415 research outputs found
Noncommutative quantum mechanics -- a perspective on structure and spatial extent
We explore the notion of spatial extent and structure, already alluded to in
earlier literature, within the formulation of quantum mechanics on the
noncommutative plane. Introducing the notion of average position and its
measurement, we find two equivalent pictures: a constrained local description
in position containing additional degrees of freedom, and an unconstrained
nonlocal description in terms of the position without any other degrees of
freedom. Both these descriptions have a corresponding classical theory which
shows that the concept of extended, structured objects emerges quite naturally
and unavoidably there. It is explicitly demonstrated that the conserved energy
and angular momentum contain corrections to those of a point particle. We argue
that these notions also extend naturally to the quantum level. The local
description is found to be the most convenient as it manifestly displays
additional information about structure of quantum states that is more subtly
encoded in the nonlocal, unconstrained description. Subsequently we use this
picture to discuss the free particle and harmonic oscillator as examples.Comment: 25 pages, no figure
Formulation, Interpretation and Application of non-Commutative Quantum Mechanics
In analogy with conventional quantum mechanics, non-commutative quantum
mechanics is formulated as a quantum system on the Hilbert space of
Hilbert-Schmidt operators acting on non-commutative configuration space. It is
argued that the standard quantum mechanical interpretation based on Positive
Operator Valued Measures, provides a sufficient framework for the consistent
interpretation of this quantum system. The implications of this formalism for
rotational and time reversal symmetry are discussed. The formalism is applied
to the free particle and harmonic oscillator in two dimensions and the physical
signatures of non commutativity are identified.Comment: 11 page
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Ultrafast modulation of the chemical potential in BaFe2As2 by coherent phonons
Time- and angle-resolved extreme ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy is used to study the electronic structure dynamics in BaFe2As2 around the high-symmetry points Γ and M. A global oscillation of the Fermi level at the frequency of the A1g(As) phonon mode is observed. It is argued that this behavior reflects a modulation of the effective chemical potential in the photoexcited surface region that arises from the high sensitivity of the band structure near the Fermi level to the A1g(As) phonon mode combined with a low electron diffusivity perpendicular to the layers. The results establish a novel way to tune the electronic properties of iron pnictides: coherent control of the effective chemical potential. The results further suggest that the equilibration time for the effective chemical potential needs to be considered in the ultrafast electronic structure dynamics of materials with weak interlayer coupling. © 2014 American Physical Society
Can sexual selection drive female life histories? A comparative study on Galliform birds
Sexual selection is an important driver of many of the most spectacular morphological traits that we find in the animal kingdom (for example see Andersson, 1994). As such, sexual selection is most often emphasized as
Evidence‐informed practice versus evidence‐based practice educational interventions for improving knowledge, attitudes, understanding, and behavior toward the application of evidence into practice:A comprehensive systematic review of undergraduate students
Climatic patterns in the establishment of wintering areas by North American migratory birds
Long-distance migration in birds is relatively well studied in nature; however, one aspect of this phenomenon that remains poorly understood is the pattern of distribution presented by species during arrival to and establishment of wintering areas. Some studies suggest that the selection of areas in winter is somehow determined by climate, given its influence on both the distribution of bird species and their resources. We analyzed whether different migrant passerine species of North America present climatic preferences during arrival to and departure from their wintering areas. We used ecological niche modeling to generate monthly potential climatic distributions for 13 migratory bird species during the winter season by combining the locations recorded per month with four environmental layers. We calculated monthly coefficients of climate variation and then compared two GLM (generalized linear models), evaluated with the AIC (Akaike information criterion), to describe how these coefficients varied over the course of the season, as a measure of the patterns of establishment in the wintering areas. For 11 species, the sites show nonlinear patterns of variation in climatic preferences, with low coefficients of variation at the beginning and end of the season and higher values found in the intermediate months. The remaining two species analyzed showed a different climatic pattern of selective establishment of wintering areas, probably due to taxonomic discrepancy, which would affect their modeled winter distribution. Patterns of establishment of wintering areas in the species showed a climatic preference at the macroscale, suggesting that individuals of several species actively select wintering areas that meet specific climatic conditions. This probably gives them an advantage over the winter and during the return to breeding areas. As these areas become full of migrants, alternative suboptimal sites are occupied. Nonrandom winter area selection may also have consequences for the conservation of migratory bird species, particularly under a scenario of climate change
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Light-induced charge density wave in LaTe3
When electrons in a solid are excited with light, they can alter the free
energy landscape and access phases of matter that are beyond reach in thermal
equilibrium. This accessibility becomes of vast importance in the presence of
phase competition, when one state of matter is preferred over another by only a
small energy scale that, in principle, is surmountable by light. Here, we study
a layered compound, LaTe, where a small in-plane (a-c plane) lattice
anisotropy results in a unidirectional charge density wave (CDW) along the
c-axis. Using ultrafast electron diffraction, we find that after
photoexcitation, the CDW along the c-axis is weakened and subsequently, a
different competing CDW along the a-axis emerges. The timescales characterizing
the relaxation of this new CDW and the reestablishment of the original CDW are
nearly identical, which points towards a strong competition between the two
orders. The new density wave represents a transient non-equilibrium phase of
matter with no equilibrium counterpart, and this study thus provides a
framework for unleashing similar states of matter that are "trapped" under
equilibrium conditions
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