A spin-foam vertex amplitude with the correct semiclassical limit

Spin-foam models are hoped to provide a dynamics for loop quantum gravity. These start from the Plebanski formulation of gravity, in which gravity is obtained from a topological field theory, BF theory, through constraints, which, however, select more than one gravitational sector, as well as an unphysical degenerate sector. We show this is why terms beyond the needed Feynman-prescribed one appear in the semiclassical limit of the EPRL spin-foam amplitude. By quantum mechanically isolating a single gravitational sector, we modify this amplitude, yielding a spin-foam amplitude for loop quantum gravity with the correct semiclassical limit.Comment: 5 pages; sign error corrected, further clarification regarding the semi-classical limit added, as well as other minor change

The Sun in Time: Age, Rotation, and Magnetic Activity of the Sun and Solar-type Stars and Effects on Hosted Planets

Multi-wavelength studies of solar analogs (G0-5 V stars) with ages from ~50 Myr to 9 Gyr have been carried out as part of the "Sun in Time" program for nearly 20 yrs. From these studies it is inferred that the young (ZAMS) Sun was rotating more than 10x faster than today. As a consequence, young solar-type stars and the early Sun have vigorous magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) dynamos and correspondingly strong coronal X-ray and transition region / chromospheric FUV-UV emissions. To ensure continuity and homogeneity for this program, we use a restricted sample of G0-5 V stars with masses, radii, T(eff), and internal structure (i.e. outer convective zones) closely matching those of the Sun. From these analogs we have determined reliable rotation-age-activity relations and X-ray - UV (XUV) spectral irradiances for the Sun (or any solar-type star) over time. These XUV irradiance measures serve as input data for investigating the photo-ionization and photo-chemical effects of the young, active Sun on the paleo-planetary atmospheres and environments of solar system planets. These measures are also important to study the effects of these high energy emissions on the numerous exoplanets hosted by solar-type stars of different ages. Recently we have extended the study to include lower mass, main-sequence (dwarf) dK and dM stars to determine relationships among their rotation spin-down rates and coronal and chromospheric emissions as a function of mass and age. From rotation-age-activity relations we can determine reliable ages for main-sequence G, K, M field stars and, subsequently, their hosted planets. Also inferred are the present and the past XUV irradiance and plasma flux exposures that these planets have endured and the suitability of the hosted planets to develop and sustain life.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures; to appear in the proceedings of IAU 258: The Ages of Star

The Secret Lives of Cepheids: A Multi-Wavelength Study of the Atmospheres and Real-Time Evolution of Classical Cepheids

The primary goal of this study is to observe how complex the behaviors of Cepheids can be, and to show how the continued monitoring of Cepheids at multiple wavelengths can begin to reveal their "secret lives." We aim to achieve this through optical photometry, UV spectroscopy and X-ray imaging. Through Villanova's guaranteed access to ground-based telescopes, we have secured well-covered light curves as regularly as possible. Amplitudes and times of max brightness were obtained and compared to previous literature results. At UV wavelengths, we have secured hi-res spectra of 2 nearby Cepheids - delta Cep and beta Dor - with HST-COS. Also, we have obtained X-ray images of 5 Cepheids with XMM-Newton and the Chandra X-ray Observatory, and further observations with both satellites have been proposed for (XMM) and approved (Chandra). Optical photometry has shown that 8 of the 10 observed Cepheids have amplitude variability, or hints thereof, and all 10 show period variability (recent, long-term or possibly periodic). The UV spectra reveal emission lines from heated atmospheric plasmas of 10^4 - 10^5 K that vary in phase with the Cepheid pulsations. The X-ray images have detected the three nearest Cepheids observed (Polaris, delta Cep and beta Dor), while the distances of the other two place their fluxes likely at or below detector background levels. The X-ray fluxes for delta Cep show possible phased variability, but anti-correlated with the UV emission lines (i.e. high X-ray flux during low UV flux, and vice versa). Further data are required to ultimately confirm Blazhko-like cycles in Cepheids, X-ray variability with phase and the particulars of the high-energy variability such as phase-lags between atmospheric plasma emissions of different temperature and the exact contributions of the possible heating mechanism.Comment: Thesis (Ph.D.) -- James Cook University, 201

Classical Cepheids Require Enhanced Mass Loss

Measurements of rates of period change of Classical Cepheids probe stellar physics and evolution. Additionally, better understanding of Cepheid structure and evolution provides greater insight into their use as standard candles and tools for measuring the Hubble constant. Our recent study of the period change of the nearest Cepheid, Polaris, suggested that it is undergoing enhanced mass loss when compared to canonical stellar evolution model predictions. In this work, we expand the analysis to rates of period change measured for about 200 Galactic Cepheids and compare them to population synthesis models of Cepheids including convective core overshooting and enhanced mass loss. Rates of period change predicted from stellar evolution models without mass loss do not agree with observed rates whereas including enhanced mass loss yields predicted rates in better agreement with observations. This is the first evidence that enhanced mass loss as suggested previously for Polaris and delta Cephei must be a ubiquitous property of Classical Cepheids.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, Accepted for publication in ApJ Letter

Investigating ICAPM with Dynamic Conditional Correlations

This paper examines the intertemporal relation between expected return and risk for 30 stocks in the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The mean-reverting dynamic conditional correlation model of Engle (2002) is used to estimate a stock’s conditional covariance with the market and test whether the conditional covariance predicts time-variation in the stock’s expected return. The risk-aversion coefficient, restricted to be the same across stocks in panel regression, is estimated to be between two and four and highly significant. This result is robust across different market portfolios, different sample periods, alternative specifications of the conditional mean and covariance processes, and including a wide variety of state variables that proxy for the intertemporal hedging demand component of the ICAPM. Risk premium induced by the conditional covariation of individual stocks with the market portfolio remains economically and statistically significant after controlling for risk premiums induced by conditional covariation with macroeconomic variables (federal funds rate, default spread, and term spread), financial factors (size, book-to-market, and momentum), and volatility measures (implied, GARCH, and range volatility)

Low-energy electron transport with the method of discrete ordinates

The one-dimensional discrete ordinates code ANISN was adapted to transport low energy (a few MeV) electrons. Calculated results obtained with ANISN were compared with experimental data for transmitted electron energy and angular distribution data for electrons normally incident on aluminum slabs of various thicknesses. The calculated and experimental results are in good agreement for a thin slab (0.2 of the electron range), but not for the thicker slabs (0.6 of the electron range). Calculated results obtained with ANISN were also compared with results obtained using Monte Carlo methods