Real-time Chern-Simons term for hypermagnetic fields

If non-vanishing chemical potentials are assigned to chiral fermions, then a Chern-Simons term is induced for the corresponding gauge fields. In thermal equilibrium anomalous processes adjust the chemical potentials such that the coefficient of the Chern-Simons term vanishes, but it has been argued that there are non-equilibrium epochs in cosmology where this is not the case and that, consequently, certain fermionic number densities and large-scale (hypermagnetic) field strengths get coupled to each other. We generalise the Chern-Simons term to a real-time situation relevant for dynamical considerations, by deriving the anomalous Hard Thermal Loop effective action for the hypermagnetic fields, write down the corresponding equations of motion, and discuss some exponentially growing solutions thereof.Comment: 13 page

Geometry-dependent scattering through quantum billiards: Experiment and theory

We present experimental studies of the geometry-specific quantum scattering in microwave billiards of a given shape. We perform full quantum mechanical scattering calculations and find an excellent agreement with the experimental results. We also carry out the semiclassical calculations where the conductance is given as a sum of all classical trajectories between the leads, each of them carrying the quantum-mechanical phase. We unambiguously demonstrate that the characteristic frequencies of the oscillations in the transmission and reflection amplitudes are related to the length distribution of the classical trajectories between the leads, whereas the frequencies of the probabilities can be understood in terms of the length difference distribution in the pairs of classical trajectories. We also discuss the effect of non-classical "ghost" trajectories that include classically forbidden reflection off the lead mouths.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

The Cosmic Microwave Background and Helical Magnetic Fields: the tensor mode

We study the effect of a possible helicity component of a primordial magnetic field on the tensor part of the cosmic microwave background temperature anisotropies and polarization. We give analytical approximations for the tensor contributions induced by helicity, discussing their amplitude and spectral index in dependence of the power spectrum of the primordial magnetic field. We find that an helical magnetic field creates a parity odd component of gravity waves inducing parity odd polarization signals. However, only if the magnetic field is close to scale invariant and if its helical part is close to maximal, the effect is sufficiently large to be observable. We also discuss the implications of causality on the magnetic field spectrum.Comment: We have corrected a normalisation error which was pointed out to us by Antony Lewis. It enhances our limits on the magnetic fields by (2\pi)^{3/4} ~

The stochastic gravitational wave background from turbulence and magnetic fields generated by a first-order phase transition

We analytically derive the spectrum of gravitational waves due to magneto-hydrodynamical turbulence generated by bubble collisions in a first-order phase transition. In contrast to previous studies, we take into account the fact that turbulence and magnetic fields act as sources of gravitational waves for many Hubble times after the phase transition is completed. This modifies the gravitational wave spectrum at large scales. We also model the initial stirring phase preceding the Kolmogorov cascade, while earlier works assume that the Kolmogorov spectrum sets in instantaneously. The continuity in time of the source is relevant for a correct determination of the peak position of the gravitational wave spectrum. We discuss how the results depend on assumptions about the unequal-time correlation of the source and motivate a realistic choice for it. Our treatment gives a similar peak frequency as previous analyses but the amplitude of the signal is reduced due to the use of a more realistic power spectrum for the magneto-hydrodynamical turbulence. For a strongly first-order electroweak phase transition, the signal is observable with the space interferometer LISA.Comment: 46 pages, 17 figures. Replaced with revised version accepted for publication in JCA

Lorentz Symmetry Violation and Galactic Magnetism

We analyze the generation of primordial magnetic fields during de Sitter inflation in a Lorentz-violating theory of Electrodynamics containing a Chern-Simons term which couples the photon to an external four-vector. We find that, for appropriate magnitude of the four-vector, the generated field is maximally helical and, through an inverse cascade caused by turbulence of primeval plasma, reaches at the time of protogalactic collapse an intensity and correlation length such as to directly explain galactic magnetism.Comment: 5 pages, minor revisions, version published in Phys. Lett.

Periodic magnetoconductance fluctuations in triangular quantum dots in the absence of selective probing

We have studied the magnetoconductance of quantum dots with triangular symmetry and areas down to 0.2 square microns, made in a high mobility two-dimensional electron gas embedded in a GaAs-AlGaAs heterostructure. Semiclassical simulations show that the gross features in the measured magnetoconductance are caused by ballistic effects. Below 1 K we observe a strong periodic oscillation, which may be explained in terms of the Aharanov-Bohm flux quantization through the area of a single classical periodic orbit. From a numerical and analytical analysis of possible trajectories in hard- and soft-walled potentials, we identify this periodic orbit as the enscribed triangle. Contrary to other recent experiments, this orbit is not accessible by classical processes for the incoming collimated beam.Comment: RevTex 8 pages, including 5 postscript figure

Effective suckling in relation to naked maternal-infant body contact in the first hour of life: an observation study

Background Best practice guidelines to promote breastfeeding suggest that (i) mothers hold their babies in naked body contact immediately after birth, (ii) babies remain undisturbed for at least one hour and (iii) breastfeeding assistance be offered during this period. Few studies have closely observed the implementation of these guidelines in practice. We sought to evaluate these practices on suckling achievement within the first hour after birth. Methods Observations of seventy-eight mother-baby dyads recorded newborn feeding behaviours, the help received by mothers and birthing room practices each minute, for sixty minutes. Results Duration of naked body contact between mothers and their newborn babies varied widely from 1 to 60 minutes, as did commencement of suckling (range = 10 to 60 minutes). Naked maternal-infant body contact immediately after birth, uninterrupted for at least thirty minutes did not predict effective suckling within the first hour of birth. Newborns were four times more likely to sustain deep rhythmical suckling when their chin made contact with their mother’s breast as they approached the nipple (OR 3.8; CI 1.03 - 14) and if their mothers had given birth previously (OR 6.7; CI 1.35 - 33). Infants who had any naso-oropharyngeal suctioning administered at birth were six times less likely to suckle effectively (OR .176; CI .04 - .9). Conclusion Effective suckling within the first hour of life was associated with a collection of practices including infants positioned so their chin can instinctively nudge the underside of their mother’s breast as they approach to grasp the nipple and attach to suckle. The best type of assistance provided in the birthing room that enables newborns to sustain an effective latch was paying attention to newborn feeding behaviours and not administering naso-oropharyngeal suction routinely

Simulations of galactic dynamos

We review our current understanding of galactic dynamo theory, paying particular attention to numerical simulations both of the mean-field equations and the original three-dimensional equations relevant to describing the magnetic field evolution for a turbulent flow. We emphasize the theoretical difficulties in explaining non-axisymmetric magnetic fields in galaxies and discuss the observational basis for such results in terms of rotation measure analysis. Next, we discuss nonlinear theory, the role of magnetic helicity conservation and magnetic helicity fluxes. This leads to the possibility that galactic magnetic fields may be bi-helical, with opposite signs of helicity and large and small length scales. We discuss their observational signatures and close by discussing the possibilities of explaining the origin of primordial magnetic fields.Comment: 28 pages, 15 figure, to appear in Lecture Notes in Physics "Magnetic fields in diffuse media", Eds. E. de Gouveia Dal Pino and A. Lazaria

Full characterization of vibrational coherence in a porphyrin chromophore by two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy

In this work we present experimental and calculated two-dimensional electronic spectra for a 5,15-bisalkynyl porphyrin chromophore. The lowest energy electronic Qy transition couples mainly to a single 380 cm–1 vibrational mode. The two-dimensional electronic spectra reveal diagonal and cross peaks which oscillate as a function of population time. We analyze both the amplitude and phase distribution of this main vibronic transition as a function of excitation and detection frequencies. Even though Feynman diagrams provide a good indication of where the amplitude of the oscillating components are located in the excitation-detection plane, other factors also affect this distribution. Specifically, the oscillation corresponding to each Feynman diagram is expected to have a phase that is a function of excitation and detection frequencies. Therefore, the overall phase of the experimentally observed oscillation will reflect this phase dependence. Another consequence is that the overall oscillation amplitude can show interference patterns resulting from overlapping contributions from neighboring Feynman diagrams. These observations are consistently reproduced through simulations based on third order perturbation theory coupled to a spectral density described by a Brownian oscillator model