Consistent Quantum Counterfactuals

An analysis using classical stochastic processes is used to construct a consistent system of quantum counterfactual reasoning. When applied to a counterfactual version of Hardy's paradox, it shows that the probabilistic character of quantum reasoning together with the ``one framework'' rule prevents a logical contradiction, and there is no evidence for any mysterious nonlocal influences. Counterfactual reasoning can support a realistic interpretation of standard quantum theory (measurements reveal what is actually there) under appropriate circumstances.Comment: Minor modifications to make it agree with published version. Latex 8 pages, 2 figure

Optimal Eavesdropping in Quantum Cryptography. II. Quantum Circuit

It is shown that the optimum strategy of the eavesdropper, as described in the preceding paper, can be expressed in terms of a quantum circuit in a way which makes it obvious why certain parameters take on particular values, and why obtaining information in one basis gives rise to noise in the conjugate basis.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figure, Latex, the second part of quant-ph/970103

Introduction to Arithmetic Mirror Symmetry

We describe how to find period integrals and Picard-Fuchs differential equations for certain one-parameter families of Calabi-Yau manifolds. These families can be seen as varieties over a finite field, in which case we show in an explicit example that the number of points of a generic element can be given in terms of p-adic period integrals. We also discuss several approaches to finding zeta functions of mirror manifolds and their factorizations. These notes are based on lectures given at the Fields Institute during the thematic program on Calabi-Yau Varieties: Arithmetic, Geometry, and Physics

Gambling in Great Britain:a response to Rogers

A recent issue of Practice: Social Work in Action featured a paper by Rogers that examined whether the issue of problem gambling was a suitable case for social work. Rogers’ overview was (in various places) out of date, highly selective, contradictory, presented unsupported claims and somewhat misleading. Rogers’ paper is to be commended for putting the issue of problem gambling on the social work agenda. However, social workers need up-to-date information and contextually situated information if they are to make informed decisions in helping problem gamblers

General pure multipartite entangled states and the Segre variety

In this paper, we construct a measure of entanglement by generalizing the quadric polynomial of the Segre variety for general multipartite states. We give explicit expressions for general pure three-partite and four-partite states. Moreover, we will discuss and compare this measure of entanglement with the generalized concurrence.Comment: 5 page

Inequalities for the Local Energy of Random Ising Models

We derive a rigorous lower bound on the average local energy for the Ising model with quenched randomness. The result is that the lower bound is given by the average local energy calculated in the absence of all interactions other than the one under consideration. The only condition for this statement to hold is that the distribution function of the random interaction under consideration is symmetric. All other interactions can be arbitrarily distributed including non-random cases. A non-trivial fact is that any introduction of other interactions to the isolated case always leads to an increase of the average local energy, which is opposite to ferromagnetic systems where the Griffiths inequality holds. Another inequality is proved for asymmetrically distributed interactions. The probability for the thermal average of the local energy to be lower than that for the isolated case takes a maximum value on the Nishimori line as a function of the temperature. In this sense the system is most stable on the Nishimori line.Comment: 10 pages. Submitted to J. Phys. Soc. Jp

Griffiths Inequalities for Ising Spin Glasses on the Nishimori Line

The Griffiths inequalities for Ising spin glasses are proved on the Nishimori line with various bond randomness which includes Gaussian and $\pm J$ bond randomness. The proof for Ising systems with Gaussian bond randomness has already been carried out by Morita et al, which uses not only the gauge theory but also the properties of the Gaussian distribution, so that it cannot be directly applied to the systems with other bond randomness. The present proof essentially uses only the gauge theory, so that it does not depend on the detail properties of the probability distribution of random interactions. Thus, the results obtained from the inequalities for Ising systems with Gaussian bond randomness do also hold for those with various bond randomness, especially with $\pm J$ bond randomness.Comment: 13pages. Submitted to J. Phys. Soc. Jp

Hodge polynomials of some moduli spaces of Coherent Systems

When $k<n$, we study the coherent systems that come from a BGN extension in which the quotient bundle is strictly semistable. In this case we describe a stratification of the moduli space of coherent systems. We also describe the strata as complements of determinantal varieties and we prove that these are irreducible and smooth. These descriptions allow us to compute the Hodge polynomials of this moduli space in some cases. In particular, we give explicit computations for the cases in which $(n,d,k)=(3,d,1)$ and $d$ is even, obtaining from them the usual Poincar\'e polynomials.Comment: Formerly entitled: "A stratification of some moduli spaces of coherent systems on algebraic curves and their Hodge--Poincar\'e polynomials". The paper has been substantially shorten. Theorem 8.20 has been revised and corrected. Final version accepted for publication in International Journal of Mathematics. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:math/0407523 by other author

EPR, Bell, and Quantum Locality

Maudlin has claimed that no local theory can reproduce the predictions of standard quantum mechanics that violate Bell's inequality for Bohm's version (two spin-half particles in a singlet state) of the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen problem. It is argued that, on the contrary, standard quantum mechanics itself is a counterexample to Maudlin's claim, because it is local in the appropriate sense (measurements at one place do not influence what occurs elsewhere there) when formulated using consistent principles in place of the inconsistent appeals to "measurement" found in current textbooks. This argument sheds light on the claim of Blaylock that counterfactual definiteness is an essential ingredient in derivations of Bell's inequality.Comment: Minor revisions to previous versio

P,T-Violating Nuclear Matrix Elements in the One-Meson Exchange Approximation

Expressions for the P,T-violating NN potentials are derived for $\pi$, $\rho$ and $\omega$ exchange. The nuclear matrix elements for $\rho$ and $\omega$ exchange are shown to be greatly suppressed, so that, under the assumption of comparable coupling constants, $\pi$ exchange would dominate by two orders of magnitude. The ratio of P,T-violating to P-violating matrix elements is found to remain approximately constant across the nuclear mass table, thus establishing the proportionality between time-reversal-violation and parity-violation matrix elements. The calculated values of this ratio suggest a need to obtain an accuracy of order $5 \times 10^{-4}$ for the ratio of the PT-violating to P-violating asymmetries in neutron transmission experiments in order to improve on the present limits on the isovector pion coupling constant.Comment: 17 pages, LaTeX, no figure