In quantum mechanics, pointer states are eigenstates of the observable of the measurement apparatus
that represent the possible positions of the display pointer of the equipment. The origin of this
concept lies in attempts to fill the blanks in Evere…
Investigation of black body radiation with the aid of a self-made pyroelectric infrared detector
The thermal radiation of a black body is investigated using a pyroelectric infrared radiation
detector. This paper presents the construction and operation principles of a simple set-up used for
investigation of black body radiation in a student labor…
Investigation of black body radiation with the aid of a self-made pyroelectric infrared detector
The thermal radiation of a black body is investigated using a pyroelectric infrared radiation
detector. This paper presents the construction and operation principles of a simple set-up used for
investigation of black body radiation in a student labor…
Electro-thermal analogies and imaging radiation thermometry
Through similarities and analogies of Laplace/Poisson equations governing thermal and electric
conduction processes and related phenomena, we show how to indirectly visualize the electric
properties of various configurations, including non-trivial on…
Optical transfer function analysis of single pinhole glasses
When a person observes an object located at a distance closer than his near point, the object will
appear blurred. Inserting a circular pinhole with a suitable diameter in front of the eye improves
vision. However, vision worsens below a certain pinh…
Puzzles of dark energy in the Universe—phantom
This paper is devoted to some simple approach based on general physics tools to describe the
physical properties of a hypothetical particle which can be the source of dark energy in the
Universe known as phantom. Phantom is characterized by the fact …
Can a moving charge or a varying dipole produce a constant field?
Although the electromagnetic field of a given distribution of charge and current is unambiguously
defined by the Maxwell equations, there is no unique inverse correspondence between this field and
point-like sources. We prove this statement for elect…
Simple measurements of rolling friction and deformation when μ r < 0.001
A simple method is described to measure the coefficient of rolling friction, ##IMG##
[http://ej.iop.org/images/0143-0807/36/6/065018/ejp519061ieqn3.gif] {${mu }_{{rm{r}}}$} , for a
hard ball rolling on a hard, horizontal surface. The method involve…
Equivalent norms in ##IMG## [http://ej.iop.org/images/0143-0807/36/6/065021/toc_ejp518814ieqn1.gif] {${{mathbb{R}}}^{n}$} from thermodynamical laws
In 1978, Landsberg proposed an elegant way of obtaining the inequality between arithmetic and
geometric mean by using the first and second laws of thermodynamics. This result opened a debate on
the logic legitimacy of this procedure to obtain some ma…
On the applicability of Ampère’s law
We point out that in the course of application of Ampère’s law it is important to fulfil the
condition of continuity. We emphasize the role of the displacement current in the case of non-closed
circuits. As a didactical example the magnetostatic f…
Image-based general-relativistic visualization
Ego-centric, or first-person, visualization is a valuable tool for an introductory course in general
relativity as well as for public outreach to provide a deeper understanding of the geometric
distortion effects due to curved spacetime. To enhance t…
Two new variations on the twins pseudoparadox
Two new scenarios are proposed which generalize the standard story leading to the pseudoparadox of
the Einsteinian relativistic twins, thereby enabling some deeper understanding. First, Aesop’s fable
‘The Hare and the Tortoise’ is considered in…
The Duffing oscillator with damping
An analytical solution to the differential equation describing the Duffing oscillator with damping
is presented. The damping term of the differential equation and the initial conditions satisfy an
algebraic equation, and thus the solution is specific…
Live: driving from ISS
Follow ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen operating the Interact rover from space – rover testing now starts at 1410 GMT (1610 CEST)
Cosmic billows
Space Science Image of the Week: Planck reveals an interstellar filament and our galactic neighbours, the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds
Sentinel-2 catches eye of algal storm
The Sentinel-2A satellite has been in orbit for only a matter of weeks, but new images of an algal bloom in the Baltic Sea show that it is already exceeding expectations. Built essentially as a land monitoring mission, Sentinel-2 will also…
Percolation Model of Sensory Transmission and Loss of Consciousness Under General Anesthesia
Author(s): David W. Zhou, David D. Mowrey, Pei Tang, and Yan Xu
A computer model of a network of neurons shows that a sudden breakdown in the net’s ability to transmit information mimics the brain wave changes that accompany anesthesia.

[Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 108103] Published Fri Sep 04, 2015
Thermal Equilibrium of a Macroscopic Quantum System in a Pure State
Author(s): Sheldon Goldstein, David A. Huse, Joel L. Lebowitz, and Roderich TumulkaThermal equilibrium can be indicated macroscopically by spatially uniform temperature and chemical potentials, but also by a microscopic property emerging from quantum e…
Week In Images
Our week through the lens: 31 August-4 September 2015
Mission team ready for Galileo launch
When the next pair of Galileo satellites is boosted into orbit next Friday, a team of mission control experts in Darmstadt, Germany, will spring into action, working around the clock to bring the duo through their critical first days in sp…
New arrivals
Watch the replay of ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, commander Sergei Volkov and Aidyn Aimbetov opening the hatch to the International Space Station after a two-day flight in space
Hubble survey unlocks clues to star birth in neighboring galaxy
To researchers surprise, nature apparently forms stars with a consistent distribution from massive supergiants to tiny dwarfs.
ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen begins busy International Space Station tour
Docking replay
After a two-day flight in space, ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, commander Sergei Volkov and Aidyn Aimbetov arrived at the International Space Station at 07:39 GMT (09:39 CEST)
Australian desert
Earth observation image of the week: a Sentinel-2 image of the Northern Territory desert in Australia, also featured on the Earth from Space video programme
Herschel and Planck Honored with Space Systems Award
Herschel and Planck teams are recipients of a prestigious aerospace industry award.
‘Hedgehog’ Robots Hop, Tumble in Microgravity
Hedgehog is a new concept for a robot that is specifically designed to overcome the challenges of traversing small solar system bodies.
NASA’s TES Satellite Instrument Gives New Insight into Water Cycle
NASA satellite measurements have given scientists a better understanding of what happens to rain and snow that fall on land, with a few surprising findings.
iriss blog
Follow the entire 10-day mission of ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen to the International Space Station with behind-the-scenes info on the iriss blog
Galileo: fit for flight
Europe’s ninth and tenth Galileo satellites being fixed to the dispenser that will secure them during their 11 September launch
Spaceship Earth
Come and see how images of Earth from space show how science meets art at a new exhibition at Ars Electronica in Linz, Austria
Influence of Impurity Spin Dynamics on Quantum Transport in Epitaxial Graphene
Author(s): Samuel Lara-Avila, Sergey Kubatkin, Oleksiy Kashuba, Joshua A. Folk, Silvia Lüscher, Rositza Yakimova, T. J. B. M. Janssen, Alexander Tzalenchuk, and Vladimir Fal’ko
A moderate in-plane magnetic field can reduce spin-related decoherence in epitaxial graphene.

[Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 106602] Published Thu Sep 03, 2015
At Saturn, one of these rings is not like the others
During equinox, one part of the rings didn’t cool as expected, which allowed scientists to model what they might be like on the inside.
What happened to early Mars’ atmosphere? New study eliminates one theory
A new analysis of the largest known deposit of carbonate minerals on Mars suggests that the original martian atmosphere may have already lost most of its carbon dioxide by the era of valley network formation.
Earth from Space
Join us Friday, 4 September, at 10:00 CEST for the ‘Earth from Space’ video programme. This week features a Sentinel-2A satellite image of the Australian Northern Territory.
Comment on ‘Wind-influenced projectile motion’
We comment on the article ‘Wind-influenced projectile motion’ by Bernardo et al (2015 Eur. J. Phys.
36 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0143-0807/025016] 025016 ) where they examine the trajectory of a
particle that is subjected to gravity and a linear…
Weight, gravitation, inertia, and tides
This paper deals with the factors that influence the weight of an object near the Earth’s surface.
They are: (1) the Earth’s gravitational force, (2) the centrifugal force due to the Earth’s diurnal
rotation, and (3) tidal forces due to the gravitati…
Reply to Comment on ‘Wind-influenced projectile motion’
The authors reply to a comment made on a previous paper (Bernardo et al 2015 Eur. J. Phys. 36
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0143-0807/36/2/025016/] 025016 ).
The statics of the wedge-shaped jar opener
This paper analyzes the static equilibrium of a simple jar opener on the basis of rigid-body
mechanics with friction. The opener-lid system is described as a disk lying inside a wedge, where
only one side has friction; the disk is assumed to be acted…
NASA Soil Moisture Radar Ends Operations, Mission Science Continues
NASA SMAP observatory managers have determined its radar can no longer return data, but the mission continues to produce high-quality science with its radiometer instrument.
At Saturn, One of These Rings is not like the Others
One section of Saturn’s rings may be loaded with chunks of solid ice, possibly shards from a destroyed moon, according to a new study by Cassini scientists.
Cosmic recycling in the Prawn Nebula
This new image of IC 4628 (Gum 56) shows newborn stars formed by the remains of the most massive suns of a previous generation.
Comet Hitchhiker would take tour of small bodies
This concept puts forth a new way to get into orbit and land on comets and asteroids using the kinetic energy of these small bodies.
One man and his robot
Technology image of the week: ESA’s head of telerobotics introducing the rover Andreas Mogensen will soon be operating from orbit
Full replay: iriss launch
Watch the full replay of Soyuz TMA-18M launch to the International Space Station with ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen
ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen launched to Space Station
ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, commander Sergei Volkov and Aidyn Aimbetov were launched into space this morning2 Septemberat 04:38 GMT (06:38 CEST) from Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.
iriss liftoff
Replay: ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, commander Sergei Volkov and Aidyn Aimbetov launched into space 2 September at 04:37 GMT (06:37 CEST) from Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.
What Happened to Early Mars’ Atmosphere? New Study Eliminates One Theory
The amount of Martian atmosphere trapped by mineral formation appears inadequate to account for a warm environment when rivers cut valleys on ancient Mars.
Comet Hitchhiker Would Take Tour of Small Bodies
A concept for orbiting and landing on multiple asteroids and comets is being developed at JPL.
Space nears
Human spaceflight and operations image of the week: Thumbs up for the crew being launched to the International Space Station on Wednesday
Spectroscopy of Interacting Quasiparticles in Trapped Ions
Author(s): P. Jurcevic, P. Hauke, C. Maier, C. Hempel, B. P. Lanyon, R. Blatt, and C. F. Roos
The collective excitations of a quantum many-body system of trapped ions is characterized in a new spectroscopic technique that probes the eigenmodes of the system. The technique allows the excited quasiparticles to be individually manipulated and measured.

[Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 100501] Published Tue Sep 01, 2015
LISA Pathfinder set for launch site
Scheduled for launch later this year, the mission will pave the way for future space-based projects to observe gravitational waves.
LISA Pathfinder set for launch site

LISA Pathfinder, ESA’s demonstrator for spaceborne observations of gravitational waves, is ready to leave for Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
Latest Galileos closing in on launch

Europe’s ninth and tenth Galileo satellites have been attached to the dispenser that will hold them during their flight up into space, then release them into their planned orbits.
New, Ultrathin Optical Devices Shape Light in Exotic Ways
Researchers have developed innovative flat, optical lenses as part of a collaboration between JPL and the Caltech.
NASA to Study Arctic Climate Change Ecosystem Impacts
NASA has begun a multi-year field campaign to investigate ecological impacts of the rapidly changing climate in Alaska and northwestern Canada.
Space Station docking
After a two-day flight in space, ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, commander Sergei Volkov and Aidyn Aimbetov will arrive at the International Space Station on 4 September. Watch live from 07:20 GMT (09:20 CEST)
Launch preview
Space Science Image of the Week: LISA Pathfinder, planned for a Vega launch later this year, will pave the way for gravitational-wave observatories in space
Utah’s Canyonlands becomes newest dark sky park
America’s darkest stretch of land gets another International Dark-Sky Park after National Park Service officials complete a sustained effort to make their lights night-sky friendly.
New Horizons Selects Kuiper Belt Target
NASA selects the next target for New Horizons, a Kuiper Belt object a billion miles past Pluto.
Greenland Campaign Takes Flight to Measure Ice Sheet
An airborne campaign over Greenland this summer helps scientists prepare for a satellite mission that will monitor global ice sheets.
NASA’s Summer Research on Sea Level Rise in Greenland
Researchers camped on Greenland’s ice sheet this summer studied streams that form atop the ice and carry meltwater to the ocean, where it adds to sea level rise.
Ferromagnetic Switching of Knotted Vector Fields in Liquid Crystal Colloids
Author(s): Qiaoxuan Zhang, Paul J. Ackerman, Qingkun Liu, and Ivan I. SmalyukhNontrivial topological modulations, including skyrmions and knots, are observed in the magnetic field configurations of poly and monodomain chiral ferromagnetic liquid crysta…
Week In Images
Our week through the lens: 24-28 August 2015
Galileo satellites fuelled and ready for launcher attachment

Europe’s latest Galileo satellites are fully fuelled, leaving them ready to be attached to their launcher upper stage in preparation for their 11 September launch.
Interstellar seeds could create oases of life
New research by Harvard astrophysicists shows that if life can travel between the stars, it would spread in a characteristic pattern that we could potentially identify.
Hubble finds that the nearest quasar is powered by a double black hole
The finding suggests that the brilliant cores of active galaxies may commonly host two central supermassive black holes that fall into orbit about one another as a result of the merger between two galaxies.
Call For Media: Press briefing on launch of Galileo satellites 9/10
The next two satellites in Europe’s Galileo satellite navigation system will be launched together on 11 September, taking its orbital constellation a step closer to initial services. Media are invited to take part in an audio briefing on 1…
60 days and 60 nights … in bed
On 9 September, the first of 12 men will go to bed for 60 days as part of important research into stopping the wasting effects that spaceflight has on the human body. Although they may be putting their feet up, it is set to be a far from r…
Hawaii’s Supreme Court begins to hear Thirty Meter Telescope case
The state’s highest court started hearing oral arguments today over the fate of what could one day be the world’s largest telescope, which protesters say would desecrate their sacred land.
Understanding quantum phenomena without solving the Schrödinger equation: the case of the finite square well
An approximate formula for the energy levels of the bound states of a particle in a finite square
well are obtained, without using the Schrödinger equation. The physics and mathematics involved in
this approach are accessible to a gifted high school…
Now you can run naked and shout Eureka!
A common mistake in introductory physics textbooks is the omission of the buoyant force exerted by
the air on an object floating in a liquid. One previous work (Lan 2000 Phys. Teach. 38 [http://
http://dx.doi.org/10.1119/1.880449] 125 ) includes that…
Increase of entropy in the thermalization of two blocks: a simpler proof
The thermalization of two blocks with distinct initial temperatures put inside an insulated
recipient is an irreversible process to which the entropic version of the second law of
thermodynamics applies, so the entropy of this system must increase. I…
Derivation of the Drude conductivity from quantum kinetic equations
The Drude formula of ac (frequency-dependent) electric conductivity has been established as a simple
and practically useful model to understand the electromagnetic response of simple free-electron-like
metals. In most textbooks of solid-state physics…
Conservation laws and laser cooling of atoms
The straightforward application of energy and linear momentum conservation to the
absorption/emission of photons by atoms allows us to establish the essential features of laser
cooling of two level atoms at low laser intensities. The lowest attainabl…
Smallest 3-D Camera Offers Brain Surgery Innovation
A tiny 3-D camera for potential use in brain surgery, has been honored with a technology award.
Longer flight to the International Space Station for Andreas Mogensen
ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen will leave for the International Space Station from Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on 2 September with commander Sergei Volkov and Kazakh cosmonaut Aidyn Aimbetov. Their flight in the Soyuz TMA-18M spacecr…
Station street view

‘Float’ and explore in detail each module of the International Space Station in this 360° panoramic view
Onsager Coefficients in Periodically Driven Systems
Author(s): Karel Proesmans and Christian Van den BroeckPeriodically driven thermodynamic systems near equilibrium cannot have finite fluxes with zero dissipation.[Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 090601] Published Thu Aug 27, 2015
Astronaut Andreas to try sub-millimetre precision task on Earth from orbit
Early September will see the very first force-feedback-based teleoperation of a rover-based robotic arm system on Earth from the International Space Station, orbiting 400 km above our heads.
Discovering dust-obscured active galaxies as they grow
A research group discovered 48 dust-obscured galaxies, and since these galaxies are thought to harbor a rapidly growing black hole in their centers, these results give scientists clues for understanding the evolution of galaxies and supermassive black …
Chandra data suggest giant collision triggered “radio phoenix”
This reignited electron cloud radiating primarily at radio frequencies lies in Abell 1033.
The Fingerprints of Sea Level Rise
When you fill a sink, the water rises at the same rate to the same height in every corner. That’s not the way it works with our rising seas.
NASA Zeroes in on Ocean Rise: How Much? How Soon?
Intensive research, aided by NASA observations and analysis, points to an unavoidable future sea level rise of several feet. The question is, how quickly will it happen?
NASA’s OMG Mission Maps Greenland’s Coastline
NASA’s Oceans Melting Greenland program will study how the oceans are eating away at Greenland’s ice sheet and help scientists predict sea level rise.
Warming Seas and Melting Ice Sheets
NASA is applying its unique capabilities to the challenge of understanding global sea level rise.
A cosmic butterfly
The shimmering colours of the Twin Jet Nebula show off in new Hubble Space Telescope image
All-Electric Access to the Magnetic-Field-Invariant Magnetization of Antiferromagnets
Author(s): Tobias Kosub, Martin Kopte, Florin Radu, Oliver G. Schmidt, and Denys Makarov
A new technique — spinning-current anomalous Hall magnetometry — measures the field invariant magnetization of antiferromagnets with high precision by cycling current and voltage probes.

[Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 097201] Published Wed Aug 26, 2015
Magnetism of Gadolinium: A First-Principles Perspective
Author(s): L. Oroszlány, A. Deák, E. Simon, S. Khmelevskyi, and L. Szunyogh
The magnetic properties of gadolinium at non-zero temperature are different at the surface of the material and in the bulk for both the paramagnetic and ferromagnetic phases according to layer resolved density-functional theory calculations.

[Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 096402] Published Wed Aug 26, 2015
New Method for a Continuous Determination of the Spin Tune in Storage Rings and Implications for Precision Experiments
Author(s): D. Eversmann et al. (JEDI collaboration)The spin precession frequency of a charged particle in a storage ring is determined with substantially increased precision. This allows for improved measurements of the electric dipole moments of charg…
First Detection of the Acoustic Oscillation Phase Shift Expected from the Cosmic Neutrino Background
Author(s): Brent Follin, Lloyd Knox, Marius Millea, and Zhen PanThe free-streaming cosmic neutrino background has been observed by a unique decomposition of the acoustic oscillations in the cosmic microwave background.[Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 091301] Pub…
Precision Measurement of the Longitudinal Double-Spin Asymmetry for Inclusive Jet Production in Polarized Proton Collisions at sqrt[s] =200 GeV
Author(s): L. Adamczyk et al. (STAR Collaboration)Measurements from STAR collaboration experiments at RHIC reveal that gluons and quarks may contribute equally to the spin angular momentum of a proton.[Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 092002] Published Wed Aug 26…
Diffraction-Unlimited Position Measurement of Ultracold Atoms in an Optical Lattice
Author(s): Yuto Ashida and Masahito Ueda
Ultracold atoms in an optical lattice could be imaged on length scales below the diffraction limit by tracking the collapse of the system’s many-body wavefunction.

[Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 095301] Published Wed Aug 26, 2015
New Hubble image of the Twin Jet Nebula
The new image highlights the bipolar planetary nebula’s shells and its knots of expanding gas in striking detail.
NASA satellites help explain coronal heating
Scientists have directly observed an essential part of the process for how magnetic waves in the Sun heat the solar plasma.
Dawn Sends Sharper Scenes from Ceres
The closest-yet views of Ceres, delivered by NASA’s Dawn spacecraft, show the small world’s features in unprecedented detail, including Ceres’ tall, conical mountain; crater formation features and narrow, braided fractures.
Ready for launch
Human spaceflight and operations image of the week: ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen testing his spacesuit before launch on 2 September
Gaia’s first year of scientific observations

Last Friday, 21 August, ESA’s billion-star surveyor, Gaia, completed its first year of science observations in its main survey mode.
UCLA physicist tests theories of dark energy by mimicking the vacuum of space
His findings helped reveal how strongly dark energy interacts with normal matter.
Dawn sends sharper scenes from Ceres
The spacecraft’s view is now three times as sharp as in its previous mapping orbit, revealing exciting new details of this intriguing dwarf planet.