Cosmic Bell Test: Measurement Settings from Milky Way Stars

Bell’s theorem states that some predictions of quantum mechanics cannot be reproduced by a local-realist theory. That conflict is expressed by Bell’s inequality, which is usually derived under the assumption that there are no statistical correlations between the choices of measurement settings and anything else that can causally affect the measurement outcomes. In previous experiments, this “freedom of choice” was addressed by ensuring that selection of measurement settings via conventional “quantum random number generators” was spacelike separated from the entangled particle creation. This, however, left open the possibility that an unknown cause affected both the setting choices and measurement outcomes as recently as mere microseconds before each experimental trial. Here we report on a new experimental test of Bell’s inequality that, for the first time, uses distant astronomical sources as “cosmic setting generators.” In our tests with polarization-entangled photons, measurement settings were chosen using real-time observations of Milky Way stars while simultaneously ensuring locality. Assuming fair sampling for all detected photons, and that each stellar photon’s color was set at emission, we observe statistically significant ≳7.31σ and ≳11.93σ violations of Bell’s inequality with estimated p values of ≲1.8×10[superscript -13] and ≲4.0×10[superscript -33], respectively, thereby pushing back by ∼600  years the most recent time by which any local-realist influences could have engineered the observed Bell violation.Austrian Academy of SciencesAustrian Science Fund (Projects SFB F40 (FOQUS) and CoQuS W1210-N16)Austria. Federal Ministry of Science, Research, and EconomyNational Science Foundation (U.S.) (INSPIRE Grant PHY-1541160 and SES-1056580)Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Undergraduate Research Opportunities Progra

Preparatory experiments for a cosmic Bell test and satellite-based quantum communication

Zusammenfassung in deutscher SpracheThis thesis describes those preparatory experiments, that are essiential for the realization of two planned quantum free-space projects. The Quantum Experiments at Space Scale (QUESS) project pursues the aim to enable an unconditional secure quantum key exchange between a satellite and different optical ground stations. Therefore, a satellite mock-up system has been developed, that is used to test the receiving modules of the ground stations located in Tenerife and Graz. Within the second experiment described, a cosmic Bell test is planned to be carried out in order to close the "freedom-of-choice" loophole. The realization and preparation of the used polarization analyzation modules are treated in detail. Additionally, different sources of random numbers are analyzed on their influence on the violation of the Bell inequality.7

Rapid collapse of a sub-Antarctic alpine ecosystem: the role of climate and pathogens

Ecosystem change is predicted to become more prevalent with climate change. Widespread dieback of cushion plants and bryophytes in alpine fellfield on Macquarie Island may represent such change. Loss of the keystone endemic cushion plant, Azorella macquariensis, was so severe that it has been declared critically endangered. We document the dieback and its extent. Due to the rapidity of the event, we sought to infer causes by testing two mechanistic hypotheses: (i) that extensive dieback was due to a pathogen and (ii) that dieback was a consequence of a change in climate that induced stress in several susceptible species. We searched for pathogens using both conventional and next-generation sequencing techniques. We examined plant functional morphology in conjunction with a long-term climate record of plant-relevant climate parameters to determine whether environmental conditions had become inimical for A. macquariensis. Dieback was found across the entire range of A. macquariensis. A survey found 88% of 115 stratified/ random sites contained affected cushions and 84% contained dead bryophytes. Within-site dieback increased over time. No conclusive evidence that A. macquariensis deaths were caused by a definitive disease-causing pathogen emerged. However, the presence of bacterial, fungal and oomycete taxa, some potentially pathogenic, suggested that stressed cushions could become susceptible to infection. The primary cause of collapse is suspected failure of A. macquariensis and other fellfield species to withstand recent decadal changes in summer water availability. Increased wind speed, sunshine hours and evapotranspiration resulted in accumulated deficits of plant available water spanning 17 years (1992-2008). High vulnerability to interrupted water supply was consistent with functional morphology of A. macquariensis, and climate change has altered the species' environment from wet and misty to one subject to periods of drying. Synthesis and applications. With alpine fellfield dieback baseline data on Macquarie Island established, future monitoring will determine whether this event represents a transient, decadal-level change in the ecosystem or the initiation of a climate-related, transformation away from an Azorella-dominated fellfield ecosystem. That mechanisms driving ecosystem collapse were complex and multiple stressors appeared to be impacting cumulatively may be relevant to other locations. With alpine fellfield dieback baseline data on Macquarie Island established, future monitoring will determine whether this event represents a transient, decadal-level change in the ecosystem or the initiation of a climate-related, transformation away from an Azorella-dominated fellfield ecosystem. That mechanisms driving ecosystem collapse were complex and multiple stressors appeared to be impacting cumulatively may be relevant to other locations

Rapid collapse of a sub-Antarctic alpine ecosystem: the role of climate and pathogens

Ecosystem change is predicted to become more prevalent with climate change. Widespread dieback of cushion plants and bryophytes in alpine fellfield on Macquarie Island may represent such change. Loss of the keystone endemic cushion plant, Azorella macquariensis, was so severe that it has been declared critically endangered. We document the dieback and its extent. Due to the rapidity of the event, we sought to infer causes by testing two mechanistic hypotheses: (i) that extensive dieback was due to a pathogen and (ii) that dieback was a consequence of a change in climate that induced stress in several susceptible species. We searched for pathogens using both conventional and next-generation sequencing techniques. We examined plant functional morphology in conjunction with a long-term climate record of plant-relevant climate parameters to determine whether environmental conditions had become inimical for A. macquariensis. Dieback was found across the entire range of A. macquariensis. A survey found 88% of 115 stratified/ random sites contained affected cushions and 84% contained dead bryophytes. Within-site dieback increased over time. No conclusive evidence that A. macquariensis deaths were caused by a definitive disease-causing pathogen emerged. However, the presence of bacterial, fungal and oomycete taxa, some potentially pathogenic, suggested that stressed cushions could become susceptible to infection. The primary cause of collapse is suspected failure of A. macquariensis and other fellfield species to withstand recent decadal changes in summer water availability. Increased wind speed, sunshine hours and evapotranspiration resulted in accumulated deficits of plant available water spanning 17 years (1992-2008). High vulnerability to interrupted water supply was consistent with functional morphology of A. macquariensis, and climate change has altered the species\u27 environment from wet and misty to one subject to periods of drying. Synthesis and applications. With alpine fellfield dieback baseline data on Macquarie Island established, future monitoring will determine whether this event represents a transient, decadal-level change in the ecosystem or the initiation of a climate-related, transformation away from an Azorella-dominated fellfield ecosystem. That mechanisms driving ecosystem collapse were complex and multiple stressors appeared to be impacting cumulatively may be relevant to other locations

Rapid collapse of a sub-Antarctic alpine ecosystem: The role of climate and pathogens

Ecosystem change is predicted to become more prevalent with climate change. Widespread dieback of cushion plants and bryophytes in alpine fellfield on Macquarie Island may represent such change. Loss of the keystone endemic cushion plant, Azorella macquariensis, was so severe that it has been declared critically endangered. We document the dieback and its extent. Due to the rapidity of the event, we sought to infer causes by testing two mechanistic hypotheses: (i) that extensive dieback was due to a pathogen and (ii) that dieback was a consequence of a change in climate that induced stress in several susceptible species. We searched for pathogens using both conventional and next-generation sequencing techniques. We examined plant functional morphology in conjunction with a long-term climate record of plant-relevant climate parameters to determine whether environmental conditions had become inimical for A.\ua0macquariensis. Dieback was found across the entire range of A.\ua0macquariensis. A survey found 88% of 115 stratified/ random sites contained affected cushions and 84% contained dead bryophytes. Within-site dieback increased over time. No conclusive evidence that A.\ua0macquariensis deaths were caused by a definitive disease-causing pathogen emerged. However, the presence of bacterial, fungal and oomycete taxa, some potentially pathogenic, suggested that stressed cushions could become susceptible to infection. The primary cause of collapse is suspected failure of A.\ua0macquariensis and other fellfield species to withstand recent decadal changes in summer water availability. Increased wind speed, sunshine hours and evapotranspiration resulted in accumulated deficits of plant available water spanning 17\ua0years (1992-2008). High vulnerability to interrupted water supply was consistent with functional morphology of A.\ua0macquariensis, and climate change has altered the species' environment from wet and misty to one subject to periods of drying. Synthesis and applications. With alpine fellfield dieback baseline data on Macquarie Island established, future monitoring will determine whether this event represents a transient, decadal-level change in the ecosystem or the initiation of a climate-related, transformation away from an Azorella-dominated fellfield ecosystem. That mechanisms driving ecosystem collapse were complex and multiple stressors appeared to be impacting cumulatively may be relevant to other locations. With alpine fellfield dieback baseline data on Macquarie Island established, future monitoring will determine whether this event represents a transient, decadal-level change in the ecosystem or the initiation of a climate-related, transformation away from an Azorella-dominated fellfield ecosystem. That mechanisms driving ecosystem collapse were complex and multiple stressors appeared to be impacting cumulatively may be relevant to other locations