11,112 research outputs found
Non-Markovian generalization of the Lindblad theory of open quantum systems
A systematic approach to the non-Markovian quantum dynamics of open systems
is given by the projection operator techniques of nonequilibrium statistical
mechanics. Combining these methods with concepts from quantum information
theory and from the theory of positive maps, we derive a class of correlated
projection superoperators that take into account in an efficient way
statistical correlations between the open system and its environment. The
result is used to develop a generalization of the Lindblad theory to the regime
of highly non-Markovian quantum processes in structured environments.Comment: 10 pages, 1 figure, replaced by published versio
Flow effects on the freeze-out phase-space density in heavy ion collisions
The strong longitudinal expansion of the reaction zone formed in relativistic
heavy-ion collisions is found to significantly reduce the spatially averaged
pion phase-space density, compared to naive estimates based on thermal
distributions. This has important implications for data interpretation and
leads to larger values for the extracted pion chemical potential at kinetic
freeze-out.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures included via epsfig, added discussion of different
transverse density profiles, 1 new figur
A nonstructural polypeptide encoded by immediate-early transcription unit 1 of murine cytomegalovirus is recognized by cytolytic T lymphocytes
We have constructed target cells by cotransfection of the MHC gene Ld and fragments of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) DNA coding for nonstructural immediate-early (IE) proteins. Transfectants were tested by using CTL clone IE1 with specificity for an IE epitope presented in association with Ld. Data show that clone IE1 recognizes a product of the ie1 transcription unit of MCMV, and that its specificity is shared by approximately 25% of polyclonal IE-specific CTL. The results provide the first definite evidence that expression of a herpes virus IE gene encoding a regulatory protein gives rise to antigen expression detectable by specific CT
Study of chiral symmetry restoration in linear and nonlinear O(N) models using the auxiliary field method
We consider the O(N) linear {\sigma} model and introduce an auxiliary field
to eliminate the scalar self-interaction. Using a suitable limiting process
this model can be continuously transformed into the nonlinear version of the
O(N) model. We demonstrate that, up to two-loop order in the CJT formalism, the
effective potential of the model with auxiliary field is identical to the one
of the standard O(N) linear {\sigma} model, if the auxiliary field is
eliminated using the stationary values for the corresponding one- and two-point
functions. We numerically compute the chiral condensate and the {\sigma}- and
{\pi}-meson masses at nonzero temperature in the one-loop approximation of the
CJT formalism. The order of the chiral phase transition depends sensitively on
the choice of the renormalization scheme. In the linear version of the model
and for explicitly broken chiral symmetry, it turns from crossover to first
order as the mass of the {\sigma} particle increases. In the nonlinear case,
the order of the phase transition turns out to be of first order. In the region
where the parameter space of the model allows for physical solutions,
Goldstone's theorem is always fulfilled.Comment: 25 pages, 9 figures, 1 table, improved versio
Correlated projection operator approach to non-Markovian dynamics in spin baths
The dynamics of an open quantum system is usually studied by performing a
weak-coupling and weak-correlation expansion in the system-bath interaction.
For systems exhibiting strong couplings and highly non-Markovian behavior this
approach is not justified. We apply a recently proposed correlated projection
superoperator technique to the model of a central spin coupled to a spin bath
via full Heisenberg interaction. Analytical solutions to both the
Nakajima-Zwanzig and the time-convolutionless master equation are determined
and compared with the results of the exact solution. The correlated projection
operator technique significantly improves the standard methods and can be
applied to many physical problems such as the hyperfine interaction in a
quantum dot
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