This award supports the collaboration of Professor Per Arne Rikvold of the Physics Department, Center for Materials Research and Technology, and Supercomputer Computations Institute at Florida State University with Professor Hiroyuki Tomita of the Department of Fundamental Sciences in the Faculty of Integrated Human Studies at Kyoto University. Project funding will enable Dr. Rikvold to spend 3.5 months at Kyoto University to study nonequilibrium statistical-mechanics aspects of metastable phases of matter and their decay. Metastable phases are ubiquitous in nature and include such familiar examples as the diamond phase of carbon, supercooled water, and permanent magnets. Drs. Rikvold and Tomita have both previously studied this common but as-yet ill-understood state of matter, using analytical and numerical methods. By bringing together researchers from the U.S. and Japan working on the nonequilibrium statistical mechanics of metastability, the proposed research visit will enhance the research in this area in both countries. The U.S. scientist will have the opportunity to become familiar with the work performed at Kyoto University and other Japanese institutions, while informing Japanese researchers of recent results of U.S. research. Therefore, this proposal fulfills the objectives of the Program in its exchange and transfer of scientific knowledge through international collaboration.
