26,939 research outputs found
On the Stability of Approximation for Hamiltonian Path Problems
We consider the problem of finding a cheapest Hamiltonian path of a complete graph satisfying a relaxed triangle inequality, i.e., such that for some parameter β > 1, the edge costs satisfy the inequality c({x, y}) ≤β (c({x, z}) + c({z, y})) for every triple of vertices x, y, z. There are three variants of this problem, depending on the number of prespecified endpoints: zero, one, or two. For metric graphs there exist approximation algorithms, with approximation ratio 3/2 for the first two variants and 5/3 for the latter one.
Using results on the approximability of the Travelling Salesman Problem with input graphs satisfying the relaxed triangle inequality, we obtain for our problem approximation algorithms with ratio in(β 2 + β,3/2 β 2) for zero or one respecified endpoints, and 5/3 β2 for two endpoints
Quantum Dynamics of Lorentzian Spacetime Foam
A simple spacetime wormhole, which evolves classically from zero throat
radius to a maximum value and recontracts, can be regarded as one possible mode
of fluctuation in the microscopic ``spacetime foam'' first suggested by
Wheeler. The dynamics of a particularly simple version of such a wormhole can
be reduced to that of a single quantity, its throat radius; this wormhole thus
provides a ``minisuperspace model'' for a structure in Lorentzian-signature
foam. The classical equation of motion for the wormhole throat is obtained from
the Einstein field equations and a suitable equation of state for the matter at
the throat. Analysis of the quantum behavior of the hole then proceeds from an
action corresponding to that equation of motion. The action obtained simply by
calculating the scalar curvature of the hole spacetime yields a model with
features like those of the relativistic free particle. In particular the
Hamiltonian is nonlocal, and for the wormhole cannot even be given as a
differential operator in closed form. Nonetheless the general solution of the
Schr\"odinger equation for wormhole wave functions, i.e., the wave-function
propagator, can be expressed as a path integral. Too complicated to perform
exactly, this can yet be evaluated via a WKB approximation. The result
indicates that the wormhole, classically stable, is quantum-mechanically
unstable: A Feynman-Kac decomposition of the WKB propagator yields no spectrum
of bound states. Though an initially localized wormhole wave function may
oscillate for many classical expansion/recontraction periods, it must
eventually leak to large radius values. The possibility of such a mode unstable
against growth, combined withComment: 37 pages, 93-
Self-consistent theory of large amplitude collective motion: Applications to approximate quantization of non-separable systems and to nuclear physics
The goal of the present account is to review our efforts to obtain and apply
a ``collective'' Hamiltonian for a few, approximately decoupled, adiabatic
degrees of freedom, starting from a Hamiltonian system with more or many more
degrees of freedom. The approach is based on an analysis of the classical limit
of quantum-mechanical problems. Initially, we study the classical problem
within the framework of Hamiltonian dynamics and derive a fully self-consistent
theory of large amplitude collective motion with small velocities. We derive a
measure for the quality of decoupling of the collective degree of freedom. We
show for several simple examples, where the classical limit is obvious, that
when decoupling is good, a quantization of the collective Hamiltonian leads to
accurate descriptions of the low energy properties of the systems studied. In
nuclear physics problems we construct the classical Hamiltonian by means of
time-dependent mean-field theory, and we transcribe our formalism to this case.
We report studies of a model for monopole vibrations, of Si with a
realistic interaction, several qualitative models of heavier nuclei, and
preliminary results for a more realistic approach to heavy nuclei. Other topics
included are a nuclear Born-Oppenheimer approximation for an {\em ab initio}
quantum theory and a theory of the transfer of energy between collective and
non-collective degrees of freedom when the decoupling is not exact. The
explicit account is based on the work of the authors, but a thorough survey of
other work is included.Comment: 203 pages, many figure
A path-integral approach to Bayesian inference for inverse problems using the semiclassical approximation
We demonstrate how path integrals often used in problems of theoretical
physics can be adapted to provide a machinery for performing Bayesian inference
in function spaces. Such inference comes about naturally in the study of
inverse problems of recovering continuous (infinite dimensional) coefficient
functions from ordinary or partial differential equations (ODE, PDE), a problem
which is typically ill-posed. Regularization of these problems using
function spaces (Tikhonov regularization) is equivalent to Bayesian
probabilistic inference, using a Gaussian prior. The Bayesian interpretation of
inverse problem regularization is useful since it allows one to quantify and
characterize error and degree of precision in the solution of inverse problems,
as well as examine assumptions made in solving the problem -- namely whether
the subjective choice of regularization is compatible with prior knowledge.
Using path-integral formalism, Bayesian inference can be explored through
various perturbative techniques, such as the semiclassical approximation, which
we use in this manuscript. Perturbative path-integral approaches, while
offering alternatives to computational approaches like Markov-Chain-Monte-Carlo
(MCMC), also provide natural starting points for MCMC methods that can be used
to refine approximations.
In this manuscript, we illustrate a path-integral formulation for inverse
problems and demonstrate it on an inverse problem in membrane biophysics as
well as inverse problems in potential theories involving the Poisson equation.Comment: Fixed some spelling errors and the author affiliations. This is the
version accepted for publication by J Stat Phy
Optimal fluctuations and the control of chaos.
The energy-optimal migration of a chaotic oscillator from one attractor to another coexisting attractor is investigated via an analogy between the Hamiltonian theory of fluctuations and Hamiltonian formulation of the control problem. We demonstrate both on physical grounds and rigorously that the Wentzel-Freidlin Hamiltonian arising in the analysis of fluctuations is equivalent to Pontryagin's Hamiltonian in the control problem with an additive linear unrestricted control. The deterministic optimal control function is identied with the optimal fluctuational force. Numerical and analogue experiments undertaken to verify these ideas demonstrate that, in the limit of small noise intensity, fluctuational escape from the chaotic attractor occurs via a unique (optimal) path corresponding to a unique (optimal) fluctuational force. Initial conditions on the chaotic attractor are identified. The solution of the boundary value control problem for the Pontryagin Hamiltonian is found numerically. It is shown that this solution is approximated very accurately by the optimal fluctuational force found using statistical analysis of the escape trajectories. A second series of numerical experiments on the deterministic system (i.e. in the absence of noise) show that a control function of precisely the same shape and magnitude is indeed able to instigate escape. It is demonstrated that this control function minimizes the cost functional and the corresponding energy is found to be smaller than that obtained with some earlier adaptive control algorithms
Nonperturbative dynamics of scalar field theories through the Feynman-Schwinger representation
In this paper we present a summary of results obtained for scalar field
theories using the Feynman-Schwinger (FSR) approach. Specifically, scalar QED
and chi^2phi theories are considered. The motivation behind the applications
discussed in this paper is to use the FSR method as a rigorous tool for testing
the quality of commonly used approximations in field theory. Exact calculations
in a quenched theory are presented for one-, two-, and three-body bound states.
Results obtained indicate that some of the commonly used approximations, such
as Bethe-Salpeter ladder summation for bound states and the rainbow summation
for one body problems, produce significantly different results from those
obtained from the FSR approach. We find that more accurate results can be
obtained using other, simpler, approximation schemes.Comment: 25 pags, 19 figures, prepared for the volume celebrating the 70th
birthday of Yuri Simono
- …