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arXiv:1304.4143 · Physical Review Letters

Chemical Compass Model for Avian Magnetoreception as a Quantum Coherent Device

Jianming Cai, Martin Bodo Plenio

Published Dec 4, 2013• 107 citations

Abstract

It is known that more than 50 species use the Earth's magnetic field for orientation and navigation. Intensive studies, particularly behavior experiments with birds, provide support for a chemical compass based on magnetically sensitive free radical reactions as a source of this sense. However, the fundamental question of how quantum coherence plays an essential role in such a chemical compass model of avian magnetoreception yet remains controversial. Here, we show that the essence of the chemical compass model can be understood in analogy to a quantum interferometer exploiting global quantum coherence rather than any subsystem coherence. Within the framework of quantum metrology, we quantify global quantum coherence and correlate it with the function of chemical magnetoreception. Our results allow us to understand and predict how various factors can affect the performance of a chemical compass from the unique perspective of quantum coherence assisted metrology. This represents a crucial step to affirm a direct connection between quantum coherence and the function of a chemical compass.

DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.111.230503

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The radical pair (RP) mechanism, which describes the quantum dynamics of a spatially separated electron pair, is considered as one of the principal models of avian magnetoreception. Different from the conventional phenomenological approach where the sensitivity of avian magnetoreception is characterized by the singlet yield

Φ_{S}

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A radical-pair-based chemical reaction might be used by birds for navigation via the geomagnetic direction. The inherent physical mechanism is that the quantum coherent transition from a singlet state to triplet states of the radical pair could respond to a weak magnetic field and be sensitive to the direction of such a field; this then results in different photopigments to be sensed by the avian eyes. Here, we propose a quantum bionic setup, inspired by the avian compass, as an ultrasensitive probe of a weak magnetic field based on the quantum phase transition of the environments of the two electrons in the radical pair. We prove that the yield of the chemical products via recombination from the singlet state is determined by the Loschmidt echo of the environments with interacting nuclear spins. Thus quantum criticality of environments could enhance the sensitivity of detection of weak magnetic fields.

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