703 research outputs found
On the lowest eigenvalue of Laplace operators with mixed boundary conditions
In this paper we consider a Robin-type Laplace operator on bounded domains.
We study the dependence of its lowest eigenvalue on the boundary conditions and
its asymptotic behavior in shrinking and expanding domains. For convex domains
we establish two-sided estimates on the lowest eigenvalues in terms of the
inradius and of the boundary conditions
Quantum Reality and Measurement: A Quantum Logical Approach
The recently established universal uncertainty principle revealed that two
nowhere commuting observables can be measured simultaneously in some state,
whereas they have no joint probability distribution in any state. Thus, one
measuring apparatus can simultaneously measure two observables that have no
simultaneous reality. In order to reconcile this discrepancy, an approach based
on quantum logic is proposed to establish the relation between quantum reality
and measurement. We provide a language speaking of values of observables
independent of measurement based on quantum logic and we construct in this
language the state-dependent notions of joint determinateness, value identity,
and simultaneous measurability. This naturally provides a contextual
interpretation, in which we can safely claim such a statement that one
measuring apparatus measures one observable in one context and simultaneously
it measures another nowhere commuting observable in another incompatible
context.Comment: 16 pages, Latex. Presented at the Conference "Quantum Theory:
Reconsideration of Foundations, 5 (QTRF5)," Vaxjo, Sweden, 15 June 2009. To
appear in Foundations of Physics
Composition measurement of epitaxial Sc<inf>x</inf>Ga<inf>1-x</inf>N films
Four different methods for measuring the compositions of epitaxial ScxGa1-xN films were assessed and compared to determine which was the most reliable and accurate. The compositions of epitaxial ScxGa1-xN films with 0 †x †0.26 were measured directly using Rutherford backscattering (RBS) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and indirectly using c lattice parameter measurements from x-ray diffraction and c/a ratio measurements from electron diffraction patterns. RBS measurements were taken as a standard reference. XPS was found to underestimate the Sc content, whereas c lattice parameter and c/a ratio were not reliable for composition determination due to the unknown degree of strain relaxation in the film. However, the Sc flux used during growth was found to relate linearly with x and could be used to estimate the Sc content
Scattering theory for Klein-Gordon equations with non-positive energy
We study the scattering theory for charged Klein-Gordon equations:
\{{array}{l} (\p_{t}- \i v(x))^{2}\phi(t,x) \epsilon^{2}(x,
D_{x})\phi(t,x)=0,[2mm] \phi(0, x)= f_{0}, [2mm] \i^{-1} \p_{t}\phi(0, x)=
f_{1}, {array}. where: \epsilon^{2}(x, D_{x})= \sum_{1\leq j, k\leq
n}(\p_{x_{j}} \i b_{j}(x))A^{jk}(x)(\p_{x_{k}} \i b_{k}(x))+ m^{2}(x),
describing a Klein-Gordon field minimally coupled to an external
electromagnetic field described by the electric potential and magnetic
potential . The flow of the Klein-Gordon equation preserves the
energy: h[f, f]:= \int_{\rr^{n}}\bar{f}_{1}(x) f_{1}(x)+
\bar{f}_{0}(x)\epsilon^{2}(x, D_{x})f_{0}(x) - \bar{f}_{0}(x) v^{2}(x) f_{0}(x)
\d x. We consider the situation when the energy is not positive. In this
case the flow cannot be written as a unitary group on a Hilbert space, and the
Klein-Gordon equation may have complex eigenfrequencies. Using the theory of
definitizable operators on Krein spaces and time-dependent methods, we prove
the existence and completeness of wave operators, both in the short- and
long-range cases. The range of the wave operators are characterized in terms of
the spectral theory of the generator, as in the usual Hilbert space case
Electron interference and entanglement in coupled 1D systems with noise
We estimate the role of noise in the formation of entanglement and in the
appearance of single- and two-electron interference in systems of coupled
one-dimensional channels semiconductors. Two cases are considered: a
single-particle interferometer and a two-particle interferometer exploiting
Coulomb interaction. In both of them, environmental noise yields a
randomization of the carrier phases. Our results assess how that the
complementarity relation linking single-particle behavior to nonlocal
quantities, such as entanglement and environment-induced decoherence, acts in
electron interferometry. We show that, in a experimental implementation of the
setups examined, one- and two-electron detection probability at the output
drains can be used to evaluate the decoherence phenomena and the degree of
entanglement.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures. v2: added some references and corrected tex
Post-Newtonian SPH calculations of binary neutron star coalescence. I. Method and first results
We present the first results from our Post-Newtonian (PN) Smoothed Particle
Hydrodynamics (SPH) code, which has been used to study the coalescence of
binary neutron star (NS) systems. The Lagrangian particle-based code
incorporates consistently all lowest-order (1PN) relativistic effects, as well
as gravitational radiation reaction, the lowest-order dissipative term in
general relativity. We test our code on sequences of single NS models of
varying compactness, and we discuss ways to make PN simulations more relevant
to realistic NS models. We also present a PN SPH relaxation procedure for
constructing equilibrium models of synchronized binaries, and we use these
equilibrium models as initial conditions for our dynamical calculations of
binary coalescence. Though unphysical, since tidal synchronization is not
expected in NS binaries, these initial conditions allow us to compare our PN
work with previous Newtonian results.
We compare calculations with and without 1PN effects, for NS with stiff
equations of state, modeled as polytropes with . We find that 1PN
effects can play a major role in the coalescence, accelerating the final
inspiral and causing a significant misalignment in the binary just prior to
final merging. In addition, the character of the gravitational wave signal is
altered dramatically, showing strong modulation of the exponentially decaying
waveform near the end of the merger. We also discuss briefly the implications
of our results for models of gamma-ray bursts at cosmological distances.Comment: RevTeX, 37 pages, 17 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev. D, minor
corrections onl
Reconciling Supersymmetric Grand Unification with
We argue that supersymmetric grand unification of gauge couplings is not
incompatible with small , even without large GUT-scale corrections,
if one relaxes a usual universal gaugino mass assumption. A commonly assumed
relation is in gross contradiction with
. Instead, small favors . If this is indeed the case our observation casts doubt on another
commonly used relation which originates from the same
constraint of a common gaugino mass at the GUT scale. One firm prediction
emerging within the small scenario with the unconstrained gaugino
masses is the existence of a relatively light gluino below 200\gev.Comment: 18 pages, LaTex format for text; epsf.sty needed for including 3
Postscript figures in the text. CHANGES: Comments on dark matter and
non-minimal supergravity (see end of Sec. 2.3) and several references added;
also some minor corrections made
A systematic review of the health and well-being benefits of biodiverse environments
This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B: Critical Reviews on 05 Mar 2014, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/10937404.2013.856361Recent ecosystem service models have placed biodiversity as a central factor in the processes that link the natural environment to health. While it is recognized that disturbed ecosystems might negatively affect human well-being, it is not clear whether biodiversity is related to or can promote "good" human health and well-being. The aim of this study was to systematically identify, summarize, and synthesize research that had examined whether biodiverse environments are health promoting. The objectives were twofold: (1) to map the interdisciplinary field of enquiry and (2) to assess whether current evidence enables us to characterize the relationship. Due to the heterogeneity of available evidence a narrative synthesis approach was used, which is textual rather than statistical. Extensive searches identified 17 papers that met the inclusion criteria: 15 quantitative and 2 qualitative. The evidence was varied in disciplinary origin, with authors approaching the question using different study designs and methods, and conceptualizations of biodiversity, health, and well-being. There is some evidence to suggest that biodiverse natural environments promote better health through exposure to pleasant environments or the encouragement of health-promoting behaviors. There was also evidence of inverse relationships, particularly at a larger scale (global analyses). However, overall the evidence is inconclusive and fails to identify a specific role for biodiversity in the promotion of better health. High-quality interdisciplinary research is needed to produce a more reliable evidence base. Of particular importance is identifying the specific ecosystem services, goods, and processes through which biodiversity may generate good health and well-being.European Regional Development Fund
Programme 2007 to 2013European Social
Fund Convergence Programme for Cornwall
and the Isles of Scilly
Search for direct production of charginos and neutralinos in events with three leptons and missing transverse momentum in âs = 7 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector
A search for the direct production of charginos and neutralinos in final states with three electrons or muons and missing transverse momentum is presented. The analysis is based on 4.7 fbâ1 of protonâproton collision data delivered by the Large Hadron Collider and recorded with the ATLAS detector. Observations are consistent with Standard Model expectations in three signal regions that are either depleted or enriched in Z-boson decays. Upper limits at 95% confidence level are set in R-parity conserving phenomenological minimal supersymmetric models and in simplified models, significantly extending previous results
Measurement of the polarisation of W bosons produced with large transverse momentum in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV with the ATLAS experiment
This paper describes an analysis of the angular distribution of W->enu and
W->munu decays, using data from pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV recorded with
the ATLAS detector at the LHC in 2010, corresponding to an integrated
luminosity of about 35 pb^-1. Using the decay lepton transverse momentum and
the missing transverse energy, the W decay angular distribution projected onto
the transverse plane is obtained and analysed in terms of helicity fractions
f0, fL and fR over two ranges of W transverse momentum (ptw): 35 < ptw < 50 GeV
and ptw > 50 GeV. Good agreement is found with theoretical predictions. For ptw
> 50 GeV, the values of f0 and fL-fR, averaged over charge and lepton flavour,
are measured to be : f0 = 0.127 +/- 0.030 +/- 0.108 and fL-fR = 0.252 +/- 0.017
+/- 0.030, where the first uncertainties are statistical, and the second
include all systematic effects.Comment: 19 pages plus author list (34 pages total), 9 figures, 11 tables,
revised author list, matches European Journal of Physics C versio
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