Multi-agent collaborative search : an agent-based memetic multi-objective optimization algorithm applied to space trajectory design

This article presents an algorithm for multi-objective optimization that blends together a number of heuristics. A population of agents combines heuristics that aim at exploring the search space both globally and in a neighbourhood of each agent. These heuristics are complemented with a combination of a local and global archive. The novel agent-based algorithm is tested at first on a set of standard problems and then on three specific problems in space trajectory design. Its performance is compared against a number of state-of-the-art multi-objective optimization algorithms that use the Pareto dominance as selection criterion: non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II), Pareto archived evolution strategy (PAES), multiple objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO), and multiple trajectory search (MTS). The results demonstrate that the agent-based search can identify parts of the Pareto set that the other algorithms were not able to capture. Furthermore, convergence is statistically better although the variance of the results is in some cases higher

Cooling the Collective Motion of Trapped Ions to Initialize a Quantum Register

We report preparation in the ground state of collective modes of motion of two trapped 9Be+ ions. This is a crucial step towards realizing quantum logic gates which can entangle the ions' internal electronic states. We find that heating of the modes of relative ion motion is substantially suppressed relative to that of the center-of-mass modes, suggesting the importance of these modes in future experiments.Comment: 5 pages, including 3 figures. RevTeX. PDF and PostScript available at http://www.bldrdoc.gov/timefreq/ion/qucomp/papers.htm . final (published) version. Eq. 1 and Table 1 slightly different from original submissio

Analysis of some global optimization algorithms for space trajectory design

In this paper, we analyze the performance of some global search algorithms on a number of space trajectory design problems. A rigorous testing procedure is introduced to measure the ability of an algorithm to identify the set of ²-optimal solutions. From the analysis of the test results, a novel algorithm is derived. The development of the novel algorithm starts from the redefinition of some evolutionary heuristics in the form of a discrete dynamical system. The convergence properties of this discrete dynamical system are used to derive a hybrid evolutionary algorithm that displays very good performance on the particular class of problems presented in this paper

Dynamical decoherence in a cavity with a large number of two-level atoms

We consider a large number of two-level atoms interacting with the mode of a cavity in the rotating-wave approximation (Tavis-Cummings model). We apply the Holstein-Primakoff transformation to study the model in the limit of the number of two-level atoms, all in their ground state, becoming very large. The unitary evolution that we obtain in this approximation is applied to a macroscopic superposition state showing that, when the coherent states forming the superposition are enough distant, then the state collapses on a single coherent state describing a classical radiation mode. This appear as a true dynamical effect that could be observed in experiments with cavities.Comment: 9 pages, no figures. This submission substitutes paper quant-ph/0212148 that was withdrawn. Version accepted for publication in Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular & Optical Physic

Excitation spectrum and instability of a two-species Bose-Einstein condensate

We numerically calculate the density profile and excitation spectrum of a two-species Bose-Einstein condensate for the parameters of recent experiments. We find that the ground state density profile of this system becomes unstable in certain parameter regimes, which leads to a phase transition to a new stable state. This state displays spontaneously broken cylindrical symmetry. This behavior is reflected in the excitation spectrum: as we approach the phase transition point, the lowest excitation frequency goes to zero, indicating the onset of instability in the density profile. Following the phase transition, this frequency rises again.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, uses REVTe

Bose-Einstein Condensation in a Surface Micro Trap

Bose-Einstein condensation has been achieved in a magnetic surface micro trap with 4x10^5 87Rb atoms. The strongly anisotropic trapping potential is generated by a microstructure which consists of microfabricated linear copper conductors at a width ranging from 3 to 30 micrometer. After loading a high number of atoms from a pulsed thermal source directly into a magneto-optical trap (MOT) the magnetically stored atoms are transferred into the micro trap by adiabatic transformation of the trapping potential. The complete in vacuo trap design is compatible with ultrahigh vacuum below 2x10^(-11) mbar.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Two-species magneto-optical trap with 40K and 87Rb

We trap and cool a gas composed of 40K and 87Rb, using a two-species magneto-optical trap (MOT). This trap represents the first step towards cooling the Bose-Fermi mixture to quantum degeneracy. Laser light for the MOT is derived from laser diodes and amplified with a single high power semiconductor amplifier chip. The four-color laser system is described, and the single-species and two-species MOTs are characterized. Atom numbers of 1x10^7 40K and 2x10^9 87Rb are trapped in the two-species MOT. Observation of trap loss due to collisions between species is presented and future prospects for the experiment are discussed.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures; accepted for publication in Physical Review

SUMOylation inhibits FOXM1 activity and delays mitotic transition

The forkhead box transcription factor FOXM1 is an essential effector of G2/M-phase transition, mitosis and the DNA damage response. As such, it is frequently deregulated during tumorigenesis. Here we report that FOXM1 is dynamically modified by SUMO1 but not by SUMO2/3 at multiple sites. We show that FOXM1 SUMOylation is enhanced in MCF-7 breast cancer cells in response to treatment with epirubicin and mitotic inhibitors. Mutation of five consensus conjugation motifs yielded a SUMOylation-deficient mutant FOXM1. Conversely, fusion of the E2 ligase Ubc9 to FOXM1 generated an auto-SUMOylating mutant (FOXM1-Ubc9). Analysis of wild-type FOXM1 and mutants revealed that SUMOylation inhibits FOXM1 activity, promotes translocation to the cytoplasm and enhances APC/Cdh1-mediated ubiquitination and degradation. Further, expression of the SUMOylation-deficient mutant enhanced cell proliferation compared with wild-type FOXM1, whereas the FOXM1-Ubc9 fusion protein resulted in persistent cyclin B1 expression and slowed the time from mitotic entry to exit. In summary, our findings suggest that SUMOylation attenuates FOXM1 activity and causes mitotic delay in cytotoxic drug response

Sympathetic Cooling with Two Atomic Species in an Optical Trap

We simultaneously trap ultracold lithium and cesium atoms in an optical dipole trap formed by the focus of a CO$_2$ laser and study the exchange of thermal energy between the gases. The cesium gas, which is optically cooled to $20 \mu$K, efficiently decreases the temperature of the lithium gas through sympathetic cooling. The measured cross section for thermalizing $^{133}$Cs-$^7$Li collisions is $8 \times 10^{-12}$ cm$^2$, for both species in their lowest hyperfine ground state. Besides thermalization, we observe evaporation of lithium purely through elastic cesium-lithium collisions (sympathetic evaporation).Comment: 4 pages 3 fig

Output coupling of a Bose-Einstein condensate formed in a TOP trap

Two distinct mechanisms are investigated for transferring a pure 87Rb Bose-Einstein condensate in the F = 2, mF = 2 state into a mixture of condensates in all the mF states within the F = 2 manifold. Some of these condensates remain trapped whilst others are output coupled in the form of an elementary pulsed atom laser. Here we present details of the condensate preparation and results of the two condensate output coupling schemes. The first scheme is a radio frequency technique which allows controllable transfer into available mF states, and the second makes use of Majorana spin flips to equally populate all the manifold sub-states.Comment: 12 Pages, 5 Figures, submitted to J. Phys.