Scientific Series

A variety of physical phenomena involve multiple length and time scales. Some interesting examples of multiple-scale phenomena are: (a) the mechanical behavior of crystals and in particular the interplay of chemistry and mechanical stress in determining the macroscopic brittle or ductile response of solids; (b) the molecular-scale forces at interfaces and their effect in macroscopic phenomena like wetting and friction; (c) the alteration of the structure and electronic properties of macromolecular systems due to external forces, as in stretched DNA nanowires or carbon nanotubes. In these complex physical systems, the changes in bonding and atomic configurations at the microscopic, atomic level have profound effects on the macroscopic properties, be they of mechanical or electrical nature. Linking the processes at the two extremes of the length scale spectrum is the only means of achieving a deeper understanding of these phenomena and, ultimately, of being able to control them. While methodologies for describing the physics at a single scale are well developed in many fields of physics, chemistry or engineering, methodologies that couple scales remain a challenge, both from the conceptual point as well as from the computational point. In this presentation I will discuss the development of methodologies for simulations across disparate length scales with the aim of obtaining a detailed description of complex phenomena of the type described above. I will also present illustrative examples, including hydrogen embrittlement of metals, DNA conductivity and translocation through nanopores, and affecting the wettability of surfaces by surface chemical modification.

Inspired by the notion that the differences between quantum theory and classical physics are best expressed in terms of information theory, Hardy (2001) and Clifton, Bub, and Halvorson (2003) have constructed frameworks general enough to embrace both quantum and classical physics, within which one can invoke principles that distinguish the classical from the quantum. Independently of any view that quantum theory is essentially about quantum information, such frameworks provide a useful tool for exploring the differences between classical and quantum physics, and the relations between the various properties of quantum mechanics that distinguish it from the classical. In particular, we can ask: on which features of quantum physics do our familiar possibility/impossibility theorems depend? It turns out that it is possible to extend the no-cloning theorem and other results, such as the Holevo bound on acquisition of information by a single measurement, beyond the quantum setting.

A cosmological model based on an inhomogeneous D3-brane moving in an AdS_5 X S_5 bulk is introduced. Although there is no special points in the bulk, the brane Universe has a center and is isotropic around it. The model has an accelerating expansion and its effective cosmological constant is inversely proportional to the distance from the center, giving a possible geometrical origin for the smallness of a present-day cosmological constant. Besides, if our model is considered as an alternative of early time acceleration, it is shown that the early stage accelerating phase ends in a dust dominated FRW homogeneous Universe. Mirage-driven acceleration thus provides a dark matter component for the brane Universe final state. We finally show that the model fulfills the current constraints on inhomogeneities.

Entanglement entropy is currently of interest in several areas in physics, such as condensed matter, field theory, and quantum information. One of the most interesting properties of the entanglement entropy is its scaling behavior, especially close to phase transitions. It was believed that for dimensions higher than 1 the entropy scales like surface area of the subsystem. We will describe a recent result for free fermions at zero temperature, where the entropy in fact scales faster. The latter problem will be related to a mathematical conjecture due to H. Widom (1982). This is a joint work with I. Klich.

I will describe some recent advances in the simulation of binary black hole spacetimes using a numerical scheme based on generalized harmonic coordinates. After a brief overview of the formalism and method, I will present results from the evolution of a couple of classes of initial data, including Cook-Pfieffer quasi-circular inspiral data sets, and binaries constructed via scalar field collapse. In the latter case, preliminary studies suggest that in certain regions of parameter space there is extreme sensitivity of the resulting orbit to the initial conditions. In this regime the equal mass black holes exhibit behavior reminiscent of "zoom-whirl" particle trajectories in the test-mass limit.

While modern theories lavishly invoke several spatial dimensions within models that seek to unify relativity theory and quantum mechanics, none seems to consider the possibility that a yet-unfamiliar aspect of time may do the work. I introduce the notion of Becoming and then consider its consequences for physical theory. Becoming portrays a possible aspect of time that is "curled" very much like the extra spatial dimensions in superstring theories. Within the resulting picture of spacetime, some fundamental aspects of quantum mechanics, special and general relativity, thermodynamics and modern cosmology fit in very naturally. The proposed model is not yet a scientific theory as it still lacks a rigorous formalism and experimental predictions, yet it points out an entire family of possible theories that merit serious consideration.

Hamiltonian oracles are the continuum limit of the standard unitary quantum oracles. In addition to being a potentially useful tool in the study of standard oracles, Hamiltonian oracles naturally introduce the concept of fractional queries and are amenable to study using techniques of differential equations and geometry. As an example of these ideas we shall examine the Hamiltonian oracle corresponding to the problem of oracle interrogation. This talk is intended for all those who wish to apply their knowledge of differential geometry without the risk of creating an event horizon.

Familiar textbook quantum mechanics assumes a fixed background spacetime to define states on spacelike surfaces and their unitary evolution between them. Quantum theory has been generalized as our conceptions of space and time have evolved. But quantum mechanics needs to be generalized further for quantum gravity where spacetime geometry is fluctuating and without definite value. This talk will review a fully four-dimensional, sum-over-histories, generalized quantum mechanics of cosmological spacetime geometry. In this generalization, states of fields on spacelike surfaces and their unitary evolution are emergent properties appropriate when spacetime geometry behaves approximately classically. The principles of generalized quantum theory would allow for further generalization that would be necessary were spacetime not fundamental. Emergent spacetime phenomena are discussed in general and illustrated with the examples of the classical spacetime geometries with large spacelike surfaces that emerge from the `no-boundary' wave function of the universe. These must be Lorentzian with one, and only one, time direction. The question will be raised as to whether quantum mechanics itself is emergent.