A quantum theoretical explanation for probability judgment errors

A quantum probability model is introduced and used to explain human probability judgment errors including the conjunction, disjunction, inverse, and conditional fallacies, as well as unpacking effects and partitioning effects. Quantum probability theory is a general and coherent theory based on a set of (von Neumann) axioms which relax some of the constraints underlying classic (Kolmogorov) probability theory. The quantum model is compared and contrasted with other competing explanations for these judgment errors including the representativeness heuristic, the averaging model, and a memory retrieval model for probability judgments. The quantum model also provides ways to extend Bayesian, fuzzy set, and fuzzy trace theories. We conclude that quantum information processing principles provide a viable and promising new way to understand human judgment and reasoning

A spectral-based numerical method for Kolmogorov equations in Hilbert spaces

We propose a numerical solution for the solution of the Fokker-Planck-Kolmogorov (FPK) equations associated with stochastic partial differential equations in Hilbert spaces. The method is based on the spectral decomposition of the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck semigroup associated to the Kolmogorov equation. This allows us to write the solution of the Kolmogorov equation as a deterministic version of the Wiener-Chaos Expansion. By using this expansion we reformulate the Kolmogorov equation as a infinite system of ordinary differential equations, and by truncation it we set a linear finite system of differential equations. The solution of such system allow us to build an approximation to the solution of the Kolmogorov equations. We test the numerical method with the Kolmogorov equations associated with a stochastic diffusion equation, a Fisher-KPP stochastic equation and a stochastic Burgers Eq. in dimension 1.Comment: 28 pages, 10 figure

Hybridized solid-state qubit in the charge-flux regime

Most superconducting qubits operate in a regime dominated by either the electrical charge or the magnetic flux. Here we study an intermediate case: a hybridized charge-flux qubit with a third Josephson junction (JJ) added into the SQUID loop of the Cooper-pair box. This additional JJ allows the optimal design of a low-decoherence qubit. Both charge and flux $1/f$ noises are considered. Moreover, we show that an efficient quantum measurement of either the current or the charge can be achieved by using different area sizes for the third JJ.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures. Phys. Rev. B, in pres

Stability of real parametric polynomial discrete dynamical systems

We extend and improve the existing characterization of the dynamics of general quadratic real polynomial maps with coefficients that depend on a single parameter $\lambda$, and generalize this characterization to cubic real polynomial maps, in a consistent theory that is further generalized to real $m$-th degree real polynomial maps. In essence, we give conditions for the stability of the fixed points of any real polynomial map with real fixed points. In order to do this, we have introduced the concept of Canonical Polynomial Maps which are topologically conjugate to any polynomial map of the same degree with real fixed points. The stability of the fixed points of canonical polynomial maps has been found to depend solely on a special function termed Product Position Function for a given fixed point. The values of this product position determine the stability of the fixed point in question, when it bifurcates, and even when chaos arises, as it passes through what we have termed stability bands. The exact boundary values of these stability bands are yet to be calculated for regions of type greater than one for polynomials of degree higher than three.Comment: 23 pages, 4 figures, now published in Discrete Dynamics in Nature and Societ

On the heating of source of the Orion KL hot core

We present images of the J=10-9 rotational lines of HC3N in the vibrationally excited levels 1v7, 1v6 and 1v5 of the hot core (HC) in Orion KL. The images show that the spatial distribution and the size emission from the 1v7 and 1v5 levels are different. While the J=10-9 1v7 line has a size of 4''x 6'' and peaks 1.1'' NE of the 3 mm continuum peak, the J=10--9 1v5 line emission is unresolved (<3'') and peaks 1.3'' south of the 3 mm peak. This is a clear indication that the HC is composed of condensations with very different temperatures (170 K for the 1v7 peak and $>230$ K for the 1v5 peak). The temperature derived from the 1v7 and 1v5 lines increases with the projected distance to the suspected main heating source I. Projection effects along the line of sight could explain the temperature gradient as produced by source I. However, the large luminosity required for source I, >5 10^5 Lsolar, to explain the 1v5 line suggests that external heating by this source may not dominate the heating of the HC. Simple model calculations of the vibrationally excited emission indicate that the HC can be internally heated by a source with a luminosity of 10^5 Lsolar, located 1.2'' SW of the 1v5 line peak (1.8'' south of source I). We also report the first detection of high-velocity gas from vibrationally excited HC3N emission. Based on excitation arguments we conclude that the main heating source is also driving the molecular outflow. We speculate that all the data presented in this letter and the IR images are consistent with a young massive protostar embedded in an edge-on disk.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures, To be published in Ap.J. Letter

Correlation-induced suppression of decoherence in capacitively coupled Cooper-pair boxes

Charge fluctuations from gate bias and background traps severely limit the performance of a charge qubit in a Cooper-pair box (CPB). Here we present an experimentally realizable method to control the decoherence effects of these charge fluctuations using two strongly capacitively coupled CPBs. This coupled-box system has a low-decoherence subspace of two states. Our results show that the inter-box Coulomb correlation can help significantly suppress decoherence of this two-level system, making it a promising candidate as a logical qubit, encoded using two CPBs.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures. Phys. Rev. B, in pres