Stellar matter in the Quark-Meson-Coupling Model with neutrino trapping

The properties of hybrid stars formed by hadronic and quark matter in $\beta$-equilibrium are described by appropriate equations of state (EoS) in the framework of the quark meson coupling (QMC) model. In the present work we include the possibility of trapped neutrinos in the equation of state and obtain the properties of the related hybrid stars. We use the quark meson coupling model for the hadron matter and two possibilities for the quark matter phase, namely, the unpaired quark phase and the color-flavor locked phase. The differences are discussed and a comparison with other relativistic EoS is done.Comment: Reference added, accepted in PR

The U(1)A anomaly in noncommutative SU(N) theories

We work out the one-loop $U(1)_A$ anomaly for noncommutative SU(N) gauge theories up to second order in the noncommutative parameter $\theta^{\mu\nu}$. We set $\theta^{0i}=0$ and conclude that there is no breaking of the classical $U(1)_A$ symmetry of the theory coming from the contributions that are either linear or quadratic in $\theta^{\mu\nu}$. Of course, the ordinary anomalous contributions will be still with us. We also show that the one-loop conservation of the nonsinglet currents holds at least up to second order in $\theta^{\mu\nu}$. We adapt our results to noncommutative gauge theories with SO(N) and U(1) gauge groups.Comment: 50 pages, 5 figures in eps files. Some comments and references adde

Inclination-Independent Galaxy Classification

We present a new method to classify galaxies from large surveys like the Sloan Digital Sky Survey using inclination-corrected concentration, inclination-corrected location on the color-magnitude diagram, and apparent axis ratio. Explicitly accounting for inclination tightens the distribution of each of these parameters and enables simple boundaries to be drawn that delineate three different galaxy populations: Early-type galaxies, which are red, highly concentrated, and round; Late-type galaxies, which are blue, have low concentrations, and are disk dominated; and Intermediate-type galaxies, which are red, have intermediate concentrations, and have disks. We have validated our method by comparing to visual classifications of high-quality imaging data from the Millennium Galaxy Catalogue. The inclination correction is crucial to unveiling the previously unrecognized Intermediate class. Intermediate-type galaxies, roughly corresponding to lenticulars and early spirals, lie on the red sequence. The red sequence is therefore composed of two distinct morphological types, suggesting that there are two distinct mechanisms for transiting to the red sequence. We propose that Intermediate-type galaxies are those that have lost their cold gas via strangulation, while Early-type galaxies are those that have experienced a major merger that either consumed their cold gas, or whose merger progenitors were already devoid of cold gas (the ``dry merger'' scenario).Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. 7 pages in emulateap

Systematic problems with using dark matter simulations to model stellar halos

The limits of available computing power have forced models for the structure of stellar halos to adopt one or both of the following simplifying assumptions: (1) stellar mass can be "painted" onto dark matter (DM) particles in progenitor satellites; (2) pure DM simulations that do not form a luminous galaxy can be used. We estimate the magnitude of the systematic errors introduced by these assumptions using a controlled set of stellar halo models where we independently vary whether we look at star particles or painted DM particles, and whether we use a simulation in which a baryonic disk galaxy forms or a matching pure DM simulation that does not form a baryonic disk. We find that the "painting" simplification reduces the halo concentration and internal structure, predominantly because painted DM particles have different kinematics from star particles even when both are buried deep in the potential well of the satellite. The simplification of using pure DM simulations reduces the concentration further, but increases the internal structure, and results in a more prolate stellar halo. These differences can be a factor of 1.5-7 in concentration (as measured by the half-mass radius) and 2-7 in internal density structure. Given this level of systematic uncertainty, one should be wary of overinterpreting differences between observations and the current generation of stellar halo models based on DM-only simulations when such differences are less than an order of magnitude

High school philosophy teachers’ use of textbooks: Critical thinking or teaching to the text?

One of the few contexts in which high school students are introduced to argumentation is in philosophy courses. Do such teachers promote critical thinking and argumentation? We present the findings of a mixed-methods empirical study of Ontario high school philosophy teachers, providing insight into the degree to which teachers promote oppositional readings of texts in a manner consistent with critical thinking. We identify the factors that contribute to critical thinking, as well as the barriers, focusing textbooks use

CP violation and modular symmetries

We reconsider the origin of CP violation in fundamental theory. Existing string models of spontaneous CP violation make ambiguous predictions, due to the arbitrariness of CP transformation and the apparent non-invariance of the results under duality. We find an unambiguous modular CP invariance condition, applicable to predictive models of spontaneous CP violation, which circumvents these problems; it strongly constrains CP violation by heterotic string moduli. The dilaton is also evaluated as a source of CP violation, but is likely experimentally excluded. We consider the prospects for explaining CP violation in strongly-coupled strings and brane worlds.Comment: 6 pages, REVTeX 4b5+amssymb. 2 references added, substantially the same as published versio

String corrections to gauge couplings from a field theory approach

An effective field theory approach is introduced to compute one-loop radiative corrections to the gauge couplings due to Kaluza-Klein states associated with a two-torus compactification. The results are compared with those of the string in the field theory ``limit'' alpha'-> 0. The whole U and the leading T moduli dependence of the gauge dependent part of the string corrections to gauge couplings can be recovered using the effective field theory approach.Comment: 8 pages, Late

Neutrino scattering off pair-breaking and collective excitations in superfluid neutron matter and in color-flavor locked quark matter

We calculate the correlation functions needed to describe the linear response of superfluid matter, and go on to calculate the differential cross section for neutral-current neutrino scattering in superfluid neutron matter and in color-flavor locked quark matter (CFL). We report the first calculation of scattering rates that includes neutrino interactions with both pair-breaking excitations and low-lying collective excitations (Goldstone modes). Our results apply both above and below the critical temperature, allowing use in simulations of neutrino transport in supernovae and neutron stars.Comment: 22 pages, 9 figure

Spatial structure of quark Cooper pairs in a color superconductor

Spatial structure of Cooper pairs with quantum numbers color 3^*, I=J=L=S=0 in ud 2 flavor quark matter is studied by solving the gap equation and calculating the coherence length in full momentum range without the weak coupling approximation. Although the gap at the Fermi surface and the coherence length depend on density weakly, the shape of the r-space pair wave function varies strongly with density. This result indicates that quark Cooper pairs become more bosonic at higher densities.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures. The frequency dependence of the gap and the limitation on the type I/type II discussion are mentioned briefly. To appear in Phys. Rev.