The steady state of a driven dense ensemble of two-level atoms is determined from the competition of coherent laser excitation and decay that acts in a correlated way on several atoms simultaneously. We show that the presence of this non-local dissip
ation lifts the direct link between the density of excited atoms and the photon emission rate which is typically present when atoms decay independently. The non-locality disconnects these static and dynamic observables so that a dynamical transition in one does not necessarily imply a transition in the other. Furthermore, the collective nature of the quantum jump operators governing the non-local decay results in the formation of spatial coherence in the steady state which can be measured by analyzing solely global quantities - the photon emission rate and the density of excited atoms. The experimental realization of the system with strontium atoms in a lattice is discussed.
The generalization of Einsteins special theory of relativity (SRT) is proposed. In this model the possibility of unification of scalar gravity and electromagnetism into a single united field is considered. Formally, the generalization of the SRT is t
hat instead of (1+3)-dimensional Minkowski space the (1+4)-dimensional extension G is considered. As a fifth additional coordinate the interval S is used. This value is saved under the usual Lorentz transformations in Minkowski space M, but it changes when the transformations in the extended space G are used. We call this model the extended space model (ESM). From a physical point of view our expansion means that processes in which the rest mass of the particles changes are acceptable now. If the rest mass of a particle does not change and the physical quantities do not depend on an additional variable S, then the electromagnetic and gravitational fields exist independently of each other. But if the rest mass is variable and there is a dependence on S, then these two fields are combined into a single united field. In the extended space model a photon can have a nonzero mass and this mass can be either positive or negative. The gravitational effects such as the speed of escape, gravitational red shift and deflection of light can be analyzed in the frame of the extended space model. In this model all these gravitational effects can be found algebraically by the rotations in the (1+4) dimensional space. Now it becomes possible to predict some future results of visible size of super massive objects in our Universe due to new stage of experimental astronomy development in the Radio Astron Project and analyze phenomena of the star V838 Monocerotis explosion as possible Local Big Bang (LBB).
We propose to detect and to study neutrino neutral current coherent scattering off atomic nuclei with a two-phase emission detector using liquid xenon as a working medium. Expected signals and backgrounds are calculated for two possible experimental
sites: Kalinin Nuclear Power Plant in the Russian Federation and Spallation Neutron Source at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the USA. Both sites have advantages as well as limitations. However the experiment looks feasible at either location. Preliminary design of the detector and supporting R&D program are discussed.
Alkaline-earth-metal atoms exhibit long-range dipolar interactions, which are generated via the coherent exchange of photons on the 3P_0-3D_1-transition of the triplet manifold. In case of bosonic strontium, which we discuss here, this transition has
a wavelength of 2.7 mu m and a dipole moment of 2.46 Debye, and there exists a magic wavelength permitting the creation of optical lattices that are identical for the states 3P_0 and 3D_1. This interaction enables the realization and study of mixtures of hard-core lattice bosons featuring long-range hopping, with tuneable disorder and anisotropy. We derive the many-body Master equation, investigate the dynamics of excitation transport and analyze spectroscopic signatures stemming from coherent long-range interactions and collective dissipation. Our results show that lattice gases of alkaline-earth-metal atoms permit the creation of long-lived collective atomic states and constitute a simple and versatile platform for the exploration of many-body systems with long-range interactions. As such, they represent an alternative to current related efforts employing Rydberg gases, atoms with large magnetic moment, or polar molecules.
CCD UBVRI photometry is presented for type IIb SN 2011dh for about 300 days. The main photometric parameters are derived and the comparison with SNe of similar types is reported. The light curves are similar to those for SN IIb 2008ax, but the initia
l flash is stronger and very short, and there are humps on the light curves in U and B at the onset of linear decline. Preliminary modeling is carried out, and the results are compared to the quasi-bolometric light curve and to the light curves in UBVRI bands.
We present the results of our UBVRI CCD photometry for the second brightest supernova of 2009, SN 2009nr, discovered during a sky survey with the telescopes of the MASTER robotic network. Its light and color curves and bolometric light curves have be
en constructed. The light-curve parameters and the maximum luminosity have been determined. SN 2009nr is shown to be similar in light-curve shape and maximum luminosity to SN 1991T, which is the prototype of the class of supernovae Ia with an enhanced luminosity. SN 2009nr exploded far from the center of the spiral galaxy UGC 8255 and most likely belongs to its old halo population. We hypothesize that this explosion is a consequence of the merger of white dwarfs.
We studied the application of statistical reconstruction algorithms, namely maximum likelihood and least squares methods, to the problem of event reconstruction in a dual phase liquid xenon detector. An iterative method was developed for in-situ reco
nstruction of the PMT light response functions from calibration data taken with an uncollimated gamma-ray source. Using the techniques described, the performance of the ZEPLIN-III dark matter detector was studied for 122 keV gamma-rays. For the inner part of the detector (R<100 mm), spatial resolutions of 13 mm and 1.6 mm FWHM were measured in the horizontal plane for primary and secondary scintillation, respectively. An energy resolution of 8.1% FWHM was achieved at that energy. The possibility of using this technique for improving performance and reducing cost of scintillation cameras for medical applications is currently under study.
ZEPLIN-III is a two-phase xenon direct dark matter experiment located at the Boulby Mine (UK). After its first science run in 2008 it was upgraded with: an array of low background photomultipliers, a new anti-coincidence detector system with plastic
scintillator and an improved calibration system. After 319 days of data taking the second science run ended in May 2011. In this paper we describe the instrument performance with emphasis on the position and energy reconstruction algorithm and summarise the final science results.
Plastic scintillators are widely used in industry, medicine and scientific research, including nuclear and particle physics. Although one of their most common applications is in neutron detection, experimental data on their response to low-energy nuc
lear recoils are scarce. Here, the relative scintillation efficiency for neutron-induced nuclear recoils in a polystyrene-based plastic scintillator (UPS-923A) is presented, exploring recoil energies between 125 keV and 850 keV. Monte Carlo simulations, incorporating light collection efficiency and energy resolution effects, are used to generate neutron scattering spectra which are matched to observed distributions of scintillation signals to parameterise the energy-dependent quenching factor. At energies above 300 keV the dependence is reasonably described using the semi-empirical formulation of Birks and a kB factor of (0.014+/-0.002) g/MeVcm^2 has been determined. Below that energy the measured quenching factor falls more steeply than predicted by the Birks formalism.
We report experimental upper limits on WIMP-nucleon elastic scattering cross sections from the second science run of ZEPLIN-III at the Boulby Underground Laboratory. A raw fiducial exposure of 1,344 kg.days was accrued over 319 days of continuous ope
ration between June 2010 and May 2011. A total of eight events was observed in the signal acceptance region in the nuclear recoil energy range 7-29 keV, which is compatible with background expectations. This allows the exclusion of the scalar cross-section above 4.8E-8 pb near 50 GeV/c^2 WIMP mass with 90% confidence. Combined with data from the first run, this result improves to 3.9E-8 pb. The corresponding WIMP-neutron spin-dependent cross-section limit is 8.0E-3 pb. The ZEPLIN programme reaches thus its conclusion at Boulby, having deployed and exploited successfully three liquid xenon experiments of increasing reach.
