1,238 research outputs found
Quantum limits in interferometric measurements
Quantum noise limits the sensitivity of interferometric measurements. It is
generally admitted that it leads to an ultimate sensitivity, the ``standard
quantum limit''. Using a semi-classical analysis of quantum noise, we show that
a judicious use of squeezed states allows one in principle to push the
sensitivity beyond this limit. This general method could be applied to large
scale interferometers designed for gravitational wave detection.Comment: 4 page
Network sensitivity to geographical configuration
Gravitational wave astronomy will require the coordinated analysis of data
from the global network of gravitational wave observatories. Questions of how
to optimally configure the global network arise in this context. We have
elsewhere proposed a formalism which is employed here to compare different
configurations of the network, using both the coincident network analysis
method and the coherent network analysis method. We have constructed a network
model to compute a figure-of-merit based on the detection rate for a population
of standard-candle binary inspirals. We find that this measure of network
quality is very sensitive to the geographic location of component detectors
under a coincident network analysis, but comparatively insensitive under a
coherent network analysis.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, accepted for proceedings of the 4th Edoardo
Amaldi conference, incorporated referees' suggestions and corrected diagra
Extreme ultraviolet laser excitation of isotopic molecular nitrogen: the dipole-allowed spectrum of Âčâ”Nâ and ÂčâŽNÂčâ”N
Extreme ultraviolet+ultraviolet (XUV+UV) two-photonionizationspectra of the bâÂčÎ u(v=0â9), câÂčÎ u(v=0,1), oâÂčÎ u(v=0,1), câČâÂčÎŁâșu(v=1) and bâČÂčÎŁâșu(v=1,3â6) states of Âčâ”Nâ were recorded with a resolution of 0.3âcmâ»Âč full-width at half-maximum (FWHM). In addition, the bâÂčÎ u(v=1,5â7) states of ÂčâŽNÂčâ”N were investigated with the same laser source. Furthermore, using an ultranarrow bandwidth XUV laser [âŒ250âMHzâ(âŒ0.01âcmâ»Âč)âFWHM], XUV+UV ionizationspectra of the bâÂčÎ u(v=0â1,5â7), câÂčÎ u(v=0), oâÂčÎ u(v=0), câČâÂčÎŁâșu(v=0), and bâČÂčÎŁâșu(v=1) states of Âčâ”Nâ were recorded in order to better resolve the band-head regions. For ÂčâŽNÂčâ”N, ultrahigh resolution spectra of the bÂčÎ u(v=0â1,5â6), câÂčÎ u(v=0), and bâČÂčÎŁâșu(v=1) states were recorded. Rotational analyses were performed for each band, revealing perturbations arising from the effects of Rydberg-valence interactions in the ÂčÎ u and ÂčÎŁâșu states, and rotational coupling between the ÂčÎ u and ÂčÎŁâșumanifolds. Finally, a comprehensive perturbation model, based on the diabatic-potential representation used previously for ÂčâŽNâ, and involving diagonalization of the full interaction matrix for all Rydberg and valence states of ÂčÎŁâșu and 1Î u symmetry in the energy window 100â000â110â000âcmâ»Âč, was constructed. Term values for Âčâ”Nâ and ÂčâŽNÂčâ”N computed using this model were found to be in good agreement with experiment.The work was
supported by the European Community, under the Access to
Research Infrastructures initiative of the Improving Human
Potential Program, Contract No. HPRI-CT-1999-00064.
K.G.H.B. was supported by the Scientific Visits to Europe
Program of the Australian Academy of Science
Quantum Limits in Space-Time Measurements
Quantum fluctuations impose fundamental limits on measurement and space-time
probing. Although using optimised probe fields can allow to push sensitivity in
a position measurement beyond the "standard quantum limit", quantum
fluctuations of the probe field still result in limitations which are
determined by irreducible dissipation mechanisms. Fluctuation-dissipation
relations in vacuum characterise the mechanical effects of radiation pressure
vacuum fluctuations, which lead to an ultimate quantum noise for positions. For
macroscopic reflectors, the quantum noise on positions is dominated by
gravitational vacuum fluctuations, and takes a universal form deduced from
quantum fluctuations of space-time curvatures in vacuum. These can be
considered as ultimate space-time fluctuations, fixing ultimate quantum limits
in space-time measurements.Comment: 11 pages, to appear in Quantum and Semiclassical Optic
A note on light velocity anisotropy
It is proved that in experiments on or near the Earth, no anisotropy in the
one-way velocity of light may be detected. The very accurate experiments which
have been performed to detect such an effect are to be considered significant
tests of both special relativity and the equivalence principleComment: 8 pages, LaTex, Gen. Relat. Grav. accepte
Is it possible to detect gravitational waves with atom interferometers?
We investigate the possibility to use atom interferometers to detect
gravitational waves. We discuss the interaction of gravitational waves with an
atom interferometer and analyze possible schemes
A Mission to Explore the Pioneer Anomaly
The Pioneer 10 and 11 spacecraft yielded the most precise navigation in deep
space to date. These spacecraft had exceptional acceleration sensitivity.
However, analysis of their radio-metric tracking data has consistently
indicated that at heliocentric distances of astronomical units,
the orbit determinations indicated the presence of a small, anomalous, Doppler
frequency drift. The drift is a blue-shift, uniformly changing with a rate of
Hz/s, which can be interpreted as a
constant sunward acceleration of each particular spacecraft of . This signal has become known as the Pioneer
anomaly. The inability to explain the anomalous behavior of the Pioneers with
conventional physics has contributed to growing discussion about its origin.
There is now an increasing number of proposals that attempt to explain the
anomaly outside conventional physics. This progress emphasizes the need for a
new experiment to explore the detected signal. Furthermore, the recent
extensive efforts led to the conclusion that only a dedicated experiment could
ultimately determine the nature of the found signal. We discuss the Pioneer
anomaly and present the next steps towards an understanding of its origin. We
specifically focus on the development of a mission to explore the Pioneer
Anomaly in a dedicated experiment conducted in deep space.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figures; invited talk given at the 2005 ESLAB Symposium
"Trends in Space Science and Cosmic Vision 2020", 19-21 April 2005, ESTEC,
Noordwijk, The Netherland
Test of Special Relativity and Equivalence principle from K Physics
A violation of Local Lorentz Invariance (VLI) and hence the special theory of
relativity or a violation of equivalence principle (VEP) in the Kaon system
can, in principle, induce oscillations between and . We
construct a general formulation in which simultaneous pairwise diagonalization
of mass, momemtum, weak or gravitational eigenstates is not assumed. %and the
maximum attainable %velocities of the velocity eigenstates are different. We
discuss this problem in a general way and point out that, as expected, the VEP
and VLI contributions are indistinguishable. We then insist on the fact that
VEP or VLI can occur even when CPT is conserved. A possible CP violation of the
superweak type induced by VEP or VLI is introduced and discussed. We show that
the general VEP mechanism (or the VLI mechanism, but not both simultaneously),
with or without conserved CPT, could be clearly tested experimentally through
the energy dependence of the mass difference and of ,
, . Constraints imposed by present experiments are
calculated.Comment: Latex, 15 pages, 1 figure, version to appear in Phys. Rev.
Coherent Bayesian inference on compact binary inspirals using a network of interferometric gravitational wave detectors
Presented in this paper is a Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) routine for
conducting coherent parameter estimation for interferometric gravitational wave
observations of an inspiral of binary compact objects using data from multiple
detectors. The MCMC technique uses data from several interferometers and infers
all nine of the parameters (ignoring spin) associated with the binary system,
including the distance to the source, the masses, and the location on the sky.
The Metropolis-algorithm utilises advanced MCMC techniques, such as importance
resampling and parallel tempering. The data is compared with time-domain
inspiral templates that are 2.5 post-Newtonian (PN) in phase and 2.0 PN in
amplitude. Our routine could be implemented as part of an inspiral detection
pipeline for a world wide network of detectors. Examples are given for
simulated signals and data as seen by the LIGO and Virgo detectors operating at
their design sensitivity.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figure
Fundamental Physics with the Laser Astrometric Test Of Relativity
The Laser Astrometric Test Of Relativity (LATOR) is a joint European-U.S.
Michelson-Morley-type experiment designed to test the pure tensor metric nature
of gravitation - a fundamental postulate of Einstein's theory of general
relativity. By using a combination of independent time-series of highly
accurate gravitational deflection of light in the immediate proximity to the
Sun, along with measurements of the Shapiro time delay on interplanetary scales
(to a precision respectively better than 0.1 picoradians and 1 cm), LATOR will
significantly improve our knowledge of relativistic gravity. The primary
mission objective is to i) measure the key post-Newtonian Eddington parameter
\gamma with accuracy of a part in 10^9. (1-\gamma) is a direct measure for
presence of a new interaction in gravitational theory, and, in its search,
LATOR goes a factor 30,000 beyond the present best result, Cassini's 2003 test.
The mission will also provide: ii) first measurement of gravity's non-linear
effects on light to ~0.01% accuracy; including both the Eddington \beta
parameter and also the spatial metric's 2nd order potential contribution (never
measured before); iii) direct measurement of the solar quadrupole moment J2
(currently unavailable) to accuracy of a part in 200 of its expected size; iv)
direct measurement of the "frame-dragging" effect on light by the Sun's
gravitomagnetic field, to 1% accuracy. LATOR's primary measurement pushes to
unprecedented accuracy the search for cosmologically relevant scalar-tensor
theories of gravity by looking for a remnant scalar field in today's solar
system. We discuss the mission design of this proposed experiment.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figures; invited talk given at the 2005 ESLAB Symposium
"Trends in Space Science and Cosmic Vision 2020," 19-21 April 2005, ESTEC,
Noodrwijk, The Netherland
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