1,378 research outputs found
Fast Decoders for Topological Quantum Codes
We present a family of algorithms, combining real-space renormalization
methods and belief propagation, to estimate the free energy of a topologically
ordered system in the presence of defects. Such an algorithm is needed to
preserve the quantum information stored in the ground space of a topologically
ordered system and to decode topological error-correcting codes. For a system
of linear size L, our algorithm runs in time log L compared to L^6 needed for
the minimum-weight perfect matching algorithm previously used in this context
and achieves a higher depolarizing error threshold.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Preparing ground states of quantum many-body systems on a quantum computer
Preparing the ground state of a system of interacting classical particles is
an NP-hard problem. Thus, there is in general no better algorithm to solve this
problem than exhaustively going through all N configurations of the system to
determine the one with lowest energy, requiring a running time proportional to
N. A quantum computer, if it could be built, could solve this problem in time
sqrt(N). Here, we present a powerful extension of this result to the case of
interacting quantum particles, demonstrating that a quantum computer can
prepare the ground state of a quantum system as efficiently as it does for
classical systems.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figur
Quantum error correction benchmarks for continuous weak parity measurements
We present an experimental procedure to determine the usefulness of a
measurement scheme for quantum error correction (QEC). A QEC scheme typically
requires the ability to prepare entangled states, to carry out multi-qubit
measurements, and to perform certain recovery operations conditioned on
measurement outcomes. As a consequence, the experimental benchmark of a QEC
scheme is a tall order because it requires the conjuncture of many elementary
components. Our scheme opens the path to experimental benchmarks of individual
components of QEC. Our numerical simulations show that certain parity
measurements realized in circuit quantum electrodynamics are on the verge of
being useful for QEC
Algebraic and information-theoretic conditions for operator quantum error-correction
Operator quantum error-correction is a technique for robustly storing quantum
information in the presence of noise. It generalizes the standard theory of
quantum error-correction, and provides a unified framework for topics such as
quantum error-correction, decoherence-free subspaces, and noiseless subsystems.
This paper develops (a) easily applied algebraic and information-theoretic
conditions which characterize when operator quantum error-correction is
feasible; (b) a representation theorem for a class of noise processes which can
be corrected using operator quantum error-correction; and (c) generalizations
of the coherent information and quantum data processing inequality to the
setting of operator quantum error-correction.Comment: 4 page
Variation in fine-scale genetic structure and local dispersal patterns between peripheral populations of a South American passerine bird
Indexación: Scopus.The distribution of suitable habitat influences natal and breeding dispersal at small spatial scales, resulting in strong microgeographic genetic structure. Although environmental variation can promote interpopulation differences in dispersal behavior and local spatial patterns, the effects of distinct ecological conditions on within-species variation in dispersal strategies and in fine-scale genetic structure remain poorly understood. We studied local dispersal and fine-scale genetic structure in the thorn-tailed rayadito (Aphrastura spinicauda), a South American bird that breeds along a wide latitudinal gradient. We combine capture-mark-recapture data from eight breeding seasons and molecular genetics to compare two peripheral populations with contrasting environments in Chile: Navarino Island, a continuous and low density habitat, and Fray Jorge National Park, a fragmented, densely populated and more stressful environment. Natal dispersal showed no sex bias in Navarino but was female-biased in the more dense population in Fray Jorge. In the latter, male movements were restricted, and some birds seemed to skip breeding in their first year, suggesting habitat saturation. Breeding dispersal was limited in both populations, with males being more philopatric than females. Spatial genetic autocorrelation analyzes using 13 polymorphic microsatellite loci confirmed the observed dispersal patterns: a fine-scale genetic structure was only detectable for males in Fray Jorge for distances up to 450 m. Furthermore, two-dimensional autocorrelation analyzes and estimates of genetic relatedness indicated that related males tended to be spatially clustered in this population. Our study shows evidence for context-dependent variation in natal dispersal and corresponding local genetic structure in peripheral populations of this bird. It seems likely that the costs of dispersal are higher in the fragmented and higher density environment in Fray Jorge, particularly for males. The observed differences in microgeographic genetic structure for rayaditos might reflect the genetic consequences of population-specific responses to contrasting environmental pressures near the range limits of its distribution.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ece3.3342/epd
Optimal and Efficient Decoding of Concatenated Quantum Block Codes
We consider the problem of optimally decoding a quantum error correction code
-- that is to find the optimal recovery procedure given the outcomes of partial
"check" measurements on the system. In general, this problem is NP-hard.
However, we demonstrate that for concatenated block codes, the optimal decoding
can be efficiently computed using a message passing algorithm. We compare the
performance of the message passing algorithm to that of the widespread
blockwise hard decoding technique. Our Monte Carlo results using the 5 qubit
and Steane's code on a depolarizing channel demonstrate significant advantages
of the message passing algorithms in two respects. 1) Optimal decoding
increases by as much as 94% the error threshold below which the error
correction procedure can be used to reliably send information over a noisy
channel. 2) For noise levels below these thresholds, the probability of error
after optimal decoding is suppressed at a significantly higher rate, leading to
a substantial reduction of the error correction overhead.Comment: Published versio
A new look at the cosmic ray positron fraction
The positron fraction in cosmic rays was found to be a steadily increasing in
function of energy, above 10 GeV. This behaviour contradicts standard
astrophysical mechanisms, in which positrons are secondary particles, produced
in the interactions of primary cosmic rays during the propagation in the
interstellar medium. The observed anomaly in the positron fraction triggered a
lot of excitement, as it could be interpreted as an indirect signature of the
presence of dark matter species in the Galaxy. Alternatively, it could be
produced by nearby astrophysical sources, such as pulsars. Both hypotheses are
probed in this work in light of the latest AMS-02 positron fraction
measurements. The transport of the primary and secondary positrons in the
Galaxy is described using a semi-analytic two-zone model. MicrOMEGAs is used to
model the positron flux generated by dark matter species. The description of
the positron fraction from astrophysical sources is based on the pulsar
observations included in the ATNF catalogue. We find that the mass of the
favoured dark matter candidates is always larger than 500 GeV. The only dark
matter species that fulfils the numerous gamma ray and cosmic microwave
background bounds is a particle annihilating into four leptons through a light
scalar or vector mediator, with a mixture of tau (75%) and electron (25%)
channels, and a mass between 0.5 and 1 TeV. The positron anomaly can also be
explained by a single astrophysical source and a list of five pulsars from the
ATNF catalogue is given. Those results are obtained with the cosmic ray
transport parameters that best fit the B/C ratio. Uncertainties in the
propagation parameters turn out to be very significant. In the WIMP
annihilation cross section to mass plane for instance, they overshadow the
error contours derived from the positron data.Comment: 20 pages, 16 figures, accepted for publication in A&A, corresponds to
published versio
Simulating Particle Dispersions in Nematic Liquid-Crystal Solvents
A new method is presented for mesoscopic simulations of particle dispersions
in nematic liquid crystal solvents. It allows efficient first-principle
simulations of the dispersions involving many particles with many-body
interactions mediated by the solvents. A simple demonstration is shown for the
aggregation process of a two dimentional dispersion.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure
Markov entropy decomposition: a variational dual for quantum belief propagation
We present a lower bound for the free energy of a quantum many-body system at
finite temperature. This lower bound is expressed as a convex optimization
problem with linear constraints, and is derived using strong subadditivity of
von Neumann entropy and a relaxation of the consistency condition of local
density operators. The dual to this minimization problem leads to a set of
quantum belief propagation equations, thus providing a firm theoretical
foundation to that approach. The minimization problem is numerically tractable,
and we find good agreement with quantum Monte Carlo for the spin-half
Heisenberg anti-ferromagnet in two dimensions. This lower bound complements
other variational upper bounds. We discuss applications to Hamiltonian
complexity theory and give a generalization of the structure theorem of Hayden,
Jozsa, Petz and Winter to trees in an appendix
Many-body Theory vs Simulations for the pseudogap in the Hubbard model
The opening of a critical-fluctuation induced pseudogap (or precursor
pseudogap) in the one-particle spectral weight of the half-filled
two-dimensional Hubbard model is discussed. This pseudogap, appearing in our
Monte Carlo simulations, may be obtained from many-body techniques that use
Green functions and vertex corrections that are at the same level of
approximation. Self-consistent theories of the Eliashberg type (such as the
Fluctuation Exchange Approximation) use renormalized Green functions and bare
vertices in a context where there is no Migdal theorem. They do not find the
pseudogap, in quantitative and qualitative disagreement with simulations,
suggesting these methods are inadequate for this problem. Differences between
precursor pseudogaps and strong-coupling pseudogaps are also discussed.Comment: Accepted, Phys. Rev. B15 15Mar00. Expanded version of original
submission, Latex, 8 pages, epsfig, 5 eps figures (Last one new). Discussion
on fluctuation and strong coupling induced pseudogaps expande
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