1,632 research outputs found
Magnetic monopoles from gauge theory phase transitions
Thermal fluctuations of the gauge field lead to monopole formation at the
grand unified phase transition in the early Universe, even if the transition is
merely a smooth crossover. The dependence of the produced monopole density on
various parameters is qualitatively different from theories with global
symmetries, and the monopoles have a positive correlation at short distances.
The number density of monopoles may be suppressed if the grand unified symmetry
is only restored for a short time by, for instance, nonthermal symmetry
restoration after preheating.Comment: 5 pages, updated to match the version published in PRD
(http://link.aps.org/abstract/PRD/v68/e021301) on 11 July 200
The monopole mass in the three-dimensional Georgi-Glashow model
We study the three-dimensional Georgi-Glashow model to demonstrate how
magnetic monopoles can be studied fully non-perturbatively in lattice Monte
Carlo simulations, without any assumptions about the smoothness of the field
configurations. We examine the apparent contradiction between the conjectured
analytic connection of the `broken' and `symmetric' phases, and the
interpretation of the mass (i.e., the free energy) of the fully quantised 't
Hooft-Polyakov monopole as an order parameter to distinguish the phases. We use
Monte Carlo simulations to measure the monopole free energy and its first
derivative with respect to the scalar mass. On small volumes we compare this to
semi-classical predictions for the monopole. On large volumes we show that the
free energy is screened to zero, signalling the formation of a confining
monopole condensate. This screening does not allow the monopole mass to be
interpreted as an order parameter, resolving the paradox.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures, uses revtex. Minor changes made to the text to
match with the published version at
http://link.aps.org/abstract/PRD/v65/e12500
Topologically Alice Strings and Monopoles
Symmetry breaking can produce ``Alice'' strings, which alter scattered
charges and carry monopole number and charge when twisted into loops. Alice
behavior arises algebraically, when strings obstruct unbroken symmetries -- a
fragile criterion. We give a topological criterion, compelling Alice behavior
or deforming it away. Our criterion, that \pi_o(H) acts nontrivially on
\pi_1(H), links topologically Alice strings to topological monopoles. We twist
topologically Alice loops to form monopoles. We show that Alice strings of
condensed matter systems (nematic liquid crystals, helium 3A, and related
non-chiral Bose condensates and amorphous chiral superconductors) are
topologically Alice, and support fundamental monopole charge when twisted into
loops. Thus they might be observed indirectly, not as strings, but as loop-like
point defects. We describe other models, showing Alice strings failing our
topological criterion; and twisted Alice loops supporting deposited, but not
fundamental, monopole number.Comment: 2 figures; this paper consolidates preprints hep-th/0304161 and
hep-th/0304162, to appear in Phys. Rev.
Bose-Einstein condensation with magnetic dipole-dipole forces
Ground-state solutions in a dilute gas interacting via contact and magnetic
dipole-dipole forces are investigated. To the best of our knowledge, it is the
first example of studies of the Bose-Einstein condensation in a system with
realistic long-range interactions. We find that for the magnetic moment of e.g.
chromium and a typical value of the scattering length all solutions are stable
and only differ in size from condensates without long-range interactions. By
lowering the value of the scattering length we find a region of unstable
solutions. In the neighborhood of this region the ground state wavefunctions
show internal structures not seen before in condensates. Finally, we find an
analytic estimate for the characteristic length appearing in these solutions.Comment: final version, 4 pages, 4 figure
Mental health in UK Biobank: development, implementation and results from an online questionnaire completed by 157 366 participants
Background
UK Biobank is a well-characterised cohort of over 500 000 participants that offers unique opportunities to investigate multiple diseases and risk factors.
Aims
An online mental health questionnaire completed by UK Biobank participants was expected to expand the potential for research into mental disorders.
Method
An expert working group designed the questionnaire, using established measures where possible, and consulting with a patient group regarding acceptability. Case definitions were defined using operational criteria for lifetime depression, mania, anxiety disorder, psychotic-like experiences and self-harm, as well as current post-traumatic stress and alcohol use disorders.
Results
157 366 completed online questionnaires were available by August 2017. Comparison of self-reported diagnosed mental disorder with a contemporary study shows a similar prevalence, despite respondents being of higher average socioeconomic status than the general population across a range of indicators. Thirty-five per cent (55 750) of participants had at least one defined syndrome, of which lifetime depression was the most common at 24% (37 434). There was extensive comorbidity among the syndromes. Mental disorders were associated with high neuroticism score, adverse life events and long-term illness; addiction and bipolar affective disorder in particular were associated with measures of deprivation.
Conclusions
The questionnaire represents a very large mental health survey in itself, and the results presented here show high face validity, although caution is needed owing to selection bias. Built into UK Biobank, these data intersect with other health data to offer unparalleled potential for crosscutting biomedical research involving mental health
The large-scale modulation of the density distribution in standard axionic CDM and its cosmological and physical impact
It is shown, that the energy density of coherent axion field oscillations in
the cosmology of standard invisible axion should be distributed in the Universe
in the form of archioles, being nonlinear inhomogeneous structure, reflecting
the large scale distribution of Brownian structure of axion strings in the very
early Universe. Spectrum of inhomogeneities, generated by archioles, is
obtained and their effects in the spectrum and quadrupole anisotropy of relic
radiation are considered. The axionic-string-decay-model-independent
restriction on the scale of axion interaction is obtained.Comment: 8 pages, Talk presented at Workshop on Fundamental Physics at the
Birth of the Universe II, Roma, May 19-24, 199
On the single mode approximation in spinor-1 atomic condensate
We investigate the validity conditions of the single mode approximation (SMA)
in spinor-1 atomic condensate when effects due to residual magnetic fields are
negligible. For atomic interactions of the ferromagnetic type, the SMA is shown
to be exact, with a mode function different from what is commonly used.
However, the quantitative deviation is small under current experimental
conditions (for Rb atoms). For anti-ferromagnetic interactions, we find
that the SMA becomes invalid in general. The differences among the mean field
mode functions for the three spin components are shown to depend strongly on
the system magnetization. Our results can be important for studies of beyond
mean field quantum correlations, such as fragmentation, spin squeezing, and
multi-partite entanglement.Comment: Revised, newly found analytic proof adde
Testing quantum correlations in a confined atomic cloud by scattering fast atoms
We suggest measuring one-particle density matrix of a trapped ultracold
atomic cloud by scattering fast atoms in a pure momentum state off the cloud.
The lowest-order probability of the inelastic process, resulting in a pair of
outcoming fast atoms for each incoming one, turns out to be given by a Fourier
transform of the density matrix. Accordingly, important information about
quantum correlations can be deduced directly from the differential scattering
cross-section. A possible design of the atomic detector is also discussed.Comment: 5 RevTex pages, no figures, submitted to PR
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