5,678 research outputs found
Optimal Image Reconstruction in Radio Interferometry
We introduce a method for analyzing radio interferometry data which produces
maps which are optimal in the Bayesian sense of maximum posterior probability
density, given certain prior assumptions. It is similar to maximum entropy
techniques, but with an exact accounting of the multiplicity instead of the
usual approximation involving Stirling's formula. It also incorporates an Occam
factor, automatically limiting the effective amount of detail in the map to
that justified by the data. We use Gibbs sampling to determine, to any desired
degree of accuracy, the multi-dimensional posterior density distribution. From
this we can construct a mean posterior map and other measures of the posterior
density, including confidence limits on any well-defined function of the
posterior map.Comment: 41 pages, 11 figures. High resolution figures 8 and 9 available at
http://www.astro.uiuc.edu/~bwandelt/SuttonWandelt200
How close can one approach the Dirac point in graphene experimentally?
The above question is frequently asked by theorists who are interested in
graphene as a model system, especially in context of relativistic quantum
physics. We offer an experimental answer by describing electron transport in
suspended devices with carrier mobilities of several 10^6 cm^2V^-1s^-1 and with
the onset of Landau quantization occurring in fields below 5 mT. The observed
charge inhomogeneity is as low as \approx10^8 cm^-2, allowing a neutral state
with a few charge carriers per entire micron-scale device. Above liquid helium
temperatures, the electronic properties of such devices are intrinsic, being
governed by thermal excitations only. This yields that the Dirac point can be
approached within 1 meV, a limit currently set by the remaining charge
inhomogeneity. No sign of an insulating state is observed down to 1 K, which
establishes the upper limit on a possible bandgap
Classical and Quantum Dynamics of a Periodically Driven Particle in a Triangular Well
We investigate the correspondence between classical and quantum mechanics for
periodically time dependent Hamiltonian systems, using the example of a
periodically forced particle in a one-dimensional triangular well potential. In
particular, we consider quantum mechanical Floquet states associated with
resonances in the classical phase space. When the classical motion exhibits
{\it sub}harmonic resonances, the corresponding Floquet states maintain the
driving field's periodicity through dynamical tunneling. This principle applies
both to Floquet states associated with classical invariant vortex tubes
surrounding stable, elliptic periodic orbits and to Floquet states that are
associated with unstable, hyperbolic periodic orbits. The triangular well model
also poses a yet unsolved mathematical problem, related to perturbation theory
for systems with a dense pure point spectrum. The present approximate
analytical and numerical results indicate that quantum tunneling between
different resonance zones is of crucial importance for the question whether the
driven triangular well has a dense point or an absolutely continuous
quasienergy spectrum, or whether there is a transition from the one to the
other.Comment: revtex, 36 pages, 18 figures (available upon request), to appear in
Annals of Physic
Gravitational quantum states of neutrons in a rough waveguide
A theory of gravitational quantum states of ultracold neutrons in waveguides
with absorbing/scattering walls is presented. The theory covers recent
experiments in which the ultracold neutrons were beamed between a mirror and a
rough scatterer/absorber. The analysis is based on a recently developed theory
of quantum transport along random rough walls which is modified in order to
include leaky (absorbing) interfaces and, more importantly, the low-amplitude
high-aperture roughness. The calculations are focused on a regime when the
direct transitions into the continuous spectrum above the absorption threshold
dominate the depletion of neutrons from the gravitational states and are more
efficient than the processes involving the intermediate states. The theoretical
results for the neutron count are sensitive to the correlation radius (lateral
size) of surface inhomogeneities and to the ratio of the particle energy to the
absorption threshold in a weak roughness limit. The main impediment for
observation of the higher gravitational states is the "overhang" of the
particle wave functions which can be overcome only by use scatterers with
strong roughness. In general, the strong roughness with high amplitude is
preferable if one wants just to detect the individual gravitational states,
while the strong roughness experiments with small amplitude and high aperture
are preferable for the quantitative analysis of the data. We also discuss the
ways to further improve the accuracy of calculations and to optimize the
experimental regime.Comment: 48 pages, 14 figure
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