592 research outputs found
Semiclassical states for quantum cosmology
In a metric variable based Hamiltonian quantization, we give a prescription
for constructing semiclassical matter-geometry states for homogeneous and
isotropic cosmological models. These "collective" states arise as infinite
linear combinations of fundamental excitations in an unconventional "polymer"
quantization. They satisfy a number of properties characteristic of
semiclassicality, such as peaking on classical phase space configurations. We
describe how these states can be used to determine quantum corrections to the
classical evolution equations, and to compute the initial state of the universe
by a backward time evolution.Comment: 13 page
In defense of the epistemic view of quantum states: a toy theory
We present a toy theory that is based on a simple principle: the number of
questions about the physical state of a system that are answered must always be
equal to the number that are unanswered in a state of maximal knowledge. A wide
variety of quantum phenomena are found to have analogues within this toy
theory. Such phenomena include: the noncommutativity of measurements,
interference, the multiplicity of convex decompositions of a mixed state, the
impossibility of discriminating nonorthogonal states, the impossibility of a
universal state inverter, the distinction between bi-partite and tri-partite
entanglement, the monogamy of pure entanglement, no cloning, no broadcasting,
remote steering, teleportation, dense coding, mutually unbiased bases, and many
others. The diversity and quality of these analogies is taken as evidence for
the view that quantum states are states of incomplete knowledge rather than
states of reality. A consideration of the phenomena that the toy theory fails
to reproduce, notably, violations of Bell inequalities and the existence of a
Kochen-Specker theorem, provides clues for how to proceed with this research
program.Comment: 32 pages, REVTEX, based on a talk given at the Rob Clifton Memorial
Conference, College Park, May 2003; v2: minor modifications throughout,
updated reference
On the nature of continuous physical quantities in classical and quantum mechanics
Within the traditional Hilbert space formalism of quantum mechanics, it is
not possible to describe a particle as possessing, simultaneously, a sharp
position value and a sharp momentum value. Is it possible, though, to describe
a particle as possessing just a sharp position value (or just a sharp momentum
value)? Some, such as Teller (Journal of Philosophy, 1979), have thought that
the answer to this question is No -- that the status of individual continuous
quantities is very different in quantum mechanics than in classical mechanics.
On the contrary, I shall show that the same subtle issues arise with respect to
continuous quantities in classical and quantum mechanics; and that it is, after
all, possible to describe a particle as possessing a sharp position value
without altering the standard formalism of quantum mechanics.Comment: 26 pages, LaTe
Human Metapneumovirus in Turkey Poults
This study was conducted to reexamine the hypothesis that human metapneumovirus (hMPV) will not infect turkeys. Six groups of 2-week-old turkeys (20 per group) were inoculated oculonasally with 1 of the following: noninfected cell suspension; hMPV genotype A1, A2, B1, or B2; or avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) subtype C. Poults inoculated with hMPV showed nasal discharge days 4â9 postexposure. Specific viral RNA and antigen were detected by reverse-transcription PCR and immunohistochemical evaluation, respectively, in nasal turbinates of birds exposed to hMPV. Nasal turbinates of hMPV-infected turkeys showed inflammatory changes and mucus accumulation. Each of the 4 hMPV genotypes caused a transient infection in turkeys as evidenced by clinical signs, detection of hMPV in turbinates, and histopathologic examination. Detailed investigation of cross-species pathogenicity of hMPV and aMPV and its importance for human and animal health is needed
Models of HoTT and the Constructive View of Theories
Homotopy Type theory and its Model theory provide a novel formal semantic framework for representing scientific theories. This framework supports a constructive view of theories according to which a theory is essentially characterised by its methods.
The constructive view of theories was earlier defended by Ernest Nagel and a number of other philosophers of the past but available logical means did not allow these people to build formal representational frameworks that implement this view
Hyperentangled States
We investigate a new class of entangled states, which we call
'hyperentangled',that have EPR correlations identical to those in the vacuum
state of a relativistic quantum field. We show that whenever hyperentangled
states exist in any quantum theory, they are dense in its state space. We also
give prescriptions for constructing hyperentangled states that involve an
arbitrarily large collection of systems.Comment: 23 pages, LaTeX, Submitted to Physical Review
Bipartite Mixed States of Infinite-Dimensional Systems are Generically Nonseparable
Given a bipartite quantum system represented by a tensor product of two
Hilbert spaces, we give an elementary argument showing that if either component
space is infinite-dimensional, then the set of nonseparable density operators
is trace-norm dense in the set of all density operators (and the separable
density operators nowhere dense). This result complements recent detailed
investigations of separability, which show that when both component Hilbert
spaces are finite-dimensional, there is a separable neighborhood (perhaps very
small for large dimensions) of the maximally mixed state.Comment: 5 pages, RevTe
Categorical formulation of quantum algebras
We describe how dagger-Frobenius monoids give the correct categorical
description of certain kinds of finite-dimensional 'quantum algebras'. We
develop the concept of an involution monoid, and use it to construct a
correspondence between finite-dimensional C*-algebras and certain types of
dagger-Frobenius monoids in the category of Hilbert spaces. Using this
technology, we recast the spectral theorems for commutative C*-algebras and for
normal operators into an explicitly categorical language, and we examine the
case that the results of measurements do not form finite sets, but rather
objects in a finite Boolean topos. We describe the relevance of these results
for topological quantum field theory.Comment: 34 pages, to appear in Communications in Mathematical Physic
Excited states of linear polyenes
We present density matrix renormalisation group calculations of the Pariser-
Parr-Pople-Peierls model of linear polyenes within the adiabatic approximation.
We calculate the vertical and relaxed transition energies, and relaxed
geometries for various excitations on long chains. The triplet (3Bu+) and even-
parity singlet (2Ag+) states have a 2-soliton and 4-soliton form, respectively,
both with large relaxation energies. The dipole-allowed (1Bu-) state forms an
exciton-polaron and has a very small relaxation energy. The relaxed energy of
the 2Ag+ state lies below that of the 1Bu- state. We observe an attraction
between the soliton-antisoliton pairs in the 2Ag+ state. The calculated
excitation energies agree well with the observed values for polyene oligomers;
the agreement with polyacetylene thin films is less good, and we comment on the
possible sources of the discrepencies. The photoinduced absorption is
interpreted. The spin-spin correlation function shows that the unpaired spins
coincide with the geometrical soliton positions. We study the roles of
electron-electron interactions and electron-lattice coupling in determining the
excitation energies and soliton structures. The electronic interactions play
the key role in determining the ground state dimerisation and the excited state
transition energies.Comment: LaTeX, 15 pages, 9 figure
Analytic Metaphysics versus Naturalized Metaphysics: The Relevance of Applied Ontology
The relevance of analytic metaphysics has come under criticism: Ladyman & Ross, for instance, have suggested do discontinue the field. French & McKenzie have argued in defense of analytic metaphysics that it develops tools that could turn out to be useful for philosophy of physics. In this article, we show first that this heuristic defense of metaphysics can be extended to the scientific field of applied ontology, which uses constructs from analytic metaphysics. Second, we elaborate on a parallel by French & McKenzie between mathematics and metaphysics to show that the whole field of analytic metaphysics, being useful not only for philosophy but also for science, should continue to exist as a largely autonomous field
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