Accelerating universes driven by bulk particles

We consider our universe as a 3d domain wall embedded in a 5d dimensional Minkowski space-time. We address the problem of inflation and late time acceleration driven by bulk particles colliding with the 3d domain wall. The expansion of our universe is mainly related to these bulk particles. Since our universe tends to be permeated by a large number of isolated structures, as temperature diminishes with the expansion, we model our universe with a 3d domain wall with increasing internal structures. These structures could be unstable 2d domain walls evolving to fermi-balls which are candidates to cold dark matter. The momentum transfer of bulk particles colliding with the 3d domain wall is related to the reflection coefficient. We show a nontrivial dependence of the reflection coefficient with the number of internal dark matter structures inside the 3d domain wall. As the population of such structures increases the velocity of the domain wall expansion also increases. The expansion is exponential at early times and polynomial at late times. We connect this picture with string/M-theory by considering BPS 3d domain walls with structures which can appear through the bosonic sector of a five-dimensional supergravity theory.Comment: To appear in Phys. Rev. D, 16 pages, 3 eps figures, minor changes and references adde

Cusp Disruption in Minor Mergers

We present 0.55 x 10^6 particle simulations of the accretion of high-density dwarf galaxies by low-density giant galaxies, using models that contain both power-law central density cusps and point masses representing supermassive black holes. The cusp of the dwarf galaxy is disrupted during the merger, producing a remnant with a central density that is only slightly higher than that of the giant galaxy initially. Removing the black hole from the giant galaxy allows the dwarf galaxy to remain intact and leads to a remnant with a high central density, contrary to what is observed. Our results support the hypothesis that the persistence of low-density cores in giant galaxies is a consequence of supermassive black holes.Comment: 5 pages, 2 postscript figures, uses emulateapj.sty. Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal Letter

Gravity localization on hybrid branes

This work deals with gravity localization on codimension-1 brane worlds engendered by compacton-like kinks, the so-called hybrid branes. In such scenarios, the thin brane behaviour is manifested when the extra dimension is outside the compact domain, where the energy density is non-trivial, instead of asymptotically as in the usual thick brane models. The zero mode is trapped in the brane, as required. The massive modes, although are not localized in the brane, have important phenomenological implications such as corrections to the Newton's law. We study such corrections in the usual thick domain wall and in the hybrid brane scenarios. By means of suitable numerical methods, we attain the mass spectrum for the graviton and the corresponding wavefunctions. The spectra possess the usual linearly increasing behaviour from the Kaluza-Klein theories. Further, we show that the 4D gravitational force is slightly increased at short distances. The first eigenstate contributes highly for the correction to the Newton's law. The subsequent normalized solutions have diminishing contributions. Moreover, we find out that the phenomenology of the hybrid brane is not different from the usual thick domain wall. The use of numerical techniques for solving the equations of the massive modes is useful for matching possible phenomenological measurements in the gravitational law as a probe to warped extra dimensions.Comment: 15 pages, 11 figure

Orbital magnetism in axially deformed sodium clusters: From scissors mode to dia-para magnetic anisotropy

Low-energy orbital magnetic dipole excitations, known as scissors mode (SM), are studied in alkali metal clusters. Subsequent dynamic and static effects are explored. The treatment is based on a self-consistent microscopic approach using the jellium approximation for the ionic background and the Kohn-Sham mean field for the electrons. The microscopic origin of SM and its main features (structure of the mode in light and medium clusters, separation into low- and high-energy plasmons, coupling high-energy M1 scissors and E2 quadrupole plasmons, contributions of shape isomers, etc) are discussed. The scissors M1 strength acquires large values with increasing cluster size. The mode is responsible for the van Vleck paramagnetism of spin-saturated clusters. Quantum shell effects induce a fragile interplay between Langevin diamagnetism and van Vleck paramagnetism and lead to a remarkable dia-para anisotropy in magnetic susceptibility of particular light clusters. Finally, several routes for observing the SM experimentally are discussed.Comment: 21 pages, 7 figure

Discrepancies in Determinations of the Ginzburg-Landau Parameter

Long-standing discrepancies within determinations of the Ginzburg-Landau parameter $\kappa$ from supercritical field measurements on superconducting microspheres are reexamined. The discrepancy in tin is shown to result from differing methods of analyses, whereas the discrepancy in indium is a consequence of significantly differing experimental results. The reanalyses however confirms the lower $\kappa$ determinations to within experimental uncertainties.Comment: submitted to Phys. Rev.

Structural Anomalies at the Magnetic and Ferroelectric Transitions in RMn2O5RMn_2O_5 (R=Tb, Dy, Ho)

Strong anomalies of the thermal expansion coefficients at the magnetic and ferroelectric transitions have been detected in multiferroic $RMn_2O_5$. Their correlation with anomalies of the specific heat and the dielectric constant is discussed. The results provide evidence for the magnetic origin of the ferroelectricity mediated by strong spin-lattice coupling in the compounds. Neutron scattering data for $HoMn_2O_5$ indicate a spin reorientation at the two low-temperature phase transitions

Pressure-Temperature Phase Diagram of Multiferroic Ni3V2O8Ni_3V_2O_8

The pressure-temperature phase diagram of multiferroic $Ni_3V_2O_8$ is investigated for hydrostatic pressures up to 2 GPa. The stability range of the ferroelectric phase associated with the incommensurate helical spin order is reduced by pressure and ferroelectricity is completely suppressed at the critical pressure of 1.64 GPa at 6.2 K. Thermal expansion measurements at ambient pressure show strong step-like anomalies of the lattice parameters associated with the lock-in transition into the commensurate paraelectric phase. The expansion anomalies are highly anisotropic, the related volume change is consistent with the high-pressure phase diagram