4,894 research outputs found
Density Perturbations in the Ekpyrotic Scenario
We study the generation of density perturbations in the ekpyrotic scenario
for the early universe, including gravitational backreaction. We expose
interesting subtleties that apply to both inflationary and ekpyrotic models.
Our analysis includes a detailed proposal of how the perturbations generated in
a contracting phase may be matched across a `bounce' to those in an expanding
hot big bang phase. For the physical conditions relevant to the ekpyrotic
scenario, we re-obtain our earlier result of a nearly scale-invariant spectrum
of energy density perturbations. We find that the perturbation amplitude is
typically small, as desired to match observation.Comment: 36 pages, compressed and RevTex file, one postscript figure file.
Minor typographical and numerical errors corrected, discussion added. This
version to appear in Physical Review
Nonlinear Interferometry via Fock State Projection
We use a photon-number resolving detector to monitor the photon number
distribution of the output of an interferometer, as a function of phase delay.
As inputs we use coherent states with mean photon number up to seven. The
postselection of a specific Fock (photon-number) state effectively induces
high-order optical non-linearities. Following a scheme by Bentley and Boyd
[S.J. Bentley and R.W. Boyd, Optics Express 12, 5735 (2004)] we explore this
effect to demonstrate interference patterns a factor of five smaller than the
Rayleigh limit.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure
Non-Gaussian signatures of Tachyacoustic Cosmology
I investigate non-Gaussian signatures in the context of tachyacoustic
cosmology, that is, a noninflationary model with superluminal speed of sound. I
calculate the full non-Gaussian amplitude , its size ,
and corresponding shapes for a red-tilted spectrum of primordial scalar
perturbations. Specifically, for cuscuton-like models I show that , and the shape of its non-Gaussian amplitude peaks for
both equilateral and local configurations, the latter being dominant. These
results, albeit similar, are quantitatively distinct from the corresponding
ones obtained by Magueijo {\it{et. al}} in the context of superluminal bimetric
models.Comment: Some comments and references added. Matches the version published in
JCA
The four fixed points of scale invariant single field cosmological models
We introduce a new set of flow parameters to describe the time dependence of
the equation of state and the speed of sound in single field cosmological
models. A scale invariant power spectrum is produced if these flow parameters
satisfy specific dynamical equations. We analyze the flow of these parameters
and find four types of fixed points that encompass all known single field
models. Moreover, near each fixed point we uncover new models where the scale
invariance of the power spectrum relies on having simultaneously time varying
speed of sound and equation of state. We describe several distinctive new
models and discuss constraints from strong coupling and superluminality.Comment: 24 pages, 6 figure
Vector Bundle Moduli and Small Instanton Transitions
We give the general presciption for calculating the moduli of irreducible,
stable SU(n) holomorphic vector bundles with positive spectral covers over
elliptically fibered Calabi-Yau threefolds. Explicit results are presented for
Hirzebruch base surfaces B=F_r. The transition moduli that are produced by
chirality changing small instanton phase transitions are defined and
specifically enumerated. The origin of these moduli, as the deformations of the
spectral cover restricted to the ``lift'' of the horizontal curve of the
M5-brane, is discussed. We present an alternative description of the transition
moduli as the sections of rank n holomorphic vector bundles over the M5-brane
curve and give explicit examples. Vector bundle moduli appear as gauge singlet
scalar fields in the effective low-energy actions of heterotic superstrings and
heterotic M-theory.Comment: 52 pages, LATEX, corrected typo
String production at the level of effective field theory
Pair creation of strings in time-dependent backgrounds is studied from an
effective field theory viewpoint, and some possible cosmological applications
are discussed. Simple estimates suggest that excited strings may have played a
significant role in preheating, if the string tension as measured in
four-dimensional Einstein frame falls a couple of orders of magnitude below the
four-dimensional Planck scale.Comment: 20 pages, latex2e. v2: a reference adde
Vector Bundle Moduli Superpotentials in Heterotic Superstrings and M-Theory
The non-perturbative superpotential generated by a heterotic superstring
wrapped once around a genus-zero holomorphic curve is proportional to the
Pfaffian involving the determinant of a Dirac operator on this curve. We show
that the space of zero modes of this Dirac operator is the kernel of a linear
mapping that is dependent on the associated vector bundle moduli. By explicitly
computing the determinant of this map, one can deduce whether or not the
dimension of the space of zero modes vanishes. It is shown that this
information is sufficient to completely determine the Pfaffian and, hence, the
non-perturbative superpotential as explicit holomorphic functions of the vector
bundle moduli. This method is illustrated by a number of non-trivial examples.Comment: 81 pages, LaTeX, corrected typo
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