Classical Optimizers for Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum Devices

We present a collection of optimizers tuned for usage on Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum (NISQ) devices. Optimizers have a range of applications in quantum computing, including the Variational Quantum Eigensolver (VQE) and Quantum Approximate Optimization (QAOA) algorithms. They are also used for calibration tasks, hyperparameter tuning, in machine learning, etc. We analyze the efficiency and effectiveness of different optimizers in a VQE case study. VQE is a hybrid algorithm, with a classical minimizer step driving the next evaluation on the quantum processor. While most results to date concentrated on tuning the quantum VQE circuit, we show that, in the presence of quantum noise, the classical minimizer step needs to be carefully chosen to obtain correct results. We explore state-of-the-art gradient-free optimizers capable of handling noisy, black-box, cost functions and stress-test them using a quantum circuit simulation environment with noise injection capabilities on individual gates. Our results indicate that specifically tuned optimizers are crucial to obtaining valid science results on NISQ hardware, and will likely remain necessary even for future fault tolerant circuits

Dynamic behavior of porous electrode systems final report

Mathematical model of flooded porous electrodes under dynamic and static conditions - Methods for measuring porous electrode reaction distributio

Mortality Model for a Perennial Grass in Australian Semi-Arid Wooded Grasslands Grazed by Sheep

Grazing of sheep in marginal semi-arid environments is risky because grazing appears to predispose grass plants, especially palatable species, to sudden death (Hodgkinson, 1994; 1995). These early observations were based on a preliminary analysis of perennial grass survival in a single drought and supported the concept of tactical grazing proposed by Westoby et al. (1989) as a preferred management. Later this idea was developed by suggesting the existence of critical thresholds for perennial grass survival, which when crossed, collapses grass populations (Hodgkinson, 1994). Here we examine the relationship between mortality of a palatable perennial grass, Thyridolepis mitchelliana, and a number of variables measured during a 10-year period

Bulk and Brane Decay of a (4+n)-Dimensional Schwarzschild-De-Sitter Black Hole: Scalar Radiation

In this paper, we extend the idea that the spectrum of Hawking radiation can reveal valuable information on a number of parameters that characterize a particular black hole background - such as the dimensionality of spacetime and the value of coupling constants - to gain information on another important aspect: the curvature of spacetime. We investigate the emission of Hawking radiation from a D-dimensional Schwarzschild-de-Sitter black hole emitted in the form of scalar fields, and employ both analytical and numerical techniques to calculate greybody factors and differential energy emission rates on the brane and in the bulk. The energy emission rate of the black hole is significantly enhanced in the high-energy regime with the number of spacelike dimensions. On the other hand, in the low-energy part of the spectrum, it is the cosmological constant that leaves a clear footprint, through a characteristic, constant emission rate of ultrasoft quanta determined by the values of black hole and cosmological horizons. Our results are applicable to "small" black holes arising in theories with an arbitrary number and size of extra dimensions, as well as to pure 4-dimensional primordial black holes, embedded in a de Sitter spacetime.Comment: 31 pages, latex file, data files available at http://lpsc.in2p3.fr/ams/greybody/ some clarifying comments and references added, typos corrected, version to appear in Phys. Rev.

Exact Results for Evaporating Black Holes in Curvature-Squared Lovelock Gravity: Gauss-Bonnet Greybody Factors

Lovelock gravity is an important extension of General Relativity that provides a promising framework to study curvature corrections to the Einstein action, while avoiding ghosts and keeping second order field equations. This paper derives the greybody factors for D-dimensional black holes arising in a theory with a Gauss-Bonnet curvature-squared term. These factors describe the non-trivial coupling between black holes and quantum fields during the evaporation process: they can be used both from a theoretical viewpoint to investigate the intricate spacetime structure around such a black hole, and for phenomenological purposes in the framework of braneworld models with a low Planck scale. We derive exact spectra for the emission of scalar, fermion and gauge fields emitted on the brane, and for scalar fields emitted in the bulk, and demonstrate how the Gauss-Bonnet term can change the bulk-to-brane emission rates ratio in favour of the bulk channel in particular frequency regimes.Comment: 29 pages, Latex file, 11 figures, Data files (greybody factors) available at http://lpsc.in2p3.fr/ams/greybody/, typos corrected, references added, version to appear in Phys. Rev.

Tracking system analytic calibration activities for the Mariner Mars 1969 mission

Calibration activity of Deep Space Network in support of Mars encounter phase of Mariner Mars 1969 missio

Near Infrared Spectra of Type Ia Supernovae

We report near infrared (NIR) spectroscopic observations of twelve ``Branch-normal'' Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) which cover the wavelength region from 0.8-2.5 microns. Our sample more than doubles the number of SNe Ia with published NIR spectra within three weeks of maximum light. The epochs of observation range from thirteen days before maximum light to eighteen days after maximum light. A detailed model for a Type Ia supernovae is used to identify spectral features. The Doppler shifts of lines are measured to obtain the velocity and, thus, the radial distribution of elements. The NIR is an extremely useful tool to probe the chemical structure in the layers of SNe Ia ejecta. This wavelength region is optimal for examining certain products of the SNe Ia explosion that may be blended or obscured in other spectral regions. We identify spectral features from MgII, CaII, SiII, FeII, CoII, NiII and possibly MnII. We find no indications for hydrogen, helium or carbon in the spectra. The spectral features reveal important clues about the physical characteristics of SNe Ia. We use the features to derive upper limits for the amount of unburned matter, to identify the transition regions from explosive carbon to oxygen burning and from partial to complete silicon burning, and to estimate the level of mixing during and after the explosion.Comment: 44 pages, 7 figures, 3 tables, accepted by Ap

Amino Acid and Protein Requirements of Layers

Studies on this problem have taken two approaches, one using a 9.4% protein basal diet supplemented with 0.19% lysine, 0.25% DL-methionine and 0.04% DL-tryptophane and the other comparing a 14% protein plus methionine diet with a typical 16% protein diet

A Comparison of Slat Floors, Litter Floors and Cages for Laying Hens

Commercial hybrid pullets were distributed in 3 different buildings at 20 weeks of age and fed similar diets. Twelve slat floor pens in a building referred to as the environment house and 2 litter floor pens in a building referred to as the brooder house each received 140 pullets (1 bird/sq. ft.)- Six pullets were placed in each of 32 cages in a cage layer house