arXiv subjects

David A. Kessler

Publications and source records attributed to David A. Kessler.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2021

Driving quantum systems with repeated conditional measurements

We investigate the effect of conditional null measurements on a quantum system and find a rich variety of behaviors. Specifically, quantum dynamics with a time independent $H$ in a finite dimensional Hilbert space are considered with repeated strong null measurements of a specified state. We discuss four generic behaviors that emerge in these monitored systems. The first arises in systems without symmetry, along with their associated degeneracies in the energy spectrum, and hence in the absence of dark states as well. In this case, a unique final state can be found which is determined by the largest eigenvalue of the survival operator, the non-unitary operator encoding both the unitary evolution between measurements and the measurement itself. For a three-level system, this is similar to the well known shelving effect. Secondly, for systems with built-in symmetry and correspondingly a degenerate energy spectrum, the null measurements dynamically select the degenerate energy levels, while the non-degenerate levels are effectively wiped out. Thirdly, in the absence of dark states, and for specific choices of parameters, two or more eigenvalues of the survival operator match in magnitude, and this leads to an oscillatory behavior controlled by the measurement rate and not solely by the energy levels. Finally, when the control parameters are tuned, such that the eigenvalues of the survival operator all coalesce to zero, one has exceptional points that corresponds to situations that violate the null measurement condition, making the conditional measurement process impossible.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2021

Non-normalizable quasi-equilibrium solution of the Fokker-Planck equation for nonconfining fields

We investigate the overdamped Langevin motion for particles in a potential well that is asymptotically flat. When the potential well is deep compared to temperature, physical observables like the mean square displacement are essentially time-independent over a long time interval, the stagnation epoch. However the standard Boltzmann-Gibbs (BG) distribution is non-normalizable, given that the usual partition function is divergent. For this regime, we have previously shown that a regularization of BG statistics allows the prediction of the values of dynamical and thermodynamical observables in the non-normalizable quasi-equilibrium state. In this work, based on the eigenfunction expansion of the time-dependent solution of the associated Fokker-Planck equation with free boundary conditions, we obtain an approximate time-independent solution of the BG form, valid for times which are long, but still short compared to the exponentially large escape time. The escaped particles follow a general free-particle statistics, where the solution is a an error function, shifted due to the initial struggle to overcome the potential well. With the eigenfunction solution of the Fokker-Planck equation in hand, we show the validity of the regularized BG statistics and how it perfectly describes the time-independent regime though the quasi-stationary state is non-normalizable.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2020

The first detection time of a quantum state under random probing

We solve for the statistics of the first detection of a quantum system in a particular desired state, when the system is subject to a projective measurement at independent identically distributed random time intervals. We present formulas for the probability of detection in the $n$th attempt. We calculate as well the mean and mean square both of the number of the first successful detection attempt and the time till first detection. We present explicit results for a particle initially localized at a site on a ring of size $L$, probed at some arbitrary given site, in the case when the detection intervals are distributed exponentially. We prove that, for all interval distributions and finite-dimensional Hamiltonians, the mean detection time is equal to the mean attempt number times the mean time interval between attempts. We further prove that for the return problem when the initial and target state are identical, the total detection probability is unity and the mean attempts till detection is an integer, which is the size of the Hilbert space (symmetrized about the target state). We study an interpolation between the fixed time interval case to an exponential distribution of time intervals via the Gamma distribution with constant mean and varying width. The mean arrival time as a function of the mean interval changes qualitatively as we tune the inter-arrival time distribution from very narrow (delta peaked) to exponential, as resonances are wiped out by the randomness of the sampling.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Effect of Inflow Turbulence on Premixed Combustion in a Cavity Flameholder

A discontinuous Galerkin finite element method code, JENRE, was used to perform highly resolved simulations of ramjet-mode combustion in the University of Virginia Supersonic Combustion Facility cavity flameholder at a flight enthalpy of Mach 5. Prior experiments measured a freestream turbulence intensity at the inflow to the cavity ranging from 10 - 15%. A synthetic turbulence inflow generator was implemented for the simulations in this work to reproduce the turbulence at the inflow to the cavity. Velocity perturbations and turbulence intensity generated by the turbulent inflow boundary condition are shown to match those values measured in the facility using particle induced velocimetry. Simulations were performed both with and without inflow turbulence to study the effect of turbulence on flame stability and structure. In both cases, a cavity-stabilized flame was achieved. The inflow turbulence promoted more robust combustion, causing the flame to propagate further from the cavity into the core flow, broadening the flame angle with respect to the axial flow direction. The flame angle captured in the simulation agrees with experimental results and theoretical prediction. The cavity's vortex shedding frequency was identified. Flame strain rate and pressure fluctuations in the cavity shear layer were also measured and found to vary periodically at a frequency equal to that of the vortex shedding. High flow strain rate in the cavity shear layer, driven by the vortex shedding process, is identified as a cause of flame stretching and low OH concentrations as the flame traverses the cavity ramp. The effect of spatial resolution on the simulations is discussed through a comparison of cases using second-order and third-order accurate discontinuous Galerkin finite elements.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2020

Dark states of quantum search cause imperfect detection

We consider a quantum walk where a detector repeatedly probes the system with fixed rate $1/τ$ until the walker is detected. This is a quantum version of the first-passage problem. We focus on the total probability, $P_{\mathrm{det}}$, that the particle is eventually detected in some target state, for example on a node $r_{\mathrm{d}}$ on a graph, after an arbitrary number of detection attempts. Analyzing the dark and bright states for finite graphs, and more generally for systems with a discrete spectrum, we provide an explicit formula for $P_{\mathrm{det}}$ in terms of the energy eigenstates which is generically $τ$ independent. We find that disorder in the underlying Hamiltonian renders perfect detection: $P_{\mathrm{det}}=1$, and then expose the role of symmetry with respect to sub-optimal detection. Specifically, we give a simple upper bound for $P_{\mathrm{det}}$ that is controlled by the number of equivalent (with respect to the detection) states in the system. We also extend our results to infinite systems, for example the detection probability of a quantum walk on a line, which is $τ$-dependent and less than half, well below Polya's optimal detection for a classical random walk.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Quantization of the mean decay time for non-Hermitian quantum systems

We show that the mean time, which a quantum particle needs to escape from a system to the environment, is quantized and independent from most dynamical details of the system. In particular, we consider a quantum system with a general Hermitian Hamiltonian $\hat{H}$ and one decay channel, through which probability dissipates to the environment with rate $Γ$. When the system is initially prepared exactly in the decay state, the mean decay time $\langle T \rangle$ is quantized and equal to $w/(2Γ)$. $w$ is the number of distinct energy levels, i.e. eigenvalues of $\hat{H}$, that have overlap with the decay state, and is also the winding number of a transform of the resolvent in the complex plane. Apart from the integer $w$, $\langle T \rangle$ is completely independent of the system's dynamics. The complete decay time distribution can be obtained from an electrostatic analogy and features rare events of very large dissipation times for parameter choices close to critical points, where $w$ changes, e.g. when a degeneracy is lifted. Experiments of insufficient observation time may thus measure a too small value of $w$. We discuss our findings in a disordered tight-binding model and in the two-level atom in a continuous-wave field.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Ordered Hexagonal Patterns via Notch-Delta Signaling

Many developmental processes in biology utilize Notch-Delta signaling to construct an ordered pattern of cellular differentiation. This signaling modality is based on nearest-neighbor contact, as opposed to the more familiar mechanism driven by the release of diffusible ligands. Here, exploiting this "juxtacrine" property, we present an exact treatment of the pattern formation problem via a system of nine coupled ordinary differential equations. The possible patterns that are realized for realistic parameters can be analyzed by considering a co-dimension 2 pitchfork bifurcation of this system. This analysis explains the observed prevalence of hexagonal patterns with high Delta at their center, as opposed to those with central high Notch levels. We show that outside this range of parameters, in particular for low cis-coupling, a novel kind of pattern is produced, where high Delta cells have high Notch as well. It also suggests that the biological system is only weakly first order, so that an additional mechanism is required to generate the observed defect-free patterns. We construct a simple strategy for producing such defect-free patterns.

q-bio.MN↗

arXiv2020

Saffman-Taylor Fingers at Intermediate Noise

We study Saffman-Taylor flow in the presence of intermediate noise numerically by using both a boundary-integral approach as well as the Kadanoff-Liang modified Diffusion-Limited Aggregation model that incorporates surface tension and reduced noise. For little to no noise, both models result reproduce the well-known Saffman-Taylor finger. We compare both models in the region of intermediate noise where we get occasional tip-splitting events, focusing on the ensemble-average. We show that as the noise in the system is increased, the mean behavior in both models approaches the $\cos^2(πy/W)$ transverse density profile far behind the leading front. We also investigate how the noise scales and affects both models.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2020

Regularized Boltzmann-Gibbs statistics for a Brownian particle in a non-confining field

We consider an overdamped Brownian particle subject to an asymptotically flat potential with a trap of depth $U_0$ around the origin. When the temperature is small compared to the trap depth ($ξ=k_B T/U_0 \ll 1$), there exists a range of timescales over which physical observables remain practically constant. This range can be very long, of the order of the Arrhenius factor ${\rm e}^{1/ξ}$. For these quasi-equilibrium states, the usual Boltzmann-Gibbs recipe does not work, since the partition function is divergent due to the flatness of the potential at long distances. However, we show that the standard Boltzmann-Gibbs (BG) statistical framework and thermodynamic relations can still be applied through proper regularization. This can be a valuable tool for the analysis of metastability in the non-confining potential fields that characterize a vast number of systems.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2020

Infinite ergodic theory meets Boltzmann statistics

We investigate the overdamped stochastic dynamics of a particle in an asymptotically flat external potential field, in contact with a thermal bath. For an infinite system size, the particles may escape the force field and diffuse freely at large length scales. The partition function diverges and hence the standard canonical ensemble fails. This is replaced with tools stemming from infinite ergodic theory. Boltzmann-Gibbs statistics, even though not normalized, still describes integrable observables, like energy and occupation times. The Boltzmann infinite density is derived heuristically using an entropy maximization principle, as well as via a first-principles calculation using an eigenfunction expansion in the continuum of low-energy states. A generalized virial theorem is derived, showing how the virial coefficient describes the delay in the diffusive spreading of the particles, found at large distances. When the process is non-recurrent, e.g. diffusion in three dimensions with a Coulomb-like potential, we use weighted time averages to restore basic canonical relations between time and ensemble averages.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2020

Non-Hermitian and Zeno limit of quantum systems under rapid measurements

We investigate in depth the relation between the first detection time of an isolated quantum system that is repeatedly perturbed by strong local measurements with a large fixed frequency $1/τ$, determining whether it is in some given state $| ψ_\text{d} \rangle$, and the time of absorption to the same state of the same system with the added imaginary potential $2i\hbar | ψ_\text{d} \rangle \langle ψ_\text{d} | / τ$. As opposed to previous works, we compare directly the solutions of both problems in the small $τ$, i.e., Zeno, limit. We find a scaling collapse in $F(t)$ with respect to $τ$ and compute the total detection probability as well as the moments of the first detection time probability density $F(t)$ in the Zeno limit. We show that both solutions approach the same result in this small $τ$ limit, as long as the initial state $| ψ_\text{in} \rangle$ is not parallel to the detection state, i.e. as long as $| \langle ψ_\text{d} | ψ_\text{in} \rangle | < 1$. However, when this condition is violated, the small probability density to detect the state on time scales much larger than $τ$ is precisely a factor of four different for all such times. We express the solution of the Zeno limit of both problems formally in terms of an electrostatic analogy. Our results are corroborated with numerical simulations.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

The Moving Discontinuous Galerkin Finite Element Method with Interface Condition Enforcement for Compressible Viscous Flows

The moving discontinuous Galerkin finite element method with interface condition enforcement (MDG-ICE) is applied to the case of viscous flows. This method uses a weak formulation that separately enforces the conservation law, constitutive law, and the corresponding interface conditions in order to provide the means to detect interfaces or under-resolved flow features. To satisfy the resulting overdetermined weak formulation, the discrete domain geometry is introduced as a variable, so that the method implicitly fits a priori unknown interfaces and moves the grid to resolve sharp, but smooth, gradients, achieving a form of anisotropic curvilinear $r$-adaptivity. This approach avoids introducing low-order errors that arise using shock capturing, artificial dissipation, or limiting. The utility of this approach is demonstrated with its application to a series of test problems culminating with the compressible Navier-Stokes solution to a Mach 5 viscous bow shock for a Reynolds number of $10^{5}$ in two-dimensional space. Time accurate solutions of unsteady problems are obtained via a space-time formulation, in which the unsteady problem is formulated as a higher dimensional steady space-time problem. The method is shown to accurately resolve and transport viscous structures without relying on numerical dissipation for stabilization.

math.NA↗

arXiv2019

Biological Regulatory Networks are Minimally Frustrated

Characterization of the differences between biological and random networks can reveal the design principles that enable the robust realization of crucial biological functions including the establishment of different cell types. Previous studies, focusing on identifying topological features that are present in biological networks but not in random networks, have, however, provided few functional insights. We use a Boolean modeling framework and ideas from spin glass literature to identify functional differences between five real biological networks and random networks with similar topological features. We show that minimal frustration is a fundamental property that allows biological networks to robustly establish cell types and regulate cell fate choice, and this property can emerge in complex networks via Darwinian evolution. The study also provides clues regarding how the regulation of cell fate choice can go awry in a disease like cancer and lead to the emergence of aberrant cell types.

q-bio.MN↗

arXiv2019

Uncertainty and symmetry bounds for the quantum total detection probability

We investigate a generic discrete quantum system prepared in state $|ψ_\text{in}\rangle$, under repeated detection attempts aimed to find the particle in state $|d\rangle$, for example a quantum walker on a finite graph searching for a node. For the corresponding classical random walk, the total detection probability $P_\text{det}$ is unity. Due to destructive interference, one may find initial states $|ψ_\text{in}\rangle$ with $P_\text{det}<1$. We first obtain an uncertainty relation which yields insight on this deviation from classical behavior, showing the relation between $P_\text{det}$ and energy fluctuations: $ ΔP \,\mathrm{Var}[\hat{H}]_d \ge | \langle d| [\hat{H}, \hat{D}] | ψ_\text{in} \rangle |^2$ where $ΔP = P_\text{det} - |\langleψ_\text{in}|d\rangle |^2$, and $\hat{D} = |d\rangle\langle d|$ is the measurement projector. Secondly, exploiting symmetry we show that $P_\text{det}\le 1/ν$ where the integer $ν$ is the number of states equivalent to the initial state. These bounds are compared with the exact solution for small systems, obtained from an analysis of the dark and bright subspaces, showing the usefulness of the approach. The upper bounds works well even in large systems, and we show how to tighten the lower bound in this case.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2019

Quantum total detection probability from repeated measurements II. Exploiting symmetry

A quantum walker on a graph, prepared in the state $| ψ_{\rm in} \rangle$, e.g. initially localized at node $r_{\rm in}$, is repeatedly probed, with fixed frequency $1/τ$, to test its presence at some target node $r_{\rm d}$ until the first successful detection. This is a quantum version of the first-passage problem. We investigate the total detection probability $P_{\rm det}$, i.e. the probability to eventually detect the particle after an arbitrary number of detection attempts. It is demonstrated that this total detection probability is less than unity in symmetric systems, where it is possible to find initial states which are shielded from the detector by destructive interference, so-called dark states. The identification of physically equivalent initial states yields an upper bound for $P_{\rm det}$ in terms of the reciprocal of the number $ν$ of physically equivalent states. The relevant subgroup of the system's symmetry operations is found to be the stabilizer of the detection state. Using this, we prove that all bright, i.e. surely detectable, states are symmetric with respect to the stabilizer. This implies that $P_{\rm det}$ can be obtained from a diagonalization of the "symmetrized" Hamiltonian, instead of having to find all eigenstates of the Hamiltonian.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2019

Running Measurement Protocol for the Quantum First-detection problem

The problem of the detection statistics of a quantum walker has received increasing interest, connected as it is to the problem of quantum search. We investigate the effect of employing a moving detector, using a projective measurement approach with fixed sampling time $τ$, with the detector moving right before every detection attempt. For a tight-binding quantum walk on the line, the moving detector allows one to target a specific range of group velocities of the walker, qualitatively modifying the behavior of the quantum first-detection probabilities. We map the problem to that of a stationary detector with a modified unitary evolution operator and use established methods for the solution of that problem to study the first-detection statistics for a moving detector on a finite ring and on an infinite 1D lattice. On the line, the system exhibits a dynamical phase transition at a critical value of $τ$, from a state where detection decreases exponentially in time and the total detection is very small, to a state with power-law decay and a significantly higher probability to detect the particle. The exponent describing the power-law decay of the detection probability at this critical $τ$ is 10/3, as opposed to 3 for every larger $τ$. In addition, the moving detector strongly modifies the Zeno effect.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2018

From Non-normalizable Boltzmann-Gibbs statistics to infinite-ergodic theory

We study a particle immersed in a heat bath, in the presence of an external force which decays at least as rapidly as $1/x$, for example a particle interacting with a surface through a Lennard-Jones or a logarithmic potential. As time increases, our system approaches a non-normalizable Boltzmann state. We study observables, such as the energy, which are integrable with respect to this asymptotic thermal state, calculating both time and ensemble averages. We derive a useful canonical-like ensemble which is defined out of equilibrium, using a maximum entropy principle, where the constraints are: normalization, finite averaged energy and a mean-squared displacement which increases linearly with time. Our work merges infinite-ergodic theory with Boltzmann-Gibbs statistics, thus extending the scope of the latter while shedding new light on the concept of ergodicity.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2018

Confluent and non-confluent phases in a model of cell tissue

The Voronoi-based cellular model is highly successful in describing the motion of two-dimensional confluent cell tissues. In the homogeneous version of this model, the energy of each cell is determined solely by its geometric shape and size, and the interaction between adjacent cells is a byproduct of this additive energy. We generalize this model so as to allow zero or partial contact between cells. We identify several phases, two of which (solid confluent and liquid confluent) were found in previous studies that imposed confluency but others that are novel. Transitions in this model may be relevant for understanding both normal development as well as cancer metastasis.

q-bio.CB↗