Gyula Bene

A Perspectival Version of the Modal Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics and the Origin of Macroscopic Behavior

We study the process of observation (measurement), within the framework of a “perspectival” (“relational,” “relative state”) version of the modal interpretation of quantum mechanics. We show that if we assume certain features of discreteness and determinism in the operation of the measuring device (which could be a part of the observers nerve system), this gives rise to classical characteristics of the observed properties, in the first place to spatial localization. We investigate to what extent semi-classical behavior of the object system itself (as opposed to the observational system) is needed for the emergence of classicality. Decoherence is an essential element in the mechanism of observation that we assume, but it turns out that in our approach no environment-induced decoherence on the level of the object system is required for the emergence of classical properties.

Kohn mode for trapped Bose gases within the dielectric formalism

The presence of undamped harmonic center of mass oscillations of a weakly interacting Bose gas in a harmonic trap is demonstrated within the dielectric formalism for a previously introduced finite temperature approximation including exchange. The consistency of the approximation with the Kohn theorem is thereby demonstrated. The Kohn modes are found explicitly, generalizing an earlier zero-temperature result found in the literature. It is shown how the Kohn mode disappears from the single-particle spectrum, while remaining in the density oscillation spectrum, when the temperature increases from below to above the condensation temperature.

ACCELERATING EXPANSION OF THE UNIVERSE MAY BE CAUSED BY INHOMOGENEITIES

We point out that, due to the nonlinearity of the Einstein equations, a homogeneous approximation in cosmology leads to the appearance of an additional term in the Friedmann equation. This new term is associated with the spatial inhomogeneities of the metric and can be expressed in terms of density fluctuations. Although it is not constant, it decays much slower (as t-2/3) than the other terms (like density) which decrease as t-2. The presence of the new term leads to a correction in the scale factor that is proportional to t2 and may give account of the recently observed accelerating expansion of the universe without introducing a cosmological constant.

Decoherence within a single atom

An “almost diagonal” reduced density matrix (in coordinate representation) is usually a result of environment induced decherence and is considered the sign of classical behavior. We show that the proton of a ground state hydrogen atom can indeed possess such a density matrix. This example demonstrates that the “almost diagonal” structure may be derived from an interaction with a low number of degrees of freedom which play the role of the environment. We also show that decoherence effects in our example can only be observed if the interaction with the measuring device is significantly faster than the interaction with the environment (the electron). In the opposite case, when the interaction with the environment is significant during the measurement process, coherence is maintained. Finally, we propose a neutron scattering experiment on cold He atoms to observe decoherence which shows up as an additional positive contribution to the differential scattering cross section. This contribution is inversely proportional to the bombarding energy.

Dielectric formalism and damping of collective modes in trapped Bose-Einstein condensed gases

We present the general dielectric formalism for Bose-Einstein condensed systems in an external potential at finite temperatures. On the basis of a model arising within this framework as a first approximation in an intermediate-temperature region for the large condensate we calculate the damping of low-energy excitations in the collisionless regime.

Collision of water wave solitons

A classification of the time evolution of the two-soliton solutions of the Boussinesq equation is given, based on the number of extrema of the wave. For solitons moving in the same directions, three different scenarios are found, while it is shown that only one of these scenarios exists in case of oppositely moving solitons.

Light refraction in the Swiss-cheese model

We investigate light propagation in the Swiss-cheese model. On both sides of Swiss-cheese sphere surfaces, observers resting in the flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) space and the Schwarzschild space respectively, see the same light ray enclosing different angles with the normal. We examine light refraction at each crossing of the boundary surfaces, showing that the angle of refraction is larger than the angle of incidence for both directions of the light.