Inspiral, merger and ringdown of unequal mass black hole binaries: a multipolar analysis

We study the inspiral, merger and ringdown of unequal mass black hole binaries by analyzing a catalogue of numerical simulations for seven different values of the mass ratio (from q=M2/M1=1 to q=4). We compare numerical and Post-Newtonian results by projecting the waveforms onto spin-weighted spherical harmonics, characterized by angular indices (l,m). We find that the Post-Newtonian equations predict remarkably well the relation between the wave amplitude and the orbital frequency for each (l,m), and that the convergence of the Post-Newtonian series to the numerical results is non-monotonic. To leading order the total energy emitted in the merger phase scales like eta^2 and the spin of the final black hole scales like eta, where eta=q/(1+q)^2 is the symmetric mass ratio. We study the multipolar distribution of the radiation, finding that odd-l multipoles are suppressed in the equal mass limit. Higher multipoles carry a larger fraction of the total energy as q increases. We introduce and compare three different definitions for the ringdown starting time. Applying linear estimation methods (the so-called Prony methods) to the ringdown phase, we find resolution-dependent time variations in the fitted parameters of the final black hole. By cross-correlating information from different multipoles we show that ringdown fits can be used to obtain precise estimates of the mass and spin of the final black hole, which are in remarkable agreement with energy and angular momentum balance calculations.Comment: 51 pages, 28 figures, 16 tables. Many improvements throughout the text in response to the referee report. The calculation of multipolar components in Appendix A now uses slightly different conventions. Matches version in press in PR

Xampling in Ultrasound Imaging

Recent developments of new medical treatment techniques put challenging demands on ultrasound imaging systems in terms of both image quality and raw data size. Traditional sampling methods result in very large amounts of data, thus, increasing demands on processing hardware and limiting the exibility in the post-processing stages. In this paper, we apply Compressed Sensing (CS) techniques to analog ultrasound signals, following the recently developed Xampling framework. The result is a system with significantly reduced sampling rates which, in turn, means significantly reduced data size while maintaining the quality of the resulting images.Comment: 17 pages, 9 Figures. Introduced in SPIE Medical Imaging Conference, Orlando Florida, 201

Eigenvector-based multidimensional frequency estimation : identifiability, performance, and applications.

Multidimensional frequency estimation is a classic signal processing problem that has versatile applications in sensor array processing and wireless communications. Eigenvalue-based two-dimensional (2-D) and N -dimensional ( N -D) frequency estimation algorithms have been well documented, however, these algorithms suffer from limited identifiability and demanding computations. This dissertation develops a framework on eigenvector-based N -D frequency estimation, which contains several novel algorithms that estimate a structural matrix from eigenvectors and then resolve the N -D frequencies by dividing the elements of the structural matrix. Compared to the existing eigenvalue-based algorithms, these eigenvector-based algorithms can achieve automatic pairing without an extra frequency pairing step, and tins the computational complexity is reduced. The identifiability, performance, and complexity of these algorithms are also systematically studied. Based on this study, the most relaxed identifiability condition for the N -D frequency estimation problem is given and an effective approach using optimized weighting factors to improve the performance of frequency estimation is developed. These results are applied in wireless communication for time-varying multipath channel estimation and prediction, as well as for joint 2-D Direction-of-arrival (DOA) tracking of multiple moving targets

Optimal choice of Hankel-block-Hankel matrix shape in 2-D parameter estimation: the rank-one case

Revised version.International audienceIn this paper we analyse the performance of 2-D ESPRIT method for estimating parameters of 2-D superimposed damped exponentials. 2-D ESPRIT algorithm is based on low-rank decomposition of a Hankel-block-Hankel matrix that is formed by the 2-D data. Through a first-order perturbation analysis, we derive closed-form expressions for the variances of the complex modes, frequencies and damping factors estimates in the 2-D single-tone case. This analysis allows to define the optimal parameters used in the construction of the Hankel-block-Hankel matrix. A fast algorithm for calculating the SVD of Hankel-block-Hankel matrices is also used to enhance the computational complexity of the 2-D ESPRIT algorithm

Quantum field tomography

We introduce the concept of quantum field tomography, the efficient and reliable reconstruction of unknown quantum fields based on data of correlation functions. At the basis of the analysis is the concept of continuous matrix product states, a complete set of variational states grasping states in quantum field theory. We innovate a practical method, making use of and developing tools in estimation theory used in the context of compressed sensing such as Prony methods and matrix pencils, allowing us to faithfully reconstruct quantum field states based on low-order correlation functions. In the absence of a phase reference, we highlight how specific higher order correlation functions can still be predicted. We exemplify the functioning of the approach by reconstructing randomised continuous matrix product states from their correlation data and study the robustness of the reconstruction for different noise models. We also apply the method to data generated by simulations based on continuous matrix product states and using the time-dependent variational principle. The presented approach is expected to open up a new window into experimentally studying continuous quantum systems, such as encountered in experiments with ultra-cold atoms on top of atom chips. By virtue of the analogy with the input-output formalism in quantum optics, it also allows for studying open quantum systems.Comment: 31 pages, 5 figures, minor change