207 research outputs found
Torsion-induced spin precession
We investigate the motion of a spinning test particle in a spatially-flat
FRW-type space-time in the framework of the Einstein-Cartan theory. The
space-time has a torsion arising from a spinning fluid filling the space-time.
We show that for spinning particles with nonzero transverse spin components,
the torsion induces a precession of particle spin around the direction of the
fluid spin. We also show that a charged spinning particle moving in a
torsion-less spatially-flat FRW space-time in the presence of a uniform
magnetic field undergoes a precession of a different character.Comment: latex, 4 eps figure
Darboux coordinates for the Hamiltonian of first order Einstein-Cartan gravity
Based on preliminary analysis of the Hamiltonian formulation of the first
order Einstein-Cartan action (arXiv:0902.0856 [gr-qc] and arXiv:0907.1553
[gr-qc]) we derive the Darboux coordinates, which are a unique and uniform
change of variables preserving equivalence with the original action in all
spacetime dimensions higher than two. Considerable simplification of the
Hamiltonian formulation using the Darboux coordinates, compared with direct
analysis, is explicitly demonstrated. Even an incomplete Hamiltonian analysis
in combination with known symmetries of the Einstein-Cartan action and the
equivalence of Hamiltonian and Lagrangian formulations allows us to
unambiguously conclude that the \textit{unique} \textit{gauge} invariances
generated by the first class constraints of the Einstein-Cartan action and the
corresponding Hamiltonian are \textit{translation and rotation in the tangent
space}. Diffeomorphism invariance, though a manifest invariance of the action,
is not generated by the first class constraints of the theory.Comment: 44 pages, references are added, organization of material is slightly
modified (additional section is introduced), more details of calculation of
the Dirac bracket between translational and rotational constraints are
provide
Translational invariance of the Einstein-Cartan action in any dimension
We demonstrate that from the first order formulation of the Einstein-Cartan
action it is possible to derive the basic differential identity that leads to
translational invariance of the action in the tangent space. The
transformations of fields is written explicitly for both the first and second
order formulations and the group properties of transformations are studied.
This, combined with the preliminary results from the Hamiltonian formulation
(arXiv:0907.1553 [gr-qc]), allows us to conclude that without any modification,
the Einstein-Cartan action in any dimension higher than two possesses not only
rotational invariance but also a form of \textit{translational invariance in
the tangent space}. We argue that \textit{not} only a complete Hamiltonian
analysis can unambiguously give an answer to the question of what a gauge
symmetry is, but also the pure Lagrangian methods allow us to find the same
gauge symmetry from the \textit{basic} differential identities.Comment: 25 pages, new Section on group properties of transformations is
added, references are added. This version will appear in General Relativity
and Gravitatio
Hopf algebras and Markov chains: Two examples and a theory
The operation of squaring (coproduct followed by product) in a combinatorial
Hopf algebra is shown to induce a Markov chain in natural bases. Chains
constructed in this way include widely studied methods of card shuffling, a
natural "rock-breaking" process, and Markov chains on simplicial complexes.
Many of these chains can be explictly diagonalized using the primitive elements
of the algebra and the combinatorics of the free Lie algebra. For card
shuffling, this gives an explicit description of the eigenvectors. For
rock-breaking, an explicit description of the quasi-stationary distribution and
sharp rates to absorption follow.Comment: 51 pages, 17 figures. (Typographical errors corrected. Further fixes
will only appear on the version on Amy Pang's website, the arXiv version will
not be updated.
Molecular assessment of complex microbial communities degrading long chain fatty acids in methanogenic bioreactors
Microbial diversity of anaerobic sludge after extended contact with long chain fatty
acids (LCFA) was studied using molecular approaches. Samples containing high
amounts of accumulated LCFA were obtained after continuous loading of two
bioreactors with oleate or with palmitate. These sludge samples were then
incubated in batch assays to allow degradation of the biomass-associated LCFA.
In addition, sludge used as inoculum for the reactors was also characterized.
Predominant phylotypes of the different samples were monitored using denaturing
gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of PCR-amplified 16S rRNA gene fragments.
Fingerprinting analysis showed changes in bacterial and archaeal communities
during LCFA accumulation and degradation. Full-length 16S rRNA gene sequences
of 22 clones, representing the predominant bacteria and archaea, were determined.
Most bacterial clones (80%) clustered within the Clostridiaceae. Two major groups
of methanogens were identified: hydrogen- and formate-utilizing organisms,
closely related to Methanobacterium, and acetoclastic organisms closely related to
Methanosaeta and Methanosarcina. Quantification by FISH and real-time PCR
showed that the relative abundance of archaea increased during degradation of
biomass-accumulated LCFA. These results provide insight into the importance and
dynamics of balanced communities of bacteria and methanogens in LCFAaccumulation/
degradation cycles.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT); Fundo Social Europeu (FSE)
Measurement of the B0-anti-B0-Oscillation Frequency with Inclusive Dilepton Events
The - oscillation frequency has been measured with a sample of
23 million \B\bar B pairs collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II
asymmetric B Factory at SLAC. In this sample, we select events in which both B
mesons decay semileptonically and use the charge of the leptons to identify the
flavor of each B meson. A simultaneous fit to the decay time difference
distributions for opposite- and same-sign dilepton events gives ps.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figure, submitted to Physical Review Letter
Measurement of the CP-Violating Asymmetry Amplitude sin2
We present results on time-dependent CP-violating asymmetries in neutral B decays to several CP eigenstates. The measurements use a data sample of about 88 million Y(4S) --> B Bbar decays collected between 1999 and 2002 with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy B Factory at SLAC. We study events in which one neutral B meson is fully reconstructed in a final state containing a charmonium meson and the other B meson is determined to be either a B0 or B0bar from its decay products. The amplitude of the CP-violating asymmetry, which in the Standard Model is proportional to sin2beta, is derived from the decay-time distributions in such events. We measure sin2beta = 0.741 +/- 0.067 (stat) +/- 0.033 (syst) and |lambda| = 0.948 +/- 0.051 (stat) +/- 0.017 (syst). The magnitude of lambda is consistent with unity, in agreement with the Standard Model expectation of no direct CP violation in these modes
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