1,806 research outputs found

    Casimir effect in rugby-ball type flux compactifications

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    As a continuation of the work in \cite{mns}, we discuss the Casimir effect for a massless bulk scalar field in a 4D toy model of a 6D warped flux compactification model,to stabilize the volume modulus. The one-loop effective potential for the volume modulus has a form similar to the Coleman-Weinberg potential. The stability of the volume modulus against quantum corrections is related to an appropriate heat kernel coefficient. However, to make any physical predictions after volume stabilization, knowledge of the derivative of the zeta function, ζ′(0)\zeta'(0) (in a conformally related spacetime) is also required. By adding up the exact mass spectrum using zeta function regularization, we present a revised analysis of the effective potential. Finally, we discuss some physical implications, especially concerning the degree of the hierarchy between the fundamental energy scales on the branes. For a larger degree of warping our new results are very similar to the previous ones \cite{mns} and imply a larger hierarchy. In the non-warped (rugby-ball) limit the ratio tends to converge to the same value, independently of the bulk dilaton coupling.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in PR

    Uses of zeta regularization in QFT with boundary conditions: a cosmo-topological Casimir effect

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    Zeta regularization has proven to be a powerful and reliable tool for the regularization of the vacuum energy density in ideal situations. With the Hadamard complement, it has been shown to provide finite (and meaningful) answers too in more involved cases, as when imposing physical boundary conditions (BCs) in two-- and higher--dimensional surfaces (being able to mimic, in a very convenient way, other {\it ad hoc} cut-offs, as non-zero depths). What we have considered is the {\it additional} contribution to the cc coming from the non-trivial topology of space or from specific boundary conditions imposed on braneworld models (kind of cosmological Casimir effects). Assuming someone will be able to prove (some day) that the ground value of the cc is zero, as many had suspected until very recently, we will then be left with this incremental value coming from the topology or BCs. We show that this value can have the correct order of magnitude in a number of quite reasonable models involving small and large compactified scales and/or brane BCs, and supergravitons.Comment: 9 pages, 1 figure, Talk given at the Seventh International Workshop Quantum Field Theory under the Influence of External Conditions, QFEXT'05, Barcelona, September 5-9, 200

    Casimir piston for massless scalar fields in three dimensions

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    We study the Casimir piston for massless scalar fields obeying Dirichlet boundary conditions in a three dimensional cavity with sides of arbitrary lengths a,ba,b and cc where aa is the plate separation. We obtain an exact expression for the Casimir force on the piston valid for any values of the three lengths. As in the electromagnetic case with perfect conductor conditions, we find that the Casimir force is negative (attractive) regardless of the values of aa, bb and cc. Though cases exist where the interior contributes a positive (repulsive) Casimir force, the total Casimir force on the piston is negative when the exterior contribution is included. We also obtain an alternative expression for the Casimir force that is useful computationally when the plate separation aa is large.Comment: 19 pages,3 figures; references updated and typos fixed to match published versio

    Zeta-Function Regularization is Uniquely Defined and Well

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    Hawking's zeta function regularization procedure is shown to be rigorously and uniquely defined, thus putting and end to the spreading lore about different difficulties associated with it. Basic misconceptions, misunderstandings and errors which keep appearing in important scientific journals when dealing with this beautiful regularization method ---and other analytical procedures--- are clarified and corrected.Comment: 7 pages, LaTeX fil

    On the issue of imposing boundary conditions on quantum fields

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    An interesting example of the deep interrelation between Physics and Mathematics is obtained when trying to impose mathematical boundary conditions on physical quantum fields. This procedure has recently been re-examined with care. Comments on that and previous analysis are here provided, together with considerations on the results of the purely mathematical zeta-function method, in an attempt at clarifying the issue. Hadamard regularization is invoked in order to fill the gap between the infinities appearing in the QFT renormalized results and the finite values obtained in the literature with other procedures.Comment: 13 pages, no figure

    Spherical systems in models of nonlocally corrected gravity

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    The properties of static, spherically symmetric configurations are considered in the framework of two models of nonlocally corrected gravity, suggested in S. Deser and R. Woodard., Phys. Rev. Lett. 663, 111301 (2007), and S. Capozziello et al., Phys. Lett. B 671, 193 (2009). For the first case, where the Lagrangian of nonlocal origin represents a scalar-tensor theory with two massless scalars, an explicit condition is found under which both scalars are canonical (non-phantom). If this condition does not hold, one of the fields exhibits a phantom behavior. Scalar-vacuum configurations then behave in a manner known for scalar-tensor theories. In the second case, the Lagrangian of nonlocal origin exhibits a scalar field interacting with the Gauss-Bonnet (GB) invariant and contains an arbitrary scalar field potential. It is found that the GB term, in general, leads to violation of the well-known no-go theorems valid for minimally coupled scalar fields in general relativity. It is shown, however, that some configurations of interest are still forbidden, whatever be the scalar field potential and the GB-scalar coupling function, namely, "force-free" wormholes (such that g_{tt}= const) and black holes with higher-order horizons.Comment: 11 pages, no figures. References and comments added, a final form to appear in PR

    Dark energy in modified Gauss-Bonnet gravity: late-time acceleration and the hierarchy problem

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    Dark energy cosmology is considered in a modified Gauss-Bonnet (GB) model of gravity where an arbitrary function of the GB invariant, f(G)f(G), is added to the General Relativity action. We show that such theory is endowed with a quite rich cosmological structure: it may naturally lead to an effective cosmological constant, quintessence or phantom cosmic acceleration, with a possible transition from deceleration to acceleration. It is demonstrated in the paper that this theory is perfectly viable, since it is compliant with Solar System constraints. Specific properties of f(G)f(G) gravity in a de Sitter universe, such as dS and SdS solutions, their entropy and its explicit one-loop quantization are studied. The issue of a possible solution of the hierarchy problem in modified gravities is addressed too.Comment: LaTeX file 20 pages, new subsections are adde
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