12,754 research outputs found
The compositional construction of Markov processes II
In an earlier paper we introduced a notion of Markov automaton, together with
parallel operations which permit the compositional description of Markov
processes. We illustrated by showing how to describe a system of n dining
philosophers, and we observed that Perron-Frobenius theory yields a proof that
the probability of reaching deadlock tends to one as the number of steps goes
to infinity. In this paper we add sequential operations to the algebra (and the
necessary structure to support them). The extra operations permit the
description of hierarchical systems, and ones with evolving geometry
Gravitational waves from hyperbolic encounters
The emission of gravitational waves from a system of massive objects
interacting on hyperbolic orbits is studied in the quadrupole approximation.
Analytic expressions are derived for the gravitational radiation luminosity,
the total energy output and the gravitational radiation amplitude. An
estimation of the expected number of events towards different targets (i.e.
globular clusters and the center of the Galaxy) is also given. In particular,
for a dense stellar cluster at the galactic center, a rate up to one event per
year is obtained.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figure
Risk-based system to control safety level of flooded passenger ships
Predicting the consequences of flooding is a key issue that may help the ship master of a large passenger ship to make rational decisions in emergency situations. To this end, the Delphi Emergency Decision Support System (Delphi EDSS) has been designed and is under implementation to continuously assess ship's state of survivability. Analyses are performed by means of a time-domain simulation program, where transient stages of flooding are investigated and stored off-line for all the potential damage scenarios. The Delphi EDSS evaluates the ship risk level including the most important aspects related to safety state while establishing the time-to-capsize which is of primary concern for the safe evacuation of the damaged ship.
The methodology is based on a scientific approach, setting an overall platform for rational assessment of non-survivability risk. Determination of the global risk level and its components requires solution of a multicriterial problem, where the level of importance of each criterion contributing to determination of a global risk index is combined with fuzzified contributors to risk calculated at lower levels
Anomalous resilient to decoherence macroscopic quantum superpositions generated by universally covariant optimal quantum cloning
We show that the quantum states generated by universal optimal quantum
cloning of a single photon represent an universal set of quantum superpositions
resilient to decoherence. We adopt Bures distance as a tool to investigate the
persistence ofquantum coherence of these quantum states. According to this
analysis, the process of universal cloning realizes a class of quantum
superpositions that exhibits a covariance property in lossy configuration over
the complete set of polarization states in the Bloch sphere.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figure
Magnetic Control of Transmission and Helicity of Nano-Structured Optical Beams in Magnetoplasmonic Vortex Lenses
We theoretically investigate the generation of far-field propagating optical
beams with a desired orbital angular momentum by using an archetypical
magnetoplasmonic tip surrounded by a gold spiral slit. The use of a magnetic
material can lead to important implications once magneto-optical activity is
activated through the application of an external magnetic field. The physical
model and the numerical study presented here introduce the concept of
magnetically tunable plasmonic vortex lens, namely a magnetoplasmonic vortex
lens, which ensures a tunable selectivity in the polarization state of the
generated nanostructured beam. The presented system provides a promising
platform for a localized excitation of plasmonic vortices followed by their
beaming in the far-field with an active modulation of both light's
transmittance and helicity
Time-dependent Nonlinear Optical Susceptibility of an Out-of-Equilibrium Soft Material
We investigate the time-dependent nonlinear optical absorption of a clay
dispersion (Laponite) in organic dye (Rhodamine B) water solution displaying
liquid-arrested state transition. Specifically, we determine the characteristic
time of the nonlinear susceptibility build-up due as to the Soret
effect. By comparing with the relaxation time provided by standard
dynamic light scattering measurements we report on the decoupling of the two
collective diffusion times at the two very different length scales during the
aging of the out-of-equilibrium system. With this demonstration experiment we
also show the potentiality of nonlinear optics measurements in the study of the
late stage of arrest in soft materials
Why haven't loose globular clusters collapsed yet?
We report on the discovery of a surprising observed correlation between the
slope of the low-mass stellar global mass function (GMF) of globular clusters
(GCs) and their central concentration parameter c=log(r_t/r_c), i.e. the
logarithmic ratio of tidal and core radii. This result is based on the analysis
of a sample of twenty Galactic GCs with solid GMF measurements from deep HST or
VLT data. All the high-concentration clusters in the sample have a steep GMF,
most likely reflecting their initial mass function. Conversely,
low-concentration clusters tend to have a flatter GMF implying that they have
lost many stars via evaporation or tidal stripping. No GCs are found with a
flat GMF and high central concentration. This finding appears
counter-intuitive, since the same two-body relaxation mechanism that causes
stars to evaporate and the cluster to eventually dissolve should also lead to
higher central density and possibly core-collapse. Therefore, more concentrated
clusters should have lost proportionately more stars and have a shallower GMF
than low concentration clusters, contrary to what is observed. It is possible
that severely depleted GCs have also undergone core collapse and have already
recovered a normal radial density profile. It is, however, more likely that GCs
with a flat GMF have a much denser and smaller core than suggested by their
surface brightness profile and may well be undergoing collapse at present. In
either case, we may have so far seriously underestimated the number of post
core-collapse clusters and many may be lurking in the Milky Way.Comment: Four pages, one figure, accepted for publication in ApJ Letter
- âŠ