76,444 research outputs found
Can Universe Experience Many Cycles with Different Vacua ?
Recently, the notion that the number of vacua is enormous has received
increased attentions, which may be regarded as a possible anthropical
explanation to incredible small cosmological constant. Further, a dynamical
mechanisms to implement this possibility is required. We show in an operable
model of cyclic universe that the universe can experience many cycles with
different vacua, which is a generic behavior independent of the details of the
model. This might provide a distinct dynamical approach to an anthropically
favorable vacuum.Comment: RevTex, 10 pages, 4 eps figures, accepted by PRD(R), new title and
changes in the text to match publicatio
The optical/UV excess of isolated neutron stars in the RCS model
The X-ray dim isolated neutron stars (XDINSs) are peculiar pulsar-like
objects, characterized by their very well Planck-like spectrum. In studying
their spectral energy distributions, the optical/UV excess is a long standing
problem. Recently, Kaplan et al. (2011) have measured the optical/UV excess for
all seven sources, which is understandable in the resonant cyclotron scattering
(RCS) model previously addressed. The RCS model calculations show that the RCS
process can account for the observed optical/UV excess for most sources . The
flat spectrum of RX J2143.0+0654 may due to contribution from bremsstrahlung
emission of the electron system in addition to the RCS process.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in Research in
Astronomy and Astrophysic
AXPs and SGRs in the outer gap model: confronting Fermi observations
Anomalous X-ray pulsars (AXPs) and soft gamma-ray repeaters (SGRs) are
magnetar candidates, i.e., neutron stars powered by strong magnetic field. If
they are indeed magnetars, they will emit high-energy gamma-rays which are
detectable by Fermi-LAT according to the outer gap model. However, no
significant detection is reported in recent Fermi-LAT observations of all known
AXPs and SGRs. Considering the discrepancy between theory and observations, we
calculate the theoretical spectra for all AXPs and SGRs with sufficient
observational parameters. Our results show that most AXPs and SGRs are
high-energy gamma-ray emitters if they are really magnetars. The four AXPs 1E
1547.0-5408, XTE J1810-197, 1E 1048.1-5937, and 4U 0142+61 should have been
detected by Fermi-LAT. Then there is conflict between out gap model in the case
of magnetars and Fermi observations. Possible explanations in the magnetar
model are discussed. On the other hand, if AXPs and SGRs are fallback disk
systems, i.e., accretion-powered for the persistent emissions, most of them are
not high-energy gamma-ray emitters. Future deep Fermi-LAT observations of AXPs
and SGRs will help us make clear whether they are magnetars or fallback disk
systems.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in The
Astrophysical Journa
Geometric Phase, Hannay's Angle, and an Exact Action Variable
Canonical structure of a generalized time-periodic harmonic oscillator is
studied by finding the exact action variable (invariant). Hannay's angle is
defined if closed curves of constant action variables return to the same curves
in phase space after a time evolution. The condition for the existence of
Hannay's angle turns out to be identical to that for the existence of a
complete set of (quasi)periodic wave functions. Hannay's angle is calculated,
and it is shown that Berry's relation of semiclassical origin on geometric
phase and Hannay's angle is exact for the cases considered.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett. (revised version
Five-dimensional metric gravity and the accelerated universe
The metric theories of gravity are generalized to five-dimensional
spacetimes. By assuming a hypersurface-orthogonal Killing vector field
representing the compact fifth dimension, the five-dimensional theories are
reduced to their four-dimensional formalism. Then we study the cosmology of a
special class of models in a spatially flat FRW spacetime. It
is shown that the parameter can be constrained to a certain range by the
current observed deceleration parameter, and its lower bound corresponds to the
Kaluza-Klein theory. It turns out that both expansion and contraction of the
extra dimension may prescribe the smooth transition from the deceleration era
to the acceleration era in the recent past as well as an accelerated scenario
for the present universe. Hence five-dimensional gravity can naturally
account for the present accelerated expansion of the universe. Moreover, the
models predict a transition from acceleration to deceleration in the future,
followed by a cosmic recollapse within finite time. This differs from the
prediction of the five-dimensional Brans-Dicke theory but is in consistent with
a recent prediction based on loop quantum cosmology.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figures; Version published in PR
Coupling/decoupling between translational and rotational dynamics in a supercooled molecular liquid
We use molecular dynamics computer simulations to investigate the
coupling/decoupling between translational and rotational dynamics in a
glass-forming liquid of dumbbells. This is done via a careful analysis of the
-relaxation time of the incoherent
center-of-mass density correlator at the structure factor peak, the
-relaxation time of the reorientational correlator, and the
translational () and rotational () diffusion constants. We find
that the coupling between the relaxation times and
increases with decreasing temperature , whereas the coupling
decreases between the diffusivities and . In addition, the
-dependence of decouples from that of , which is
consistent with previous experiments and has been interpreted as a signature of
the "translation-rotation decoupling." We trace back these apparently
contradicting observations to the dynamical heterogeneities in the system. We
show that the decreasing coupling in the diffusivities and is
only apparent due to the inadequacy of the concept of the rotational diffusion
constant for describing the reorientational dynamics in the supercooled state.
We also argue that the coupling between and
and the decoupling between and , both of which strengthen
upon cooling, can be consistently understood in terms of the growing dynamic
length scale.Comment: revised manuscript, to appear in Phys. Rev. Let
Writing Electronic Devices on Paper with Carbon Nanotube Ink
The normal paper used in any printer is among the cheapest flexible organic
materials that exist. We demonstrate that we can print on paper high-frequency
circuits tunable with an applied dc voltage. This is possible with the help of
an ink containing functionalized carbon nanotubes and water. After the water is
evaporated from the paper, the nanotubes remain steadily imprinted on paper,
showing a semiconducting behaviour and tunable electrical properties
Quark Orbital Angular Momentum in the Baryon
Analytical and numerical results, for the orbital and spin content carried by
different quark flavors in the baryons, are given in the chiral quark model
with symmetry breaking. The reduction of the quark spin, due to the spin
dilution in the chiral splitting processes, is transferred into the orbital
motion of quarks and antiquarks. The orbital angular momentum for each quark
flavor in the proton as a function of the partition factor and the
chiral splitting probability is shown. The cancellation between the spin
and orbital contributions in the spin sum rule and in the baryon magnetic
moments is discussed.Comment: 26 pages, 3 figures, revised version with minor eq. no and ref. no.
corrections. Discussion on the spin and a new ref. are adde
Dietary Nutrient Intake and Obesity Prevalence Among Native American Adolescents
The prevalence of obesity among adolescent minority populations has been long recognized, but little research has been done on Native Americans adolescents. Using anthropometric measurements and dietary assessments, the findings within each study have shown to obtain baseline measures to determine the prevalence of obesity within the Sherman Indian High School's Native American adolescent population. Data of each assessment appear to be of use for predicting obesity and creating effective future interventions. Compiling data using the Harvard School of Public Health Youth/Adolescent Questionnaire (HSPH YAQ), a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire allowed significant data to be found between normal and obese weight students. Utilizing each finding allows more effective ways of targeting and reversing the inclining rate of obesity among Native American adolescents. Results show that antioxidants being examined on such as vitamin E and lycopene are beneficial in lowering the obesity rate among Native American adolescents. Levels of fiber, thiamin and folate consumption was significantly lower among the obese population in Sherman Indian High School's Native American adolescents. Moreover, dietary mineral intake was shown to be lower among obese Native American adolescents comparing with the normal weight group. The results suggested that dietary consumption of these nutrients might correlate and predict obesity and lead to the development of effective interventions for Native Americans. This study also found the effects of total fiber and vitamin B in diets with lifestyle intervention in prediabetic adults, showing that total fiber intake among the normal weight students is significantly higher than obese students, indicating that fiber and vitamin profile could be important determinants of the effect of dietary intervention
Self-management of context-aware overlay ambient networks
Ambient Networks (ANs) are dynamically changing and heterogeneous as they consist of potentially large numbers of independent, heterogeneous mobile nodes, with spontaneous topologies that can logically interact with each other to share a common control space, known as the Ambient Control Space. ANs are also flexible i.e. they can compose and decompose dynamically and automatically, for supporting the deployment of cross-domain (new) services. Thus, the AN architecture must be sophisticatedly designed to support such high level of dynamicity, heterogeneity and flexibility. We advocate the use of service specific overlay networks in ANs, that are created on-demand according to specific service requirements, to deliver, and to automatically adapt services to the dynamically changing user and network context. This paper presents a self-management approach to create, configure, adapt, contextualise, and finally teardown service specific overlay networks
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