Equilibrium properties of self-interacting neutrinos in the quasi-particle approach

In this work a neutrino gas in equilibrium is studied both at T=0 and at finite temperature. Neutrinos are treated as massive Dirac quasi-particles with two generations. We include self-interactions among the neutrinos via neutral currents, as well as the interaction with a background of matter. To obtain the equilibrium properties we use Wigner function techniques. To account for corrections beyond the Hartree approximation, we also introduce correlation functions. We prove that, under the quasi-particle approximation, these correlation functions can be expressed as products of Wigner functions. We analyze the main properties of the neutrino eigenmodes in the medium, such as effective mass…

Vector current conservation and neutrino emission from singlet-paired baryons in neutron stars

Neutrino emission caused by singlet Cooper pairing of baryons in neutron stars is recalculated by accurately taking into account for conservation of the vector weak currents. The neutrino emissivity via the vector weak currents is found to be several orders of magnitude smaller than that obtained before by different authors. This makes unimportant the neutrino radiation from singlet pairing of protons or hyperons.

Quantum walk on a cylinder

We consider the 2D alternate quantum walk on a cylinder. We concentrate on the study of the motion along the open dimension, in the spirit of looking at the closed coordinate as a small or "hidden" extra dimension. If one starts from localized initial conditions on the lattice, the dynamics of the quantum walk that is obtained after tracing out the small dimension shows the contribution of several components, which can be understood from the study of the dispersion relations for this problem. In fact, these components originate from the contribution of the possible values of the quasi-momentum in the closed dimension. In the continuous space-time limit, the different components manifest as …

Relativistic approach to positronium levels in a strong magnetic field

We have investigated the bound states of an electron and positron in superstrong magnetic fields typical for neutron stars. The complete relativistic problem of positronium in a strong magnetic field has not been succesfully solved up to now. In particular, we have studied the positronium when it moves relativistically across the magnetic field. A number of problems which deal with the pulsar magnetosphere, as well as the evolution of protoneutron stars, could be considered as a field for application.

On relativistic approaches to pion self-energy in nuclear matter

We argue that, in contrast to the non-relativistic approach, a relativistic evaluation of the nucleon--hole and delta-isobar--nucleon hole contributions to the pion self-energy incorporates the s-wave scattering, which requires a more accurate evaluation. Therefore relativistic approach containing only these diagrams does not describe appropriately the pion self-energy in isospin symmetric nuclear matter. We conclude that, a correct relativistic approach to the pion self-energy should involve a more sophisticated calculation in order to satisfy the known experimental results on the near-threshold behaviour of the pion-nucleon (forward) scattering amplitude.

Black hole evaporation in a thermalized final-state projection model

4 pages, 1 figure.-- PACS nrs.: 04.70.Dy; 03.67.-a.-- ISI Article Identifier: 000245333600044.-- ArXiv pre-print available at: http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/0611152

Quantum simulation of quantum relativistic diffusion via quantum walks

Two models are first presented, of one-dimensional discrete-time quantum walk (DTQW) with temporal noise on the internal degree of freedom (i.e., the coin): (i) a model with both a coin-flip and a phase-flip channel, and (ii) a model with random coin unitaries. It is then shown that both these models admit a common limit in the spacetime continuum, namely, a Lindblad equation with Dirac-fermion Hamiltonian part and, as Lindblad jumps, a chirality flip and a chirality-dependent phase flip, which are two of the three standard error channels for a two-level quantum system. This, as one may call it, Dirac Lindblad equation, provides a model of quantum relativistic spatial diffusion, which is ev…

Electromagnetic lattice gauge invariance in two-dimensional discrete-time quantum walks

International audience; Gauge invariance is one of the more important concepts in physics. We discuss this concept in connection with the unitary evolution of discrete-time quantum walks in one and two spatial dimensions, when they include the interaction with synthetic, external electromagnetic fields. One introduces this interaction as additional phases that play the role of gauge fields. Here, we present a way to incorporate those phases, which differs from previous works. Our proposal allows the discrete derivatives, that appear under a gauge transformation, to treat time and space on the same footing, in a way which is similar to standard lattice gauge theories. By considering two step…

A study of Wigner functions for discrete-time quantum walks

We perform a systematic study of the discrete time Quantum Walk on one dimension using Wigner functions, which are generalized to include the chirality (or coin) degree of freedom. In particular, we analyze the evolution of the negative volume in phase space, as a function of time, for different initial states. This negativity can be used to quantify the degree of departure of the system from a classical state. We also relate this quantity to the entanglement between the coin and walker subspaces.

Quantum walks in weak electric fields and Bloch oscillations

Bloch oscillations appear when an electric field is superimposed on a quantum particle that evolves on a lattice with a tight-binding Hamiltonian (TBH), i.e., evolves via what we will call an electric TBH; this phenomenon will be referred to as TBH Bloch oscillations. A similar phenomenon is known to show up in so-called electric discrete-time quantum walks (DQWs); this phenomenon will be referred to as DQW Bloch oscillations. This similarity is particularly salient when the electric field of the DQW is weak. For a wide, i.e., spatially extended initial condition, one numerically observes semi-classical oscillations, i.e., oscillations of a localized particle, both for the electric TBH and …

Direct URCA process in neutron stars with strong magnetic fields

We calculate the emissivity for the direct URCA process in strongly magnetized, degenerate matter in neutron stars, under $\beta $-equilibrium. We show that, if the magnetic field is large enough for protons and electrons to be confined to the ground Landau levels, the field-free threshold condition on proton concentration no longer holds, and direct URCA reactions are open for an arbitrary proton concentration. Direct URCA process leads to an early phase of fast neutron star cooling. This circumstance allows us to constrain the initial magnetic field inside observed pulsars.

Beta decay studies with the total absorption technique: past, present and future

Measurements of beta decay reduced transition probabilities are particularly relevant in nuclei far from the stability line. It has been demonstrated that a proper measurement of this quantity requires the use of the total absorption technique, which has become a reliable tool in recent years, thanks to the increased efficiency of the associated spectrometers and the development of new analysis techniques. In this paper, we present a brief history of the past and present use of these detectors and how they might be developed in the future.

Gamma/neutron competition above the neutron separation energy in delayed neutron emitters

To study the β-decay properties of some well known delayed neutron emitters an experiment was performed in 2009 at the IGISOL facility (University of Jyvaskyla in Finland) using Total Absorption -ray Spectroscopy (TAGS) technique. The aim of these measurements is to obtain the full β-strength distribution below the neutron separation energy (Sn) and the γ/neutron competition above. This information is a key parameter in nuclear technology applications as well as in nuclear astrophysics and nuclear structure. Preliminary results of the analysis show a significant γ-branching ratio above Sn. © Owned by the authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2014.

Reply to Comment on ‘Wigner function for a particle in an infinite lattice’

In a recent paper (2012 New J. Phys. 14 103009), we proposed a definition of the Wigner function for a particle on an infinite lattice. Here we argue that the criticism to our work raised by Bizarro is not substantial and does not invalidate our proposal.

Decoherence effects in the Stern-Gerlach experiment using matrix Wigner functions

We analyze the Stern-Gerlach experiment in phase space with the help of the matrix Wigner function, which includes the spin degree of freedom. Such analysis allows for an intuitive visualization of the quantum dynamics of the device. We include the interaction with the environment, as described by the Caldeira-Leggett model. The diagonal terms of the matrix provide us with information about the two components of the state that arise from interaction with the magnetic field gradient. In particular, from the marginals of these components, we obtain an analytical formula for the position and momentum probability distributions in the presence of decoherence that shows a diffusive behavior for l…

Collective effects inνν¯synchrotron radiation from neutron stars

We have considered the collective effects in $\ensuremath{\nu}\overline{\ensuremath{\nu}}$ synchrotron radiation from an ultrarelativistic degenerate electron gas in neutron stars with strong magnetic fields. For this problem we apply a calculation method which explicitly makes use of the fact that the radiating electron moves semiclassically, but takes into account the interaction among particles in a quantum way. First we apply this method to calculate $\ensuremath{\nu}\overline{\ensuremath{\nu}}$ synchrotron radiation by an ultrarelativistic electron in vacuum and we compare this result with that obtained previously by other techniques. When a degenerate plasma is considered, we show tha…

Information encoding of a qubit into a multilevel environment

I consider the interaction of a small quantum system (a qubit) with a structured environment consisting of many levels. The qubit will experience a decoherence process, which implies that part of its initial information will be encoded into correlations between system and environment. I investigate how this information is distributed on a given subset of levels as a function of its size, using the mutual information between both entities, in the spirit of the partial-information plots studied by Zurek and co-workers. In this case we can observe some differences, which arise from the fact that I am partitioning just one quantum system and not a collection of them. However, some similar featu…

Dirac equation as a quantum walk over the honeycomb and triangular lattices

A discrete-time Quantum Walk (QW) is essentially an operator driving the evolution of a single particle on the lattice, through local unitaries. Some QWs admit a continuum limit, leading to well-known physics partial differential equations, such as the Dirac equation. We show that these simulation results need not rely on the grid: the Dirac equation in $(2+1)$--dimensions can also be simulated, through local unitaries, on the honeycomb or the triangular lattice. The former is of interest in the study of graphene-like materials. The latter, we argue, opens the door for a generalization of the Dirac equation to arbitrary discrete surfaces.

Asymptotic properties of the Dirac quantum cellular automaton

We show that the Dirac quantum cellular automaton [Ann. Phys. 354 (2015) 244] shares many properties in common with the discrete-time quantum walk. These similarities can be exploited to study the automaton as a unitary process that takes place at regular time steps on a one-dimensional lattice, in the spirit of general quantum cellular automata. In this way, it becomes an alternative to the quantum walk, with a dispersion relation that can be controlled by a parameter, which plays a similar role to the coin angle in the quantum walk. The Dirac Hamiltonian is recovered under a suitable limit. We provide two independent analytical approximations to the long term probability distribution. It …

Understanding and controlling N-dimensional quantum walks via dispersion relations: application to the two-dimensional and three-dimensional Grover walks-diabolical points and more

The discrete quantum walk in N dimensions is analyzed from the perspective of its dispersion relations. This allows understanding known properties, as well as designing new ones when spatially extended initial conditions are considered. This is done by deriving wave equations in the continuum, which are generically of the Schrodinger type, and allows devising interesting behavior, such as ballistic propagation without deformation, or the generation of almost flat probability distributions, which is corroborated numerically. There are however special points where the energy surfaces display intersections and, near them, the dynamics is entirely different. Applications to the two- and three-d…

Nonlinear optical Galton board

We generalize the concept of optical Galton board (OGB), first proposed by Bouwmeester et al. {[}Phys. Rev. A \textbf{61}, 013410 (2000)], by introducing the possibility of nonlinear self--phase modulation on the wavefunction during the walker evolution. If the original Galton board illustrates classical diffusion, the OGB, which can be understood as a grid of Landau--Zener crossings, illustrates the influence of interference on diffusion, and is closely connected with the quantum walk. Our nonlinear generalization of the OGB shows new phenomena, the most striking of which is the formation of non-dispersive pulses in the field distribution (soliton--like structures). These exhibit a variety…

Nucleon-nucleon effective potential in dense matter including rho-meson exchange

We obtain the RPA summed one-meson exchange potential between nucleons in symmetric nuclear matter at zero temperature, from a model which includes $\rho $, $\sigma $, $\omega $ and $\pi $ mesons. The behavior of rho mesons inside the medium is first discussed using different schemes to extract a finite contribution from the vacuum polarization. These schemes give qualitatively different results for the in-medium rho mass. The results are discussed in connection with the non-renormalizability of the model. We next study the modified potential as density increases. In the intermediate distance range, it is qualitatively modified by matter and vacuum effects. In the long-distance range ($r>2$…

Hilbert Space Average Method and adiabatic quantum search

6 pages, 1 figure.-- ISI article identifier:000262979000049.-- ArXiv pre-print avaible at:http://arxiv.org/abs/0810.1456

Multidimensional quantum walks: Diabolical points, optical wave-like propagation, and multipartite entanglement

Quantum walks (QWs) are important for quantum information science, but are becoming also interesting for other fields of research as this simple quantum diffusion model finds analogues in diverse physical systems, optical ones in particular. The experimental capabilities regarding QWs have remarkably increased along recent years and several aspects of QWs are now open to experimental research, multidimensional QWs in particular [1].

Fermion confinement via quantum walks in (2+1)-dimensional and (3+1)-dimensional space-time

We analyze the properties of a two- and three-dimensional quantum walk that are inspired by the idea of a brane-world model put forward by Rubakov and Shaposhnikov [Phys. Lett. B 125, 136 (1983)PYLBAJ0370-269310.1016/0370-2693(83)91253-4]. In that model, particles are dynamically confined on the brane due to the interaction with a scalar field. We translated this model into an alternate quantum walk with a coin that depends on the external field, with a dependence which mimics a domain wall solution. As in the original model, fermions (in our case, the walker) become localized in one of the dimensions, not from the action of a random noise on the lattice (as in the case of Anderson localiza…

Quantum walks as simulators of neutrino oscillations in a vacuum and matter

We analyze the simulation of Dirac neutrino oscillations using quantum walks, both in vacuum and in matter. We show that this simulation, in the continuum limit, reproduces a set of coupled Dirac equations that describe neutrino flavor oscillations, and we make use of this to establish a connection with neutrino phenomenology, thus allowing to fix the parameters of the simulation for a given neutrino experiment. We also analyze how matter effects for neutrino propagation can be simulated in the quantum walk. In this way, important features, such as the MSW effect, can be incorporated. Thus, the simulation of neutrino oscillations with the help of quantum walks might be useful to explore the…

<I>A Special Issue on</I> Theoretical and Mathematical Aspects of Discrete Time Quantum Walks

Non-Markovianity and memory of the initial state

We explore in a rigorous manner the intuitive connection between the non-Markovianity of the evolution of an open quantum system and the performance of the system as a quantum memory. Using the paradigmatic case of a two-level open quantum system coupled to a bosonic bath, we compute the recovery fidelity, which measures the best possible performance of the system to store a qubit of information. We deduce that this quantity is connected, but not uniquely determined, by the non-Markovianity, for which we adopt the BLP measure proposed in \cite{breuer2009}. We illustrate our findings with explicit calculations for the case of a structured environment.

Nonadiabatic quantum search algorithms

7 pages, 4 figures.-- PACS nrs.: 03.67.Lx, 05.45.Mt, 72.15.Rn.-- ISI Article Identifier: 000251326400049.-- ArXiv pre-print available at: http://arxiv.org/abs/0706.1139

Quantum walk with a time-dependent coin

We introduce quantum walks with a time-dependent coin, and show how they include, as a particular case, the generalized quantum walk recently studied by Wojcik et al. {[}Phys. Rev. Lett. \textbf{93}, 180601(2004){]} which exhibits interesting dynamical localization and quasiperiodic dynamics. Our proposal allows for a much easier implementation of this particular rich dynamics than the original one. Moreover, it allows for an additional control on the walk, which can be used to compensate for phases appearing due to external interactions. To illustrate its feasibility, we discuss an example using an optical cavity. We also derive an approximated solution in the continuous limit (long--wavel…

Relativistic direct Urca processes in cooling neutron stars

We derive a relativistic expression for neutrino energy losses caused by the direct Urca processes in degenerate baryon matter of neutron stars. We use two different ways to calculate the emissivity caused by the reactions to our interest. First we perform a standard calculation by Fermi's ''golden'' rule. The second calculation, resulting in the same expression, is performed with the aid of polarization functions of the medium. Our result for neutrino energy losses strongly differs from previous non-relativistic results. We also discuss nonconservation of the baryon vector current in reactions through weak charged currents in the medium, when the asymmetry between protons and neutrons is c…

Chirality asymptotic behavior and non-Markovianity in quantum walks on a line

We investigate the time evolution of the chirality reduced density matrix for a discrete-time quantum walk on a one-dimensional lattice, which is obtained by tracing out the spatial degree of freedom. We analyze the standard case, without decoherence, and the situation where decoherence appears in the form of broken links in the lattice. By examining the trace distance for possible pairs of initial states as a function of time, we conclude that the evolution of the reduced density matrix is non-Markovian, in the sense defined in [H. P. Breuer, E. M. Laine, and J. Piilo, Phys. Rev. Lett. 103, 210401 (2009)]. As the level of noise increases, the dynamics approaches a Markovian process. The hi…