We study the evolution of binary black hole initial data schemes as alternatives to the standard puncture construction. These alternatives are based on post-Newtonian expansions that contain realistic gravitational waves. The first scheme is based on a second order post-Newtonian expansion in Arnowitt, Deser, and Misner transverse-traceless (ADMTT) gauge that has been re-summed to approach standard puncture data at the black holes. The other schemes are based on asymptotic matching of the 4-metrics of two tidally perturbed Schwarzschild solutions to post-Newtonian expansions at different orders. The alternatives are encouraging and lead to quasi-circular orbits and show gravitational radiation from the onset, as well as a reduction of spurious radiation. Deficiencies compared to punctures include more eccentricity during inspiral and larger constraint violations, since the alternative data sets only approximate solutions of Einstein's equations. / by George C. Reifenberger. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2013. / Includes bibliography. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / System requirements: Adobe Reader.

In this dissertation the dynamics of general relativity is studied via the spin-foam approach to quantum gravity. Spin-foams are a proposal to compute a transition amplitude from a triangulated space-time manifold for the evolution of quantum 3d geometry via path integral. Any path integral formulation of a quantum theory has two important parts, the measure factor and a phase part. The correct measure factor is obtained by careful canonical analysis at the continuum level. The basic variables in the Plebanski-Holst formulation of gravity from which spin-foam is derived are a Lorentz connection and a Lorentz-algebra valued two-form, called the Plebanski two-form. However, in the final spin-foam sum, one usually sums over only spins and intertwiners, which label eigenstates of the Plebanski two-form alone. The spin-foam sum is therefore a discretized version of a Plebanski-Holst path integral in which only the Plebanski two-form appears, and in which the conne ction degrees of freedom have been integrated out. Calculating the measure factor for Plebanksi Holst formulation without the connection degrees of freedom is one of the aims of this dissertation. This analysis is at the continuum level and in order to be implemented in spin-foams one needs to properly discretize and quantize this measure factor. The correct phase is determined by semi-classical behavior. In asymptotic analysis of the Engle-Pereira-Rovelli-Livine spin-foam model, due to the inclusion of more than the usual gravitational sector, more than the usual Regge term appears in the asymptotics of the vertex amplitude. As a consequence, solutions to the classical equations of motion of GR fail to dominate in the semi-classical limit. One solution to this problem has been proposed in which one quantum mechanically imposes restriction to a single gravitational sector, yielding what has been called the “proper” spin-foam model. However, this revised model of quantum gravity, like any proposal for a theory of quantum gravity, must pass certain tests. In the regime of small curvature, one expects a given model of quantum gravity to reproduce the predictions of the linearized theory. As a consistency check we calculate the graviton two-point function predicted by the Lorentzian proper vertex and examine its semiclassical limit. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Made available in DSpace on 2016-05-17T16:51:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-03-27. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2016-05-17T16:54:31Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000857078.pdf: 1812962 bytes, checksum: bde14a09d566d4e85bd92430eb397f6f (MD5) / Utilizamos as abordagens de potencial e massa efetiva e a de espaço de fase quântico para caracterizar propriedades da molécula magnética de Fe8. Na abordagem de potencial e massa efetiva obtemos a altura da barreira do estado fundamental, o hiato de energia devido ao tunelamento, a medida da temperatura de crossover, o campo magnético de pareamento de níveis e o de saturação. Na descrição de espaço de fase quântico, estudamos qualitativamente as correlações entre o par de variáveis envolvidas através das funções de Wigner e Husimi, calculamos o hiato de energia associado ao tunelamento e fornecemos uma medida via funcional de entropia para a correlação entre as variáveis momento angular e ângulo e sua respectiva intepretação / We have used an angle-based description and the quantum discrete phase space formalism to characterize Fe8 cluster properties. Through the angle-based approach we have calculated the the ground state barrier height, the energy splitting of the two lowest levels, the crossover temperature, the matching and the saturation magnetic field intensities. With the quantum phase space approach we also have used the energy splitting in order to study the spin tunneling of the lowest energy levels, a qualitative and a quantitative way to show the correlations between the angle and angular momentum variables via the Wigner and Husimi functions

Orientador: Diógenes Galetti / Banca: Armando Nazareno Faria Aleixo / Banca: Maria Carolina Nemes / Banca: Miguel Alexandre Novak / Banca: Rogério Rosenfeld / Resumo: Utilizamos as abordagens de potencial e massa efetiva e a de espaço de fase quântico para caracterizar propriedades da molécula magnética de Fe8. Na abordagem de potencial e massa efetiva obtemos a altura da barreira do estado fundamental, o hiato de energia devido ao tunelamento, a medida da temperatura de crossover, o campo magnético de pareamento de níveis e o de saturação. Na descrição de espaço de fase quântico, estudamos qualitativamente as correlações entre o par de variáveis envolvidas através das funções de Wigner e Husimi, calculamos o hiato de energia associado ao tunelamento e fornecemos uma medida via funcional de entropia para a correlação entre as variáveis momento angular e ângulo e sua respectiva intepretação / Abstract: We have used an angle-based description and the quantum discrete phase space formalism to characterize Fe8 cluster properties. Through the angle-based approach we have calculated the the ground state barrier height, the energy splitting of the two lowest levels, the crossover temperature, the matching and the saturation magnetic field intensities. With the quantum phase space approach we also have used the energy splitting in order to study the spin tunneling of the lowest energy levels, a qualitative and a quantitative way to show the correlations between the angle and angular momentum variables via the Wigner and Husimi functions / Doutor

Orientadores: Marcelo Moraes Guzzo, Pedro Cunha de Holanda / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Física Gleb Wataghin / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-16T08:24:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Torres_FernandoRossi_D.pdf: 6051875 bytes, checksum: 56888c02ccce0616320cd185ab5d3267 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010 / Resumo: Neutrinos de supernova são ferramentas fundamentais, tanto para se entender o mecanismo de explosão de supernovas e formação de núcleos pesados além do ferro, assim como para determinar propriedades ainda desconhecidas e especulativas na física de oscilação de neutrinos, como a existência de neutrinos estéreis e neutrinos com massa variável, modelo este usado como uma das possíveis explicações para o fenômeno de expansão do universo. Outra informação valiosa, que podemos extrair dos neutrinos de supernova, é o limite imposto na massa absoluta dos neutrinos. Para atingir tais objetivos é fundamental termos uma eficiente detecção e também fazermos uma análise estatística mais completa através de uma verossimilhança correta dos próximos eventos de neutrinos de uma futura explosão galática de supernova para que possamos testar modelos de emissão de neutrinos associados ao mecanismo de explosão / Abstract: Supernova neutrinos are fundamental tools both to understand the mechanism of supernova explosion and formation of heavy nuclei beyond iron, as well as to determine yet unknown and speculative properties in the physics of neutrino oscillation, as the existence of sterile neutrinos and neutrinos with variable mass, which is used as a possible explanation for the phenomenona of expansion of the universe. Another valuable information that we can draw from the supernova neutrinos is the limit imposed on the absolute mass of neutrinos. To achieve these goals is essential to have an efficient detection of upcoming neutrino events from a future galactic supernova explosion and also do a more complete statistical analysis through a correct likelihood, testing, for example, models of neutrino emission associated with the explosion mechanism / Doutorado / Física das Particulas Elementares e Campos / Doutor em Ciências

In this thesis, we consider three aspects of black holes. First, we examine a black hole boosted through a uniform magnetic field. We find that it can acquire an electric charge, just as a spinning black hole in an ambient magnetic field can, though the gravito-electrodynamics upstage naive arguments about screening electric fields in determining the value of the charge accrued. We study the chaotic behavior of the charged particles via their fractal basin boundaries. Second, we study the vanishing of Love numbers for black holes from a geometric perspective and connect it to the existence of quasinormal modes in de Sitter space. Behind each phenomenon is a ladder structure with a geometric/representation-theoretic origin which makes it possible to connect the asymptotic behavior of solutions at different boundaries. Third, we model the formation of a black hole in dRGT massive gravity in a de Sitter background with a collapsing homogeneous and pressureless ball of dust or ``star''. We focus on several choices of parameters corresponding to models of interest. We compute the position of the apparent horizon where it crosses the surface of the star, the Ricci curvature at the boundary, and the finite correction to the curvature of the apparent horizon due to the graviton mass. We argue that our collapsing solutions cannot be matched to a static, spherically symmetric vacuum solution at the star's surface, providing further evidence that physical black hole solutions in massive gravity are likely time-dependent.

This PhD work took place in the framework of theoretical research aimed at implementation of quantum computing schemes and algorithms in solid state devices. The electron and nuclear spins of dopant atoms implanted in silicon crystals, that already lie at the core of commercial diodes and the photovoltaic industry, are able to store quantum information longer than anything else in the solid state. Controlled manipulations of silicon qubits depend on the ability to tune the nanoscopic donor electron state: we provide a complete theoretical picture that includes, within the insightful and analytic framework of effective mass theory, the effects of the non-trivial silicon conduction band and the different lattice distortions caused by the implantation of the donor species. Calibration of the multi-valley bulk theory to account for binding energies and electron-nuclear hyperfine couplings allows improved estimates of the exchange splittings between two neighbouring donors, that provide the simplest handle for tuning two-qubit operations. Further refinements to our approach lead to exceptional agreement with experimental measurements of Stark effects, where an external electric field is used to enable local single qubit manipulations within global driving fields: we set reliable thresholds on such gating speeds across all group V donors. Finally, we propose a scalable scheme for silicon quantum computing that relies on the coherent transfer of information from Si:Bi donors, that are established as excellent memory qubits, to surface quantum dots that are easier to manipulate, within a topological surface code which enables outstanding tolerance to errors. Analysis of the optimal working regimes and inclusion of the leading sources of decoherence allow us to set out a robust design of the basic building block of future realizations.

This thesis provides a mass conservation analysis of the Lower St. Johns River for the purpose of providing basis for future salinity transport modeling. The analysis provides an assessment of the continuous (CG) and discontinuous (DG) Galerkin finite element methods with respect to their mass conservation properties. The following thesis also presents a rigorous literature review pertaining to salinity transport in the Lower St. Johns River, from which this effort generates the data used to initialize and validate numerical simulations. Two research questions are posed and studied in this thesis: can a DG-based modeling approach produce mass conservative numerical solutions; and what are the flow interactions between the river and the marshes within the coastal region of the Lower St. Johns River? Reviewing the available data provides an initial perspective of the ecosystem. For this, salinity data are obtained and assembled for three modeling scenarios. Each scenario, High Extreme, Most Variable, and Low Extreme, is 30 days long (taken from year 1999) and represents a unique salinity regime in the Lower St. Johns River. Time-series of salinity data is collected at four stations in the lower and middle reaches of the Lower St. Johns River, which provides a vantage point for assessing longitudinal variation of salinity. As an aside, precipitation and evaporation data is presented for seven stations along the entire St. Johns River, which provides added insight into salinity transport in the river. A mass conservation analysis is conducted for the Lower St. Johns River. The analysis utilizes a segmentation of the Lower St. Johns River, which divides the domain into sections iv based on physical characteristics. Mass errors are then calculated for the CG and DG finite element methods to determine mass conservative abilities. Also, the flow interactions (i.e., volume exchange) between the river and marshes are evaluated through the use of tidal prisms. The CG- and DG- finite element methods are then tested in tidal simulation performance, which the results are then compared to observed tides and tidal currents at four stations within the lower portion of the Lower St. Johns River. Since the results show that the DG model outperforms the CG model, the DG model is used in the tidally driven salinity transport simulations. Using four stations within the lower and middle part of the Lower St. Johns River, simulated and observed water levels and salinity concentrations are compared.