New Aspects of Geometric Phases in Experiments with polarized Neutrons

Geometric phase phenomena in single neutrons have been observed in polarimeter and interferometer experiments. Interacting with static and time dependent magnetic fields, the state vectors acquire a geometric phase tied to the evolution within spin subspace. In a polarimeter experiment the non-additivity of quantum phases for mixed spin input states is observed. In a Si perfect-crystal interferometer experiment appearance of geometric phases, induced by interaction with an oscillating magnetic field, is verified. The total system is characterized by an entangled state, consisting of neutron and radiation fields, governed by a Jaynes-Cummings Hamiltonian. In addition, the influence of the geometric phase on a Bell measurement, expressed by the Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt (CHSH) inequality, is studied. It is demonstrated that the effect of geometric phase can be balanced by an appropriate change of Bell angles.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figure

Observation of nonadditive mixed state phases with polarized neutrons

In a neutron polarimetry experiment the mixed state relative phases between spin eigenstates are determined from the maxima and minima of measured intensity oscillations. We consider evolutions leading to purely geometric, purely dynamical and combined phases. It is experimentally demonstrated that the sum of the individually determined geometric and dynamical phases is not equal to the associated total phase which is obtained from a single measurement, unless the system is in a pure state.Comment: RevTex, 4 pages, 4 figures, accepted by PR

Experimental demonstration of the stability of Berry's phase for a spin-1/2 particle

The geometric phase has been proposed as a candidate for noise resilient coherent manipulation of fragile quantum systems. Since it is determined only by the path of the quantum state, the presence of noise fluctuations affects the geometric phase in a different way than the dynamical phase. We have experimentally tested the robustness of Berry's geometric phase for spin-1/2 particles in a cyclically varying magnetic field. Using trapped polarized ultra-cold neutrons it is demonstrated that the geometric phase contributions to dephasing due to adiabatic field fluctuations vanish for long evolution times.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Measurements of rainfall rate, drop size distribution, and variability at middle and higher latitudes: application to the combined DPR-GMI algorithm

The Global Precipitation Measurement mission is a major U.S.–Japan joint mission to understand the physics of the Earth’s global precipitation as a key component of its weather, climate, and hydrological systems. The core satellite carries a dual-precipitation radar and an advanced microwave imager which provide measurements to retrieve the drop size distribution (DSD) and rain rates using a Combined Radar-Radiometer Algorithm (CORRA). Our objective is to validate key assumptions and parameterizations in CORRA and enable improved estimation of precipitation products, especially in the middle-to-higher latitudes in both hemispheres. The DSD parameters and statistical relationships between DSD parameters and radar measurements are a central part of the rainfall retrieval algorithm, which is complicated by regimes where DSD measurements are abysmally sparse (over the open ocean). In view of this, we have assembled optical disdrometer datasets gathered by research vessels, ground stations, and aircrafts to simulate radar observables and validate the scattering lookup tables used in CORRA. The joint use of all DSD datasets spans a large range of drop concentrations and characteristic drop diameters. The scaling normalization of DSDs defines an intercept parameter NW, which normalizes the concentrations, and a scaling diameter Dm, which compresses or stretches the diameter coordinate axis. A major finding of this study is that a single relationship between NW and Dm, on average, unifies all datasets included, from stratocumulus to heavier rainfall regimes. A comparison with the NW–Dm relation used as a constraint in versions 6 and 7 of CORRA highlights the scope for improvement of rainfall retrievals for small drops (Dm lt; 1 mm) and large drops (Dm gt; 2 mm). The normalized specific attenuation–reflectivity relationships used in the combined algorithm are also found to match well the equivalent relationships derived using DSDs from the three datasets, suggesting that the currently assumed lookup tables are not a major source of uncertainty in the combined algorithm rainfall estimates

Sea surface freshwater flux estimates from GECCO, HOAPS and NCEP

Surface net freshwater flux fields, estimated from the GECCO ocean state estimation effort over the 50 yr period 1951-2001, are compared to purely satellite-based HOAPS freshwater flux estimates and to the NCEP atmospheric re-analysis net surface freshwater flux fields to assess the quality of all flux products and to improve our understanding of the time-mean surface freshwater flux distribution as well as its temporal variability. Surface flux fields are adjusted by the GECCO state estimation procedure together with initial temperature and salinity conditions so that the model simulation becomes consistent with ocean observations. The entirely independent HOAPS net surface freshwater flux fields result from the difference between SSM/I based precipitation estimates and fields of evaporation resulting from a bulk aerodynamic approach using SSM/I data and the Pathfinder SST. All three products agree well on a global scale. However, overall GECCO seems to have moved away from the NCEP/NCAR first guess surface fluxes and is often closer to the HOAPS data set. This holds for the time mean as well as for the seasonal cycle

Evaluation of HOAPS-3 ocean surface freshwater flux components

Today, latent heat flux and precipitation over the global ocean surface can be determined from microwave satellite data as a basis for estimating the related fields of the ocean surface freshwater flux. The Hamburg Ocean Atmosphere Parameters and Fluxes from Satellite Data (HOAPS) is the only generally available satellite-based dataset with consistently derived global fields of both evaporation and precipitation and hence of freshwater flux for the period 1987–2005. This paper presents a comparison of the evaporation E, precipitation P, and the resulting freshwater flux E − P in HOAPS with recently available reference datasets from reanalysis and other satellite observation projects as well as in situ ship measurements. In addition, the humidity and wind speed input parameters for the evaporation are examined to identify sources for differences between the datasets. Results show that the general climatological patterns are reproduced by all datasets. Global mean time series often agree within about 10% of the individual products, while locally larger deviations may be found for all parameters. HOAPS often agrees better with the other satellite-derived datasets than with the in situ or the reanalysis data. The agreement usually improves in regions of good in situ sampling statistics. The biggest deviations of the evaporation parameter result from differences in the near-surface humidity estimates. The precipitation datasets exhibit large differences in highly variable regimes with the largest absolute differences in the ITCZ and the largest relative biases in the extratropical storm-track regions. The resulting freshwater flux estimates exhibit distinct differences in terms of global averages as well as regional biases. In comparison with long-term mean global river runoff data, the ocean surface freshwater balance is not closed by any of the compared fields. The datasets exhibit a positive bias in E − P of 0.2–0.5 mm day−1, which is on the order of 10% of the evaporation and precipitation estimates