3,680 research outputs found
Quantum Characterization of a Werner-like Mixture
We introduce a Werner-like mixture [R. F. Werner, Phys. Rev. A {\bf 40}, 4277
(1989)] by considering two correlated but different degrees of freedom, one
with discrete variables and the other with continuous variables. We evaluate
the mixedness of this state, and its degree of entanglement establishing its
usefulness for quantum information processing like quantum teleportation. Then,
we provide its tomographic characterization. Finally, we show how such a
mixture can be generated and measured in a trapped system like one electron in
a Penning trap.Comment: 8 pages ReVTeX, 8 eps figure
A Study of the Antiferromagnetic Phase in the Hubbard Model by means of the Composite Operator Method
We have investigated the antiferromagnetic phase of the 2D, the 3D and the
extended Hubbard models on a bipartite cubic lattice by means of the Composite
Operator Method within a two-pole approximation. This approach yields a fully
self-consistent treatment of the antiferromagnetic state that respects the
symmetry properties of both the model and the algebra. The complete phase
diagram, as regards the antiferromagnetic and the paramagnetic phases, has been
drawn. We firstly reported, within a pole approximation, three kinds of
transitions at half-filling: Mott-Hubbard, Mott-Heisenberg and Heisenberg. We
have also found a metal-insulator transition, driven by doping, within the
antiferromagnetic phase. This latter is restricted to a very small region near
half filling and has, in contrast to what has been found by similar approaches,
a finite critical Coulomb interaction as lower bound at half filling. Finally,
it is worth noting that our antiferromagnetic gap has two independent
components: one due to the antiferromagnetic correlations and another coming
from the Mott-Hubbard mechanism.Comment: 20 pages, 37 figures, RevTeX, submitted to Phys. Rev.
The Pauli Equation for Probability Distributions
The "marginal" distributions for measurable coordinate and spin projection is
introduced. Then, the analog of the Pauli equation for spin-1/2 particle is
obtained for such probability distributions instead of the usual wave
functions. That allows a classical-like approach to quantum mechanics. Some
illuminating examples are presented.Comment: 14 pages, ReVTe
Can S-LCA methodology support responsible sourcing of raw materials in EU policy context?
Purpose: Access, affordability and sustainability of raw material supply chains are crucial to the sustainable development of the European Union (EU) for both society and economy. The study investigates whether and how the social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) methodology can support responsible sourcing of raw materials in Europe. The potential of social indicators already available in an S-LCA database is tested for the development of new metrics to monitor social risks in raw material industries at EU policy level. Methods: The Product Social Impact Life Cycle Assessment (PSILCA) database was identified as a data and indicators source to assess social risks in raw material industries in EU-28 and extra-EU countries. Six raw material country sectors in the scope of the European policy on raw materials were identified and aggregated among those available in PSILCA. The selection of indicators for the assessment was based on the RACER (Relevance, Acceptance, Credibility, Ease, Robustness) analysis, leading to the proposal of 9 social impact categories. An S-LCA of the selected raw material industries was, thus, performed for the EU-28 region, followed by a contribution analysis to detect direct and indirect impacts and investigate related supply chains. Finally, the social performance of raw material sectors in EU-28 was compared with that of six extra-EU countries. Results and discussion: Considering the overall social risks in raw material industries, “Corruption”, “Fair salary”, “Health and safety” and “Freedom of association and collective bargaining” emerged as the most significant categories both in EU and extra-EU. EU-28 shows an above-average performance where the only exception is represented by the mining and quarrying sector. An investigation of the most contributing processes to social impact categories for EU-28 led to the identification of important risks originating in the supply chain and in extra-EU areas. Therefore, the S-LCA methodology confirmed the potential of a life cycle perspective to detect burdens shifting and trade-offs. However, only a limited view on the sectoral social performance could be obtained from the research due to a lack of social data. Conclusions: The S-LCA methodology and indicators appear appropriate to perform an initial social sustainability screening, thus enabling the identification of hotspots in raw material supply chains and the prioritization of areas of action in EU policies. Further methodological developments in the S-LCA field are necessary to make the approach proposed in the paper fully adequate to support EU policies on raw materials
Entrained Flow Gasification Part 1 : Gasification of Glycol in an Atmospheric-pressure Experimental Rig
Three coordinated papers are presented concerning entrained flow gasification of a liquid fuel under atmospheric conditions. The work is based on a detailed mapping of process parameters inside the entrained flow gasifier and at the gasifier outlet. In this paper the experimental setup and the experimental data are reported. Mono ethylene glycol (MEG) is used as a well-defined surrogate fuel for biogenic oils. The overall performance of the reactor is evaluated by measuring the gas-phase composition at the reactor outlet; radial profiles of gas-phase composition (CO₂, CO, H₂, CH₄, hydrocarbons) and temperature at 300 and 680 mm distances from the burner are measured to describe the mixing and reaction pattern in the gasifier. Global and local species balances are used to derive data that are not accessible by measurement. Characteristic parameters, i.e. stoichiometry, carbon conversion and water gas shift temperature, are derived to assess consistency of the measured data. Droplet size distribution and droplet velocity at the burner nozzle are reported based on atomization test rig experiments and direct measurements in the burner near field under gasification conditions. The experiments show a free jet with a strong outer recirculation zone as core gasification pattern. The measured species concentrations and temperatures provide an insight into both the mixing and the reactions in the burner near field. The water gas shift equilibrium is reached for a temperature of 1495 K upstream of the gasifier outlet. Hydrocarbons are not completely converted due to the low temperatures near the gasifier outlet. The research work has been conducted within the research cooperation of the Helmholtz Virtual Institute HVIGasTech
Density matrix reconstruction from displaced photon number distributions
We consider state reconstruction from the measurement statistics of phase
space observables generated by photon number states. The results are obtained
by inverting certain infinite matrices. In particular, we obtain reconstruction
formulas, each of which involves only a single phase space observable.Comment: 19 page
MuSR method and tomographic probability representation of spin states
Muon spin rotation/relaxation/resonance (MuSR) technique for studying matter
structures is considered by means of a recently introduced probability
representation of quantum spin states. A relation between experimental MuSR
histograms and muon spin tomograms is established. Time evolution of muonium,
anomalous muonium, and a muonium-like system is studied in the tomographic
representation. Entanglement phenomenon of a bipartite muon-electron system is
investigated via tomographic analogues of Bell number and positive partial
transpose (PPT) criterion. Reconstruction of the muon-electron spin state as
well as the total spin tomography of composed system is discussed.Comment: 20 pages, 4 figures, LaTeX, submitted to Journal of Russian Laser
Researc
1H, 13C, and 15N resonance assignments for the tandem PHD finger motifs of human CHD4
The plant homeodomain (PHD) zinc finger is a structural motif of about 40–60 amino acid residues found in many eukaryotic proteins that are involved in chromatin-mediated gene regulation. The human chromodomain helicase DNA binding protein 4 (CHD4) is a multi-domain protein that harbours, at its N-terminal end, a pair of PHD finger motifs (dPHD) connected by a ~30 amino acid linker. This tandem PHD motif is thought to be involved in targeting CHD4 to chromatin via its interaction with histone tails. Here we report the 1H, 13C and 15N backbone and side-chain resonance assignment of the entire dPHD by heteronuclear multidimensional NMR spectroscopy. These assignments provide the starting point for the determination of the structure, dynamics and histone-binding properties of this tandem domain pair
Coherent states and the reconstruction of pure spin states
Coherent states provide an appealing method to reconstruct efficiently the pure state of a quantum mechanical spin s. A Stern-Gerlach apparatus is used to measure (4s + 1) expectations of projection operators on appropriate coherent states in the unknown state. These measurements are compatible with a finite number of states which can be distinguished, in the generic case, by measuring one more probability. In addition, the present technique shows that the zeros of a Husimi distribution do have an operational meaning: they can be identified directly by measurements with a Stem-Gerlach apparatus. This result comes down to saying that it is possible to resolve experimentally structures in quantum phase space which are smaller than (h) over bar
Inferring statistics of planet populations by means of automated microlensing searches
(abridged) The study of other worlds is key to understanding our own, and not
only provides clues to the origin of our civilization, but also looks into its
future. Rather than in identifying nearby systems and learning about their
individual properties, the main value of the technique of gravitational
microlensing is in obtaining the statistics of planetary populations within the
Milky Way and beyond. Only the complementarity of different techniques
currently employed promises to yield a complete picture of planet formation
that has sufficient predictive power to let us understand how habitable worlds
like ours evolve, and how abundant such systems are in the Universe. A
cooperative three-step strategy of survey, follow-up, and anomaly monitoring of
microlensing targets, realized by means of an automated expert system and a
network of ground-based telescopes is ready right now to be used to obtain a
first census of cool planets with masses reaching even below that of Earth
orbiting K and M dwarfs in two distinct stellar populations, namely the
Galactic bulge and disk. The hunt for extra-solar planets acts as a principal
science driver for time-domain astronomy with robotic-telescope networks
adopting fully-automated strategies. Several initiatives, both into facilities
as well as into advanced software and strategies, are supposed to see the
capabilities of gravitational microlensing programmes step-wise increasing over
the next 10 years. New opportunities will show up with high-precision
astrometry becoming available and studying the abundance of planets around
stars in neighbouring galaxies becoming possible. Finally, we should not miss
out on sharing the vision with the general public, and make its realization to
profit not only the scientists but all the wider society.Comment: 10 pages in PDF format. White paper submitted to ESA's Exo-Planet
Roadmap Advisory Team (EPR-AT); typos corrected. The embedded figures are
available from the author on request. See also "Towards A Census of
Earth-mass Exo-planets with Gravitational Microlensing" by J.P. Beaulieu, E.
Kerins, S. Mao et al. (arXiv:0808.0005
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