Black-Hole Uncertainty Entails an Intrinsic Time Arrow. a Note on the Hawking-Penrose Controversy

Any theory that states that the basic laws of physics are time-symmetric must be strictly deterministic. Only determinism enables time reversal of entropy increase. A contradiction therefore arises between two statements of Hawking. A simulation of a system under time reversal shows how an intrinsic time arrow re-emerges, destroying the time reversal, when even slight failure of determinism occurs.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figure

Consciousness makes a difference: A reluctant dualist’s confession

This paper’s outline is as follows. In sections 1-3 I give an exposi-tion of the Mind-Body Problem, with emphasis on what I believe to be the heart of the problem, namely, the Percepts-Qualia Nonidentity and its incompatibility with the Physical Closure Paradigm. In 4 I present the “Qualia Inaction Postulate” underlying all non-interactionist theo-ries that seek to resolve the above problem. Against this convenient postulate I propose in section 5 the “Bafflement Ar¬gument,” which is this paper's main thesis. Sections 6-11 critically dis¬cuss attempts to dismiss the Bafflement Argument by the “Baf¬flement=Mis¬perception Equation.” Section 12 offers a refutation of all such attempts in the form of a concise “Asymmetry Proof.” Section 13 points out the bearing of the Bafflement Argument on the evolutionary role of consciousness while section 14 acknowledges the price that has to be paid for it in terms of basic physical principles. Section 15 summarizes the paper, pointing out the inescapability of interactionist dualism

Rotating Disks and Non-Kinematic Double Peaks

Double-peaked line profiles are commonly considered a hallmark of rotating disks, with the distance between the peaks a measure of the rotation velocity. However, double-peaks can arise also from radiative transfer effects in optically thick non-rotating sources. Utilizing exact solutions of the line transfer problem we present a detailed study of line emission from geometrically thin Keplerian disks. We derive the conditions for emergence of kinematic double peaks in optically thin and thick disks, and find that it is generally impossible to disentangle the effects of kinematics and line opacity in observed double-peaked profiles. Unless supplemented by additional information, a double-peaked profile alone is not a reliable indicator of a rotating disk. In certain circumstances, triple and quadruple profiles might be better indicators of rotation in optically thick disks.Comment: MNRAS, to be publishe

Disk Outflows and High-Luminosity True Type 2 AGN

The absence of intrinsic broad line emission has been reported in a number of active galactic nuclei (AGN), including some with high Eddington ratios. Such "true type 2 AGN" are inherent to the disk-wind scenario for the broad line region: Broad line emission requires a minimal column density, implying a minimal outflow rate and thus a minimal accretion rate. Here we perform a detailed analysis of the consequences of mass conservation in the process of accretion through a central disk. The resulting constraints on luminosity are consistent with all the cases where claimed detections of true type 2 AGN pass stringent criteria, and predict that intrinsic broad line emission can disappear at luminosities as high as about 4x$10^{46}$ erg s$^{-1}$ and any Eddington ratio, though more detections can be expected at Eddington ratios below about 1%. Our results are applicable to every disk outflow model, whatever its details and whether clumpy or smooth, irrespective of the wind structure and its underlying dynamics. While other factors, such as changes in spectral energy distribution or covering factor, can affect the intensities of broad emission lines, within this scenario they can only produce true type 2 AGN of higher luminosity then those prescribed by mass conservation.Comment: To appear in MNRAS. The L and M columns were inadvertently switched in the original version (Thank you Giovanni Miniutti for catching). Corrected in this versio

Infrared Imaging of Late-Type Stars

Infrared imaging properties of dusty winds around late-type stars are investigated in detail, employing a self-consistent model that couples the equations of motion and radiative transfer. Because of general scaling properties, the angular profiles of surface brightness are self-similar. In any given star, the profile shape is determined essentially by overall optical depth at each wavelength and it is self-similarly scaled by the size of the dust condensation zone. We find that the mid-IR is the best wavelength range to measure directly the angular size of this zone, and from {\it IRAS} data we identify the 15 best candidates for such future observations. We also show that the visibility function at short wavelengths (\la 2 \mic) directly determines the scattering optical depth, and produce theoretical visibility curves for various characteristic wavelengths and the entire parameter range relevant to late-type stars. The infrared emission should display time variability because of cyclical changes in overall optical depth, reflecting luminosity-induced movement of the dust condensation point. Calculations of the wavelength dependence of photometric amplitudes and time variability of envelope sizes are in agreement with observations; envelopes are bigger and bluer at maximum light.Comment: LaTeX with 2 figures, requires MNRAS mn.sty; figures and/or complete PS or PS.Z preprint (8 pages) available by anonymous ftp at ftp://asta.pa.uky.edu/ivezic/imaging/imaging.ps (or fig1.ps, fig2.ps

Comments on (Non-)Chiral Gauge Theories and Type IIB Branes

We use type IIB brane configurations which were recently suggested by Hanany and Zaffaroni to study four dimensional N=1 supersymmetric gauge theories. We calculate the one loop beta function and realize Seiberg's duality using a particular configuration. We also comment on the anomaly cancelation condition in the case of chiral theories and the beta function in the case of chiral and SO/Sp theories.Comment: 11 pages, Latex. 5 figures. Several changes in text and a reference was added. Accepted to Phys.Lett.