Orbital Magnetic Dipole Mode in Deformed Clusters: A Fully Microscopic Analysis

The orbital M1 collective mode predicted for deformed clusters in a schematic model is studied in a self-consistent random-phase-approximation approach which fully exploits the shell structure of the clusters. The microscopic mechanism of the excitation is clarified and the close correlation with E2 mode established. The study shows that the M1 strength of the mode is fragmented over a large energy interval. In spite of that, the fraction remaining at low energy, well below the overwhelming dipole plasmon resonance, is comparable to the strength predicted in the schematic model. The importance of this result in view of future experiments is stressed.Comment: 10 pages, 3 Postscript figures, uses revte

Distributed correlations and information flows within a hybrid multipartite quantum-classical system

Understanding the non-Markovian mechanisms underlying the revivals of quantum entanglement in the presence of classical environments is central in the theory of quantum information. Tentative interpretations have been given by either the role of the environment as a control device or the concept of hidden entanglement. We address this issue from an information-theoretic point of view. To this aim, we consider a paradigmatic tripartite system, already realized in the laboratory, made of two independent qubits and a random classical field locally interacting with one qubit alone. We study the dynamical relationship between the two-qubit entanglement and the genuine tripartite correlations of the overall system, finding that collapse and revivals of entanglement correspond, respectively, to raise and fall of the overall tripartite correlations. Interestingly, entanglement dark periods can enable plateaux of nonzero tripartite correlations. We then explain this behavior in terms of information flows among the different parties of the system. Besides showcasing the phenomenon of the freezing of overall correlations, our results provide new insights on the origin of retrieval of entanglement within a hybrid quantum-classical system.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures. To appear on Phys. Rev.

Toroidal, compression, and vortical dipole strengths in 144−154^{144-154}Sm: Skyrme-RPA exploration of deformation effect

A comparative analysis of toroidal, compressional and vortical dipole strengths in the spherical $^{144}$Sm and the deformed $^{154}$Sm is performed within the random-phase-approximation using a set of different Skyrme forces. Isoscalar (T=0), isovector (T=1), and electromagnetic excitation channels are considered. The role of the nuclear convection $j_{\text{con}}$ and magnetization $j_{\text{mag}}$ currents is inspected. It is shown that the deformation leads to an appreciable redistribution of the strengths and causes a spectacular deformation splitting (exceeding 5 MeV) of the isoscalar compressional mode. In $^{154}$Sm, the $\mu$=0 and $\mu$=1 branches of the mode form well separated resonances. When stepping from $^{144}$Sm to $^{154}$Sm, we observe an increase of the toroidal, compression and vortical contributions in the low-energy region (often called pygmy resonance). The strength in this region seems to be an overlap of various excitation modes. The energy centroids of the strengths depend significantly on the isoscalar effective mass $m_0$. Skyrme forces with a large $m_0$ (typically $m_0/m \approx 0.8 - 1$) seem to be more suitable for description of experimental data for the isoscalar giant dipole resonance.Comment: 13 pages, 10 figures, submitted to EJP

Extraction of Airways with Probabilistic State-space Models and Bayesian Smoothing

Segmenting tree structures is common in several image processing applications. In medical image analysis, reliable segmentations of airways, vessels, neurons and other tree structures can enable important clinical applications. We present a framework for tracking tree structures comprising of elongated branches using probabilistic state-space models and Bayesian smoothing. Unlike most existing methods that proceed with sequential tracking of branches, we present an exploratory method, that is less sensitive to local anomalies in the data due to acquisition noise and/or interfering structures. The evolution of individual branches is modelled using a process model and the observed data is incorporated into the update step of the Bayesian smoother using a measurement model that is based on a multi-scale blob detector. Bayesian smoothing is performed using the RTS (Rauch-Tung-Striebel) smoother, which provides Gaussian density estimates of branch states at each tracking step. We select likely branch seed points automatically based on the response of the blob detection and track from all such seed points using the RTS smoother. We use covariance of the marginal posterior density estimated for each branch to discriminate false positive and true positive branches. The method is evaluated on 3D chest CT scans to track airways. We show that the presented method results in additional branches compared to a baseline method based on region growing on probability images.Comment: 10 pages. Pre-print of the paper accepted at Workshop on Graphs in Biomedical Image Analysis. MICCAI 2017. Quebec Cit

Toroidal, compression, and vortical dipole strengths in 124Sn

The toroidal, compression and vortical dipole strength functions in semi-magic $^{124}$Sn (and partly in doubly-magic $^{100,132}$Sn) are analyzed within the random-phase-approximation method with the SkT6, SkI3, SLy6, SV-bas, and SkM* Skyrme forces. The isoscalar (T=0), isovector (T=1), and electromagnetic ('elm') channels are considered. Both convection $j_c$ and magnetization $j_m$ nuclear currents are taken into account. The calculations basically confirm the previous results obtained for $^{208}$Pb with the force SLy6. In particular, it is shown that the vortical and toroidal strengths are dominated by $j_c$ in T=0 channel and by $j_m$ in T=1 and 'elm' channels. The compression strength is always determined by $j_c$. It is also shown that the 'elm' strength (relevant for (e,e') reaction) is very similar to T=1 one. The toroidal mode resides in the region of the pygmy resonance. So, perhaps, this region embraces both irrotational (pygmy) and vortical (toroidal) flows.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figures, submitted to Phys. Script

Upper bounds for the secure key rate of decoy state quantum key distribution

The use of decoy states in quantum key distribution (QKD) has provided a method for substantially increasing the secret key rate and distance that can be covered by QKD protocols with practical signals. The security analysis of these schemes, however, leaves open the possibility that the development of better proof techniques, or better classical post-processing methods, might further improve their performance in realistic scenarios. In this paper, we derive upper bounds on the secure key rate for decoy state QKD. These bounds are based basically only on the classical correlations established by the legitimate users during the quantum communication phase of the protocol. The only assumption about the possible post-processing methods is that double click events are randomly assigned to single click events. Further we consider only secure key rates based on the uncalibrated device scenario which assigns imperfections such as detection inefficiency to the eavesdropper. Our analysis relies on two preconditions for secure two-way and one-way QKD: The legitimate users need to prove that there exists no separable state (in the case of two-way QKD), or that there exists no quantum state having a symmetric extension (one-way QKD), that is compatible with the available measurements results. Both criteria have been previously applied to evaluate single-photon implementations of QKD. Here we use them to investigate a realistic source of weak coherent pulses. The resulting upper bounds can be formulated as a convex optimization problem known as a semidefinite program which can be efficiently solved. For the standard four-state QKD protocol, they are quite close to known lower bounds, thus showing that there are clear limits to the further improvement of classical post-processing techniques in decoy state QKD.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figure

The Spitzer search for the transits of HARPS low-mass planets - II. Null results for 19 planets

Short-period super-Earths and Neptunes are now known to be very frequent around solar-type stars. Improving our understanding of these mysterious planets requires the detection of a significant sample of objects suitable for detailed characterization. Searching for the transits of the low-mass planets detected by Doppler surveys is a straightforward way to achieve this goal. Indeed, Doppler surveys target the most nearby main-sequence stars, they regularly detect close-in low-mass planets with significant transit probability, and their radial velocity data constrain strongly the ephemeris of possible transits. In this context, we initiated in 2010 an ambitious Spitzer multi-Cycle transit search project that targeted 25 low-mass planets detected by radial velocity, focusing mainly on the shortest-period planets detected by the HARPS spectrograph. We report here null results for 19 targets of the project. For 16 planets out of 19, a transiting configuration is strongly disfavored or firmly rejected by our data for most planetary compositions. We derive a posterior probability of 83% that none of the probed 19 planets transits (for a prior probability of 22%), which still leaves a significant probability of 17% that at least one of them does transit. Globally, our Spitzer project revealed or confirmed transits for three of its 25 targeted planets, and discarded or disfavored the transiting nature of 20 of them. Our light curves demonstrate for Warm Spitzer excellent photometric precisions: for 14 targets out of 19, we were able to reach standard deviations that were better than 50ppm per 30 min intervals. Combined with its Earth-trailing orbit, which makes it capable of pointing any star in the sky and to monitor it continuously for days, this work confirms Spitzer as an optimal instrument to detect sub-mmag-deep transits on the bright nearby stars targeted by Doppler surveys.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics. 23 pages, 21 figure

Electromagnetic Modes in Deformed Nuclei

A strength function method is adopted to describe a coupling between electric and magnetic modes of different multipolarity. The collective vibrations are analysed for a separable residual interaction in the framework of the random-phase approximation. The coupling between $M2$ and $E1$ giant resonances is considered as an illustrative example.Comment: 7 pages (latex), 1 figure (ps file), an invited talk at the workshop "Symmetries and Spin - Praha 98", to be published in Czech.J.Phys., 199