Simulations of closed timelike curves

Proposed models of closed timelike curves (CTCs) have been shown to enable powerful information-processing protocols. We examine the simulation of models of CTCs both by other models of CTCs and by physical systems without access to CTCs. We prove that the recently proposed transition probability CTCs (T-CTCs) are physically equivalent to postselection CTCs (P-CTCs), in the sense that one model can simulate the other with reasonable overhead. As a consequence, their information-processing capabilities are equivalent. We also describe a method for quantum computers to simulate Deutschian CTCs (but with a reasonable overhead only in some cases). In cases for which the overhead is reasonable, it might be possible to perform the simulation in a table-top experiment. This approach has the benefit of resolving some ambiguities associated with the equivalent circuit model of Ralph et al. Furthermore, we provide an explicit form for the state of the CTC system such that it is a maximum-entropy state, as prescribed by Deutsch.Comment: 15 pages, 1 figure, accepted for publication in Foundations of Physic

Youth opportunity spaces in low-emission dairy development in Kenya: Research findings and policy recommendations

The dairy sector in Kenya produces over 4 billion liters of milk per year and supports 1.3 million producer households with a vital contribution to incomes and nutrition. However, total national production fails to meet demand. There is a need for increased efforts to support value chain development growth in the sector. In addition to the potential of dairy to support economic growth, the dairy sector is receiving substantial attention as a pathway to achieve Kenya’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), commitments to international agreements to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensities. Intensification of production would reduce emission intensities by generating a higher volume of milk per unit of GHG emission. However, Kenya’s NDCs specify that the environmental target of GHG emissions reduction should be pursued in accordance with its broader sustainable development agenda. Low-emission development has significant implications for reaching International Sustainable Development Goals; specifically, Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG #8) and Gender Equality (SDG #5)

Computer program for off-design performance of radial inflow turbines

Computer program estimates off-design performance without making actual tests and design point performance. Turbine flow areas, diameters, and blade angles are required input information

Extra Shared Entanglement Reduces Memory Demand in Quantum Convolutional Coding

We show how extra entanglement shared between sender and receiver reduces the memory requirements for a general entanglement-assisted quantum convolutional code. We construct quantum convolutional codes with good error-correcting properties by exploiting the error-correcting properties of an arbitrary basic set of Pauli generators. The main benefit of this particular construction is that there is no need to increase the frame size of the code when extra shared entanglement is available. Then there is no need to increase the memory requirements or circuit complexity of the code because the frame size of the code is directly related to these two code properties. Another benefit, similar to results of previous work in entanglement-assisted convolutional coding, is that we can import an arbitrary classical quaternary code for use as an entanglement-assisted quantum convolutional code. The rate and error-correcting properties of the imported classical code translate to the quantum code. We provide an example that illustrates how to import a classical quaternary code for use as an entanglement-assisted quantum convolutional code. We finally show how to "piggyback" classical information to make use of the extra shared entanglement in the code.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figure, accepted for publication in Physical Review

Quantum state cloning using Deutschian closed timelike curves

We show that it is possible to clone quantum states to arbitrary accuracy in the presence of a Deutschian closed timelike curve (D-CTC), with a fidelity converging to one in the limit as the dimension of the CTC system becomes large---thus resolving an open conjecture from [Brun et al., Physical Review Letters 102, 210402 (2009)]. This result follows from a D-CTC-assisted scheme for producing perfect clones of a quantum state prepared in a known eigenbasis, and the fact that one can reconstruct an approximation of a quantum state from empirical estimates of the probabilities of an informationally-complete measurement. Our results imply more generally that every continuous, but otherwise arbitrarily non-linear map from states to states can be implemented to arbitrary accuracy with D-CTCs. Furthermore, our results show that Deutsch's model for CTCs is in fact a classical model, in the sense that two arbitrary, distinct density operators are perfectly distinguishable (in the limit of a large CTC system); hence, in this model quantum mechanics becomes a classical theory in which each density operator is a distinct point in a classical phase space.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure; v2: modifications to the interpretation of our results based on the insightful comments of the referees; v3: minor change, accepted for publication in Physical Review Letter