2,109 research outputs found
Holographic Geometry and Noise in Matrix Theory
Using Matrix Theory as a concrete example of a fundamental holographic
theory, we show that the emergent macroscopic spacetime displays a new
macroscopic quantum structure, holographic geometry, and a new observable
phenomenon, holographic noise, with phenomenology similar to that previously
derived on the basis of a quasi-monochromatic wave theory. Traces of matrix
operators on a light sheet with a compact dimension of size are interpreted
as transverse position operators for macroscopic bodies. An effective quantum
wave equation for spacetime is derived from the Matrix Hamiltonian. Its
solutions display eigenmodes that connect longitudinal separation and
transverse position operators on macroscopic scales. Measurements of transverse
relative positions of macroscopically separated bodies, such as signals in
Michelson interferometers, are shown to display holographic nonlocality,
indeterminacy and noise, whose properties can be predicted with no parameters
except . Similar results are derived using a detailed scattering calculation
of the matrix wavefunction. Current experimental technology will allow a
definitive and precise test or validation of this interpretation of holographic
fundamental theories. In the latter case, they will yield a direct measurement
of independent of the gravitational definition of the Planck length, and a
direct measurement of the total number of degrees of freedom.Comment: 19 pages, 2 figures; v2: factors of Planck mass written explicitly,
typos correcte
Gravitational waves from the sound of a first order phase transition
We report on the first three-dimensional numerical simulations of first-order phase transitions in the early Universe to include the cosmic fluid as well as the scalar field order parameter. We calculate the gravitational wave (GW) spectrum resulting from the nucleation, expansion, and collision of bubbles of the low-temperature phase, for phase transition strengths and bubble wall velocities covering many cases of interest. We find that the compression waves in the fluid continue to be a source of GWs long after the bubbles have merged, a new effect not taken properly into account in previous modeling of the GW source. For a wide range of models, the main source of the GWs produced by a phase transition is, therefore, the sound the bubbles make
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Entrapment: an important mechanism to explain the shortwave 3D radiative effect of clouds
Several mechanisms have previously been proposed to explain differences between the shortwave reflectance of realistic cloud scenes computed using the 1D independent column approximation (ICA) and 3D solutions of the radiative transfer equation. When the sun is low in the sky, interception of sunlight by cloud sides tends to increase reflectance relative to ICA estimates that neglect this effect. When the sun is high, 3D radiative transfer tends to make clouds less reflective, which we argue is explained by the mechanism of âentrapmentâ whereby horizontal transport of radiation beneath a cloud layer increases the chances, relative to the ICA, of light being absorbed by cloud or the surface. It is especially important for multilayered cloud scenes. We describe modifications to the previously described Speedy Algorithm for Radiative Transfer through Cloud Sides (SPARTACUS) to represent different entrapment assumptions, and test their impact on 65 contrasting scenes from a cloud-resolving model. When entrapment is represented explicitly via a calculation of the mean horizontal distance traveled by reflected light, SPARTACUS predicts a mean â3D radiative effectâ (the difference in top-of-atmosphere irradiances between 3D and ICA calculations) of 8.1 W mâ2 for overhead sun. This is within 2% of broadband Monte Carlo calculations on the same scenes. The importance of entrapment is highlighted by the finding that the extreme assumptions in SPARTACUS of âzero entrapmentâ and âmaximum entrapmentâ lead to corresponding mean 3D radiative effects of 1.7 and 19.6 W mâ2, respectively
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A novel ensemble method for retrieving properties of warm cloud in 3-D using ground-based scanning radar and zenith radiances
We present a novel method for retrieving high-resolution, three-dimensional (3-D) nonprecipitating cloud fields in both overcast and broken-cloud situations. The method uses scanning cloud radar and multiwavelength zenith radiances to obtain gridded 3-D liquid water content (LWC) and effective radius (re) and 2-D column mean droplet number concentration (Nd). By using an adaption of the ensemble Kalman filter, radiances are used to constrain the optical properties of the clouds using a forward model that employs full 3-D radiative transfer while also providing full error statistics given the uncertainty in the observations. To evaluate the new method, we first perform retrievals using synthetic measurements from a challenging cumulus cloud field produced by a large-eddy simulation snapshot. Uncertainty due to measurement error in overhead clouds is estimated at 20% in LWC and 6% in re, but the true error can be greater due to uncertainties in the assumed droplet size distribution and radiative transfer. Over the entire domain, LWC and re are retrieved with average error 0.05â0.08 g m-3 and ~2 ÎŒm, respectively, depending on the number of radiance channels used. The method is then evaluated using real data from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement program Mobile Facility at the Azores. Two case studies are considered, one stratocumulus and one cumulus. Where available, the liquid water path retrieved directly above the observation site was found to be in good agreement with independent values obtained from microwave radiometer measurements, with an error of 20 g m-2
Testing General Relativity with Atom Interferometry
The unprecedented precision of atom interferometry will soon lead to
laboratory tests of general relativity to levels that will rival or exceed
those reached by astrophysical observations. We propose such an experiment that
will initially test the equivalence principle to 1 part in 10^15 (300 times
better than the current limit), and 1 part in 10^17 in the future. It will also
probe general relativistic effects--such as the non-linear three-graviton
coupling, the gravity of an atom's kinetic energy, and the falling of light--to
several decimals. Further, in contrast to astrophysical observations,
laboratory tests can isolate these effects via their different functional
dependence on experimental variables.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure; v2: Minor changes made for publicatio
Quasar Proper Motions and Low-Frequency Gravitational Waves
We report observational upper limits on the mass-energy of the cosmological
gravitational-wave background, from limits on proper motions of quasars.
Gravitational waves with periods longer than the time span of observations
produce a simple pattern of apparent proper motions over the sky, composed
primarily of second-order transverse vector spherical harmonics. A fit of such
harmonics to measured motions yields a 95%-confidence limit on the mass-energy
of gravitational waves with frequencies <2e-9 Hz, of <0.11/h*h times the
closure density of the universe.Comment: 15 pages, 1 figure. Also available at
http://charm.physics.ucsb.edu:80/people/cgwinn/cgwinn_group/index.htm
Water sorption and hydration in spray-dried milk protein powders: Selected physicochemical properties
peer-reviewedLow and high protein dairy powders are prone to caking and sticking and can also be highly insoluble; with powder storage conditions an important factor responsible for such issues. The aim of this study focused on the bulk and surface properties of anhydrous and humidified spray-dried milk protein concentrate (MPC) powders (protein content ~40, 50, 60, 70 or 80%, w/w). Water sorption isotherms, polarized light and scanning electron micrographs showed crystallized lactose in low protein powders at high water activities. High protein systems demonstrated increased bulk diffusion coefficients compared to low protein systems. Glass transition temperatures, α-relaxation temperatures and structural strength significantly decreased with water uptake. CLSM measurements showed that humidified systems have slower real time water diffusion compared to anhydrous systems. Overall, the rate of water diffusion was higher for low protein powders but high protein powders absorbed higher levels of water under high humidity conditions
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