What is the momentum spectrum of a particle moving in an infinite deep square well? Einstein, Pauli and Yukawa had adopted different point of view than that in usual text books. The theoretical and experimental implication of this problem is discussed.
The EPR paradox and the meaning of the Bell inequality are discussed. It is shown that considering the quantum objects as carrying with them instruction kits telling them what to do when meeting a measurement apparatus any paradox disappears. In this view the quantum state is characterized by the prescribed behaviour rather than by the specific value a parameter assumes as a result of an interaction.
Einstein, Podolsky and Rosen (EPR) pointed out that the quantum-mechanical description of physical reality implied an unphysical, instantaneous action between distant measurements. To avoid such an action at a distance, EPR concluded that Quantum Mechanics had to be incomplete. However, its extensions involving additional hidden variables, allowing for the recovery of determinism and locality, have been disproved experimentally (Bells theorem). Here, I present an opposite solution of the paradox based on the greater indeterminism of the modern Quantum Field Theory (QFT) description of Particle Physics, that prevents the preparation of any state having a definite number of particles. The resulting uncertainty in photons radiation has interesting consequences in Quantum Information Theory (e.g. cryptography and teleportation). Moreover, since it allows for less elements of EPR physical reality than the old non-relativistic Quantum Mechanics, QFT satisfies the EPR condition of completeness without the need of hidden variables. The residual physical reality does never violate locality, thus the unique objective proof of quantum nonlocality is removed in an interpretation-independent way. On the other hand, the supposed nonlocality of the EPR correlations turns out to be a problem of the interpretation of the theory. If we do not rely on hidden variables or new physics beyond QFT, the unique viable interpretation is a minimal statistical one, that preserves locality and Lorentz symmetry.
This Colloquium examines the field of the EPR Gedankenexperiment, from the original paper of Einstein, Podolsky and Rosen, through to modern theoretical proposals of how to realize both the continuous-variable and discre
Stellar conditions leading to a possible semi-convective mixing are discussed in three relevant cases: (1) low mass MS stars in which the CNO cycle takes progressively the lead over the PP chain due to the increase in temperature as core hydrogen burning proceeds, (2) massive MS stars which experience a large contri- bution of the radiation pressure to the total pressure and (3) core helium burning stars for which the production of carbon in the core increases the opacity. A short discussion of semi-convection in terms of instability of non radial modes follows.
Quantum simulators are devices that actively use quantum effects to answer questions about model systems and, through them, real systems. Here we expand on this definition by answering several fundamental questions about the nature and use of quantum simulators. Our answers address two important areas. First, the difference between an operation termed simulation and another termed computation. This distinction is related to the purpose of an operation, as well as our confidence in and expectation of its accuracy. Second, the threshold between quantum and classical simulations. Throughout, we provide a perspective on the achievements and directions of the field of quantum simulation.