674 research outputs found
Consciousness makes a difference: A reluctant dualist’s confession
This paper’s outline is as follows. In sections 1-3 I give an exposi-tion of the Mind-Body Problem, with emphasis on what I believe to be the heart of the problem, namely, the Percepts-Qualia Nonidentity and its incompatibility with the Physical Closure Paradigm. In 4 I present the “Qualia Inaction Postulate” underlying all non-interactionist theo-ries that seek to resolve the above problem. Against this convenient postulate I propose in section 5 the “Bafflement Ar¬gument,” which is this paper's main thesis. Sections 6-11 critically dis¬cuss attempts to dismiss the Bafflement Argument by the “Baf¬flement=Mis¬perception Equation.” Section 12 offers a refutation of all such attempts in the form of a concise “Asymmetry Proof.” Section 13 points out the bearing of the Bafflement Argument on the evolutionary role of consciousness while section 14 acknowledges the price that has to be paid for it in terms of basic physical principles. Section 15 summarizes the paper, pointing out the inescapability of interactionist dualism
Nonlocal Effects of Partial Measurements and Quantum Erasure
Partial measurement turns the initial superposition not into a definite
outcome but into a greater probability for it. The probability can approach
100%, yet the measurement can undergo complete quantum erasure. In the EPR
setting, we prove that i) every partial measurement nonlocally creates the same
partial change in the distant particle; and ii) every erasure inflicts the same
erasure on the distant particle's state. This enables an EPR experiment where
the nonlocal effect does not vanish after a single measurement but keeps
"traveling" back and forth between particles. We study an experiment in which
two distant particles are subjected to interferometry with a partial "which
path" measurement. Such a measurement causes a variable amount of correlation
between the particles. A new inequality is formulated for same-angle
polarizations, extending Bell's inequality for different angles. The resulting
nonlocality proof is highly visualizable, as it rests entirely on the
interference effect. Partial measurement also gives rise to a new form of
entanglement, where the particles manifest correlations of multiple
polarization directions. Another novelty in that the measurement to be erased
is fully observable, in contrast to prevailing erasure techniques where it can
never be observed. Some profound conceptual implications of our experiment are
briefly pointed out.Comment: To be published in Phys. Rev. A 63 (2001). 19 pages, 12 figures,
RevTeX 3.
Weak Measurement of the Arrival Times of Single Photons and Pairs of Entangled Photons
In this paper we propose a setup for the weak measurement of photon arrival
time. It is found that the weak values of this arrival time can lie far away
from the expectation value, and in principle also in regions forbidden by
special relativity. We discuss in brief the implications of these results as
well as their reconciliation with the principle of causality. Furthermore, an
analysis of the weak arrival times of a pair of photons in a Bell state shows
that these weak arrival times are correlated.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur
A Transactional Analysis of Interaction Free Measurements
The transactional interpretation of quantum mechanics is applied to the
"interaction-free" measurement scenario of Elitzur and Vaidman and to the
Quantum Zeno Effect version of the measurement scenario by Kwiat, et al. It is
shown that the non-classical information provided by the measurement scheme is
supplied by the probing of the intervening object by incomplete offer and
confirmation waves that do not form complete transactions or lead to real
interactions.Comment: Accepted for publication in Foundations of Physics Letter
Quantum Information and Entropy
Thermodynamic entropy is not an entirely satisfactory measure of information
of a quantum state. This entropy for an unknown pure state is zero, although
repeated measurements on copies of such a pure state do communicate
information. In view of this, we propose a new measure for the informational
entropy of a quantum state that includes information in the pure states and the
thermodynamic entropy. The origin of information is explained in terms of an
interplay between unitary and non-unitary evolution. Such complementarity is
also at the basis of the so-called interaction-free measurement.Comment: 21 pages, 3 figure
Nondestructive interaction-free atom-photon controlled-NOT gate
We present a probabilistic (ideally 50%) nondestructive interaction-free
atom-photon controlled-NOT gate, where nondestructive means that all four
outgoing target photon modes of the gate are available and feed-forwardable.
Individual atoms are controlled by a stimulated Raman adiabatic passage
transition and photons by a ring resonator with two outgoing ports. Realistic
estimates we obtain for ions confined in a Paul trap around which the resonator
is mounted show that a strong atom-photon coupling can be achieved. It is also
shown how the resonator can be used for controlling superposition of atom
states.Comment: 20 pages, 5 figures, Web page: http://m3k.grad.hr/pavici
NG7538 IRS1 N: modeling a circumstellar maser disk
We present an edge-on Keplerian disk model to explain the main component of
the 12.2 and 6.7 GHz methanol maser emission detected toward NGC7538-IRS1 N.
The brightness distribution and spectrum of the line of bright masers are
successfully modeled with high amplification of background radio continuum
emission along velocity coherent paths through a maser disk. The bend seen in
the position-velocity diagram is a characteristic signature of differentially
rotating disks. For a central mass of 30 solar masses, suggested by other
observations, our model fixes the masing disk to have inner and outer radii of
about 270 AU and 750 AU.Comment: To appear in The Proceedings of the 2004 European Workshop: "Dense
Molecular Gas around Protostars and in Galatic Nuclei", Eds. Y. Hagiwara,
W.A. Baan, H.J. van Langevelde, 2004, a special issue of ApSS, Kluwe
The Semiclassical Limit for and Gauge Theory on the Torus
We prove that for and quantum gauge theory on a torus,
holonomy expectation values with respect to the Yang-Mills measure d\mu_T(\o)
=N_T^{-1}e^{-S_{YM}(\o)/T}[{\cal D}\o] converge, as , to
integrals with respect to a symplectic volume measure on the moduli
space of flat connections on the bundle. These moduli spaces and the symplectic
structures are described explicitly.Comment: 18 page
HD line emission in Proto-Planetary Disks
%Context: {Previous studies have indicated that the 372.4 GHz ground
transition of ortho-HD might be a powerful probe of Proto-Planetary
Disks. The line could be especially suited for study of the disk mid-plane,
where the bulk of the mass resides and where planet formation takes place.}
%Aims: {Provide detailed theoretical predictions for the line intensity,
profile and maps expected for representative disk models.} %Methods: {We
determine the physical and chemical structure of the disks from the model
developed by Ceccarelli & Dominik (2005). The line emission is computed with
the new radiative transfer method developed recently by Elitzur & Asensio Ramos
(2006).} %Results: {We present intensity maps convolved with the expected ALMA
resolution, which delineate the origin of the HD 372.4 GHz line. In the
disk inner regions, the line probes the conditions in the mid-plane out to
radial distances of a few tens of AU, where Solar-like planetary systems might
form. In the disk outermost regions, the line originates from slightly above
the mid-plane. When the disk is spatially resolved, the variation of line
profile across the image provides important information about the velocity
field. Spectral profiles of the entire disk flux show a double peak shape at
most inclination angles.} %Conclusions: {Our study confirms that the 372.4 GHz
HD line provides powerful diagnostics of the mid-plane of
Proto-Planetary Disks. Current submillimeter telescopes are capable of
observing this line, though with some difficulties. The future ALMA
interferometer will have the sensitivity to observe and even spatially resolve
the HD line emission.}Comment: To appear in A&
Probing Orientifold Behavior Near NS Branes
The effect of NS 5 branes on an orientifold is studied. The orientifold is
allowed to pass through a pile of k NS branes forming a regularized CHS
geometry. Its effect on open strings in its vicinity is used to study the
change in the orientifold charge induced by the NS branes.Comment: Important references added, 30 pages, 8 figure
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