Superluminal Signal Velocity and Causality

A superluminal signal velocity (i.e. faster than light) is said to violate causality. However, superluminal signal velocities have been measured in tunneling experiments recently. The classical dipole interaction approach by Sommerfeld and Brillouin results in a complex refractive index with a finite real part. For the tunneling process with its purely imaginary refractive index this model obtaines a zero-time traversing of tunneling barriers in agreement with wave meechanics. The information of a signal is proportional to the product of its frequency band width and its time duration. The reasons that superluminal signal velocities do not violate causality are: (i) physical signals are frequency band limited and (ii) signals have a finite time duration.     

On the Fizeau Experiment

Transformations of space and time, depending on a synchronisation parameter e ₁, indicate the existence of a privileged inertial system S ₀. The Lorentz transformations are obtained for a particular e ₁0. No classical experiment on relativity is expected to depend on the choice of e ₁. We show, consistently with expectations, that the result of the Fizeau experiment is explained equally well by theories adopting different values of e ₁. In previous papers we showed that if accelerated reference frames are considered only e ₁=0 remains possible.     

Quantum Collapse, Consciousness and Superluminal Communication

The relation between quantum collapse, consciousness and superluminal communication is analyzed. As we know, quantum collapse, if exists, can result in the appearance of quantum nonlocality, and requires the existence of a preferred Lorentz frame. This may permit the realization of quantum superluminal communication (QSC), which will no longer result in the usual causal loop in case of the existence of a preferred Lorentz frame. The possibility of the existence of QSC is further analyzed under the assumption that quantum collapse is a real process. We demonstrate that the combination of quantum collapse and the consciousness of the observer will permit the observer to distinguish nonorthogonal states in principle. This provides a possible way to realize QSC. Some implications of the existence of QSC are briefly discussed.     

Subluminal and Superluminal Phenomena in a Four-Level Atom

In a four-level atomic system, we investigate the light pulse propagation properties interacting with only one laser field. It is shown that in the steady state, the group velocity of the light pulse can be changed from subluminal to superluminal by varying the field detuning. Meanwhile, the effects of the field intensity on the group velocity are also shown. At last, with special parameters, the analytical solution for the group index is also obtained.     

Subluminal and Superluminal Phenomena in a Four-Level Atom

In a four-level atomic system, we investigate the light pulse propagation properties interacting with only one laser field. It is shown that in the steady state, the group velocity of the light pulse can be changed from subluminal to superluminal by varying the field detuning. Meanwhile, the effects of the field intensity on the group velocity are also shown. At last, with special parameters, the analytical solution for the group index is also obtained.     

Locality Hypothesis and the Speed of Light

The locality hypothesis is generally considered necessary for the study of the kinematics of non-inertial systems in special relativity. In this paper we discuss this hypothesis, showing the necessity of an improvement, in order to get a more clear understanding of the various concepts involved, like coordinate velocity and standard velocity of light. Concrete examples are shown, where these concepts are discussed.     

Note on Clock Synchronization and Edwards Transformations

Edwards transformations relating inertial frames with arbitrary clock synchronization are reviewed and put in more general setting. Their group-theoretical context is described.     

Superluminal propagation of evanescent modes as a quantum effect

Contrary to mechanical waves, the two‐slit interference experiment of single photons shows that the behavior of classical electromagnetic waves corresponds to the quantum mechanical one of single photons, which is also different from the quantum‐field‐theory behavior such as the creations and annihilations of photons, the vacuum fluctuations, etc. Owing to a purely quantum effect, quantum tunneling particles including tunneling photons (evanescent modes) can propagate over a spacelike interval. With this picture we conclude that the superluminality of evanescent modes is a quantum mechanical rather than a classical phenomenon.     

Superluminal light attenuated by strong dispersion of complex refractive index

The propagation of narrow packets of electromagnetic waves(EMWs) in frequency dispersive medium with the consideration of the complex refractive index is studied. It is shown that counting in the dispersion of the complex refractive index within the context of the conventional expression of the group velocity of narrow wave packets of EMWs propagating in a dispersive medium results in the appearance of additional constraints on the group velocity, which dictates that the physically acceptable group velocity can only be realized in the case of a negligible imaginary part of the group index. In this paper, the conditions that allow one to realize the physically acceptable group velocity are formulated and analyzed numerically for the relevant model of the refractive index of a system of two-level atoms in the optical frequency range. It is shown that in the frequency band where superluminal light propagation is expected, there is a strong dispersion of the refractive index that is accompanied with strong absorption, resulting in a strongly attenuated superluminal light.     

A modified Lorentz theory as a test theory of special relativity

A modified Lorentz theory (MLT) based on the generalized Galilean transformation has recently received attention. In the framework of MLT, some explicit formulas dealing with the one-way velocity of light, slow-clock transport and the Doppler effect are derived in this paper. Several typical experiments are analyzed on this basis. The results show that the empirical equivalence between MLT and special relativity is still maintained to second order terms. We confirm recent findings of other works that predict the MLT might be distinguished from special relativity at the third order by Doppler centrifuge experiments capable of a fractional frequency detection threshold of 10^–15.     

Non-standard clock synchronization in special relativity and the hypothetical ether frame

Assuming an Einsteinian world, formulae are given for achieving non-standard clock synchronization by various methods. It is shown that synchronization in one inertial frame simultaneously gives the same synchronization relative to all other frames. Absolute synchronization is not unique, and considerations of synchronization cannot distinguish an ether frame. In any world, synchronization with tachyons would produce the same results as other methods.     

超光速群速度与信息传输的有效速度

研究了反常色散介质中脉冲形变对超光速群速度的影响,发现即使光脉冲完全不产生形变群速度仍会超过真空中的光速。但波包的群速度并不等同于信号的传输速度,采用信息论方法,定义了信号的有效传输速度,并用于解释WKD(Wang,Kuzmich,Dogariu)实验。通过计算入射光与出射光信号所携带的信息量,发现由于光的波动衍射及光子散粒噪声的影响,出射光所携带的信息量会损失,使得光信号的有效传播速度不会超过真空中的光速。     

The Paradox of Time in Dynamic Causal Systems

Recent work has shown that people use temporal information including order, delay, and variability to infer causality between events. In this study, we build on this work by investigating the role of time in dynamic systems, where causes take continuous values and also continually influence their effects. Recent studies of learning in these systems explored short interactions in a setting with rapidly evolving dynamics and modeled people as relying on simpler, resource-limited strategies to grapple with the stream of information. A natural question that arises from such an account is whether interacting with systems that unfold more slowly might reduce the systematic errors that result from these strategies. Paradoxically, we find that slowing the task indeed reduced the frequency of one type of error, albeit at the cost of increasing the overall error rate. To explain these results we posit that human learners analyze continuous dynamics into discrete events and use the observed relationships between events to draw conclusions about causal structure. We formalize this intuition in terms of a novel Causal Event Abstraction model and show that this model indeed captures the observed pattern of errors. We comment on the implications these results have for causal cognition.     

Helmholtz Theorem and the V-Gauge in the Problem of Superluminal and Instantaneous Signals in Classical Electrodynamics

In this work we substantiate the applying of the Helmholtz vector decomposition theorem (H-theorem) to vector fields in classical electrodynamics. Using the H-theorem, within the framework of the two-parameter Lorentz-like gauge (so called v-gauge), we show that two kinds of magnetic vector potentials exist: one of them (solenoidal) can act exclusively with the velocity of light c and the other one (irrotational) with an arbitrary finite velocity v (including a velocity more than c). We show also that the irrotational component of the electric field has a physical meaning and can propagate exclusively instantaneously.     

Resolution of a Classical Gravitational Second-Law Paradox

Sheehan and coworkers have claimed [D. P. Sheehan et al., Found. Phys. 30, 1227 (2000); 32, 441 (2002); D. P. Sheehan, in Quantum Limits to the Second Law, AIP Conference Proceedings 643 (American Institute of Physics, Melville, NY, 2002), p. 391] that a dilute gas trapped between an external shell and a gravitator can support a steady state in which energy flux by particles in one direction is balanced by energy flux by radiation in the opposite direction, and in which work can be extracted from an isothermal heat reservoir, thereby violating the second law of thermodynamics. In this paper, we identify a fundamental error in their simulation and analysis of their model system that vitiates their conclusions. We analyze a simpler, exactly soluble, three-dimensional model of a very dilute gas in a gravitational field between two thermal reservoirs, and show that their conclusions are not supported for the simple model. We show that their method of simulation, when applied to either the simple model or their more complex model under simpler conditions where the answers are known, leads to unphysical results. We also show that, when appropriate sampling is done, their model gives results in accord with the second law and detailed balance.     

Effects of Tau and Sampling Frequency on the Regularity Analysis of ECG and EEG Signals Using ApEn and SampEn Entropy Estimators

Electrocardiography (ECG) and electroencephalography (EEG) signals provide clinical information relevant to determine a patient’s health status. The nonlinear analysis of ECG and EEG signals allows for discovering characteristics that could not be found with traditional methods based on amplitude and frequency. Approximate entropy (ApEn) and sampling entropy (SampEn) are nonlinear data analysis algorithms that measure the data’s regularity, and these are used to classify different electrophysiological signals as normal or pathological. Entropy calculation requires setting the parameters r (tolerance threshold), m (immersion dimension), and τ (time delay), with the last one being related to how the time series is downsampled. In this study, we showed the dependence of ApEn and SampEn on different values of τ, for ECG and EEG signals with different sampling frequencies (F_s), extracted from a digital repository. We considered four values of F_s (128, 256, 384, and 512 Hz for the ECG signals, and 160, 320, 480, and 640 Hz for the EEG signals) and five values of τ (from 1 to 5). We performed parametric and nonparametric statistical tests to confirm that the groups of normal and pathological ECG and EEG signals were significantly different (p < 0.05) for each F and τ value. The separation between the entropy values of regular and irregular signals was variable, demonstrating the dependence of ApEn and SampEn with F_s and τ. For ECG signals, the separation between the conditions was more robust when using SampEn, the lowest value of F_s, and τ larger than 1. For EEG signals, the separation between the conditions was more robust when using SampEn with large values of F_s and τ larger than 1. Therefore, adjusting τ may be convenient for signals that were acquired with different F_s to ensure a reliable clinical classification. Furthermore, it is useful to set τ to values larger than 1 to reduce the computational cost.     

The Propagation of Transient Signals Along the Microstrip Using Wavelet Transformations

In this paper, we study the propagation property of the transient signals traveling along the microstrip using the method of the wavelet transform. This method has the advantages of improving the computation speed and localizing the waveform at any time and at any point along the transmission line to zoom in compared with the conventional Fourier transform. We give the dispersion of the Gaussian signal and the rectangle pulse signals on the microstrip. The results can be a reference in the study of the propagation of the ultra-high-speed and ultra-wide-band transient signals and in the design of MIC and MMIC.     

磁针偏转佯谬与Trouton-Noble零实验

在均匀直线电荷附近本来平行静置的磁针，对于在其中运动的参考系却 “因受外力矩而偏转”。用等效磁荷观点不仅圆满地解决了这一表观佯谬，而且还给出了普适的Lorentz力矩张量表达式，后者可对Trouton-Noble零实验的“偏转”力矩作出直接描述。     

The International Atomic Time and the Velocity of Light

Atomic clocks distributed around the world communicate with one another by means of radio signals. The synchronization signals sent by a transmitting station always reach the receiving station on time, at any hour of the day and in any season, despite the motion of the Earth. For some authors this means that these signals propagate isotropically (with one way velocity c), even with respect to the Earth's surface. In fact this may not be so; we show that the proper working of the network says nothing about the one-way velocity, as it is consistent with another theory, empirically (almost) equivalent to special relativity, in which the one-way speed of light has a directional dependence in moving frames.