On a modified-Lorentz-transformation based gravity model confirming basic GRT experiments

Implementing Poincar\'e's `geometric conventionalism' a scalar Lorentz-covariant gravity model is obtained based on gravitationally modified Lorentz transformations (or GMLT). The modification essentially consists of an appropriate space-time and momentum-energy scaling ("normalization") relative to a nondynamical flat background geometry according to an isotropic, nonsingular gravitational `affecting' function Phi(r). Elimination of the gravitationally `unaffected' S_0 perspective by local composition of space-time GMLT recovers the local Minkowskian metric and thus preserves the invariance of the locally observed velocity of light. The associated energy-momentum GMLT provides a covariant Hamiltonian description for test particles and photons which, in a static gravitational field configuration, endorses the four `basic' experiments for testing General Relativity Theory: gravitational i) deflection of light, ii) precession of perihelia, iii) delay of radar echo, iv) shift of spectral lines. The model recovers the Lagrangian of the Lorentz-Poincar\'e gravity model by Torgny Sj\"odin and integrates elements of the precursor gravitational theories, with spatially Variable Speed of Light (VSL) by Einstein and Abraham, and gravitationally variable mass by Nordstr\"om.Comment: v1: 14 pages, extended version of conf. paper PIRT VIII, London, 2002. v2: section added on effective tensorial rank, references added, appendix added, WEP issue deleted, abstract and other parts rewritten, same results (to appear in Found. Phys.

A river model of space

Within the theory of general relativity gravitational phenomena are usually attributed to the curvature of four-dimensional spacetime. In this context we are often confronted with the question of how the concept of ordinary physical three-dimensional space fits into this picture. In this work we present a simple and intuitive model of space for both the Schwarzschild spacetime and the de Sitter spacetime in which physical space is defined as a specified set of freely moving reference particles. Using a combination of orthonormal basis fields and the usual formalism in a coordinate basis we calculate the physical velocity field of these reference particles. Thus we obtain a vivid description of space in which space behaves like a river flowing radially toward the singularity in the Schwarzschild spacetime and radially toward infinity in the de Sitter spacetime. We also consider the effect of the river of space upon light rays and material particles and show that the river model of space provides an intuitive explanation for the behavior of light and particles at and beyond the event horizons associated with these spacetimes.Comment: 22 pages, 5 figure

Magnetic-Field Tuning of Light-Induced Superconductivity in Striped La2−x_{2-x}Bax_xCuO4_4

Optical excitation of stripe-ordered La$_{2-x}$Ba$_x$CuO$_4$ has been shown to transiently enhance superconducting tunneling between the CuO$_2$ planes. This effect was revealed by a blue-shift, or by the appearance of a Josephson Plasma Resonance in the terahertz-frequency optical properties. Here, we show that this photo-induced state can be strengthened by the application of high external magnetic fields oriented along the c-axis. For a 7-Tesla field, we observe up to a ten-fold enhancement in the transient interlayer phase correlation length, accompanied by a two-fold increase in the relaxation time of the photo-induced state. These observations are highly surprising, since static magnetic fields suppress interlayer Josephson tunneling and stabilize stripe order at equilibrium. We interpret our data as an indication that optically-enhanced interlayer coupling in La$_{2-x}$Ba$_x$CuO$_4$ does not originate from a simple optical melting of stripes, as previously hypothesized. Rather, we speculate that the photo-induced state may emerge from activated tunneling between optically-excited stripes in adjacent planes.Comment: 35 pages, 13 figure

Kinematics and hydrodynamics of spinning particles

In the first part (Sections 1 and 2) of this paper --starting from the Pauli current, in the ordinary tensorial language-- we obtain the decomposition of the non-relativistic field velocity into two orthogonal parts: (i) the "classical part, that is, the 3-velocity w = p/m OF the center-of-mass (CM), and (ii) the so-called "quantum" part, that is, the 3-velocity V of the motion IN the CM frame (namely, the internal "spin motion" or zitterbewegung). By inserting such a complete, composite expression of the velocity into the kinetic energy term of the non-relativistic classical (i.e., newtonian) lagrangian, we straightforwardly get the appearance of the so-called "quantum potential" associated, as it is known, with the Madelung fluid. This result carries further evidence that the quantum behaviour of micro-systems can be adirect consequence of the fundamental existence of spin. In the second part (Sections 3 and 4), we fix our attention on the total 3-velocity v = w + V, it being now necessary to pass to relativistic (classical) physics; and we show that the proper time entering the definition of the four-velocity v^mu for spinning particles has to be the proper time tau of the CM frame. Inserting the correct Lorentz factor into the definition of v^mu leads to completely new kinematical properties for v_mu v^mu. The important constraint p_mu v^mu = m, identically true for scalar particles, but just assumed a priori in all previous spinning particle theories, is herein derived in a self-consistent way.Comment: LaTeX file; needs kapproc.st

Torsion pendulum facility for direct force measurements of LISA GRS related disturbances

A four mass torsion pendulum facility for testing of the LISA GRS is under development in Trento. With a LISA-like test mass suspended off-axis with respect to the pendulum fiber, the facility allows for a direct measurement of surface force disturbances arising in the GRS. We present here results with a prototype pendulum integrated with very large-gap sensors, which allows an estimate of the intrinsic pendulum noise floor in the absence of sensor related force noise. The apparatus has shown a torque noise near to its mechanical thermal noise limit, and would allow to place upper limits on GRS related disturbances with a best sensitivity of 300 fN/Hz^(1/2) at 1mHz, a factor 50 from the LISA goal. Also, we discuss the characterization of the gravity gradient noise, one environmental noise source that could limit the apparatus performances, and report on the status of development of the facility.Comment: Submitted to Proceedings of the 6th International LISA Symposium, AIP Conference Proceedings 200

Generalized observers and velocity measurements in General Relativity

To resolve some unphysical interpretations related to velocity measurements by static observers, we discuss the use of generalized observer sets, give a prescription for defining the speed of test particles relative to those observers and show that, for any locally inertial frame, the speed of a freely falling material particle is always less than the speed of light at the Schwarzschild black hole surface.Comment: 20 pages, 1 figure, submitted to General Relativity and Gravitatio

Gas damping force noise on a macroscopic test body in an infinite gas reservoir

We present a simple analysis of the force noise associated with the mechanical damping of the motion of a test body surrounded by a large volume of rarefied gas. The calculation is performed considering the momentum imparted by inelastic collisions against the sides of a cubic test mass, and for other geometries for which the force noise could be an experimental limitation. In addition to arriving at an accurated estimate, by two alternative methods, we discuss the limits of the applicability of this analysis to realistic experimental configurations in which a test body is surrounded by residual gas inside an enclosure that is only slightly larger than the test body itself.Comment: 8 pages. updated with correct translational damping coefficient for cylinder on axis. added cylinder orthogonal to symmetry axis, force and torque. slightly edited throughou

Pressure tuning of light-induced superconductivity in K3C60

Optical excitation at terahertz frequencies has emerged as an effective means to manipulate complex solids dynamically. In the molecular solid K3C60, coherent excitation of intramolecular vibrations was shown to transform the high temperature metal into a non-equilibrium state with the optical conductivity of a superconductor. Here we tune this effect with hydrostatic pressure, and we find it to disappear around 0.3 GPa. Reduction with pressure underscores the similarity with the equilibrium superconducting phase of K3C60, in which a larger electronic bandwidth is detrimental for pairing. Crucially, our observation excludes alternative interpretations based on a high-mobility metallic phase. The pressure dependence also suggests that transient, incipient superconductivity occurs far above the 150 K hypothesised previously, and rather extends all the way to room temperature.Comment: 33 pages, 17 figures, 2 table

Selective herbicide safening in dicot plants: a case study in <em>Arabidopsis</em>

Copyright \ua9 2024 Pingarron-Cardenas, Onkokesung, Goldberg-Cavalleri, Lange, Dittgen and Edwards.Safeners are agrochemicals co-applied with herbicides that facilitate selective control of weeds by protecting monocot crops from chemical injury through enhancing the expression of detoxifying enzymes such as glutathione transferases (GSTs). Even though the application of safeners causes the induction of genes encoding GSTs in model dicots such as Arabidopsis thaliana, safeners do not protect broadleaf crops from herbicide injury. In this study, we proposed that the localized induction of Arabidopsis GSTs and the fundamental differences in their detoxifying activity between dicot and monocot species, underpin the failure of safeners to protect Arabidopsis from herbicide toxicity. Using the herbicide safener, isoxadifen-ethyl, we showed that three tau (U) family GSTs namely AtGSTU7, AtGSTU19 and AtGSTU24 were induced with different magnitude by isoxadifen treatment in root and rosette tissues. The higher magnitude of inducibility of these AtGSTUs in the root tissues coincided with the enhanced metabolism of flufenacet, a herbicide that is active in root tissue, protecting Arabidopsis plants from chemical injury. Assay of the recombinant enzyme activities and the significant reduction in flufenacet metabolism determined in the T-DNA insertion mutant of AtGSTU7 (gstu7) in Arabidopsis plants identified an important function for AtGSTU7 protein in flufenacet detoxification. In-silico structural modeling of AtGSTU7, suggested the unique high activity of this enzyme toward flufenacet was due to a less constrained active site compared to AtGSTU19 and AtGSTU24. We demonstrate here that it is possible to induce herbicide detoxification in dicotyledonous plants by safener treatment, albeit with this activity being restricted to very specific combinations of herbicide chemistry, and the localized induction of enzymes with specific detoxifying activities

Terahertz phase slips in striped La_2−xBa_xCuO₄

Interlayer transport in high-TC cuprates is mediated by superconducting tunneling across the CuO2 planes. For this reason, the terahertz frequency optical response is dominated by one or more Josephson plasma resonances and becomes highly nonlinear at fields for which the tunneling supercurrents approach their critical value IC. These large terahertz nonlinearities are in fact a hallmark of superconducting transport. Surprisingly, however, they have been documented in La2−xBaxCuO4 (LBCO) also above TC for doping values near x=1/8 and interpreted as an indication of superfluidity in the stripe phase. Here, electric-field-induced second harmonic is used to study the dynamics of time-dependent interlayer voltages when LBCO is driven with large-amplitude terahertz pulses, in search of other characteristic signatures of Josephson tunneling in the normal state. We show that this method is sensitive to the voltage anomalies associated with 2π Josephson phase slips, which near x=18 are observed both below and above TC. These results document a regime of nonlinear transport that shares features of fluctuating stripes and superconducting phase dynamics