437 research outputs found
Effects of low-frequency noise cross-correlations in coupled superconducting qubits
We study the effects of correlated low frequency noise sources acting on a
two qubit gate in a fixed coupling scheme. A phenomenological model for the
spatial and cross-talk correlations is introduced. The decoherence inside the
SWAP subspace is analysed by combining analytic results based on the adiabatic
approximation and numerical simulations. Results critically depend on amplitude
of the low frequency noise with respect to the qubits coupling strength.
Correlations between noise sources induce qualitative different behaviors
depending on the values of the above parameters. The possibility to reduce
dephasing due to correlated low frequency noise by a recalibration protocol is
discussed.Comment: 18 pages, 7 figure
The nature of the low-frequency emission of M51: First observations of a nearby galaxy with LOFAR
The grand-design spiral galaxy M51 was observed with the LOFAR High Frequency
Antennas (HBA) and imaged in total intensity and polarisation. This observation
covered the frequencies between 115 MHz and 175 MHz. We produced an image of
total emission of M51 at the mean frequency of 151 MHz with 20 arcsec
resolution and 0.3 mJy rms noise, which is the most sensitive image of a galaxy
at frequencies below 300 MHz so far. The integrated spectrum of total radio
emission is described well by a power law, while flat spectral indices in the
central region indicate thermal absorption. We observe that the disk extends
out to 16 kpc and see a break in the radial profile near the optical radius of
the disk. Our main results, the scale lengths of the inner and outer disks at
151 MHz and 1.4 GHz, arm--interarm contrast, and the break scales of the
radio--far-infrared correlations, can be explained consistently by CRE
diffusion, leading to a longer propagation length of CRE of lower energy. The
distribution of CRE sources drops sharply at about 10 kpc radius, where the
star formation rate also decreases sharply. We find evidence that thermal
absorption is primarily caused by HII regions. The non-detection of
polarisation from M51 at 151 MHz is consistent with the estimates of Faraday
depolarisation. Future searches for polarised emission in this frequency range
should concentrate on regions with low star formation rates.Comment: 20 pages, 18 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Quantum Capacity of a dephasing channel with memory
We show that the amount of coherent quantum information that can be reliably
transmitted down a dephasing channel with memory is maximized by separable
input states. In particular, we model the channel as a Markov chain or a
multimode environment of oscillators. While in the first model the maximization
is achieved for the maximally mixed input state, in the latter it is convenient
to exploit the presence of a decoherence-protected subspace generated by memory
effects. We explicitly compute the quantum channel capacity for the first model
while numerical simulations suggest a lower bound for the latter. In both cases
memory effects enhance the coherent information. We present results valid for
arbitrary size of the input.Comment: Revised version, to be published in New Journal of Physic
Antecedents and outcomes of consumer environmentally friendly attitudes and behaviour
With the intensification of problems relating to the environment, a growing number of consumers are becoming more ecologically conscious in their preferences and purchases of goods. This paper presents the results of a study conducted among 500 Cypriot consumers, focusing on the factors that shape consumer environmental attitudes and behaviour, as well as on the resulting outcomes. The findings confirmed that both the inward and outward environmental attitudes of a consumer are positively influenced by his/her degree of collectivism, long-term orientation, political involvement, deontology, and law obedience, but have no connection with liberalism. The adoption of an inward environmental attitude was also found to be conducive to green purchasing behaviour that ultimately leads to high product satisfaction. On the other hand, an outward environmental attitude facilitates the adoption of a general environmental behaviour, which is responsible for greater satisfaction with life. The findings of the study have important implications for shaping effective company offerings to consumers in target markets, as well as formulating appropriate policies at the governmental level to enhance environmental sensitivity among citizens
LOFAR MSSS: Flattening low-frequency radio continuum spectra of nearby galaxies
Accepted for publication in Astronomy and AstrophysicsAims. The shape of low-frequency radio continuum spectra of normal galaxies is not well understood, the key question being the role of physical processes such as thermal absorption in shaping them. In this work we take advantage of the LOFAR Multifrequency Snapshot Sky Survey (MSSS) to investigate such spectra for a large sample of nearby star-forming galaxies. Methods. Using the measured 150 MHz flux densities from the LOFAR MSSS survey and literature flux densities at various frequencies we have obtained integrated radio spectra for 106 galaxies characterised by different morphology and star formation rate. The spectra are explained through the use of a three-dimensional model of galaxy radio emission, and radiation transfer dependent on the galaxy viewing angle and absorption processes. Results. Our galaxies' spectra are generally flatter at lower compared to higher frequencies: the median spectral index α low measured between ≈ 50 MHz and 1.5 GHz is -0.57 ± 0.01 while the high-frequency one α high, calculated between 1.3 GHz and 5 GHz, is -0.77 ± 0.03. As there is no tendency for the highly inclined galaxies to have more flattened low-frequency spectra, we argue that the observed flattening is not due to thermal absorption, contradicting the suggestion of Israel & Mahoney (1990, ApJ, 352, 30). According to our modelled radio maps for M 51-like galaxies, the free-free absorption effects can be seen only below 30 MHz and in the global spectra just below 20 MHz, while in the spectra of starburst galaxies, like M 82, the flattening due to absorption is instead visible up to higher frequencies of about 150 MHz. Starbursts are however scarce in the local Universe, in accordance with the weak spectral curvature seen in the galaxies of our sample. Locally, within galactic disks, the absorption effects are distinctly visible in M 51-like galaxies as spectral flattening around 100-200 MHz in the face-on objects, and as turnovers in the edge-on ones, while in M 82-like galaxies there are strong turnovers at frequencies above 700 MHz, regardless of viewing angle. Conclusions. Our modelling of galaxy spectra suggests that the weak spectral flattening observed in the nearby galaxies studied here results principally from synchrotron spectral curvature due to cosmic ray energy losses and propagation effects. We predict much stronger effects of thermal absorption in more distant galaxies with high star formation rates. Some influence exerted by the Milky Way's foreground on the spectra of all external galaxies is also expected at very low frequencies.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio
Dynamics of a qubit coupled to a broadened harmonic mode at finite detuning
We study the dynamics of a symmetric two-level system strongly coupled to a
broadened harmonic mode. Upon mapping the problem onto a spin-boson model with
peaked spectral density, we show how analytic solutions can be obtained, at
arbitrary detuning and finite temperatures, in the case of large Q-factors of
the oscillator. In general {\em two} or more oscillation frequencies of the
two-level particle are observed as a consequence of the entanglement with the
oscillator. Our approximated analytical solution well agrees with numerical
predictions obtained within the non-interacting blip approximation.Comment: 17 pages, 6 figure
Control of Grain-Boundary Pinning in Al 2 O 3 /ZrO 2 Composites with Ce 3+ /Ce 4+ Doping
Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/65897/1/j.1151-2916.1992.tb04147.x.pd
Performance studies of the Belle II Silicon Vertex Detector with data taken at the DESY test beam in April 2016
Belle II is a multipurpose detector currently under construction which will be operated at the next generation B-factory SuberKEKB in Japan. Its main devices for the vertex reconstruction are the Silicon Vertex Detector (SVD) and the Pixel Detector (PXD). In April 2016 a sector of the Belle II SVD and PXD have been tested in a beam of high energetic electrons at the test beam facility at DESY Hamburg (Germany). We report here the results for the hit efficiency estimation and the measurement of the resolution for the Belle II silicon vertex etector. We find that the hit efficiencies are on average above 99.5% and that the measured resolution is within the expectations
The Belle II SVD detector
The Silicon Vertex Detector (SVD) is one of the main detectors in the Belle II experiment at KEK, Japan. In combination with a pixel detector, the SVD determines precise decay vertex and low-momentum track reconstruction. The SVD ladders are being developed at several institutes. For the development of the tracking algorithm as well as the performance estimation of the ladders, beam tests for the ladders were performed. We report an overview of the SVD development, its performance measured in the beam test, and the prospect of its assembly and commissioning until installation
Performance studies of the Belle II Silicon Vertex Detector with data taken at the DESY test beam in April 2016
Belle II is a multipurpose detector currently under construction which will be operated at the next generation B-factory SuberKEKB in Japan. Its main devices for the vertex reconstruction are the Silicon Vertex Detector (SVD) and the Pixel Detector (PXD). In April 2016 a sector of the Belle II SVD and PXD have been tested in a beam of high energetic electrons at the test beam facility at DESY Hamburg (Germany). We report here the results for the hit efficiency estimation and the measurement of the resolution for the Belle II silicon vertex etector. We find that the hit efficiencies are on average above 99.5% and that the measured resolution is within the expectations
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