635 research outputs found
Limits on the gravity wave contribution to microwave anisotropies
We present limits on the fraction of large angle microwave anisotropies which
could come from tensor perturbations. We use the COBE results as well as
smaller scale CMB observations, measurements of galaxy correlations, abundances
of galaxy clusters, and Lyman alpha absorption cloud statistics. Our aim is to
provide conservative limits on the tensor-to-scalar ratio for standard
inflationary models. For power-law inflation, for example, we find T/S<0.52 at
95% confidence, with a similar constraint for phi^p potentials. However, for
models with tensor amplitude unrelated to the scalar spectral index it is still
currently possible to have T/S>1.Comment: 23 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. D.
Calculations extended to blue spectral index, Fig. 6 added, discussion of
results expande
Inflationary models inducing non-Gaussian metric fluctuations
We construct explicit models of multi-field inflation in which the primordial
metric fluctuations do not necessarily obey Gaussian statistics. These models
are realizations of mechanisms in which non-Gaussianity is first generated by a
light scalar field and then transferred into curvature fluctuations. The
probability distribution functions of the metric perturbation at the end of
inflation are computed. This provides a guideline for designing strategies to
search for non-Gaussian signals in future CMB and large scale structure
surveys.Comment: 4 pages, 7 figure
Inflation with
We discuss various models of inflationary universe with . A
homogeneous universe with may appear due to creation of the
universe "from nothing" in the theories where the effective potential becomes
very steep at large , or in the theories where the inflaton field
nonminimally couples to gravity. Inflation with generally requires
intermediate first order phase transition with the bubble formation, and with a
second stage of inflation inside the bubble. It is possible to realize this
scenario in the context of a theory of one scalar field, but typically it
requires artificially bent effective potentials and/or nonminimal kinetic
terms. It is much easier to obtain an open universe in the models involving two
scalar fields. However, these models have their own specific problems. We
propose three different models of this type which can describe an open
homogeneous inflationary universe.Comment: 29 pages, LaTeX, parameters of one of the models are slightly
modifie
Inflation from Susy quantum cosmology
We propose a realization of inverted hybrid inflation scenario in the context
of n=2 supersymmetric quantum cosmology. The spectrum of density fluctuations
is calculated in the de Sitter regimen as a function of the gravitino and the
Planck mass, and explicit forms for the wave function of the universe are found
in the WKB regimen for a FRW closed and flat universes.Comment: 9 pages, one figure, to appear in Phys. Rev.
Controlling collapse in Bose-Einstein condensates by temporal modulation of the scattering length
We consider, by means of the variational approximation (VA) and direct
numerical simulations of the Gross-Pitaevskii (GP) equation, the dynamics of 2D
and 3D condensates with a scattering length containing constant and
harmonically varying parts, which can be achieved with an ac magnetic field
tuned to the Feshbach resonance. For a rapid time modulation, we develop an
approach based on the direct averaging of the GP equation,without using the VA.
In the 2D case, both VA and direct simulations, as well as the averaging
method, reveal the existence of stable self-confined condensates without an
external trap, in agreement with qualitatively similar results recently
reported for spatial solitons in nonlinear optics. In the 3D case, the VA again
predicts the existence of a stable self-confined condensate without a trap. In
this case, direct simulations demonstrate that the stability is limited in
time, eventually switching into collapse, even though the constant part of the
scattering length is positive (but not too large). Thus a spatially uniform ac
magnetic field, resonantly tuned to control the scattering length, may play the
role of an effective trap confining the condensate, and sometimes causing its
collapse.Comment: 7 figure
Conditions for Successful Extended Inflation
We investigate, in a model-independent way, the conditions required to obtain
a satisfactory model of extended inflation in which inflation is brought to an
end by a first-order phase transition. The constraints are that the correct
present strength of the gravitational coupling is obtained, that the present
theory of gravity is satisfactorily close to general relativity, that the
perturbation spectra from inflation are compatible with large scale structure
observations and that the bubble spectrum produced at the phase transition
doesn't conflict with the observed level of microwave background anisotropies.
We demonstrate that these constraints can be summarized in terms of the
behaviour in the conformally related Einstein frame, and can be compactly
illustrated graphically. We confirm the failure of existing models including
the original extended inflation model, and construct models, albeit rather
contrived ones, which satisfy all existing constraints.Comment: 8 pages RevTeX file with one figure incorporated (uses RevTeX and
epsf). Also available by e-mailing ARL, or by WWW at
http://star-www.maps.susx.ac.uk/papers/infcos_papers.html; Revised to include
extra references, results unchanged, to appear Phys Rev
Resonant x-ray diffraction study of the magnetoresistant perovskite Pr0.6Ca0.4MnO3
We report a x-ray resonant diffraction study of the perovskite
Pr0.6Ca0.4MnO3. At the Mn K-edge, this technique is sensitive to details of the
electronic structure of the Mn atoms. We discuss the resonant x-ray spectra
measured above and below the charge and orbital ordering phase transition
temperature (TCOO = 232 K), and present a detailed analysis of the energy and
polarization dependence of the resonant scattering. The analysis confirms that
the structural transition is a transition to an orbitally ordered phase in
which inequivalent Mn atoms are ordered in a CE-type pattern. The Mn atoms
differ mostly by their 3d orbital occupation. We find that the charge
disproportionation is incomplete, 3d^{3.5-\delta} and 3d^{3.5+\delta} with
\delta\ll0.5 . A revised CE-type model is considered in which there are two Mn
sublattices, each with partial e_{g} occupancy. One sublattice consists of Mn
atoms with the 3x^{2}-r^{2} or 3y^{2}-r^{2} orbitals partially occupied, the
other sublattice with the x^{2}-y^{2} orbital partially occupied.Comment: 15 pages, 15 figure
Large-scale curvature and entropy perturbations for multiple interacting fluids
We present a gauge-invariant formalism to study the evolution of curvature
perturbations in a Friedmann-Robertson-Walker universe filled by multiple
interacting fluids. We resolve arbitrary perturbations into adiabatic and
entropy components and derive their coupled evolution equations. We demonstrate
that perturbations obeying a generalised adiabatic condition remain adiabatic
in the large-scale limit, even when one includes energy transfer between
fluids. As a specific application we study the recently proposed curvaton
model, in which the curvaton decays into radiation. We use the coupled
evolution equations to show how an initial isocurvature perturbation in the
curvaton gives rise to an adiabatic curvature perturbation after the curvaton
decays.Comment: 14 pages, latex with revtex, 5 figures; v2 typos corrected; v3 typos
corrected, version to appear in Phys. Rev.
Extreme scenarios: the tightest possible constraints on the power spectrum due to primordial black holes
Observational constraints on the abundance of primordial black holes (PBHs) constrain the allowed amplitude of the primordial power spectrum on both the smallest and the largest ranges of scales, covering over 20 decades from 1 - 10^20=Mpc. Despite tight constraints on the allowed fraction of PBHs at their time of formation near horizon entry in the early Universe, the corresponding constraints on the primordial power spectrum are quite weak, typically PR . 10<~2 assuming Gaussian perturbations. Motivated by recent claims that the evaporation of just one PBH would destabilise the Higgs vacuum and collapse the Universe, we calculate the constraints which follow from assuming there are zero PBHs within the observable Universe. Even if evaporating PBHs do not collapse the Universe, this scenario represents the ultimate limit of observational constraints. Constraints can be extended on to smaller scales right down to the horizon scale at the end of in ation, but where power spectrum constraints already exist they do not tighten significantly, even though the constraint on PBH abundance can decrease by up to 46 orders of magnitude. This shows that no future improvement in observational constraints can ever lead to a significant tightening in constraints on in ation (via the power spectrum amplitude). The power spectrum constraints are weak because an order unity perturbation is required in order to overcome pressure forces. We therefore consider an early matter dominated era, during which exponentially more PBHs form for the same initial conditions. We show this leads to far tighter constraints, which approach PR . 10^-9, albeit over a smaller range of scales and are very sensitive to when the early matter dominated era ends. Finally, we show that an extended early matter era is incompatible with the argument that an evaporating PBH would destroy the Universe, unless the power spectrum amplitude decreases by up to ten orders of magnitude
The Role of Power-Law Correlated Disorder in the Anderson Metal-Insulator Transition
We study the influence of scale-free correlated disorder on the
metal-insulator transition in the Anderson model of localization. We use
standard transfer matrix calculations and perform finite-size scaling of the
largest inverse Lyapunov exponent to obtain the localization length for
respective 3D tight-binding systems. The density of states is obtained from the
full spectrum of eigenenergies of the Anderson Hamiltonian. We discuss the
phase diagram of the metal-insulator transition and the influence of the
correlated disorder on the critical exponents.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure
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