Polarized Dirac fermions in de Sitter spacetime

The tetrad gauge invariant theory of the free Dirac field in two special moving charts of the de Sitter spacetime is investigated pointing out the operators that commute with the Dirac one. These are the generators of the symmetry transformations corresponding to isometries that give rise to conserved quantities according to the Noether theorem. With their help the plane wave spinor solutions of the Dirac equation with given momentum and helicity are derived and the final form of the quantum Dirac field is established. It is shown that the canonical quantization leads to a correct physical interpretation of the massive or massless fermion quantum fields.Comment: 19 pages, LaTeX w AMS sym

Zero-point vacancies in quantum solids

A Jastrow wave function (JWF) and a shadow wave function (SWF) describe a quantum solid with Bose--Einstein condensate; i.e. a supersolid. It is known that both JWF and SWF describe a quantum solid with also a finite equilibrium concentration of vacancies x_v. We outline a route for estimating x_v by exploiting the existing formal equivalence between the absolute square of the ground state wave function and the Boltzmann weight of a classical solid. We compute x_v for the quantum solids described by JWF and SWF employing very accurate numerical techniques. For JWF we find a very small value for the zero point vacancy concentration, x_v=(1.4\pm0.1) x 10^-6. For SWF, which presently gives the best variational description of solid 4He, we find the significantly larger value x_v=(1.4\pm0.1) x 10^-3 at a density close to melting. We also study two and three vacancies. We find that there is a strong short range attraction but the vacancies do not form a bound state.Comment: 19 pages, submitted to J. Low Temp. Phy

Bedforms and sedimentary structures related to supercritical flows in glacigenic settings

Upper-flow-regime bedforms, including upper-stage-plane beds, antidunes, chutes-and-pools and cyclic steps, are ubiquitous in glacigenic depositional environments characterized by abundant meltwater discharge and sediment supply. In this study, the depositional record of Froude near-critical and supercritical flows in glacigenic settings is reviewed, and similarities and differences between different depositional environments are discussed. Upper-flow-regime bedforms may occur in subglacial, subaerial and subaqueous environments, recording deposition by free-surface flows and submerged density flows. Although individual bedform types are generally not indicative of any specific depositional environment, some observed trends are similar to those documented in non-glacigenic settings. Important parameters for bedform evolution that differ between depositional environments include flow confinement, bed slope, aggradation rate and grain size. Cyclic-step deposits are more common in confined settings, like channels or incised valleys, or steep slopes of coarse-grained deltas. Antidune deposits prevail in unconfined settings and on more gentle slopes, like glacifluvial fans, sand-rich delta slopes or subaqueous (ice-contact) fans. At low aggradation rates, only the basal portions of bedforms are preserved, such as scour fills related to the hydraulic-jump zone of cyclic steps or antidune-wave breaking, which are common in glacifluvial systems and during glacial lake-outburst floods and (related) lake-level falls. Higher aggradation rates result in increased preservation potential, possibly leading to the preservation of complete bedforms. Such conditions are met in sediment-laden jökulhlaups and subaqueous proglacial environments characterized by expanding density flows. Coarser-grained sediment leads to steeper bedform profiles and highly scoured facies architectures, while finer-grained deposits display less steep bedform architectures. Such differences are in part related to stronger flows, faster settling of coarse clasts, and more rapid breaking of antidune waves or hydraulic-jump formation over hydraulically rough beds. © 2020 The Authors. Sedimentology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Association of Sedimentologist

Intra- site 4f-5d electronic correlations in the quadrupolar model of the gamma-alpha phase transition in Ce

As a possible mechanism of the $\gamma-\alpha$ phase transition in pristine cerium a change of the electronic density from a disordered state with symmetry Fm-3m to an ordered state Pa-3 has been proposed. Here we include on-site and inter- site electron correlations involving one localized 4f-electron and one conduction 5d-electron per atom. The model is used to calculate the crystal field of $\gamma$-Ce and the temperature evolution of the mean-field of $\alpha$-Ce. The formalism can be applied to crystals where quadrupolar ordering involves several electrons on the same site.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures, 4 tables, submitted to Phys. Rev.

A First Search for coincident Gravitational Waves and High Energy Neutrinos using LIGO, Virgo and ANTARES data from 2007

We present the results of the first search for gravitational wave bursts associated with high energy neutrinos. Together, these messengers could reveal new, hidden sources that are not observed by conventional photon astronomy, particularly at high energy. Our search uses neutrinos detected by the underwater neutrino telescope ANTARES in its 5 line configuration during the period January - September 2007, which coincided with the fifth and first science runs of LIGO and Virgo, respectively. The LIGO-Virgo data were analysed for candidate gravitational-wave signals coincident in time and direction with the neutrino events. No significant coincident events were observed. We place limits on the density of joint high energy neutrino - gravitational wave emission events in the local universe, and compare them with densities of merger and core-collapse events.Comment: 19 pages, 8 figures, science summary page at http://www.ligo.org/science/Publication-S5LV_ANTARES/index.php. Public access area to figures, tables at https://dcc.ligo.org/cgi-bin/DocDB/ShowDocument?docid=p120000

University-industry relationships and open innovation: Towards a research agenda

Accepted versio

Limits on the production of scalar leptoquarks from Z (0) decays at LEP

A search has been made for pairs and for single production of scalar leptoquarks of the first and second generations using a data sample of 392000 Z0 decays from the DELPHI detector at LEP 1. No signal was found and limits on the leptoquark mass, production cross section and branching ratio were set. A mass limit at 95% confidence level of 45.5 GeV/c2 was obtained for leptoquark pair production. The search for the production of a single leptoquark probed the mass region above this limit and its results exclude first and second generation leptoquarks D0 with masses below 65 GeV/c2 and 73 GeV/c2 respectively, at 95% confidence level, assuming that the D0lq Yukawa coupling alpha(lambda) is equal to the electromagnetic one. An upper limit is also given on the coupling alpha(lambda) as a function of the leptoquark mass m(D0)

Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks, 1990-2015: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015

Background: The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2015 provides an up-to-date synthesis of the evidence for risk factor exposure and the attributable burden of disease. By providing national and subnational assessments spanning the past 25 years, this study can inform debates on the importance of addressing risks in context. Methods: We used the comparative risk assessment framework developed for previous iterations of the Global Burden of Disease Study to estimate attributable deaths, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and trends in exposure by age group, sex, year, and geography for 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks from 1990 to 2015. This study included 388 risk-outcome pairs that met World Cancer Research Fund-defined criteria for convincing or probable evidence. We extracted relative risk and exposure estimates from randomised controlled trials, cohorts, pooled cohorts, household surveys, census data, satellite data, and other sources. We used statistical models to pool data, adjust for bias, and incorporate covariates. We developed a metric that allows comparisons of exposure across risk factors—the summary exposure value. Using the counterfactual scenario of theoretical minimum risk level, we estimated the portion of deaths and DALYs that could be attributed to a given risk. We decomposed trends in attributable burden into contributions from population growth, population age structure, risk exposure, and risk-deleted cause-specific DALY rates. We characterised risk exposure in relation to a Socio-demographic Index (SDI). Findings: Between 1990 and 2015, global exposure to unsafe sanitation, household air pollution, childhood underweight, childhood stunting, and smoking each decreased by more than 25%. Global exposure for several occupational risks, high body-mass index (BMI), and drug use increased by more than 25% over the same period. All risks jointly evaluated in 2015 accounted for 57·8% (95% CI 56·6–58·8) of global deaths and 41·2% (39·8–42·8) of DALYs. In 2015, the ten largest contributors to global DALYs among Level 3 risks were high systolic blood pressure (211·8 million [192·7 million to 231·1 million] global DALYs), smoking (148·6 million [134·2 million to 163·1 million]), high fasting plasma glucose (143·1 million [125·1 million to 163·5 million]), high BMI (120·1 million [83·8 million to 158·4 million]), childhood undernutrition (113·3 million [103·9 million to 123·4 million]), ambient particulate matter (103·1 million [90·8 million to 115·1 million]), high total cholesterol (88·7 million [74·6 million to 105·7 million]), household air pollution (85·6 million [66·7 million to 106·1 million]), alcohol use (85·0 million [77·2 million to 93·0 million]), and diets high in sodium (83·0 million [49·3 million to 127·5 million]). From 1990 to 2015, attributable DALYs declined for micronutrient deficiencies, childhood undernutrition, unsafe sanitation and water, and household air pollution; reductions in risk-deleted DALY rates rather than reductions in exposure drove these declines. Rising exposure contributed to notable increases in attributable DALYs from high BMI, high fasting plasma glucose, occupational carcinogens, and drug use. Environmental risks and childhood undernutrition declined steadily with SDI; low physical activity, high BMI, and high fasting plasma glucose increased with SDI. In 119 countries, metabolic risks, such as high BMI and fasting plasma glucose, contributed the most attributable DALYs in 2015. Regionally, smoking still ranked among the leading five risk factors for attributable DALYs in 109 countries; childhood underweight and unsafe sex remained primary drivers of early death and disability in much of sub-Saharan Africa. Interpretation: Declines in some key environmental risks have contributed to declines in critical infectious diseases. Some risks appear to be invariant to SDI. Increasing risks, including high BMI, high fasting plasma glucose, drug use, and some occupational exposures, contribute to rising burden from some conditions, but also provide opportunities for intervention. Some highly preventable risks, such as smoking, remain major causes of attributable DALYs, even as exposure is declining. Public policy makers need to pay attention to the risks that are increasingly major contributors to global burden. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation