23 research outputs found
Can spacetime curvature induced corrections to Lamb shift be observable?
The Lamb shift results from the coupling of an atom to vacuum fluctuations of
quantum fields, so corrections are expected to arise when the spacetime is
curved since the vacuum fluctuations are modified by the presence of spacetime
curvature. Here, we calculate the curvature-induced correction to the Lamb
shift outside a spherically symmetric object and demonstrate that this
correction can be remarkably significant outside a compact massive
astrophysical body. For instance, for a neutron star or a stellar mass black
hole, the correction is 25% at a radial distance of ,
16% at and as large as 1.6% even at , where is
the mass of the object, the Newtonian constant, and the speed of light.
In principle, we can look at the spectra from a distant compact super-massive
body to find such corrections. Therefore, our results suggest a possible way of
detecting fundamental quantum effects in astronomical observations.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures, slight title change, clarifications and more
discussions added, version to be published in JHE
CMB Telescopes and Optical Systems
The cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB) is now firmly established as
a fundamental and essential probe of the geometry, constituents, and birth of
the Universe. The CMB is a potent observable because it can be measured with
precision and accuracy. Just as importantly, theoretical models of the Universe
can predict the characteristics of the CMB to high accuracy, and those
predictions can be directly compared to observations. There are multiple
aspects associated with making a precise measurement. In this review, we focus
on optical components for the instrumentation used to measure the CMB
polarization and temperature anisotropy. We begin with an overview of general
considerations for CMB observations and discuss common concepts used in the
community. We next consider a variety of alternatives available for a designer
of a CMB telescope. Our discussion is guided by the ground and balloon-based
instruments that have been implemented over the years. In the same vein, we
compare the arc-minute resolution Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) and the
South Pole Telescope (SPT). CMB interferometers are presented briefly. We
conclude with a comparison of the four CMB satellites, Relikt, COBE, WMAP, and
Planck, to demonstrate a remarkable evolution in design, sensitivity,
resolution, and complexity over the past thirty years.Comment: To appear in: Planets, Stars and Stellar Systems (PSSS), Volume 1:
Telescopes and Instrumentatio