空间的物理学

近些年来,在微重力环境中进行基础物理研究涉及到许多重大的基础物理课题,引起了国际理论物理界的关注,并被称为空间的基础物理学;进而,各国的空间局逐渐将微重力科学称之为空间的物理学,但空间的物理学并没有改变微重力科学的基本内容.随着国际空间站逐渐组装完成,空间站成员国正抓紧安排计划中的微重力科学实验项目,预计会在2016年以前取得一批重大成果.另一方面,需要在专门卫星上进行的引力理论和广义相对论验证实验,也在安排之中.在美国进行GP-B卫星计划后,探测引力波的LISA计划受到广泛的关注.空间的物理学将在促进重大学术成果和开拓新的技术发展两方面不断取得进展.     

2006年物理学进展要闻

2006年物理学界取得众多成果．在基础理论、物理实验、应用物理和材料科学等方面均获得许多重要进展．     

微重力科学进展

微重力科学是研究重力极大地减小的一种极端环境中的流体科学，材料科学，生物科学和技术，以及物理学若干基础问题的新兴学科，近年来，由于地面研究的加强，空间实验的增加以及实验定量化水平的提高，微重力研究取得了很好的进展。     

微重力环境利用

文章阐述了微重力条件下的流体物理基本现象的研究,包括流体和体积输运,扩散与质量输运,毛细与润湿、固化、成核与过冷、临界现象以及学科的相关性。继之,简要介绍了微重力实际应用,包括：太空材料加工,各咱晶体生长,金属与合金、复合材料、玻璃等加工工艺;燃烧与微重力问题;生命科学中微重力利用问题（另文发表）。其间,顺便讨论了航天技术发展对微重力科学的推进与限制,针对我国卫星应用这个课题,以理论联系实际的方法进行分析评价。该文是对《微重力实验环境》一文（见１９９８年第７期《物理》）的补充。     

物理学和理论物理

值此庆祝世界物理年之际，请允许我谈谈我对物理学和理论物理的理解．2004年6月10日联合国全体会议作出决议将2005年定为“世界物理年”．决议指出：“物理学是认识自然界的基础，物理学是当今众多技术发展的基石，物理教育为培养人的发展提供了必要的科学基础；并指出爱因斯坦在1905年的几项重要发现奠定了现代物理学的基础，它高度评价物理学在认识世界和改造世界以及提高人的科学素质等方面的基础作用．”     

物理学是自然科学的基础

 物理学是除数学外一切自然科学的基础.物理学是一切工程技术的重要支柱.把现代物理知识同工程技术应用紧密结合就可产生像激光、光纤通讯、大规模集成电路、材料科学等等新的高技术领域.     

使用陆果的《基础物理学》的教学实验

作为物理教学改革的试点,东南大学在９７级“强化班”选用陆果教授编著的《基础物理学》作为教材,本文就“力学和相对论”等内容的教学实践,谈谈使用新教材的体会,以期对面向２１世纪的物理教材的使用和物理教学的改革尽一点微薄的力量。     

大学基础物理学规划

大学基础物理学规划(IUPP)旨在改革微积分水平的物理课程。IUPP仅作为一个开端：我们意识到这门课程的改变，将要对从中学到大学物理专业的物理课程计划进行再评价。这个课题是由美国物理学会和美国物理教师协会共同发起的，IUPP是得到美国国家科学基金会的大学科学、工程、数学各部门的赞助的。     

物理竞赛中的物理图象

图象处理法是物理竞赛中常用的处理方法,主要表现在图象的"面积"与图象的交点两个方面.     

Physics Without Physics

David Finkelstein was very fond of the new information-theoretic paradigm of physics advocated by John Archibald Wheeler and Richard Feynman. Only recently, however, the paradigm has concretely shown its full power, with the derivation of quantum theory (Chiribella et al., Phys. Rev. A 84:012311, 2011; D’Ariano et al., 2017) and of free quantum field theory (D’Ariano and Perinotti, Phys. Rev. A 90:062106, 2014; Bisio et al., Phys. Rev. A 88:032301, 2013; Bisio et al., Ann. Phys. 354:244, 2015; Bisio et al., Ann. Phys. 368:177, 2016) from informational principles. The paradigm has opened for the first time the possibility of avoiding physical primitives in the axioms of the physical theory, allowing a re-foundation of the whole physics over logically solid grounds. In addition to such methodological value, the new information-theoretic derivation of quantum field theory is particularly interesting for establishing a theoretical framework for quantum gravity, with the idea of obtaining gravity itself as emergent from the quantum information processing, as also suggested by the role played by information in the holographic principle (Susskind, J. Math. Phys. 36:6377, 1995; Bousso, Rev. Mod. Phys. 74:825, 2002). In this paper I review how free quantum field theory is derived without using mechanical primitives, including space-time, special relativity, Hamiltonians, and quantization rules. The theory is simply provided by the simplest quantum algorithm encompassing a countable set of quantum systems whose network of interactions satisfies the three following simple principles: homogeneity, locality, and isotropy. The inherent discrete nature of the informational derivation leads to an extension of quantum field theory in terms of a quantum cellular automata and quantum walks. A simple heuristic argument sets the scale to the Planck one, and the currently observed regime where discreteness is not visible is the so-called “relativistic regime” of small wavevectors, which holds for all energies ever tested (and even much larger), where the usual free quantum field theory is perfectly recovered. In the present quantum discrete theory Einstein relativity principle can be restated without using space-time in terms of invariance of the eigenvalue equation of the automaton/walk under change of representations. Distortions of the Poincaré group emerge at the Planck scale, whereas special relativity is perfectly recovered in the relativistic regime. Discreteness, on the other hand, has some plus compared to the continuum theory: 1) it contains it as a special regime; 2) it leads to some additional features with GR flavor: the existence of an upper bound for the particle mass (with physical interpretation as the Planck mass), and a global De Sitter invariance; 3) it provides its own physical standards for space, time, and mass within a purely mathematical adimensional context. The paper ends with the future perspectives of this project, and with an Appendix containing biographic notes about my friendship with David Finkelstein, to whom this paper is dedicated.     

Physics in Helsinki

I trace the origins of teaching and research in physics and astronomy during the 17th and 18th centuries at the Academy of Turku (Åbo), which was relocated to Helsinki in 1827 and renamed as the Imperial Alexander University of Finland, and which in turn in 1917 became the University of Helsinki. I discuss the growth of physics in Helsinki during the 19th century, which culminated in the opening of a large new Physical Institute in 1911, pointing out the individuals responsible for these developments and the sites associated with them. I also discuss related events, such as the founding of a new astronomical observatory and a new magnetic observatory and the development of technical education in Helsinki. I conclude by discussing the construction of an accelerator laboratory and other important developments in physics in Helsinki after 1945.     

Physics in Melbourne

I survey highlights of the practice of physics and allied sciences in Melbourne,Australia, from the 1850s, soon after Europeans first settled in the area, to the present. I note recognizable sites of past and current physical-science activity that may be visited, as well as exhibits of historic items of physics apparatus. I trace the role of physics, in the course of a century and a half, in the evolution of a pioneering settlement into a large city embedded in a modern industrial economy.     

Physics in spain

The results of a recent nation-wide survey are used to describe the present situation of Physics in Spain. A brief history, relationship with national technology and comments on foreseeable prospects are also included.     

考古学中的物理——意大利博尔扎诺南蒂罗尔考古博物馆的冰人奥茨的研究

2007年1～2月间笔者应特伦托(Trento)大学物理系系主任Prof.Franco Dalfovo的邀请赴意大利讲学.期间,对博尔扎诺南蒂罗尔考古博物馆开展专题调研,印象颇为深刻.