Quantum fields near phantom-energy `sudden' singularities

This paper is committed to calculations near a type of future singularity driven by phantom energy. At the singularities considered, the scale factor remains finite but its derivative diverges. The general behavior of barotropic phantom energy producing this singularity is calculated under the assumption that near the singularity such fluid is the dominant contributor. We use the semiclassical formula for renormalized stress tensors of conformally invariant fields in conformally flat spacetimes and analyze the softening/enhancing of the singularity due to quantum vacuum contributions. This dynamical analysis is then compared to results from thermodynamical considerations. In both cases, the vacuum states of quantized scalar and spinor fields strengthen the accelerating expansion near the singularity whereas the vacuum states of vector fields weaken it.Comment: 6 pages RevTe

Strongly interacting neutrinos as the highest energy cosmic rays

We show that all features of the ultrahigh energy cosmic ray spectrum from 10^{17} eV to 10^{21} eV can be described with a simple power-like injection spectrum of protons under the assumption that the neutrino-nucleon cross-section is significantly enhanced at center of mass energies above \approx 100 TeV. In our scenario, the cosmogenic neutrinos produced during the propagation of protons through the cosmic microwave background initiate air showers in the atmosphere, just as the protons. The total air shower spectrum induced by protons and neutrinos shows excellent agreement with the observations. A particular possibility for a large neutrino-nucleon cross-section exists within the Standard Model through electroweak instanton-induced processes.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, talk given at Beyond the Desert '03, Castle Ringberg, 9-14 June, 200

Dynamic modeling of spacecraft in a collisionless plasma

A new computational model is described which can simulate the charging of complex geometrical objects in three dimensions. Two sample calculations are presented. In the first problem, the capacitance to infinity of a complex object similar to a satellite with solar array paddles is calculated. The second problem concerns the dynamical charging of a conducting cube partially covered with a thin dielectric film. In this calculation, the photoemission results in differential charging of the object

Experimental study of acoustic displays of flight parameters in a simulated aerospace vehicle

Evaluating acoustic displays of target location in target detection and of flight parameters in simulated aerospace vehicle

Four-dimensional lattice results on the MSSM electroweak phase transition

We present the results of our large scale 4-dimensional (4d) lattice simulations for the MSSM electroweak phase transition (EWPT). We carried out infinite volume and continuum limit extrapolations and found a transition whose strength agrees well with perturbation theory. We determined the properties of the bubble wall that are important for a successful baryogenesis.Comment: 5 pages, 3figures. Talk presented at Johns Hopkins Workshop on Nonperturbative Quantum Field Theory Methods and their Applications (19-21 August 2000.

Electroweak Phase Transition in the MSSM: 4-Dimensional Lattice Simulations

Recent lattice results have shown that there is no Standard Model (SM) electroweak phase transition (EWPT) for Higgs boson masses above \approx 72 GeV, which is below the present experimental limit. According to perturbation theory and 3-dimensional (3d) lattice simulations there could be an EWPT in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) that is strong enough for baryogenesis up to m_h \approx 105 GeV. In this letter we present the results of our large scale 4-dimensional (4d) lattice simulations for the MSSM EWPT. We carried out infinite volume and continuum limits and found a transition whose strength agrees well with perturbation theory, allowing MSSM electroweak baryogenesis at least up to m_h = 103 \pm 4 GeV. We determined the properties of the bubble wall that are important for a successful baryogenesis.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures included; lightest Higgs mass bound relaxed (abstract, fig. 3 changed), version to appear in Phys. Rev. Letter

On Fast Linear Gravitational Dragging

A new formula is given for the fast linear gravitational dragging of the inertial frame within a rapidly accelerated spherical shell of deep potential. The shell is charged and is electrically accelerated by an electric field whose sources are included in the solution.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur