New Paper on Optical Manipulation of Thermal Atoms.

Chaotic dynamics of thermal atoms in labyrinths created by optical lattices.
Rafael Pérez-Pascual, Blas Manuel Rodríguez-Lara and Rocío Jáuregui.
Accepted at the Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics.

We study the dynamics of non interacting thermal atoms embedded in structured optical lattices with non trivial geometry. The lattice would be generated by two counter propagating modes with parabolic cylindrical symmetry and we concentrate on the quasi conservative red detuned far-off-resonance regime. The system exhibits quasi periodic and chaotic behaviors whose probability can be controlled by varying the intensity of the beams. The spectral density of the trajectories is used as a chaos signature. An analysis of permanency times for chaotic trajectories that visit more than one potential well reveals a distribution with a long tail.

B. M. Rodríguez-Lara's publication list

Metropolis by Thea von Harbou

I was introduced to Metropolis back in my undergraduate days; it was Rintaro's Metropolis anime adaptation of the manga with the same name. A few months after this first encounter with the topic, I was lucky enough to be in a screening of Lang's Metropolis, the German silent film based on the original novel. It was with great pleasure that I found the original topic more interesting than the loose Japanese fanzine---I did like the anime.

Yesterday, I just finished reading the novel written by Thea von Harbou which was the source for the screenplay made by her and Fritz Lang, her husband at the time. I got the electronic version through feedbooks a few weeks ago. Truth be told, even after reading the novel, I can barely remember a few scenes from the silent film; but the novel is a swift good read. The writer uses repetition more than I like it but to a good effect.

Metropolis is a science fiction novel that deals with a industrialized futuristic dystopia where the gap between the rich and the poor is so large that the simile used for the labor masses is "food for the machines." The main thesis is that "the heart is the mediator between hand and brain;" promoting a non-violent mediated solution to the clash of the classes.

As expected by the main thesis, there is a good share of love, fidelity, and loyalty stories that help unfolding the main plot.

While I do not agree with the main thesis---reason and common law based on reason are there to give structure to society, not emotions---, as I said before, it is a swift read, with one of those happy endings, Gothic cathedral swashbuckling and redemption of the astray dictator included.


Other books I've read

Last weekend movies...

It was a long week; I managed to get my hands on a couple of good movies, one of those a thriller...

1. The Ghost Writer, ***
   I like the way Roman Polanski tells a story --in particular, thrillers. This film tells the story of an unnamed ghost writer, portrayed by Ewan McGregor, hired to finish the autobiography of a former British Prime Minister. The plot is simple and you can figure it out by the middle of the film, the twist are somewhat expected. The ending, the ending is great!
   


2. World's Greatest Dad, ***
   By the title, and Robin Williams playing the lead role, I thought this would be a comedy. On second thought, it might be possible to classify it as a satire, a very noir satire. The film was written and directed by "Bobcat" Goldwaith, yes that "Bobcat." The film deals with fame dreams, lonelyness and family in sort of modern and distorted fable. I really liked the fable feeling of it, simple, straight-forward, moral included.
   


3. Year One, *
   Revisit the first couple of thousand years of known written history in a few days. Less than two hours in real time. This is one of those movies where you don't have to think but I really don't like. Allegedly a comedy, I feel it like one of those movies that try to make a point, in this case that reason is the fundamental truth and source of self-knowledge, thus source of inner peace and happiness, make it but fail to make you laugh or keep entertained.
   

I also managed to see the latest, at the time, episode of Big Bang Theory, fourth season's episode nine, where Raj and Howard manage to get themselves in an awkward situation while Penny's dad begs Leonard not to give up on her daughter. Glee's second season's episode seven was a stunner featuring Gwyneth Paltrow, who happens to be an amazing singer and dancer. Finally, on the second episode of The Walking Dead our Sheriff manages to escape impending death and is closer to find his kid, ex-wife and ex-best-friend-who-is-doing-his-wife.