Spin-gravity coupling and gravity-induced quantum phases

External gravitational fields induce phase factors in the wave functions of particles. The phases are exact to first order in the background gravitational field, are manifestly covariant and gauge invariant and provide a useful tool for the study of spin-gravity coupling and of the optics of particles in gravitational or inertial fields. We discuss the role that spin-gravity coupling plays in particular problems.Comment: 18 pages, 1 figur

Non-detection of a statistically anisotropic power spectrum in large-scale structure

We search a sample of photometric luminous red galaxies (LRGs) measured by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) for a quadrupolar anisotropy in the primordial power spectrum, in which P(\vec{k}) is an isotropic power spectrum P(k) multiplied by a quadrupolar modulation pattern. We first place limits on the 5 coefficients of a general quadrupole anisotropy. We also consider axisymmetric quadrupoles of the form P(\vec{k}) = P(k){1 + g_*[(\hat{k}\cdot\hat{n})^2-1/3]} where \hat{n} is the axis of the anisotropy. When we force the symmetry axis \hat{n} to be in the direction (l,b)=(94 degrees,26 degrees) identified in the recent Groeneboom et al. analysis of the cosmic microwave background, we find g_*=0.006+/-0.036 (1 sigma). With uniform priors on \hat{n} and g_* we find that -0.41<g_*<+0.38 with 95% probability, with the wide range due mainly to the large uncertainty of asymmetries aligned with the Galactic Plane. In none of these three analyses do we detect evidence for quadrupolar power anisotropy in large scale structure.Comment: 23 pages; 10 figures; 3 tables; replaced with version published in JCAP (added discussion of scale-varying quadrupolar anisotropy

Quantum computation in a Ising spin chain taking into account second neighbor couplings

We consider the realization of a quantum computer in a chain of nuclear spins coupled by an Ising interaction. Quantum algorithms can be performed with the help of appropriate radio-frequency pulses. In addition to the standard nearest-neighbor Ising coupling, we also allow for a second neighbor coupling. It is shown, how to apply the 2\pi k method in this more general setting, where the additional coupling eventually allows to save a few pulses. We illustrate our results with two numerical simulations: the Shor prime factorization of the number 4 and the teleportation of a qubit along a chain of 3 qubits. In both cases, the optimal Rabi frequency (to suppress non-resonant effects) depends primarily on the strength of the second neighbor interaction.Comment: 19 pages, 6 figure

Looking Beyond Inflationary Cosmology

In spite of the phenomenological successes of the inflationary universe scenario, the current realizations of inflation making use of scalar fields lead to serious conceptual problems which are reviewed in this lecture. String theory may provide an avenue towards addressing these problems. One particular approach to combining string theory and cosmology is String Gas Cosmology. The basic principles of this approach are summarized.Comment: invited talk at "Theory Canada 1" (Univ. of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, June 2 - 4, 2005) (references updated

News from the Muon (g-2) Experiment at BNL

The magnetic moment anomaly a_mu = (g_mu - 2) / 2 of the positive muon has been measured at the Brookhaven Alternating Gradient Synchrotron with an uncertainty of 0.7 ppm. The new result, based on data taken in 2000, agrees well with previous measurements. Standard Model evaluations currently differ from the experimental result by 1.6 to 3.0 standard deviations.Comment: Talk presented at RADCOR - Loops and Legs 2002, Kloster Banz, Germany, September 8-13 2002, to be published in Nuclear Physics B (Proc. Suppl.); 5 pages, 3 figure

Decoherence of entangled kaons and its connection to entanglement measures

We study the time evolution of the entangled kaon system by considering the Liouville - von Neumann equation with an additional term which allows for decoherence. We choose as generators of decoherence the projectors to the 2-particle eigenstates of the Hamiltonian. Then we compare this model with the data of the CPLEAR experiment and find in this way an upper bound on the strength $\lambda$ of the decoherence. We also relate $\lambda$ to an effective decoherence parameter $\zeta$ considered previously in literature. Finally we discuss our model in the light of different measures of entanglement, i.e. the von Neumann entropy $S$, the entanglement of formation $E$ and the concurrence $C$, and we relate the decoherence parameter $\zeta$ to the loss of entanglement: $1 - E$.Comment: comments and references added, 18 pages, 1 figur

High-statistics measurement of the pion form factor in the rho-meson energy range with the CMD-2 detector

We present a measurement of the pion form factor based on e+e- annihilation data from the CMD-2 detector in the energy range 0.6<sqrt(s)<1.0 GeV with a systematic uncertainty of 0.8%. A data sample is five times larger than that used in our previous measurement.Comment: 18 pages, 10 figures. Added comparison with KLOE measurement, minor updates. Accepted by PL

Study of the Process e+e−→KL0KS0e^+e^- \to K^0_L K^0_S in the C.M.Energy Range 1.05-1.38 GeV with CMD-2

The process $e^+e^- \to K^0_L K^0_S$ has been studied with the CMD-2 detector using about 950 events detected in the center-of-mass energy range from 1.05 to 1.38 GeV. The cross section exceeds the expectation based on the contributions of the rho(770), omega(782) and phi(1020) mesons only.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures, uses elsart.cls, submitted to Physics Letters

Entanglement, Bell Inequalities and Decoherence in Particle Physics

We demonstrate the relevance of entanglement, Bell inequalities and decoherence in particle physics. In particular, we study in detail the features of the ``strange'' $K^0 \bar K^0$ system as an example of entangled meson--antimeson systems. The analogies and differences to entangled spin--1/2 or photon systems are worked, the effects of a unitary time evolution of the meson system is demonstrated explicitly. After an introduction we present several types of Bell inequalities and show a remarkable connection to CP violation. We investigate the stability of entangled quantum systems pursuing the question how possible decoherence might arise due to the interaction of the system with its ``environment''. The decoherence is strikingly connected to the entanglement loss of common entanglement measures. Finally, some outlook of the field is presented.Comment: Lectures given at Quantum Coherence in Matter: from Quarks to Solids, 42. Internationale Universit\"atswochen f\"ur Theoretische Physik, Schladming, Austria, Feb. 28 -- March 6, 2004, submitted to Lecture Notes in Physics, Springer Verlag, 45 page

Measurement of e+e- -> phi -> K+K- cross section with the CMD-2 detector at VEPP-2M Collider

The process e+ e- -> phi -> K+ K- has been studied with the CMD-2 detector using about 542 000 events detected in the center-of-mass energy range from 1.01 to 1.034 GeV. The systematic error of the cross section is estimated to be 2.2%. The phi(1020) meson parameters in the phi -> K+K- decay channel have been measured: sigma_0(phi-> K+K-) = 2016 +- 8 +- 44 nb, m(phi) = 1019.441 +- 0.008 +- 0.080 MeV/c2, Gamma(phi) = 4.24 +- 0.02 +- 0.03 MeV, B(e+e-)B(K+K-) = (14.27 +- 0.05 +- 0.31)*10(-5).Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures, 2 tables, uses elsart.cls (second version - some figures are corrected