Various Approaches to Cosmological Gravitational Lensing in Inhomogeneous Models

Gravitational lensing of distant objects caused by gravitational tidal forces from inhomogeneities in the universe is weak in most cases, but it is noticed that it gives a great deal of information about the universe, especially regarding the distribution of dark matter. The statistical values of optical quantities such as convergence, amplification and shear have been derived by many people using various approaches, which include the linear perturbational treatment in the weak limit and the nonlinear treatment considering small-scale matter distribution. In this review paper we compare the following three main approaches: (a) the approach in the multi-lens-plane theory; (b) the approach due to the direct integration method; and (c) the perturbational approach. In the former two approaches inhomogeneous matter distributions are produced in the CDM model using $N$-body simulations (the P$^3$M code and the tree-code, respectively). In (c) the power spectrum corresponding to the CDM model is used for the large-scale matter distribution.Comment: 30 pages, 13 figure

Quantum information with Gaussian states

Quantum optical Gaussian states are a type of important robust quantum states which are manipulatable by the existing technologies. So far, most of the important quantum information experiments are done with such states, including bright Gaussian light and weak Gaussian light. Extending the existing results of quantum information with discrete quantum states to the case of continuous variable quantum states is an interesting theoretical job. The quantum Gaussian states play a central role in such a case. We review the properties and applications of Gaussian states in quantum information with emphasis on the fundamental concepts, the calculation techniques and the effects of imperfections of the real-life experimental setups. Topics here include the elementary properties of Gaussian states and relevant quantum information device, entanglement-based quantum tasks such as quantum teleportation, quantum cryptography with weak and strong Gaussian states and the quantum channel capacity, mathematical theory of quantum entanglement and state estimation for Gaussian states.Comment: 170 pages. Minors of the published version are corrected and listed in the Acknowledgement part of this versio

Optical and CO Radio Observations of Poor Cluster Zwicky 1615.8+3505

The cluster Zwicky 1615.8+3505 is considered to be a dynamically young poor cluster. To investigate the morphology and star-formation activity of galaxies under the environment of a dynamically young poor cluster, we have performed V, R, and I surface photometry, optical low-resolution spectroscopy, and 12CO (J=1-0) line observations for member galaxies. Our data show that more than 90% of the observed galaxies show regular morphologies and no star-formation activities, indicating that the environment does not affect these galaxy properties. Among sixteen galaxies observed, only NGC 6104 shows a significant star-formation activity, and shows a distorted morphology, indicating a tidal interaction. This galaxy contains double knots, and only one knot possesses Seyfert activity, though the sizes and luminosities are similar to each other; we also discuss this feature.Comment: LaTeX manuscript (text.tex, use PASJ style files), four PS figures (fig[a-d].ps), and three PASJ style files. text.tex, figb.ps, and figd.ps are up-dated. To be appeared in The Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan, Vol. 51, No. 3 (1999 June issue

Iterative Approach to Gravitational Lensing Theory

We develop an iterative approach to gravitational lensing theory based on approximate solutions of the null geodesic equations. The approach can be employed in any space-time which is ``close'' to a space-time in which the null geodesic equations can be completely integrated, such as Minkowski space-time, Robertson-Walker cosmologies, or Schwarzschild-Kerr geometries. To illustrate the method, we construct the iterative gravitational lens equations and time of arrival equation for a single Schwarzschild lens. This example motivates a discussion of the relationship between the iterative approach, the standard thin lens formulation, and an exact formulation of gravitational lensing.Comment: 27 pages, 2 figures, submitted to Phys.Rev.D, minor revisions, new reference

Enhancement of the Critical Current Density of YBa2Cu3Ox Superconductors under Hydrostatic Pressure

The dependence of the critical current density Jc on hydrostatic pressure to 0.6 GPa is determined for a single 25-degree [001]-tilt grain boundary in a bicrystalline ring of nearly optimally doped melt-textured YBa2Cu3Ox. Jc is found to increase rapidly under pressure at +20 %/GPa. A new diagnostic method is introduced (pressure-induced Jc relaxation) which reveals a sizeable concentration of vacant oxygen sites in the grain boundary region. Completely filling such sites with oxygen anions should lead to significant enhancements in Jc.Comment: revised manuscript, graphic errors in figures correcte

Photometric Observations of Star Formation Activity in Early Type Spirals

We observationally study the current star formation activities of early type spiral galaxies. We construct a complete sample of 15 early type spirals having far-infrared (FIR) to optical B band luminosity ratios, L(FIR)/L(B), larger than the average of the type, and make their CCD imaging of the R and H-alpha bands. The equivalent widths of H-alpha emission increase with increasing L(FIR)/L(B), indicating that L(FIR)/L(B) can be an indicator of star formation for such early type spirals with star formation activities higher than the average. For all of the observed early type spirals, the extended HII regions exist at the central regions with some asymmetric features. H-alpha emission is more concentrated to the galactic center than the R band light, and the degree of the concentration increases with the star formation activity. We also analyze the relation between the star formation activities and the existence of companion galaxies in the sample galaxies and other bright early type spirals. No correlation is found and this suggests that the interaction is not responsible for all of the star formation activities of early type spirals.Comment: LaTex, 23 pages (2 tables included), plus 9 Postscript figures & 1 table. To be published in AJ (November issue

New Physics and CP Angles Measurement at B Factory

We have analyzed how much the $CP$ angles to be measured at B factories can deviate from the geometrical ones defined in unitarity triangle under the existence of new physics. The measurements are given in rephasing invariant form. If KM matrix is not a $3\times 3$ and unitary matrix, $\tilde\phi_1$ and $\tilde\phi_3$ is affected, and the value of $\tilde\phi_3$ depends on the decay mode. The deviation is constrained to be less than the experimental precision attained in the next decade by the available data of the magnitude of KM matrix elements. Deviation of the sum of three angles from $\pi$ cannot be detected unless new physics contributes significantly to $b$ decay or $D$ meson system.Comment: 11 pages, 1 figure in eps format, LaTeX, epsfig.st