1,114 research outputs found
Noise-induced macroscopic bifurcations in globally-coupled chaotic units
Large populations of globally-coupled identical maps subjected to independent
additive noise are shown to undergo qualitative changes as the features of the
stochastic process are varied. We show that for strong coupling, the collective
dynamics can be described in terms of a few effective macroscopic degrees of
freedom, whose deterministic equations of motion are systematically derived
through an order parameter expansion.Comment: Phys. Rev. Lett., accepte
Topological Quintessence
A global monopole (or other topological defect) formed during a recent phase
transition with core size comparable to the present Hubble scale, could induce
the observed accelerating expansion of the universe. In such a model,
topological considerations trap the scalar field close to a local maximum of
its potential in a cosmologically large region of space. We perform detailed
numerical simulations of such an inhomogeneous dark energy system (topological
quintessence) minimally coupled to gravity, in a flat background of initially
homogeneous matter. We find that when the energy density of the field in the
monopole core starts dominating the background density, the spacetime in the
core starts to accelerate its expansion in accordance to a \Lambda CDM model
with an effective inhomogeneous spherical dark energy density parameter
\Omega_\Lambda(r). The matter density profile is found to respond to the global
monopole profile via an anti-correlation (matter underdensity in the monopole
core). Away from the monopole core, the spacetime is effectively
Einstein-deSitter (\Omega_\Lambda(r_{out}) -> 0) while at the center
\Omega_\Lambda(r ~ 0) is maximum. We fit the numerically obtained expansion
rate at the monopole core to the Union2 data and show that the quality of fit
is almost identical to that of \Lambda CDM. Finally, we discuss potential
observational signatures of this class of inhomogeneous dark energy models.Comment: Accepted in Phys. Rev. D (to appear). Added observational bounds on
parameters. 10 pages (two column revtex), 6 figures. The Mathematica files
used to produce the figures of this study may be downloaded from
http://leandros.physics.uoi.gr/topquin
Matching LTB and FRW spacetimes through a null hypersurface
Matching of a LTB metric representing dust matter to a background FRW
universe across a null hypersurface is studied. In general, an unrestricted
matching is possible only if the background FRW is flat or open. There is in
general no gravitational impulsive wave present on the null hypersurface which
is shear-free and expanding. Special cases of the vanishing pressure or energy
density on the hypersurface is discussed. In the case of vanishing energy
momentum tensor of the null hypersurface, i.e. in the case of a null boundary,
it turns out that all possible definitions of the Hubble parameter on the null
hypersurface, being those of LTB or that of FRW, are equivalent, and that a
flat FRW can only be joined smoothly to a flat LTB.Comment: 9 page
Documented growth of a halo choroidal nevus = Croissance documentée d’un nævus choroïdien avec halo
On-chip III-V monolithic integration of heralded single photon sources and beamsplitters
We demonstrate a monolithic III-V photonic circuit combining a heralded
single photon source with a beamsplitter, at room temperature and telecom
wavelength. Pulsed parametric down-conversion in an AlGaAs waveguide generates
counterpropagating photons, one of which is used to herald the injection of its
twin into the beamsplitter. We use this configuration to implement an
integrated Hanbury-Brown and Twiss experiment, yielding a heralded second-order
correlation that confirms single-photon
operation. The demonstrated generation and manipulation of quantum states on a
single III-V semiconductor chip opens promising avenues towards real-world
applications in quantum information
Spin precession and inverted Hanle effect in a semiconductor near a finite-roughness ferromagnetic interface
Although the creation of spin polarization in various non-magnetic media via
electrical spin injection from a ferromagnetic tunnel contact has been
demonstrated, much of the basic behavior is heavily debated. It is reported
here for semiconductor/Al2O3/ferromagnet tunnel structures based on Si or GaAs
that local magnetostatic fields arising from interface roughness dramatically
alter and even dominate the accumulation and dynamics of spins in the
semiconductor. Spin precession in the inhomogeneous magnetic fields is shown to
reduce the spin accumulation up to tenfold, and causes it to be inhomogeneous
and non-collinear with the injector magnetization. The inverted Hanle effect
serves as experimental signature. This interaction needs to be taken into
account in the analysis of experimental data, particularly in extracting the
spin lifetime and its variation with different parameters (temperature, doping
concentration). It produces a broadening of the standard Hanle curve and
thereby an apparent reduction of the spin lifetime. For heavily doped n-type Si
at room temperature it is shown that the spin lifetime is larger than
previously determined, and a new lower bound of 0.29 ns is obtained. The
results are expected to be general and occur for spins near a magnetic
interface not only in semiconductors but also in metals, organic and
carbon-based materials including graphene, and in various spintronic device
structures.Comment: Final version, with text restructured and appendices added (25 pages,
9 figures). To appear in Phys. Rev.
Double Distribution of Dark Matter Halos with respect to Mass and Local Overdensity
We present a double distribution function of dark matter halos, with respect
to both object mass and local over- (or under-) density. This analytical tool
provides a statistical treatment of the properties of matter surrounding
collapsed objects, and can be used to study environmental effects on
hierarchical structure formation. The size of the "local environment" of a
collapsed object is defined to depend on the mass of the object. The
Press-Schechter mass function is recovered by integration of our double
distribution over the density contrast. We also present a detailed treatment of
the evolution of overdensities and underdensities in Einstein-deSitter and flat
LCDM universes, according to the spherical evolution model. We explicitly
distinguish between true and linearly extrapolated overdensities and provide
conversion relations between the two quantities.Comment: 25 pages, 10 figures, comments welcom
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