Decoherence induced continuous pointer states

We investigate the reduced dynamics in the Markovian approximation of an infinite quantum spin system linearly coupled to a phonon field at positive temperature. The achieved diagonalization leads to a selection of the continuous family of pointer states corresponding to a configuration space of the one-dimensional Ising model. Such a family provides a mathematical description of an apparatus with continuous readings.Comment: 8 page

Remote estimation of soil moisture

Two methods under consideration for making remote estimates of soil moisture involve measurements made in electromagnetic spectral region of 0.4 to 14.0 micrometers: (1) spectral reflectance, (2) soil temperature

Nonnegative Feynman-Kac Kernels in Schr\"{o}dinger's Interpolation Problem

The existing formulations of the Schr\"{o}dinger interpolating dynamics, which is constrained by the prescribed input-output statistics data, utilize strictly positive Feynman-Kac kernels. This implies that the related Markov diffusion processes admit vanishing probability densities only at the boundaries of the spatial volume confining the process. We extend the framework to encompass singular potentials and associated nonnegative Feynman-Kac-type kernels. It allows to deal with general nonnegative solutions of the Schr\"{o}dinger boundary data problem. The resulting stochastic processes are capable of both developing and destroying nodes (zeros) of probability densities in the course of their evolution.Comment: Latex file, 25 p

Constraining Ω0{\Omega_{0}} from X-ray properties of Clusters of Galaxies at high redshift

Properties of high redshift clusters are a fundamental source of information for cosmology. It has been shown by Oukbir and Blanchard (1997) that the combined knowledge of the redshift distribution of X-ray clusters of galaxies and the luminosity-temperature correlation, $L_X-T_X$, provides a powerful test of the mean density of the Universe. In this paper, we address the question of the possible evolution of this relation from an observational point of view and its cosmological significance. We introduce a new indicator in order to measure the evolution of the X-ray luminosity-temperature relation with redshift and take advantage of the recent availability of temperature information for a significant number of high and intermediate redshift X-ray clusters of galaxies. From our analysis, we find a slightly positive evolution in the $L_X-T_X$ relation. This implies a high value of the density parameter of $0.85\pm0.2$. However, because the selection of clusters included inour sample is unknown, this can be considered only as a tentative result. A well-controlled X-ray selected survey would provide a more robust answer. XMM will be ideal for such a program.Comment: 10 pages, LaTeX, 4 figures,5 tables, accepted by A&

Use of visible, near-infrared, and thermal infrared remote sensing to study soil moisture

Two methods are described which are used to estimate soil moisture remotely using the 0.4- to 14.0 micron wavelength region: (1) measurement of spectral reflectance, and (2) measurement of soil temperature. The reflectance method is based on observations which show that directional reflectance decreases as soil moisture increases for a given material. The soil temperature method is based on observations which show that differences between daytime and nighttime soil temperatures decrease as moisture content increases for a given material. In some circumstances, separate reflectance or temperature measurements yield ambiguous data, in which case these two methods may be combined to obtain a valid soil moisture determination. In this combined approach, reflectance is used to estimate low moisture levels; and thermal inertia (or thermal diffusivity) is used to estimate higher levels. The reflectance method appears promising for surface estimates of soil moisture, whereas the temperature method appears promising for estimates of near-subsurface (0 to 10 cm)

A Way Out of the Quantum Trap

We review Event Enhanced Quantum Theory (EEQT). In Section 1 we address the question "Is Quantum Theory the Last Word". In particular we respond to some of recent challenging staments of H.P. Stapp. We also discuss a possible future of the quantum paradigm - see also Section 5. In Section 2 we give a short sketch of EEQT. Examples are given in Section 3. Section 3.3 discusses a completely new phenomenon - chaos and fractal-like phenomena caused by a simultaneous "measurement" of several non-commuting observables (we include picture of Barnsley's IFS on unit sphere of a Hilbert space). In Section 4 we answer "Frequently Asked Questions" concerning EEQT.Comment: Replacement. Corrected affiliation. Latex, one .jpg figure. To appear in Proc. Conf. Relativistic Quantum Measurements, Napoli 1998, Ed. F. Petruccion