3,226 research outputs found
Can Everett be Interpreted Without Extravaganza?
Everett's relative states interpretation of quantum mechanics has met with
problems related to probability, the preferred basis, and multiplicity. The
third theme, I argue, is the most important one. It has led to developments of
the original approach into many-worlds, many-minds, and decoherence-based
approaches. The latter especially have been advocated in recent years, in an
effort to understand multiplicity without resorting to what is often perceived
as extravagant constructions. Drawing from and adding to arguments of others, I
show that proponents of decoherence-based approaches have not yet succeeded in
making their ontology clear.Comment: Succinct analysis forthcoming in Found. Phy
This elusive objective existence
Zurek's existential interpretation of quantum mechanics suffers from three
classical prejudices, including the belief that space and time are
intrinsically and infinitely differentiated. They compel him to relativize the
concept of objective existence in two ways. The elimination of these prejudices
makes it possible to recognize the quantum formalism's ontological implications
- the relative and contingent reality of spatiotemporal distinctions and the
extrinsic and finite spatiotemporal differentiation of the physical world -
which in turn makes it possible to arrive at an unqualified objective
existence. Contrary to a widespread misconception, viewing the quantum
formalism as being fundamentally a probability algorithm does not imply that
quantum mechanics is concerned with states of knowledge rather than states of
Nature. On the contrary, it makes possible a complete and strongly objective
description of the physical world that requires no reference to observers. What
objectively exists, in a sense that requires no qualification, is the
trajectories of macroscopic objects, whose fuzziness is empirically irrelevant,
the properties and values of whose possession these trajectories provide
indelible records, and the fuzzy and temporally undifferentiated states of
affairs that obtain between measurements and are described by counterfactual
probability assignments.Comment: To appear in IJQI; 21 pages, LaTe
Recommended from our members
Variability of dayside convection and motions of the cusp/cleft aurora
We present measurements of the ionospheric plasma flow over the range of invariant latitudes 71–76°, observed at 10-second resolution using both the EISCAT radars, with simultaneous observations of the 630 nm cusp/cleft aurora made by a meridian-scanning photometer at Ny Ålesund, Svalbard. A major increase in the trans-auroral voltage from 5 to 40 kV (associated with sunward convection in the early afternoon sector) is found to follow a southward motion of the aurora and coincide with the onset of regular transient auroral breakup events. It is shown that these observations are consistent with recent theoretical work on how ionospheric flows are excited by time-dependent reconnection at the dayside magnetopause
A method to construct refracting profiles
We propose an original method for determining suitable refracting profiles
between two media to solve two related problems: to produce a given wave front
from a single point source after refraction at the refracting profile, and to
focus a given wave front in a fixed point. These profiles are obtained as
envelopes of specific families of Cartesian ovals. We study the singularities
of these profiles and give a method to construct them from the data of the
associated caustic.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figure
The solar magnetic field since 1700: II. Physical reconstruction of total, polar and open flux
We have used semi-synthetic records of emerging sunspot groups based on
sunspot number data as input for a surface flux transport model to reconstruct
the evolution of the large-scale solar magnetic field and the open heliospheric
flux from the year 1700 onward. The statistical properties of the
semi-synthetic sunspot group records reflect those of the observed the Royal
Greenwich Observatory photoheliographic results. These include correlations
between the sunspot numbers and sunspot group latitudes, longitudes, areas and
tilt angles. The reconstruction results for the total surface flux, the polar
field, and the heliospheric open flux (determined by a current sheet source
surface extrapolation) agree well with the available observational or
empirically derived data and reconstructions. We confirm a significant positive
correlation between the polar field during activity minimum periods and the
strength of the subsequent sunspot cycle, which has implications for flux
transport dynamo models for the solar cycle. Just prior to the Dalton minimum,
at the end of the 18th century, a long cycle was followed by a weak cycle. We
find that introducing a possibly `lost' cycle between 1793 and 1800 leads to a
shift of the minimum of the open flux by 15 years which is inconsistent with
the cosmogenic isotope record.Comment: A&A, accepte
Prevention of bone mineral changes induced by bed rest: Modification by static compression simulating weight bearing, combined supplementation of oral calcium and phosphate, calcitonin injections, oscillating compression, the oral diophosphonatedisodium etidronate, and lower body negative pressure
The phenomenon of calcium loss during bed rest was found to be analogous to the loss of bone material which occurs in the hypogravic environment of space flight. Ways of preventing this occurrence are investigated. A group of healthy adult males underwent 24-30 weeks of continuous bed rest. Some of them were given an exercise program designed to resemble normal ambulatory activity; another subgroup was fed supplemental potassium phosphate. The results from a 12-week period of treatment were compared with those untreated bed rest periods. The potassium phosphate supplements prevented the hypercalciuria of bed rest, but fecal calcium tended to increase. The exercise program did not diminish the negative calcium balance. Neither treatment affected the heavy loss of mineral from the calcaneus. Several additional studies are developed to examine the problem further
Recent Observations of Betelgeuse and New Instrumentation at the ISI
The Infrared Spatial Interferometer (ISI) has been conducting mid-infrared observations of late-type stars for about 18 years. A long-term set of diameter measurements of Betelgeuse at 11.15 μm shows pronounced changes in the stellar size over time. These changes may arise from variations in the opacity of the environment immediately surrounding the star. New instrumentation is being developed to identify the composition and kinematics of the circumstellar environment of Betelgeuse, and of other late-type stars. A digital spectrometer-correlator is being built and tested that will enable visibility measurements on and off individual molecular spectral lines. Results from testing the spectrometer system are presented
Neutron and gamma‐ray measurements of the solar flare of 1991 June 9
The COMPTEL Imaging Compton Telescope on‐board the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory measured significant neutron and γ‐ray fluxes from the solar flare of 9 June 1991. The γ‐ray flux had an integrated intensity (≳1 MeV) of ∼30 cm−2, extending in time from 0136 UT to 0143 UT, while the time of energetic neutron emission extended approximately 10 minutes longer, indicating either extended proton acceleration to high energies or trapping and precipitation of energetic protons. The production of neutrons without accompanying γ‐rays in the proper proportion indicates a significant hardening of the precipitating proton spectrum through either the trapping or extended acceleration process
COMPTEL gamma ray and neutron measurements of solar flares
COMPTEL on the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory has measured the flux of x‐rays and neutrons from several solar flares. These data have also been used to image the Sun in both forms of radiation. Unusually intense flares occurred during June 1991 yielding data sets that offer some new insight into of how energetic protons and electrons are accelerated and behave in the solar environment. We summarize here some of the essential features in the solar flare data as obtained by COMPTEL during June 1991
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