2,015 research outputs found
Quantum-critical spin dynamics in quasi-one-dimensional antiferromagnets
By means of nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate 1/T1, we follow the spin
dynamics as a function of the applied magnetic field in two gapped
one-dimensional quantum antiferromagnets: the anisotropic spin-chain system
NiCl2-4SC(NH2)2 and the spin-ladder system (C5H12N)2CuBr4. In both systems,
spin excitations are confirmed to evolve from magnons in the gapped state to
spinons in the gapples Tomonaga-Luttinger-liquid state. In between, 1/T1
exhibits a pronounced, continuous variation, which is shown to scale in
accordance with quantum criticality. We extract the critical exponent for 1/T1,
compare it to the theory, and show that this behavior is identical in both
studied systems, thus demonstrating the universality of quantum critical
behavior
Existence of a Semiclassical Approximation in Loop Quantum Gravity
We consider a spherical symmetric black hole in the Schwarzschild metric and
apply Bohr-Sommerfeld quantization to determine the energy levels. The
canonical partition function is then computed and we show that the entropy
coincides with the Bekenstein-Hawking formula when the maximal number of states
for the black hole is the same as computed in loop quantum gravity, proving in
this case the existence of a semiclassical limit and obtaining an independent
derivation of the Barbero-Immirzi parameter.Comment: 6 pages, no figures. Final version accepted for publication in
General Relativity and Gravitatio
Atomic Supersymmetry, Rydberg Wave Packets, and Radial Squeezed States
We study radial wave packets produced by short-pulsed laser fields acting on
Rydberg atoms, using analytical tools from supersymmetry-based quantum-defect
theory. We begin with a time-dependent perturbative calculation for
alkali-metal atoms, incorporating the atomic-excitation process. This provides
insight into the general wave packet behavior and demonstrates agreement with
conventional theory. We then obtain an alternative analytical description of a
radial wave packet as a member of a particular family of squeezed states, which
we call radial squeezed states. By construction, these have close to minimum
uncertainty in the radial coordinates during the first pass through the outer
apsidal point. The properties of radial squeezed states are investigated, and
they are shown to provide a description of certain aspects of Rydberg atoms
excited by short-pulsed laser fields. We derive expressions for the time
evolution and the autocorrelation of the radial squeezed states, and we study
numerically and analytically their behavior in several alkali-metal atoms. Full
and fractional revivals are observed. Comparisons show agreement with other
theoretical results and with experiment.Comment: published in Physical Review
An exactly solvable model for the Fermi contact interaction
A model for the Fermi contact interaction is proposed in which the nuclear moment is represented as a magnetized spherical shell of radius r 0 . For a hydrogen-like system thus perturbed, the Schrödinger equation is solvable without perturbation theory by use of the Coulomb Green's function. Approximation formulas are derived in terms of a quantum defect in the Coulombic energy formula. It is shown that the usual Fermi potential cannot be applied beyond first-order perturbation theory.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46454/1/214_2004_Article_BF00548828.pd
Boundary dynamics and multiple reflection expansion for Robin boundary conditions
In the presence of a boundary interaction, Neumann boundary conditions should
be modified to contain a function S of the boundary fields: (\nabla_N +S)\phi
=0. Information on quantum boundary dynamics is then encoded in the
-dependent part of the effective action. In the present paper we extend the
multiple reflection expansion method to the Robin boundary conditions mentioned
above, and calculate the heat kernel and the effective action (i) for constant
S, (ii) to the order S^2 with an arbitrary number of tangential derivatives.
Some applications to symmetry breaking effects, tachyon condensation and brane
world are briefly discussed.Comment: latex, 22 pages, no figure
Why are Prices Sticky? Evidence from Business Survey Data
This paper offers new insights on the price setting behaviour of German retail firms using a novel dataset that
consists of a large panel of monthly business surveys from 1991-2006. The firm-level data allows matching changes
in firms' prices to several other firm-characteristics. Moreover, information on price expectations allow analyzing
the determinants of price updating. Using univariate and bivariate ordered probit specifications, empirical menu
cost models are estimated relating the probability of price adjustment and price updating, respectively, to both
time- and state- dependent variables. First, results suggest an important role for state-dependence; changes in
the macroeconomic and institutional environment as well as firm-specific factors are significantly related to the
timing of price adjustment. These findings imply that price setting models should endogenize the timing of price
adjustment in order to generate realistic predictions concerning the transmission of monetary policy. Second, an
analysis of price expectations yields similar results providing evidence in favour of state-dependent sticky plan
models. Third, intermediate input cost changes are among the most important determinants of price adjustment
suggesting that pricing models should explicitly incorporate price setting at different production stages. However, the results show that adjustment to input cost changes takes time indicating "additional stickiness" at the last stage of processing
Quantifying loopy network architectures
Biology presents many examples of planar distribution and structural networks
having dense sets of closed loops. An archetype of this form of network
organization is the vasculature of dicotyledonous leaves, which showcases a
hierarchically-nested architecture containing closed loops at many different
levels. Although a number of methods have been proposed to measure aspects of
the structure of such networks, a robust metric to quantify their hierarchical
organization is still lacking. We present an algorithmic framework, the
hierarchical loop decomposition, that allows mapping loopy networks to binary
trees, preserving in the connectivity of the trees the architecture of the
original graph. We apply this framework to investigate computer generated
graphs, such as artificial models and optimal distribution networks, as well as
natural graphs extracted from digitized images of dicotyledonous leaves and
vasculature of rat cerebral neocortex. We calculate various metrics based on
the Asymmetry, the cumulative size distribution and the Strahler bifurcation
ratios of the corresponding trees and discuss the relationship of these
quantities to the architectural organization of the original graphs. This
algorithmic framework decouples the geometric information (exact location of
edges and nodes) from the metric topology (connectivity and edge weight) and it
ultimately allows us to perform a quantitative statistical comparison between
predictions of theoretical models and naturally occurring loopy graphs.Comment: 17 pages, 8 figures. During preparation of this manuscript the
authors became aware of the work of Mileyko at al., concurrently submitted
for publicatio
- …