<i>Colloquium</i>: Quantum crystallizations of $^{4}\mathrm{He}$ in superfluid far from equilibrium

Author(s): R. Nomura and Y. OkudaBosonic helium is one of the most quantum mechanical materials ever studied in physics. It shows the famous Bose-Einstein condensation at extremely low temperatures. Although the equilibrium properties of boson liquids are now well understood, little is known about their nonequilibrium properties, especially the interfacial...

2d

Editorial: Promoting Inclusive and Respectful Communications

Author(s): Michael Thoennessen[Rev. Mod. Phys. 92, 040001] Published Wed Nov 18, 2020

3w

Large $D$ limit of Einstein’s equations

Author(s): Roberto Emparan and Christopher P. HerzogTaking the limit of a large number of spatial dimensions is a familiar technique in statistical mechanics but, until recently, seldom used in gravity. In this review its use is described in black hole physics, and, through the anti-de Sitter/conformal field theory correspondence, in condensed matter...

3w

Light rays, singularities, and all that

Author(s): Edward WittenStarting from the 1960s, numerous results have been obtained on the global structure of solutions of Einstein’s general relativity. These include the classic singularity theorems of Penrose and Hawking, which imply that under certain rather general conditions singularities are unavoidable. Light rays play an important role in...

4w

Hadronic structure in high-energy collisions

Author(s): Karol Kovařík, Pavel M. Nadolsky, and Davison E. SoperParton distribution functions quantify the nonperturbative QCD structure of protons and nuclei, expressed as probabilities for finding quarks and gluons, in high-energy collisions. Determined by applying advanced quantum field theory to precise experimental measurements using modern statistical...

5w

Mechanical behavior of solid helium: Elasticity, plasticity, and defects

Author(s): John Beamish and Sébastien BalibarAt low temperatures, atoms in classical crystals are localized at lattice sites and can be regarded as distinguishable particles rendering quantum statistics unimportant. In solid helium, however, this situation is different: helium’s small mass and weak interatomic potentials allow the exchange of neighboring...

Oct 2020

<i>Colloquium</i>: Statistical mechanics and thermodynamics at strong coupling: Quantum and classical

Author(s): Peter Talkner and Peter HänggiThe question of how classical systems approach thermal equilibrium is as old as the foundations of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. How quantum systems decohere and thermalize is even more puzzling. This Colloquium provides an account of how the thermal equilibrium of a system is influenced by the presence...

Oct 2020

APS Medal for Exceptional Achievement in Research: Topology and other tools in condensed matter physics

Author(s): Bertrand I. HalperinThe 2019 APS Medal for Excellence in Physics was given to Bertrand I. Halperin. This contribution was invited in conjunction with this award. This article is an extended version of a talk given at the March 2019 meeting of the American Physical Society, summarizing the author’s work in areas linked to topological aspects...

Oct 2020

<i>Colloquium</i>: Unusual dynamics of convection in the Sun

Author(s): Jörg Schumacher and Katepalli R. SreenivasanThe Sun, Earth’s star, is of fundamental interest for life on our planet and remains a source of many scientific mysteries. The motion in its interior is complex and involves diverse physical phenomena at many scales, from nuclear to astronomical. In this Colloquium the unusual flow of mass and...

Oct 2020

Nobel Lecture: How physical cosmology grew

Author(s): P. J. E. PeeblesThe 2019 Nobel Prize for Physics was shared by James Peebles, Michel Mayor, and Didier Queloz. These papers are the text of the address given in conjunction with the award.[Rev. Mod. Phys. 92, 030501] Published Tue Sep 22, 2020

Sep 2020