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H. Pierre Noyes

Publications and source records attributed to H. Pierre Noyes.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

On Biology as an Emergent Science

Biology is considered here as an "emergent science" in the sense of Anderson and of Laughlin and Pines. It is demonstrated that a straightforward mathematical definition of "biological system" is useful in showing how biology differs in structure from the lower levels in Anderson's "More is Different" hierarchy. Using cells in a chemostat as a paradigmatic exemplar of a biological system, it is found that a coherent collection of metabolic pathways through a single cell in the chemostat also satisfies the proposed definition of a biological system. This provides a theoretical and mathematical underpinning for Young's fundamental model of biological organization and integration. Evidence for the therapeutic efficacy of Young's method of analysis is provided by preliminary results of clinical trials of a specific application of Young's model to the treatment of cancer cachexia.

physics.gen-ph

Evidence for a Cosmological Phase Transition on the TeV Scale

Examining the reverse evolution of the universe from the present, long before reaching Planck density dynamics one expects major modifications from the de-coherent thermal equations of state, suggesting a prior phase that has macroscopic coherence properties. The assumption that the phase transition occurs during the radiation dominated epoch, and that zero-point motions drive the fluctuations associated with this transition, specifies a class of cosmological models in which the cosmic microwave background fluctuation amplitude at last scattering is approximately $10^{-5}$. Quantum measurability constraints (eg. uncertainly relations) define cosmological scales whose expansion rates can be at most luminal. Examination of these constraints for the observed dark energy density establishes a time interval from the transition to the present. It is shown that the dark energy can consistently be interpreted as due to the vacuum energy of collective gravitational modes which manifest as the zero-point motions of coherent Planck scale mass units prior to the gravitational quantum de-coherence of the cosmology. A scenario is suggested that connects microscopic physics to the relevant cosmological scale.

astro-ph

Scientific Eschatology

The future evolution of the universe suggested by the cosmological model proposed earlier at this meeting by the authors is explored. The fundamental role played by the positive "cosmological constant" is emphasized. Dyson's 1979 paper entitled "Time Without End" is briefly reviewed. His most optimistic scenario requires that the universe be geometrically open and that biology is structural in the sense that the current complexity of human society can be reproduced by scaling up its (quantum mechanical) structure to arbitrary size. If the recently measured "cosmological constant" is indeed a fundamental constant of nature, then Dyson's scenario is, for various reasons, ruled out by the finite (De Sitter) horizon due to exponential expansion of the resulting space. However, the finite temperature of that horizon does open other interesting options. If, as is suggested by the cosmology under consideration, the current exponential expansion of the universe is due to a phase transition which fixes a physical boundary condition during the early radiation dominated era, the behavior of the universe after the relevant scale factor crosses the De Sitter radius opens up still other possibilities. The relevance of Martin Rees' apocalyptic eschatology recently presented in his book "Our Final Hour" is mentioned. It is concluded that even for the far future, whether or not cultural and scientific descendants of the current epoch will play a role in it, an understanding (sadly, currently lacking) of community and political evolution and control is essential for a preliminary treatment of what could be even vaguely called scientific eschatology.

physics.gen-ph

CMB Fluctuation Amplitude from Dark Energy Partitions

It is assumed that the dark energy observed today is frozen as a result of a phase transition involving the source of that energy. Postulating that the dark energy de-coherence which results from this phase transition drives statistical variations in the energy density specifies a class of cosmological models in which the cosmic microwave background (CMB) fluctuation amplitude at last scattering is approximately $10^{-5}$.

astro-ph

Cosmic Microwave Background Fluctuation Amplitude from Dark Energy De-Coherence

Standard cosmology connects the scale generated at late times by the cosmological constant with that generated in early times by the energy dynamics. Assuming dark energy de-coherence occurs during early times when the scale parameter expansion rate is no longer supra-luminal specifies a class of cosmological models in which the cosmic microwave background fluctuation amplitude at last scattering is approximately $10^{-5}$.

astro-ph

A Calculation of Cosmological Scale from Quantum Coherence

We use general arguments to examine the energy scales for which a quantum coherent description of gravitating quantum energy units is necessary. The cosmological dark energy density is expected to decouple from the Friedman-Lemaitre energy density when the Friedman-Robertson-Walker scale expansion becomes sub-luminal, at which time the usual microscopic interactions of relativistic quantum mechanics (QED, QCD, etc) open new degrees of freedom. The expected gravitational vacuum energy density at that scale would be expected to freeze out due to the loss of gravitational coherence. We define the vacuum energy which generates this cosmological constant to be that of a zero temperature Bose condensate at this gravitational de-coherence scale. Since the arguments presented involve primarily counting of degrees of freedom, we expect the statistical equilibrium states of causally disconnected regions of space to be independently identical. Thus, there is no luminal "horizon" problem associated with the lack of causal influences between spatially separated regions in this approach. The scale of the amplitude of fluctuations produced during de-coherence of cosmological vacuum energy are found to evolve to values consistent with those observed in cosmic microwave background radiation and galactic clustering.

astro-ph

On E.D.Jones' Microcosmology

By taking seriously the limits on observability which come from combining relativistic quantum mechanics with general relativity, Ed Jones has shown that the current measurements of the cosmological constant density $Ω_Λ\sim 0.7$ imply that the temperature scale at which it becomes possible to discuss cosmological models is $\sim 5 Tev$ ($5.8\times 10^{16} \ ^oK$). This is self-consistent with the assumption that the number of Planck masses which make some sort of ``phase transition'' to this state is $N_{Pk}\sim 4\times 10^{61}$. We review Jones' argument and the {\it bit-string physics} calculation which gives the baryon-photon ratio at nucleosynthesis as $\sim 2/256^4$, the dark matter-baryon ratio as $\sim 12.7$, and hence $Ω_m \sim 0.3$, in agreement with current observations. Accepting these values for the two energy densities $Ω_Λ+Ω_m \sim 1$ in accord with recent analyses of fluctuations in the CMB showing that space is flat to about 6%. We conclude that experiments with particle accelerators in the 5-10 Tev range must either show that current theory can adequately describe the currently observed structure of our universe or force us to revise our ideas about physics at a very fundamental level.

astro-ph

A Non-Perturbative, Finite Particle Number Approach to Relativistic Scattering Theory

We present integral equations for the scattering amplitudes of three scalar particles, using the Faddeev channel decomposition, which can be readily extended to any finite number of particles of any helicity. The solution of these equations, which have been demonstrated to be calculable, provide a non-perturbative way of obtaining relativistic scattering amplitudes for any finite number of particles that are Lorentz invariant, unitary, cluster decomposable and reduce unambiguously in the non-relativistic limit to the non-relativistic Faddeev equations. The aim of this program is to develop equations which explicitly depend upon physically observable input variables, and do not require renormalization or dressing of these parameters to connect them to the boundary states.

hep-th

Non-Perturbative, Unitary Quantum-Particle Scattering Amplitudes from Three-Particle Equations

We here use our non-perturbative, cluster decomposable relativistic scattering formalism to calculate photon-spinor scattering, including the related particle-antiparticle annihilation amplitude. We start from a three-body system in which the unitary pair interactions contain the kinematic possibility of single quantum exchange and the symmetry properties needed to identify and substitute antiparticles for particles. We extract from it unitary two-particle amplitude for quantum-particle scattering. We verify that we have done this correctly by showing that our calculated photon-spinor amplitude reduces in the weak coupling limit to the usual lowest order, manifestly covariant (QED) result with the correct normalization. That we are able to successfully do this directly demonstrates that renormalizability need not be a fundamental requirement for all physically viable models.

hep-th

Construction of Non-Perturbative, Unitary Particle-Antiparticle Amplitudes for Finite Particle Number Scattering Formalisms

Starting from a unitary, Lorentz invariant two-particle scattering amplitude , we show how to use an identification and replacement process to construct a unique, unitary particle-antiparticle amplitude. This process differs from conventional on-shell Mandelstam s,t,u crossing in that the input and constructed amplitudes can be off-diagonal and off-energy shell. Further, amplitudes are constructed using the invariant parameters which are appropriate to use as driving terms in the multi-particle, multichannel non-perturbative, cluster decomposable, relativistic scattering equations of the Faddeev-type integral equations recently presented by Alfred, Kwizera, Lindesay and Noyes. It is therefore anticipated that when so employed, the resulting multi-channel solutions will also be unitary. The process preserves the usual particle-antiparticle symmetries. To illustrate this process, we construct a J=0 scattering length model chosen for simplicity. We also exhibit a class of physical models which contain a finite quantum mass parameter and are Lorentz invariant. These are constructed to reduce in the appropriate limits, and with the proper choice of value and sign of the interaction parameter, to the asymptotic solution of the non-relativistic Coulomb problem, including the forward scattering singularity, the essential singularity in the phase, and the Bohr bound-state spectrum.

nucl-th

Observational Evidence for Two Cosmological Predictions Made by Bit-String Physics

A decade ago bit-string physics predicted that the baryon/photon ratio at the time of nucleogenesis $η= 1/256^4$ and that the dark matter/baryonic matter ratio $Ω_{DM}/Ω_B= 12.7$. Accepting that the normalized Hubble constant is constrained observationally to lie in the range $0.6 < h_0 < 0.8$, this translates into a prediction that $0.325 > Ω_M > 0.183 $. This and a prediction by E.D.Jones, using a model-independent argument and ideas with which bit-string physics is not inconsistent, that the cosmological constant $Ω_Λ=0.6\pm 0.1$ are in reasonable agreement with recent cosmological observations, including the BOOMERANG data.

astro-ph

Bit-String Physics Prediction of eta, The Dark Matter/Baryon Ratio and Omega_M

Using a simple combinatorial algorithm for generating finite and discrete events as our numerical cosmology, we predict that the baryon/photon ratio at the time of nucleogenesis is $η= 1/256^4$, $Ω_{DM}/Ω_B= 12.7$ and (for a cosmological constant of $Ω_Λ=0.6\pm 0.1$ predicted on general grounds by E.D.Jones) that $0.325 > Ω_M > 0.183 $. The limits are set not by our theory but by the empirical bounds on the renormalized Hubble constant of $0.6 < h_0 < 0.8$. If we impose the additional empirical bound of $t_0 < 14 Gyr$, the predicted upper bound on $Ω_M$ falls to 0.26. The predictions of $Ω_M$ and $Ω_Λ$were in excellent agreement with Glanz' analysis in 1998, and are still in excellent agreement with Lineweaver's recent analysis despite the reduction of observational uncertainty by close to an order of magnitude.

astro-ph

Solution of a Relativistic Three-Body Problem

Starting from a relativistic s-wave scattering length model for the two particle input we construct an unambiguous, unitary solution of the relativistic three body problem given only the masses $m_a,m_b,m_c$ and the masses of the two body bound states $μ_{bc},μ_{ca},μ_{ab}$.

hep-th

Science and Paranormal Phenomena

In order to ground my approach to the study of paranormal phenomena, I first explain my operational approach to physics, and to the ``historical'' sciences of cosmic, biological, human, social and political evolution. I then indicate why I believe that ``paranormal phenomena'' might --- but need not --- fit into this framework. I endorse the need for a new theoretical framework for the investigation of this field presented by Etter and Shoup at this meeting. I close with a short discussion of Ted Bastin's contention that paranormal phenomena should be {\it defined} as contradicting physics.

quant-ph

Thoughts on Commutation Relations and Measurement Accuracy

We show that measuring the trajectories of charged particles to finite accuracy leads to the commutation relations needed for the derivation of the free space Maxwell equations using the {\it discrete ordered calculus} (DOC). We note that the finite step length derivation of the discrete difference version of the single particle Dirac equation implies the discrete version of the p,q commutation relations for a free particle. We speculate that a careful operational analysis of the change in momenta occurring in a step-wise continuous solution of the discrete Dirac equation could supply the missing source-sink terms in the DOC derivation of the Maxwell equations, and lead to a finite and discrete (``renormalized'') quantum electrodynamics (QED).

quant-ph

Program Universe and Recent Cosmological Results

Recent improvements in astronomical observations lead to the conclusion that the Hubble constant lies between 60 and 80 Mpc km$^{-1}$ sec$^{-1}$ and the age of the universe between 11 and 14 Gigayears. Taken together with recent observations of distant type Ia supernovae and the cosmic background radiation, these limits allow a check of the consequences of predictions made a decade ago using program universe and the combinatorial hierarchy that the ratio of baryons to photons is $1/256^4$ and of dark to baryonic matter is 12.7. We find that the restrictions on the matter content of the universe and the cosmological constant are within, and much tighter than, the limits established by conventional means. The situation is further improved if we invoke an estimate of the normalized cosmological constant made by E. D. Jones of $Ω_Λ \sim 0.6$. This opens a ``window of opportunity'' to get the predictions of the ANPA program in front of the relevant professional community {\it before} precise observations lead to a consensus. We urge ANPA members to join us in the assault on this breach in the walls of establishment thinking.

gr-qc

Process, System, Causality, and Quantum Mechanics, A Psychoanalysis of Animal Faith

We shall argue in this paper that a central piece of modern physics does not really belong to physics at all but to elementary probability theory. Given a joint probability distribution J on a set of random variables containing x and y, define a link between x and y to be the condition x=y on J. Define the {\it state} D of a link x=y as the joint probability distribution matrix on x and y without the link. The two core laws of quantum mechanics are the Born probability rule, and the unitary dynamical law whose best known form is the Schrodinger's equation. Von Neumann formulated these two laws in the language of Hilbert space as prob(P) = trace(PD) and D'T = TD respectively, where P is a projection, D and D' are (von Neumann) density matrices, and T is a unitary transformation. We'll see that if we regard link states as density matrices, the algebraic forms of these two core laws occur as completely general theorems about links. When we extend probability theory by allowing cases to count negatively, we find that the Hilbert space framework of quantum mechanics proper emerges from the assumption that all D's are symmetrical in rows and columns. On the other hand, Markovian systems emerge when we assume that one of every linked variable pair has a uniform probability distribution. By representing quantum and Markovian structure in this way, we see clearly both how they differ, and also how they can coexist in natural harmony with each other, as they must in quantum measurement, which we'll examine in some detail. Looking beyond quantum mechanics, we see how both structures have their special places in a much larger continuum of formal systems that we have yet to look for in nature.

quant-ph