10,210 research outputs found
A Field Range Bound for General Single-Field Inflation
We explore the consequences of a detection of primordial tensor fluctuations
for general single-field models of inflation. Using the effective theory of
inflation, we propose a generalization of the Lyth bound. Our bound applies to
all single-field models with two-derivative kinetic terms for the scalar
fluctuations and is always stronger than the corresponding bound for slow-roll
models. This shows that non-trivial dynamics can't evade the Lyth bound. We
also present a weaker, but completely universal bound that holds whenever the
Null Energy Condition (NEC) is satisfied at horizon crossing.Comment: 16 page
On the predictive power of Local Scale Invariance
Local Scale Invariance (LSI) is a theory for anisotropic critical phenomena
designed in the spirit of conformal invariance. For a given representation of
its generators it makes non-trivial predictions about the form of universal
scaling functions. In the past decade several representations have been
identified and the corresponding predictions were confirmed for various
anisotropic critical systems. Such tests are usually based on a comparison of
two-point quantities such as autocorrelation and response functions. The
present work highlights a potential problem of the theory in the sense that it
may predict any type of two-point function. More specifically, it is argued
that for a given two-point correlator it is possible to construct a
representation of the generators which exactly reproduces this particular
correlator. This observation calls for a critical examination of the predictive
content of the theory.Comment: 17 pages, 2 eps figure
Desensitizing Inflation from the Planck Scale
A new mechanism to control Planck-scale corrections to the inflationary eta
parameter is proposed. A common approach to the eta problem is to impose a
shift symmetry on the inflaton field. However, this symmetry has to remain
unbroken by Planck-scale effects, which is a rather strong requirement on
possible ultraviolet completions of the theory. In this paper, we show that the
breaking of the shift symmetry by Planck-scale corrections can be
systematically suppressed if the inflaton field interacts with a conformal
sector. The inflaton then receives an anomalous dimension in the conformal
field theory, which leads to sequestering of all dangerous high-energy
corrections. We analyze a number of models where the mechanism can be seen in
action. In our most detailed example we compute the exact anomalous dimensions
via a-maximization and show that the eta problem can be solved using only
weakly-coupled physics.Comment: 34 pages, 3 figures
Ageing in bosonic particle-reaction models with long-range transport
Ageing in systems without detailed balance is studied in bosonic contact and
pair-contact processes with Levy diffusion. In the ageing regime, the dynamical
scaling of the two-time correlation function and two-time response function is
found and analysed. Exact results for non-equilibrium exponents and scaling
functions are derived. The behaviour of the fluctuation-dissipation ratio is
analysed. A passage time from the quasi-stationary regime to the ageing regime
is defined, in qualitative agreement with kinetic spherical models and p-spin
spherical glasses.Comment: Latex2e, 24 pages, with 9 figures include
Utilizing remote sensing of Thematic Mapper data to improve our understanding of estuarine processes and their influence on the productivity of estuarine-dependent fisheries
LANDSAT thematic mapper (TM) data are being used to refine and validate a stochastic spatial computer model to be applied to coastal resource management problems in Louisiana. Two major aspects of the research are: (1) the measurement of area of land (or emergent vegetation) and water and the length of the interface between land and water in TM imagery of selected coastal wetlands (sample marshes); and (2) the comparison of spatial patterns of land and water in the sample marshes of the imagery to that in marshes simulated by a computer model. In addition to activities in these two areas, the potential use of a published autocorrelation statistic is analyzed
The consistency condition for the three-point function in dissipative single-clock inflation
We generalize the consistency condition for the three-point function in
single field inflation to the case of dissipative, multi-field, single-clock
models. We use the recently introduced extension of the effective field theory
of inflation that accounts for dissipative effects, to provide an explicit
proof to leading (non-trivial) order in the generalized slow roll parameters
and mixing with gravity scales. Our results illustrate the conditions necessary
for the validity of the consistency relation in situations with many degrees of
freedom relevant during inflation, namely that there is a preferred clock.
Departures from this condition in forthcoming experiments would rule out not
only single field but also a large class of multi-field models.Comment: 26+11 page
Scale-Invariance and the Strong Coupling Problem
The effective theory of adiabatic fluctuations around arbitrary
Friedmann-Robertson-Walker backgrounds - both expanding and contracting -
allows for more than one way to obtain scale-invariant two-point correlations.
However, as we show in this paper, it is challenging to produce scale-invariant
fluctuations that are weakly coupled over the range of wavelengths accessible
to cosmological observations. In particular, requiring the background to be a
dynamical attractor, the curvature fluctuations are scale-invariant and weakly
coupled for at least 10 e-folds only if the background is close to de Sitter
space. In this case, the time-translation invariance of the background
guarantees time-independent n-point functions. For non-attractor solutions, any
predictions depend on assumptions about the evolution of the background even
when the perturbations are outside of the horizon. For the simplest such
scenario we identify the regions of the parameter space that avoid both
classical and quantum mechanical strong coupling problems. Finally, we present
extensions of our results to backgrounds in which higher-derivative terms play
a significant role.Comment: 17 pages + appendices, 3 figures; v2: typos fixe
Utilizing remote sensing of thematic mapper data to improve our understanding of estuarine processes and their influence on the productivity of estuarine-dependent fisheries
The land-water interface of coastal marshes may influence the production of estuarine-dependent fisheries more than the area of these marshes. To test this hypothesis, a spatial model was created to explore the dynamic relationship between marshland-water interface and level of disintegration in the decaying coastal marshes of Louisiana's Barataria, Terrebonne, and Timbalier basins. Calibrating the model with Landsat Thematic Mapper satellite imagery, a parabolic relationship was found between land-water interface and marsh disintegration. Aggregated simulation data suggest that interface in the study area will soon reach its maximum and then decline. A statistically significant positive linear relationship was found between brown shrimp catch and total interface length over the past 28 years. This relationship suggests that shrimp yields will decline when interface declines, possibly beginning about 1995
Kinetics of the long-range spherical model
The kinetic spherical model with long-range interactions is studied after a
quench to or to . For the two-time response and correlation
functions of the order-parameter as well as for composite fields such as the
energy density, the ageing exponents and the corresponding scaling functions
are derived. The results are compared to the predictions which follow from
local scale-invariance.Comment: added "fluctuation-dissipation ratios"; fixed typo
Inflection Point Inflation and Time Dependent Potentials in String Theory
We consider models of inflection point inflation. The main drawback of such
models is that they suffer from the overshoot problem. Namely the initial
condition should be fine tuned to be near the inflection point for the universe
to inflate. We show that stringy realizations of inflection point inflation are
common and offer a natural resolution to the overshoot problem.Comment: 15 pages, 2 figures, refs. adde
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