669 research outputs found
Embedding massive flavor in ABJM
We add massive fundamental matter to the ABJM model by adding D6-branes
wrapped asymptotically over RP3. We find two types of solutions at finite
temperature, one that enters the black hole and one that ends before the black
hole. We analyze the behavior of the free energy as a function of temperature,
and find that the system exhibits a phase transition between the two types of
solutions, similar to what happens in the D3-D7 system. We also analyze the
meson spectrum in the model and find several massive scalar modes, again, quite
like the D3-D7 system. We end with a calculation of the conductivities in the
two phases.Comment: 26 pages, 6 figures; version published in JHE
Mesons from global Anti-de Sitter space
In the context of gauge/gravity duality, we study both probe D7-- and probe
D5--branes in global Anti-de Sitter space. The dual field theory is N=4 theory
on R x S^3 with added flavour. The branes undergo a geometrical phase
transition in this geometry as function of the bare quark mass m_q in units of
1/R with R the S^3 radius. The meson spectra are obtained from fluctuations of
the brane probes. First, we study them numerically for finite quark mass
through the phase transition. Moreover, at zero quark mass we calculate the
meson spectra analytically both in supergravity and in free field theory on R x
S^3 and find that the results match: For the chiral primaries, the lowest level
is given by the zero point energy or by the scaling dimension of the operator
corresponding to the fluctuations, respectively. The higher levels are
equidistant. Similar results apply to the descendents. Our results confirm the
physical interpretation that the mesons cannot pair-produce any further when
their zero-point energy exceeds their binding energy.Comment: 43 pages, 8 figures, references edited, few typos corrected, updated
to match the published versio
Constraining melt geometries beneath the Afar Depression, Ethiopia from teleseismic receiver functions: the anisotropic H-κ stacking technique
Understanding the nature of the crust has long been a goal for seismologists when imaging the Earth. This is particularly true in volcanic regions where imaging melt storage and migration can have important implications for the size and nature of an eruption. Receiver functions and the H-κ stacking (Hκ) technique are often used to constrain crustal thickness (H) and the ratio of P to S wave velocities (κ). In this paper, I show that it is essential to consider anisotropy when performing Hκ. I show that in a medium with horizontally transverse isotropy a strong variation in κ with back azimuth is present, which characterizes the anisotropic medium. In a vertically transverse isotropic medium, no variation in κ with back azimuth is observed, but κ is increased across all back azimuths. Thus, estimates of κ are more difficult to relate to composition than previously thought. I extend these models to melt-induced anisotropy and show that similar patterns are observed, but with more significant variations and increases in κ. Based on these observations, I develop a new anisotropic H-κ stacking technique which inverts Hκ data for melt fraction, aspect ratio, and orientation of melt inclusions. I apply this to data for the Afar Depression and show that melt is stored in interconnected stacked sills in the lower crust, which likely supply the recent volcanic eruptions and dike intrusions. This new technique can be applied to any anisotropic medium where it can provide constraints on the average crustal anisotropy
Flavor from M5-branes
We study various aspects of the defect conformal field theory that arises
when placing a single M5-brane probe in AdS_4 x S^7. We derive the full set of
fluctuation modes and dimensions of the corresponding dual operators. We argue
that the latter does not depend on the presence of a non-trivial magnetic flux
on the M5-brane world-volume. Finally we give a mass to the hypermultiplet
living on the defect, and compute the resulting mesonic spectrum.Comment: 19 page
Non-Equilibrium Field Dynamics of an Honest Holographic Superconductor
Most holographic models of superconducting systems neglect the effects of
dynamical boundary gauge fields during the process of spontaneous
symmetry-breaking. Usually a global symmetry gets broken. This yields a
superfluid, which then is gauged "weakly" afterwards. In this work we build
(and probe the dynamics of) a holographic model in which a local boundary
symmetry is spontaneously broken instead. We compute two-point functions of
dynamical non-Abelian gauge fields in the normal and in the broken phase, and
find non-trivial gapless modes. Our AdS3 gravity dual realizes a p-wave
superconductor in (1+1) dimensions. The ground state of this model also breaks
(1+1)-dimensional parity spontaneously, while the Hamiltonian is
parity-invariant. We discuss possible implications of our results for a wider
class of holographic liquids.Comment: 32 pages, 12 figures; v3: string theory derivation of setup added
(section 3.1), improved presentation, version accepted by JHEP; v2: paragraph
added to discussion, figure added, references added, typos correcte
Holographic superfluids as duals of rotating black strings
We study the breaking of an Abelian symmetry close to the horizon of an
uncharged rotating Anti-de Sitter black string in 3+1 dimensions. The boundary
theory living on R^2 x S^1 has no rotation, but a magnetic field that is
aligned with the axis of the black string. This boundary theory decribes
non-rotating (2+1)-dimensional holographic superfluids with non-vanishing
superfluid velocity. We study these superfluids in the grand canonical ensemble
and show that for sufficiently small angular momentum of the dual black string
and sufficiently small superfluid velocity the phase transition is 2nd order,
while it becomes 1st order for larger superfluid velocity. Moreover, we observe
that the phase transition is always 1st order above a critical value of the
angular momentum independent of the choice of the superfluid velocity.Comment: 9 pages including 5 figures: v2: 12 pages including 7 figures; 2
figures added, discussion on free energy added; accepted for publication in
JHE
Defect CFTs and holographic multiverse
We investigate some aspects of a recent proposal for a holographic
description of the multiverse. Specifically, we focus on the implications on
the suggested duality of the fluctuations of a bubble separating two universes
with different cosmological constants. We do so by considering a similar
problem in a 2+1 CFT with a codimension one defect, obtained by an M5-brane
probe embedding in AdS_4x S^7, and studying its spectrum of fluctuations. Our
results suggest that the kind of behavior required by the spectrum of bubble
fluctuations is not likely to take place in defect CFTs with an AdS dual,
although it might be possible if the defect supports a non-unitary theory.Comment: 19 pages; v2: typos fixed, minor changes
Assessment of the biochemical methane potential of in-house and outdoor stored pig and dairy cow manure by evaluating chemical composition and storage conditions
Biogas production is a suitable option for producing energy from dairy and pig manure types. During manure storage, organic matter degradation results in methane emissions decreasing the potential biogas yield. The present research advances the understanding of the biochemical methane potential (BMP) and the chemical characteristics of manure collected year-round from sequential stages of the liquid manure management chain of commercial dairy cow and pig farms. To this end, manure samples from six livestock farms in Germany were analyzed. The results showed that changes in chemical composition during storage led to a 20.5% decrease in the BMP of dairy manure from the barn to outdoor storage. For fattening pig manure samples, there was a 39.5% decrease in the BMP from intermediate to outdoor storage. An analysis of BMP according to manure age showed that pig manure degrades faster than dairy manure; the importance of promptly feeding manure to the biogas plant in order to avoid significant CH4 emission losses and reduction in energy producing capacity was highlighted. The best BMP predictors for dairy manure were the contents of dry matter, volatile solids and lignin, whereas best BMP predictors for pig manure were dry matter and volatile fatty acid (VFA) content. Prediction models performed well for samples from outdoor storages; refinements for predicting BMP of less aged samples presenting lower chemical variability would be necessary
The action for higher spin black holes in three dimensions
In the context of (2+1)--dimensional Chern-Simons SL(N,R)\times SL(N,R) gauge
fields and spin N black holes we compute the on-shell action and show that it
generates sensible and consistent thermodynamics. In particular, the
Chern-Simons action solves the integrability conditions recently considered in
the literature.Comment: Paper shortened and generalized. Main results unchanged. 25 pages,
Latex, no figure
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