13 research outputs found
Cosmological Analogues of the Bartnik--McKinnon Solutions
We present a numerical classification of the spherically symmetric, static
solutions to the Einstein--Yang--Mills equations with cosmological constant
. We find three qualitatively different classes of configurations,
where the solutions in each class are characterized by the value of
and the number of nodes, , of the Yang--Mills amplitude. For sufficiently
small, positive values of the cosmological constant, \Lambda < \Llow(n), the
solutions generalize the Bartnik--McKinnon solitons, which are now surrounded
by a cosmological horizon and approach the deSitter geometry in the asymptotic
region. For a discrete set of values , the solutions are topologically --spheres, the ground state
being the Einstein Universe. In the intermediate region, that is for
\Llow(n) < \Lambda < \Lhig(n), there exists a discrete family of global
solutions with horizon and ``finite size''.Comment: 16 pages, LaTeX, 9 Postscript figures, uses epsf.st
Varying constants, Gravitation and Cosmology
Fundamental constants are a cornerstone of our physical laws. Any constant
varying in space and/or time would reflect the existence of an almost massless
field that couples to matter. This will induce a violation of the universality
of free fall. It is thus of utmost importance for our understanding of gravity
and of the domain of validity of general relativity to test for their
constancy. We thus detail the relations between the constants, the tests of the
local position invariance and of the universality of free fall. We then review
the main experimental and observational constraints that have been obtained
from atomic clocks, the Oklo phenomenon, Solar system observations, meteorites
dating, quasar absorption spectra, stellar physics, pulsar timing, the cosmic
microwave background and big bang nucleosynthesis. At each step we describe the
basics of each system, its dependence with respect to the constants, the known
systematic effects and the most recent constraints that have been obtained. We
then describe the main theoretical frameworks in which the low-energy constants
may actually be varying and we focus on the unification mechanisms and the
relations between the variation of different constants. To finish, we discuss
the more speculative possibility of understanding their numerical values and
the apparent fine-tuning that they confront us with.Comment: 145 pages, 10 figures, Review for Living Reviews in Relativit
XXXV. On Crookes's radiometer .—Part II : To the editors of the Philosophical Magazine and Journal
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