1,177 research outputs found
Exact sampling of self-avoiding paths via discrete Schramm-Loewner evolution
We present an algorithm, based on the iteration of conformal maps, that
produces independent samples of self-avoiding paths in the plane. It is a
discrete process approximating radial Schramm-Loewner evolution growing to
infinity. We focus on the problem of reproducing the parametrization
corresponding to that of lattice models, namely self-avoiding walks on the
lattice, and we propose a strategy that gives rise to discrete paths where
consecutive points lie an approximately constant distance apart from each
other. This new method allows us to tackle two non-trivial features of
self-avoiding walks that critically depend on the parametrization: the
asphericity of a portion of chain and the correction-to-scaling exponent.Comment: 18 pages, 4 figures. Some sections rewritten (including title and
abstract), numerical results added, references added. Accepted for
publication in J. Stat. Phy
Efficiency of the Incomplete Enumeration algorithm for Monte-Carlo simulation of linear and branched polymers
We study the efficiency of the incomplete enumeration algorithm for linear
and branched polymers. There is a qualitative difference in the efficiency in
these two cases. The average time to generate an independent sample of
sites for large varies as for linear polymers, but as for branched (undirected and directed) polymers, where
. On the binary tree, our numerical studies for of order
gives . We argue that exactly in this
case.Comment: replaced with published versio
Spontaneous symmetry breaking in gauge theories via Bose-Einstein condensation
We propose a mechanism naturally leading to the spontaneous symmetry breaking
in a gauge theory. The Higgs field is assumed to have global and gauged
internal symmetries. We associate a non zero chemical potential to one of the
globally conserved charges commuting with all of the gauge transformations.
This induces a negative mass squared for the Higgs field triggering the
spontaneous symmetry breaking of the global and local symmetries. The mechanism
is general and we test the idea for the electroweak theory in which the Higgs
sector is extended to possess an extra global Abelian symmetry. To this
symmetry we associate a non zero chemical potential. The Bose-Einstein
condensation of the Higgs leads, at tree level, to modified dispersion
relations for the Higgs field while the dispersion relations of the gauge
bosons and fermions remain undisturbed. The latter are modified through higher
order corrections. We have computed some corrections to the vacuum
polarizations of the gauge bosons and fermions. To quantify the corrections to
the gauge boson vacuum polarizations with respect to the Standard Model we
considered the effects on the T parameter. We finally derive the one loop
modified fermion dispersion relations.Comment: RevTeX 4, 13 pages. Added references and corrected typo
Constraints on the SU(3) Electroweak Model
We consider a recent proposal by Dimopoulos and Kaplan to embed the
electroweak SU(2)_L X U(1)_Y into a larger group SU(3)_W X SU(2) X U(1) at a
scale above a TeV. This idea is motivated by the prediction for the weak mixing
angle sin^2 theta_W = 1/4, which naturally appears in these models so long as
the gauge couplings of the high energy SU(2) and U(1) groups are moderately
large. The extended gauge dynamics results in new effective operators that
contribute to four-fermion interactions and Z pole observables. We calculate
the corrections to these electroweak precision observables and carry out a
global fit of the new physics to the data. For SU(2) and U(1) gauge couplings
larger than 1, we find that the 95% C.L. lower bound on the matching (heavy
gauge boson mass) scale is 11 TeV. We comment on the fine-tuning of the high
energy gauge couplings needed to allow matching scales above our bounds. The
remnants of SU(3)_W breaking include multi-TeV SU(2)_L doublets with electric
charge (+-2,+-1). The lightest charged gauge boson is stable, leading to
cosmological difficulties.Comment: 17 pages, LaTeX, 4 figures embedded, uses JHEP.cl
On switching response surface models, with applications to the structural health monitoring of bridges
Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) is the engineering discipline of diagnosing damage and estimating safe remaining life for structures and systems. Often, SHM is accomplished by detecting changes in measured quantities from the structure of interest; if there are no competing explanations for the changes, one infers that they are the result of damage. If the structure of interest is subject to changes in its environmental or operational conditions, one must understand the effects of these changes in order that one does not falsely claim that damage has occurred when changes in measured quantities are observed. This problem – the problem of confounding influences – is particularly pressing for civil infrastructure where the given structure is usually openly exposed to the weather and may be subject to strongly varying operational conditions. One approach to understanding confounding influences is to construct a data-based response surface model that can represent measurement variations as a function of environmental and operational variables. The models can then be used to remove environmental and operational variations so that change detection algorithms signal the occurrence of damage alone. The current paper is concerned with such response surface models in the case of SHM of bridges. In particular, classes of response surface models that can switch discontinuously between regimes are discussed.
Recently, it has been shown that Gaussian Process (GP) models are an effective means of developing response surface or surrogate models. However, the GP approach runs into difficulties if changes in the latent variables cause the structure of interest to abruptly switch between regimes. A good example here, which is well known in the SHM literature, is given by the Z24 Bridge in Switzerland which completely changed its dynamical behaviour when it cooled below zero degrees Celsius as the asphalt of the deck stiffened. The solution proposed here is to adopt the recently-proposed Treed Gaussian Process (TGP) model as an alternative. The approach is illustrated here on the Z24 bridge and also on data from the Tamar Bridge in the UK which shows marked switching behaviour in certain of its dynamical characteristics when its ambient wind conditions change. It is shown that treed GPs provide an effective approach to response surface modelling and that in the Tamar case, a linear model is in fact sufficient to solve the problem
The Intentional Use of Service Recovery Strategies to Influence Consumer Emotion, Cognition and Behaviour
Service recovery strategies have been identified as a critical factor in the success of. service organizations. This study develops a conceptual frame work to investigate how specific service recovery strategies influence the emotional, cognitive and negative behavioural responses of . consumers., as well as how emotion and cognition influence negative behavior. Understanding the impact of specific service recovery strategies will allow service providers' to more deliberately and intentionally engage in strategies that result in positive organizational outcomes. This study was conducted using a 2 x 2 between-subjects quasi-experimental design. The results suggest that service recovery has a significant impact on emotion, cognition and negative behavior. Similarly, satisfaction, negative emotion and positive emotion all influence negative behavior but distributive justice has no effect
The PHENIX Experiment at RHIC
The physics emphases of the PHENIX collaboration and the design and current
status of the PHENIX detector are discussed. The plan of the collaboration for
making the most effective use of the available luminosity in the first years of
RHIC operation is also presented.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure. Further details of the PHENIX physics program
available at http://www.rhic.bnl.gov/phenix
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