Stress Tensor Fluctuations and Passive Quantum Gravity

The quantum fluctuations of the stress tensor of a quantum field are discussed, as are the resulting space-time metric fluctuations. Passive quantum gravity is an approximation in which gravity is not directly quantized, but fluctuations of the space-time geometry are driven by stress tensor fluctuations. We discuss a decomposition of the stress tensor correlation function into three parts, and consider the physical implications of each part. The operational significance of metric fluctuations and the possible limits of validity of semiclassical gravity are discussed.     

Localization of light energy on the nanometer scale in a silicon cone

The spatial structure of light fields in a metallized cone filled with a medium with complex dielectric function was studied on the basis of the exact solution of the eigenwave problem. It is suggested that silicon can be used as a core of optical probe in the visible spectral region. It is shown that the density of light energy at the output of optical probe can be drastically increased if silicon is used instead of glass fiber.     

Une méthode de calcul des coefficients de réflexion et de transmission d'une houle bidimensionnelle en milieu confinéA new method for the calculation of transmission and reflection coefficients for water waves in a small basin

This paper presents a method to estimate reflected and transmitted wave amplitude spectra in a bounded domain such as a wave tank, when available data signals must be shortened due to interferences and wall effects. This paper extends the well known Goda and Suzuki two-probe method to three probes. The paper also suggests solutions to compute reliable transmission and reflection coefficients in spite of problems linked to higher harmonics and to the interference between different wave trains propagating in the tank. To cite this article: G. Duclos, A.H. Clément, C. R. Mecanique 331 (2003).     

Hg1-xCdxTe/Cd1-zZnzTe的X射线反射率及半峰全宽的动力学研究

X射线衍射摇摆曲线的计算机模拟是一种获得材料晶体质量参量的有效方法，其中材料本征摇摆曲线的计算是计算机模拟的基础。用X射线动力学理论计算了Hg1-xCdxTe和Cd1-zZnzTe本征反射率曲线，并研究了组分、膜厚分别对本征反射率和半峰全宽的影响。结果表明Hg1-xCdxTe和Cd1-zZnzTe的本征反射率和半峰全宽与材料组分和厚度有明显的依赖关系，且该依赖关系取决于X射线在材料中的散射和吸收的相对强弱。薄膜的厚度也是直接影响本征摇摆曲线峰形、半峰全宽和反射率的重要因素，当薄膜厚度小于穿透深度时，表征本征反射率曲线的各个参量均与薄膜厚度有直接的关系。对于(333)衍射面，碲镉汞材料厚度大于7μm后，本征反射率和半峰全宽将不再发生明显变化。     

WITCH: A Penning Trap Retardation Spectrometer Combination for Precision Studies of the Weak Interaction

We present data from three seasons of experimental field work designed to recreate ancient Andean coastal ceramic firing techniques. Based on the recent discovery of two different archaeological ceramic production sites in the La Leche river valley of northern coastal Peru, the opportunity arose to apply Mössbauer spectroscopy and other analytical methods to reconstruct ancient firing procedures. Two sets of firings took place in 1993 and 1997 in Batán Grande using a partially restored Formative kiln from about 800 BC, local hardwood and cow dung as fuel. A third experiment followed in 2000 after the discovery of a Middle Sicán ceramics workshop in use between ca. AD 950 and 1050 at Huaca Sialupe, where an exact replica of an ancient kiln was built from local clay, and fired with local wood and cow dung. Additionally, inverted urns found at Huaca Sialupe were tested for their potential use as furnaces for metal working. Mössbauer spectroscopy was used to compare the physical and chemical state of specimens produced in the field experiments with ancient ceramics and with specimens produced in controlled laboratory experiments.     

B-Theory of Runge-Kutta methods for stiff volterra functional differential equations

B-stability andB-convergence theories of Runge-Kutta methods for nonlinear stiff Volterra functional differential equations (VFDEs) are established which provide unified theoretical foundation for the study of Runge-Kutta methods when applied to nonlinear stiff initial value problems (IVPs) in ordinary differential equations (ODEs), delay differential equations (DDEs), integro-differential equations (IDEs) and VFDEs of other type which appear in practice.     

Asymptotic Regimes of Magnetic Bianchi Cosmologies

We consider the asymptotic dynamics of the Einstein-Maxwell field equations for the class of non-tilted Bianchi cosmologies with a barotropic perfect fluid and a pure homogeneous source-free magnetic field, with emphasis on models of Bianchi type VII₀, which have not been previously studied. Using the orthonormal frame formalism and Hubble-normalized variables, we show that, as is the case for the previously studied class A magnetic Bianchi models, the magnetic Bianchi VII₀ cosmologies also exhibit an oscillatory approach to the initial singularity. However, in contrast to the other magnetic Bianchi models, we rigorously establish that typical magnetic Bianchi VII₀ cosmologies exhibit the phenomena of asymptotic self-similarity breaking and Weyl curvature dominance in the late-time regime.