Necrotic tumor growth: an analytic approach

The present paper deals with a free boundary problem modeling the growth process of necrotic multi-layer tumors. We prove the existence of flat stationary solutions and determine the linearization of our model at such an equilibrium. Finally, we compute the solutions of the stationary linearized problem and comment on bifurcation.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figure

Multi-Kˉ\bar{K} nuclei and kaon condensation

We extend previous relativistic mean-field (RMF) calculations of multi-$\bar K$ nuclei, using vector boson fields with SU(3) PPV coupling constants and scalar boson fields constrained phenomenologically. For a given core nucleus, the resulting $\bar K$ separation energy $B_{\bar K}$, as well as the associated nuclear and $\bar K$-meson densities, saturate with the number $\kappa$ of $\bar K$ mesons for $\kappa > \kappa_{\rm sat} \sim 10$. Saturation appears robust against a wide range of variations, including the RMF nuclear model used and the type of boson fields mediating the strong interactions. Because $B_{\bar K}$ generally does not exceed 200 MeV, it is argued that multi-$\bar K$ nuclei do not compete with multihyperonic nuclei in providing the ground state of strange hadronic configurations and that kaon condensation is unlikely to occur in strong-interaction self-bound strange hadronic matter. Last, we explore possibly self-bound strange systems made of neutrons and ${\bar K}^0$ mesons, or protons and $K^-$ mesons, and study their properties.Comment: 21 pages, 8 figures, revised text and reference

Testing Einstein's time dilation under acceleration using M\"ossbauer spectroscopy

The Einstein time dilation formula was tested in several experiments. Many trials have been made to measure the transverse second order Doppler shift by M\"{o}ssbauer spectroscopy using a rotating absorber, to test the validity of this formula. Such experiments are also able to test if the time dilation depends only on the velocity of the absorber, as assumed by Einstein's clock hypothesis, or the present centripetal acceleration contributes to the time dilation. We show here that the fact that the experiment requires $\gamma$-ray emission and detection slits of finite size, the absorption line is broadened; by geometric longitudinal first order Doppler shifts immensely. Moreover, the absorption line is non-Lorenzian. We obtain an explicit expression for the absorption line for any angular velocity of the absorber. The analysis of the experimental results, in all previous experiments which did not observe the full absorption line itself, were wrong and the conclusions doubtful. The only proper experiment was done by K\"{u}ndig (Phys. Rev. 129 (1963) 2371), who observed the broadening, but associated it to random vibrations of the absorber. We establish necessary conditions for the successful measurement of a transverse second order Doppler shift by M\"{o}ssbauer spectroscopy. We indicate how the results of such an experiment can be used to verify the existence of a Doppler shift due to acceleration and to test the validity of Einstein's clock hypothesis.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figure

Modification of turbulent transport with continuous variation of flow shear in the Large Plasma Device

Continuous control over azimuthal flow and shear in the edge of the Large Plasma Device (LAPD) has been achieved using a biasable limiter which has allowed a careful study of the effect of flow shear on pressure-gradient-driven turbulence and transport in LAPD. LAPD rotates spontaneously in the ion diamagnetic direction (IDD); positive limiter bias first reduces, then minimizes (producing a near-zero shear state), and finally reverses the flow into the electron diamagnetic direction (EDD). Degradation of particle confinement is observed in the minimum shearing state and reduction in turbulent particle flux is observed with increasing shearing in both flow directions. Near-complete suppression of turbulent particle flux is observed for shearing rates comparable to the turbulent autocorrelation rate measured in the minimum shear state. Turbulent flux suppression is dominated by amplitude reduction in low-frequency ($<10$kHz) density fluctuations. An increase in fluctuations for the highest shearing states is observed with the emergence of a coherent mode which does not lead to net particle transport. The variations of density fluctuations are fit well with power-laws and compare favorably to simple models of shear suppression of transport.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures; Submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

Unitarity Restoration in the Presence of Closed Timelike Curves

A proposal is made for a mathematically unambiguous treatment of evolution in the presence of closed timelike curves. In constrast to other proposals for handling the naively nonunitary evolution that is often present in such situations, this proposal is causal, linear in the initial density matrix and preserves probability. It provides a physically reasonable interpretation of invertible nonunitary evolution by redefining the final Hilbert space so that the evolution is unitary or equivalently by removing the nonunitary part of the evolution operator using a polar decomposition.Comment: LaTeX, 17pp, Revisions: Title change, expanded and clarified presentation of original proposal, esp. with regard to Heisenberg picture and remaining in original Hilbert spac