Gauge symmetries in spinfoam gravity: the case for "cellular quantization"

The spinfoam approach to quantum gravity rests on a "quantization" of BF theory using 2-complexes and group representations. We explain why, in dimension three and higher, this "spinfoam quantization" must be amended to be made consistent with the gauge symmetries of discrete BF theory. We discuss a suitable generalization, called "cellular quantization", which (1) is finite, (2) produces a topological invariant, (3) matches with the properties of the continuum BF theory, (4) corresponds to its loop quantization. These results significantly clarify the foundations - and limitations - of the spinfoam formalism, and open the path to understanding, in a discrete setting, the symmetry-breaking which reduces BF theory to gravity.Comment: 6 page

Algorithmic correspondence and completeness in modal logic. I. The core algorithm SQEMA

Modal formulae express monadic second-order properties on Kripke frames, but in many important cases these have first-order equivalents. Computing such equivalents is important for both logical and computational reasons. On the other hand, canonicity of modal formulae is important, too, because it implies frame-completeness of logics axiomatized with canonical formulae. Computing a first-order equivalent of a modal formula amounts to elimination of second-order quantifiers. Two algorithms have been developed for second-order quantifier elimination: SCAN, based on constraint resolution, and DLS, based on a logical equivalence established by Ackermann. In this paper we introduce a new algorithm, SQEMA, for computing first-order equivalents (using a modal version of Ackermann's lemma) and, moreover, for proving canonicity of modal formulae. Unlike SCAN and DLS, it works directly on modal formulae, thus avoiding Skolemization and the subsequent problem of unskolemization. We present the core algorithm and illustrate it with some examples. We then prove its correctness and the canonicity of all formulae on which the algorithm succeeds. We show that it succeeds not only on all Sahlqvist formulae, but also on the larger class of inductive formulae, introduced in our earlier papers. Thus, we develop a purely algorithmic approach to proving canonical completeness in modal logic and, in particular, establish one of the most general completeness results in modal logic so far.Comment: 26 pages, no figures, to appear in the Logical Methods in Computer Scienc

Disordered Bose Einstein Condensates with Interaction in One Dimension

We study the effects of random scatterers on the ground state of the one-dimensional Lieb-Liniger model of interacting bosons on the unit interval in the Gross-Pitaevskii regime. We prove that Bose Einstein condensation survives even a strong random potential with a high density of scatterers. The character of the wave function of the condensate, however, depends in an essential way on the interplay between randomness and the strength of the two-body interaction. For low density of scatterers or strong interactions the wave function extends over the whole interval. High density of scatterers and weak interaction, on the other hand, leads to localization of the wave function in a fragmented subset of the interval

Evaporation limited loading of an atom trap

Recently, we have experimentally demonstrated a continuous loading mechanism for an optical dipole trap from a guided atomic beam [1]. The observed evolution of the number of atoms and temperature in the trap are consequences of the unusual trap geometry. In the present paper, we develop a model based on a set of rate equations to describe the loading dynamics of such a mechanism. We consider the collision statistics in the non-uniform trap potential that leads to twodimensional evaporation. The comparison between the resulting computations and experimental data allows to identify the dominant loss process and suggests ways to enhance the achievable steady-state atom number. Concerning subsequent evaporative cooling, we find that the possibility of controlling axial and radial confinement independently allows faster evaporation ramps compared to single beam optical dipole traps.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figure

ArgR is an essential local transcriptional regulator of the arcABC-operon in Streptococcus suis and crucial for biological fitness in acidic environment

Streptococcus suis is one of the most important pathogens in pigs and can also cause severe infections in humans. Despite its clinical relevance very little is known about the factors contributing to its virulence. Recently, we identified a new putative virulence factor in Streptococcus suis, the arginine deiminase system (ADS), an arginine catabolic enzyme system encoded by the arcABC-operon, which enables Streptococcus suis to survive in acidic environment. In this study, we focused on ArgR, an ADS associated regulator belonging to the ArgR/AhrC arginine repressor family. Using an argR knock-out strain we could show that ArgR is essential for arcABC-operon expression and necessary for the biological fitness of Streptococcus suis. By cDNA expression microarray analyses and quantitative real time RT-PCR we found that the arcABC-operon is the only gene cluster regulated by ArgR, which is in contrast to many other bacteria. Reporter gene analysis with gfp under the control of the arcABC promoter demonstrated that ArgR is able to activate the arcABC promoter. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays with fragments of the arcABC promoter and recombinant ArgR, and chromatin immunoprecipitation with antibodies directed against ArgR revealed that ArgR interacts with the arcABC promoter in vitro and in vivo by binding to a region from -147 to 72 bp upstream of the transcriptional start point. Overall our results show that in Streptococcus suis ArgR is an essential, system specific transcriptional regulator of the ADS directly interacting with the arcABC promoter in vivo

Bubble divergences from cellular cohomology

We consider a class of lattice topological field theories, among which are the weak-coupling limit of 2d Yang-Mills theory, the Ponzano-Regge model of 3d quantum gravity and discrete BF theory, whose dynamical variables are flat discrete connections with compact structure group on a cell 2-complex. In these models, it is known that the path integral measure is ill-defined in general, because of a phenomenon called `bubble divergences'. A common expectation is that the degree of these divergences is given by the number of `bubbles' of the 2-complex. In this note, we show that this expectation, although not realistic in general, is met in some special cases: when the 2-complex is simply connected, or when the structure group is Abelian -- in both cases, the divergence degree is given by the second Betti number of the 2-complex.Comment: 5 page

Ballistic Electron Quantum Transport in Presence of a Disordered Background

Effect of a complicated many-body environment is analyzed on the electron random scattering by a 2D mesoscopic open ballistic structure. A new mechanism of decoherence is proposed. The temperature of the environment is supposed to be zero whereas the energy of the incoming particle $E_{in}$ can be close to or somewhat above the Fermi surface in the environment. The single-particle doorway resonance states excited in the structure via external channels are damped not only because of escape through such channels but also due to the ulterior population of the long-lived environmental states. Transmission of an electron with a given incoming $E_{in}$ through the structure turns out to be an incoherent sum of the flow formed by the interfering damped doorway resonances and the retarded flow of the particles re-emitted into the structure by the environment. Though the number of the particles is conserved in each individual event of transmission, there exists a probability that some part of the electron's energy can be absorbed due to environmental many-body effects. In such a case the electron can disappear from the resonance energy interval and elude observation at the fixed transmission energy $E_{in}$ thus resulting in seeming loss of particles, violation of the time reversal symmetry and, as a consequence, suppression of the weak localization. The both decoherence and absorption phenomena are treated within the framework of a unit microscopic model based on the general theory of the resonance scattering. All the effects discussed are controlled by the only parameter: the spreading width of the doorway resonances, that uniquely determines the decoherence rateComment: 7 pages, 1 figure. The published version. A figure has been added; the list of references has been improved. Some explanatory remarks have been include

Bubble divergences: sorting out topology from cell structure

We conclude our analysis of bubble divergences in the flat spinfoam model. In [arXiv:1008.1476] we showed that the divergence degree of an arbitrary two-complex Gamma can be evaluated exactly by means of twisted cohomology. Here, we specialize this result to the case where Gamma is the two-skeleton of the cell decomposition of a pseudomanifold, and sharpen it with a careful analysis of the cellular and topological structures involved. Moreover, we explain in detail how this approach reproduces all the previous powercounting results for the Boulatov-Ooguri (colored) tensor models, and sheds light on algebraic-topological aspects of Gurau's 1/N expansion.Comment: 19 page

Seismic noise parameters as indicators of reversible modifications in slope stability: a review

Continuous ambient seismic monitoring of potentially unstable sites is increasingly attracting the attention of researchers for precursor recognition and early warning purposes. Twelve cases of long-term continuous noise monitoring have been reported in the literature between 2012 and 2020. Only in a few cases rupture was achieved and irreversible drops in resonance frequency values or shear wave velocity extracted from noise recordings were documented. On the other hand, all monitored sites showed clear reversible fluctuations of the seismic parameters on a daily and seasonal scale due to changes in external weather conditions (air temperature and precipitation). A quantitative comparison of these reversible modifications is used to gain insight into the mechanisms driving the site seismic response. Six possible mechanisms were identified, including three temperature-driven mechanisms (temperature control on fracture opening/closing, superficial stress conditions and bulk rigidity), one precipitation-driven mechanism (water infiltration effect) and two mechanisms sensitive to both temperature and precipitation (ice formation and clay behavior). The reversible variations in seismic parameters under the meteorological constraints are synthesized and compared to the irreversible changes observed prior to failure in different geological conditions

Power sensitivity and algebraic technique for evaluation of penetration level of photovoltaic on DC link of VSC HVDC transmission

Abstract: With the increased advent of VSC HVDC with long DC transmission link in power systems, situations have arisen and will be even more frequent in the future, where several distributed generation will be connected on the DC-link for more power transfer capability. As penetration level increases, there is need to predict the limit before violation of voltage and power instability on the DC transmission link and ensure that it does not interfere with the main VSC HVDC system control. In this paper, power sensitivity and algebraic technique is proposed to predict the maximum DG penetration that can be accepted at a particular location on the dc link of VSC HVDC transmission system before violation of voltage and power stabilit