2,931 research outputs found
Realisation of Hardy's Thought Experiment
We present an experimental realisation of Hardy's thought experiment [Phys.
Rev. Lett. {\bf 68}, 2981 (1992)], using photons. The experiment consists of a
pair of Mach-Zehnder interferometers that interact through photon bunching at a
beam splitter. A striking contradiction is created between the predictions of
quantum mechanics and local hidden variable based theories. The contradiction
relies on non-maximally entangled position states of two particles.Comment: 5 page
Integral-Field Spectroscopy of the Post Red Supergiant IRC +10420: evidence for an axi-symmetric wind
We present NAOMI/OASIS adaptive-optics assisted integral-field spectroscopy
of the transitional massive hypergiant IRC +10420, an extreme mass-losing star
apparently in the process of evolving from a Red Supergiant toward the
Wolf-Rayet phase. To investigate the present-day mass-loss geometry of the
star, we study the appearance of the line-emission from the inner wind as
viewed when reflected off the surrounding nebula. We find that, contrary to
previous work, there is strong evidence for wind axi-symmetry, based on the
equivalent-width and velocity variations of H and Fe {\sc ii}
6516. We attribute this behaviour to the appearance of the complex
line-profiles when viewed from different angles. We also speculate that the Ti
{\sc ii} emission originates in the outer nebula in a region analogous to the
Strontium Filament of Carinae, based on the morphology of the
line-emission. Finally, we suggest that the present-day axisymmetric wind of
IRC +10420, combined with its continued blueward evolution, is evidence that
the star is evolving toward the B[e] supergiant phase.Comment: 22 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ. B&W-optimized
version can be downloaded from http://www.cis.rit.edu/~bxdpci/pubs.htm
Linked and knotted beams of light, conservation of helicity and the flow of null electromagnetic fields
Maxwell's equations allow for some remarkable solutions consisting of pulsed
beams of light which have linked and knotted field lines. The preservation of
the topological structure of the field lines in these solutions has previously
been ascribed to the fact that the electric and magnetic helicity, a measure of
the degree of linking and knotting between field lines, are conserved. Here we
show that the elegant evolution of the field is due to the stricter condition
that the electric and magnetic fields be everywhere orthogonal. The field lines
then satisfy a `frozen field' condition and evolve as if they were unbreakable
filaments embedded in a fluid. The preservation of the orthogonality of the
electric and magnetic field lines is guaranteed for null, shear-free fields
such as the ones considered here by a theorem of Robinson. We calculate the
flow field of a particular solution and find it to have the form of a Hopf
fibration moving at the speed of light in a direction opposite to the
propagation of the pulsed light beam, a familiar structure in this type of
solution. The difference between smooth evolution of individual field lines and
conservation of electric and magnetic helicity is illustrated by considering a
further example in which the helicities are conserved, but the field lines are
not everywhere orthogonal. The field line configuration at time t=0 corresponds
to a nested family of torus knots but unravels upon evolution
Is \gamma-ray emission from novae affected by interference effects in the 18F(p,\alpha)15O reaction?
The 18F(p,\alpha)15O reaction rate is crucial for constraining model
predictions of the \gamma-ray observable radioisotope 18F produced in novae.
The determination of this rate is challenging due to particular features of the
level scheme of the compound nucleus, 19Ne, which result in interference
effects potentially playing a significant role. The dominant uncertainty in
this rate arises from interference between J\pi=3/2+ states near the proton
threshold (Sp = 6.411 MeV) and a broad J\pi=3/2+ state at 665 keV above
threshold. This unknown interference term results in up to a factor of 40
uncertainty in the astrophysical S-factor at nova temperatures. Here we report
a new measurement of states in this energy region using the 19F(3He,t)19Ne
reaction. In stark contrast with previous assumptions we find at least 3
resonances between the proton threshold and Ecm=50 keV, all with different
angular distributions. None of these are consistent with J\pi= 3/2+ angular
distributions. We find that the main uncertainty now arises from the unknown
proton-width of the 48 keV resonance, not from possible interference effects.
Hydrodynamic nova model calculations performed indicate that this unknown width
affects 18F production by at least a factor of two in the model considered.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures. Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Let
The influence of the cosmological expansion on local systems
Following renewed interest, the problem of whether the cosmological expansion
affects the dynamics of local systems is reconsidered. The cosmological
correction to the equations of motion in the locally inertial Fermi normal
frame (the relevant frame for astronomical observations) is computed. The
evolution equations for the cosmological perturbation of the two--body problem
are solved in this frame. The effect on the orbit is insignificant as are the
effects on the galactic and galactic--cluster scales.Comment: To appear in the Astrophysical Journal, Late
A framework to identify structured behavioral patterns within rodent spatial trajectories
Animal behavior is highly structured. Yet, structured behavioral patterns—or “statistical ethograms”—are not immediately apparent from the full spatiotemporal data that behavioral scientists usually collect. Here, we introduce a framework to quantitatively characterize rodent behavior during spatial (e.g., maze) navigation, in terms of movement building blocks or motor primitives. The hypothesis that we pursue is that rodent behavior is characterized by a small number of motor primitives, which are combined over time to produce open-ended movements. We assume motor primitives to be organized in terms of two sparsity principles: each movement is controlled using a limited subset of motor primitives (sparse superposition) and each primitive is active only for time-limited, time-contiguous portions of movements (sparse activity). We formalize this hypothesis using a sparse dictionary learning method, which we use to extract motor primitives from rodent position and velocity data collected during spatial navigation, and successively to reconstruct past trajectories and predict novel ones. Three main results validate our approach. First, rodent behavioral trajectories are robustly reconstructed from incomplete data, performing better than approaches based on standard dimensionality reduction methods, such as principal component analysis, or single sparsity. Second, the motor primitives extracted during one experimental session generalize and afford the accurate reconstruction of rodent behavior across successive experimental sessions in the same or in modified mazes. Third, in our approach the number of motor primitives associated with each maze correlates with independent measures of maze complexity, hence showing that our formalism is sensitive to essential aspects of task structure. The framework introduced here can be used by behavioral scientists and neuroscientists as an aid for behavioral and neural data analysis. Indeed, the extracted motor primitives enable the quantitative characterization of the complexity and similarity between different mazes and behavioral patterns across multiple trials (i.e., habit formation). We provide example uses of this computational framework, showing how it can be used to identify behavioural effects of maze complexity, analyze stereotyped behavior, classify behavioral choices and predict place and grid cell displacement in novel environments
World radiocommunication conference 12 : implications for the spectrum eco-system
Spectrum allocation is once more a key issue facing the global telecommunications industry. Largely overlooked in current debates, however, is the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC). Decisions taken by WRC shape the future roadmap of the telecommunications industry, not least because it has the ability to shape the global spectrum allocation framework. In the debates of WRC-12 it is possible to identify three main issues: enhancement of the international spectrum regulatory framework, regulatory measures required to introduce Cognitive Radio Systems (CRS) technologies; and, additional spectrum allocation to mobile service. WRC-12 eventually decided not to change the current international radio regulations with regard to the first two issues and agreed to the third issue. The main implications of WRC-12 on the spectrum ecosystem are that most of actors are not in support of the concept of spectrum flexibility associated with trading and that the concept of spectrum open access is not under consideration. This is explained by the observation that spectrum trading and spectrum commons weaken state control over spectrum and challenge the main principles and norms of the international spectrum management regime. In addition, the mobile allocation issue has shown the lack of conformity with the main rules of the regime: regional spectrum allocation in the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) three regions, and the resistance to the slow decision making procedures. In conclusion, while the rules and decision-making procedures of the international spectrum management regime were challenged in the WRC-12, the main principles and norms are still accepted by the majority of countries
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