1,438 research outputs found
Environment as a Witness: Selective Proliferation of Information and Emergence of Objectivity in a Quantum Universe
We study the role of the information deposited in the environment of an open
quantum system in course of the decoherence process. Redundant spreading of
information -- the fact that some observables of the system can be
independently ``read-off'' from many distinct fragments of the environment --
is investigated as the key to effective objectivity, the essential ingredient
of ``classical reality''. This focus on the environment as a communication
channel through which observers learn about physical systems underscores
importance of quantum Darwinism -- selective proliferation of information about
``the fittest states'' chosen by the dynamics of decoherence at the expense of
their superpositions -- as redundancy imposes the existence of preferred
observables. We demonstrate that the only observables that can leave multiple
imprints in the environment are the familiar pointer observables singled out by
environment-induced superselection (einselection) for their predictability.
Many independent observers monitoring the environment will therefore agree on
properties of the system as they can only learn about preferred observables. In
this operational sense, the selective spreading of information leads to
appearance of an objective ``classical reality'' from within quantum substrate.Comment: New figures, to appear in PR
Magnetic relaxation studies on a single-molecule magnet by time-resolved inelastic neutron scattering
Time-resolved inelastic neutron scattering measurements on an array of
single-crystals of the single-molecule magnet Mn12ac are presented. The data
facilitate a spectroscopic investigation of the slow relaxation of the
magnetization in this compound in the time domain.Comment: 3 pages, 4 figures, REVTEX4, to appear in Appl. Phys. Lett., for an
animation see also
http://www.dcb.unibe.ch/groups/guedel/members/ow2/trins.ht
Superfluid 4He dynamics beyond quasiparticle excitations
The dynamics of superfluid 4He at and above the Landau quasiparticle regime
is investigated by high precision inelastic neutron scattering measurements of
the dynamic structure factor. A highly structured response is observed above
the familiar phonon-maxon-roton spectrum, characterized by sharp thresholds for
phonon-phonon, maxon-roton and roton-roton coupling processes. The experimental
dynamic structure factor is compared to the calculation of the same physical
quantity by a Dynamic Many-body theory including three-phonon processes
self-consistently. The theory is found to provide a quantitative description of
the dynamics of the correlated bosons for energies up to about three times that
of the Landau quasiparticles.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure
Vesignieite: a kagome antiferromagnet with dominant third-neighbor exchange
The spin- kagome antiferromagnet is an archetypal frustrated
system predicted to host a variety of exotic magnetic states. We show using
neutron scattering measurements that deuterated vesignieite
BaCuVO(OD), a fully stoichiometric kagome
magnet with 1% lattice distortion, orders magnetically at
K into a multi-k coplanar variant of the predicted triple-k
octahedral structure. We find this structure is stabilized by a dominant
antiferromagnetic 3-neighbor exchange with minor
1- or 2--neighbour exchange. The spin-wave
spectrum is well described by a -only model including a tiny symmetric
exchange anisotropy
Description of a quantum convolutional code
We describe a quantum error correction scheme aimed at protecting a flow of
quantum information over long distance communication. It is largely inspired by
the theory of classical convolutional codes which are used in similar
circumstances in classical communication. The particular example shown here
uses the stabilizer formalism, which provides an explicit encoding circuit. An
associated error estimation algorithm is given explicitly and shown to provide
the most likely error over any memoryless quantum channel, while its complexity
grows only linearly with the number of encoded qubits.Comment: 4 pages, uses revtex4. Minor correction in the encoding and decoding
circuit
A New Family of Planets ? "Ocean Planets"
A new family of planets is considered which is between rochy terrestrial
planets and gaseous giant ones: "Ocean-Planets". We present the possible
formation, composition and internal models of these putative planets, including
that of their ocean, as well as their possible Exobiology interest. These
planets should be detectable by planet detection missions such as Eddington and
Kepler, and possibly COROT (lauch scheduled in 2006). They would be ideal
targets for spectroscopic missions such as Darwin/TPF.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figures submitted to Icarus notes (10 july 2003
Consistent quantum mechanics admits no mereotopology
It is standardly assumed in discussions of quantum theory that physical
systems can be regarded as having well-defined Hilbert spaces. It is shown here
that a Hilbert space can be consistently partitioned only if its components are
assumed not to interact. The assumption that physical systems have well-defined
Hilbert spaces is, therefore, physically unwarranted.Comment: 10 pages; to appear in Axiomathe
Potential changes to French recommendations about peri-prosthetic infections based on the international consensus meeting (ICMPJI)
AbstractBackgroundDespite the large volume of studies on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of peri-prosthetic infections, surgical practice often rests on limited scientific evidence in this field. The vast International Consensus Meeting on Peri-prosthetic Joint Infection (ICMPJI) held in 2013 produced robust recommendations.HypothesisFrench consensus conference recommendations show no major differences with ICMPJI recommendations.Materials and methodsThe 207 recommendations developed by 300 experts at the ICMPJI were translated, and the translation was then examined by four reviewers, including 2 having participated in the consensus conference. The reviewers looked for any differences with French practices and recommendations.ResultsTwenty-three major differences or innovations were identified compared to French recommendations and standard practice. Among them, pre-operative screening for nasal or urinary micro-organisms is performed routinely in France but should be reserved according to the ICMPJI for symptomatic patients and/or patients at high risk for infection. The ICMPJI emphasizes the role for the operating room environment as a vector for infection; more specifically, the operating lamp handle and suction cannula deserve close attention. A wound discharge persisting longer than 5–7 days requires irrigation and debridement. This procedure is effective only within the first 3 post-operative months and/or the first 3 weeks after symptom onset and must include exchange of all modular implants. The ICMPJI warns against both irrigation-debridement in fungal infections (suggesting two-stage prosthesis replacement) and one-stage replacement in patients with sinus tracts. The use of spacers (articulating at the knee) is recommended in the event of two-stage prosthesis replacement.DiscussionThe ICMPJI recommendations differed in many ways with French recommendations and standard practice. They can be expected to impact practices in France, although a point worth noting is that only 1 of the 207 recommendations received unanimous agreement by the conference experts (keeping operating room traffic to a minimum)
Observation of magnetic fragmentation in spin ice
Fractionalised excitations that emerge from a many body system have revealed
rich physics and concepts, from composite fermions in two-dimensional electron
systems, revealed through the fractional quantum Hall effect, to spinons in
antiferromagnetic chains and, more recently, fractionalisation of Dirac
electrons in graphene and magnetic monopoles in spin ice. Even more surprising
is the fragmentation of the degrees of freedom themselves, leading to
coexisting and a priori independent ground states. This puzzling phenomenon was
recently put forward in the context of spin ice, in which the magnetic moment
field can fragment, resulting in a dual ground state consisting of a
fluctuating spin liquid, a so-called Coulomb phase, on top of a magnetic
monopole crystal. Here we show, by means of neutron scattering measurements,
that such fragmentation occurs in the spin ice candidate NdZrO. We
observe the spectacular coexistence of an antiferromagnetic order induced by
the monopole crystallisation and a fluctuating state with ferromagnetic
correlations. Experimentally, this fragmentation manifests itself via the
superposition of magnetic Bragg peaks, characteristic of the ordered phase, and
a pinch point pattern, characteristic of the Coulomb phase. These results
highlight the relevance of the fragmentation concept to describe the physics of
systems that are simultaneously ordered and fluctuating.Comment: accepted in Nature Physic
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