Time’s Direction and Orthodox Quantum Mechanics: Time Symmetry and Measurement

It has been argued in various places that measurement-induced collapses in Orthodox Quantum Mechanics yields a genuine structural (or intrinsic) quantum arrow of time. In this paper, I will critically assess this proposal. I begin by distinguishing between a structural and a non-structural arrow of time. After presenting the proposal of a collapse-based arrow of time in some detail and discussing some criticisms it has faced, I argue, first, that any quantum arrow of time in Orthodox Quantum Mechanics cannot be defined for the entire universe and, second, that it requires non-dynamical information to be established. Consequently, I deliver that any quantum arrow of time in Orthodox Quantum Mechanics is, at best, local and non-structural, deflating the original proposal

Time's Direction and Orthodox Quantum Mechanics: Time Symmetry and Measurement

It has been argued that measurement-induced collapses in Orthodox Quantum Mechanics generates an intrinsic (or built-in) quantum arrow of time. In this paper, I critically assess this proposal. I begin by distinguishing between an intrinsic and non- intrinsic arrow of time. After presenting the proposal of a collapse-based arrow of time in some detail, I argue, first, that any quantum arrow of time in Orthodox Quantum Mechanics is non-intrinsic since it depends on external information about the measurement context, and second, that it cannot be global, but just local. I complement these arguments by assessing some criticisms and considerations about the implementation of time reversal in contexts wherein measurement-induced collapses work. I conclude that the quantum arrow of time delivered by Orthodox Quantum Mechanics is much weaker than usually thought

The Guarantees of Freedom

Hayek (1960) distinguishes the institutions of English freedom, which guarantee the independence of judges from political interference in the administration of justice, from those of American freedom, which allow judges to restrain law-making powers of the sovereign through constitutional review. We create a data base of constitutional rules in 71 countries that reflect these institutions of English and American freedom, and ask whether these rules predict economic and political freedom in a cross-section of countries. We find that the English institutions of judicial independence are strong predictors of economic freedom and weaker predictors of political freedom. The American institutions of checks and balances are strong predictors of political but not of economic freedom. Judicial independence explains half of the positive effect of common law legal origin on measures of economic freedom.

The Guarantees of Freedom

Hayek (1960) distinguishes the institutions of English freedom, which guarantee the independence of judges from political interference in the administration of justice, from those of American freedom, which allow judges to restrain law-making powers of the sovereign through constitutional review. We create a data base of constitutional rules in 71 countries that reflect these institutions of English and American freedom, and ask whether these rules predict economic and political freedom in a cross-section of countries. We find that the English institutions of judicial independence are strong predictors of economic freedom and weaker predictors of political freedom. The American institutions of checks and balances are strong predictors of political but not of economic freedom. Judicial independence explains half of the positive effect of common law legal origin on measures of economic freedom.

G345.45+1.50: An expanding ring-like structure with massive star formation

Ring-like structures in the ISM are commonly associated with high-mass stars. Kinematic studies of large structures in GMCs toward these ring-like structures may help us to understand how massive stars form. The origin and properties of the ring-like structure G345.45+1.50 is investigated through observations of the 13CO(3-2) line. The aim of the observations is to determine the kinematics in the region and to compare physical characteristics estimated from gas emission with those previously determined using dust continuum emission. The 13CO(3-2) line was mapped toward the whole ring using the APEX telescope. The ring is found to be expanding with a velocity of 1.0 km/s, containing a total mass of 6.9e3 Msun, which agrees well with that determined using 1.2 mm dust continuum emission. An expansion timescale of 3e6 yr and a total energy of 7e46 erg are estimated. The origin of the ring might have been a supernova explosion, since a 35.5 cm source, J165920-400424, is located at the center of the ring without an infrared counterpart. The ring is fragmented, and 104 clumps were identified with diameters of between 0.3 and 1.6 pc, masses of between 2.3 and 7.5e2 Msun, and densities of between 1.0e2 and 1.0e4 cm^-3. At least 18% of the clumps are forming stars, as is shown in infrared images. Assuming that the clumps can be modeled as Bonnor-Ebert spheres, 13 clumps are collapsing, and the rest of them are in hydrostatic equilibrium with an external pressure with a median value of 4e4 K cm^-3. In the region, the molecular outflow IRAS 16562-3959 is identified, with a velocity range of 38.4 km/s, total mass of 13 Msun, and kinematic energy of 7e45 erg. Finally, five filamentary structures were found at the edge of the ring with an average size of 3 pc, a width of 0.6 pc, a mass of 2e2 Msun, and a column density of 6e21 cm^-2

GAF-CNN-LSTM for Multivariate Time- Series Images Forecasting

International audienceForecasting multivariate time series is challenging for a whole host of reasons not limited to problem features such as having multiple input variables, time series preparation, and the need to perform the same type of prediction for multiple physical sites. Although the literature on time series forecasting is focused on 1D signals. We use the Gramian Angular Fields (GAFs) to encode time series into 2D texture images, later take advantage of the deep CNN-LSTM architecture where LSTM uses a CNN as front end. Thus, we propose a novel unified framework for forecasting multivariate time series using a way to encode time series as images. Preliminary experimental results on the UEA multivariate time series forecasting archive, demonstrate competitive forecast accuracy (RMSE and MAPE) of the proposed approach, compared to the existing deep approaches as LSTM, CRNN, 1D-MTCNN

PhD Thesis:The Arrow of Time and Time Symmetry in non-Relativistic Quantum Mechanics

PhD Thesis - Joint Supervision Between the University of Buenos Aires and the University of Lausanne. Dissertation Date: 07.11.2019. Place: University of Lausanne, Switzerland. Supervisors: Olimpia Lombardi and Michael Esfeld Jury's members: Carl Hoefer, Karim Thébault, Christian Sachse and Nélida Gentil

Identidad, tiempo y cambio : disolviendo el problema de la identidad diacrónica

The aim of this paper is two-fold. For one thing, I shall argue that the problem of the diachronic identity is a subsidiary problem stemmed from commitments to three-dimensionalism, according to which physical objects only have spatial parts, and to presentism, a metaphysical thesis about time. As I shall show, the problem is naturally dissolved by assuming the existence of temporal parts, as four-dimensional assess, and the eternalism. Secondly, I shall point out that we have sound empirical reasons to support four-dimensionalism in the light of current physics, in particular, as we focus on special relativity.El objetivo de este trabajo es doble. En primer lugar, argumentaré que el problema de la identidad diacrónica es un problema subsidiario de asumir, por un lado, una posición ontológica en particular respecto de la constitución de los objetos físicos, el tridimensionalismo, y por el otro, y estrechamente relacionado, de asumir el presentismo como metafísica del tiempo. Mostraré que, asumiendo una ontología tetradimensional y el eternalismo, el problema naturalmente se disuelve. En segundo lugar, mostraré que tenemos sólidos motivos empíricos para favorecer el tetradimensionalismo a la luz de la física contemporánea, en particular, de la teoría especial de la relatividad