930 research outputs found
Ekpyrotic collapse with multiple fields
A scale invariant spectrum of isocurvature perturbations is generated during
collapse in the scaling solution in models where two or more fields have steep
negative exponential potentials. The scale invariance of the spectrum is
realised by a tachyonic instability in the isocurvature field. We show that
this instability is due to the fact that the scaling solution is a saddle point
in the phase space. The late time attractor is identified with a single field
dominated ekpyrotic collapse in which a steep blue spectrum for isocurvature
perturbations is found. Although quantum fluctuations do not necessarily to
disrupt the classical solution, an additional preceding stage is required to
establish classical homogeneity.Comment: 13 pages, 1 figur
Cosmology as Geodesic Motion
For gravity coupled to N scalar fields with arbitrary potential V, it is
shown that all flat (homogeneous and isotropic) cosmologies correspond to
geodesics in an (N+1)-dimensional `augmented' target space of Lorentzian
signature (1,N), timelike if V>0, null if V=0 and spacelike if V<0.
Accelerating cosmologies correspond to timelike geodesics that lie within an
`acceleration subcone' of the `lightcone'. Non-flat (k=-1,+1) cosmologies are
shown to evolve as projections of geodesic motion in a space of dimension
(N+2), of signature (1,N+1) for k=-1 and signature (2,N) for k=+1. This
formalism is illustrated by cosmological solutions of models with an
exponential potential, which are comprehensively analysed; the late-time
behviour for other potentials of current interest is deduced by comparison.Comment: 26 pages, 2 figures, journal version with additional reference
Cosmic No Hair for Collapsing Universes
It is shown that all contracting, spatially homogeneous, orthogonal Bianchi
cosmologies that are sourced by an ultra-stiff fluid with an arbitrary and, in
general, varying equation of state asymptote to the spatially flat and
isotropic universe in the neighbourhood of the big crunch singularity. This
result is employed to investigate the asymptotic dynamics of a collapsing
Bianchi type IX universe sourced by a scalar field rolling down a steep,
negative exponential potential. A toroidally compactified version of M*-theory
that leads to such a potential is discussed and it is shown that the isotropic
attractor solution for a collapsing Bianchi type IX universe is supersymmetric
when interpreted in an eleven-dimensional context.Comment: Extended discussion to include Kantowski-Sachs universe. In press,
Classical and Quantum Gravit
Direct measurements of OH and other product yields from the HO2 + CH3C(O)O2 reaction
The reaction CH3C(O)O2 + HO2 → CH3C(O)OOH+O2 (Reaction R5a), CH3C(O)OH+O3 (Reaction R5b), CH3+CO2+OH+O2 (Reaction R5c) was studied in a series of experiments conducted at 1000 mbar and (293±2)K in the HIRAC simulation chamber. For the first time, products, (CH3C(O)OOH, CH3C(O)OH, O3 and OH) from all three branching pathways of the reaction have been detected directly and simultaneously. Measurements of radical precursors (CH3OH, CH3CHO), HO2 and some secondary products HCHO and HCOOH further constrained the system. Fitting a comprehensive model to the experimental data, obtained over a range of conditions, determined the branching ratios α(R5a) = 0.37±0.10, α(R5b) =0.12±0.04 and α(R5c) =0.51±0.12 (errors at 2σ level). Improved measurement/model agreement was achieved using k(R5) =(2.4±0.4)×10-11 cm3 molecule-1 s-1, which is within the large uncertainty of the current IUPAC and JPL recommended rate coefficients for the title reaction. The rate coefficient and branching ratios are in good agreement with a recent study performed by Groß et al. (2014b); taken together, these two studies show that the rate of OH regeneration through Reaction (R5) is more rapid than previously thought. GEOS-Chem has been used to assess the implications of the revised rate coefficients and branching ratios; the modelling shows an enhancement of up to 5% in OH concentrations in tropical rainforest areas and increases of up to 10% at altitudes of 6-8 km above the equator, compared to calculations based on the IUPAC recommended rate coefficient and yield. The enhanced rate of acetylperoxy consumption significantly reduces PAN in remote regions (up to 30 %) with commensurate reductions in background NOx
Curvature perturbations from ekpyrotic collapse with multiple fields
A scale-invariant spectrum of isocurvature perturbations is generated during
collapse in the ekpyrotic scaling solution in models where multiple fields have
steep negative exponential potentials. The scale invariance of the spectrum is
realized by a tachyonic instability in the isocurvature field. This instability
drives the scaling solution to the late time attractor that is the old
ekpyrotic collapse dominated by a single field. We show that the transition
from the scaling solution to the single field dominated ekpyrotic collapse
automatically converts the initial isocurvature perturbations about the scaling
solution to comoving curvature perturbations about the late-time attractor. The
final amplitude of the comoving curvature perturbation is determined by the
Hubble scale at the transition.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figures, a reference added, to be published in CQG, a
remark on the comoving density perturbation correcte
Metric gravity theories and cosmology:II. Stability of a ground state in f(R) theories
A fundamental criterion of viability of any gravity theory is existence of a
stable ground-state solution being either Minkowski, dS or AdS space. Stability
of the ground state is independent of which frame is physical. In general, a
given theory has multiple ground states and splits into independent physical
sectors. All metric gravity theories with the Lagrangian being a function of
Ricci tensor are dynamically equivalent to Einstein gravity with a source and
this allows us to study the stability problem using methods developed in GR. We
apply these methods to f(R) theories. As is shown in 13 cases of Lagrangians
the stability criterion works simply and effectively whenever the curvature of
the ground state is determined. An infinite number of gravity theories have a
stable ground state and further viability criteria are necessary.Comment: A modified and expanded version of a second part of the paper which
previously appeared as gr-qc/0702097v1. The first, modified part is now
published as gr-qc/0702097v2 and as a separate paper in Class. Qu. Grav. The
present paper matches the published versio
Dynamics of Generalized Assisted Inflation
We study the dynamics of multiple scalar fields and a barotropic fluid in an
FLRW-universe. The scalar potential is a sum of exponentials. All critical
points are constructed and these include scaling and de Sitter solutions. A
stability analysis of the critical points is performed for generalized assisted
inflation, which is an extension of assisted inflation where the fields
mutually interact. Effects in generalized assisted inflation which differ from
assisted inflation are emphasized. One such a difference is that an
(inflationary) attractor can exist if some of the exponential terms in the
potential are negative.Comment: 27 page
Qualitative study in Loop Quantum Cosmology
This work contains a detailed qualitative analysis, in General Relativity and
in Loop Quantum Cosmology, of the dynamics in the associated phase space of a
scalar field minimally coupled with gravity, whose potential mimics the
dynamics of a perfect fluid with a linear Equation of State (EoS). Dealing with
the orbits (solutions) of the system, we will see that there are analytic ones,
which lead to the same dynamics as the perfect fluid, and our goal is to check
their stability, depending on the value of the EoS parameter, i.e., to show
whether the other orbits converge or diverge to these analytic solutions at
early and late times.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures. Version accepted for publication in CQ
Cosmological Scaling Solutions of Multiple Tachyon Fields with Inverse Square Potentials
We investigate cosmological dynamics of multiple tachyon fields with inverse
square potentials. A phase-space analysis of the spatially flat FRW models
shows that there exists power-law cosmological scaling solutions. We study the
stability of the solutions and find that the potential-kinetic-scaling solution
is a global attractor. However, in the presence of a barotropic fluid the
solution is an attractor only in one region of the parameter space and the
tracking solution is an attractor in the other region. We briefly discuss the
physical consequences of these results.Comment: 10 pages, 1 figure, LaTeX2
Phase Space Analysis of Quintessence Cosmologies with a Double Exponential Potential
We use phase space methods to investigate closed, flat, and open
Friedmann-Robertson-Walker cosmologies with a scalar potential given by the sum
of two exponential terms. The form of the potential is motivated by the
dimensional reduction of M-theory with non-trivial four-form flux on a
maximally symmetric internal space. To describe the asymptotic features of
run-away solutions we introduce the concept of a `quasi fixed point.' We give
the complete classification of solutions according to their late-time behavior
(accelerating, decelerating, crunch) and the number of periods of accelerated
expansion.Comment: 46 pages, 5 figures; v2: minor changes, references added; v3: title
changed, refined classification of solutions, 3 references added, version
which appeared in JCA
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