Phase detection at the quantum limit with multiphoton Mach-Zehnder interferometry

We study a Mach-Zehnder interferometer fed by a coherent state in one input port and vacuum in the other. We explore a Bayesian phase estimation strategy to demonstrate that it is possible to achieve the standard quantum limit independently from the true value of the phase shift and specific assumptions on the noise of the interferometer. We have been able to implement the protocol by using parallel operation of two photon-number-resolving detectors and multiphoton coincidence logic electronics at the output ports of a weakly illuminated Mach-Zehnder interferometer. This protocol is unbiased, saturates the Cramer-Rao phase uncertainty bound, and, therefore, is an optimal phase estimation strategy.     

A heuristic for the Steiner problem in graphs

In this paper, we present a heuristic for the Steiner problem in graphs (SPG) along with some experimental results. The heuristic is based on an approach similar to Prim's algorithm for the minimum spanning tree. However, in this approach, arcs are associated with preference weights which are used to break ties among alternative choices of shortest paths occurring during the course of the algorithm. The preference weights are calculated according to a global view which takes into consideration the effect of all the regular nodes, nodes to be connected, on determining the choice of an arc in the solution tree.     

A convenient synthesis of methyl 2-hydroxy-4-oxo-4-(substituted phenyl) butanoates from malic acid

A synthesis of methyl 2-hydroxy-4-oxo-4-(substituted phenyl)butanoates has been accomplished using Friedel-Crafts acylation of substituted benzenes with 2-acetoxybutanoyl chloride.The key feature of this strategy is that various 4-arylbutanoates can be obtained conveniently,which are important intermediates for the synthesis of biologically active compounds including ACE inhibitors.     

PEG-SO_3H as catalyst for the Beckmann rearrangement and dehydration of oximes

Under mild conditions, conversion of a variety of ketoximes and aldoximes to their corresponding amides and nitriles proceeded in the presence of PEG-SO3H with high yields.     

Thermo‐hydrodynamic‐mechanical multiphase flow model for CO2 sequestration in fracturing porous media

In this paper, we introduce a fully coupled thermo‐hydrodynamic‐mechanical computational model for multiphase flow in a deformable porous solid, exhibiting crack propagation due to fluid dynamics, with focus on CO₂ geosequestration. The geometry is described by a matrix domain, a fracture domain, and a matrix‐fracture domain. The fluid flow in the matrix domain is governed by Darcy's law and that in the crack is governed by the Navier–Stokes equations. At the matrix‐fracture domain, the fluid flow is governed by a leakage term derived from Darcy's law. Upon crack propagation, the conservation of mass and energy of the crack fluid is constrained by the isentropic process. We utilize the representative elementary volume‐averaging theory to formulate the mathematical model of the porous matrix, and the drift flux model to formulate the fluid dynamics in the fracture. The numerical solution is conducted using a mixed finite element discretization scheme. The standard Galerkin finite element method is utilized to discretize the diffusive dominant field equations, and the extended finite element method is utilized to discretize the crack propagation, and the fluid leakage at the boundaries between layers of different physical properties. A numerical example is given to demonstrate the computational capability of the model. It shows that the model, despite the relatively large number of degrees of freedom of different physical nature per node, is computationally efficient, and geometry and effectively mesh independent. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Designing cyclic universe models

The phenomenological constraints on the scalar field potential in cyclic models of the Universe are presented. We show that cyclic models require a comparable degree of tuning to that needed for inflationary models. The constraints are reduced to a set of simple design rules including "fast-roll" parameters analogous to the "slow-roll" parameters in inflation.     

Synthetic aperture radar image correlation by use of preprocessing for enhancement of scattering centers

We demonstrate that a significant improvement can be obtained in the recognition of complicated synthetic aperture radar images taken from the Moving and Stationary Target Acquisitions and Recognition database. These images typically have a low number of scattering centers and high noise. We first preprocess the images and the templates formed from them so that their scattering centers are enhanced. Our technique can produce high-quality performance in several correlation criteria. For realistic automatic target recognition systems, our approach should make it easy to implement optical recognition systems with binarized data for many different types of correlation filter and should have a great effect on feeding data-compressed (binarized) information into either digital or optical processors.     

X‐ray spectrometry applied for characterization of bricks of Brazilian historical sites

This paper presents the results of X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis of bricks sampled from historical places in Pernambuco, a state in the northeastern region of Brazil. In this study, twenty bricks found in historical sites were analyzed. Two bricks made in the 17th century, presumably used as ballast in ships coming from Holland, five locally manufactured bricks: one from 18th century, three from 19th century, and one from 20th century, and thirteen bricks collected from a recent Archeological investigation of Alto da Sé, in the town of Olinda. Qualitative determination of the chemical elements present in the samples was undertaken using a self‐assembled portable XRF system based on a compact X‐ray tube and a thermoelectrically cooled Si‐PIN photodiode system, both commercially available. X‐ray diffraction analysis was also carried out to assess the crystalline mineral phases present in the bricks. The results showed that quartz (SiO₂) is the major mineral content in all bricks. Although less expressive in the XRD patterns, mineral phases of illite, kaolinite, anorthite, and rutile are also identified. The trace element distribution patterns of the bricks, determined by the XRF technique, is dominated by Fe and, in decreasing order, by K, Ti, Ca, Mn, Zr, Rb, Sr, Cr, and Y with slight differences among them. Analyses of the chemical compositional features of the bricks, evaluated by principal component analysis of the XRF datasets, allowed the samples to be grouped into five clusters with similar chemical composition. These cluster groups were able to identify both age and manufacturing sites. Dutch bricks prepared with different geological clays compositions were defined.