Coherent Bayesian analysis of inspiral signals

We present in this paper a Bayesian parameter estimation method for the analysis of interferometric gravitational wave observations of an inspiral of binary compact objects using data recorded simultaneously by a network of several interferometers at different sites. We consider neutron star or black hole inspirals that are modeled to 3.5 post-Newtonian (PN) order in phase and 2.5 PN in amplitude. Inference is facilitated using Markov chain Monte Carlo methods that are adapted in order to efficiently explore the particular parameter space. Examples are shown to illustrate how and what information about the different parameters can be derived from the data. This study uses simulated signals and data with noise characteristics that are assumed to be defined by the LIGO and Virgo detectors operating at their design sensitivities. Nine parameters are estimated, including those associated with the binary system, plus its location on the sky. We explain how this technique will be part of a detection pipeline for binary systems of compact objects with masses up to 20 \sunmass, including cases where the ratio of the individual masses can be extreme.Comment: Accepted for publication in Classical and Quantum Gravity, Special issue for GWDAW-1

Coherent Bayesian inference on compact binary inspirals using a network of interferometric gravitational wave detectors

Presented in this paper is a Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) routine for conducting coherent parameter estimation for interferometric gravitational wave observations of an inspiral of binary compact objects using data from multiple detectors. The MCMC technique uses data from several interferometers and infers all nine of the parameters (ignoring spin) associated with the binary system, including the distance to the source, the masses, and the location on the sky. The Metropolis-algorithm utilises advanced MCMC techniques, such as importance resampling and parallel tempering. The data is compared with time-domain inspiral templates that are 2.5 post-Newtonian (PN) in phase and 2.0 PN in amplitude. Our routine could be implemented as part of an inspiral detection pipeline for a world wide network of detectors. Examples are given for simulated signals and data as seen by the LIGO and Virgo detectors operating at their design sensitivity.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figure

Discrete Symmetries on the Light Front and a General Relation Connecting Nucleon Electric Dipole and Anomalous Magnetic Moments

We consider the electric dipole form factor, F_3(q^2), as well as the Dirac and Pauli form factors, F_1(q^2) and F_2(q^2), of the nucleon in the light-front formalism. We derive an exact formula for F_3(q^2) to complement those known for F_1(q^2) and F_2(q^2). We derive the light-front representation of the discrete symmetry transformations and show that time-reversal- and parity-odd effects are captured by phases in the light-front wave functions. We thus determine that the contributions to F_2(q^2) and F_3(q^2), Fock state by Fock state, are related, independent of the fundamental mechanism through which CP violation is generated. Our relation is not specific to the nucleon, but, rather, is true of spin-1/2 systems in general, be they lepton or baryon. The empirical values of the anomalous magnetic moments, in concert with empirical bounds on the associated electric dipole moments, can better constrain theories of CP violation. In particular, we find that the neutron and proton electric dipole moments echo the isospin structure of the anomalous magnetic moments, kappa^n ~ - kappa^p.Comment: 25 pages, 1 figure. Published version. Ref. adde

Broadband boundary effects on Brownian motion

Brownian motion of particles in confined fluids is important for many applications, yet the effects of the boundary over a wide range of time scales are still not well understood. We report high-bandwidth, comprehensive measurements of Brownian motion of an optically trapped micrometer-sized silica sphere in water near an approximately flat wall. At short distances we observe anisotropic Brownian motion with respect to the wall. We find that surface confinement not only occurs in the long time scale diffusive regime but also in the short time scale ballistic regime, and the velocity autocorrelation function of the Brownian particle decays faster than that of a particle in bulk fluid. Furthermore, at low frequencies the thermal force loses its color due to the reflected flow from the no-slip boundary. The power spectrum of the thermal force on the particle near a no-slip boundary becomes flat at low frequencies. This detailed understanding of boundary effects on Brownian motion opens a door to developing a 3D microscope using particles as remote sensors.Sid W. Richardson FoundationR. A. Welch Foundation F-1258Physic

Three-particle contributions to the renormalisation of B-meson light-cone distribution amplitudes

We study light-cone distribution amplitudes of heavy-light systems, such as a B-meson. By an explicit computation, we determine how two-parton distribution amplitudes mix with three-parton ones at one loop: \phi_+ is shown to mix only into itself, whereas \phi_- mixes with the difference of three-parton distribution amplitudes \Psi_A-\Psi_V. We determine the corresponding anomalous dimension and we check the gauge independence of our result by considering a general covariant gauge. Finally, we comment on some implications of our result for phenomenological models of these distribution amplitudes.Comment: 21 pages, 5 figures, some comments and 2 references added, except for typesetting matches version published in JHE

Simulating chemistry efficiently on fault-tolerant quantum computers

Quantum computers can in principle simulate quantum physics exponentially faster than their classical counterparts, but some technical hurdles remain. Here we consider methods to make proposed chemical simulation algorithms computationally fast on fault-tolerant quantum computers in the circuit model. Fault tolerance constrains the choice of available gates, so that arbitrary gates required for a simulation algorithm must be constructed from sequences of fundamental operations. We examine techniques for constructing arbitrary gates which perform substantially faster than circuits based on the conventional Solovay-Kitaev algorithm [C.M. Dawson and M.A. Nielsen, \emph{Quantum Inf. Comput.}, \textbf{6}:81, 2006]. For a given approximation error $\epsilon$, arbitrary single-qubit gates can be produced fault-tolerantly and using a limited set of gates in time which is $O(\log \epsilon)$ or $O(\log \log \epsilon)$; with sufficient parallel preparation of ancillas, constant average depth is possible using a method we call programmable ancilla rotations. Moreover, we construct and analyze efficient implementations of first- and second-quantized simulation algorithms using the fault-tolerant arbitrary gates and other techniques, such as implementing various subroutines in constant time. A specific example we analyze is the ground-state energy calculation for Lithium hydride.Comment: 33 pages, 18 figure