2,017 research outputs found
On optimum Hamiltonians for state transformations
For a prescribed pair of quantum states |psi_I> and |psi_F> we establish an
elementary derivation of the optimum Hamiltonian, under constraints on its
eigenvalues, that generates the unitary transformation |psi_I> --> |psi_F> in
the shortest duration. The derivation is geometric in character and does not
rely on variational calculus.Comment: 5 page
High Multiplicity Searches at the LHC Using Jet Masses
This article introduces a new class of searches for physics beyond the
Standard Model that improves the sensitivity to signals with high jet
multiplicity. The proposed searches gain access to high multiplicity signals by
reclustering events into large-radius, or "fat," jets and by requiring that
each event has multiple massive jets. This technique is applied to
supersymmetric scenarios in which gluinos are pair-produced and then
subsequently decay to final states with either moderate quantities of missing
energy or final states without missing energy. In each of these scenarios, the
use of jet mass improves the estimated reach in gluino mass by 20 % to 50 %
over current LHC searches.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures; v3 corrects a few small typo
An alternative to the conventional micro-canonical ensemble
Usual approach to the foundations of quantum statistical physics is based on
conventional micro-canonical ensemble as a starting point for deriving
Boltzmann-Gibbs (BG) equilibrium. It leaves, however, a number of conceptual
and practical questions unanswered. Here we discuss these questions, thereby
motivating the study of a natural alternative known as Quantum Micro-Canonical
(QMC) ensemble. We present a detailed numerical study of the properties of the
QMC ensemble for finite quantum systems revealing a good agreement with the
existing analytical results for large quantum systems. We also propose the way
to introduce analytical corrections accounting for finite-size effects. With
the above corrections, the agreement between the analytical and the numerical
results becomes very accurate. The QMC ensemble leads to an unconventional kind
of equilibrium, which may be realizable after strong perturbations in small
isolated quantum systems having large number of levels. We demonstrate that the
variance of energy fluctuations can be used to discriminate the QMC equilibrium
from the BG equilibrium. We further suggest that the reason, why BG equilibrium
commonly occurs in nature rather than the QMC-type equilibrium, has something
to do with the notion of quantum collapse.Comment: 25 pages, 6 figure
Deconvolution with correct sampling
A new method for improving the resolution of astronomical images is
presented. It is based on the principle that sampled data cannot be fully
deconvolved without violating the sampling theorem. Thus, the sampled image
should not be deconvolved by the total Point Spread Function, but by a narrower
function chosen so that the resolution of the deconvolved image is compatible
with the adopted sampling. Our deconvolution method gives results which are, in
at least some cases, superior to those of other commonly used techniques: in
particular, it does not produce ringing around point sources superimposed on a
smooth background. Moreover, it allows to perform accurate astrometry and
photometry of crowded fields. These improvements are a consequence of both the
correct treatment of sampling and the recognition that the most probable
astronomical image is not a flat one. The method is also well adapted to the
optimal combination of different images of the same object, as can be obtained,
e.g., from infrared observations or via adaptive optics techniques.Comment: 22 pages, LaTex file + 10 color jpg and postscript figures. To be
published in ApJ, Vol 484 (1997 Feb.
Unitarity, ergodicity and quantum thermodynamics
Accepted versio
A generalized quantum microcanonical ensemble
We discuss a generalized quantum microcanonical ensemble. It describes
isolated systems that are not necessarily in an eigenstate of the Hamilton
operator. Statistical averages are obtained by a combination of a time average
and a maximum entropy argument to resolve the lack of knowledge about initial
conditions. As a result, statistical averages of linear observables coincide
with values obtained in the canonical ensemble. Non-canonical averages can be
obtained by taking into account conserved quantities which are non-linear
functions of the microstate.Comment: improved version, new titl
The Gemini Deep Deep Survey: II. Metals in Star-Forming Galaxies at Redshift 1.3<z<2
The goal of the Gemini Deep Deep Survey (GDDS) is to study an unbiased sample
of K<20.6 galaxies in the redshift range 0.8<z<2.0. Here we determine the
statistical properties of the heavy element enrichment in the interstellar
medium (ISM) of a subsample of 13 galaxies with 1.34<z<1.97 and UV absolute
magnitude M_2000 < -19.65. The sample contains 38% of the total number of
identified galaxies in the first two fields of the survey with z>1.3. The
selected objects have colors typical of irregular and Sbc galaxies. Strong
[OII] emission indicates high star formation activity in the HII regions
(SFR~13-106 M_sun/yr). The high S/N composite spectrum shows strong ISM MgII
and FeII absorption, together with weak MnII and MgI lines. The FeII column
density, derived using the curve of growth analysis, is logN_FeII =
15.54^{+0.23}_{-0.13}. This is considerably larger than typical values found in
damped Ly-alpha systems (DLAs) along QSO sight lines, where only 10 out of 87
(~11%) have logN_FeII > 15.2. High FeII column densities are observed in the
z=2.72 Lyman break galaxy cB58 (logN_FeII ~ 15.25) and in gamma-ray burst host
galaxies (logN_FeII ~ 14.8-15.9). Given our measured FeII column density and
assuming a moderate iron dust depletion (delta_Fe ~ 1 dex), we derive an
optical dust extinction A_V ~ 0.6. If the HI column density is log N(HI)<21.7
(as in 98% of DLAs), then the mean metallicity is Z/Z_sun > 0.2. The high
completeness of the GDDS sample implies that these results are typical of
star-forming galaxies in the 1<z<2 redshift range, an epoch which has
heretofore been particularly challenging for observational programs.Comment: ApJ in press, corrected HI column density estimat
Critical Velocity of Vortex Nucleation in Rotating Superfluid 3He-A
We have measured the critical velocity v_c at which 3He-A in a rotating
cylinder becomes unstable against the formation of quantized vortex lines with
continuous (singularity-free) core structure. We find that v_c is distributed
between a maximum and minimum limit, which we ascribe to a dependence on the
texture of the orbital angular momentum l(r) in the cylinder. Slow cool down
through T_c in rotation yields l(r) textures for which the measured v_c's are
in good agreement with the calculated instability of the expected l texture.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Exact quantization of a PT-symmetric (reversible) Li\'enard-type nonlinear oscillator
We carry out an exact quantization of a PT symmetric (reversible) Li\'{e}nard
type one dimensional nonlinear oscillator both semiclassically and quantum
mechanically. The associated time independent classical Hamiltonian is of
non-standard type and is invariant under a combined coordinate reflection and
time reversal transformation. We use von Roos symmetric ordering procedure to
write down the appropriate quantum Hamiltonian. While the quantum problem
cannot be tackled in coordinate space, we show how the problem can be
successfully solved in momentum space by solving the underlying Schr\"{o}dinger
equation therein. We obtain explicitly the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions (in
momentum space) and deduce the remarkable result that the spectrum agrees
exactly with that of the linear harmonic oscillator, which is also confirmed by
a semiclassical modified Bohr-Sommerfeld quantization rule, while the
eigenfunctions are completely different.Comment: 10 pages, 1 figure, Fast Track Communicatio
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