Statistics and geometry of cosmic voids

We introduce new statistical methods for the study of cosmic voids, focusing on the statistics of largest size voids. We distinguish three different types of distributions of voids, namely, Poisson-like, lognormal-like and Pareto-like distributions. The last two distributions are connected with two types of fractal geometry of the matter distribution. Scaling voids with Pareto distribution appear in fractal distributions with box-counting dimension smaller than three (its maximum value), whereas the lognormal void distribution corresponds to multifractals with box-counting dimension equal to three. Moreover, voids of the former type persist in the continuum limit, namely, as the number density of observable objects grows, giving rise to lacunar fractals, whereas voids of the latter type disappear in the continuum limit, giving rise to non-lacunar (multi)fractals. We propose both lacunar and non-lacunar multifractal models of the cosmic web structure of the Universe. A non-lacunar multifractal model is supported by current galaxy surveys as well as cosmological $N$-body simulations. This model suggests, in particular, that small dark matter halos and, arguably, faint galaxies are present in cosmic voids.Comment: 39 pages, 8 EPS figures, supersedes arXiv:0802.038

Relative entropy for compact Riemann surfaces

The relative entropy of the massive free bosonic field theory is studied on various compact Riemann surfaces as a universal quantity with physical significance, in particular, for gravitational phenomena. The exact expression for the sphere is obtained, as well as its asymptotic series for large mass and its Taylor series for small mass. One can also derive exact expressions for the torus but not for higher genus. However, the asymptotic behaviour for large mass can always be established-up to a constant-with heat-kernel methods. It consists of an asymptotic series determined only by the curvature, hence common for homogeneous surfaces of genus higher than one, and exponentially vanishing corrections whose form is determined by the concrete topology. The coefficient of the logarithmic term in this series gives the conformal anomaly.Comment: 20 pages, LaTeX 2e, 2 PS figures; to appear in Phys. Rev.

A Comment on the Path Integral Approach to Cosmological Perturbation Theory

It is pointed out that the exact renormalization group approach to cosmological perturbation theory, proposed in Matarrese and Pietroni, JCAP 0706 (2007) 026, arXiv:astro-ph/0703563 and arXiv:astro-ph/0702653, constitutes a misnomer. Rather, having instructively cast this classical problem into path integral form, the evolution equation then derived comes about as a special case of considering how the generating functional responds to variations of the primordial power spectrum.Comment: 2 pages, v2: refs added, published in JCA

Entropic C-theorems in free and interacting two-dimensional field theories

The relative entropy in two-dimensional field theory is studied on a cylinder geometry, interpreted as finite-temperature field theory. The width of the cylinder provides an infrared scale that allows us to define a dimensionless relative entropy analogous to Zamolodchikov's $c$ function. The one-dimensional quantum thermodynamic entropy gives rise to another monotonic dimensionless quantity. I illustrate these monotonicity theorems with examples ranging from free field theories to interacting models soluble with the thermodynamic Bethe ansatz. Both dimensionless entropies are explicitly shown to be monotonic in the examples that we analyze.Comment: 34 pages, 3 figures (8 EPS files), Latex2e file, continuation of hep-th/9710241; rigorous analysis of sufficient conditions for universality of the dimensionless relative entropy, more detailed discussion of the relation with Zamolodchikov's theorem, references added; to appear in Phys. Rev.

Nonlinear analysis of spacecraft thermal models

We study the differential equations of lumped-parameter models of spacecraft thermal control. Firstly, we consider a satellite model consisting of two isothermal parts (nodes): an outer part that absorbs heat from the environment as radiation of various types and radiates heat as a black-body, and an inner part that just dissipates heat at a constant rate. The resulting system of two nonlinear ordinary differential equations for the satellite's temperatures is analyzed with various methods, which prove that the temperatures approach a steady state if the heat input is constant, whereas they approach a limit cycle if it varies periodically. Secondly, we generalize those methods to study a many-node thermal model of a spacecraft: this model also has a stable steady state under constant heat inputs that becomes a limit cycle if the inputs vary periodically. Finally, we propose new numerical analyses of spacecraft thermal models based on our results, to complement the analyses normally carried out with commercial software packages.Comment: 29 pages, 4 figure

Fractal distributions of dark matter and gas in the MareNostrum Universe

We develop a method of multifractal analysis of N-body cosmological simulations that improves on the customary counts-in-cells method by taking special care of the effects of discreteness and large scale homogeneity. The analysis of the Mare-Nostrum simulation with our method provides strong evidence of self-similar multifractal distributions of dark matter and gas, with a halo mass function that is of Press-Schechter type but has a power-law exponent -2, as corresponds to a multifractal. Furthermore, our analysis shows that the dark matter and gas distributions are indistinguishable as multifractals. To determine if there is any gas biasing, we calculate the cross-correlation coefficient, with negative but inconclusive results. Hence, we develop an effective Bayesian analysis connected with information theory, which clearly demonstrates that the gas is biased in a long range of scales, up to the scale of homogeneity. However, entropic measures related to the Bayesian analysis show that this gas bias is small (in a precise sense) and is such that the fractal singularities of both distributions coincide and are identical. We conclude that this common multifractal cosmic web structure is determined by the dynamics and is independent of the initial conditions.Comment: 36 pages, 10 EPS figures; correlation dimensions computed in a two-decade scaling range, references adde

The fractal distribution of haloes

We examine the proposal that a model of the large-scale matter distribution consisting of randomly placed haloes with power-law profile, as opposed to a fractal model, can account for the observed power-law galaxy-galaxy correlations. We conclude that such model, which can actually be considered as a degenerate multifractal model, is not realistic but suggests a new picture of multifractal models, namely, as sets of fractal distributions of haloes. We analyse, according to this picture, the properties of the matter distribution produced in cosmological N-body simulations, with affirmative results; namely, haloes of similar mass have a fractal distribution with a given dimension, which grows as the mass diminishes.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figure (3 EPS files), accepted in Europhysics Letter

On the reduced density matrix for a chain of free electrons

The properties of the reduced density matrix describing an interval of N sites in an infinite chain of free electrons are investigated. A commuting operator is found for arbitrary filling and also for open chains. For a half filled periodic chain it is used to determine the eigenfunctions for the dominant eigenvalues analytically in the continuum limit. Relations to the critical six-vertex model are discussed.Comment: 8 pages, small changes, Equ.(24) corrected, final versio

Renormalization group flow with unstable particles

The renormalization group flow of an integrable two dimensional quantum field theory which contains unstable particles is investigated. The analysis is carried out for the Virasoro central charge and the conformal dimensions as a function of the renormalization group flow parameter. This allows to identify the corresponding conformal field theories together with their operator content when the unstable particles vanish from the particle spectrum. The specific model considered is the $SU(3)_{2}$-homogeneous Sine-Gordon model.Comment: 5 pages Latex, 3 figure