393 research outputs found
Quantum phantom cosmology
We apply the formalism of quantum cosmology to models containing a phantom
field. Three models are discussed explicitly: a toy model, a model with an
exponential phantom potential, and a model with phantom field accompanied by a
negative cosmological constant. In all these cases we calculate the classical
trajectories in configuration space and give solutions to the Wheeler-DeWitt
equation in quantum cosmology. In the cases of the toy model and the model with
exponential potential we are able to solve the Wheeler-DeWitt equation exactly.
For comparison, we also give the corresponding solutions for an ordinary scalar
field. We discuss in particular the behaviour of wave packets in
minisuperspace. For the phantom field these packets disperse in the region that
corresponds to the Big Rip singularity. This thus constitutes a genuine quantum
region at large scales, described by a regular solution of the Wheeler-DeWitt
equation. For the ordinary scalar field, the Big-Bang singularity is avoided.
Some remarks on the arrow of time in phantom models as well as on the relation
of phantom models to loop quantum cosmology are given.Comment: 21 pages, 6 figure
Brane-bulk energy exchange : a model with the present universe as a global attractor
The role of brane-bulk energy exchange and of an induced gravity term on a
single braneworld of negative tension and vanishing effective cosmological
constant is studied. It is shown that for the physically interesting cases of
dust and radiation a unique global attractor which can realize our present
universe (accelerating and 0<Omega_{m0}<1) exists for a wide range of the
parameters of the model. For Omega_{m0}=0.3, independently of the other
parameters, the model predicts that the equation of state for the dark energy
today is w_{DE,0}=-1.4, while Omega_{m0}=0.03 leads to w_{DE,0}=-1.03. In
addition, during its evolution, w_{DE} crosses the w_{DE}=-1 line to smaller
values.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, RevTex; references added, to appear in JHE
Dynamical Dark Energy or Simply Cosmic Curvature?
We show that the assumption of a flat universe induces critically large
errors in reconstructing the dark energy equation of state at z>~0.9 even if
the true cosmic curvature is very small, O(1%) or less. The spuriously
reconstructed w(z) shows a range of unusual behaviour, including crossing of
the phantom divide and mimicking of standard tracking quintessence models. For
1% curvature and LCDM, the error in w grows rapidly above z~0.9 reaching
(50%,100%) by redshifts of (2.5,2.9) respectively, due to the long cosmological
lever arm. Interestingly, the w(z) reconstructed from distance data and Hubble
rate measurements have opposite trends due to the asymmetric influence of the
curved geodesics. These results show that including curvature as a free
parameter is imperative in any future analyses attempting to pin down the
dynamics of dark energy, especially at moderate or high redshifts.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures. To appear in JCA
Early Dark Energy Cosmologies
We propose a novel parameterization of the dark energy density. It is
particularly well suited to describe a non-negligible contribution of dark
energy at early times and contains only three parameters, which are all
physically meaningful: the fractional dark energy density today, the equation
of state today and the fractional dark energy density at early times. As we
parameterize Omega_d(a) directly instead of the equation of state, we can give
analytic expressions for the Hubble parameter, the conformal horizon today and
at last scattering, the sound horizon at last scattering, the acoustic scale as
well as the luminosity distance. For an equation of state today w_0 < -1, our
model crosses the cosmological constant boundary. We perform numerical studies
to constrain the parameters of our model by using Cosmic Microwave Background,
Large Scale Structure and Supernovae Ia data. At 95% confidence, we find that
the fractional dark energy density at early times Omega_early < 0.06. This
bound tightens considerably to Omega_early < 0.04 when the latest Boomerang
data is included. We find that both the gold sample of Riess et. al. and the
SNLS data by Astier et. al. when combined with CMB and LSS data mildly prefer
w_0 < -1, but are well compatible with a cosmological constant.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures; references added, matches published versio
Beyond the perfect fluid hypothesis for dark energy equation of state
Abandoning the perfect fluid hypothesis, we investigate here the possibility
that the dark energy equation of state (EoS) is a nonlinear function of the
energy density . To this aim, we consider four different EoS describing
classical fluids near thermodynamical critical points and discuss the main
features of cosmological models made out of dust matter and a dark energy term
with the given EoS. Each model is tested against the data on the dimensionless
coordinate distance to Type Ia Supernovae and radio galaxies, the shift and the
acoustic peak parameters and the positions of the first three peaks in the
anisotropy spectrum of the comic microwave background radation. We propose a
possible interpretation of each model in the framework of scalar field
quintessence determining the shape of the self interaction potential
that gives rise to each one of the considered thermodynamical EoS. As a general
result, we demonstrate that replacing the perfect fluid EoS with more generar
expressions gives both the possibility of successfully solving the problem of
cosmic acceleration escaping the resort to phantom models.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication on Physical Review
Reconstructing the properties of dark energy from recent observations
We explore the properties of dark energy from recent observational data,
including the Gold Sne Ia, the baryonic acoustic oscillation peak from SDSS,
the CMB shift parameter from WMAP3, the X-ray gas mass fraction in cluster and
the Hubble parameter versus redshift. The model with curvature
and two parameterized dark energy models are studied. For the
model, we find that the flat universe is consistent with observations at the
confidence level and a closed universe is slightly favored by these
data. For two parameterized dark energy models, with the prior given on the
present matter density, , with ,
and , our result seems to suggest that the
trend of dependence for an evolving dark energy from a
combination of the observational data sets is model-dependent.Comment: 16 pages, 15 figures, To appear in JCA
Modified gravity and its reconstruction from the universe expansion history
We develop the reconstruction program for the number of modified gravities:
scalar-tensor theory, , and string-inspired, scalar-Gauss-Bonnet
gravity. The known (classical) universe expansion history is used for the
explicit and successful reconstruction of some versions (of special form or
with specific potentials) from all above modified gravities. It is demonstrated
that cosmological sequence of matter dominance, decceleration-acceleration
transition and acceleration era may always emerge as cosmological solutions of
such theory. Moreover, the late-time dark energy FRW universe may have the
approximate or exact CDM form consistent with three years WMAP data.
The principal possibility to extend this reconstruction scheme to include the
radiation dominated era and inflation is briefly mentioned. Finally, it is
indicated how even modified gravity which does not describe the
matter-dominated epoch may have such a solution before acceleration era at the
price of the introduction of compensating dark energy.Comment: LaTeX file, 24 pages, no figure, prepared for the proceedings of ERE
2006, minor correction
Consensus for methods and outcomes in trials of oral morphine versus transmucosal diamorphine for breakthrough pain in children in the UK: the DIPPER study
Objectives: No randomised controlled trials have been conducted for breakthrough pain in paediatric palliative care and there are currently no standardised outcome measures. The DIPPER study aims to establish the feasibility of conducting a prospective randomised controlled trial comparing oral and transmucosal administration of opioids for breakthrough pain. The aim of the current study was to achieve consensus on design aspects for a small-scale prospective study to inform a future randomised controlled trial of oral morphine, the current first-line treatment, versus transmucosal diamorphine. /
Methods: The nominal group technique was used to achieve consensus on best practice for mode of administration, dose regimen and a range of suitable pain intensity outcome measures for transmucosal diamorphine in children and young people with breakthrough pain. An expert panel of ten clinicians in paediatric palliative care and three parent representatives participated. Consensus was achieved when agreement was reached and no further comments from participants were forthcoming. /
Results: The panel favoured the buccal route of administration, with dosing according to the recommendations in the Association for Paediatric Palliative Medicine formulary (fifth Edition, 2020). The verbal Numerical Rating Scale was selected to measure pain in children 8 years old and older, the Faces Pain Scale-Revised for children between 4 and 8 years old, and Face, Legs, Activity, Cry and Consolability (FLACC)/FLACC-Revised as the observational tools. /
Conclusions: The nominal group technique allowed consensus to be reached for a small-scale, prospective, cohort study and provided information to inform the design of a randomised controlled trial
Cosmological constraints combining H(z), CMB shift and SNIa observational data
Recently H(z) data obtained from differential ages of galaxies have been
proposed as a new geometrical probe of dark energy. In this paper we use those
data, combined with other background tests (CMB shift and SNIa data), to
constrain a set of general relativistic dark energy models together with some
other models motivated by extra dimensions. Our analysis rests mostly on
Bayesian statistics, and we conclude that LCDM is at least substantially
favoured, and that braneworld models are less favoured than general
relativistic ones.Comment: 17 pages, 11 figures; improved discussion, new figures, updated to
match published versio
SO(1,1) dark energy model and the universe transition
We suggest a scalar model of dark energy with the SO(1,1) symmetry. The model
may be reformulated in terms of a real scalar field and the scale factor
so that the Lagrangian may be decomposed as that of the real quintessence
model plus the negative coupling energy term of to . The existence of
the coupling term leads to a wider range of and overcomes the
problem of negative kinetic energy in the phantom universe model. We propose a
power-law expansion model of univese with time-dependent power, which can
describe the phantom universe and the universe transition from ordinary
acceleration to super acceleration.Comment: 12 pages. submitted to CQ
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