Vibronic framework for quantum mixmaster universe

Following our previous papers concerning the quantization of the vacuum Bianchi-IX model within or beyond the Born-Oppenheimer and adiabatic approximation, we develop a more elaborate analysis of the dynamical properties of the model based the vibronic approach utilized in molecular physics. As in the previous papers, we restrict our approach to the harmonic approximation of the anisotropy potential in order to obtain resoluble analytical expressions.Comment: 29 pages, 12 figure

Nonadiabatic bounce and an inflationary phase in the quantum mixmaster universe

Following our previous paper, Bergeron et al, Smooth quantum dynamics of the mixmaster universe, Phys. Rev. D 92, 061302(R) (2015), concerning the quantization of the vacuum Bianchi IX model and the Born-Huang-Oppenheimer framework, we present a further analysis of the dynamical properties of the model. Consistently with the deep quantum regime, we implement the harmonic approximation of the anisotropy potential. We thus obtain manageable dynamical equations. We study the quantum anisotropic oscillations during the bouncing phase of the universe. Neglecting the backreaction from transitions between quantum anisotropy states we obtain analytical results. In particular, we identify a parameter which is associated with dynamical properties of the quantum model and describes a sort of phase transition. Once the parameter exceeds its critical value, the Born-Huang-Oppenheimer approximation breaks down. The application of the present result to a simple model of the Universe indicates that the parameter indeed exceeds its critical value and that there takes place a huge production of anisotropy at the bounce. This in turn must lead to a sustained phase of accelerated expansion, an inflationary phase. The quantitative inclusion of backreaction shall be examined in a follow-up paper based on the vibronic approach.Comment: 32 pages, 9 figure

Rethinking Appellate Standards of Review for Video Evidence

We live in an era of instant replay. Every sports fan, when witnessing a close play in a game, reflexively thinks, “I wonder what the replay will show?” And they can take comfort in the fact that the play will be showed in slow motion from multiple different vantage points as we all assess the correctness of the referee’s call. I recall watching the 2019 NCAA men’s basketball final (cheering on my law school alma mater, UVA), when a play near the end of the game occurred where a defender batted the ball out of bounds but the replay ultimately showed that it barely grazed the tip of the finger of the player dribbling the ball before it left the court. No human referee watching that play in real time would have ever noticed that, and it suggested this question to me—while the refs made the right call after the video review, at what cost? Do we now insist on absolute perfection in calls even when that requires superhuman abilities, and is it worth all the attendant delay in games and, frankly, in removing something for us to debate or talk about afterwards?

Les récents recours à des commissions d’enquête dans le secteur de la santé et des services sociaux au Québec

Les auteurs discutent des processus sociopolitiques dans lesquels s'insèrent les commissions Castonguay-Nepveu et Rochon pour cerner la contribution de ces commissions d'enquête québécoises au secteur de la santé et des services sociaux. Ils soulignent ainsi que ces commissions constituent essentiellement des épisodes particuliers de formulation de politiques publiques et qu'elles sont liées aux choix de politiciens. Ils soutiennent également que les rapports de ces commissions et leurs suites traduisent autant l'évolution des interventions publiques québécoises qu'elles ne la déterminent

La Grande dépression américaine et la neutralité de la monnaie : un test économétrique

Dans ce texte, nous utilisons des données de la période de l’entre-deux-guerres aux États-Unis pour vérifier l’hypothèse de la neutralité de la monnaie. Dans l’ensemble, nos résultats démontrent que l’hypothèse de la neutralité est rejetée par les données même dans le cas où l’on élimine la variable de faillites bancaires du domaine de l’information disponible dans l’équation d’anticipation de la monnaie. Ces résultats vont donc à l’encontre de ceux obtenus pour l’après-guerre par Barro (1977, 1978) et Barro et Rush (1980) mais vont dans le sens de ceux de Mishkin (1982).In this paper, the neutrality hypothesis is tested for the U.S. Great Depression. Neutrality is generally rejected by the data even when banking failures are excluded from the available information set in generating the anticipated rate of growth of money series. Hence our results are contrary to those of Barro (1977, 1978) and Barro and Rush (1980) for the Post War years. They confirm those of Mishkin (1982)