Monte Carlo Quasi-Heatbath by approximate inversion

When sampling the distribution P(phi) ~ exp(-|A phi|^2), a global heatbath normally proceeds by solving the linear system A phi = eta, where eta is a normal Gaussian vector, exactly. This paper shows how to preserve the distribution P(phi) while solving the linear system with arbitrarily low accuracy. Generalizations are presented.Comment: 10 pages, 1 figure; typos corrected, reference added; version to appear in Phys. Rev.

No Eigenvalue in Finite Quantum Electrodynamics

We re-examine Quantum Electrodynamics (QED) with massless electron as a finite quantum field theory as advocated by Gell-Mann-Low, Baker-Johnson, Adler, Jackiw and others. We analyze the Dyson-Schwinger equation satisfied by the massless electron in finite QED and conclude that the theory admits no nontrivial eigenvalue for the fine structure constant.Comment: 13 pages, Late

Inelastic Diffraction at Heavy Ion Colliders

The heavy ion physics approach to global event characterization has led us to instrument the forward region in the PHENIX experiment at RHIC. In heavy ion collisions this coverage yields a measurement of the "spectator" energy and its distribution about the beam direction. This energy flow is the basis of event-by-event determination of the centrality and reaction plane which are key to analyzing particle production in heavy ion collisions. These same tools have also enabled a unique set of measurements on inelastic diffraction with proton, deuteron and gold ion beams in the PHENIX experiment. We present first new results on this topic and discuss briefly the opportunity for diffractive physics with Heavy Ion beams at the LHC.Comment: RHIC overview talk presented at "Diffraction 2004" in Dorgali, Sardegna, Ital

Structure and Properties of Hughston's Stochastic Extension of the Schr\"odinger Equation

Hughston has recently proposed a stochastic extension of the Schr\"odinger equation, expressed as a stochastic differential equation on projective Hilbert space. We derive new projective Hilbert space identities, which we use to give a general proof that Hughston's equation leads to state vector collapse to energy eigenstates, with collapse probabilities given by the quantum mechanical probabilities computed from the initial state. We discuss the relation of Hughston's equation to earlier work on norm-preserving stochastic equations, and show that Hughston's equation can be written as a manifestly unitary stochastic evolution equation for the pure state density matrix. We discuss the behavior of systems constructed as direct products of independent subsystems, and briefly address the question of whether an energy-based approach, such as Hughston's, suffices to give an objective interpretation of the measurement process in quantum mechanics.Comment: Plain Tex, no figure

Disseminating knowledge: from potential to reality – new open-access journals collide with convention

Scholars beware! For years, researchers have lamented the long lag times endemic in conventional academic publishing, where even the highest quality papers have often taken more than two years from initial submission to publication. Luckily, advances in digital technologies and the advent of online, open-access (OA) journals are rendering such delays obsolete. Society can now directly benefit from published research within months (and sometimes weeks) of a study being completed. Unfortunately however, open-access, online technologies are interacting with new revenue-generating business models and historic assessment systems, leading to the rise of predatory open-access (POA) journals that prioritize profit over the integrity of academic scholarship. Such interaction is leading to disruptive distortions that are systematically undermining academia’s ability to disseminate the highest quality scholarship and to benefit from free, timely access

Correction-to-scaling exponent for two-dimensional percolation

We show that the correction-to-scaling exponents in two-dimensional percolation are bounded by Omega <= 72/91, omega = D Omega <= 3/2, and Delta_1 = nu omega <= 2, based upon Cardy's result for the critical crossing probability on an annulus. The upper bounds are consistent with many previous measurements of site percolation on square and triangular lattices, and new measurements for bond percolation presented here, suggesting this result is exact. A scaling form evidently applicable to site percolation is also found

Weisskopf-Wigner Decay Theory for the Energy-Driven Stochastic Schr\"odinger Equation

We generalize the Weisskopf-Wigner theory for the line shape and transition rates of decaying states to the case of the energy-driven stochastic Schr\"odinger equation that has been used as a phenomenology for state vector reduction. Within the standard approximations used in the Weisskopf-Wigner analysis, and assuming that the perturbing potential inducing the decay has vanishing matrix elements within the degenerate manifold containing the decaying state, the stochastic Schr\"odinger equation linearizes. Solving the linearized equations, we find no change from the standard analysis in the line shape or the transition rate per unit time. The only effect of the stochastic terms is to alter the early time transient behavior of the decay, in a way that eliminates the quantum Zeno effect. We apply our results to estimate experimental bounds on the parameter governing the stochastic effects.Comment: 29 pages in RevTeX, Added Note, references adde

Nuclear modification at sqrt{s_{NN}}=17.3 GeV, measured at NA49

Transverse momentum spectra up to 4.5 GeV/c were measured around midrapidity in Pb+Pb reactions at sqrt{s_{NN}}=17.3 GeV, for pi^{+/-}, p, pbar and K^{+/-}, by the NA49 experiment. The nuclear modification factors R_{AA}, R_{AA/pA} and R_{CP} were extracted and are compared to RHIC results at sqrt{s_{NN}}=200 GeV. The modification factor R_{AA} shows a rapid increase with transverse momentum in the covered region. The modification factor R_{CP} shows saturation well below unity in the pi^{+/-} channel. The extracted R_{CP} values follow the 200 GeV RHIC results closely in the available transverse momentum range for all particle species. For pi^{+/-} above 2.5 GeV/c transverse momentum, the measured suppression is smaller than that observed at RHIC. The nuclear modification factor R_{AA/pA} for pi^{+/-} stays well below unity.Comment: Proceedings of Quark Matter 2008 conferenc

Low--Energy Theorems for Weak Pion Production

We derive novel low--energy theorems for single pion production off nucleons through the isovector axial current. We find that the $k^2$-dependence of the multipole $L_{0+}^{(+)}$ at threshold is given by the nucleon scalar form factor, namely $\sigma(k^2-M_\pi^2 ) /(3 \pi M_\pi F_\pi )$. The relation to PCAC results for soft pions including electroweak form factors is also clarified.Comment: 9 pp, TeX, 2 figures available as ps files, CRN 93-5

Photon Splitting in a Very Strong Magnetic Field

Photon splitting in a very strong magnetic field is analyzed for energy $\omega < 2m$. The amplitude obtained on the base of operator-diagram technique is used. It is shown that in a magnetic field much higher than critical one the splitting amplitude is independent on the field. Our calculation is in a good agreement with previous results of Adler and in a strong contradiction with recent paper of Mentzel et al.Comment: 5 pages,Revtex , 4 figure