Abstract: The aim of this paper is to build quantum circuits that implement discrete-time quantum walks having an arbitrary position-dependent coin operator. The position of the walker is encoded in base 2: with n wires, each corresponding to one qubit, we encode 2(n) position states. The data necessary to define an arbitrary position-dependent coin operator is therefore exponential in n. Hence, the exponentiality will necessarily appear somewhere in our circuits. We first propose a circuit implementing the position-dependent coin operator, that is naive, in the sense that it has exponential depth and implements sequentially all appropriate position-dependent coin operators. We then propose a circuit that “transfers” all the depth into ancillae, yielding a final depth that is linear in n at the cost of an exponential number of ancillae. Themain idea of this linear-depth circuit is to implement in parallel all coin operators at the different positions. Reducing the depth exponentially at the cost of having an exponential number of ancillae is a goal which has already been achieved for the problem of loading classical data on a quantum circuit (Araujo in Sci Rep 11:6329, 2021) (notice that such a circuit can be used to load the initial state of the walker). Here, we achieve this goal for the problem of applying a position-dependent coin operator in a discrete-time quantum walk. Finally, we extend the result of Welch (New J Phys 16:033040, 2014) from position-dependent unitaries which are diagonal in the position basis to position-dependent 2 x 2-block-diagonal unitaries: indeed, we show that for a position dependence of the coin operator (the block-diagonal unitary) which is smooth enough, one can find an efficient quantum-circuit implementation approximating the coin operator up to an error epsilon (in terms of the spectral norm), the depth and size of which scale as O(1/epsilon). A typical application of the efficient implementation would be the quantum simulation of a relativistic spin-1/2 particle on a lattice, coupled to a smooth external gauge field; notice that recently, quantum spatial-search schemes have been developed which use gauge fields as the oracle, to mark the vertex to be found (Zylberman in Entropy 23:1441, 2021), (Fredon arXiv:2210.13920). A typical application of the linear-depth circuit would be when there is spatial noise on the coin operator (and hence a non-smooth dependence in the position).

Abstract: Recently, the ANITA collaboration announced the detection of new, unsettling upgoing Ultra-High-Energy (UHE) events. Understanding their origin is pressing to ensure success of the incoming UHE neutrino program. In this work, we study their internal consistency and the implications of the lack of similar events in IceCube. We introduce a generic, simple parametrization to study the compatibility between these two observatories in Standard Model-like and Beyond Standard Model scenarios: an incoming flux of particles that interact with Earth nucleons with cross section sigma, producing particle showers along with long-lived particles that decay with lifetime iota and generate a shower that explains ANITA observations. We find that the ANITA angular distribution imposes significant constraints, and when including null observations from IceCube only iota similar to 10(-3)-10(-2) s and sigma similar to 10(-33) -10(-32) cm(2) can explain the data. This hypothesis is testable with future IceCube data. Finally, we discuss a specific model that can realize this scenario. Our analysis highlights the importance of simultaneous observations by high-energy optical neutrino telescopes and new UHE radio detectors to uncover cosmogenic neutrinos or discover new physics.

Abstract: During the second long shutdown period of the CERN accelerator complex (LS2, 2019-2021), several upgrade activities took place at the nTOF facility. The most important have been the replacement of the spallation target with a next generation nitrogen-cooled lead target. Additionally, a new experimental area, at a very short distance from the target assembly (the NEAR Station) was established. In this paper, the core commissioning actions of the new installations are described. The improvement in the nTOF infrastructure was accompanied by several detector development projects. All these upgrade actions are discussed, focusing mostly on the future perspectives of the n_TOF facility. Furthermore, some indicative current and future measurements are briefly reported.

Abstract: Neutrino astronomy has opened a new window to the extreme Universe, entering into a fruitful era built upon the success of neutrino telescopes, which have already given a new step forward in this novel and growing field by the first observation of steady point-like sources already achieved by IceCube. Neutrino telescopes equipped with Silicon PhotoMultipliers (SiPMs) will significantly increase in number, because of their excellent time resolution and the angular resolution, and will be in better condition to detect more steady sources as well as the unexpected. The use of SiPMs represents a challenge to the acquisition electronics because of the fast signals as well as the high levels of dark noise produced by SiPMs. The acquisition electronics need to include a noise rejection scheme by implementing a coincidence filter between channels. This work discusses the advantages and disadvantages of using SiPMs for the next generation of neutrino telescopes, focusing on the possible developments that could help for their adoption in the near future.

Abstract: We present an improved theoretical prediction of the positron energy spectrum for the polarised Michel decay & mu;+ & RARR; e+ & nu;e & nu; over bar & mu;. In addition to the full next-to-next-to-leading order correction of order & alpha;2 in the electromagnetic coupling, we include logarithmically enhanced terms at even higher orders. Logarithms due to collinear emission are included at next-to-leading accuracy up to order & alpha;4. At the endpoint of the Michel spectrum, soft photon emission results in large logarithms that are resummed up to next-to-next-to leading logarithmic accuracy. We apply our results in the context of the MEG II and Mu3e experiments to estimate the impact of the theory error on the branching ratio sensitivity for the lepton-flavour-violating decay & mu;+ & RARR; e+X of a muon into an axion-like particle X.