Scattering polarization of hydrogen lines in the presence of turbulent electric fields

We study the broadband polarization of hydrogen lines produced by scattering of radiation, in the presence of isotropic electric fields. In this paper, we focus on two distinct problems: a) the possibility of detecting the presence of turbulent electric fields by polarimetric methods, and b) the influence of such fields on the polarization due to a macroscopic, deterministic magnetic field. We found that isotropic electric fields decrease the degree of linear polarization in the scattered radiation, with respect to the zero-field case. On the other hand, a distribution of isotropic electric fields superimposed onto a deterministic magnetic field can generate a significant increase of the degree of magnetic-induced, net circular polarization. This phenomenon has important implications for the diagnostics of magnetic fields in plasmas using hydrogen lines, because of the ubiquitous presence of the Holtsmark, microscopic electric field from neighbouring ions. In particular, previous solar magnetographic studies of the Balmer lines of hydrogen may need to be revised because they neglected the effect of turbulent electric fields on the polarization signals. In this work, we give explicit results for the Lyman-alpha and Balmer-alpha lines.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figure

Post-Coronal Mass Ejection Plasma Observed by Hinode

In the present work we study the evolution of an active region after the eruption of a coronal mass ejection (CME) using observations from the EIS and XRT instruments on board Hinode . The field of view includes a post-eruption arcade, a current sheet, and a coronal dimming. The goal of this paper is to provide a comprehensive set of measurements for all these aspects of the CME phenomenon made on the same CME event. The main physical properties of the plasma along the line of sight—electron density, thermal structure, plasma composition, size, and, when possible, mass—are measured and monitored with time for the first three hours following the CME event of 2008 April 9. We find that the loop arcade observed by EIS and XRT may not be related to the post-eruption arcade. Post-CME plasma is hotter than the surrounding corona, but its temperature never exceeds 3 MK. Both the electron density and thermal structure do not show significant evolution with time, while we found that the size of the loop arcade in the Hinode plane of the sky decreased with time. The plasma composition is the same in the current sheet, in the loop arcade, and in the ambient plasma, so all these plasmas are likely of coronal origin. No significant plasma flows were detected.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/98557/1/0004-637X_751_1_21.pd

Spectral Geometry of Heterotic Compactifications

The structure of heterotic string target space compactifications is studied using the formalism of the noncommutative geometry associated with lattice vertex operator algebras. The spectral triples of the noncommutative spacetimes are constructed and used to show that the intrinsic gauge field degrees of freedom disappear in the low-energy sectors of these spacetimes. The quantum geometry is thereby determined in much the same way as for ordinary superstring target spaces. In this setting, non-abelian gauge theories on the classical spacetimes arise from the K-theory of the effective target spaces.Comment: 14 pages LaTe

Water Use Efficiency in Chilean and Argentine Humid Temperate Grass-Legume Pastures

At two sites in Argentina and Chile five levels of water input were applied to four sown pastures of varying ages during spring and summer. The pastures consisted principally of C3 grasses and legumes, some of which were sown such as Lolium perenne, Trifolium repens, Dactylis glomerata. Dry matter (DM) production was measured and related to the estimated total evapotranspiration (ET): responses were both highly linear. Both responses to ET and absolute yields were higher at the Argentinian than at the Chilean site: respectively 10.7 and 15.2 kg DM/mm water evapotranspired. Nevertheless the calculated indices of sensitivity (Ky) of Doorenbos and Kassam (1979) were similar for the two sites, indicating a similar priority for irrigation in terms of expected responses

EUV emission lines and diagnostics observed with Hinode/EIS

Quiet Sun and active region spectra from the Hinode/EIS instrument are presented, and the strongest lines from different temperature regions discussed. A list of emission lines recommended to be included in EIS observation studies is presented based on analysis of blending and diagnostic potential using the CHIANTI atomic database. In addition we identify the most useful density diagnostics from the ions covered by EIS.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures, submitted to PASJ Hinode first results issu

The Fuzzy Ginsparg-Wilson Algebra: A Solution of the Fermion Doubling Problem

The Ginsparg-Wilson algebra is the algebra underlying the Ginsparg-Wilson solution of the fermion doubling problem in lattice gauge theory. The Dirac operator of the fuzzy sphere is not afflicted with this problem. Previously we have indicated that there is a Ginsparg-Wilson operator underlying it as well in the absence of gauge fields and instantons. Here we develop this observation systematically and establish a Dirac operator theory for the fuzzy sphere with or without gauge fields, and always with the Ginsparg-Wilson algebra. There is no fermion doubling in this theory. The association of the Ginsparg-Wilson algebra with the fuzzy sphere is surprising as the latter is not designed with this algebra in mind. The theory reproduces the integrated U(1)_A anomaly and index theory correctly.Comment: references added, typos corrected, section 4.2 simplified. Report.no: SU-4252-769, DFUP-02-1

A survey of spectral models of gravity coupled to matter

This is a survey of the historical development of the Spectral Standard Model and beyond, starting with the ground breaking paper of Alain Connes in 1988 where he observed that there is a link between Higgs fields and finite noncommutative spaces. We present the important contributions that helped in the search and identification of the noncommutative space that characterizes the fine structure of space-time. The nature and properties of the noncommutative space are arrived at by independent routes and show the uniqueness of the Spectral Standard Model at low energies and the Pati-Salam unification model at high energies.Comment: An appendix is added to include scalar potential analysis for a Pati-Salam model. 58 Page

Entropic force, noncommutative gravity and ungravity

After recalling the basic concepts of gravity as an emergent phenomenon, we analyze the recent derivation of Newton's law in terms of entropic force proposed by Verlinde. By reviewing some points of the procedure, we extend it to the case of a generic quantum gravity entropic correction to get compelling deviations to the Newton's law. More specifically, we study: (1) noncommutative geometry deviations and (2) ungraviton corrections. As a special result in the noncommutative case, we find that the noncommutative character of the manifold would be equivalent to the temperature of a thermodynamic system. Therefore, in analogy to the zero temperature configuration, the description of spacetime in terms of a differential manifold could be obtained only asymptotically. Finally, we extend the Verlinde's derivation to a general case, which includes all possible effects, noncommutativity, ungravity, asymptotically safe gravity, electrostatic energy, and extra dimensions, showing that the procedure is solid versus such modifications.Comment: 8 pages, final version published on Physical Review

General Relativity in terms of Dirac Eigenvalues

The eigenvalues of the Dirac operator on a curved spacetime are diffeomorphism-invariant functions of the geometry. They form an infinite set of ``observables'' for general relativity. Recent work of Chamseddine and Connes suggests that they can be taken as variables for an invariant description of the gravitational field's dynamics. We compute the Poisson brackets of these eigenvalues and find them in terms of the energy-momentum of the eigenspinors and the propagator of the linearized Einstein equations. We show that the eigenspinors' energy-momentum is the Jacobian matrix of the change of coordinates from metric to eigenvalues. We also consider a minor modification of the spectral action, which eliminates the disturbing huge cosmological term and derive its equations of motion. These are satisfied if the energy momentum of the trans Planckian eigenspinors scale linearly with the eigenvalue; we argue that this requirement approximates the Einstein equations.Comment: 6 pages, RevTe