Plenary Lecture
Fundamental Principle of Information-to-Energy Conversion
Professor Antonio Alfonso-Faus
Emeritus Professor
Madrid Technical University (UPM)
SPAIN
E-mail: aalfonsofaus@yahoo.es
Abstract: The equivalence of 1 bit of information to entropy was given by Landauer in 1961 as kln2, k the Boltzmann constant. Erasing information implies heat dissipation and the energy of 1 bit would then be (the Landauer´s limit) kT ln 2, T being the ambient temperature. From a quantum-cosmological point of view the minimum quantum of energy in the universe corresponds today to a temperature of ~10-29 ºK, probably forming a cosmic background of a Bose condensation (CBBC)1. Then the bit with minimum energy today in the Universe is a quantum of energy ~10-45ergs, with an equivalent mass of ~10-66g. Low temperature implies low energy per bit and, of course, this is the way for faster and less energy dissipating computing devices. Our conjecture is this: the possibility of a future access to the CBBC (a coupling/channeling?) would mean a huge jump in the performance of these devices.
Brief Biography of the Speaker: Antonio Alfonso-Faus graduated from the Technical University of Madrid (UPM), Spain, 1964. He received the Diploma Space Science (Physics and Dynamics) from the University College, London, U.K., 1965. M.Sci. and Ph.D. (Physics and Mathematics) from the University of Minnesota, U.S.A., 1965-1968. Doctor of Aeronautical Engineering from the Technical University of Madrid (UPM), Spain, 1969. Presently he is active as Emeritus Professor (2010), at the UPM. Teaching and researching for the last 37 years. Academic positions: member of the board (6 years), coordinator of the Mechanical Engineering Unit (10 years) and Director of the "Aerotecnia" Department (6 years) at the E.U.I.T. Aeronautica, UPM.
He was an ESRO Research Student (1964-1965) and a NASA Research Fellow (1965-1958). Afterwards a collaborator (5 years, 1968-1973) for the National Technical Institute for Aerospace (INTA, Spain), worked for Iberia L.A.E. (22 Years, 1973-1995) bridging knowledge between the University and the Industry. Member of the S.A.E. (U.S.A.) for aircraft engines technical specification for the Industry, Chairman of the Engine Trend Monitoring Team (ATLAS, four years), referee for various international scientific journals, chairman of various scientific international conferences (Frontiers of Fundamental Physics, Science for Health), full professor of Mechanical Engineering at the UPM (1995-2009), Golden Medal Award (UPM, 1999). Research activities: Solar Wind, Interplanetary Magnetic Field, Lunar Wake, Information Science, Cosmology and Astrophysics.