The RANLUX generator: resonances in a random walk test

Using a recently proposed directed random walk test, we systematically investigate the popular random number generator RANLUX developed by Luescher and implemented by James. We confirm the good quality of this generator with the recommended luxury level. At a smaller luxury level (for instance equal to 1) resonances are observed in the random walk test. We also find that the lagged Fibonacci and Subtract-with-Carry recipes exhibit similar failures in the random walk test. A revised analysis of the corresponding dynamical systems leads to the observation of resonances in the eigenvalues of Jacobi matrix.Comment: 18 pages with 14 figures, Essential addings in the Abstract onl

A practical guide to computer simulations

Here practical aspects of conducting research via computer simulations are discussed. The following issues are addressed: software engineering, object-oriented software development, programming style, macros, make files, scripts, libraries, random numbers, testing, debugging, data plotting, curve fitting, finite-size scaling, information retrieval, and preparing presentations. Because of the limited space, usually only short introductions to the specific areas are given and references to more extensive literature are cited. All examples of code are in C/C++.Comment: 69 pages, with permission of Wiley-VCH, see http://www.wiley-vch.de (some screenshots with poor quality due to arXiv size restrictions) A comprehensively extended version will appear in spring 2009 as book at Word-Scientific, see http://www.worldscibooks.com/physics/6988.htm

Recommendations and illustrations for the evaluation of photonic random number generators

The never-ending quest to improve the security of digital information combined with recent improvements in hardware technology has caused the field of random number generation to undergo a fundamental shift from relying solely on pseudo-random algorithms to employing optical entropy sources. Despite these significant advances on the hardware side, commonly used statistical measures and evaluation practices remain ill-suited to understand or quantify the optical entropy that underlies physical random number generation. We review the state of the art in the evaluation of optical random number generation and recommend a new paradigm: quantifying entropy generation and understanding the physical limits of the optical sources of randomness. In order to do this, we advocate for the separation of the physical entropy source from deterministic post-processing in the evaluation of random number generators and for the explicit consideration of the impact of the measurement and digitization process on the rate of entropy production. We present the Cohen-Procaccia estimate of the entropy rate $h(\epsilon,\tau)$ as one way to do this. In order to provide an illustration of our recommendations, we apply the Cohen-Procaccia estimate as well as the entropy estimates from the new NIST draft standards for physical random number generators to evaluate and compare three common optical entropy sources: single photon time-of-arrival detection, chaotic lasers, and amplified spontaneous emission

The Physics of Mind-Matter Interaction at a Distance

The aim of this work is identification and localisation of the interaction between mind and matter, specifically with respect to random number generators, and identification of the type of energy that can alter the degree of randomness of bit-string outputs of these electronic devices. Regarding localisation of the mind/random-number- generator interaction, we believe it occurs through the production of electron+gap pairs in the inversely polarised P-N junction of the Zener diode that is used as a white noise generator, with resulting peaks of non-random current. Conversely, regarding the type of energy acting on the analogue signal, we believe it is made of photons of wavelength ranging from 0.2 to 1.1 \u3bcm, each therefore carrying an energy of between 6.2 and 1.14 eV. The most controversial part concerns the means by which the human mind can produce this type of energy from a distance to act directly on a chosen target, in that it is not possible for it to have been emitted by either the body or brain as biophotons