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At least 487 records · Page 27

Decoherence effects in Bose-Einstein condensate interferometry I. General theory

Research Highlights: > Theory of dephasing, decoherence effects for Bose-Einstein condensate interferometry. > Applies to single component, two mode condensate in double potential well. > Phase space theory using Wigner, positive P representations for condensate, non-condensate fields. > Stochastic condensate, non-condensate field equations and properties of noise fields derived. > Based on mean field theory with condensate modes given by generalised Gross-Pitaevskii equations. - Abstract: The present paper outlines a basic theoretical treatment of decoherence and dephasing effects in interferometry based on single component Bose-Einstein condensates in double potential wells, where two condensate modes may be involved. Results for both two mode condensates and the simpler single mode condensate case are presented. The approach involves a hybrid phase space distribution functional method where the condensate modes are described via a truncated Wigner representation, whilst the basically unoccupied non-condensate modes are described via a positive P representation. The Hamiltonian for the system is described in terms of quantum field operators for the condensate and non-condensate modes. The functional Fokker-Planck equation for the double phase space distribution functional is derived. Equivalent Ito stochastic equations for the condensate and non-condensate fields that replace the field operators are obtained, and stochastic averages of products of these fields give the quantum correlation functions that can be used to interpret interferometry experiments. The stochastic field equations are the sum of a deterministic term obtained from the drift vector in the functional Fokker-Planck equation, and a noise field whose stochastic properties are determined from the diffusion matrix in the functional Fokker-Planck equation. The stochastic properties of the noise field terms are similar to those for Gaussian-Markov processes in that the stochastic averages of odd numbers of noise fields are zero and those for even numbers of noise field terms are the sums of products of stochastic averages associated with pairs of noise fields. However each pair is represented by an element of the diffusion matrix rather than products of the noise fields themselves, as in the case of Gaussian-Markov processes. The treatment starts from a generalised mean field theory for two condensate modes, where generalised coupled Gross-Pitaevskii equations are obtained for the modes and matrix mechanics equations are derived for the amplitudes describing possible fragmentations of the condensate between the two modes. These self-consistent sets of equations are derived via the Dirac-Frenkel variational principle. Numerical studies for interferometry experiments would involve using the solutions from the generalised mean field theory in calculations for the stochastic fields from the Ito stochastic field equations.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

SU-E-T-253: Development of a GDPM Monte Carlo Based Quality Assurance Tool for Cyberknife

Purpose: To develop a 3D quality assurance (QA) tool for Cyberknife plans using a GPU-based Monte Carlo dose calculation package, gDPM. The developed QA tool will be used as a secondary check for Cyberknife treatment planning software (TPS) reported dose distributions. Methods: Phase space files of the 5, 7.5, 10, 15, and 60 mm iris cones were downloaded from IAEA phase-space database. From the 60mm iris cone phase space file, we were able to generate raw phase space files for all other cones using a particle rejection method. The particles in the raw phase space files were binned with respect to the radial position and energy for commissioning. During the commissioning process, gDPM calculated percent depth dose and off-center ratios which were compared to those measured in the Blue Phantom. The off-axis data was measured with an SAD setup at depths of 15, 50, 100, 200, and 300 mm. At the commissioning stage, an optimization problem was solved to adjust the binned particles weights to minimize the difference between the calculated and measured ones. Commissioning validations will be performed by measuring point dose data of patient specific plans delivered to water phantoms. With commissioned phase space files, 3D patient-specific dose distributions will be calculated and compared against TPS reported dose. Results: Beyond the initial buildup region, the root mean square difference between the calculated and measured percent depth dose differences was less than 0.5%. The full-width half-max data from the off-axis ratio calculations was found to be within 0.1 mm of the measured data. Conclusion: Our current work showed excellent agreement between the gDPM calculated dose and the measured data for all cone sizes and types for the Cyberknife system. Implementation of a fast and accurate QA tool for patient specific plans will be feasible with this tool.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

A precise measurement of the Z -boson double-differential transverse momentum and rapidity distributions in the full phase space of the decay leptons with the ATLAS experiment at $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV

This paper presents for the first time a precise measurement of the production properties of the Z boson in the full phase space of the decay leptons. This is in contrast to the many previous precise unfolded measurements per formed in the fiducial phase space of the decay leptons. The measurement is obtained from proton–proton collision data collected by the ATLAS experiment in 2012 at $\sqrt{s}$ = 8 TeV at the LHC and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.2 fb -1 . The results, based on a total of 15.3 million Z boson decays to electron and muon pairs, extend and improve a previous measurement of the full set of angular coefficients describing Z-boson decay. The double-differential cross section distributions in Z-boson transverse momentum pT and rapidity y are measured in the pole region, defined as 80 < m ℓℓ < 100 GeV, over the range |y| < 3.6. The total uncertainty of the normalised cross-section measurements in the peak region of the pT distribution is dominated by statistical uncertainties over the full range and increases as a function of rapidity from 0.5–1.0% for |y| < 2.0 to 2 - 7% at higher rapidities. The results for the rapidity-dependent transverse momentum distributions are compared to state of-the-art QCD predictions, which combine in the best cases approximate N 4 LL resummation with N 3 LO fixed-order per turbative calculations. The differential rapidity distributions integrated over pT are even more precise, with accuracies from 0.2–0.3% for |y| < 2.0 to 0.4–0.9% at higher rapidities, and are compared to fixed-order QCD predictions using the most recent parton distribution functions. The agreement between data and predictions is quite good in most cases.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

A pepper-pot emittance meter for low-energy heavy-ion beams

A novel emittance meter has been developed to measure the four-dimensional, transverse phase-space distribution of a low-energy ion beam using the pepper-pot technique. A characteristic feature of this instrument is that the pepper-pot plate, which has a linear array of holes in the vertical direction, is scanned horizontally through the ion beam. This has the advantage that the emittance can also be measured at locations along the beam line where the beam has a large horizontal divergence. A set of multi-channel plates, scintillation screen, and ccd camera is used as a position-sensitive ion detector allowing a large range of beam intensities that can be handled. This paper describes the design, construction, and operation of the instrument as well as the data analysis used to reconstruct the four-dimensional phase-space distribution of an ion beam. Measurements on a 15 keV He{sup +} beam are used as an example.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Quantitative characterization of spatial distribution of particles in materials: Application to materials processing

Most engineering materials contain second phase particles or fibers which serve to reinforce the matrix phase. The effect of reinforcements on material properties is usually analyzed in terms of the average volume fraction and spacing of reinforcements, quantities which are global microstructural characteristics. However, material properties can also depend on local microstructural characteristics; for example, on how uniformly the reinforcing phase is distributed in the material. The analysis method will then be applied to a materials processing problem to discover how processing parameters can be selected to maximize redistribution of the reinforcing phase during processing. Several mathematical analysis methods could be adapted to the problem of characterizing the distribution of particles in materials. A tessellation-based method was selected. In the first phase of the investigation, a software package was written to automate the analysis. Typical results are shown. The analysis technique allows the degree to which particles are clustered together, the size and spacing of particle clusters, and the particle density in clusters to be found. The analysis methods were applied to computer-generated distributions and to a few real particle-containing materials. Methods for analyzing a nonuniform particle distribution in a material can be applied to two broad classes of materials science problems: understanding how the resulting particle distribution affects properties. The analysis method described is applied to a materials processing problem: how to select extrusion conditions to maximize the redistribution of reinforcing particles that are initially nonuniformly distributed. In addition, the tessellation-based method to analyze star distributions in spiral galaxies was adapted, illustrating the diverse types of problems to which the analysis method can be applied.

Parse, J. B.↗

Deciphering the archaeological record: Cosmological imprints of nonminimal dark sectors

Many proposals for physics beyond the Standard Model give rise to a dark sector containing many degrees of freedom. In this work, we explore the cosmological implications of the nontrivial dynamics which may arise within such dark sectors, focusing on decay processes which take place entirely among the dark constituents. First, we demonstrate that such decays can leave dramatic imprints on the resulting dark-matter phase-space distribution. In particular, this distribution need not be thermal—it can even be multimodal, exhibiting a nontrivial pattern of peaks and troughs as a function of momentum. We then proceed to show how these features can induce modifications to the matter power spectrum. Finally, we assess the extent to which one can approach the archaeological “inverse” problem of deciphering the properties of an underlying dark sector from the matter power spectrum. Indeed, one of the main results of this paper is a remarkably simple conjectured analytic expression which permits the reconstruction of many of the important features of the dark-matter phase-space distribution directly from the matter power spectrum. Here, our results provide an interesting toolbox of methods for learning about, and potentially constraining, the features of nonminimal dark sectors and their dynamics in the early universe.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Ring current loss mechanisms and composition as inferred from equatorial pitch angle distributions observed during a storm recovery phase

Explorer 45 measurements of pitch angle distributions (PAD's) of ring current ions were examined for evidence of charge exchange or pitch-angle diffusion as loss mechanisms for the ring current during a storm recovery phase. The observed rounding of the PAD's above a minimum parallel energy is seen as resulting from pitch angle diffusion driven by resonant interactions with ion cyclotron waves. Calculations of growth rates using observed ion fluxes and PAD's have shown that ion cyclotron waves can be significantly amplified by the ring current plasma. However, wave growth off the equator must be taken into account in order to understand the time evolution of the observed PAD's. Isotropic distributions at lower energies remain isotropic at L-values between 3 and 4 despite the presence of charge exchange losses. An explanation for this apparent inconsistency may be that ring current is dominated by some ion species other than protons during recovery phase.

Lyons, L. R.↗

Active-sterile neutrino oscillations in the early Universe with full collision terms

Sterile neutrinos are thermalised in the early Universe via oscillations with the active neutrinos for certain mixing parameters. The most detailed calculation of this thermalisation process involves the solution of the momentum-dependent quantum kinetic equations, which track the evolution of the neutrino phase space distributions. Until now the collision terms in the quantum kinetic equations have always been approximated using equilibrium distributions, but this approximation has never been checked numerically. In this work we revisit the sterile neutrino thermalisation calculation using the full collision term, and compare the results with various existing approximations in the literature. We find a better agreement than would naively be expected, but also identify some issues with these approximations that have not been appreciated previously. These include an unphysical production of neutrinos via scattering and the importance of redistributing momentum through scattering, as well as details of Pauli blocking. Finally, we devise a new approximation scheme, which improves upon some of the shortcomings of previous schemes.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Communication: Wigner functions in action-angle variables, Bohr-Sommerfeld quantization, the Heisenberg correspondence principle, and a symmetrical quasi-classical approach to the full electronic density matrix

It is pointed out that the classical phase space distribution in action-angle (a-a) variables obtained from a Wigner function depends on how the calculation is carried out: if one computes the standard Wigner function in Cartesian variables (p, x), and then replaces p and x by their expressions in terms of a-a variables, one obtains a different result than if the Wigner function is computed directly in terms of the a-a variables. Furthermore, the latter procedure gives a result more consistent with classical and semiclassical theory—e.g., by incorporating the Bohr-Sommerfeld quantization condition (quantum states defined by integer values of the action variable) as well as the Heisenberg correspondence principle for matrix elements of an operator between such states—and has also been shown to be more accurate when applied to electronically non-adiabatic applications as implemented within the recently developed symmetrical quasi-classical (SQC) Meyer-Miller (MM) approach. Moreover, use of the Wigner function (obtained directly) in a-a variables shows how our standard SQC/MM approach can be used to obtain off-diagonal elements of the electronic density matrix by processing in a different way the same set of trajectories already used (in the SQC/MM methodology) to obtain the diagonal elements.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Cloud Influence on ERA5 and AMPS Surface Downwelling Longwave Radiation Biases in West Antarctica

The surface downwelling longwave radiation component (LW?) is crucial for the determination of the surface energy budget and has significant implications for the resilience of ice surfaces in the polar regions. Accurate model evaluation of this radiation component requires knowledge about the phase, vertical distribution, and associated temperature of water in the atmosphere, all of which control the LW? signal measured at the surface. In this study, we examine the LW? model errors found in the Antarctic Mesoscale Prediction System (AMPS) operational forecast model and the ERA5 reanalysis model relative to observations from the AWARE campaign at McMurdo Station and the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) Divide. The errors are calculated separately for observed clear sky conditions, ice cloud occurrences, and liquid-bearing cloud layer (LBCL) occurrences. The analysis results show a tendency (in both models at each site) to underestimate the LW? during clear sky conditions, high error variability (standard deviations > 20 W/m2) during any type of cloud occurrence, and negative LW? biases when LBCLs are observed (bias magnitudes > 15 W/m2 in tenuous LBCL cases; > 43 W/m2 in optically thick/opaque LBCLs instances). We suggest that a generally dry and liquid water-deficient atmosphere responsible for the identified LW? biases in both models is the result of excessive ice formation and growth, which could stem from model initial and lateral boundary conditions, microphysics scheme, aerosol representation, and/or limited vertical resolution.

Silber, Israel↗

Characterization of morphology and hydration products of high-volume fly ash paste by monochromatic scanning x-ray micro-diffraction (μ-SXRD)

The present study focuses on identification and micro-structural characterization of the hydration products formed in high-volume fly ash (HVFA)/portland cement (PC) systems using monochromatic scanning x-ray micro-diffraction (μ-SXRD) and SEM-EDS. Pastes with up to 80% fly ash replacement were studied. Phase maps for HVFA samples using μ-SXRD patterns prove that μ-SXRD is an effective method to identify and visualize the distribution of phases in the matrix. μ-SXRD and SEM-EDS analysis shows that the C-S-H formed in HVFA system containing 50% or more of fly ash has a similar structure as C-S-H(I) with comparatively lower Ca/Si ratio than the one produced in PC system. Moreover, coexistence of C-S-H(I) and strätlingite is observed in the system containing 80% of fly ash, confirming that the amount of alumina and silicate phases provided by the fly ash is a major factor for the formation of C-S-H(I) and strätlingite in HVFA system. - Highlights: • High-volume fly ash (HVFA) paste was studied by scanning x-ray micro-diffraction. • Coexistence of C-S-H(I) and strätlingite in the HVFA system is clearly shown. • The distribution of minor phases in the HVFA system is shown. • Differences between inner and outer products of fly ash are observed by SEM-EDS.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Interconnection of Three Single-Phase Feeders in North America Distribution Systems

This paper proposes a solution for maintaining power balance within all three phases at residential level during islanded mode of operation. Grid abnormalities can lead to isolating the residential microgrid from the main grid, and as a result, distributed generation (DG) units take the full responsibility of supplying local loads. However, in such condition, some phases might face the challenge of meeting local load demand due to the lack of enough power generation, resulting in voltage drop and frequency variation across household loads. In order to resolve this issue, the proposed method in this paper seamlessly interconnects all three single-phase feeders during islanded mode and forms a unified single-phase residential microgrid. Consequently, the load demands in all three phases are met, leading to enhanced voltage and frequency profiles. For this purpose, a seamless transition algorithm is defined which monitors the system condition in real time, and coordinates the operation of all inverter-based DG units in residential microgrid accordingly during transitions. Case study results are provided to verify the validity of proposed method.

Pilehvar, Mohsen S.↗