Gravitation: global formulation and quantum effects

A non-integrable phase-factor global approach to gravitation is developed by using the similarity of teleparallel gravity to electromagnetism. The phase shifts of both the COW and the gravitational Aharonov-Bohm effects are obtained. It is then shown, by considering a simple slit experiment, that in the classical limit the global approach yields the same result as the gravitational Lorentz force equation of teleparallel gravity. It represents, therefore, the quantum mechanical version of the classical description provided by the gravitational Lorentz force equation. As teleparallel gravity can be formulated independently of the equivalence principle, it will consequently require no generalization of this principle at the quantum level.

Gravitational and quantum bounds on the photon mass

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Quantum mechanics versus equivalence principle

We consider the scattering of a photon by a weak gravitational field, treated as an external field, up to second order of the perturbation expansion. The resulting cross section is energy dependent which indicates a violation of Galileo's equivalence principle (universality of free fall) and, consequently, of the classical equivalence principle. The deflection angle theta for a photon passing by the sun is evaluated afterward and the likelihood of detecting Delta theta/theta(E) theta-theta(E)/theta(E) (where theta(E) is the value predicted by Einstein's geometrical theory for the light bending) in the foreseeable future, is discussed.

Can quantum mechanics fool the cosmic censor?

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Classical integrable N=1 and N=2 super sinh-Gordon models with jump defects

The structure of integrable field theories in the presence of jump defects is discussed in terms of boundary functions under the Lagrangian formalism. Explicit examples of bosonic and fermionic theories are considered. In particular, the boundary functions for the N = 1 and N = 2 super sinh-Gordon models are constructed and shown to generate the Backlund transformations for its soliton solutions. As a new and interesting example, a solution with an incoming boson and an outgoing fermion for the N = 1 case is presented. The resulting integrable models are shown to be invariant under supersymmetric transformation.

Quantum entanglement and fixed point Hopf bifurcation

We present the qualitative differences in the phase transitions of the mono-mode Dicke model in its integrable and chaotic versions. These qualitative differences are shown to be connected to the degree of entanglement of the ground state correlations as measured by the linear entropy. We show that a first order phase transition occurs in the integrable case whereas a second order in the chaotic one. This difference is also reflected in the classical limit: for the integrable case the stable fixed point in phase space undergoes a Hopf type whereas the second one a pitchfork type bifurcation. The calculation of the atomic Wigner functions of the ground state follows the same trends. Moreover, strong correlations are evidenced by its negative parts. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

CLASSICAL DISTRIBUTION-FUNCTIONS DERIVED FROM WIGNER DISTRIBUTION-FUNCTIONS

A mapping which relates the Wigner phase-space distribution function associated with a given stationary quantum-mechanical wavefunction to a specific solution of the time-independent Liouville transport equation is obtained. Two examples are studied.

2-DIMENSIONAL QUANTUM GAS

Identical impenetrable particles in a 2-dimensional configuration space obey braid statistics, intermediate between bosons and fermions. This statistics, based on braid groups, is introduced as a generalization of the usual statistics founded on the symmetric groups. The main properties of an ideal gas of such particles are presented. They do interpolate the properties of bosons and fermions but include classical particles as a special case. Restriction to 2 dimensions precludes lambda points but originates a peculiar symmetry, responsible in particular for the identity of boson and fermion specific heats.

CLASSICAL EQUIVALENCE OF LAMBDA-R-PHI-2 THEORIES

It is shown that the action functional S[g, phi] = integral d4 x square-root -g[R/k(1 + klambdaphi2) + partial derivative(mu)phi partial derivative(mu)phi] describes, in general, one and the same classical theory whatever may be the value of the coupling constant lambda.

On the structure of quantum phase space

The space of labels characterizing the elements of Schwinger's basis for unitary quantum operators is endowed with a structure of symplectic type. This structure is embodied in a certain algebraic cocycle, whose main features are inherited by the symplectic form of classical phase space. In consequence, the label space may be taken as the quantum phase space: It plays, in the quantum case, the same role played by phase space in classical mechanics, some differences coming inevitably from its nonlinear character. © 1990 American Institute of Physics.

On the quantum Hamilton-Jacobi formalism

Some postulates are introduced to go from the classical Hamilton-Jacobi theory to the quantum one. We develop two approaches in order to calculate propagators, establishing the connection between them and showing the equivalence of this picture with more known ones such as the Schrödinger's and the Feynman's formalisms. Applications of the above-mentioned approaches to both the standard case of the harmonic oscillator and to the harmonic oscillator with time-dependent parameters are made. © 1991 Plenum Publishing Corporation.

New results on bound excitons in quantum wells

The formation of bound excitons (BE) is investigated for a GaAs/GaAlAs multiple quantum well (QW) system. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra are analysed as a function of the excitation energy. It was found that the carriers photogeneration, either in the barrier or directly in the well, do not play an important role on the BE formation. We conclude that defects localized at interfaces are ionized by of capture charges which in turn bound the free exciton (FE).

Quantum tunneling fragmentation model

A nonthermal quantum mechanical statistical fragmentation model based on tunneling of particles through potential barriers is studied in compact two- and three-dimensional systems. It is shown that this fragmentation dynamics gives origin to several static and dynamic scaling relations. The critical exponents are found and compared with those obtained in classical statistical models of fragmentation of general interest, in particular with thermal fragmentation involving classical processes over potential barriers. Besides its general theoretical interest, the fragmentation dynamics discussed here is complementary to classical fragmentation dynamics of interest in chemical kinetics and can be useful in the study of a number of other dynamic processes such as nuclear fragmentation. ©2000 The American Physical Society.

Self-consistent quantum effects in the quark meson coupling model

We derive the equation of state of nuclear matter for the quark-meson coupling model taking into account quantum fluctuations of the σ meson as well as vacuum polarization effects for the nucleons. This model incorporates explicitly quark degrees of freedom with quarks coupled to the scalar and vector mesons. Quantum fluctuations lead to a softer equation of state for nuclear matter giving a lower value of incompressibility than would be reached without quantum effects. The in-medium nucleon and σ-meson masses are also calculated in a self-consistent manner. The spectral function of the σ meson is calculated and the σ mass has the value increased with respect to the purely classical approximation at high densities.

Gravity and the quantum: Are they reconcilable?

General relativity and quantum mechanics are not consistent with each other. This conflict stems from the very fundamental principles on which these theories are grounded. General relativity, on one hand, is based on the equivalence principle, whose strong version establishes the local equivalence between gravitation and inertia. Quantum mechanics, on the other hand, is fundamentally based on the uncertainty principle, which is essentially nonlocal. This difference precludes the existence of a quantum version of the strong equivalence principle, and consequently of a quantum version of general relativity. Furthermore, there are compelling experimental evidences that a quantum object in the presence of a gravitational field violates the weak equivalence principle. Now it so happens that, in addition to general relativity, gravitation has an alternative, though equivalent, description, given by teleparallel gravity, a gauge theory for the translation group. In this theory torsion, instead of curvature, is assumed to represent the gravitational field. These two descriptions lead to the same classical results, but are conceptually different. In general relativity, curvature geometrizes the interaction while torsion, in teleparallel gravity, acts as a force, similar to the Lorentz force of electrodynamics. Because of this peculiar property, teleparallel gravity describes the gravitational interaction without requiring any of the equivalence principle versions. The replacement of general relativity by teleparallel gravity may, in consequence, lead to a conceptual reconciliation of gravitation with quantum mechanics. © 2006 American Institute of Physics.