control of transport in higher dimensional periodic structures by applied ac fields. In a generic crystal, transverse degrees of freedom are coupled, and this makes the control of motion difficult to implement. We show,
both with simulations and with an analytical functional expansion on the driving amplitudes, that the use of quasiperiodic driving significantly suppresses the coupling between transverse degrees of freedom. This allows a precise control of the transport, and does not require a detailed knowledge of the crystal geometry.
Recent molecular dynamics simulations show that a dilute relativistic gas equilibrates to a Juettner velocity distribution if ensemble velocities are measured simultaneously in the observer frame. The analysis of relativistic Brownian motion processe
s, on the other hand, implies that stationary one-particle distributions can differ depending on the underlying time-parameterizations. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we demonstrate how this relativistic phenomenon can be understood within a deterministic model system. We show that, depending on the time-parameterization, one can distinguish different types of soft ergodicity on the level of the one-particle distributions. Our analysis further reveals a close connection between time parameters and entropy in special relativity. A combination of different time-parameterizations can potentially be useful in simulations that combine molecular dynamics algorithms with randomized particle creation, annihilation, or decay processes.
By applying a staggered driving force in a prototypical discrete model with a quartic nonlinearity, we demonstrate the spontaneous formation and destruction of discrete breathers with a selected frequency due to thermal fluctuations. The phenomenon e
xhibits the striking features of stochastic resonance (SR): a nonmonotonic behavior as noise is increased and breather generation under subthreshold conditions. The corresponding peak is associated with a matching between the external driving frequency and the breather frequency at the average energy given by ambient temperature.
