2,255 research outputs found
Quantum Inhomogeneities in String Cosmology
Within two specific string cosmology scenarios --differing in the way the
pre- and post-big bang phases are joined-- we compute the size and spectral
slope of various types of cosmologically amplified quantum fluctuations that
arise in generic compactifications of heterotic string theory. By further
imposing that these perturbations become the dominant source of energy at the
onset of the radiation era, we obtain physical bounds on the background's
moduli, and discuss the conditions under which both a (quasi-) scale-invariant
spectrum of axionic perturbations and sufficiently large seeds for the galactic
magnetic fields are generated. We also point out a potential problem with
achieving the exit to the radiation era when the string coupling is near its
present value.Comment: 30 pages, RevteX, epsfig, 5 figure
The two-phase issue in the O(n) non-linear -model: A Monte Carlo study
We have performed a high statistics Monte Carlo simulation to investigate
whether the two-dimensional O(n) non-linear sigma models are asymptotically
free or they show a Kosterlitz- Thouless-like phase transition. We have
calculated the mass gap and the magnetic susceptibility in the O(8) model with
standard action and the O(3) model with Symanzik action. Our results for O(8)
support the asymptotic freedom scenario.Comment: 3 pgs. espcrc2.sty included. Talk presented at LATTICE96(other
models
A class of non-singular gravi-dilaton backgrounds
We present a class of static, spherically symmetric, non-singular solutions
of the tree-level string effective action, truncated to first order in
. In the string frame the solutions approach asymptotically (at and ) two different anti-de Sitter configurations, thus
interpolating between two maximally symmetric states of different constant
curvature. The radial-dependent dilaton defines a string coupling which is
everywhere finite, with a peak value that can be chosen arbitrarily small so as
to neglect quantum-loop corrections. This example stresses the possible
importance of finite-size corrections, typical of string theory, in
avoiding space-time singularities.Comment: 9 pages, LATEX, four figure included using EPSFIG. Essay written for
the 1997 Awards of the Gravity Research Foundation, and selected for
"Honorable Mention". To appear in Mod. Phys. Lett.
RR Lyrae stars in four globular clusters in the Fornax dwarf galaxy
(Abridged) We have surveyed four globular clusters in the Fornax dwarf galaxy
for RR Lyrae stars, using archival HST observations. We identify 197 new RR
Lyrae stars in these four clusters. Despite the short observational baseline,
we derive periods, light-curves, and photometric parameters for each. The
Fornax clusters have exceptionally large RR Lyrae specific frequencies compared
with the Galactic globular clusters. Furthermore, the Fornax cluster RR Lyrae
stars are unusual in that their characteristics are intermediate between the
two Galactic Oosterhoff groups. In this respect the Fornax clusters are similar
to the field populations in several dwarf galaxies. We revise previous
measurements of the HB morphology in each cluster. The Fornax clusters closely
resemble the ``young'' Galactic halo population defined by Zinn. The existence
of the second parameter effect among the Fornax clusters is also confirmed.
Finally, we determine foreground reddening and distance estimates for each
cluster. We find a mean distance modulus to Fornax of (m-M)_0 = 20.66 +/- 0.03
(random) +/- 0.15 (systematic). Our measurements are consistent with a line of
sight depth of 8-10 kpc for this galaxy, matching its projected dimensions, and
incompatible with tidal model explanations for the observed high velocity
dispersions in many dSph galaxies. Dark matter dominance is suggested.Comment: 26 pages, 6 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRAS. Table 2 and
Figure 2 will only be available in the electronic version. On-line data will
soon be available at http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/STELLARPOPS/Fornax_RRlyr
Pre-Big Bang Cosmology and Quantum Fluctuations
The quantum fluctuations of a homogeneous, isotropic, open pre-big bang model
are discussed. By solving exactly the equations for tensor and scalar
perturbations we find that particle production is negligible during the
perturbative Pre-Big Bang phase.Comment: 4 pages, use esprc2.sty. Talk given at the 3rd Meeting on Constrained
Dynamics and Quantum Gravity (QG 99), Villasimius, Sardinia, Italy, 14-18 Sep
199
Optical noise correlations and beating the standard quantum limit in advanced gravitational-wave detectors
The uncertainty principle, applied naively to the test masses of a
laser-interferometer gravitational-wave detector, produces a Standard Quantum
Limit (SQL) on the interferometer's sensitivity. It has long been thought that
beating this SQL would require a radical redesign of interferometers. However,
we show that LIGO-II interferometers, currently planned for 2006, can beat the
SQL by as much as a factor two over a bandwidth \Delta f \sim f, if their
thermal noise can be pushed low enough. This is due to dynamical correlations
between photon shot noise and radiation-pressure noise, produced by the LIGO-II
signal-recycling mirror.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures; minor changes, some references adde
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