33 research outputs found
Anomalous diffusion in a symbolic model
We address this work to investigate some statistical properties of symbolic
sequences generated by a numerical procedure in which the symbols are repeated
following a power law probability density. In this analysis, we consider that
the sum of n symbols represents the position of a particle in erratic movement.
This approach revealed a rich diffusive scenario characterized by non-Gaussian
distributions and, depending on the power law exponent and also on the
procedure used to build the walker, we may have superdiffusion, subdiffusion or
usual diffusion. Additionally, we use the continuous-time random walk framework
to compare with the numerical data, finding a good agreement. Because of its
simplicity and flexibility, this model can be a candidate to describe real
systems governed by power laws probabilities densities.Comment: Accepted for publication in Physica Script
Universal patterns in sound amplitudes of songs and music genres
We report a statistical analysis over more than eight thousand songs.
Specifically, we investigate the probability distribution of the normalized
sound amplitudes. Our findings seems to suggest a universal form of
distribution which presents a good agreement with a one-parameter stretched
Gaussian. We also argue that this parameter can give information on music
complexity, and consequently it goes towards classifying songs as well as music
genres. Additionally, we present statistical evidences that correlation aspects
of the songs are directly related with the non-Gaussian nature of their sound
amplitude distributions.Comment: Accepted for publication as a Brief Report in Physical Review
`Third' Quantization of Vacuum Einstein Gravity and Free Yang-Mills Theories
Based on the algebraico-categorical (:sheaf-theoretic and sheaf
cohomological) conceptual and technical machinery of Abstract Differential
Geometry, a new, genuinely background spacetime manifold independent, field
quantization scenario for vacuum Einstein gravity and free Yang-Mills theories
is introduced. The scheme is coined `third quantization' and, although it
formally appears to follow a canonical route, it is fully covariant, because it
is an expressly functorial `procedure'. Various current and future Quantum
Gravity research issues are discussed under the light of 3rd-quantization. A
postscript gives a brief account of this author's personal encounters with
Rafael Sorkin and his work.Comment: 43 pages; latest version contributed to a fest-volume celebrating
Rafael Sorkin's 60th birthday (Erratum: in earlier versions I had wrongly
written that the Editor for this volume is Daniele Oriti, with CUP as
publisher. I apologize for the mistake.
The Possibilist Transactional Interpretation and Relativity
A recent ontological variant of Cramer's Transactional Interpretation, called
"Possibilist Transactional Interpretation" or PTI, is extended to the
relativistic domain. The present interpretation clarifies the concept of
'absorption,' which plays a crucial role in TI (and in PTI). In particular, in
the relativistic domain, coupling amplitudes between fields are interpreted as
amplitudes for the generation of confirmation waves (CW) by a potential
absorber in response to offer waves (OW), whereas in the nonrelativistic
context CW are taken as generated with certainty. It is pointed out that
solving the measurement problem requires venturing into the relativistic domain
in which emissions and absorptions take place; nonrelativistic quantum
mechanics only applies to quanta considered as 'already in existence' (i.e.,
'free quanta'), and therefore cannot fully account for the phenomenon of
measurement, in which quanta are tied to sources and sinks.Comment: Final version with some minor corrections as published in Foundations
of Physics. This paper has significant overlap with Chapter 6 of my book on
the Transactional Interpretation, forthcoming from Cambridge University
Press:
http://www.cambridge.org/us/knowledge/isbn/item6860644/?site_locale=en_US
(Additional preview material is available at rekastner.wordpress.com)
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Lawson criterion for ignition exceeded in an inertial fusion experiment
For more than half a century, researchers around the world have been engaged in attempts to achieve fusion ignition as a proof of principle of various fusion concepts. Following the Lawson criterion, an ignited plasma is one where the fusion heating power is high enough to overcome all the physical processes that cool the fusion plasma, creating a positive thermodynamic feedback loop with rapidly increasing temperature. In inertially confined fusion, ignition is a state where the fusion plasma can begin "burn propagation" into surrounding cold fuel, enabling the possibility of high energy gain. While "scientific breakeven" (i.e., unity target gain) has not yet been achieved (here target gain is 0.72, 1.37 MJ of fusion for 1.92 MJ of laser energy), this Letter reports the first controlled fusion experiment, using laser indirect drive, on the National Ignition Facility to produce capsule gain (here 5.8) and reach ignition by nine different formulations of the Lawson criterion