711 research outputs found
Statistical Power, the Bispectrum and the Search for Non-Gaussianity in the CMB Anisotropy
We use simulated maps of the cosmic microwave background anisotropy to
quantify the ability of different statistical tests to discriminate between
Gaussian and non-Gaussian models. Despite the central limit theorem on large
angular scales, both the genus and extrema correlation are able to discriminate
between Gaussian models and a semi-analytic texture model selected as a
physically motivated non-Gaussian model. When run on the COBE 4-year CMB maps,
both tests prefer the Gaussian model. Although the bispectrum has comparable
statistical power when computed on the full sky, once a Galactic cut is imposed
on the data the bispectrum loses the ability to discriminate between models.
Off-diagonal elements of the bispectrum are comparable to the diagonal elements
for the non-Gaussian texture model and must be included to obtain maximum
statistical power.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ; 20 pages, 6 figures, uses AASTeX
v5.
Nucleation of vortices by rapid thermal quench
We show that vortex nucleation in superfluid He by rapid thermal quench
in the presence of superflow is dominated by a transverse instability of the
moving normal-superfluid interface. Exact expressions for the instability
threshold as a function of supercurrent density and the front velocity are
found. The results are verified by numerical solution of the Ginzburg-Landau
equation.Comment: 4 Pages, 4 Figure, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let
Effect of Surface Andreev Bound States on the Bean-Livingston Barrier in d-Wave Superconductors
We study the influence of surface Andreev bound states in d-wave
superconductors on the Bean-Livingston surface barrier for entry of a vortex
line into a strongly type-II superconductor. Starting from Eilenberger theory
we derive a generalization of London theory to incorporate the anomalous
surface currents arising from the Andreev bound states. This allows us to find
an analytical expression for the modification of the Bean-Livingston barrier in
terms of a single parameter describing the influence of the Andreev bound
states. We find that the field of first vortex entry is significantly enhanced.
Also, the depinning field for vortices near the surface is renormalized. Both
effects are temperature dependent and depend on the orientation of the surface
relative to the d-wave gap function.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures; minor changes; accepted for publication in Phys.
Rev. Lett
Matrix Gravity and Massive Colored Gravitons
We formulate a theory of gravity with a matrix-valued complex vierbein based
on the SL(2N,C)xSL(2N,C) gauge symmetry. The theory is metric independent, and
before symmetry breaking all fields are massless. The symmetry is broken
spontaneously and all gravitons corresponding to the broken generators acquire
masses. If the symmetry is broken to SL(2,C) then the spectrum would correspond
to one massless graviton coupled to massive gravitons. A novel
feature is the way the fields corresponding to non-compact generators acquire
kinetic energies with correct signs. Equally surprising is the way Yang-Mills
gauge fields acquire their correct kinetic energies through the coupling to the
non-dynamical antisymmetric components of the vierbeins.Comment: One reference adde
A New Symmetry for QED
We demonstrate that QED exhibits a previously unobserved symmetry. Some
consequences are discussed.Comment: 9 pages, MZ-TH/93-02, DIAS-STP-93-0
Realization of an Inductance Scale Traceable to the Quantum Hall Effect Using an Automated Synchronous Sampling System
In this paper, the realization of an inductance scale from 1~H to 10~H
for frequencies ranging between 50~Hz to 20~kHz is presented. The scale is
realized directly from a series of resistance standards using a fully automated
synchronous sampling system. A careful systematic characterization of the
system shows that the lowest uncertainties, around 12~H/H, are obtained
for inductances in the range from 10~mH to 100~mH at frequencies in the kHz
range. This new measurement system which was successfully evaluated during an
international comparison, provides a primary realization of the henry, directly
traceable to the quantum Hall effect. An additional key feature of this system
is its versatility. In addition to resistance-inductance (R-L) comparison, any
kind of impedances can be compared: R-R, R-C, L-L or C-C, giving this sampling
system a great potential of use in many laboratories around the world
Evolution of cosmic string configurations
We extend and develop our previous work on the evolution of a network of
cosmic strings. The new treatment is based on an analysis of the probability
distribution of the end-to-end distance of a randomly chosen segment of
left-moving string of given length. The description involves three distinct
length scales: , related to the overall string density, , the
persistence length along the string, and , describing the small-scale
structure, which is an important feature of the numerical simulations that have
been done of this problem. An evolution equation is derived describing how the
distribution develops in time due to the combined effects of the universal
expansion, of intercommuting and loop formation, and of gravitational
radiation. With plausible assumptions about the unknown parameters in the
model, we confirm the conclusions of our previous study, that if gravitational
radiation and small-scale structure effects are neglected, the two dominant
length scales both scale in proportion to the horizon size. When the extra
effects are included, we find that while and grow,
initially does not. Eventually, however, it does appear to scale, at a much
lower level, due to the effects of gravitational back-reaction.Comment: 61 pages, requires RevTex v3.0, SUSSEX-TH-93/3-4,
IMPERIAL/TP/92-93/4
Comment on "Consistency, amplitudes, and probabilities in quantum theory"
In a recent article [Phys. Rev. A 57, 1572 (1998)] Caticha has concluded that
``nonlinear variants of quantum mechanics are inconsistent.'' In this note we
identify what it is that nonlinear quantum theories have been shown to be
inconsistent with.Comment: LaTeX, 5 pages, no figure
Transonic Elastic Model for Wiggly Goto-Nambu String
The hitherto controversial proposition that a ``wiggly" Goto-Nambu cosmic
string can be effectively represented by an elastic string model of exactly
transonic type (with energy density inversely proportional to its tension
) is shown to have a firm mathematical basis.Comment: 8 pages, plain TeX, no figure
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