Can Quantum Measurements Control Temperature?

2020 ◽  
pp. 189-202
Author(s):  
Gershon Kurizki ◽  
Goren Gordon
Keyword(s):  
Quantum Effects ◽  
Big Bang ◽  
Quantum Measurements ◽  
Environment Interaction ◽  
Hot Environment ◽  
Time Flow ◽  
Time Arrow ◽  
The Big Bang ◽  
Measurement Rate

Henry is trapped in a burning building because of Eve’s mischief. Henry’s entanglement with the hot environment is ominous: his states receive excessive energy from the environment, threatening his physiology. Can quantum effects rescue Henry from the fire? Unexpectedly, Eve comes to his rescue. She frequently measures his energy in a “quantum non-demolition” (QND) fashion which is expected to keep his state intact. Surprisingly, Henry grows hotter or colder depending on Eve’s measurement rate! These quantum effects seem to violate the laws of thermodynamics. Engraved in stone as these laws and the ensuing time directionality (time arrow) may be, they fail if the system is examined too frequently, whence time arrow loses its meaning. One may speculate over the role of such anomalies in the Big Bang. These anomalies support Parmenides’ view that time flow is determined by the observer’s choices. The appendix to this chapter elaborates on the dynamics induced by system–environment interaction changes.

scholarly journals Cosmology at the top of the α′ tower

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerome Quintin ◽  
Heliudson Bernardo ◽  
Guilherme Franzmann
Keyword(s):  
Energy Condition ◽  
Big Bang ◽  
Null Energy Condition ◽  
Einstein Frame ◽  
Accelerated Expansion ◽  
De Sitter ◽  
The Big Bang ◽  
Big Bang Singularity ◽  
Matter Sector

Abstract The cosmology of the fully α′-corrected duality-invariant action for the Neveu-Schwarz sector of string theory is revisited, with special emphasis on its coupling to matter sources. The role of the duality covariant pressure and dilatonic charge of the matter sector is explored in various contexts, from the low-curvature regime to non-perturbative solutions in α′. We comment on how an infinite tower of α′ corrections allows for fixed-dilaton de Sitter solutions, even in vacuum. We further investigate the necessary conditions for accelerated expansion in the Einstein frame, as well as for non-singular bounces that could resolve the big bang singularity. In particular, explicit examples are constructed, which show that the tower of α′ corrections may support an Einstein-frame non-singular cosmological bouncing background, even when the matter sector respects the null energy condition.

scholarly journals Limitations of Observational Cosmology

1990 ◽  
Vol 123 ◽  
pp. 543-550
Author(s):  
Menas Kafatos
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Big Bang ◽  
Theoretical Physics ◽  
Observational Cosmology ◽  
Observable Universe ◽  
Fundamental Properties ◽  
Distant Galaxies ◽  
The Big Bang ◽  
The Universe

AbstractUnlike the usual situation with theoretical physics which is testable in the laboratory, in cosmological theories of the universe one faces the following problems: The observer is part of the system, the universe, and this system cannot be altered to test physical theory. Even though one can in principle consider any part of the observable universe as separate from the acts of observation, the very hypothesis of big bang implies that in the distant past, space-time regions containing current observers were part of the same system. One, therefore, faces a situation where the observer has to be considered as inherently a part of the entire system. The existence of horizons of knowledge in any cosmological view of the universe is then tantamount to inherent observational limits imposed by acts of observation and theory itself. For example, in the big bang cosmology the universe becomes opaque to radiation early on, and the images of extended distant galaxies merge for redshifts, z, of the order of a few. Moreover, in order to measure the distance of a remote galaxy to test any cosmological theory, one has to disperse its light to form a spectrum which would cause confusion with other background galaxies. Since the early universe should be described in quantum terms, it follows that the same problems regarding quantum reality and the role of the observer apply to the universe as a whole. One of the most fundamental properties of quantum theory, non-locality, may then apply equally well to the universe. Some of the problems facing big bang cosmology, like the horizon and flatness problems, may not then be preconditions on theoretical models but may instead be the manifestations of the quantum nature of the universe.

scholarly journals Anisotropic quantum cosmology with minimally coupled scalar field

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (34) ◽  
pp. 1950283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saumya Ghosh ◽  
Sunandan Gangopadhyay ◽  
Prasanta K. Panigrahi
Keyword(s):  
Scalar Field ◽  
Wave Packet ◽  
Quantum Cosmology ◽  
Hamiltonian Formalism ◽  
Big Bang ◽  
Type I ◽  
The Big Bang ◽  
The Universe ◽  
Big Bang Singularity

In this paper, we perform the Wheeler–DeWitt quantization for Bianchi type I anisotropic cosmological model in the presence of a scalar field minimally coupled to the Einstein–Hilbert gravity theory. We also consider the cosmological (perfect) fluid to construct the matter sector of the model whose dynamics plays the role of time. After obtaining the Wheeler–DeWitt equation from the Hamiltonian formalism, we then define the self-adjointness relations properly. Doing that, we proceed to get a solution for the Wheeler–DeWitt equation and construct a well-behaved wave function for the universe. The wave packet is next constructed from a superposition of the wave functions with different energy eigenvalues together with a suitable weight factor which renders the norm of the wave packet finite. It is then concluded that the Big-Bang singularity can be removed in the context of quantum cosmology.

scholarly journals Of Cosmic Background Anisotropies

1996 ◽  
Vol 168 ◽  
pp. 31-44
Author(s):  
G.F. Smoot
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Thermal Emission ◽  
Big Bang ◽  
Microwave Background ◽  
The Standard Model ◽  
The Big Bang ◽  
The Universe ◽  
Fundamental Physical ◽  
Large Scale Structure Formation

Observations of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Radiation have put the standard model of cosmology, the Big Bang, on firm footing and provide tests of various ideas of large scale structure formation. CMB observations now let us test the role of gravity and General Relativity in cosmology including the geometry, topology, and dynamics of the Universe. Foreground galactic emissions, dust thermal emission and emission from energetic electrons, provide a serious limit to observations. Nevertheless, observations may determine if the evolution of the Universe can be understood from fundamental physical principles.

scholarly journals The limits of cosmology: role of the Moon

2020 ◽  
Vol 379 (2188) ◽  
pp. 20190561 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Silk
Keyword(s):  
Galaxy Formation ◽  
Star Clusters ◽  
Far Infrared ◽  
Big Bang ◽  
Habitable Zone ◽  
The Moon ◽  
The Big Bang ◽  
The Universe ◽  
Infrared Telescopes

The lunar surface allows a unique way forward in cosmology, to go beyond current limits. The far side provides an unexcelled radio-quiet environment for probing the dark ages via 21 cm interferometry to seek elusive clues on the nature of the infinitesimal fluctuations that seeded galaxy formation. Far-infrared telescopes in cold and dark lunar polar craters will probe back to the first months of the Big Bang and study associated spectral distortions in the CMB. Optical and IR megatelescopes will image the first star clusters in the Universe and seek biosignatures in the atmospheres of unprecedented numbers of nearby habitable zone exoplanets. The goals are compelling and a stable lunar platform will enable construction of telescopes that can access trillions of modes in the sky, providing the key to exploration of our cosmic origins. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Astronomy from the Moon: the next decades’.

scholarly journals Role of extended gravity theory in matter bounce dynamics

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.S. Agrawal ◽  
S K Tripathy ◽  
Sarmistha Pal ◽  
B Mishra
Keyword(s):  
Big Bang ◽  
Gravity Theory ◽  
Geometrical Parameters ◽  
Extended Gravity ◽  
Dynamical Parameters ◽  
Frame Work ◽  
The Stability ◽  
The Big Bang ◽  
Bouncing Cosmologies

Abstract In this work, we have studied some bouncing cosmologies in the frame work of $f(R,T)$ gravity. The bouncing scenario has been formulated to avoid the big bang singularity. The physical and geometrical parameters are investigated. The effect of the extended gravity theory on the dynamical parameters of the model is investigated. It is found that, the $f(R,T)$ gravity parameter affects the cosmic dynamics substantially. We have also, tested the model through the calculation of the cosmographic coefficients and the $Om(z)$ parameter. A scalar field reconstruction of the bouncing scenario is also carried out. The stability of the model are tested under linear, homogeneous and isotropic perturbations.

The Bible, Science & Creation

2015 ◽  
Vol 87 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-113
Author(s):  
Ernest C. Lucas
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Information ◽  
Big Bang ◽  
Human Origins ◽  
Near Eastern ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Big Bang Theory ◽  
Genesis 1 ◽  
The Big Bang ◽  
Made In

This paper argues that Genesis 1–3 should not be read for scientific information but as an ancient Near Eastern figurative story which conveys theological truth about the nature of God, the created order, and humans, and of the role of humans in the created order. It goes on to argue that two of the key theological assertions in these chapters – that we live in a created universe and that humans are made in the image and likeness of God – are compatible with the Big Bang Theory of the origin of the cosmos and an evolutionary understanding of human origins.

scholarly journals The Interplay of Order and Disorder in the Dynamical Evolution of Physical and Biological Systems

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asima Tripathy ◽  
Rajat Kumar Pradhan
Keyword(s):  
Biological Systems ◽  
Dynamical Evolution ◽  
Coarse Graining ◽  
Big Bang ◽  
Initial State ◽  
Order And Disorder ◽  
The Big Bang ◽  
Low Entropy ◽  
The Universe

We discuss the role of the opposing principles of order and disorder in physical and biological systems in determining stability, growth and evolution and bring forth the potential role of a cosmic ordering agency. We analyze its role in decreasing entropy by coarse-graining and hence in determining the initial low entropy state of the big bang universe. Since all physical and biological systems have either cycles of order and disorder alternating, or may have chaotic evolution with non-linear laws, the same is expected of the dynamics of the whole universe as well. The entropy of the initial state of the universe could be low because of the reduction of degrees of freedom (DoF) as one moves from physical encoding to neural encoding and then on to psychic encoding of information in a nested manner by coarse-graining. It is by such encoding that this cosmic agency enables the universe to pass through the big crunch phase and then rolls it out as the big bang universe from the initial state of low entropy.

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