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General Physics and Astronomy

Interdisciplinary research spanning multiple areas of physics and astronomy that bridges traditional boundaries within this field

8 papers

Papers

Consequences of Undecidability in Physics on the Theory of Everything

This theoretical paper argues that a complete, purely algorithmic "Theory of Everything" (ToE) is impossible due to fundamental mathematical limitations like Gödel's incompleteness theorems. It proposes a "Meta-Theory of Everything" (MToE) that incorporates non-algorithmic understanding, suggesting some aspects of reality are inherently uncomputable. This framework further implies that the universe cannot be a computer simulation, as any simulation would be algorithmic and thus incomplete.

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General Physics and Astronomy Nov 01, 03:03 PM

Transients in the Palomar Observatory Sky Survey (POSS-I) may be associated with nuclear testing and reports of unidentified anomalous phenomena

This study found statistically significant associations between mysterious short-lived star-like objects captured in the Palomar Observatory Sky Survey (POSS-I) from 1949-1957, global above-ground nuclear weapons testing, and reports of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP). Transients were 45% more likely on dates around nuclear tests, and an 8.5% increase in transient count was observed for every additional UAP reported, though these are correlations, not proven causal links. The findings are intriguing but the small magnitude of these associations and noisy data preclude definitive conclusions about their nature or origin.

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General Physics and Astronomy Oct 22, 06:08 PM

Constraints on axion-like particles from active galactic nuclei seen through galaxy clusters

This study introduces a new method for searching for axion-like particles (ALPs) using the stacked spectra of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) behind galaxy clusters. While a marginal detection (2σ) of ALPs is observed in the absence of systematic uncertainties, further investigation with larger datasets and multi-wavelength data is crucial for confirmation. The study demonstrates the potential of this technique to probe previously inaccessible ALP parameter space.

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General Physics and Astronomy Aug 16, 03:11 AM

The vast world of quantum advantage

This perspective article examines our current understanding of quantum advantages, the situations where quantum systems outperform classical ones. The authors highlight that proving and identifying real quantum speedups is tricky, and they propose five key characteristics of a "true" quantum advantage: predictability, typicality, robustness, verifiability, and usefulness. They also discuss different areas where these advantages might appear, like computing, sensing, and communication, and point out that some quantum advantages may be so complex that we can't even predict them with our current tools.

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General Physics and Astronomy Aug 11, 03:50 AM

The Philosophy and Physics of Duality

This book gives a philosophical analysis of dualities in physics, understood as maps between theories. These maps are defined to be isomorphisms that preserve the values of the quantities and the dynamics. The authors discuss several well-known examples of dualities in statistical physics, quantum field theory, and string theory. They also discuss the implications of dualities for a variety of philosophical notions, such as realism, theoretical equivalence, and emergence.

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General Physics and Astronomy Aug 09, 12:43 PM

Experimental confirmation of barrierless reactions between HeH+ and deuterium atoms suggests a lower abundance of the first molecules at very high redshifts

Experimental and theoretical investigation confirmed that the reaction between helium hydride ions (HeH+) and deuterium atoms is fast at low temperatures, which has implications for the abundance of the first molecules in the early universe. This suggests previous estimates, based on an older model with an artificial energy barrier, underestimated the reaction rate, potentially affecting models of early universe chemistry and star formation.

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General Physics and Astronomy Aug 05, 04:43 PM

Physics-informed PointNet: A deep learning solver for steady-state incompressible flows and thermal fields on multiple sets of irregular geometries

This paper introduces Physics-Informed PointNet (PIPN), a deep learning solver that predicts fluid flow and thermal fields on multiple sets of irregular geometries. PIPN uses a point-cloud neural network to handle irregular shapes and physics-informed learning to capture the underlying physics, allowing it to be trained on various geometries simultaneously and generalize to unseen shapes from different categories.

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General Physics and Astronomy Jul 14, 05:09 PM