745 research outputs found
The effective Lagrangian of dark energy from observations
Using observational data on the expansion rate of the universe (H(z)) we
constrain the effective Lagrangian of the current accelerated expansion. Our
results show that the effective potential is consistent with being flat i.e., a
cosmological constant; it is also consistent with the field moving along an
almost flat potential like a pseudo-Goldstone boson. We show that the potential
of dark energy does not deviate from a constant at more than 6% over the
redshift range 0 < z < 1. The data can be described by just a constant term in
the Lagrangian and do not require any extra parameters; therefore there is no
evidence for augmenting the number of parameters of the LCDM paradigm. We also
find that the data justify the effective theory approach to describe
accelerated expansion and that the allowed parameters range satisfy the
expected hierarchy. Future data, both from cosmic chronometers and baryonic
acoustic oscillations, that can measure H(z) at the % level, could greatly
improve constraints on the flatness of the potential or shed some light on
possible mechanisms driving the accelerated expansion. Besides the above
result, it is shown that the effective Lagrangian of accelerated expansion can
be constrained from cosmological observations in a model-independent way and
that direct measurements of the expansion rate H(z) are most useful to do so.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures, JCAP submitted. This paper presents a
reconstruction of the dark energy potential. It is a companion to Moresco et
al. 2012a, which presents new H(z) results and Moresco et al. 2012b, which
provides cosmological parameter constraint
Searching for a Cosmological Preferred Axis: Union2 Data Analysis and Comparison with Other Probes
We review, compare and extend recent studies searching for evidence for a
preferred cosmological axis. We start from the Union2 SnIa dataset and use the
hemisphere comparison method to search for a preferred axis in the data. We
find that the hemisphere of maximum accelerating expansion rate is in the
direction (\omm=0.19) while the hemisphere of
minimum acceleration is in the opposite direction
(\omm=0.30). The level of anisotropy is described by the normalized
difference of the best fit values of \omm between the two hemispheres in the
context of \lcdm fits. We find a maximum anisotropy level in the Union2 data of
\frac{\Delta \ommax}{\bomm}=0.43\pm 0.06. Such a level does not necessarily
correspond to statistically significant anisotropy because it is reproduced by
about of simulated isotropic data mimicking the best fit Union2 dataset.
However, when combined with the axes directions of other cosmological
observations (bulk velocity flow axis, three axes of CMB low multipole moments
and quasar optical polarization alignment axis), the statistical evidence for a
cosmological anisotropy increases dramatically. We estimate the probability
that the above independent six axes directions would be so close in the sky to
be less than . Thus either the relative coincidence of these six axes is a
very large statistical fluctuation or there is an underlying physical or
systematic reason that leads to their correlation.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures. Accepted in JCAP (to appear). Extended analysis
with redshift tomography of SnIa, included errorbars and increased number of
axes. The Mathematica 7 files with the data used for the production of the
figures along with a Powerpoint file with additional figures may be
downloaded from http://leandros.physics.uoi.gr/anisotrop
Thin accretion disc with a corona in a central magnetic field
We study the steady-state structure of an accretion disc with a corona
surrounding a central, rotating, magnetized star. We assume that the
magneto-rotational instability is the dominant mechanism of angular momentum
transport inside the disc and is responsible for producing magnetic tubes above
the disc. In our model, a fraction of the dissipated energy inside the disc is
transported to the corona via these magnetic tubes. This energy exchange from
the disc to the corona which depends on the disc physical properties is
modified because of the magnetic interaction between the stellar magnetic field
and the accretion disc. According to our fully analytical solutions for such a
system, the existence of a corona not only increases the surface density but
reduces the temperature of the accretion disc. Also, the presence of a corona
enhances the ratio of gas pressure to the total pressure. Our solutions show
that when the strength of the magnetic field of the central neutron star is
large or the star is rotating fast enough, profiles of the physical variables
of the disc significantly modify due to the existence of a corona.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astrophysics & Space Scienc
Analysis of the effects of atmospheric helium plasma treatment on the surface structure of jute fibres and resulting composite properties
Light propagation in statistically homogeneous and isotropic universes with general matter content
We derive the relationship of the redshift and the angular diameter distance
to the average expansion rate for universes which are statistically homogeneous
and isotropic and where the distribution evolves slowly, but which have
otherwise arbitrary geometry and matter content. The relevant average expansion
rate is selected by the observable redshift and the assumed symmetry properties
of the spacetime. We show why light deflection and shear remain small. We write
down the evolution equations for the average expansion rate and discuss the
validity of the dust approximation.Comment: 42 pages, no figures. v2: Corrected one detail about the angular
diameter distance and two typos. No change in result
Large-scale magnetic fields from inflation due to a -even Chern-Simons-like term with Kalb-Ramond and scalar fields
We investigate the generation of large-scale magnetic fields due to the
breaking of the conformal invariance in the electromagnetic field through the
-even dimension-six Chern-Simons-like effective interaction with a fermion
current by taking account of the dynamical Kalb-Ramond and scalar fields in
inflationary cosmology. It is explicitly demonstrated that the magnetic fields
on 1Mpc scale with the field strength of G at the present time
can be induced.Comment: 18 pages, 6 figures, version accepted for publication in Eur. Phys.
J.
Measurement of (anti)deuteron and (anti)proton production in DIS at HERA
The first observation of (anti)deuterons in deep inelastic scattering at HERA
has been made with the ZEUS detector at a centre-of-mass energy of 300--318 GeV
using an integrated luminosity of 120 pb-1. The measurement was performed in
the central rapidity region for transverse momentum per unit of mass in the
range 0.3<p_T/M<0.7. The particle rates have been extracted and interpreted in
terms of the coalescence model. The (anti)deuteron production yield is smaller
than the (anti)proton yield by approximately three orders of magnitude,
consistent with the world measurements.Comment: 26 pages, 9 figures, 5 tables, submitted to Nucl. Phys.
Forward jet production in deep inelastic ep scattering and low-x parton dynamics at HERA
Differential inclusive jet cross sections in neutral current deep inelastic
ep scattering have been measured with the ZEUS detector. Three phase-space
regions have been selected in order to study parton dynamics where the effects
of BFKL evolution might be present. The measurements have been compared to the
predictions of leading-logarithm parton shower Monte Carlo models and
fixed-order perturbative QCD calculations. In the forward region, QCD
calculations at order alpha_s^1 underestimate the data up to an order of
magnitude at low x. An improved description of the data in this region is
obtained by including QCD corrections at order alpha_s^2, which account for the
lowest-order t-channel gluon-exchange diagrams, highlighting the importance of
such terms in parton dynamics at low x.Comment: 25 pages, 4 figure
The Formation of the First Massive Black Holes
Supermassive black holes (SMBHs) are common in local galactic nuclei, and
SMBHs as massive as several billion solar masses already exist at redshift z=6.
These earliest SMBHs may grow by the combination of radiation-pressure-limited
accretion and mergers of stellar-mass seed BHs, left behind by the first
generation of metal-free stars, or may be formed by more rapid direct collapse
of gas in rare special environments where dense gas can accumulate without
first fragmenting into stars. This chapter offers a review of these two
competing scenarios, as well as some more exotic alternative ideas. It also
briefly discusses how the different models may be distinguished in the future
by observations with JWST, (e)LISA and other instruments.Comment: 47 pages with 306 references; this review is a chapter in "The First
Galaxies - Theoretical Predictions and Observational Clues", Springer
Astrophysics and Space Science Library, Eds. T. Wiklind, V. Bromm & B.
Mobasher, in pres
Toward an internally consistent astronomical distance scale
Accurate astronomical distance determination is crucial for all fields in
astrophysics, from Galactic to cosmological scales. Despite, or perhaps because
of, significant efforts to determine accurate distances, using a wide range of
methods, tracers, and techniques, an internally consistent astronomical
distance framework has not yet been established. We review current efforts to
homogenize the Local Group's distance framework, with particular emphasis on
the potential of RR Lyrae stars as distance indicators, and attempt to extend
this in an internally consistent manner to cosmological distances. Calibration
based on Type Ia supernovae and distance determinations based on gravitational
lensing represent particularly promising approaches. We provide a positive
outlook to improvements to the status quo expected from future surveys,
missions, and facilities. Astronomical distance determination has clearly
reached maturity and near-consistency.Comment: Review article, 59 pages (4 figures); Space Science Reviews, in press
(chapter 8 of a special collection resulting from the May 2016 ISSI-BJ
workshop on Astronomical Distance Determination in the Space Age
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