Comments on gauge-invariance in cosmology

We revisit the gauge issue in cosmological perturbation theory, and highlight its relation to the notion of covariance in general relativity. We also discuss the similarities and differences of the covariant approach in perturbation theory to the Bardeen or metric approach in a non-technical fashion.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figure, revtex4; v3: minor changes, typos corrected, discussion extended; v4: typos corrected, corresponding to published versio

Chiral tunneling and the Klein paradox in graphene

The so-called Klein paradox - unimpeded penetration of relativistic particles through high and wide potential barriers - is one of the most exotic and counterintuitive consequences of quantum electrodynamics (QED). The phenomenon is discussed in many contexts in particle, nuclear and astro- physics but direct tests of the Klein paradox using elementary particles have so far proved impossible. Here we show that the effect can be tested in a conceptually simple condensed-matter experiment by using electrostatic barriers in single- and bi-layer graphene. Due to the chiral nature of their quasiparticles, quantum tunneling in these materials becomes highly anisotropic, qualitatively different from the case of normal, nonrelativistic electrons. Massless Dirac fermions in graphene allow a close realization of Klein's gedanken experiment whereas massive chiral fermions in bilayer graphene offer an interesting complementary system that elucidates the basic physics involved.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figure

Bosonic excitations of the AdS4 Reissner-Nordstrom black hole

We study the long-lived modes of the charge density and energy density correlators in the strongly-coupled, finite density field theory dual to the AdS4 Reissner-Nordstrom black hole. For small momenta q<<\mu, these correlators contain a pole due to sound propagation, as well as a pole due to a long-lived, purely imaginary mode analogous to the \mu=0 hydrodynamic charge diffusion mode. As the temperature is raised in the range T\lesssim\mu, the sound attenuation shows no significant temperature dependence. When T\gtrsim\mu, it quickly approaches the \mu=0 hydrodynamic result where it decreases like 1/T. It does not share any of the temperature-dependent properties of the 'zero sound' of Landau Fermi liquids observed in the strongly-coupled D3/D7 field theory. For such small momenta, the energy density spectral function is dominated by the sound mode at all temperatures, whereas the charge density spectral function undergoes a crossover from being dominated by the sound mode at low temperatures to being dominated by the diffusion mode when T \mu^2/q. This crossover occurs due to the changing residue at each pole. We also compute the momentum dependence of these spectral functions and their corresponding long-lived poles at fixed, low temperatures T<<\mu.Comment: 33 pages, 21 figures, 6 animation

Observation of the thermal Casimir force

Quantum theory predicts the existence of the Casimir force between macroscopic bodies, due to the zero-point energy of electromagnetic field modes around them. This quantum fluctuation-induced force has been experimentally observed for metallic and semiconducting bodies, although the measurements to date have been unable to clearly settle the question of the correct low-frequency form of the dielectric constant dispersion (the Drude model or the plasma model) to be used for calculating the Casimir forces. At finite temperature a thermal Casimir force, due to thermal, rather than quantum, fluctuations of the electromagnetic field, has been theoretically predicted long ago. Here we report the experimental observation of the thermal Casimir force between two gold plates. We measured the attractive force between a flat and a spherical plate for separations between 0.7 $\mu$m and 7 $\mu$m. An electrostatic force caused by potential patches on the plates' surfaces is included in the analysis. The experimental results are in excellent agreement (reduced $\chi^2$ of 1.04) with the Casimir force calculated using the Drude model, including the T=300 K thermal force, which dominates over the quantum fluctuation-induced force at separations greater than 3 $\mu$m. The plasma model result is excluded in the measured separation range.Comment: 6 page

Evaluation of classical precipitation descriptions for γ′′(Ni3Nb−D022) in Ni-base superalloys

The growth/coarsening kinetics of γ′′(Ni3Nb−D022) precipitates have been found by numerous researchers to show an apparent correspondence with the classical (Ostwald ripening) equation outlined by Lifshitz, Slyozov and (separately) Wagner for a diffusion controlled regime. Nevertheless, a significant disparity between the actual precipitate size distribution shape and that predicted by LSW is frequently observed in the interpretation of these results, the origin of which is unclear. Analysis of the literature indicates one likely cause for this deviation from LSW for γ′′ precipitates is the “encounter” phenomenon described by Davies et al. (Acta Metall 28(2):179–189, 1980) that is associated with secondary phases comprising a high volume fraction. Consequently, the distributions of both γ′′ precipitates described in the literature (Alloy 718) and measured in this research in Alloy 625 are analysed through employing the Lifshitz–Slyozov-Encounter-Modified (LSEM) formulation (created by Davies et al.). The results of the LSEM analysis show good far better agreement than LSW with experimental distributions after the application of a necessary correction for what is termed in this research as “directional encounter”. Moreover, the activation energy for γ′′ coarsening in Alloy 625 shows conformity with literature data once the effect of heterogeneous (on dislocations) precipitate nucleation at higher temperatures is accounted for

Can We Really Prevent Suicide?

Every year, suicide is among the top 20 leading causes of death globally for all ages. Unfortunately, suicide is difficult to prevent, in large part because the prevalence of risk factors is high among the general population. In this review, clinical and psychological risk factors are examined and methods for suicide prevention are discussed. Prevention strategies found to be effective in suicide prevention include means restriction, responsible media coverage, and general public education, as well identification methods such as screening, gatekeeper training, and primary care physician education. Although the treatment for preventing suicide is difficult, follow-up that includes pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, or both may be useful. However, prevention methods cannot be restricted to the individual. Community, social, and policy interventions will also be essentia

Stochastic Gravity: Theory and Applications

Whereas semiclassical gravity is based on the semiclassical Einstein equation with sources given by the expectation value of the stress-energy tensor of quantum fields, stochastic semiclassical gravity is based on the Einstein-Langevin equation, which has in addition sources due to the noise kernel. In the first part, we describe the fundamentals of this new theory via two approaches: the axiomatic and the functional. In the second part, we describe three applications of stochastic gravity theory. First, we consider metric perturbations in a Minkowski spacetime, compute the two-point correlation functions of these perturbations and prove that Minkowski spacetime is a stable solution of semiclassical gravity. Second, we discuss structure formation from the stochastic gravity viewpoint. Third, we discuss the backreaction of Hawking radiation in the gravitational background of a black hole and describe the metric fluctuations near the event horizon of an evaporating black holeComment: 100 pages, no figures; an update of the 2003 review in Living Reviews in Relativity gr-qc/0307032 ; it includes new sections on the Validity of Semiclassical Gravity, the Stability of Minkowski Spacetime, and the Metric Fluctuations of an Evaporating Black Hol

Magnetism, FeS colloids, and Origins of Life

A number of features of living systems: reversible interactions and weak bonds underlying motor-dynamics; gel-sol transitions; cellular connected fractal organization; asymmetry in interactions and organization; quantum coherent phenomena; to name some, can have a natural accounting via $physical$ interactions, which we therefore seek to incorporate by expanding the horizons of `chemistry-only' approaches to the origins of life. It is suggested that the magnetic 'face' of the minerals from the inorganic world, recognized to have played a pivotal role in initiating Life, may throw light on some of these issues. A magnetic environment in the form of rocks in the Hadean Ocean could have enabled the accretion and therefore an ordered confinement of super-paramagnetic colloids within a structured phase. A moderate H-field can help magnetic nano-particles to not only overcome thermal fluctuations but also harness them. Such controlled dynamics brings in the possibility of accessing quantum effects, which together with frustrations in magnetic ordering and hysteresis (a natural mechanism for a primitive memory) could throw light on the birth of biological information which, as Abel argues, requires a combination of order and complexity. This scenario gains strength from observations of scale-free framboidal forms of the greigite mineral, with a magnetic basis of assembly. And greigite's metabolic potential plays a key role in the mound scenario of Russell and coworkers-an expansion of which is suggested for including magnetism.Comment: 42 pages, 5 figures, to be published in A.R. Memorial volume, Ed Krishnaswami Alladi, Springer 201

Theorems on existence and global dynamics for the Einstein equations

This article is a guide to theorems on existence and global dynamics of solutions of the Einstein equations. It draws attention to open questions in the field. The local-in-time Cauchy problem, which is relatively well understood, is surveyed. Global results for solutions with various types of symmetry are discussed. A selection of results from Newtonian theory and special relativity that offer useful comparisons is presented. Treatments of global results in the case of small data and results on constructing spacetimes with prescribed singularity structure or late-time asymptotics are given. A conjectural picture of the asymptotic behaviour of general cosmological solutions of the Einstein equations is built up. Some miscellaneous topics connected with the main theme are collected in a separate section.Comment: Submitted to Living Reviews in Relativity, major update of Living Rev. Rel. 5 (2002)