895 research outputs found
Brane-world Cosmologies with non-local bulk effects
It is very common to ignore the non-local bulk effects in the study of
brane-world cosmologies using the brane-world approach. However, we shall
illustrate through the use of three different scenarios, that the non-local
bulk-effect does indeed have significant impact on both the
initial and future behaviour of brane-world cosmologies.Comment: 17 pages, no figures, iopart.cls, submitted to CQ
Scalar Field Cosmologies with Barotropic Matter: Models of Bianchi class B
We investigate in detail the qualitative behaviour of the class of Bianchi
type B spatially homogeneous cosmological models in which the matter content is
composed of two non-interacting components; the first component is described by
a barotropic fluid having a gamma-law equation of state, whilst the second is a
non-interacting scalar field (phi) with an exponential potential V=Lambda exp(k
phi). In particular, we study the asymptotic properties of the models both at
early and late times, paying particular attention on whether the models
isotropize (and inflate) to the future, and we discuss the genericity of the
cosmological scaling solutions.Comment: 18 pages, 1 figure, uses revtex and epsf to insert figur
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
The Dynamics of Multi-Scalar Field Cosmological Models and Assisted Inflation
We investigate the dynamical properties of a class of spatially homogeneous
and isotropic cosmological models containing a barotropic perfect fluid and
multiple scalar fields with independent exponential potentials. We show that
the assisted inflationary scaling solution is the global late-time attractor
for the parameter values for which the model is inflationary, even when
curvature and barotropic matter are included. For all other parameter values
the multi-field curvature scaling solution is the global late-time attractor
(in these solutions asymptotically the curvature is not dynamically
negligible). Consequently, we find that in general all of the scalar fields in
multi-field models with exponential potentials are non-negligible in late-time
behaviour, contrary to what is commonly believed. The early-time and
intermediate behaviour of the models is also studied. In particular, n-scalar
field models are investigated and the structure of the saddle equilibrium
points corresponding to inflationary m-field scaling solutions and
non-inflationary m-field matter scaling solutions are also studied (where m<n),
leading to interesting transient dynamical behaviour with new physical
scenarios of potential importance.Comment: 27 pages, uses REVTeX Added an appendix illustrating some of the
details needed to compute the stability of the assisted inflationary solutio
The stability of cosmological scaling solutions
We study the stability of cosmological scaling solutions within the class of
spatially homogeneous cosmological models with a perfect fluid subject to the
equation of state p_gamma=(gamma-1) rho_gamma (where gamma is a constant
satisfying 0 < gamma < 2) and a scalar field with an exponential potential. The
scaling solutions, which are spatially flat isotropic models in which the
scalar field energy density tracks that of the perfect fluid, are of physical
interest. For example, in these models a significant fraction of the current
energy density of the Universe may be contained in the scalar field whose
dynamical effects mimic cold dark matter. It is known that the scaling
solutions are late-time attractors (i.e., stable) in the subclass of flat
isotropic models. We find that the scaling solutions are stable (to shear and
curvature perturbations) in generic anisotropic Bianchi models when gamma <
2/3. However, when gamma > 2/3, and particularly for realistic matter with
gamma >= 1, the scaling solutions are unstable; essentially they are unstable
to curvature perturbations, although they are stable to shear perturbations. We
briefly discuss the physical consequences of these results.Comment: AMSTeX, 7 pages, re-submitted to Phys Rev Let
Self-similar spherically symmetric cosmological models with a perfect fluid and a scalar field
Self-similar, spherically symmetric cosmological models with a perfect fluid
and a scalar field with an exponential potential are investigated. New
variables are defined which lead to a compact state space, and dynamical
systems methods are utilised to analyse the models. Due to the existence of
monotone functions global dynamical results can be deduced. In particular, all
of the future and past attractors for these models are obtained and the global
results are discussed. The essential physical results are that initially
expanding models always evolve away from a massless scalar field model with an
initial singularity and, depending on the parameters of the models, either
recollapse to a second singularity or expand forever towards a flat power-law
inflationary model. The special cases in which there is no barotropic fluid and
in which the scalar field is massless are considered in more detail in order to
illustrate the asymptotic results. Some phase portraits are presented and the
intermediate dynamics and hence the physical properties of the models are
discussed.Comment: 31 pages, 4 figure
Is cranial molding preventable in preterm infants? A systematic literature review of the effectiveness of interventions
Aims: A systematic review of published studies was conducted to study the evidence supporting interventions to prevent or reduce cranial molding of the preterm infant in Neonatal Intensive Care Units. Background: Incidence of cranial molding has increased over recent decades. Cranial molding is identified as a contributor for negative physical and psychosocial developmental effects. Design and Method: A systematic literature review and critical appraisal according to the Cochrane Collaboration Center assessment criteria was performed. Results: Eight intervention studies meeting the inclusion criteria were identified. Most studies used the anterior-posterior: bi-parietal ratio as measurement of cranial molding. One multicenter quasi-experimental intervention study showed that infants who received regular repositioning had a statistically significant reduction of bilateral head flattening compared to infants who did not receive this intervention. Other studies had either methodological weaknesses or showed no effect for the intervention studied. Conclusion: Evidence is poor and restricted to one intervention; regular body repositioning. More well-designed randomized studies are needed to confirm the effect of regular head and body positioning
On the potentials yielding cosmological scaling solutions
In the present work we perform a phase-plane analysis of the complete
dynamical system corresponding to a flat FRW cosmological models with a perfect
fluid and a self-interacting scalar field and show that every positive and
monotonous potential which is asymptotically exponential yields a scaling
solution as a global attractor.Comment: RevTeX, 10 pages, no figure
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