Versatile wideband balanced detector for quantum optical homodyne tomography

We present a comprehensive theory and an easy to follow method for the design and construction of a wideband homodyne detector for time-domain quantum measurements. We show how one can evaluate the performance of a detector in a specific time-domain experiment based on the electronic spectral characteristic of that detector. We then present and characterize a high-performance detector constructed using inexpensive, commercially available components such as low-noise high-speed operational amplifiers and high-bandwidth photodiodes. Our detector shows linear behavior up to a level of over 13 dB clearance between shot noise and electronic noise, in the range from DC to 100 MHz. The detector can be used for measuring quantum optical field quadratures both in the continuous-wave and pulsed regimes with standard commercial mode-locked lasers.     

Color Measurement in Leaf Diagnosis

Abstract

The paper presents for the first time in literature the use of color measurement in leaf diagnosis. It uses the data obtained in certain well- established conditions, in CIE 1976 system for quantifying the color changes of leaves in different sufference (plant or leaf damage) symptoms.

The data are presented for sugar beet plants, but the application can be easily extended to any crop, arboretums, or ecological systems.

As a further extension of the study, it can be used in the telediagnosis of plants' sufferences by plane or even by satellite.     

Evaluation of three interventions teaching area measurement as spatial structuring to young children

We evaluated the effects of three instructional interventions designed to support young children’s understanding of area measurement as a structuring process. Replicating microgenetic procedures we used in previous research with older children to ascertain whether we can build these competencies earlier, we also extended the previous focus on correctness to include analyses of children’s use of procedural and conceptual knowledge and examined individual differences in strategy shifts before and after transitions, enabling a more detailed examination of the hypothesized necessity of development through each level of a learning trajectory. The two experimental interventions focused on a dynamic conception of area measurement while also emphasizing unit concepts, such as unit identification, iteration, and composition. The findings confirm and extend earlier results that seeing a complete record of the structure of the 2D array—in the form of a drawing of organized rows and columns—supported children’s spatial structuring and performance.     

Design of robust differential microphone arrays with the Jacobi–Anger expansion

Due to their small size, differential microphone arrays (DMAs) are very attractive. Moreover, they have been effective in combating noise and reverberation. Recently, a new class of DMAs of different orders have been developed with the MacLaurin’s series and the frequency-independent patterns. However, the MacLaurin’s series does not approximate well the exponential function, which appears in the general definition of the beampattern, when the intersensor spacing is not small enough. To circumvent this problem, we propose in this paper to approximate the exponential function with the Jacobi–Anger expansion. Based on this approximation and the frequency-independent Chebyshev patterns, we derive first-, second-, and third-order DMAs. Furthermore, in order to improve the robustness of DMAs against white noise amplification, we propose to use more microphones combined with minimum-norm filters. It is also shown that the Jacobi–Anger expansion is optimal from a mean-squared error perspective. Simulations are carried out to evaluate the performance of the proposed DMAs.     

Controlled quantum teleportation of an unknown single-qutrit state in noisy channels with memory

This paper proposes a three-dimensional(3 D) controlled quantum teleportation scheme for an unknown single-qutrit state. The scheme is first introduced in an ideal environment, and its detailed implementation is described via the transformation of the quantum system. Four types of 3 D-Pauli-like noise corresponding to Weyl operators are created by Kraus operators: trit-flip, t-phase-flip, trit-phase-flip, and t-depolarizing. Then, this scheme is analyzed in terms of four types of noisy channel with memory. For each type of noise, the average fidelity is calculated as a function of memory and noise parameters, which is afterwards compared with classical fidelity. The results demonstrate that for trit-flip and t-depolarizing noises, memory will increase the average fidelity regardless of the noise parameter. However, for t-phase-flip and trit-phaseflip noises, memory may become ineffective in increasing the average fidelity above a certain noise threshold.     

Coherence resonance in a noise-driven gene network regulated by small RNA

Small RNA has recently drawn more and more attention. In this paper, we concentrate on the influence of noises on gene network regulated by small RNA using chemical Langevin equation. It shows that the noise can cause oscillation when the oscillate does not occur in the corresponding deterministic system. The coherence of the noise induced oscillation reaches a maximum for an optimal intensity of noise, and the coherence resonance appears accordingly. The findings imply probably omnipresent importance of noise in the functioning process of living organism.     

On finiteness and continuity of shot noise processes

For a rather general class of stochastic processes induced by time-stationary and by event-stationary random marked point processes, respectively, conditions are given for the almost sure finiteness of these processes and for their continuous dependence on the underlying random marked point process.     

Influence of the automotive Start/Stop system on noise emission: Experimental study

One of the most common environmental impacts of road transportation is the traffic noise. Linked to this, Start/Stop is a technology which has demonstrated to save fuel by powering off the engine when the vehicle is stopped, such as in front of a traffic light, and restarting the engine instantly when the driver pushes back the pedal brake to proceed. The technology helps also to reduce the CO₂ emission, playing a key role in a way to accomplish stringent emission norms for vehicle manufacturer. However, we are not sure whether it reduces the noise emission and how much? Thus, the main aim of this work is to assess the engine noise emissions of a vehicle incorporating a Start/Stop system in urban traffic, and compare it with those radiated by the mean traffic stream. Experimental results demonstrate that there are no contributions of the Start/Stop system to reduce meaningfully the engine noise in urban traffic.