685 research outputs found
Observation of light dragging in rubidium vapor cell
We report on the experimental demonstration of light dragging effect due to
atomic motion in a rubidium vapor cell. We found that the minimum group
velocity is achieved for light red-shifted from the center of the atomic
resonance, and that the value of this shift increases with decreasing group
velocity, in agreement with the theoretical predictions by Kocharovskaya,
Rostovtsev, and Scully [Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 86}, 628 (2001)].Comment: 4 pages 4 figures, submitted to PR
Relativistic Effects of Light in Moving Media with Extremely Low Group Velocity
A moving dielectric medium acts as an effective gravitational field on light.
One can use media with extremely low group velocities [Lene Vestergaard Hau et
al., Nature 397, 594 (1999)] to create dielectric analogs of astronomical
effects on Earth. In particular, a vortex flow imprints a long-ranging
topological effect on incident light and can behave like an optical black hole.Comment: Physical Review Letters (accepted
Stakeholder priorities for inclusive accessible housing: a systematic review and multicriteria decision analysis
from an Australian Research Council funded study where the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was utilized to compare and contrast inclusive housing development priorities among relevant stakeholders. A multistage process was undertaken to ascertain the AHP criteria for inclusive housing development decisions, including a systematic review of peer‐reviewed and grey literature, in addition to a structured focus group with end users (n = 17) and an industry stakeholder online survey (n = 130). Finally, a subgroup of industry stakeholders (n = 29) representing the housing, health, and disability sectors completed the AHP to establish decision priorities. The final AHP model indicated three broad clusters of decision priorities for inclusive accessible housing development: end‐user connectedness, building considerations, and feasibility, respectively. Global weights conclude that specific end‐user connectedness elements, namely, “access to health care,” “community engagement,” “proximity to transport,” and “security and safety,” were the foremost priorities. It is expected that inclusive housing development decisions that integrate the connectedness of end users first and foremost, with building and feasibility priorities, will favourably impact the housing opportunities and choices for people with disability
Nitrous oxide net exchange in a beech dominated mixed forest in Switzerland measured with a quantum cascade laser spectrometer
International audienceNitrous oxide fluxes were measured at the Lägeren CarboEurope IP flux site over the multi-species mixed forest dominated by European beech and Norway spruce. Measurements were carried out during a four-week period in October?November 2005 during leaf senescence. Fluxes were measured with a standard ultrasonic anemometer in combination with a quantum cascade laser absorption spectrometer that measured N2O, CO2, and H2O mixing ratios simultaneously at 5 Hz time resolution. To distinguish insignificant fluxes from significant ones it is proposed to use a new approach based on the significance of the correlation coefficient between vertical wind speed and mixing ratio fluctuations. This procedure eliminated roughly 56% of our half-hourly fluxes. Based on the remaining, quality checked N2O fluxes we quantified the mean efflux at 0.8 ± 0.4 ?mol m?2 h?1 (mean ± standard error). Most of the contribution to the N2O flux occurred during a 6.5-h period starting 4.5 h before each precipitation event. No relation with precipitation amount could be found. Visibility data representing fog density and duration at the site indicate that wetting of the canopy may have as strong an effect on N2O effluxes as does below-ground microbial activity. It is speculated that above-ground N2O production from the senescing leaves at high moisture (fog, drizzle, onset of precipitation event) may be responsible for part of the measured flux. In comparison with the annual CO2 budget of ?342 g C m?2 yr?1 it is estimated that concurrent N2O fluxes offset at least 5% of the greenhouse forcing reduction via net CO2 uptake
Proper time and Minkowski structure on causal graphs
For causal graphs we propose a definition of proper time which for small
scales is based on the concept of volume, while for large scales the usual
definition of length is applied. The scale where the change from "volume" to
"length" occurs is related to the size of a dynamical clock and defines a
natural cut-off for this type of clock. By changing the cut-off volume we may
probe the geometry of the causal graph on different scales and therey define a
continuum limit. This provides an alternative to the standard coarse graining
procedures. For regular causal lattice (like e.g. the 2-dim. light-cone
lattice) this concept can be proven to lead to a Minkowski structure. An
illustrative example of this approach is provided by the breather solutions of
the Sine-Gordon model on a 2-dimensional light-cone lattice.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figure
Quantized Rotation of Atoms From Photons with Orbital Angular Momentum
We demonstrate the coherent transfer of the orbital angular momentum of a
photon to an atom in quantized units of hbar, using a 2-photon stimulated Raman
process with Laguerre-Gaussian beams to generate an atomic vortex state in a
Bose-Einstein condensate of sodium atoms. We show that the process is coherent
by creating superpositions of different vortex states, where the relative phase
between the states is determined by the relative phases of the optical fields.
Furthermore, we create vortices of charge 2 by transferring to each atom the
orbital angular momentum of two photons.Comment: New version, 4 pages and 3 figures, accepted for publication in
Physical Review Letter
Hamiltonian statistical mechanics
A framework for statistical-mechanical analysis of quantum Hamiltonians is
introduced. The approach is based upon a gradient flow equation in the space of
Hamiltonians such that the eigenvectors of the initial Hamiltonian evolve
toward those of the reference Hamiltonian. The nonlinear double-bracket
equation governing the flow is such that the eigenvalues of the initial
Hamiltonian remain unperturbed. The space of Hamiltonians is foliated by
compact invariant subspaces, which permits the construction of statistical
distributions over the Hamiltonians. In two dimensions, an explicit dynamical
model is introduced, wherein the density function on the space of Hamiltonians
approaches an equilibrium state characterised by the canonical ensemble. This
is used to compute quenched and annealed averages of quantum observables.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, references adde
Exact solution of the Zeeman effect in single-electron systems
Contrary to popular belief, the Zeeman effect can be treated exactly in
single-electron systems, for arbitrary magnetic field strengths, as long as the
term quadratic in the magnetic field can be ignored. These formulas were
actually derived already around 1927 by Darwin, using the classical picture of
angular momentum, and presented in their proper quantum-mechanical form in 1933
by Bethe, although without any proof. The expressions have since been more or
less lost from the literature; instead, the conventional treatment nowadays is
to present only the approximations for weak and strong fields, respectively.
However, in fusion research and other plasma physics applications, the magnetic
fields applied to control the shape and position of the plasma span the entire
region from weak to strong fields, and there is a need for a unified treatment.
In this paper we present the detailed quantum-mechanical derivation of the
exact eigenenergies and eigenstates of hydrogen-like atoms and ions in a static
magnetic field. Notably, these formulas are not much more complicated than the
better-known approximations. Moreover, the derivation allows the value of the
electron spin gyromagnetic ratio to be different from 2. For
completeness, we then review the details of dipole transitions between two
hydrogenic levels, and calculate the corresponding Zeeman spectrum. The various
approximations made in the derivation are also discussed in details.Comment: 18 pages, 4 figures. Submitted to Physica Script
Some properties of the k-dimensional Lyness' map
This paper is devoted to study some properties of the k-dimensional Lyness'
map. Our main result presentes a rational vector field that gives a Lie
symmetry for F. This vector field is used, for k less or equal to 5 to give
information about the nature of the invariant sets under F. When k is odd, we
also present a new (as far as we know) first integral for F^2 which allows to
deduce in a very simple way several properties of the dynamical system
generated by F. In particular for this case we prove that, except on a given
codimension one algebraic set, none of the positive initial conditions can be a
periodic point of odd period.Comment: 22 pages; 3 figure
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