Center of Mass and spin for isolated sources of gravitational radiation

We define the center of mass and spin of an isolated system in General Relativity. The resulting relationships between these variables and the total linear and angular momentum of the gravitational system are remarkably similar to their Newtonian counterparts, though only variables at the null boundary of an asymptotically flat spacetime are used for their definition. We also derive equations of motion linking their time evolution to the emitted gravitational radiation. The results are then compared to other approaches. In particular one obtains unexpected similarities as well as some differences with results obtained in the Post Newtonian literature . These equations of motion should be useful when describing the radiation emitted by compact sources such as coalescing binaries capable of producing gravitational kicks, supernovas, or scattering of compact objects.Comment: 16 pages. Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Implementación del aprendizaje basado en proyectos en la asignatura diseño estructural

El plan de estudios de la carrera de ingeniería civil incluye 5 asignaturas optativas que los alumnos eligen según sus intereses, entre una lista de materias que la facultad ofrece. Una de estas asignaturas optativas es Diseño Estructural. En los últimos años se han introducido una serie de cambios en la metodología de enseñanza-aprendizaje, tendientes a incrementar las actividades relacionadas con "Diseño y proyecto" (según lo requerido en los estándares de acreditación de la carrera por CONEAU). Estos cambios se aplicaron en forma gradual, hasta llegar a la implementación de una experiencia piloto, en el ciclo lectivo 2017, en la que se aplicó el método de aprendizaje basado en proyectos. Se presenta en este trabajo una descripción de las actividades realizadas en este contexto, junto con algunas conclusiones preliminares sobre los resultados obtenidos.Fil: Crisafulli, Francisco J.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de IngenieríaFil: Quiroga, Eduardo D.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ingenierí

Tachyon fields with effects of quantum matter in an Anti-de Sitter Universe

We consider an Anti-de Sitter universe filled by quantum conformal matter with the contribution from the usual tachyon and a perfect fluid. The model represents the combination of a trace-anomaly annihilated and a tachyon driven Anti-de Sitter universe. The influence exerted by the quantum effects and by the tachyon on the AdS space is studied. The radius corresponding to this universe is calculated and the effect of the tachyon potential is discussed, in particular, concerning to the possibility to get an accelerated scale factor for the proposed model (implying an accelerated expansion of the AdS type of universe). Fulfillment of the cosmological energy conditions in the model is also investigatedComment: 14 Latex pages, no figure

Crossover between the Dense Electron-Hole Phase and the BCS Excitonic Phase in Quantum Dots

Second order perturbation theory and a Lipkin-Nogami scheme combined with an exact Monte Carlo projection after variation are applied to compute the ground-state energy of $6\le N\le 210$ electron-hole pairs confined in a parabolic two-dimensional quantum dot. The energy shows nice scaling properties as N or the confinement strength is varied. A crossover from the high-density electron-hole phase to the BCS excitonic phase is found at a density which is roughly four times the close-packing density of excitons.Comment: Improved variational and projection calculations. 17 pages, 3 ps figures. Accepted for publication in Int. J. Mod. Phys.

Probing ferroelectricity in highly conducting materials through their elastic response: persistence of ferroelectricity in metallic BaTiO3-d

The question whether ferroelectricity (FE) may coexist with a metallic or highly conducting state, or rather it must be suppressed by the screening from the free charges, is the focus of a rapidly increasing number of theoretical studies and is finally receiving positive experimental responses. The issue is closely related to the thermoelectric and multiferroic (also magnetic) applications of FE materials, where the electrical conductivity is required or spurious. In these circumstances, the traditional methods for probing ferroelectricity are hampered or made totally ineffective by the free charges, which screen the polar response to an external electric field. This fact may explain why more than 40 years passed between the first proposals of FE metals and the present experimental and theoretical activity. The measurement of the elastic moduli, Young's modulus in the present case, versus temperature is an effective method for studying the influence of doping on a FE transition because the elastic properties are unaffected by electrical conductivity. In this manner, it is shown that the FE transitions of BaTiO3-d are not suppressed by electron doping through O vacancies; only the onset temperatures are depressed, but the magnitudes of the softenings, and hence of the piezoelectric activity, are initially even increased

A Tale of Two Animats: What does it take to have goals?

What does it take for a system, biological or not, to have goals? Here, this question is approached in the context of in silico artificial evolution. By examining the informational and causal properties of artificial organisms ('animats') controlled by small, adaptive neural networks (Markov Brains), this essay discusses necessary requirements for intrinsic information, autonomy, and meaning. The focus lies on comparing two types of Markov Brains that evolved in the same simple environment: one with purely feedforward connections between its elements, the other with an integrated set of elements that causally constrain each other. While both types of brains 'process' information about their environment and are equally fit, only the integrated one forms a causally autonomous entity above a background of external influences. This suggests that to assess whether goals are meaningful for a system itself, it is important to understand what the system is, rather than what it does.Comment: This article is a contribution to the FQXi 2016-2017 essay contest "Wandering Towards a Goal

Kullback-Leibler and Renormalized Entropy: Applications to EEGs of Epilepsy Patients

Recently, renormalized entropy was proposed as a novel measure of relative entropy (P. Saparin et al., Chaos, Solitons & Fractals 4, 1907 (1994)) and applied to several physiological time sequences, including EEGs of patients with epilepsy. We show here that this measure is just a modified Kullback-Leibler (K-L) relative entropy, and it gives similar numerical results to the standard K-L entropy. The latter better distinguishes frequency contents of e.g. seizure and background EEGs than renormalized entropy. We thus propose that renormalized entropy might not be as useful as claimed by its proponents. In passing we also make some critical remarks about the implementation of these methods.Comment: 15 pages, 4 Postscript figures. Submitted to Phys. Rev. E, 199

Two and three electrons in a quantum dot: 1/|J| - expansion

We consider systems of two and three electrons in a two-dimensional parabolic quantum dot. A magnetic field is applied perpendicularly to the electron plane of motion. We show that the energy levels corresponding to states with high angular momentum, J, and a low number of vibrational quanta may be systematically computed as power series in 1/|J|. These states are relevant in the high-B limit.Comment: LaTeX, 15 pages,6 postscript figure

50 años de la Carrera de Diseño : dossier

Fil: Quiroga, Gustavo D.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Artes y Diseñ