Use this tag for questions seeking a single specific paper or a short, non-open-ended list of references, like "What paper first discovered X?", "Where can I find the original derivation of X?", or "What is the canonical source for X?" etc.
13
votes
3answers
1k views
Good reading on the Keldysh formalism
I'd like some suggestions for good reading materials on the Keldysh formalism in a condmat context. I'm familiar with the imaginary time, coherent state, path integral formalism, but lately I've been ...
0
votes
0answers
87 views
Nicholas Kollerstrom article on the history of Calculus
Today, Newton´s birthday, I read an article posted in the arXiv by Nicholas Kollerstrom
http://www.arxiv.org/abs/1212.2666
That basically claims that Newton did not invent Calculus. The article does ...
9
votes
3answers
135 views
Hilbert-Schmidt basis for many qubits - reference
Every density matrix of $n$ qubits can be written in the following way
$$\hat{\rho}=\frac{1}{2^n}\sum_{i_1,i_2,\ldots,i_n=0}^3 t_{i_1i_2\ldots i_n} ...
12
votes
2answers
174 views
Possible research implications of proof of John Cardy's a-theorem in QFT
According to this recent article in Nature magazine, John Cardy's a-theorem may have found a proof.
Question:
What would the possible implications be in relation to further research in QFT?
...
4
votes
0answers
132 views
An introductory resource for learning AdS space
Can someone please point me to introductory resources about the geometry of Anti DeSitter Space ? What are some examples of other spaces used in theoretical physics ?.I'm learning Differential ...
5
votes
2answers
511 views
Why is spacetime near a quantum black hole approximately AdS?
In this link, one of the answers contains the statement
If you examine the space-time near a finite area quantum black hole,
you will see an approximate AdS space.
Presumably "approximate" ...
2
votes
2answers
30 views
Where can I find information on space navigation, and the people who pioneered it?
I'm doing a paper for school about space navigation. It's an interesting subject, but upon searching google, all I could find were non-detailed explanations of astrophysics that I think are meant for ...
2
votes
2answers
241 views
Any resources to learn how to interpret formulae/diagrams?
Are there any materials exploring intermediate levels (of any sub-subject) which give plain English descriptions along side formulas/equations/notation?
6
votes
1answer
69 views
Quantum mechanics as a Markov process
I am currently involved in some understanding on this matter with a colleague of mine. I know all the literature about but I do not know the state of art. Please, could you provide some relevant ...
8
votes
0answers
36 views
Minimal strings and topological strings
In http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/0206255 Dijkgraaf and Vafa showed that the closed string partition function of the topological B-model on a Calabi-Yau of the form $uv-H(x,y)=0$ coincides with the free ...
3
votes
3answers
469 views
Books for linear operator and spectral theory
I need some books to learn the basis of linear operator theory and the spectral theory with, if it's possible, physics application to quantum mechanics. Can somebody help me?
11
votes
2answers
142 views
Gauge invariance for electromagnetic potential observables in test function form
This is a reference request for a relationship in quantum field theory between the electromagnetic potential and the electromagnetic field when they are presented in test function form. $U(1)$ gauge ...
1
vote
1answer
130 views
Where did Karl Schwarzschild derived his solution?
Does anyone know more about circumstances of Karl Schwarzschild at the Russian front in 1915 where he allegedly derived his famous solution of the Einstein equations (describing a black hole)? Sources ...
4
votes
1answer
153 views
What is replica symmetry breaking, and what is a good resource for learning it?
M. Mezard, G. Parisi and coworkers have written about replica symmetry and its breaking in spin glasses, structural glasses, and hard computational problems.
I am just getting acquainted with this ...
2
votes
1answer
79 views
fitting van der waals law on real data
For an examples class on thermodynamics, I would like to fit Van der Waals law on data of real gasses, say $CO_2, H_2O_2, CH_4$.
I want to set out measurements of pressure and volume at constant ...
3
votes
4answers
596 views
Lagrangian to Hamiltonian in Quantum Field Theory
While deriving Hamiltonian from Lagrangian density, we use the formula
$$\mathcal{H} ~=~ \pi \dot{\phi} - \mathcal{L}.$$
But since we are considering space and time as parameters, why the formula
...
1
vote
3answers
205 views
Carousel; explanation of a certain phenomenon.
There are countless of hilarious youtube videos like this one here, in which you can see that the carousel causes people to be pulled outwards.
What force is actually working on them, and why does ...
6
votes
2answers
210 views
Dynamical supersymmetry breaking and Witten index
Witten index, defined as ${\rm Tr}(-1)^F$, makes know if supersymmetry is spontaneously broken or not for a given model. But it is known that supersymmetry can be also broken dynamically and one can ...
6
votes
2answers
275 views
Statistical Mechanics treatment of the reaction process?
I'm searching for an at least semi-rigorous Statistical Mechanics description/treatment of a (spatially resolved) chemical reaction process of a macroscopic portion of at least two different species ...
1
vote
1answer
92 views
Is there an “authoritative” source for ephemeris data?
I find some variation in the values reported for ephemeris by the various sources I have access to. For example for 2012-11-27T03:31:55 UTC I get solar declination values of -21.1828°, -21.18296°, ...
2
votes
2answers
814 views
What are good books for graduates/undergraduates in Astrophysics?
There are no book recommendations for Astrophysics here. I will write my own answer, but I am also interested in what are others' views on the question (I will NOT mark my own answer as the best one).
...
1
vote
2answers
132 views
Small Oscillations and matrices: suggestion about text
I'm undergraduate and I'm looking for a text about Small Oscillations in which matrices are used. Could you suggest me a book or a PDF file?
5
votes
1answer
166 views
What equation describes the electrostatic potential in these circumstances?
I have a solver for Poisson's equation and it works nicely. It uses finite differences. It works in the presence of multiple dielectrics.
It also solves the Poisson Boltzmann equation. That is, fixed ...
1
vote
1answer
77 views
What papers detail the early research on heavy fermion superconductors?
Can someone point me to the papers detailing when/where/how heavy fermion superconductors were first synthesized, tested and documented?
5
votes
0answers
91 views
Positivity of Total Gravitational Energy in GR
I read the following statement in the introduction to an article:
Over the last 30 years, one of the greatest achievements in classical
general relativity has certainly been the proof of the ...
6
votes
2answers
284 views
Is there a published upper limit on the electron's electric quadrupole moment?
I understand an electric quadrupole moment is forbidden in the standard electron theory. In this paper considering general relativistic corrections (Kerr-Newman metric around the electron), however, ...
2
votes
1answer
47 views
Recommendations for a physics-related book for a child? [closed]
So it's that time of year again, where one must buy gifts for all children in sight.
I want to buy a book, related to physics, ideally, for my girlfriend's sister. What books are educational and ...
0
votes
0answers
132 views
Theoretical physics quiz book [closed]
I`m an android developer who recently published a quiz game called " The Big Bang Freak " ! The quiz contains a section dedicated to the famous sitcom "The Big Bang Theory ", but it ...
2
votes
3answers
318 views
Dirac equation as Hamiltonian system
Let us consider Dirac equation
$$(i\gamma^\mu\partial_\mu -m)\psi =0$$
as a classical field equation. Is it possible to introduce Poisson bracket on the space of spinors $\psi$ in such a way that ...
1
vote
3answers
89 views
Reference for the predictability of rigid body dynamics
I'm looking for a reference, journal article, paper, etc. that supports the idea that classical mechanics, in particular rigid body dynamics, is largely predictable.
A view coming from the background ...
5
votes
1answer
267 views
Rigged Hilbert space and QM
Are there any comprehensive texts that discuss QM using the notion of rigged Hilbert spaces? It would be nice if there were a text that went through the standard QM examples using this structure.
6
votes
8answers
4k views
Which Mechanics book is the best for beginner in math major?
I'm a bachelor student majoring in math, and pretty interested in physics. I would like a book to study for classical mechanics, that will prepare me to work through Goldstein's Classical Mechanics. ...
7
votes
1answer
166 views
Are Born-Oppenheimer energies analytic functions of nuclear positions?
I am looking for references to bibliography that explores the smoothness and analyticity of eigenvalues and eigenfunctions (and matrix elements in general) of a hamiltonian that depends on some ...
1
vote
1answer
77 views
Ultracold atoms and General theory of Relativty
I am looking for good reviews for the subject of Ultracold atoms and it's application in test of General theory of relativity. I am planning to pick up this topic as a semester project, can somebody ...
7
votes
3answers
456 views
Boundary layer theory in fluids learning resources
I'm trying to understand boundary layer theory in fluids. All I've found are dimensional arguments, order of magnitude arguments, etc... What I'm looking for is more mathematically sound arguments. ...
2
votes
1answer
209 views
Can someone identify this Landau reference?
I'm having some trouble identifying a reference Landau and Lifshitz make in volume 3 - non-relativistic quantum mechanics - of their Course of theoretical physics. This is the page from the Oxford, ...
0
votes
1answer
114 views
Reference-request: Computational science and physics [closed]
I'm interested in the following question:
Is Nature computable at it's most fundamental level?
Can anyone suggest any works (books, papers / articles, reviews) related to the above question?
...
2
votes
2answers
266 views
Quantum phyics project for a high schooler [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Study Quantum Physics
I am a high schooler who is interested in physics and mathematics, and I have a kind of 'high-school thesis' coming up in a year and a half or so. ...
4
votes
1answer
147 views
Can Ohm's law break in metals?
I was rereading Purcell's Electricity and Magnetism as research for another question, and I found this passage:
In metals Ohm's law is obeyed exceedingly accurately up to current densities far ...
1
vote
1answer
76 views
Reference for understanding characteristic length and time scales in a system (in particular electronic transport)
I am working on the transport properties of two dimensional electron gas in semiconductor heterostructures and am interested in the characteristic length and time scales of the system like elastic ...
0
votes
0answers
129 views
Motions in Non-inertial reference frames? Reference -request
The course 0.2061 in Aalto University covers motion in non-inertial-reference frame but without examples and without references (examples are outlined only in lectures but I find them very hard to ...
0
votes
1answer
171 views
Is omniscience impossible?
I remember reading a brief note in Scientific American years ago about a mathematician/physicist who had published a paper that formally stated that no entity could both participate in a given system ...
4
votes
1answer
187 views
Dimensional reduction and Schwarzschild solution
It is well-known that, given a Killing vector $\xi_\mu$ for a metric, this can be dimensionally reduced. This is exactly the case of the Schwarzschild solution due to the rotational symmetry. This ...
0
votes
0answers
55 views
Experimental realization of Quantum Teleportation of Spin, not polarization, not ions or atoms
I've looked everywhere in databases my school provides, to google searches, to the questions asked in physics forums, and here. As I understand, the original QT (quantum teleportation) protocol ...
6
votes
2answers
265 views
What is known about quantum electrodynamics at finite times?
I'm aware that we can describe the time evolution of states/operators (choose your favourite picture) of non interacting quantum fields and that perturbation theory is very effective in computing S ...
4
votes
2answers
562 views
Lowest gravity on Earth's surface?
I am trying to determine which on Earth's surface has the lowest gravity. Googling is not finding anything concrete. My natural inclination would be to think of Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador, being on ...
5
votes
4answers
478 views
Study Quantum Physics
I'm an aspiring physicist who wants to self study some Quantum Physics. My thirst for knowledge is unquenchable and I can not wait 2 more years until I get my first quantum physics class in ...
1
vote
0answers
68 views
Good introductory books on AdS/CFT correspondence [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Introduction to AdS/CFT
Since my question in a similar topic was deleted, I'll ask away and hope ppl won't come here telling me: this was already asked! :\
I have a ...
0
votes
0answers
40 views
Viscoelastic materials parameters values
I am taking part of a theoretical research about viscoelastic material, in particular related to the Kelvin-Voigt model.
For some numerical simulation we need the values of the Lamé elastic and ...
4
votes
2answers
130 views
Quantum Mechanics in terms of *-algebras
I'm currently trying to find my way into the geometric description of Quantum Mechanics. I therefor started reading:
Geometry of state spaces. In: Entanglement and Decoherence (A. Buchleitner et ...
