7,119 research outputs found
Possible Experimental Evidence for Violation of Standard Electrodynamics, de Broglie Pilot Wave and Spacetime Deformation
We report and discuss the results of double-slit-like experiments in the
infrared range, which evidence an anomalous behaviour of photon systems under
particular (energy and space) constraints. These outcomes apparently disagree
both with standard quantum mechanics (Copenhagen interpretation) and with
classical and quantum electrodynamics. Possible interpretations can be given in
terms of either the existence of de Broglie-Bohm pilot waves associated to
photons, and/or the breakdown of local Lorentz invariance (LLI). We put forward
an intriguing hypothesis about the possible connection between these seemingly
unrelated points of view by assuming that the pilot wave of a photon is, in the
framework of LLI breakdown, a local deformation of the flat minkowskian
spacetime.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures, presented at CASYS'09 - International Conference
on COMPUTING ANTICIPATORY SYSTEMS - HEC Management School - University of
Liege, LIEGE, Belgium, August 3-8, 2009. The paper was peer reviewed as
explicitely stated on page x in the AIP CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS 1303 -
Computing Anticipatory Systems - CASYS'09 Ninth International Conference,
Li\`ege Belgium, August 3-8, 200
Geometrical Lorentz Violation and Quantum Mechanical Physics
On the basis of the results of some experiments dealing with the violation of
Local Lorentz Invariance (LLI) and on the formalism of the Deformed Special
Relativity (DSR), we examine the connections between the local geometrical
structure of space-time and the foundation of Quantum Mechanics. We show that
Quantum Mechanics, beside being an axiomatic theory, can be considered also a
deductive physical theory, deducted from the primary physical principle of
Relativistic Correlation. This principle is synonym of LLI and of a rigid and
at minkowskian space-time. The results of the experiments mentioned above show
the breakdown of LLI and hence the violation of the principle of Relativistic
Correlation. The formalism of DSR allows to highlight the deep meaning of LLI
breakdown in terms of the geometrical structure of local space-time which, far
from being rigid and at, is deformed by the energy of the physical phenomena
that take place and in this sense it has an active part in the dynamics of the
whole physical process. This perspective has a far reaching physical meaning
that extends its consequences to the foundations of Quantum Mechanics according
to the interpretation of Copenhagen. It provides a 'real' explanation and
description of quantum phenomena enriching, by the concept of deformed
space-time, the realistic interpretation in terms of pilot wave and hence it
uncovers the reality hidden below the probabilistic interpretation and
dualistic nature of quantum objects.Comment: 4 figures, 15 page
Reply to the "Comment on 'Piezonuclear decay of thorium' [Phys. Lett. A 373 (2009) 1956]" [Phys. Lett. A 373 (2009) 3795] by G. Ericsson et al
In a paper appearing in this issue of Physics Letters A, Ericsson et al.
raise some critical comments on the experiment [F. Cardone, R. Mignani, A.
Petrucci, Phys. Lett. A 373 (2009) 1956] we carried out by cavitating a
solution of thorium-228, which evidenced its anomalous decay behaviour, thus
confirming the results previously obtained by Urutskoev et al. by explosion of
titanium foils in solutions. In this Letter, we reply to these comments. In our
opinion, the main shortcomings of the criticism by the Swedish authors are due
to their omitting of inserting our experiment in the wider research stream of
piezonuclear reactions, and to the statistical analysis they used, which does
not comply with the rules generally accepted for samples with small numbers.
However, apart from any possible theoretical speculation, there is the basic
fact that two different experiments (ours and that by Urutskoev et al.),
carried out independently and by different means, highlight an analogous
anomaly in the decay of thorium subjected to pressure waves. Such a convergence
of results shows that it is worth to further carry on experimental
investigations, in order to get either a confirmation or a disproof of the
induced-pressure anomalous behaviour of radioactive nuclides even different
from thorium.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figur
X-ray polarimetric signatures induced by spectral variability in the framework of the receding torus model
Obscuring circumnuclear dust is a well-established constituent of active
galactic nuclei (AGN). Traditionally referred to as the receding dusty torus,
its inner radius and angular extension should depend on the photo-ionizing
luminosity of the central source. Using a Monte Carlo approach, we simulate the
radiative transfer between the multiple components of an AGN adopting model
constraints from the bright Seyfert galaxy NGC 4151. We compare our model
results to the observed near-IR to UV polarization of the source and predict
its X-ray polarization. We find that the 2-8 keV polarization fraction of a
standard AGN model varies from less then a few percent along polar viewing
angles up to tens of percent at equatorial inclinations. At viewing angles
around the type-1/type-2 transition the X-ray polarization variability differs
between a static or a receding torus scenario. In the former case, the expected
2-8 keV polarization of NGC 4151 is found to be 1.21% +/- 0.34% with a constant
polarization position angle, while in the later scenario it varies from 0.1% to
6% depending on the photon index of the primary radiation. Additionally, an
orthogonal rotation of the polarization position angle with photon energy
appears for very soft primary spectra. Future X-ray polarimetry missions will
be able to test if the receding model is valid for Seyfert galaxies seen at a
viewing angle close to the torus horizon. The overall stability of the
polarization position angle for photon indexes softer than {\Gamma} = 1.5
ensures that reliable measurements of X-ray polarization are possible. We
derive a long-term observational strategy for NGC 4151 assuming observations
with a small to medium-size X-ray polarimetry satellite.Comment: 10 pages, 8 Figures, accepted for publication in A&
Standard Model Physics with ATLAS and CMS
The study of Standard Model (SM) physics is crucial at the LHC for several
reasons. Before any discovery can be claimed a detailed understanding of the
detectors should be reached and benchmark SM processes should be measured. A
precise measurement of the various parameters is needed as a consistency check
of the SM. Moreover, SM processes can be directly sensitive to new physics,
they will allow to test QCD predictions and measure PDFs and are backgrounds
for many new physics channels. In this report, the status of some analysis at
ATLAS and CMS is reported focusing on W and Z inclusive cross sections and on W
and top quark mass measurements. Expected results on early data are also shown.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, proceedings for the Moriond 2009 EW sessio
The effects of a comptonizing corona on the appearance of the reflection components in accreting black hole spectra
We discuss the effects of a comptonizing corona on the appearance of the
reflection components, and in particular of the reflection hump, in the X-rays
spectra of accreting black holes. Indeed, in the framework of a thermal corona
model, we expect that part (or even all, depending on the coronal covering
factor) of the reflection features should cross the hot plasma, and thus suffer
Compton scattering, before being observed. We have studied in detail the
dependence of these effects on the physical (i.e. temperature and optical
depth) and geometrical (i.e. inclination angle) parameters of the corona,
concentrating on the slab geometry . Due to the smoothing and shifting towards
high energies of the comptonized reflection hump, the main effects on the
emerging spectra appear above 100 keV. We have also investigated the importance
of such effects on the interpretation of the results obtained with the standard
fitting procedures. We found that fitting Comptonization models, taking into
account comptonized reflection, by the usual cut-off power law + uncomptonized
reflection model, may lead to an underestimation of the reflection
normalization and an overestimation of the high energy cut-off. We discuss and
illustrate the importance of these effects by analysing recent observational
results as those of the galaxy NGC 4258. We also find that the comptonizing
corona can produce and/or emphasize correlations between the reflection
features characteristics (like the iron line equivalent width or the covering
fraction) and the X-ray spectral index similar to those recently reported in
the literature. We also underline the importance of these effects when dealing
with accurate spectral fitting of the X-ray background.Comment: 11 pages, 14 figures accepted for publication in MNRAS. Version
printable on US 8.5x11 pape
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