Description:

Jiru Liu, Postdoctoral Scholar, Kamal Group

“Detecting Multimode Entanglement from Classical-Nonclassical Polarity”

Recent research in continuous-variable systems introduces the concept of classical-nonclassical polarity (CNP), which unifies various classical-nonclassical features of Gaussian states and reveals a precise conservation relation under linear optical transformations [1]. We demonstrate that the CNP of a given state correlates with the average number of photons induced by various Gaussian operations during state preparation: squeezing operations increase overall nonclassicality, displacement operations have no impact, and thermal noise detracts from it. Our findings contribute to a novel quantification of nonclassicality and provide valuable insights into detecting multimode entanglement within quantum networks.

Kyle Rocha, PhD Student, Kalogera Group“Mass transfer with Self-Consistent Stellar

Evolution in Eccentric Binary Star Systems”

A majority of massive stars in binaries will interact with a companion at some point in their lifetime through Roche-lobe overflow mass transfer (MT), impacting their component masses, orbital evolution, and ultimate fate of the system. Modern detailed stellar evolution codes such as MESA can simulate MT while evolving stars self-consistently, but are often restricted to circular orbits. However observations of semi-detached binaries suggest MT can occur in binaries with significant eccentricity, and even remain eccentric post-MT, in tension with standard modeling assumptions. We address this problem by simulating detailed binary evolution models in MESA with secular orbital evolution due to eccentric MT. We consider binaries containing compact objects and non-degenerate stellar companions in various orbital and component mass configurations. We find the inclusion of self-consistent stellar and orbital evolution leads to novel behavior compared to the circular case. We also find models which exhibit completely divergent evolution between the circular and eccentric MT cases, underscoring the importance of eccentric MT in understanding compact object hosting binary populations.