11,228 research outputs found
Supersonic quantum communication
When locally exciting a quantum lattice model, the excitation will propagate
through the lattice. The effect is responsible for a wealth of non-equilibrium
phenomena, and has been exploited to transmit quantum information through spin
chains. It is a commonly expressed belief that for local Hamiltonians, any such
propagation happens at a finite "speed of sound". Indeed, the Lieb-Robinson
theorem states that in spin models, all effects caused by a perturbation are
limited to a causal cone defined by a constant speed, up to exponentially small
corrections. In this work we show that for translationally invariant bosonic
models with nearest-neighbor interactions, this belief is incorrect: We prove
that one can encounter excitations which accelerate under the natural dynamics
of the lattice and allow for reliable transmission of information faster than
any finite speed of sound. The effect is only limited by the model's range of
validity (eventually by relativity). It also implies that in non-equilibrium
dynamics of strongly correlated bosonic models far-away regions may become
quickly entangled, suggesting that their simulation may be much harder than
that of spin chains even in the low energy sector.Comment: 4+3 pages, 1 figure, some material added, typographic error fixe
The influence of vision on susceptibility to acute motion sickness studied under quantifiable stimulus-response conditions
Twenty-four healthy men, 22 to 25 years of age, were exposed to stressful accelerations in a rotating room until acute mild motion sickness was elicited. Thirteen subjects in one group were exposed first with eyes open and later with eyes covered; the reverse order was used with the remaining eleven in the other group. The stressful accelerations were generated by requiring the subject to execute 120 standardized head movements at each 1-rpm increase in angular velocity until the desired endpoint was reached. When susceptibility to motion sickness with eyes open and covered is compared, 19 subjects were more susceptible with eyes open, three with eyes covered, and in the remaining two susceptibility was the same. The maximum difference in velocity between trial 1 and 2 was 7 rpm when susceptibility was greater with eyes open and 3 rpm when it was greater with eyes covered; the means, respectively, were 3.2 and 2.0 rpm. Among subjects manifesting greater susceptibility with eyes open than covered the group differences were small, indicating little or no adaptation effects. The findings are discussed mainly on the basis that vision may act also to decrease susceptibility under the stimulus conditions described
Quantum protocols for anonymous voting and surveying
We describe quantum protocols for voting and surveying. A key feature of our
schemes is the use of entangled states to ensure that the votes are anonymous
and to allow the votes to be tallied. The entanglement is distributed over
separated sites; the physical inaccessibility of any one site is sufficient to
guarantee the anonymity of the votes. The security of these protocols with
respect to various kinds of attack is discussed. We also discuss classical
schemes and show that our quantum voting protocol represents a N-fold reduction
in computational complexity, where N is the number of voters.Comment: 8 pages. V2 includes the modifications made for the published versio
Chromaticity effects in microlensing by wormholes
Chromaticity effects introduced by the finite source size in microlensing
events by presumed natural wormholes are studied. It is shown that these
effects provide a specific signature that allow to discriminate between
ordinary and negative mass lenses through the spectral analysis of the
microlensing events. Both galactic and extragalactic situations are discussed.Comment: To appear in Modern Physics Letters A, 200
Mistakes, Crises, and Research Independence: The Perils of Fieldwork as a form of Evidence
Drawing on examples from rural Ethiopia and Uganda, this research note highlights some of the difficulties experienced in fieldwork. These difficulties do not justify the reluctance of increasingly risk-averse universities and funders to support independent fieldwork in Africa, but they do show that the rationale for research and the features of its design can provoke animosity and tensions. They also show that our own failure on occasion to appreciate local political dynamics made the situation more difficult. Challenges and threats came not only from local political forces but also from multinational companies and Fairtrade organizations uncomfortable with our findings and with fully independent research. The research note argues that the details of our experience have a practical value for other researchers, and that at least some of them should be treated as substantive forms of evidence and insight, rather than simply as threats or failures. We conclude that some crude best-practice norms and pressures on academics to form partnerships to conduct policy-relevant work may undermine the potential for truly independent and intensive field research. However, crises should not necessarily be seen as an unwelcome interruption to smooth processes of research; they can illuminate the context and power relations that the research is trying to understand
A Social-Ecological Framework of Theory, Assessment, and Prevention of Suicide
The juxtaposition of increasing suicide rates with continued calls for suicide prevention efforts begs for new approaches. Grounded in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) framework for tackling health issues, this personal views work integrates relevant suicide risk/protective factor, assessment, and intervention/prevention literatures. Based on these components of suicide risk, we articulate a Social-Ecological Suicide Prevention Model (SESPM) which provides an integration of general and population-specific risk and protective factors. We also use this multi-level perspective to provide a structured approach to understanding current theories and intervention/prevention efforts concerning suicide. Following similar multi-level prevention efforts in interpersonal violence and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) domains, we offer recommendations for social-ecologically informed suicide prevention theory, training, research, assessment, and intervention programming. Although the SESPM calls for further empirical testing, it provides a suitable backdrop for tailoring of current prevention and intervention programs to population-specific needs. Moreover, the multi-level model shows promise to move suicide risk assessment forward (e.g., development of multi-level suicide risk algorithms or structured professional judgments instruments) to overcome current limitations in the field. Finally, we articulate a set of characteristics of social-ecologically based suicide prevention programs. These include the need to address risk and protective factors with the strongest degree of empirical support at each multi-level layer, incorporate a comprehensive program evaluation strategy, and use a variety of prevention techniques across levels of prevention
Fairtrade and Labour Markets in Ethiopia and Uganda
Drawing on four years of fieldwork in Ethiopia and Uganda, this paper addresses gaps in knowledge about the mechanisms linking agricultural exports with poverty reduction, the functioning of rural labour markets, and the relevance to the lives of the poorest people of Fairtrade. Statistical analysis of survey evidence, complemented by qualitative research, highlights the relatively poor payment and non-pay working conditions of those employed in research sites dominated by Fairtrade producer organizations. We conclude that Fairtrade is not an effective way to improve the welfare of the poorest rural people
On the possibility of an astronomical detection of chromaticity effects in microlensing by wormhole-like objects
We study the colour changes induced by blending in a wormhole-like
microlensing scenario with extended sources. The results are compared with
those obtained for limb darkening. We assess the possibility of an actual
detection of the colour curve using the difference image analysis method.Comment: Accepted for publication in Modern Physics Letters A. 13 report
pages, 7 figure
Partial-measurement back-action and non-classical weak values in a superconducting circuit
We realize indirect partial measurement of a transmon qubit in circuit
quantum electrodynamics by interaction with an ancilla qubit and projective
ancilla measurement with a dedicated readout resonator. Accurate control of the
interaction and ancilla measurement basis allows tailoring the measurement
strength and operator. The tradeoff between measurement strength and qubit
back-action is characterized through the distortion of a qubit Rabi oscillation
imposed by ancilla measurement in different bases. Combining partial and
projective qubit measurements, we provide the solid-state demonstration of the
correspondence between a non-classical weak value and the violation of a
Leggett-Garg inequality.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, and Supplementary Information (8 figures
Biased tomography schemes: an objective approach
We report on an intrinsic relationship between the maximum-likelihood
quantum-state estimation and the representation of the signal. A quantum
analogy of the transfer function determines the space where the reconstruction
should be done without the need for any ad hoc truncations of the Hilbert
space. An illustration of this method is provided by a simple yet practically
important tomography of an optical signal registered by realistic binary
detectors.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, accepted in PR
- âŠ