20,405 research outputs found
Gauss-Bonnet gravity, brane world models, and non-minimal coupling
We study the case of brane world models with an additional Gauss-Bonnet term
in the presence of a bulk scalar field which interacts non-minimally with
gravity, via a possible interaction term of the form . The
Einstein equations and the junction conditions on the brane are formulated, in
the case of the bulk scalar field. Static solutions of this model are obtained
by solving numerically the Einstein equations with the appropriate boundary
conditions on the brane. Finally, we present graphically and comment these
solutions for several values of the free parameters of the model.Comment: 13 pages,4 figures, published versio
Extremal black holes, gravitational entropy and nonstationary metric fields
We show that extremal black holes have zero entropy by pointing out a simple
fact: they are time-independent throughout the spacetime and correspond to a
single classical microstate. We show that non-extremal black holes, including
the Schwarzschild black hole, contain a region hidden behind the event horizon
where all their Killing vectors are spacelike. This region is nonstationary and
the time labels a continuous set of classical microstates, the phase space
, where is a three-metric induced on a
spacelike hypersurface and is its momentum conjugate. We
determine explicitly the phase space in the interior region of the
Schwarzschild black hole. We identify its entropy as a measure of an outside
observer's ignorance of the classical microstates in the interior since the
parameter which labels the states lies anywhere between 0 and 2M. We
provide numerical evidence from recent simulations of gravitational collapse in
isotropic coordinates that the entropy of the Schwarzschild black hole stems
from the region inside and near the event horizon where the metric fields are
nonstationary; the rest of the spacetime, which is static, makes no
contribution. Extremal black holes have an event horizon but in contrast to
non-extremal black holes, their extended spacetimes do not possess a bifurcate
Killing horizon. This is consistent with the fact that extremal black holes are
time-independent and therefore have no distinct time-reverse.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures. To appear in Class. and Quant. Gravity. Based on
an essay selected for honorable mention in the 2010 gravity research
foundation essay competitio
Graviton localization and Newton's law for brane models with a non-minimally coupled bulk scalar field
Brane world models with a non-minimally coupled bulk scalar field have been
studied recently. In this paper we consider metric fluctuations around an
arbitrary gravity-scalar background solution, and we show that the
corresponding spectrum includes a localized zero mode which strongly depends on
the profile of the background scalar field. For a special class of solutions,
with a warp factor of the RS form, we solve the linearized Einstein equations,
for a point-like mass source on the brane, by using the brane bending
formalism. We see that general relativity on the brane is recovered only if we
impose restrictions on the parameter space of the models under consideration.Comment: 17 pages, revised versio
Cosmic Acceleration Data and Bulk-Brane Energy Exchange
We consider a braneworld model with bulk-brane energy exchange. This allows
for crossing of the w=-1 phantom divide line without introducing phantom energy
with quantum instabilities. We use the latest SnIa data included in the Gold06
dataset to provide an estimate of the preferred parameter values of this
braneworld model. We use three fitting approaches which provide best fit
parameter values and hint towards a bulk energy component that behaves like
relativistic matter which is propagating in the bulk and is moving at a speed v
along the fifth dimension, while the bulk-brane energy exchange component
corresponds to negative pressure and signifies energy flowing from the bulk
into the brane. We find that the best fit effective equation of state parameter
marginally crosses the phantom divide line w=-1. Thus, we have
demonstrated both the ability of this class of braneworld models to provide
crossing of the phantom divide and also that cosmological data hint towards
natural values for the model parameters.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures, added comments, references update
A Naturally Minute Quantum Correction to the Cosmological Constant Descended from the Hierarchy
We demonstrate that an extremely small but positive quantum correction, or
the Casimir energy, to the cosmological constant can arise from a massive bulk
fermion field in the Randall-Sundrum model. Specifically, a cosmological
constant doubly descended from the Planck-electroweak hierarchy and as minute
as the observed dark energy scale can be naturally achieved without fine-tuning
of the bulk fermion mass. To ensure the stabilization of the system, we discuss
two stabilization mechanisms under this setup. It is found that the
Goldberger-Wise mechanism can be successfully introduced in the presence of a
massive bulk fermion, without spoiling the smallness of the quantum correction.Comment: 5 page
Abnormalities of the ventilatory equivalent for carbon dioxide in patients with chronic heart failure
Introduction. The relation between minute ventilation (VE) and carbon dioxide production (VCO2) can be characterised by the instantaneous ratio of ventilation to carbon dioxide production, the ventilatory equivalent for CO2 (VEqCO2). We hypothesised that the time taken to achieve the lowest VEqCO2 (time to VEqCO2 nadir) may be a prognostic marker in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Methods. Patients and healthy controls underwent a symptom-limited, cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) on a treadmill to volitional exhaustion. Results. 423 patients with CHF (mean age 63±12 years; 80% males) and 78 healthy controls (62% males; age 61±11 years) were recruited. Time to VEqCO2 nadir was shorter in patients than controls (327±204 s versus 514±187 s; P=0.0001). Univariable predictors of all-cause mortality included peak oxygen uptake (X 2 =53.0), VEqCO2 nadir (X 2 =47.9), and time to VEqCO2 nadir (X 2 =24.0). In an adjusted Cox multivariable proportional hazards model, peak oxygen uptake (X 2 =16.7) and VEqCO2 nadir (X 2 =17.9) were the most significant independent predictors of all-cause mortality. Conclusion. The time to VEqCO2 nadir was shorter in patients with CHF than in normal subjects and was a predictor of subsequent mortality. © 2012 Lee Ingle et al
A study of the application of singular perturbation theory
A hierarchical real time algorithm for optimal three dimensional control of aircraft is described. Systematic methods are developed for real time computation of nonlinear feedback controls by means of singular perturbation theory. The results are applied to a six state, three control variable, point mass model of an F-4 aircraft. Nonlinear feedback laws are presented for computing the optimal control of throttle, bank angle, and angle of attack. Real Time capability is assessed on a TI 9900 microcomputer. The breakdown of the singular perturbation approximation near the terminal point is examined Continuation methods are examined to obtain exact optimal trajectories starting from the singular perturbation solutions
A supersymmetric model of gamma ray bursts
We propose a model for gamma ray bursts in which a star subject to a high
level of fermion degeneracy undergoes a phase transition to a supersymmetric
state. The burst is initiated by the transition of fermion pairs to sfermion
pairs which, uninhibited by the Pauli exclusion principle, can drop to the
ground state of minimum momentum through photon emission. The jet structure is
attributed to the Bose statistics of sfermions whereby subsequent sfermion
pairs are preferentially emitted into the same state (sfermion amplification by
stimulated emission). Bremsstrahlung gamma rays tend to preserve the
directional information of the sfermion momenta and are themselves enhanced by
stimulated emission.Comment: published versio
Mapping EK Draconis with PEPSI - Possible evidence for starspot penumbrae
We present the first temperature surface map of EK Dra from
very-high-resolution spectra obtained with the Potsdam Echelle Polarimetric and
Spectroscopic Instrument (PEPSI) at the Large Binocular Telescope. Changes in
spectral line profiles are inverted to a stellar surface temperature map using
our Map code. The long-term photometric record is employed to compare our
map with previously published maps. Four cool spots were reconstructed, but no
polar spot was seen. The temperature difference to the photosphere of the spots
is between 990 and 280K. Two spots are reconstructed with a typical solar
morphology with an umbra and a penumbra. For the one isolated and relatively
round spot (A), we determine an umbral temperature of 990K and a penumbral
temperature of 180K below photospheric temperature. The umbra to photosphere
intensity ratio of EK Dra is approximately only half of that of a comparison
sunspot. A test inversion from degraded line profiles showed that the higher
spectral resolution of PEPSI reconstructs the surface with a temperature
difference that is on average 10% higher than before and with smaller surface
areas by 10-20%. PEPSI is therefore better suited to detecting and
characterising temperature inhomogeneities. With ten more years of photometry,
we also refine the spot cycle period of EK Dra to 8.90.2 years with a
continuing long-term fading trend. The temperature morphology of spot A so far
appears to show the best evidence for the existence of a solar-like penumbra
for a starspot. We emphasise that it is more the non-capture of the true umbral
contrast rather than the detection of the weak penumbra that is the limiting
factor. The relatively small line broadening of EK Dra, together with the only
moderately high spectral resolutions previously available, appear to be the
main contributors to the lower-than-expected spot contrasts when comparing to
the Sun.Comment: Accepted for A&
Gravitational Wave Burst Source Direction Estimation using Time and Amplitude Information
In this article we study two problems that arise when using timing and
amplitude estimates from a network of interferometers (IFOs) to evaluate the
direction of an incident gravitational wave burst (GWB). First, we discuss an
angular bias in the least squares timing-based approach that becomes
increasingly relevant for moderate to low signal-to-noise ratios. We show how
estimates of the arrival time uncertainties in each detector can be used to
correct this bias. We also introduce a stand alone parameter estimation
algorithm that can improve the arrival time estimation and provide
root-sum-squared strain amplitude (hrss) values for each site. In the second
part of the paper we discuss how to resolve the directional ambiguity that
arises from observations in three non co-located interferometers between the
true source location and its mirror image across the plane containing the
detectors. We introduce a new, exact relationship among the hrss values at the
three sites that, for sufficiently large signal amplitudes, determines the true
source direction regardless of whether or not the signal is linearly polarized.
Both the algorithm estimating arrival times, arrival time uncertainties, and
hrss values and the directional follow-up can be applied to any set of
gravitational wave candidates observed in a network of three non co-located
interferometers. As a case study we test the methods on simulated waveforms
embedded in simulations of the noise of the LIGO and Virgo detectors at design
sensitivity.Comment: 10 pages, 14 figures, submitted to PR
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