247 research outputs found
Entanglement enhancement and postselection for two atoms interacting with thermal light
The evolution of entanglement for two identical two-level atoms coupled to a
resonant thermal field is studied for two different families of input states.
Entanglement enhancement is predicted for a well defined region of the
parameter space of one of these families. The most intriguing result is the
possibility of probabilistic production of maximally entangled atomic states
even if the input atomic state is factorized and the corresponding output state
is separable.Comment: accepted for publication in J. Phys.
A single structured light beam as an atomic cloud splitter
We propose a scheme to split a cloud of cold non-interacting neutral atoms
based on their dipole interaction with a single structured light beam which
exhibits parabolic cylindrical symmetry. Using semiclassical numerical
simulations, we establish a direct relationship between the general properties
of the light beam and the relevant geometric and kinematic properties acquired
by the atomic cloud as its passes through the beam.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure
Quantum Mechanical Properties of Bessel Beams
Bessel beams are studied within the general framework of quantum optics. The
two modes of the electromagnetic field are quantized and the basic dynamical
operators are identified. The algebra of these operators is analyzed in detail;
it is shown that the operators that are usually associated to linear momentum,
orbital angular momentum and spin do not satisfy the algebra of the translation
and rotation group. In particular, what seems to be the spin is more similar to
the helicity. Some physical consequences of these results are examined.Comment: 17 pages, no figures. New versio
Life-history traits in an evergreen Mediterranean oak respond differentially to previous experimental environments
Living organisms respond both to current and previous environments, which can have important consequences on population dynamics. However, there is little experimental evidence based on long-term field studies of the effects of previous environments on the performance of individuals. We tested the hypothesis that trees that establish under different environmental conditions perform differently under similar post-establishment conditions. We used the slow-growing, evergreen Mediterranean oak <i>Quercus ilex</i> subsp. <i>rotundifolia</i> as target species. We analyzed the effects of previous environments, competition effects and tradeoffs among life-history traits (survival, growth, and reproduction). We enhanced seedling establishment for three years by reducing abiotic environmental harshness by means of summer irrigation and artificial shading in 12 experimental plots, while four plots remained as controls. Then these treatments were interrupted for ten years. Seedlings under ameliorated environmental conditions survived and grew faster during early establishment. During the post-management period, previous treatments 1) did not have any effect on survival, 2) experienced a slower above-ground growth, 3) decreased root biomass as indicated from reflectivity of Ground Penetration Radar, 4) increased acorn production mostly through a greater canopy volume and 5) increased acorn production effort. The trees exhibited a combination of effects related to acclimation for coping with abiotic stress and effects of intra-specific competition. In accordance with our hypothesis, tree performance overall depended on previous environmental conditions, and the response was different for different life-history traits. We recommend early management because it increased plot cover, shortened the time to attain sexual maturity and increased the amount of acorn production. Plots such as those assessed in this study may act as sources of propagules in deforested agricultural landscapes thus aiding natural establishment of new plants
All-optical 3D atomic loops generated with Bessel light fields
The propagation invariance of Bessel beams as well as their transversal
structure are used to perform a comparative analysis of their effect on cold
atoms for four different configurations and combinations thereof. We show that,
even at temperatures for which the classical description of the atom center of
mass motion is valid, the interchange of momentum, energy and orbital angular
momentum between light and atoms yields efficient tools for all-optical
trapping, transporting and, in general, manipulating the state of motion of
cold atoms.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figure
The Uncertainty Relation in "Which-Way" Experiments: How to Observe Directly the Momentum Transfer using Weak Values
A which-way measurement destroys the twin-slit interference pattern. Bohr
argued that distinguishing between two slits a distance s apart gives the
particle a random momentum transfer \wp of order h/s. This was accepted for
more than 60 years, until Scully, Englert and Walther (SEW) proposed a
which-way scheme that, they claimed, entailed no momentum transfer. Storey,
Tan, Collett and Walls (STCW) in turn proved a theorem that, they claimed,
showed that Bohr was right. This work reviews and extends a recent proposal
[Wiseman, Phys. Lett. A 311, 285 (2003)] to resolve the issue using a
weak-valued probability distribution for momentum transfer, P_wv(\wp). We show
that P_wv(\wp) must be wider than h/6s. However, its moments can still be zero
because P_wv(\wp) is not necessarily positive definite. Nevertheless, it is
measurable in a way understandable to a classical physicist. We introduce a new
measure of spread for P_wv(\wp): half of the unit-confidence interval, and
conjecture that it is never less than h/4s. For an idealized example with
infinitely narrow slits, the moments of P_wv(\wp) and of the momentum
distributions are undefined unless a process of apodization is used. We show
that by considering successively smoother initial wave functions, successively
more moments of both P_wv(\wp) and the momentum distributions become defined.
For this example the moments of P_wv(\wp) are zero, and these are equal to the
changes in the moments of the momentum distribution. We prove that this
relation holds for schemes in which the moments of P_wv(\wp) are non-zero, but
only for the first two moments. We also compare these moments to those of two
other momentum-transfer distributions and \hat{p}_f-\hat{p}_i. We find
agreement between all of these, but again only for the first two moments.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figures, submitted to J. Opt.
Interspecific differences in the oleoresin production of Copaifera L. (Fabaceae) in the Amazon rainforest.
Copaifera species produce an oleoresin of commercial importance that is widely extracted in Amazon communities. This paper addresses two questions. (1) What are the morphological characteristics of Copaifera species that influence oleoresin production? (2) How do different Copaifera species respond to repeated harvests
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