2,672 research outputs found
Semiclassical approximation with zero velocity trajectories
We present a new semiclassical method that yields an approximation to the
quantum mechanical wavefunction at a fixed, predetermined position. In the
approach, a hierarchy of ODEs are solved along a trajectory with zero velocity.
The new approximation is local, both literally and from a quantum mechanical
point of view, in the sense that neighboring trajectories do not communicate
with each other. The approach is readily extended to imaginary time propagation
and is particularly useful for the calculation of quantities where only local
information is required. We present two applications: the calculation of
tunneling probabilities and the calculation of low energy eigenvalues. In both
applications we obtain excellent agrement with the exact quantum mechanics,
with a single trajectory propagation.Comment: 16 pages, 7 figure
Orbital magnetization in crystalline solids: Multi-band insulators, Chern insulators, and metals
We derive a multi-band formulation of the orbital magnetization in a normal
periodic insulator (i.e., one in which the Chern invariant, or in 2d the Chern
number, vanishes). Following the approach used recently to develop the
single-band formalism [T. Thonhauser, D. Ceresoli, D. Vanderbilt, and R. Resta,
Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 95}, 137205 (2005)], we work in the Wannier
representation and find that the magnetization is comprised of two
contributions, an obvious one associated with the internal circulation of
bulk-like Wannier functions in the interior and an unexpected one arising from
net currents carried by Wannier functions near the surface. Unlike the
single-band case, where each of these contributions is separately
gauge-invariant, in the multi-band formulation only the \emph{sum} of both
terms is gauge-invariant. Our final expression for the orbital magnetization
can be rewritten as a bulk property in terms of Bloch functions, making it
simple to implement in modern code packages. The reciprocal-space expression is
evaluated for 2d model systems and the results are verified by comparing to the
magnetization computed for finite samples cut from the bulk. Finally, while our
formal proof is limited to normal insulators, we also present a heuristic
extension to Chern insulators (having nonzero Chern invariant) and to metals.
The validity of this extension is again tested by comparing to the
magnetization of finite samples cut from the bulk for 2d model systems. We find
excellent agreement, thus providing strong empirical evidence in favor of the
validity of the heuristic formula.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures. Fixed a typo in appendix
Experimental Demonstration of Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger Correlations Using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
The Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) effect provides an example of quantum
correlations that cannot be explained by classical local hidden variables. This
paper reports on the experimental realization of GHZ correlations using nuclear
magnetic resonance (NMR). The NMR experiment differs from the originally
proposed GHZ experiment in several ways: it is performed on mixed states rather
than pure states; and instead of being widely separated, the spins on which it
is performed are all located in the same molecule. As a result, the NMR version
of the GHZ experiment cannot entirely rule out classical local hidden
variables. It nonetheless provides an unambiguous demonstration of the
"paradoxical" GHZ correlations, and shows that any classical hidden variables
must communicate by non-standard and previously undetected forces. The NMR
demonstration of GHZ correlations shows the power of NMR quantum information
processing techniques for demonstrating fundamental effects in quantum
mechanics.Comment: Latex2.09, 8 pages, 1 eps figur
A Categorical Approach to Groupoid Frobenius Algebras
In this paper, we show that \C{G}-Frobenius algebras (for \C{G} a finite
groupoid) correspond to a particular class of Frobenius objects in the
representation category of D(k[\C{G}]), where D(k[\C{G}]) is the Drinfeld
double of the quantum groupoid k[\C{G}].Comment: final version; to appear in Applied Categorical Structure
Spatial matter density mapping of the STAGES Abell A901/2 supercluster field with 3D lensing
We present weak lensing data from the Hubble Space Telescope(HST)/Space Telescope A901/902 Galaxy Evolution Survey (STAGES) survey to study the three-dimensional spatial distribution of matter and galaxies in the Abell 901/902 supercluster complex. Our method improves over the existing 3D lensing mapping techniques by calibrating and removing redshift bias and accounting for the effects of the radial elongation of 3D structures. We also include the first detailed noise analysis of a 3D lensing map, showing that even with deep HST-quality data, only the most massive structures, for example M200≳ 1015M⊙h-1 at z∼ 0.8, can be resolved in 3D with any reasonable redshift accuracy (Δz≈ 0.15). We compare the lensing map to the stellar mass distribution and find luminous counterparts for all mass peaks detected with a peak significance >3σ. We see structures in and behind the z= 0.165 foreground supercluster, finding structure directly behind the A901b cluster at z∼ 0.6 and also behind the south-west (SW) group at z∼ 0.7. This 3D structure viewed in projection has no significant impact on recent mass estimates of A901b or the SW group components SWa and SWb. © 2011 The Authors Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society © 2011 RAS
Two-Dimensional Hydrodynamics of Pre-Core Collapse: Oxygen Shell Burning
By direct hydrodynamic simulation, using the Piecewise Parabolic Method (PPM)
code PROMETHEUS, we study the properties of a convective oxygen burning shell
in a SN 1987A progenitor star prior to collapse. The convection is too
heterogeneous and dynamic to be well approximated by one-dimensional
diffusion-like algorithms which have previously been used for this epoch.
Qualitatively new phenomena are seen.
The simulations are two-dimensional, with good resolution in radius and
angle, and use a large (90-degree) slice centered at the equator. The
microphysics and the initial model were carefully treated. Many of the
qualitative features of previous multi-dimensional simulations of convection
are seen, including large kinetic and acoustic energy fluxes, which are not
accounted for by mixing length theory. Small but significant amounts of
carbon-12 are mixed non-uniformly into the oxygen burning convection zone,
resulting in hot spots of nuclear energy production which are more than an
order of magnitude more energetic than the oxygen flame itself. Density
perturbations (up to 8%) occur at the `edges' of the convective zone and are
the result of gravity waves generated by interaction of penetrating flows into
the stable region. Perturbations of temperature and electron fraction at the
base of the convective zone are of sufficient magnitude to create angular
inhomogeneities in explosive nucleosynthesis products, and need to be included
in quantitative estimates of yields. Combined with the plume-like velocity
structure arising from convection, the perturbations will contribute to the
mixing of nickel-56 throughout supernovae envelopes. Runs of different
resolution, and angular extent, were performed to test the robustness of theseComment: For mpeg movies of these simulations, see
http://www.astrophysics.arizona.edu/movies.html Submitted to the
Astrophysical Journa
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