Dynamics of holographic steady flows near a first-order phase transition

TL;DR

This paper explores the real-time dynamics of steady flows near a holographic first-order phase transition, revealing phase separation, momentum disparities, and characteristic behaviors like rebounding and pinning in obstacle interactions.

Contribution

It extends holographic phase transition studies to non-equilibrium dynamics, analyzing phase separation, momentum loss, and obstacle interactions in a novel real-time framework.

Findings

Phase-separated states with non-zero momentum are achievable.

Disparities in energy and momentum densities characterize phase coexistence.

Four dynamical behaviors (rebounding, pinning, passing, splitting) depend on velocity and obstacle strength.

Abstract

We investigate the physical properties of steady flows in a holographic first-order phase transition model, extending from the thermodynamics at equilibrium to the real-time dynamics far from equilibrium. Through spinodal decomposition or condensation nuclei, the phase-separated state with non-zero momentum can be achieved. In this scenario, we observe a gap between coexisting phases, arising not only from the variations in energy density, but also from the distinctions in momentum density or longitudinal pressure. These disparities are characterized by flow velocity and latent heat. Furthermore, by introducing an inhomogeneous scalar external source to simulate a fixed obstacle, we reveal the dynamical response of momentum loss in the moving system. Notably, starting from an initial phase-separated state with uniform flow velocity, and subsequently interacting it with an obstacle, we find that the moving high-energy phase exhibits four characteristic dynamical behaviors -- rebounding, pinning, passing, and splitting. These behaviors depend on the velocity of the phase and the strength of the obstacle.