Smilansky's model of irreversible quantum graphs, II: the point spectrum

In the model suggested by Smilansky one studies an operator describing the interaction between a quantum graph and a system of K one-dimensional oscillators attached at different points of the graph. This paper is a continuation of our investigation of the case K>1. For the sake of simplicity we consider K=2, but our argument applies to the general situation. In this second paper we apply the variational approach to the study of the point spectrum.Comment: 18 page

Optimal Measurements for Tests of EPR-Steering with No Detection Loophole using Two-Qubit Werner States

It has been shown in earlier works that the vertices of Platonic solids are good measurement choices for tests of EPR-steering using isotropically entangled pairs of qubits. Such measurements are regularly spaced, and measurement diversity is a good feature for making EPR-steering inequalities easier to violate in the presence of experimental imperfections. However, such measurements are provably suboptimal. Here, we develop a method for devising optimal strategies for tests of EPR-steering, in the sense of being most robust to mixture and inefficiency (while still closing the detection loophole of course), for a given number $n$ of measurement settings. We allow for arbitrary measurement directions, and arbitrary weightings of the outcomes in the EPR-steering inequality. This is a difficult optimization problem for large $n$, so we also consider more practical ways of constructing near-optimal EPR-steering inequalities in this limit.Comment: 15 pages, 11 Figure

Criticality and Condensation in a Non-Conserving Zero Range Process

The Zero-Range Process, in which particles hop between sites on a lattice under conserving dynamics, is a prototypical model for studying real-space condensation. Within this model the system is critical only at the transition point. Here we consider a non-conserving Zero-Range Process which is shown to exhibit generic critical phases which exist in a range of creation and annihilation parameters. The model also exhibits phases characterised by mesocondensates each of which contains a subextensive number of particles. A detailed phase diagram, delineating the various phases, is derived.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figure, published versi

Spacetime Supersymmetry in a nontrivial NS-NS Superstring Background

In this paper we consider superstring propagation in a nontrivial NS-NS background. We deform the world sheet stress tensor and supercurrent with an infinitesimal B_{\mu\nu} field. We construct the gauge-covariant super-Poincare generators in this background and show that the B_{\mu\nu} field spontaneously breaks spacetime supersymmetry. We find that the gauge-covariant spacetime momenta cease to commute with each other and with the spacetime supercharges. We construct a set of "magnetic" super-Poincare generators that are conserved for constant field strength H_{\mu\nu\lambda}, and show that these generators obey a "magnetic" extension of the ordinary supersymmetry algebra.Comment: 13 pages, Latex. Published versio

Slow Coarsening in a Class of Driven Systems

The coarsening process in a class of driven systems is studied. These systems have previously been shown to exhibit phase separation and slow coarsening in one dimension. We consider generalizations of this class of models to higher dimensions. In particular we study a system of three types of particles that diffuse under local conserving dynamics in two dimensions. Arguments and numerical studies are presented indicating that the coarsening process in any number of dimensions is logarithmically slow in time. A key feature of this behavior is that the interfaces separating the various growing domains are smooth (well approximated by a Fermi function). This implies that the coarsening mechanism in one dimension is readily extendible to higher dimensions.Comment: submitted to EPJB, 13 page

Smilansky's model of irreversible quantum graphs, I: the absolutely continuous spectrum

In the model suggested by Smilansky one studies an operator describing the interaction between a quantum graph and a system of $K$ one-dimensional oscillators attached at several different points in the graph. The present paper is the first one in which the case $K>1$ is investigated. For the sake of simplicity we consider K=2, but our argument is of a general character. In this first of two papers on the problem, we describe the absolutely continuous spectrum. Our approach is based upon scattering theory

Making a national atlas of population by computer

This paper describes the conceptual and practical problems encountered and solved in producing a multi-colour atlas of population characteristics in Great Britain. The atlas itself is in A4 format; it consists of some thirty-four maps of Great Britain in four colours and the same number of regional maps, together with descriptive text. All maps were plotted on a laser plotter with a resolution of 127 microns. The paper describes how mapping of ratios, such as percentages, was found to be highly misleading and describes the novel probability mapping solution adopted, based on the signed chi-square statistic. In addition, the rationale for selecting the class intervals and for selecting colour schemes is described

What are the implications of rising commodity prices for inflation and monetary policy?

The recent run-ups in oil and other commodity prices and their implications for inflation and monetary policy have grabbed the attention of many commentators in the media. Clearly, higher prices of food and energy end up in the broadest measures of consumer price inflation, such as the Consumer Price Index. Since the mid-1980s, however, sharp increases and decreases in commodity prices have had little, if any, impact on core inflation, the measure that excludes food and energy prices.Inflation (Finance) ; Monetary policy ; Consumer price indexes