1,612 research outputs found
Structure and dynamics of topological defects in a glassy liquid on a negatively curved manifold
We study the low-temperature regime of an atomic liquid on the hyperbolic
plane by means of molecular dynamics simulation and we compare the results to a
continuum theory of defects in a negatively curved hexagonal background. In
agreement with the theory and previous results on positively curved (spherical)
surfaces, we find that the atomic configurations consist of isolated defect
structures, dubbed "grain boundary scars", that form around an irreducible
density of curvature-induced disclinations in an otherwise hexagonal
background. We investigate the structure and the dynamics of these grain
boundary scars
Imaging the Cosmic Matter Distribution using Gravitational Lensing of Pregalactic HI
21-cm emission from neutral hydrogen during and before the epoch of cosmic
reionisation is gravitationally lensed by material at all lower redshifts.
Low-frequency radio observations of this emission can be used to reconstruct
the projected mass distribution of foreground material, both light and dark. We
compare the potential imaging capabilities of such 21-cm lensing with those of
future galaxy lensing surveys. We use the Millennium Simulation to simulate
large-area maps of the lensing convergence with the noise, resolution and
redshift-weighting achievable with a variety of idealised observation
programmes. We find that the signal-to-noise of 21-cm lens maps can far exceed
that of any map made using galaxy lensing. If the irreducible noise limit can
be reached with a sufficiently large radio telescope, the projected convergence
map provides a high-fidelity image of the true matter distribution, allowing
the dark matter halos of individual galaxies to be viewed directly, and giving
a wealth of statistical and morphological information about the relative
distributions of mass and light. For instrumental designs like that planned for
the Square Kilometer Array (SKA), high-fidelity mass imaging may be possible
near the resolution limit of the core array of the telescope.Comment: version accepted for publication in MNRAS (reduced-resolution
figures
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Adolescents with an Age-Adapted Diagnosis of Binge-Eating Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Binge-eating disorder (BED) is characterized by recurrent objective binge eating that occurs in the absence of compensatory behaviors to prevent weight gain. As the most common eating disorder emerging in youth, BED co-occurs with increased eating disorder and general psychopathology, impaired quality of life, and
obesity [1]. Despite its clinical significance, there is a dearth of treatment studies in adolescents [1, 2]. Regarding cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), the most well-established treatment for adults with BED [2], one pilot randomized-controlled trial (RCT) in 25 adolescent girls with objective binge eating suggested superiority to wait-list (WL) in achieving binge-eating abstinence through 6
months following randomization and in improving eating disorder psychopathology, but not in reducing binge eating or standardized body mass index (BMI; kg/m2) [3]. Other CBT-related RCTs documented efficacy of Internet-based, weight loss-oriented self-help versus WL [4] and no differences in dialectical behavior therapy versus weight management [5]. Based on this preliminary
evidence, the aim of the BEDA (Binge Eating Disorder in Adolescents) study was to provide a confirmatory test of the efficacy of CBT in adolescent BED. It was hypothesized that CBT will be superior to WL in improving binge eating, associated psychopathology, and quality of life, but not BMI, with long-term maintenance
of effects
Some remarks on the hyperelliptic moduli of genus 3
In 1967, Shioda \cite{Shi1} determined the ring of invariants of binary
octavics and their syzygies using the symbolic method. We discover that the
syzygies determined in \cite{Shi1} are incorrect. In this paper, we compute the
correct equations among the invariants of the binary octavics and give
necessary and sufficient conditions for two genus 3 hyperelliptic curves to be
isomorphic over an algebraically closed field , . For
the first time, an explicit equation of the hyperelliptic moduli for genus 3 is
computed in terms of absolute invariants.Comment: arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1209.044
Noether symmetries, energy-momentum tensors and conformal invariance in classical field theory
In the framework of classical field theory, we first review the Noether
theory of symmetries, with simple rederivations of its essential results, with
special emphasis given to the Noether identities for gauge theories. Will this
baggage on board, we next discuss in detail, for Poincar\'e invariant theories
in flat spacetime, the differences between the Belinfante energy-momentum
tensor and a family of Hilbert energy-momentum tensors. All these tensors
coincide on shell but they split their duties in the following sense:
Belinfante's tensor is the one to use in order to obtain the generators of
Poincar\'e symmetries and it is a basic ingredient of the generators of other
eventual spacetime symmetries which may happen to exist. Instead, Hilbert
tensors are the means to test whether a theory contains other spacetime
symmetries beyond Poincar\'e. We discuss at length the case of scale and
conformal symmetry, of which we give some examples. We show, for Poincar\'e
invariant Lagrangians, that the realization of scale invariance selects a
unique Hilbert tensor which allows for an easy test as to whether conformal
invariance is also realized. Finally we make some basic remarks on metric
generally covariant theories and classical field theory in a fixed curved
bakground.Comment: 31 pa
Cosmology and astrophysics from relaxed galaxy clusters - IV: Robustly calibrating hydrostatic masses with weak lensing
This is the fourth in a series of papers studying the astrophysics and
cosmology of massive, dynamically relaxed galaxy clusters. Here, we use
measurements of weak gravitational lensing from the Weighing the Giants project
to calibrate Chandra X-ray measurements of total mass that rely on the
assumption of hydrostatic equilibrium. This comparison of X-ray and lensing
masses provides a measurement of the combined bias of X-ray hydrostatic masses
due to both astrophysical and instrumental sources. Assuming a fixed cosmology,
and within a characteristic radius (r_2500) determined from the X-ray data, we
measure a lensing to X-ray mass ratio of 0.96 +/- 9% (stat) +/- 9% (sys). We
find no significant trends of this ratio with mass, redshift or the
morphological indicators used to select the sample. In accordance with
predictions from hydro simulations for the most massive, relaxed clusters, our
results disfavor strong, tens-of-percent departures from hydrostatic
equilibrium at these radii. In addition, we find a mean concentration of the
sample measured from lensing data of c_200 = . Anticipated
short-term improvements in lensing systematics, and a modest expansion of the
relaxed lensing sample, can easily increase the measurement precision by
30--50%, leading to similar improvements in cosmological constraints that
employ X-ray hydrostatic mass estimates, such as on Omega_m from the cluster
gas mass fraction.Comment: 13 pages. Submitted to MNRAS. Comments welcom
Inter-species variation in colour perception
Inter-species variation in colour perception poses a serious problem for the view that colours are mind-independent properties. Given that colour perception varies so drastically across species, which species perceives colours as they really are? In this paper, I argue that all do. Specifically, I argue that members of different species perceive properties that are determinates of different, mutually compatible, determinables. This is an instance of a general selectionist strategy for dealing with cases of perceptual variation. According to selectionist views, objects simultaneously instantiate a plurality of colours, all of them genuinely mind-independent, and subjects select from amongst this plurality which colours they perceive. I contrast selectionist views with relationalist views that deny the mind-independence of colour, and consider some general objections to this strategy
Tools in the orbit space approach to the study of invariant functions: rational parametrization of strata
Functions which are equivariant or invariant under the transformations of a
compact linear group acting in an euclidean space , can profitably
be studied as functions defined in the orbit space of the group. The orbit
space is the union of a finite set of strata, which are semialgebraic manifolds
formed by the -orbits with the same orbit-type. In this paper we provide a
simple recipe to obtain rational parametrizations of the strata. Our results
can be easily exploited, in many physical contexts where the study of
equivariant or invariant functions is important, for instance in the
determination of patterns of spontaneous symmetry breaking, in the analysis of
phase spaces and structural phase transitions (Landau theory), in equivariant
bifurcation theory, in crystal field theory and in most areas where use is made
of symmetry adapted functions.
A physically significant example of utilization of the recipe is given,
related to spontaneous polarization in chiral biaxial liquid crystals, where
the advantages with respect to previous heuristic approaches are shown.Comment: Figures generated through texdraw package; revised version appearing
in J. Phys. A: Math. Ge
On the relation between the Feynman paradox and Aharonov-Bohm effects
The magnetic Aharonov-Bohm (A-B) effect occurs when a point charge interacts
with a line of magnetic flux, while its dual, the Aharonov-Casher (A-C) effect,
occurs when a magnetic moment interacts with a line of charge. For the two
interacting parts of these physical systems, the equations of motion are
discussed in this paper. The generally accepted claim is that both parts of
these systems do not accelerate, while Boyer has claimed that both parts of
these systems do accelerate. Using the Euler-Lagrange equations we predict that
in the case of unconstrained motion only one part of each system accelerates,
while momentum remains conserved. This prediction requires a time dependent
electromagnetic momentum. For our analysis of unconstrained motion the A-B
effects are then examples of the Feynman paradox. In the case of constrained
motion, the Euler-Lagrange equations give no forces in agreement with the
generally accepted analysis. The quantum mechanical A-B and A-C phase shifts
are independent of the treatment of constraint. Nevertheless, experimental
testing of the above ideas and further understanding of A-B effects which is
central to both quantum mechanics and electromagnetism may be possible.Comment: 21 pages, 5 figures, recently submitted to New Journal of Physic
- …