Sensitivity and entanglement in the avian chemical compass.
The radical pair mechanism can help to explain avian orientation and navigation. Some evidence indicates that the intensity of external magnetic fields plays an important role in avian navigation. In this paper, using a two-stage model, we demonstrate that birds could reasonably detect the directions of geomagnetic fields and gradients of these fields using a yield-based chemical compass that is sensitive enough for navigation. Also, we find that the lifetime of entanglement in this proposed compass is angle dependent and long enough to allow adequate electron transfer between molecules.
Department of Physics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA.
Yiteng
Y
Zhang
Theoretical Division, LANL, and New Mexico Consortium, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA.
Gennady P
GP
Berman
Department of Chemistry, Department of Physics, and Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA and Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, Qatar Foundation, Doha 5825, Qatar.
Sabre
S
Kais
D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds / Q000502:physiology*; D056931:Cryptochromes / Q000378:metabolism; D004583:Electrons; D055593:Geological Phenomena; D060526:Magnetic Fields; D008954:Models, Biological; D009949:Orientation / Q000502:physiology; D012677:Sensation / Q000502:physiology; D065854:Spatial Navigation / Q000502:physiology*
D056931:Cryptochromes