Intersubjectivity,relativistic covariance,and conditionals: response to C. I. J. M. Stuart

A misunderstanding persists between Stuart and me, which I do my best to clarify. Bayesian inverse subjectivities versus relativistic covariance and physical intersubjectivity are discussed. A joint number of chances formalism taking care of the propagation of the probability of causes is proposed.     

Raman effect of light on argon atoms

Scalar scattering of light on the 3p and 3s subshells of the argon atom (Stokes scattering) and anti-Stokes scattering on the excited 4p and 4s states of argon are examined in the Hartree-Fock approximation. The calculation is made in a velocity form and in a length form. It is shown that the value in the r form is 1.5–2 times greater than in the form.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 1, pp. 36–42, January, 1977.     

Boson-fermion duality in four dimensions: Comments on the paper of luther and schotte

The Fock space for the fermion field can be identified with the Fock space for the boson field, provided the overall numbers of internal degrees of freedom are the same. As a consequence, the respective free field Hamiltonian systems are equivalent (dual): the four-component neutrino model is thus equivalent to the doublet of independent (electric and magnetic, respectively) Maxwell fields, which are quantized in the Coulomb gauge. This statement arises on the field theory level, and seems to make doubtful the claim that realistic photons can be constructed from (bound) neutrino pairs: each (anti)neutrino degree should be represented by the photon-type (electric and magnetic, respectively) degree of freedom.     

The inside observer in quantum mechanics

The observer in physics has always referred to someone who stands on the outside of a system looking in. In this paper an inside observer is defined, and an experiment is proposed that tests a given formulation of the problem of measurement in quantum mechanics.     

Tetrahedron equations and the relativisticS-matrix of straight-strings in 2+1-Dimensions

The quantumS-matrix theory of straight-strings (infinite one-dimensional objects like straight domain walls) in 2+1-dimensions is considered. TheS-matrix is supposed to be purely elastic and factorized. The tetrahedron equations (which are the factorization conditions) are investigated for the special two-colour model. The relativistic three-stringS-matrix, which apparently satisfies this tetrahedron equation, is proposed.     

Hamiltonian formulation of general relativity in terms of Dirac spinors

The Dirac spinors and matrices are used in combination with the Arnowitt-Deser-Misner formalism in order to obtain yet another formulation of Hamiltonian general relativity, together with a new form of the Gauss-Codazzi equations. The relation with Ashtekar's variables is analyzed; it is shown, for instance, that the matrices are equivalent to the electric field variable. The electric and magnetic decomposition of the gravitational field is also studie using Dirac matrices.     

Reconstruction of abstract quantum theory

Understanding quantum theory as a general theory of prediction, we reconstruct abstract quantum theory. Abstract means the general frame of quantum theory, without reference to a three-dimensional position space, to concepts like particle or field, or to special laws of dynamics. Reconstruction is the attempt to do this by formulating simple and plausible postulates on prediction in order to derive the basic concepts of quantum theory from them. Thereby no law of classical physics is presupposed which would then have to be quantized. We briefly discuss the relationship of theory and interpretation in physics and the fundamental role of time as a basic concept for physics. Then a number ofassertions are given, formulated as succinctly as possible in order to make them easily quotable and comparable. The assertions are arranged in four groups: heuristic principles, verbal definitions of some terms, three basic postulates, and consequences. The three postulates of separable alternatives, indeterminism, and kinematics are the central points of this work. These brief assertions are commented upon, and their relationship with the interpretation of quantum theory is discussed. Also given are an outlook on the further development into concrete quantum theory and some philosophical reflections.     

Optical second-harmonic generation of metal-island films

In metal-island films consisting of nanometer particles on a transparent substrate irradiated light fields can be locally enhanced by electron-plasma resonances. Therefore, nonlinear optical processes should be enhanced dramatically. However, second-order nonlinear processes as second-harmonic generation occuring in the surface are strongly reduced by the centrosymmetric shape of the metal particles. It is found that this surface-specific contribution to second-harmonic generation is less enhanced, as is expected from the field enhancement. The bulk contribution, at smooth metal surfaces known to be much weaker than the contribution from the real surface, is strongly enhanced by the plasma resonances without symmetry restrictions and becomes comparably important.Paper presented at the 129th WE-Heraeus-Seminar on Surface Studies by Nonlinear Laser Spectroscopies, Kassel, Germany, May 30 to June 1, 1994.     

Simulated Annealing for “spin-glass-like” optimization problems

A general recipe for the use of Simulated Annealing for spin-glass-likeNP-complete problems is provided. The classification principles of spin-glass-like problems are discussed. This class of problems is conjectured to incorporate a large variety of complex problems from economics and biology to every day life. We particularly stress the importance for optimization problems in physics. The application to the placement of chip-design is discussed from the point of view of spin-glass research.     

On the equivalence of different order parameters for Ising ferromagnets

In a recent note Barber showed, for a spin-1/2 Ising system with ferromagnetic pair interactions, that some critical exponents of the triplet order parameter _{i j k} are the same as those of the magnetization _i . Here we prove such results for all odd correlations and dispense with the requirement of pair interactions. We also prove that the critical temperatureT _c , defined as the temperature below which there is a spontaneous magnetization, is for fixed even spin interactionsJ _e independent of the way in which the odd interactionsJ _o approach zero from above. This is achieved by using only the simplest, Griffiths-Kelley-Sherman (GKS), inequalities, which apply to the most general many-spin, ferromagnetic interactions.Research supported in part by NSF Grant #MPS 75-20638.     

Role of time in the sum-over-histories framework for gravity

I sketch a self-contained framework for quantum mechanics based on its path-integral or sum-over-histories formulation. The framework is very close to that for classical stochastic processes like Brownian motion, and its interpretation requires neither measurement nor state-vector as a basic notion. The rules for forming probabilities are nonclassical in two ways: they use complex amplitudes, and they (apparently unavoidably) require one to truncate the histories at a collapse time, which can be chosen arbitrarily far into the future. Adapting this framework to gravity yields a formulation of quantum gravity with a fully spacetime character, thereby overcoming the frozen nature of the canonical formalism. Within the proposed adaptation, the value of the collapse time is identified with total elapsed spacetime four-volume. Interestingly, this turns the cosmological constant into an essentially classical constant of integration, removing the need for microscopic fine tuning to obtain an experimentally viable value for it. Some implications of the V = T rule for quantum cosmology are also discussed.     

Evolutionary drive: The effect of microscopic diversity,error making,and noise

In order to model any macroscopic system, it is necessary to aggregate both spatially and taxonomically. If average processes are assumed, then kinetic equations of population dynamics can be derived. Much effort has gone into showing the important effects introduced by non-average effects (fluctuations) in generating symmetry-breaking transitions and creating structure and form. However, the effects of microscopic diversity have been largely neglected. We show that evolution will select for populations which retain variability, even though this is, at any given time, loss-making, predicting that we shall not observe populations with optimal behavior, but populations which can learn. This lesser short-term efficiency may be why natural diversity is so great. Evolution is seen to be driven by the noise to which it leads.     

Temperature in Friedmann thermodynamics and its generalization to arbitrary space-times

In recent articles we have introduced Friedmann thermodynamics, where certain geometric parameters in Friedmann models were treated like their thermodynamic counterparts (temperature, entropy, Gibbs potential, etc.). This model has the advantage of allowing us to determine the geometry of the universe by thermodynamic stability arguments. In this paper, in search for evidence for the definition of gravitational temperature, we will investigate a massless conformal scalar field in an Einstein universe in detail. We will argue that the gravitational temperature of the Einstein universe is given asT _g=1/2) (c/k) (1/R ₀), where R₀ is the radius of the Einstein universe. This is in accord with our definition of gravitational temperature in Friedmann thermodynamics and determines the dimensionless constant as 1/2. We discuss the limitations of the model we are using. We also suggest a method to generalize our gravitational temperature to arbitrary space-times granted that they are sufficiently smooth.Based on three essays awarded honorable mention in the years 1987, 1988 and 1989 by the Gravity Research Foundation—Ed.     

Continuum and discretum—Unified field theory and elementary constants

Unitary field theories and SUPER-GUT theories work with an universal continuum, the structured spacetime of R. Descartes, B. Spinoza, B. Riemann, and A. Einstein, or a (Machian ^(1–3) ) structured vacuum according the quantum theory of unitary fields (Dirac, ^(4,5) and Heisenberg ^(6–8) ). The atomistic aspect of the substantial world is represented by the fundamental constants which are invariant against all transformations and which depend on nothings (Planck ^(9–11) ). A satisfactory unitary theory has to involve these constants like the mathematical numbers. Today, Planck's conception of the three elementary constants , c, and G may be the key to general relativistic quantum field theory like unitary theory. However, the elementary constants are a question of measurement-theory, also.According to Popper's theory ^(12–16) of induction, such unitary theories are universal explaining theories. The fundamental constants involve the complementarity between the universal statements in unitary theory and the basic statements in the language of classical observables.     

Logic of likelihood

The notion of probability is generalized to that of likelihood, and a natural logical structure is shown to exist for any physical theory which predicts likelihoods. Two physically based axioms are given for this logicai structure to form an orthomodular poset, with an order-determining set of states. The results strengthen the basis of the quantum logic approach to axiomatic quantum theory.     

Topological and fractal properties of turbulent passive scalar fluctuations at small scales

Corrections of Batchelor's spectral law –1 of passive scalar-fluctuations are obtained by taking into account the topological instabilities of small-scale vortex sheets: –4/3 for supercritical and –5/4 for subcritical regimes. The corresponding fractal dimensions of the scalar interface areD =8/3 for supercritical andD =11/4 for subcritical regimes. Good agreement with experimental data is established.     

Equilibrium relativistic mass distribution for indistinguishable events

A manifestly covariant relativistic statistical mechanics of a system of N indistinguishable events with motion in space-time parametrized by an invariant historical time is considered. The relativistic mass distribution for such a system is obtained from the equilibrium solution of the generalized relativistic Boltzmann equation by integration over angular and hyperangular variables. All the characteristic averages are calculated. Expressions for the pressure and the energy density are found, and the relativistic equation of state is obtained. Validity criteria are defined. The Galilean limit is considered; the theory is shown to pass over to the usual nonrelativistic statistical mechanics of indistinguishable particles. Anti-events are introduced; for an event-anti-event system the equation of state p, T ⁶ is found, which gives the value of the sound velocity c ² = 0.20, in agreement with the realistic equation of state suggested by Shuryak for hot hadronic matter.     

Comparison of the structure of island deposits of gold on NaCl produced by thermal vaporization and by cathode sputtering

A comparison was made of island deposits of gold on NaCl, produced by thermal vaporization (thermal Au/NaClid) and cathode sputtering (cathode Au/NaClid). In thermal Au/NaClid, two orientations of the gold microcrystals with respect to the NaCl (100) shear face were observed; multiply twinned particles were formed. In cathode Au/NaClid, only one orientation is present and the formation of complex particles is not observed.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii Fizika, No. 11, pp. 46–50, November, 1971.     

Mach's principle and the reciprocal symmetry of nature

This article develops the postulate that spacetime-charge inversion invariance reflects a fundamental reciprocal symmetry in nature between the two long range forces, from which the derivation of Mach's principle (i.e., the principle that the fundamental parameters of the electromagnetically elementary charged particle are related to those describing the electromagnetically observable universe) follows quite easily. Interpreting this result, it is argued that relativity and quantum mechanics can be made conceptually compatible and mathematically consistent by this reciprocal symmetry if one realizes that relativity isboth a macroscopic, semiclassical theory (i.e., the global half of relativity, described by Eq. (1.1), including special and general relativity) and a microscopic theory (i.e., the local half of relativity, described by Eq. (2.1), including relativistic quantum mechanics and field theory). The reciprocal symmetry of nature, then, promises unique (differential and/or integral) relationships between the coordinate variables of the observers of these tworeciprocally related theories, which implies unique, consistent numerical values for the scalar curvatureR, the massM, and the critical density for closure, _c, of the observable universe [derived from the elementary particle parameters (i.e., the electron mass and Coulomb radius)]. With this symmetry we also postulate a plausible mechanism for spontaneous generation of matter from the ubiquitous (zero-mass ether) nothingness of the Dirac sea of filled negative energy states, and can consistently interpret both the positive and negative-energy state solutions of Dirac's equation for massive, spin-1/2 (i.e., fermion) particles and both the advanced and retarded potential solutions of electromagnetic field equations. It is pointed out that, with this interpretation of the advanced potential solutions from electromagnetic field theory, one can actuallyderive causality from electromagnetic theory.     

Monopole-like spin-3/2 fields on black hole space-times

A new class of static spin-3/2 excitations on the Majumdar-Papapetrou backgrounds of multi-black hole space-times is exhibited. The Rarita-Schwinger field shows line singularities which give rise to magnetic-type charges. Analogies to the Dirac-monopole solutions are discussed.Supported by Fonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung in Österreich, Project Nr. P5259, and the Einstein-Memorial-Foundation.