Conformal Inflation Coupled to Matter

We formulate new conformal models of inflation and dark energy which generalise the Higgs-Dilaton scenario. We embed these models in unimodular gravity whose effect is to break scale invariance in the late time Universe. In the early Universe, inflation occurs close to a maximum of both the scalar potential and the scalar coupling to the Ricci scalar in the Jordan frame. At late times, the dilaton, which decouples from the dynamics during inflation, receives a potential term from unimodular gravity and leads to the acceleration of the Universe. We address two central issues in this scenario. First we show that the Damour-Polyalov mechanism, when non-relativistic matter is present prior to the start of inflation, sets the initial conditions for inflation at the maximum of the scalar potential. We then show that conformal invariance implies that matter particles are not coupled to the dilaton in the late Universe at the classical level. When fermions acquire masses at low energy, scale invariance is broken and quantum corrections induce a coupling between the dilaton and matter which is still small enough to evade the gravitational constraints in the solar system.Comment: 24 page

Gross Job Flows in Ukraine: Size, Ownership and Trade Effects

This paper documents and analyses gross job flows and their determinants in Ukraine using a unique data set of more than 2200 Ukrainian firms operating in both the manufacturing and the non-manufacturing sector for the years 1998-2000. There are several important findings in the paper. Job destruction is dominating job creation in both 1999 and 2000. In connection with other evidence we infer from this that Ukraine is only at the beginning of the restructuring process. The most clear-cut result of our analysis is the strong positive effect of new private firms on net employment growth, a finding established for other transition economies as well. At the same time, we do not find differences in the employment growth of state-owned and privatised firms. Apart from ownership effects we also find, at the firm level, an inverse correlation of size and net employment growth and of size and job reallocation. Finally, we establish that strong foreign trade links force firms to shed labour more aggressively and to engage in more restructuring when trade is directed to and originating from Western economies. This disciplining function is absent when the trade flows are confined to CIS countries.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/39906/3/wp521.pd

Have graben wall scarps accumulated sand and dust on Mars?

Grabens are linear fault bounded troughs that are extremely abundant on Mars (about 7000 cover the Western Hemisphere). Analysis of lunar and Martian grabens as well as analogous structures on Earth indicates that grabens form under extension when the crust is pulled apart. On Mars, topographic maps are not of sufficient resolution to measure graben wall slopes. Seismic shaking on Mars might be capable of reducing 60 deg fault scarps to an angle of repose. Some other process must be responsible for further reducing graben wall slopes. If the deposition of sand and dust along graben walls is responsible for their extremely low slopes, then a variety of implications are possible. Sand and/or dust movement and deposition is ubiquitous in grabens over most of Mars, as similar looking grabens are found over the entire Western Hemisphere and this requires a plentiful supply of sand or dust. If the material that accumulates is of low density and cohesion, attempts to traverse graben walls might be difficult. Rimless shallow depressions could be more effective sinks for sand and dust on Mars than has been realized

A model for computing infrared transmission through atmospheric water vapor and carbon dioxide

Model for computing infrared transmission through atmospheric water vapor and carbon dioxid

Umbilical disconnect actuator

Contamination of sensitive equipment when squibs are fired is prevented by O-rings which retain the debris of squib discharge within the disconnect device

Development of a surface isolation estimation technique suitable for application of polar orbiting satellite data

A technique is developed for the estimation of total daily insolation on the basis of data derivable from operational polar-orbiting satellites. Although surface insolation and meteorological observations are used in the development, the algorithm is constrained in application by the infrequent daytime polar-orbiter coverage

Millimeter wavelength spectroscopy and continuum studies of the planets

Careful observations were made at 86.1 GHz to derive the absolute brightness temperatures of the Sun (7914 + or - 192 K), Venus (357.5 + or - 13.1 K), Jupiter (179.4 + or - 4.7K), and Saturn (153.4 + or - 4.8 K) with a standard error of about 3%. This is a significant improvement in accuracy over previous results. A stable transmitter and novel superheterodyne receiver were constructed and used to determine the effective collecting area of the MWO 4.9 m antenna relative to a previously calibrated standard gain horn. The thermal scale was set by calibrating the radiometer with carefully constructed and tested hot and cold loads. The brightness temperatures may be used to establish an absolute calibration scale and to determine the antenna aperture and beam efficiencies of other radio telescopes at 3.5 mm wavelength

Input description for Jameson's three-dimensional transonic airfoil analysis program

The input parameters are presented for a computer program which performs calculations for inviscid isentropic transonic flow over three dimensional airfoils with straight leading edges. The free stream Mach number is restricted only by the isentropic assumption. Weak shock waves are automatically located where they occur in the flow. The finite difference form of the full equation for the velocity potential is solved by the method of relaxation, after the flow exterior to the airfoil is mapped to the upper half plane

Brane-World Cosmology, Bulk Scalars and Perturbations

We investigate aspects of cosmology in brane world theories with a bulk scalar field. We concentrate on a recent model motivated from supergravity in singular spaces. After discussing the background evolution of such a brane-world, we present the evolution of the density contrast. We compare our results to those obtained in the (second) Randall-Sundrum scenario and usual 4D scalar-tensor theories.Comment: 29 pages, one figure, JHEP3-styl