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At least 631 records · Page 35

Kinematic Flow and the Emergence of Time

Perhaps the most basic question we can ask about cosmological correlations is how their strength changes as we smoothly vary kinematic parameters. The answer is encoded in differential equations that govern this evolution in kinematic space. In this Letter, we introduce a new perspective on these differential equations. We show that, in the simplified setting of conformally coupled scalars in power-law Friedmann-Robertson-Walker spacetimes, the equations for arbitrary tree-level processes can be obtained from a small number of simple combinatorial rules. While this “kinematic flow” is defined purely in terms of boundary data, it reflects the physics of bulk time evolution. The unexpected regularity of the equations suggests the existence of an autonomously defined mathematical structure from which cosmological correlations and the time evolution of the associated spacetime emerge.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Scattering in black hole backgrounds and higher-spin amplitudes. Part II

We continue to investigate correspondences between, on the one hand, scattering amplitudes for massive higher-spin particles and gravitons in appropriate quantum-to-classical limits, and on the other hand, classical gravitational interactions of spinning black holes according to general relativity. We first construct an ansatz for a gravitational Compton amplitude, at tree level, constrained only by locality, crossing symmetry, unitarity and consistency with the linearized-Kerr 3-point amplitude, to all orders in the black hole’s spin. We then explore the extent to which a unique classical Compton amplitude can be identified by comparing with the results of the classical process of scattering long-wavelength gravitational waves off an exact Kerr black hole, determined by appropriate solutions of the Teukolsky equation. Up to fourth order in spin, we find complete agreement with a previously conjectured exponential form of the tree-level Compton amplitude. At higher orders, we extract tree-level contributions from the Teukolsky amplitude by an analytic continuation from a physical (a/GM < 1) to a particle-like (a/GM > 1) regime. Up to the sixth order in spin, we identify a unique conservative part of the amplitude which is insensitive both to the choice of boundary conditions at the black hole horizon and to branch choices in the analytic continuation. The remainder of the amplitude is determined modulo an overall sign from a branch choice, with the sign flipping under exchanging purely ingoing and purely outgoing boundary conditions at the horizon. Along the way, we make contact with novel applications of massive spinor-helicity variables pertaining to their relation to EFT operators and (spinning) partial amplitudes.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

MODE CONVERSION BETWEEN DIFFERENT RADIAL ORDERS FOR SOLAR ACOUSTIC WAVES SCATTERED BY SUNSPOTS

We study the mode conversion between different radial orders for solar acoustic waves interacting with sunspots. Solar acoustic waves are modified in the presence of sunspots. The modification in the wave can be viewed as that the sunspot, excited by the incident wave, generates the scattered wave, and the scattered wave is added to the incident wave to form the total wave inside and around the sunspot. The wavefunction of the acoustic wave on the solar surface is computed from the cross-correlation function. The wavefunction of the scattered wave is obtained by subtracting the wavefunction of the incident wave from that of the total wave. We use the incident waves of radial order n = 0-5 to measure the scattered wavefunctions from n to another radial order n' for NOAAs 11084 and 11092. The strength of scattered waves decreases rapidly with |Δn|, where Δn ≡ n' – n. The scattered waves of Δn = ±1 are visible for n ≤ 1, and significant for n ≥ 2. For the scattered wave of Δn = ±2, only few cases are visible. None of the scattered waves of Δn = ±3 are visible. The properties of scattered waves for Δn = 0 and Δn ≠ 0 are different. The scattered wave amplitude relative to the incident wave amplitude decreases with n for Δn = 0, while it increases with n for Δn ≠ 0. The scattered wave amplitudes of Δn = 0 are greater for the larger sunspot, while those of Δn ≠ 0 are insensitive to the sunspot size.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Quantum computation of SU(2) lattice gauge theory with continuous variables

We present a quantum computational framework for pure SU(2) lattice gauge theory, using continuous variables instead of discrete qubits to represent the infinite-dimensional Hilbert space of the gauge fields. We consider a ladder as well as a two-dimensional grid of plaquettes, detailing the use of gauge fixing to reduce the degrees of freedom and simplify the Hamiltonian. We demonstrate how system dynamics, ground states, and energy gaps can be computed using the continuous-variable approach to quantum computing. Our results indicate that it is feasible to study non-Abelian gauge theories with continuous variables, providing new avenues for understanding the real-time dynamics of quantum field theories.

Gauge Symmetry↗

Evolution of the Rayleigh scattering from mixed Ar/Kr clusters during their saturation with krypton atoms

The evolution of the Rayleigh scattering signal from mixed Ar/Kr clusters with variation in the partial Kr concentration in the initial gas mixture is investigated. An addition of krypton in small amounts to argon is found to cause an anomalously rapid increase in the Rayleigh scattering signal amplitude, which is due to a sharp increase in the size of clusters as a result of their saturation with krypton atoms. At a partial krypton concentration above 25% in the initial mixture, the scattering signal amplitude is stabilised because of the condensation saturation during the cluster formation. (nonlinear optical phenomena)

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Conservative Spin-Magnitude Change in Orbital Evolution in General Relativity

We show that physical scattering observables for compact spinning objects in general relativity can depend on additional degrees of freedom in the spin tensor beyond those described by the spin vector alone. The impulse, spin kick, and leading-order waveforms exhibit such a nontrivial dependence. A signal of this additional structure is the change in the magnitude of the spin vector under conservative Hamiltonian evolution, similar to our previous studies in electrodynamics. These additional degrees of freedom describe dynamical mass multipoles of compact objects and decouple for black holes. We also show that the conservative impulse, spin kick, and change of the additional degrees of freedom are encoded in the eikonal phase.

Classical black holes↗

Celestial amplitudes from UV to IR

Celestial amplitudes represent 4D scattering of particles in boost, rather than the usual energy-momentum, eigenstates and hence are sensitive to both UV and IR physics. We show that known UV and IR properties of quantum gravity translate into powerful constraints on the analytic structure of celestial amplitudes. For example the soft UV behavior of quantum gravity is shown to imply that the exact four-particle scattering amplitude is meromorphic in the complex boost weight plane with poles confined to even integers on the negative real axis. Would-be poles on the positive real axis from UV asymptotics are shown to be erased by a flat space analog of the AdS resolution of the bulk point singularity. The residues of the poles on the negative axis are identified with operator coefficients in the IR effective action. Far along the real positive axis, the scattering is argued to grow exponentially according to the black hole area law. Exclusive amplitudes are shown to simply factorize into conformally hard and conformally soft factors. The soft factor contains all IR divergences and is given by a celestial current algebra correlator of Goldstone bosons from spontaneously broken asymptotic symmetries. The hard factor describes the scattering of hard particles together with the boost-eigenstate clouds of soft photons or gravitons required by asymptotic symmetries. These provide an IR safe S-matrix for the scattering of hard particles.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Corners and islands in the S-matrix bootstrap of the open superstring

We bootstrap the Veneziano superstring amplitude in 10 dimensions from the bottom-up. Starting with the most general maximally supersymmetric Yang-Mills EFT, we input information about the lowest-lying massive states, which we assume contribute via tree-level exchanges to the 4-point amplitude. We show the following: (1) if there is only a single state at the lowest mass, it must be a scalar. (2) Assuming a string-inspired gap between the mass of this scalar and any other massive states, the allowed region of Wilson coefficients has a new sharp corner where the Veneziano amplitude is located. (3) Upon fixing the next massive state to be a vector, the EFT bounds have a one-parameter family of corners; these would correspond to models with linear Regge trajectories of varying slopes, one of which is the open superstring. (4) When the ratio between the massive scalar coupling and the tr F 4 coefficient is fixed to its string value, the spin and mass of the second massive state is determined by the bootstrap and the Veneziano amplitude is isolated on a small island in parameter space. Finally, we compare with other recent bootstraps approaches, both the pion model and imposing Regge-inspired maximal spin constraints.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

First measurement of 𝑎$^{0}_{2}$⁡(1320) polarized photoproduction cross section

We measure for the first time the differential photoproduction cross section dσ/dt of the a 2 (1320) meson at an average photon beam energy of 8.5 GeV, using data with an integrated luminosity of 104 pb −1 collected by the GlueX experiment. We fully reconstruct the γp → ηπ 0 p reaction and perform a partial-wave analysis in the a 2 (1320) mass region with amplitudes that incorporate the linear polarization of the beam. This allows us to separate for the first time the contributions of natural- and unnatural-parity exchanges. Furthermore, these measurements provide novel information about the photoproduction mechanism, which is critical for the search for spin-exotic states.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Surface plasmon transmission through discontinuous conducting surfaces: Plasmon amplitude modulation by grazing scattered fields

We have studied numerically the diffraction of a surface plasmon polariton (SPP) when it encounters a wide multi-wavelength slit in conducting films. As a jump process a SPP is excited beyond the slit by wave scattering at the second slit edge. The exciting radiation is produced when the incident SPP collapses at the first slit edge. We have found that the transmitted SPP supports inherent and unavoidable interference with grazing scattered radiation; the spatial modulation extends to the fields in the diffraction region where a series of low intensity spots arises. We demonstrate that the SPP generated on the second slab depends on the frequency but not on the wave vector of the collapsed SPP; a SPP is transmitted even when the two metals forming the slit are different. The numerical results were obtained using the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) method with a grid size λ/100.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Asymptotic method for determining the amplitude for three-particle breakup: Neutron-deuteron scattering

The process of neutron-deuteron scattering at energies above the deuteron-breakup threshold is described within the three-body formalism of Faddeev equations. Use is made of the method of solving Faddeev equations in configuration space on the basis of expanding wave-function components in the asymptotic region in bases of eigenfunctions of specially chosen operators. Asymptotically, wave-function components are represented in the form of an expansion in an orthonormalized basis of functions depending on the hyperangle. This basis makes it possible to orthogonalize the contributions of elastic-scattering and breakup channels. The proposed method permits determining scattering and breakup parameters from the asymptotic representation of the wave function without reconstructing it over the entire configuration space. The scattering and breakup amplitudes for states of total spin S = 1/2 and 3/2 were obtained for the s-wave Faddeev equation.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗

Testing the scalar weak gravity conjecture in no-scale supergravity

We explore possible extensions of the Weak Gravity Conjecture (WGC) to scalar field theories. To avoid charged black hole remnants, the WGC requires the existence of a particle with a mass m ≤ gqM P , with charge q and U(1) gauge coupling g, allowing the decay to shed the black hole charge. Although there is no obvious problem that arises in the absence of a U(1) charge, it has been postulated that gravity must remain the weakest force even when extended to scalar interactions. Quantifying this conjecture may be done by comparing scalar and gravitational amplitudes, or as we advocate here by comparing scattering cross sections. In theories with non-trivial field space geometries, by working out examples with perturbation theory around arbitrary field values and performing tadpole resummations, we argue that the conjecture must be applied only at extrema of the scalar potential (when expressed in locally canonical coordinates). We consider several toy models in the context of no-scale supergravity and also consider examples of inflationary models.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Application of a folding-model optical potential to analyzing inelastic pion–nucleus scattering and the in-medium effect on a pion–nucleon amplitude

The folding-model optical potential is generalized in such a way as to apply it to calculating the cross sections for inelastic scattering of π{sup ±}-mesons on {sup 28}Si, {sup 40}Ca, {sup 58}Ni, and {sup 208}Pb nuclei at the energies of 162, 180, 226, and 291 MeV leading to the excitation of the 2{sup +} and 3{sup −} collective states. In doing this, use is made of known nucleon-density distributions in nuclei and the pion–nucleon scattering amplitude whose parameters were obtained previously by fitting the elastic scattering cross sections for the same nuclei. Thus, the values of quadrupole (β{sub 2}) and octupole (β{sub 3}) deformations of nuclei appear here as the only adjustable parameters. The scattering cross section is calculated by solving the relativistic wave equation, whereby effects of relativization and distortion in the entrance and exit scattering channels are taken exactly into account. The cross sections calculated in this way for inelastic scattering are in good agreement with respective experimental data. The importance of the inclusion of in-medium effects in choosing parameters of the pion–nucleon amplitude is emphasized.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

A theoretical study of microwave beam absorption by a rectenna, introduction

The conditions required for a large rectenna array (i.e., reference design) to absorb nearly 100% of transmitted energy were studied. Design parameters including element spacing, and the manner in which these affect scatter were formulated. Amplitudes and directions of scatter and development of strategies for mitigation were also investigated. The effects on rectenna behavior of external factors such as weather and aircraft overflights were determined.

Source record↗

Radar simulation program upgrade and algorithm development

The NASA Radar Simulation Program is a comprehensive calculation of the expected output of an airborne coherent pulse Doppler radar system viewing a low level microburst along or near the approach path. Inputs to the program include the radar system parameters and data files that contain the characteristics of the microbursts to be simulated, the ground clutter map, and the discrete target data base which provides a simulation of the moving ground clutter. For each range bin, the simulation calculates the received signal amplitude level by integrating the product of the antenna gain pattern and the scattering source amplitude and phase of a spherical shell volume segment defined by the pulse width, radar range, and ground plane intersection. A series of in-phase and quadrature pulses are generated and stored for further processing if desired. In addition, various signal processing techniques are used to derive the simulated velocity and hazard measurements, and store them for use in plotting and display programs.

Britt, Charles L.↗

Coherent γ *-nucleus scattering and coherent nuclear states

In the context of a McLerran-Venugopalan (MV) model for a large nucleus, coherent scattering of a virtual photon on that nucleus is evaluated in the A − = 0 gauge, the gauge appropriate for the target nucleus. The evaluation of the scattering in A − = 0 gauge is very intricate compared to the usual A + = 0 gauge evaluation natural for the scattering process, but has the advantage of directly giving the scattering in terms of a partonic description of the nucleus. In the limit where a tagged forward jet puts the dipole-nucleus scattering in the saturation regime the coherent reactions are equal to the inelastic reactions. In terms of the nuclear wave function the coherent reactions come from color singlet and zero total transverse momentum quark-antiquark pairs in the wave function and in the saturation regime the nuclear wave function is a coherent state for these pairs. In the saturation region half of all quarks (or antiquarks) come from zero momentum and color charge pairs.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗