31,270 research outputs found
Quantum Properties of a Which-Way Detector
We explore quantum properties of a which-way detector using three versions of
an idealized two slit arrangements. Firstly we derive complementarity relations
for the detector; secondly we show how the "experiment" may be altered in such
a way that using single position measurement on the screen we can obtain
quantum erasure. Finally we show how to construct a superposition of "wave" and
"particle" components
Coherent phenomena in semiconductors
A review of coherent phenomena in photoexcited semiconductors is presented.
In particular, two classes of phenomena are considered: On the one hand the
role played by optically-induced phase coherence in the ultrafast spectroscopy
of semiconductors; On the other hand the Coulomb-induced effects on the
coherent optical response of low-dimensional structures.
All the phenomena discussed in the paper are analyzed in terms of a
theoretical framework based on the density-matrix formalism. Due to its
generality, this quantum-kinetic approach allows a realistic description of
coherent as well as incoherent, i.e. phase-breaking, processes, thus providing
quantitative information on the coupled ---coherent vs. incoherent--- carrier
dynamics in photoexcited semiconductors.
The primary goal of the paper is to discuss the concept of quantum-mechanical
phase coherence as well as its relevance and implications on semiconductor
physics and technology. In particular, we will discuss the dominant role played
by optically induced phase coherence on the process of carrier photogeneration
and relaxation in bulk systems. We will then review typical field-induced
coherent phenomena in semiconductor superlattices such as Bloch oscillations
and Wannier-Stark localization. Finally, we will discuss the dominant role
played by Coulomb correlation on the linear and non-linear optical spectra of
realistic quantum-wire structures.Comment: Topical review in Semiconductor Science and Technology (in press)
(Some of the figures are not available in electronic form
Improving predictive power of physically based rainfall-induced shallow landslide models: a probabilistic approach
Distributed models to forecast the spatial and temporal occurrence of
rainfall-induced shallow landslides are based on deterministic laws. These
models extend spatially the static stability models adopted in geotechnical
engineering, and adopt an infinite-slope geometry to balance the resisting and
the driving forces acting on the sliding mass. An infiltration model is used to
determine how rainfall changes pore-water conditions, modulating the local
stability/instability conditions. A problem with the operation of the existing
models lays in the difficulty in obtaining accurate values for the several
variables that describe the material properties of the slopes. The problem is
particularly severe when the models are applied over large areas, for which
sufficient information on the geotechnical and hydrological conditions of the
slopes is not generally available. To help solve the problem, we propose a
probabilistic Monte Carlo approach to the distributed modeling of
rainfall-induced shallow landslides. For the purpose, we have modified the
Transient Rainfall Infiltration and Grid-Based Regional Slope-Stability
Analysis (TRIGRS) code. The new code (TRIGRS-P) adopts a probabilistic approach
to compute, on a cell-by-cell basis, transient pore-pressure changes and
related changes in the factor of safety due to rainfall infiltration.
Infiltration is modeled using analytical solutions of partial differential
equations describing one-dimensional vertical flow in isotropic, homogeneous
materials. Both saturated and unsaturated soil conditions can be considered.
TRIGRS-P copes with the natural variability inherent to the mechanical and
hydrological properties of the slope materials by allowing values of the TRIGRS
model input parameters to be sampled randomly from a given probability
distribution. [..]Comment: 25 pages, 14 figures, 9 tables. Revised version; accepted for
publication in Geoscientific Model Development on 13 February 201
Linear and Non Linear Effects on the Newtonian Gravitational Constant as deduced from the Torsion Balance
The Newtonian gravitational constant has still 150 parts per million of
uncertainty. This paper examines the linear and nonlinear equations governing
the rotational dynamics of the torsion gravitational balance. A nonlinear
effect modifying the oscillation period of the torsion gravitational balance is
carefully explored.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figure
Another short-burst host galaxy with an optically obscured high star formation rate: The case of GRB 071227
We report on radio continuum observations of the host galaxy of the short
gamma-ray burst 071227 (z=0.381) with the Australia Telescope Compact Array
(ATCA). We detect the galaxy in the 5.5 GHz band with an integrated flux
density of Fnu = 43 +/- 11 microJy, corresponding to an unobscured
star-formation rate (SFR) of about 24 Msun/yr, forty times higher than what was
found from optical emission lines. Among the ~30 well-identified and studied
host galaxies of short bursts this is the third case where the host is found to
undergo an episode of intense star formation. This suggests that a fraction of
all short-burst progenitors hosted in star-forming galaxies could be physically
related to recent star formation activity, implying a relatively short merger
time scale.Comment: 6 pages, ApJ, accepted for publicatio
Hyper-reduction for Petrov-Galerkin reduced order models
Projection-based Reduced Order Models minimize the discrete residual of a
"full order model" (FOM) while constraining the unknowns to a reduced dimension
space. For problems with symmetric positive definite (SPD) Jacobians, this is
optimally achieved by projecting the full order residual onto the approximation
basis (Galerkin Projection). This is sub-optimal for non-SPD Jacobians as it
only minimizes the projection of the residual, not the residual itself. An
alternative is to directly minimize the 2-norm of the residual, achievable
using QR factorization or the method of the normal equations (LSPG). The first
approach involves constructing and factorizing a large matrix, while LSPG
avoids this but requires constructing a product element by element,
necessitating a complementary mesh and adding complexity to the hyper-reduction
process. This work proposes an alternative based on Petrov-Galerkin
minimization. We choose a left basis for a least-squares minimization on a
reduced problem, ensuring the discrete full order residual is minimized. This
is applicable to both SPD and non-SPD Jacobians, allowing element-by-element
assembly, avoiding the use of a complementary mesh, and simplifying finite
element implementation. The technique is suitable for hyper-reduction using the
Empirical Cubature Method and is applicable in nonlinear reduction procedures
Chronography of the Milky Way's Halo System with Field Blue Horizontal-Branch Stars
In a pioneering effort, Preston et al. reported that the colors of blue
horizontal-branch (BHB) stars in the halo of the Galaxy shift with distance,
from regions near the Galactic center to about 12 kpc away, and interpreted
this as a correlated variation in the ages of halo stars, from older to
younger, spanning a range of a few Gyrs. We have applied this approach to a
sample of some 4700 spectroscopically confirmed BHB stars selected from the
Sloan Digital Sky Survey to produce the first "chronographic map" of the halo
of the Galaxy. We demonstrate that the mean de-reddened gr color,
, increases outward in the Galaxy from 0.22 to 0.08 (over a
color window spanning [0.3:0.0]) from regions close to the Galactic center
to ~40 kpc, independent of the metallicity of the stars. Models of the expected
shift in the color of the field BHB stars based on modern stellar evolutionary
codes confirm that this color gradient can be associated with an age difference
of roughly 2-2.5 Gyrs, with the oldest stars concentrated in the central ~15
kpc of the Galaxy. Within this central region, the age difference spans a mean
color range of about 0.05 mag (~0.8 Gyrs). Furthermore, we show that
chronographic maps can be used to identify individual substructures, such as
the Sagittarius Stream, and overdensities in the direction of Virgo and
Monoceros, based on the observed contrast in their mean BHB colors with respect
to the foreground/background field population.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, ApJ letter
Low delta-V near-Earth asteroids: A survey of suitable targets for space missions
In the last decades Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) have become very important
targets to study, since they can give us clues to the formation, evolution and
composition of the Solar System. In addition, they may represent either a
threat to humankind, or a repository of extraterrestrial resources for suitable
space-borne missions. Within this framework, the choice of next-generation
mission targets and the characterisation of a potential threat to our planet
deserve special attention. To date, only a small part of the 11,000 discovered
NEOs have been physically characterised. From ground and space-based
observations one can determine some basic physical properties of these objects
using visible and infrared spectroscopy. We present data for 13 objects
observed with different telescopes around the world (NASA-IRTF, ESO-NTT, TNG)
in the 0.4 - 2.5 um spectral range, within the NEOSURFACE survey
(http://www.oa-roma.inaf.it/planet/NEOSurface.html). Objects are chosen from
among the more accessible for a rendez-vous mission. All of them are
characterised by a delta-V (the change in velocity needed for transferring a
spacecraft from low-Earth orbit to rendez-vous with NEOs) lower than 10.5 km/s,
well below the Solar System escape velocity (12.3 km/s). We taxonomically
classify 9 of these objects for the first time. 11 objects belong to the
S-complex taxonomy; the other 2 belong to the C-complex. We constrain the
surface composition of these objects by comparing their spectra with meteorites
from the RELAB database. We also compute olivine and pyroxene mineralogy for
asteroids with a clear evidence of pyroxene bands. Mineralogy confirms the
similarity with the already found H, L or LL ordinary chondrite analogues.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, to be published in A&A Minor changes by language
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