4,675 research outputs found
On the Geroch-Traschen class of metrics
We compare two approaches to semi-Riemannian metrics of low regularity. The maximally 'reasonable' distributional setting of Geroch and Traschen is shown to be consistently contained in the more general setting of nonlinear distributional geometry in the sense of Colombea
A topos for algebraic quantum theory
The aim of this paper is to relate algebraic quantum mechanics to topos
theory, so as to construct new foundations for quantum logic and quantum
spaces. Motivated by Bohr's idea that the empirical content of quantum physics
is accessible only through classical physics, we show how a C*-algebra of
observables A induces a topos T(A) in which the amalgamation of all of its
commutative subalgebras comprises a single commutative C*-algebra. According to
the constructive Gelfand duality theorem of Banaschewski and Mulvey, the latter
has an internal spectrum S(A) in T(A), which in our approach plays the role of
a quantum phase space of the system. Thus we associate a locale (which is the
topos-theoretical notion of a space and which intrinsically carries the
intuitionistic logical structure of a Heyting algebra) to a C*-algebra (which
is the noncommutative notion of a space). In this setting, states on A become
probability measures (more precisely, valuations) on S(A), and self-adjoint
elements of A define continuous functions (more precisely, locale maps) from
S(A) to Scott's interval domain. Noting that open subsets of S(A) correspond to
propositions about the system, the pairing map that assigns a (generalized)
truth value to a state and a proposition assumes an extremely simple
categorical form. Formulated in this way, the quantum theory defined by A is
essentially turned into a classical theory, internal to the topos T(A).Comment: 52 pages, final version, to appear in Communications in Mathematical
Physic
Proposed method for predicting pair matching of skeletal elements allows too many false rejections
Byrd proposes a method for predicting pair matches in commingled remains to reduce visual comparison. The method compares differences between left and right postcranial element measurements in commingled samples with differences in known pairs from a reference sample using a t-score approach. We duplicated his protocol using six elements from two samples of known paired elements (n=854 to 1063) and calculated the number of pairs correctly predicted. Time commitment was estimated by mathematically attempting matches with all left and right elements in these samples. Although the results show an 86% reduction in the number of potential pairs requiring visual matching, we do not recommend the method because (i) the normality assumption for use of a t-score approach is violated, (ii) no account is made for bilateral asymmetry, and (iii) the high rate of false rejections (up to 22%) undermines its ability to show true incompatibilities for potential pair matches
Naked Singularity and Thunderbolt
We consider quantum theoretical effects of the sudden change of the boundary
conditions which mimics the occurrence of naked singularities. For a simple
demonstration, we study a massless scalar field in -dimensional
Minkowski spacetime with finite spatial interval. We calculate the vacuum
expectation value of the energy-momentum tensor and explicitly show that
singular wave or {\em thunderbolt} appears along the Cauchy horizon. The
thunderbolt possibly destroys the Cauchy horizon if its backreaction on the
geometry is taken into account, leading to quantum restoration of the global
hyperbolicity. The result of the present work may also apply to the situation
that a closed string freely oscillating is traveling to a brane and changes
itself to an open string pinned-down by the ends satisfying the Dirichlet
boundary conditions on the brane.Comment: 12 pages, 1 figure, references added, to appear in Phys. Rev.
Giant and reversible extrinsic magnetocaloric effects in La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 films due to strain
Large thermal changes driven by a magnetic field have been proposed for
environmentally friendly energy efficient refrigeration, but only a few
materials which suffer hysteresis show these giant magnetocaloric effects. Here
we create giant and reversible extrinsic magnetocaloric effects in epitaxial
films of the ferromagnetic manganite La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 using strain mediated
feedback from BaTiO3 substrates near a first-order structural phase transition.
Our findings should inspire the discovery of giant magnetocaloric effects in a
wide range of magnetic materials, and the parallel development of
nanostructured bulk samples for practical applications.Comment: 32 pages, 1 Table, 5 figures, supplementary informatio
Against quantiles: categorization of continuous variables in epidemiologic research, and its discontents
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Quantiles are a staple of epidemiologic research: in contemporary epidemiologic practice, continuous variables are typically categorized into tertiles, quartiles and quintiles as a means to illustrate the relationship between a continuous exposure and a binary outcome.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>In this paper we argue that this approach is highly problematic and present several potential alternatives. We also discuss the perceived drawbacks of these newer statistical methods and the possible reasons for their slow adoption by epidemiologists.</p> <p>Summary</p> <p>The use of quantiles is often inadequate for epidemiologic research with continuous variables.</p
The determination of the electron-phonon interaction from tunneling data in the two-band superconductor MgB2
We calculate the tunneling density of states (DOS) of MgB2 for different
tunneling directions, by directly solving the real-axis, two-band Eliashberg
equations (EE). Then we show that the numeric inversion of the standard
single-band EE, if applied to the DOS of the two-band superconductor MgB2, may
lead to wrong estimates of the strength of certain phonon branches (e.g. the
E_2g) in the extracted electron-phonon spectral function alpha^(2)F(omega). The
fine structures produced by the two-band interaction turn out to be clearly
observable only for tunneling along the ab planes in high-quality single
crystals. The results are compared to recent experimental data.Comment: 2 pages, 2 figures, proceedings of M2S-HTSC-VII conference, Rio de
Janeiro (May 2003
Quiet Eye Duration and Gun Motion in Elite Shotgun Shooting
INTRODUCTION:
No literature exists to document skill-related differences in shotgun shooting and whether these may be a function of eye movements and control of gun motion. We therefore conducted an exploratory investigation of the visual search behaviors and gun barrel kinematics used by elite and subelite shooters across the three shotgun shooting subdisciplines.
METHODS:
Point of gaze and gun barrel kinematics were recorded in groups of elite (n = 24) and subelite (n = 24) shooters participating in skeet, trap, and double trap events. Point of gaze was calculated in relation to the scene, while motion of the gun was captured by two stationary external cameras. Quiet eye (final fixation or tracking gaze that is located on a specific location/object in the visual display for a minimum of 100 ms) duration and onset were analyzed as well as gun motion profiles in the horizontal and vertical planes.
RESULTS:
In skeet, trap, and double trap disciplines, elite shooters demonstrated both an earlier onset and a longer relative duration of quiet eye than their subelite counterparts did. Also, in all three disciplines, quiet eye duration was longer and onset earlier during successful compared with unsuccessful trials for elite and subelite shooters. Kinematic analyses indicated that a slower movement of the gun barrel was used by elite compared with subelite shooters.
CONCLUSIONS:
Overall, stable gun motion and a longer quiet eye duration seem critical to a successful performance in all three shotgun disciplines
Dynamical extensions for shell-crossing singularities
We derive global weak solutions of Einstein's equations for spherically
symmetric dust-filled space-times which admit shell-crossing singularities. In
the marginally bound case, the solutions are weak solutions of a conservation
law. In the non-marginally bound case, the equations are solved in a
generalized sense involving metric functions of bounded variation. The
solutions are not unique to the future of the shell-crossing singularity, which
is replaced by a shock wave in the present treatment; the metric is bounded but
not continuous.Comment: 14 pages, 1 figur
In Defense of the Epistemic Imperative
Sample (2015) argues that scientists ought not to believe that their theories are true because they cannot fulfill the epistemic obligation to take the diachronic perspective on their theories. I reply that Sample’s argument imposes an inordinately heavy epistemic obligation on scientists, and that it spells doom not only for scientific theories but also for observational beliefs and philosophical ideas that Samples endorses. I also delineate what I take to be a reasonable epistemic obligation for scientists. In sum, philosophers ought to impose on scientists only an epistemic standard that they are willing to impose on themselves
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