Existential sentence 2026-10-14
An existential sentence has a block of existential quantifiers followed by a quantifier-free formula. Empty blocks are allowed. These sentences are preserved when a first-order structure embeds into another structure.
Spatial optical coherence 2026-10-14
Spatial optical coherence compares field samples at different positions, usually across a transverse plane at equal time. Two small openings separated by sample this correlation: recombine their light with nearly matched travel times and measure interferometric visibility near the central interference fringes. A narrow opening in front of a broad-spectrum lamp can improve transverse spatial optical coherence while leaving its short temporal optical coherence. These are separate controls: narrow spectral selection by itself need not make an extended source spatially coherent. MIT's lecture notes illustrate the two-opening test and these contrasting source preparations. [ref]
https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/2-71-optics-spring-2009/bebe78c6a2ae2603a0d1a3ea85e0b4ca_MIT2_71S09_lec22.pdf. MIT 2.71/2.710, lecture 22, slides 3–5: spatial sampling and source examples
.To isolate source width, stipulate a distant, narrowband source with uniform angular brightness on , and mutually uncorrelated emission from distinct source directions. Here is the full angular width in radians, the common wavelength, and the two openings are separated by along the same transverse direction as the source extent. Neglect amplitude differences across the openings. Each source direction contributes a phase difference approximately . Averaging its complex cross term givesThe sinc function is extended continuously to one at . The sign convention in the exponential depends on which opening is numbered first; the symmetric model gives the same real result either way. Equal detected single-opening light intensities make the magnitude equal to interferometric visibility. A displaced source center adds a deterministic wave phase, shifting the interference fringes without changing their contrast.
Calculated spatial optical coherence for a stipulated uniform incoherent angular source: wider sources wash out and invert interference fringes
. Details. The strips show with equal single-opening light intensities, a common phase difference coordinate and no single-slit diffraction envelope. At , contrast is ; at , it vanishes. At , the correlation is : weak fringes return with bright and dark positions exchanged. For and , the first zero occurs at . This is a calculated example, not an experimental measurement or a universal source-width law.
A proposed source-width control follows directly from this model: illuminate two fixed openings with a distant adjustable luminous slit of full width at distance , so under the small-angle approximation, and hold and the spectral selection fixed. Increasing overlays more mutually incoherent, displaced interference fringe patterns. Record profiles over several near-central fringes, measure each opening separately and correct intensity imbalance as in first-order optical coherence. Restrict the recorded region so the path difference stays small compared with the optical coherence length, and resolve the fringes with the detector. Real source nonuniformity, finite opening widths and spectral spread modify the stipulated sinc function law. This protocol is a model-based extension of the verified two-opening method, not a claim that the plotted curves were measured.
Thus an extended incoherent source can give locally excellent wave interference when the sampled separation is small, and almost none when it is larger. The useful scale expresses how source extent limits the aperture over which coherent addition is available. The same angular averaging explains why narrowing a source opening can recover visible interference fringes, even without narrowing its optical spectrum.
Temporal optical coherence Created 2026-10-14 Updated 2026-10-18
Temporal optical coherence compares a field at one position with a delayed copy. In a Michelson interferometer, unequal round-trip lengths supply this delay. Even a source with rapidly changing wave phase can give high interferometric visibility close to zero delay, because both arms then deliver nearly the same source history. A source narrowed in optical spectrum generally retains correlation over larger delays; a single width does not describe sources with several separated lines. [ref]
https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/2-71-optics-spring-2009/bebe78c6a2ae2603a0d1a3ea85e0b4ca_MIT2_71S09_lec22.pdf. MIT 2.71/2.710, lecture 22, slides 2–5: temporal and spatial coherence
.For a stationary scalar field, choose the carrier convention , with frequency in cycles per second. Let be its spectral density per unit frequency, with . Its normalized field correlation is the Fourier transformThe optical spectrum weights the rotating contributions; a broad spread of frequencies allows them to cancel at short delays. This is the stationary field correlation–spectrum relation. The relevant spectrum is that of the optical field in the detected mode, rather than the low-frequency fluctuations of a detector's light intensity. [ref]
https://www.rp-photonics.com/optical_spectrum.html. Rüdiger Paschotta, RP Photonics Encyclopedia, Optical Spectrum: optical field spectrum and temporal coherence
.Here are two stipulated line profiles, each centered at with full width at half maximum . Write and use normalized profiles on the whole detuning line:The first is a Lorentzian, mathematically a Cauchy distribution; the second is a Gaussian function. Taking their Fourier transforms gives, with the carrier factor omitted from the magnitudes,These are calculated model results, not measured line profiles. The detuning approximation treats the narrow line as extending to arbitrarily large positive and negative ; for optical applications require . Exact spectra of the complex positive-frequency field have no negative absolute frequencies. Changing to angular frequency replaces by ; it must not silently preserve the same numerical constant.
Michelson interferometer geometry and calculated interferometric visibility versus delay for stipulated line profiles
. Details. Equal detected single-arm light intensities give interferometric visibility equal to the correlation magnitude. Doubling the Gaussian full width at half maximum from to halves every fixed-contrast delay. At the model gives Gaussian interferometric visibility approximately at and at ; the Lorentzian gives . The dashed curve instead keeps the Gaussian correlation and changes to , multiplying all interferometric visibilities by . Its lower contrast at zero delay therefore comes entirely from intensity imbalance.
For a real consistent zero-stable linear multistep method, transform its first characteristic polynomial by to . The root condition for a multistep method puts all finite roots of in the closed left half-plane; real linear factors and conjugate quadratic factors consequently give nonnegative coefficients, after choosing . The order criterion requires a polynomial of degree at most to agree through degree with . The latter quotient has strictly negative nonconstant even coefficients. Its first even coefficient beyond degree includes a strictly negative multiple of and cannot vanish. This gives the stated bound.
Using Newton-Cotes closed quadrature for the integrated derivative yields the displayed linear multistep method. Its first characteristic polynomial is , whose unit-circle roots are all simple, proving zero-stability. Quadrature exactness gives order for odd and at least for even . The first Dahlquist barrier gives equality, while the Dahlquist equivalence theorem gives convergence with consistent starts. These are finite-time convergence statements, not claims of A-stability.
Minimal number of generators of a module Created 2026-10-14 Updated 2026-10-25
For a module , is the least cardinality of a generating set, equivalently the least size of a basis of a free module surjecting onto . If is a local ring and is finitely generated, then . Any generating set spans this quotient, proving the lower bound. Lift a basis of the quotient and let be the submodule generated by those lifts. Then is finitely generated and satisfies . For generators write with . The adjugate of shows that annihilates ; this determinant is one modulo and hence a unit. Thus , giving the upper bound.
Variable-recycling count on a linear order 2026-10-14
For a formula in , , with only free, define and . Obtain the superscript- formula by globally interchanging the two variable names in the superscript- version. Then counts at least distinct satisfying elements without introducing any further variable names. The recursion works on finite and infinite linear orders.
On a finite linearly ordered structure with an equivalence relation, the formula selects exactly the least element of each equivalence class. Variable-recycling counting therefore expresses any prescribed lower bound on the number of classes. The order and equivalence-relation axioms use three variable names. Finiteness matters: densely interleaved infinite classes need not have least elements.
IP set 2026-10-14
A subset of the positive integers is an IP set if it contains a finite-sums set generated by an infinite sequence of positive integers. Sums use distinct indices, although the generators themselves need not be distinct. An IP set is necessarily infinite, because its successive partial sums are unbounded. The partition regularity of IP sets is the relative form of the Hindman theorem needed when applying that theorem inside an already specified IP set.
Divisibility chain inside a finite-sums set 2026-10-14
Every finite-sums set generated by an infinite sequence of positive integers contains another finite-sums set generated by a strictly increasing sequence satisfying . Consequently the divisibility requirement can be added to the conclusion of Hindman theorem.
Choose each as a sum over a finite block of indices of the original sequence, with these index blocks disjoint and successive. Given , take two fresh groups of terms. In either group the partial sums, including , give two equal congruence classes modulo by the pigeonhole principle. Their difference is a nonempty consecutive sum divisible by , and hence at least . Add the two such sums to obtain divisible by . Its index block is the union of the two selected subblocks. Discard the rest of these groups and continue after them. Because the blocks are disjoint, every finite sum of the is a finite sum of distinct original terms. This proves both the finite-sums set containment and the strictly increasing divisibility chain.
Minkowski sausage 2026-10-14
The Minkowski sausage replaces a segment by eight directed unit segments whose endpoint displacement is four units. A middle straight run of length two represents two collinear unit segments. After normalizing the displacement to one, the eight contracting Euclidean similarities all have ratio . The open diamond is an open set condition witness: its eight image diamonds have disjoint interiors and lie within it. Hence , giving Hausdorff dimension . Treating the middle run as a single similarity of ratio instead defines a different iterated scheme.
Trakhtenbrot's theorem 2026-10-14
The finite satisfiability problem is undecidable, and the set of first-order sentences valid in every finite structure is not computably enumerable. A halting computation can be encoded as a finite ordered tableau satisfying finitely many local first-order constraints; the resulting sentence has a finite model exactly when the computation halts.
Finite residual contains surjective endomorphism kernels Created 2026-10-14 Updated 2026-11-05
Let be a finitely generated group and a surjective endomorphism. Pullback by permutes the finite set of normal subgroups of any prescribed finite index. For each such , some iterate satisfies , so . Intersecting proves the inclusion. Consequently every finitely generated residually finite group is a Hopfian group.
Gabriel's theorem Created 2026-10-14 Updated 2026-11-05
A connected quiver has finite representation type exactly when its underlying unoriented graph is a Dynkin diagram of type , , or . In that case, dimension vectors give a bijection from indecomposable representations to positive roots.
Parameter family for an elementary abelian p-group Created 2026-10-14 Updated 2026-11-05
For , put , . On a basis , prescribe , , , . These are valid modules because every product of two radical operators is zero. Each is indecomposable, and an isomorphism preserves the equality , hence preserves . An infinite field therefore gives infinitely many isomorphism classes.
Rectangular barrier transmission probability 2026-10-14
For equal exterior potential energies and constant mass, the exact transmission probability isBelow the barrier, the hyperbolic sine is positive for , so . At , the interior wavefunction is linear in ; either neighbouring formula has the displayed finite limit, since and tend to one. Above the barrier, the interior wavefunction oscillates: the quantum reflection probability generally remains nonzero, but for a positive integer gives perfect transmission probability through constructive wave interference. These are scattering resonances, not below-barrier quantum tunnelling.
At half height, , we have and , consistent with finite square barrier transmission at half barrier height after replacing this width by that example's width . In the illustration, the width is four times and , giving . The plotted wavefunction comes from solving the four interface equations; the transmission probability curve uses the closed formula.
Matched square-barrier wavefunction and transmission below and above the barrier
. Original model calculations with equal exterior potential energies, constant mass and incident probability amplitude one. The real part and imaginary part of the wavefunction, its modulus and the exact transmission probability are shown; these curves are not measurements. The conserved net probability current is small but nonzero throughout the barrier. Details. Tunnelling decay constant 2026-10-14
The tunnelling decay constant is the inverse length controlling the exponential decay of an evanescent wave in a constant potential barrier with . The wavefunction amplitude decay length is ; the squared-amplitude decay length is .
Ramsey number 2026-10-14
For positive integers , the Ramsey number is the least integer such that every red-blue edge coloring of the complete graph contains either a red clique on vertices or a blue clique on vertices. The complete graph has all unordered pairs as edges; every edge gets exactly one color, with no requirement that incident edges have different colors. The definition and its graph interpretation appear in D. Yogeshwaran's Discrete Mathematics notes, section 5.3.
For example, asks how many vertices force a monochromatic triangle in a graph. Swapping colors gives . Also : either a red edge exists, or all edges are blue. On vertices, an all-blue coloring avoids both a red edge and a blue -clique. Under the convention that a one-vertex clique qualifies in either color, .
For , splitting the neighbors of one vertex by the colors of their incident edges givesIndeed, in a complete graph of the order on the right, at least neighbors are joined to that vertex by red edges, or at least are joined by blue edges. In the red case, the defining property of the smaller Ramsey number supplies either a blue -clique among the neighbors or a red -clique that extends by the chosen vertex; the blue case is symmetric. Starting from the one-vertex base cases, this recursively proves finite existence. The binomial upper bound for a Ramsey number packages the resulting estimate. [ref]
https://www.its.caltech.edu/~dconlon/RamseyLecture1.pdf. David Conlon's Graph Ramsey Theory notes, Lecture 1
present the neighbor argument and the sharp Ramsey number for triangles.Equivalently, every graph on at least vertices has an -clique or a -element independent set: color its edges red and the edges of its complement graph blue. This is the Ramsey theorem in graph theory. Larger monochromatic patterns have their own thresholds, such as a graph Ramsey number, matching Ramsey number or triangle-packing Ramsey number; these ask different questions from finding one clique.
Weak Huygens principle 2026-10-14
The weak Huygens principle is the domain-of-dependence statement that initial data outside a backward light cone cannot influence its tip. It permits an interior tail and is weaker than the Strong Huygens principle. For with , integrating the local energy over shrinking balls proves this statement: the boundary contribution is .
Support widening for the wave equation 2026-10-14
For whole-line Cauchy data with support contained in , the displayed inclusion holds at . A short check uses D'Alembert's formula: if , both sampled endpoints and the whole interval of integration lie to the right of , so all contributions vanish; the argument for is identical. The inclusion can be strict, and a nonzero response at the first permitted arrival is not guaranteed.
There are unlisted articles, also show them or only show them.


