Theory of quantum radiation observed as sonoluminescence

Sonoluminescence is explained in terms of quantum radiation by moving interfaces between media of different polarizability. In a stationary dielectric the zero-point fluctuations of the electromagnetic field excite virtual two-photon states which become real under perturbation due to motion of the dielectric. The sonoluminescent bubble is modelled as an optically empty cavity in a homogeneous dielectric. The problem of the photon emission by a cavity of time-dependent radius is handled in a Hamiltonian formalism which is dealt with perturbatively up to first order in the velocity of the bubble surface over the speed of light. A parameter-dependence of the zero-order Hamiltonian in addition to the first-order perturbation calls for a new perturbative method combining standard perturbation theory with an adiabatic approximation. In this way the transition amplitude from the vacuum into a two-photon state is obtained, and expressions for the single-photon spectrum and the total energy radiated during one flash are given both in full and in the short-wavelengths approximation when the bubble is larger than the wavelengths of the emitted light. It is shown analytically that the spectral density has the same frequency-dependence as black-body radiation; this is purely an effect of correlated quantum fluctuations at zero temperature. The present theory clarifies a number of hitherto unsolved problems and suggests explanations for several more. Possible experiments that discriminate this from other theories of sonoluminescence are proposed.Comment: Latex file, 28 pages, postscript file with 3 figs. attache

Assortative Mating between European Corn Borer Pheromone Races: Beyond Assortative Meeting

BACKGROUND: Sex pheromone communication systems may be a major force driving moth speciation by causing behavioral reproductive isolation via assortative meeting of conspecific individuals. The 'E' and 'Z' pheromone races of the European corn borer (ECB) are a textbook example in this respect. 'Z' females produce and 'Z' males preferentially respond to a 'Z' pheromone blend, while the 'E' race communicates via an 'E' blend. Both races do not freely hybridize in nature and their populations are genetically differentiated. A straightforward explanation would be that their reproductive isolation is a mere consequence of "assortative meeting" resulting from their different pheromones specifically attracting males towards same-race females at long range. However, previous laboratory experiments and those performed here show that even when moths are paired in a small box - i.e., when the meeting between sexual partners is forced - inter-race couples still have a lower mating success than intra-race ones. Hence, either the difference in attractivity of E vs. Z pheromones for males of either race still holds at short distance or the reproductive isolation between E and Z moths may not only be favoured by assortative meeting, but must also result from an additional mechanism ensuring significant assortative mating at close range. Here, we test whether this close-range mechanism is linked to the E/Z female sex pheromone communication system. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Using crosses and backcrosses of E and Z strains, we found no difference in mating success between full-sisters emitting different sex pheromones. Conversely, the mating success of females with identical pheromone types but different coefficients of relatedness to the two parental strains was significantly different, and was higher when their genetic background was closer to that of their male partner's pheromone race. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We conclude that the close-range mechanism ensuring assortative mating between the E and Z ECB pheromone races is unrelated to the difference in female sex pheromone. Although the nature of this mechanism remains elusive, our results show that it is expressed in females, acts at close range, segregates independently of the autosome carrying Pher and of both sex chromosomes, and is widely distributed since it occurs both in France and in the US

The Sound of Sonoluminescence

We consider an air bubble in water under conditions of single bubble sonoluminescence (SBSL) and evaluate the emitted sound field nonperturbatively for subsonic gas-liquid interface motion. Sound emission being the dominant damping mechanism, we also implement the nonperturbative sound damping in the Rayleigh-Plesset equation for the interface motion. We evaluate numerically the sound pulse emitted during bubble collapse and compare the nonperturbative and perturbative results, showing that the usual perturbative description leads to an overestimate of the maximal surface velocity and maximal sound pressure. The radius vs. time relation for a full SBSL cycle remains deceptively unaffected.Comment: 25 pages; LaTex and 6 attached ps figure files. Accepted for publication in Physical Review

Brillouin propagation modes in optical lattices: Interpretation in terms of nonconventional stochastic resonance

We report the first direct observation of Brillouin-like propagation modes in a dissipative periodic optical lattice. This has been done by observing a resonant behavior of the spatial diffusion coefficient in the direction corresponding to the propagation mode with the phase velocity of the moving intensity modulation used to excite these propagation modes. Furthermore, we show theoretically that the amplitude of the Brillouin mode is a nonmonotonic function of the strength of the noise corresponding to the optical pumping, and discuss this behavior in terms of nonconventional stochastic resonance

Phase diffusion as a model for coherent suppression of tunneling in the presence of noise

We study the stabilization of coherent suppression of tunneling in a driven double-well system subject to random periodic $\delta-$function ``kicks''. We model dissipation due to this stochastic process as a phase diffusion process for an effective two-level system and derive a corresponding set of Bloch equations with phase damping terms that agree with the periodically kicked system at discrete times. We demonstrate that the ability of noise to localize the system on either side of the double-well potenital arises from overdamping of the phase of oscillation and not from any cooperative effect between the noise and the driving field. The model is investigated with a square wave drive, which has qualitatively similar features to the widely studied cosinusoidal drive, but has the additional advantage of allowing one to derive exact analytic expressions.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Biosynthesis of Unusual Moth Pheromone Components Involves Two Different Pathways in the Navel Orangeworm, Amyelois transitella

The sex pheromone of the navel orangeworm, Amyelois transitella (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), consists of two different types of components, one type including (11Z,13Z)-11,13-hexadecadienal (11Z,13Z-16:Ald) with a terminal functional group containing oxygen, similar to the majority of moth pheromones reported, and another type including the unusual long-chain pentaenes, (3Z,6Z,9Z,12Z,15Z)-3,6,9,12,15-tricosapentaene (3Z,6Z,9Z,12Z,15Z-23:H) and (3Z,6Z,9Z,12Z,15Z)- 3,6,9,12,15-pentacosapentaene (3Z,6Z,9Z,12Z,15Z-25:H). After decapitation of females, the titer of 11Z,13Z-16:Ald in the pheromone gland decreased significantly, whereas the titer of the pentaenes remained unchanged. Injection of a pheromone biosynthesis activating peptide (PBAN) into the abdomens of decapitated females restored the titer of 11Z,13Z-16:Ald and even increased it above that in intact females, whereas the titer of the pentaenes in the pheromone gland was not affected by PBAN injection. In addition to common fatty acids, two likely precursors of 11Z,13Z-16:Ald, i.e., (Z)-11-hexadecenoic and (11Z,13Z)-11,13-hexadecadienoic acid, as well as traces of (Z)-6-hexadecenoic acid, were found in gland extracts. In addition, pheromone gland lipids contained (5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z,17Z)-5,8,11,14,17-icosapentaenoic acid, which also was found in extracts of the rest of the abdomen. Deuterium-labeled fatty acids, (16,16,16-D3)-hexadecanoic acid and (Z)-[13,13,14,14,15,15,16,16,16-D9]-11-hexadecenoic acid, were incorporated into 11Z,13Z-16:Ald after topical application to the sex pheromone gland coupled with abdominal injection of PBAN. Deuterium label was incorporated into the C23 and C25 pentaenes after injection of (9Z,12Z,15Z)- [17,17,18,18,18-D5]-9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid into 1–2 d old female pupae. These labeling results, in conjunction with the composition of fatty acid intermediates found in pheromone gland extracts, support different pathways leading to the two pheromone components. 11Z,13Z-16:Ald is probably produced in the pheromone gland by Δ11 desaturation of palmitic acid to 11Z-16:Acid followed by a second desaturation to form 11Z,13Z-16:Acid and subsequent reduction and oxidation. The production of 3Z,6Z,9Z,12Z,15Z-23:H and 3Z,6Z,9Z,12Z,15Z-25:H may take place outside the pheromone gland, and appears to start from linolenic acid, which is elongated and desaturated to form (5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z,17Z)-5,8,11,14,17-icosapentaenoic acid, followed by two or three further elongation steps and finally reductive decarboxylation

Markov analysis of stochastic resonance in a periodically driven integrate-fire neuron

We model the dynamics of the leaky integrate-fire neuron under periodic stimulation as a Markov process with respect to the stimulus phase. This avoids the unrealistic assumption of a stimulus reset after each spike made in earlier work and thus solves the long-standing reset problem. The neuron exhibits stochastic resonance, both with respect to input noise intensity and stimulus frequency. The latter resonance arises by matching the stimulus frequency to the refractory time of the neuron. The Markov approach can be generalized to other periodically driven stochastic processes containing a reset mechanism.Comment: 23 pages, 10 figure

Quantum stochastic resonance in electron shelving

Published versio

An Alternative Method to Deduce Bubble Dynamics in Single Bubble Sonoluminescence Experiments

In this paper we present an experimental approach that allows to deduce the important dynamical parameters of single sonoluminescing bubbles (pressure amplitude, ambient radius, radius-time curve) The technique is based on a few previously confirmed theoretical assumptions and requires the knowledge of quantities such as the amplitude of the electric excitation and the phase of the flashes in the acoustic period. These quantities are easily measurable by a digital oscilloscope, avoiding the cost of expensive lasers, or ultrafast cameras of previous methods. We show the technique on a particular example and compare the results with conventional Mie scattering. We find that within the experimental uncertainties these two techniques provide similar results.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.