735 research outputs found
How to observe a non-Kerr spacetime
We present a generic criterion which can be used in gravitational-wave data
analysis to distinguish an extreme-mass-ratio inspiral into a Kerr background
spacetime from one into a non-Kerr background spacetime. The criterion exploits
the fact that when an integrable system, such as the system that describes
geodesic orbits in a Kerr spacetime, is perturbed, the tori in phase space
which initially corresponded to resonances disintegrate so as to form the so
called Birkhoff chains on a surface of section, according to the
Poincar\'{e}-Birkhoff theorem. The KAM curves of these islands in such a chain
share the same ratio of frequencies, even though the frequencies themselves
vary from one KAM curve to another inside an island. On the other hand, the KAM
curves, which do not lie in a Birkhoff chain, do not share this characteristic
property. Such a temporal constancy of the ratio of frequencies during the
evolution of the gravitational-wave signal will signal a non-Kerr spacetime
which could then be further explored.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure
The non-integrability of the Zipoy-Voorhees metric
The low frequency gravitational wave detectors like eLISA/NGO will give us
the opportunity to test whether the supermassive compact objects lying at the
centers of galaxies are indeed Kerr black holes. A way to do such a test is to
compare the gravitational wave signals with templates of perturbed black hole
spacetimes, the so-called bumpy black hole spacetimes. The Zipoy-Voorhees (ZV)
spacetime (known also as the spacetime) can be included in the bumpy
black hole family, because it can be considered as a perturbation of the
Schwarzschild spacetime background. Several authors have suggested that the ZV
metric corresponds to an integrable system. Contrary to this integrability
conjecture, in the present article it is shown by numerical examples that in
general ZV belongs to the family of non-integrable systems.Comment: 10 pages, 13 figure
Dynamics and constraints of the Unified Dark Matter flat cosmologies
We study the dynamics of the scalar field FLRW flat cosmological models
within the framework of the Unified Dark Matter (UDM) scenario. In this model
we find that the main cosmological functions such as the scale factor of the
Universe, the scalar field, the Hubble flow and the equation of state parameter
are defined in terms of hyperbolic functions. These analytical solutions can
accommodate an accelerated expansion, equivalent to either the dark energy or
the standard models. Performing a joint likelihood analysis of the
recent supernovae type Ia data and the Baryonic Acoustic Oscillations traced by
the SDSS galaxies, we place tight constraints on the main cosmological
parameters of the UDM cosmological scenario. Finally, we compare the UDM
scenario with various dark energy models namely cosmology, parametric
dark energy model and variable Chaplygin gas. We find that the UDM scalar field
model provides a large and small scale dynamics which are in fair agreement
with the predictions by the above dark energy models although there are some
differences especially at high redshifts.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures, published in Physical Review D, 78, 083509,
(2008
Scaling near the upper critical dimensionality in the localization theory
The phenomenon of upper critical dimensionality d_c2 has been studied from
the viewpoint of the scaling concepts. The Thouless number g(L) is not the only
essential variable in scale transformations, because there is the second
parameter connected with the off-diagonal disorder. The investigation of the
resulting two-parameter scaling has revealed two scenarios, and the switching
from one to another scenario determines the upper critical dimensionality. The
first scenario corresponds to the conventional one-parameter scaling and is
characterized by the parameter g(L) invariant under scale transformations when
the system is at the critical point. In the second scenario, the Thouless
number g(L) grows at the critical point as L^{d-d_c2}. This leads to violation
of the Wegner relation s=\nu(d-2) between the critical exponents for
conductivity (s) and for localization radius (\nu), which takes the form
s=\nu(d_c2-2). The resulting formulas for g(L) are in agreement with the
symmetry theory suggested previously [JETP 81, 925 (1995)]. A more rigorous
version of Mott's argument concerning localization due topological disorder has
been proposed.Comment: PDF, 7 pages, 6 figure
Elementary Forms of the Metaphorical Life : Tropes at Work in Durkheim’s Theory of the Religious
Peer reviewedPostprin
Knowledge politics and new converging technologies: a social epistemological perspective
The “new converging technologies” refers to the prospect of advancing the human condition by the integrated study and application of nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology and the cognitive sciences - or “NBIC”. In recent years, it has loomed large, albeit with somewhat different emphases, in national science policy agendas throughout the world. This article considers the political and intellectual sources - both historical and contemporary - of the converging technologies agenda. Underlying it is a fluid conception of humanity that is captured by the ethically challenging notion of “enhancing evolution”
The Paradox of Power in CSR: A Case Study on Implementation
Purpose Although current literature assumes positive outcomes for stakeholders resulting from an increase in power associated with CSR, this research suggests that this increase can lead to conflict within organizations, resulting in almost complete inactivity on CSR.
Methods A single in-depth case study, focusing on power as an embedded concept.
Results Empirical evidence is used to demonstrate how some actors use CSR to improve their own positions within an organization. Resource dependence theory is used to highlight why this may be a more significant concern for CSR.
Conclusions Increasing power for CSR has the potential to offer actors associated with it increased personal power, and thus can attract opportunistic actors with little interest in realizing the benefits of CSR for the company and its stakeholders. Thus power can be an impediment to furthering CSR strategy and activities at the individual and organizational level
Simulation of dimensionality effects in thermal transport
The discovery of nanostructures and the development of growth and fabrication
techniques of one- and two-dimensional materials provide the possibility to
probe experimentally heat transport in low-dimensional systems. Nevertheless
measuring the thermal conductivity of these systems is extremely challenging
and subject to large uncertainties, thus hindering the chance for a direct
comparison between experiments and statistical physics models. Atomistic
simulations of realistic nanostructures provide the ideal bridge between
abstract models and experiments. After briefly introducing the state of the art
of heat transport measurement in nanostructures, and numerical techniques to
simulate realistic systems at atomistic level, we review the contribution of
lattice dynamics and molecular dynamics simulation to understanding nanoscale
thermal transport in systems with reduced dimensionality. We focus on the
effect of dimensionality in determining the phononic properties of carbon and
semiconducting nanostructures, specifically considering the cases of carbon
nanotubes, graphene and of silicon nanowires and ultra-thin membranes,
underlying analogies and differences with abstract lattice models.Comment: 30 pages, 21 figures. Review paper, to appear in the Springer Lecture
Notes in Physics volume "Thermal transport in low dimensions: from
statistical physics to nanoscale heat transfer" (S. Lepri ed.
Further investigation of the role of HLA-DPB1 in adult Hodgkin's disease (HD) suggests an influence on susceptibility to different HD subtypes
It has been suggested in a number of studies that susceptibility to adult Hodgkin's disease (HD) is influenced by the HLA class II region, and specifically by alleles at the HLA-DPB1 locus. Since HD is diagnostically complex, it is not clear whether different HLA-DPB1 alleles confer susceptibility to different HD subtypes. To clarify this we have extended a previous study to type DPB1 alleles in 147 adult HD patients from a single centre. We have analysed patients with nodular sclerosing (NS), mixed cellularity (MC) or lymphocyte predominant (LP) HD, and gender in relation to HLA-DPB1 type, in comparison with 183 adult controls. The results confirmed previously reported associations of DPB1*0301 with HD susceptibility (relative risk (RR) = 1.42; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.86-2.36) and DPB1*0201 with resistance to HD (RR = 0.49; CI 0.27-0.90). However, analysis by HD subtype and gender showed that *0301-associated susceptibility was confined to females with HD (RR = 2.46; CI 1.02-5.92), and *0201-associated resistance to females with NS-HD (RR = 0.28; CI 0.10-0.79). Susceptibility to NS-HD was also associated in females with *1001 (RR = 11.73; CI 1.32-104.36), and resistance with *1101 (RR = 0.08; CI 0.01-0.65). In contrast, susceptibility to LP-HD was associated in males with *2001 (RR = 32.14; CI 3.17-326.17), and to MC-HD with *3401 (RR = 16.78; CI 2.84-99.17). Comparison of DPB1-encoded polymorphic amino-acid frequencies in patients and controls showed that susceptibility to MC-HD was associated with Leucine at position 35 of DPB1 (RR = 8.85; CI 3.04-25.77), Alanine-55 (RR = 15.17; CI 2.00-115.20) and Valine-84 (RR = 15.94; CI 3.55-71.49). In contrast, Glutamic acid 69 was significantly associated with resistance to MC-HD (RR = 0.14; CI 0.03-0.60). Certain DPB1 alleles and individual DPbeta1 polymorphic amino acid residues may thus affect susceptibility and resistance to specific HD subtypes. This may be through their influence on the binding of peptides derived from an HD-associated infectious agent, and the consequent effect on immune responses to the agent
Competing values in public management
The main objective of the article is to review relevant literature on (competing) public values in public management and to present a number of perspectives on how to deal with value conflicts in different administrative settings and contexts. We start this symposium with the assumption that value conflicts are prevalent, the public context can be characterized by value pluralism, and instrumental rationality does not seem to be the most useful to understand or improve value conflicts in public governance. This begs the question: what is the best way to study and manage value conflicts? The contributions to this symposium issue approach value conflicts in public governance from different perspectives, within different countries and different administrative and management systems, hoping to contribute to the debate on how to deal with important yet conflicting public values in public management, without pretending to offer a conclusive strategy or approach. This introductory article also presents and reviews the contributions to this symposium issue. © 2011 Taylor & Francis
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