1,504 research outputs found
Higher Harmonics in Non-Linear Vacuum from QED Effects Without Low Mass Intermediate Particles
We show that in the presence of a slowly rotating strong transverse magnetic
field there is an infinite spectrum of harmonic wave functions due to the
first order QED correction (in ) given by the Euler-Heisenberg
Lagrangian. The frequency shifts are integer multiples of the
magnetic field angular frequency rotation and the several
modes are coupled to the nearest harmonics . This is a new effect
due to QED vacuum fluctuations, not exploit before, that can explain, both
qualitatively and quantatively, the recent experimental results of the PVLAS
collaboration without the need of a low mass intermediate particle, hence
dismiss the recent claim of the discovery of the axion. [Erratum: The PVLAS
signal cannot be explained by this mechanism.]Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure; includes Erratum: The PVLAS signal cannot be
explained by this mechanis
Mass for Plasma Photons from Gauge Symmetry Breaking
We derive the effective masses for photons in unmagnetized plasma waves using
a quantum field theory with two vector fields (gauge fields). In order to
properly define the quantum field degrees of freedom we re-derive the classical
wave equations on light-front gauge. This is needed because the usual scalar
potential of electromagnetism is, in quantum field theory, not a physical
degree of freedom that renders negative energy eigenstates. We also consider a
background local fluid metric that allows for a covariant treatment of the
problem. The different masses for the longitudinal (plasmon) and transverse
photons are in our framework due to the local fluid metric. We apply the
mechanism of mass generation by gauge symmetry breaking recently proposed by
the authors by giving a non-trivial vacuum-expectation-value to the second
vector field (gauge field). The Debye length is interpreted as an
effective compactification length and we compute an explicit solution for the
large gauge transformations that correspond to the specific mass eigenvalues
derived here. Using an usual quantum field theory canonical quantization we
obtain the usual results in the literature. Although none of these ingredients
are new to physicist, as far as the authors are aware it is the first time that
such constructions are applied to Plasma Physics. Also we give a physical
interpretation (and realization) for the second vector field in terms of the
plasma background in terms of known physical phenomena.
Addendum: It is given a short proof that equation (10) is wrong, therefore
equations (12-17) are meaningless. The remaining results are correct being
generic derivations for nonmagnetized plasmas derived in a covariant QFT
framework.Comment: v1: 1+6 pages v2: Several discussions rewritten; Abstract rewritten;
References added; v3: includes Addendu
Explicit Actions for Electromagnetism with Two Gauge Fields with Only one Electric and one Magnetic Physical Fields
We extend the work of Mello et al. based in Cabbibo and Ferrari concerning
the description of electromagnetism with two gauge fields from a variational
principle, i.e. an action. We provide a systematic independent derivation of
the allowed actions which have only one magnetic and one electric physical
fields and are invariant under the discrete symmetries and . We conclude
that neither the Lagrangian, nor the Hamiltonian, are invariant under the
electromagnetic duality rotations. This agrees with the weak-strong coupling
mixing characteristic of the duality due to the Dirac quantization condition
providing a natural way to differentiate dual theories related by the duality
rotations (the energy is not invariant). Also the standard electromagnetic
duality rotations considered in this work violate both and by inducing
Hopf terms (theta terms) for each sector and a mixed Maxwell term. The
canonical structure of the theory is briefly addressed and the 'magnetic' gauge
sector is interpreted as a ghost sector.Comment: v2: 12 pages; References added, discussion concerning degrees of
freedom corrected; v3: is now used the standard normalization of 1/4 in the
actions; the possibility of theta being a pseudo-scalar implied a title
changing; eq (23) added; signs corrected in equations (39,45-47); references
adde
Bifurcations in the Lozi map
We study the presence in the Lozi map of a type of abrupt order-to-order and
order-to-chaos transitions which are mediated by an attractor made of a
continuum of neutrally stable limit cycles, all with the same period.Comment: 17 pages, 12 figure
On fermion masses and mixing in a model with symmetry
In a recently proposed multi-Higgs extension of the standard model in which
discrete symmetries, and are imposed we show that, after
accommodating the fermion masses and the mixing matrices in the charged
currents, the mixing matrices in the neutral currents induced by neutral
scalars are numerically obtained. However, the flavor changing neutral currents
are under control mainly by mixing and/or mass suppressions in the neutral
scalar sector.Comment: Version accepted for publication in International Journal of Modern
Physics A. In this version we added a discussion on the charged lepton and
neutrino masses. The title has been changed. Other minor changes do not
modify the conclusion
Conformal Orbifold Partition Functions from Topologically Massive Gauge Theory
We continue the development of the topological membrane approach to open and
unoriented string theories. We study orbifolds of topologically massive gauge
theory defined on the geometry , where is a generic
compact Riemann surface. The orbifold operations are constructed by gauging the
discrete symmetries of the bulk three-dimensional field theory. Multi-loop
bosonic string vacuum amplitudes are thereby computed as bulk correlation
functions of the gauge theory. It is shown that the three-dimensional
correlators naturally reproduce twisted and untwisted sectors in the case of
closed worldsheet orbifolds, and Neumann and Dirichlet boundary conditions in
the case of open ones. The bulk wavefunctions are used to explicitly construct
the characters of the underlying extended Kac-Moody group for arbitrary genus.
The correlators for both the original theory and its orbifolds give the
expected modular invariant statistical sums over the characters.Comment: 47 pages LaTeX, 3 figures, uses amsfonts and epsfig; v2: Typos
corrected, reference added, clarifying comments on modular invariance
inserted; v3: Further comments on modular invariance added; to be published
in JHE
Visual Cortex Plasticity Following Peripheral Damage To The Visual System: fMRI Evidence
Over the last two decades, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has become a powerful research method to investigate cortical visual plasticity. Abnormal fMRI response patterns have been occasionally detected in the visually deprived cortex of patients with bilateral retinal diseases. Controversy remains whether these observations indicate structural reorganization of the visual cortex or unmasking of previously silent cortico-cortical connections. In optic nerve diseases, there is weak evidence showing that early visual cortex seems to lack reorganization, while higher-order visual areas undergo plastic changes which may contribute to optimise visual function. There is however accumulating imaging evidence demonstrating trans-synaptic degeneration of the visual cortex in patients with disease of the anterior visual pathways. This may preclude the use of restorative treatments in these patients. Here, we review and update the body of fMRI evidence on visual cortical plasticity.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
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