arXiv subjects

Marc-Thierry Jaekel

Publications and source records attributed to Marc-Thierry Jaekel.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2005

Gravity tests in the solar system and the Pioneer anomaly

We build up a new phenomenological framework associated with a minimal generalization of Einsteinian gravitation theory. When linearity, stationarity and isotropy are assumed, tests in the solar system are characterized by two potentials which generalize respectively the Newton potential and the parameter $γ$ of parametrized post-Newtonian formalism. The new framework seems to have the capability to account for the Pioneer anomaly besides other gravity tests.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2005

Testing the Newton law at long distances

Experimental tests of Newton law put stringent constraints on potential deviations from standard theory with ranges from the millimeter to the size of planetary orbits. Windows however remain open for short range deviations, below the millimeter, as well as long range ones, of the order of or larger than the size of the solar system. We discuss here the relation between long range tests of the Newton law and the anomaly recorded on Pioneer 10/11 probes.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2003

HYPER and gravitational decoherence

We study the decoherence process associated with the scattering of stochastic backgrounds of gravitational waves. We show that it has a negligible influence on HYPER-like atomic interferometers although it may dominate decoherence of macroscopic motions, such as the planetary motion of the Moon around the Earth.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2002

Gravitational decoherence of atomic interferometers

We study the decoherence of atomic interferometers due to the scattering of stochastic gravitational waves. We evaluate the `direct' gravitational effect registered by the phase of the matter waves as well as the `indirect' effect registered by the light waves used as beam-splitters and mirrors for the matter waves. Considering as an example the space project HYPER, we show that both effects are negligible for the presently studied interferometers.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2001

Concurrent computing machines and physical space-time

Concrete computing machines, either sequential or concurrent, rely on an intimate relation between computation and time. We recall the general characteristic properties of physical time and of present realizations of computing systems. We emphasize the role of computing interferences, i.e. the necessity to avoid them in order to give a causal implementation to logical operations. We compare synchronous and asynchronous systems, and make a brief survey of some methods used to deal with computing interferences. Using a graphic representation, we show that synchronous and asynchronous circuits reflect the same opposition as the Newtonian and relativistic causal structures for physical space-time.

cs.DC↗

arXiv2001

Decoherence and gravitational backgrounds

We study the decoherence process associated with the scattering of stochastic gravitational waves. We discuss the case of macroscopic systems, such as the planetary motion of the Moon around the Earth, for which gravitational scattering is found to dominate decoherence though it has a negligible influence on damping. This contrast is due to the very high effective temperature of the background of gravitational waves in our galactic environment.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2001

Quantum vacuum fluctuations

The existence of irreducible field fluctuations in vacuum is an important prediction of quantum theory. These fluctuations have many observable consequences, like the Casimir effect which is now measured with good accuracy and agreement with theory, provided that the latter accounts for differences between real experiments and the ideal situation considered by Casimir. But the vacuum energy density calculated by adding field mode energies is much larger than the density observed around us through gravitational phenomena. This ``vacuum catastrophe'' is one of the unsolved problems at the interface between quantum theory on one hand, inertial and gravitational phenomena on the other hand. It is however possible to put properly formulated questions in the vicinity of this paradox. These questions are directly connected to observable effects bearing upon the principle of relativity of motion in quantum vacuum.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2001

Relativity of motion in quantum vacuum

The problem of relativity of motion in quantum vacuum is addressed by considering a cavity moving in vacuum in a monodimensional space. The cavity is an open system which emits photons when it oscillates in vacuum. Qualitatively new effects like pulse shaping in the time domain and frequency conversion in the spectrum may help to discrimate motion-induced radiation from potential stray effects.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2001

Gravitational decoherence of planetary motions

We study the effect of the scattering of gravitational waves on planetary motions, say the motion of the Moon around the Earth. Though this effect has a negligible influence on dissipation, it dominates fluctuations and the associated decoherence mechanism, due to the very high effective temperature of the background of gravitational waves in our galactic environment.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2001

Quantum algebraic representation of localization and motion of a Dirac electron

Quantum algebraic observables representing localization in space-time of a Dirac electron are defined. Inertial motion of the electron is represented in the quantum algebra with electron mass acting as the generator of motion. Since transformations to uniformly accelerated frames are naturally included in this conformally invariant description, the quantum algebra is also able to deal with uniformly accelerated motion.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2001

Quantum fluctuations of vacuum stress tensors and spacetime curvatures

We analyze the quantum fluctuations of vacuum stress tensors and spacetime curvatures, using the framework of linear response theory which connects these fluctuations to dissipation mechanisms arising when stress tensors and spacetime metric are coupled. Vacuum fluctuations of spacetime curvatures are shown to be a sum of two contributions at lowest orders; the first one corresponds to vacuum gravitational waves and is restricted to light-like wavevectors and vanishing Einstein curvature, while the second one arises from gravity of vacuum stress tensors. From these fluctuations, we deduce noise spectra for geodesic deviations registered by probe fields which determine ultimate limits in length or time measurements. In particular, a relation between noise spectra characterizing spacetime fluctuations and the number of massless neutrino fields is obtained.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2001

Causality, stability and passivity for a mirror in vacuum

The mean force exerted upon a perfect mirror moving in vacuum in a two dimensional spacetime has the same expression as the radiation reaction force computed in classical electron theory. It follows that unacceptable runaway solutions are predicted. We show that this instability problem does not appear when partially transmitting mirrors are studied. The mechanical impedance describing the mirror coupled to vacuum radiation pressure is computed explicitly; recoil is neglected. It is found to be a passive function, so that stability is ensured. This is connected to the fact that no energy can be extracted from the vacuum state.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2001

Quantum fluctuations of position of a mirror in vacuum

A mirror scattering vacuum fields is submitted to a quantum fluctuating radiation pressure. It also experiences a motional force, related to force fluctuations through fluctuation-dissipation relations. The resulting position fluctuations of the coupled mirror are related to the dissipative part of the mechanical admittance. We compute the time dependent position commutator, which makes apparent the difference between the low-frequency and high-frequency masses, and the anticommutator noise spectrum, which describes the ultimate sensitivity in a length measurement using mirrors.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2001

Quantum limits in interferometric measurements

Quantum noise limits the sensitivity of interferometric measurements. It is generally admitted that it leads to an ultimate sensitivity, the ``standard quantum limit''. Using a semi-classical analysis of quantum noise, we show that a judicious use of squeezed states allows one in principle to push the sensitivity beyond this limit. This general method could be applied to large scale interferometers designed for gravitational wave detection.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2001

Friction and inertia for a mirror in a thermal field

The force experienced by a mirror moving in vacuum vanishes in the case of uniform velocity or uniform acceleration, as a consequence of spatial symmetries of vacuum. These symmetries do not subsist in a thermal field. We give a general expression of the corresponding viscosity coefficient valid at any temperature and for any reflectivity function. We show that the computed motional force also contains a non vanishing inertial term. The associated mass correction goes to zero in the limiting cases of perfect reflection or of zero temperature.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2001

Inertia of Casimir energy

Moving mirrors are submitted to reaction forces by vacuum fields. The motional force is known to vanish for a single mirror uniformly accelerating in vacuum. We show that inertial forces (proportional to accelerations) arise in the presence of a second scatterer, exhibiting properties expected for a relative inertia: the mass corrections depend upon the distance between the mirrors, and each mirror experiences a force proportional to the acceleration of the other one. When the two mirrors move with the same acceleration, the mass correction obtained for the cavity represents the contribution to inertia of Casimir energy. Accounting for the fact that the cavity moves as a stressed rigid body, it turns out that this contribution fits Einstein's law of inertia of energy.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2001

Casimir force between partially transmitting mirrors

The Casimir force can be understood as resulting from the radiation pressure exerted by the vacuum fluctuations reflected by boundaries. We extend this local formulation to the case of partially transmitting boundaries by introducing reflectivity and transmittivity coefficients obeying conditions of unitarity, causality and high frequency transparency. We show that the divergences associated with the infiniteness of the vacuum energy do not appear in this approach. We give explicit expressions for the Casimir force which hold for any frequency dependent scattering and any temperature. The corresponding expressions for the Casimir energy are interpreted in terms of phase shifts. The known results are recovered at the limit of a perfect reflection.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2001

Motional Casimir force

We study the situation where two point like mirrors are placed in the vacuum state of a scalar field in a two-dimensional spacetime. Describing the scattering upon the mirrors by transmittivity and reflectivity functions obeying unitarity, causality and high frequency transparency conditions, we compute the fluctuations of the Casimir forces exerted upon the two motionless mirrors. We use the linear response theory to derive the motional forces exerted upon one mirror when it moves or when the other one moves. We show that these forces may be resonantly enhanced at the frequencies corresponding to the cavity modes. We interpret them as the mechanical consequence of generation of squeezed fields.

quant-ph↗