2,523 research outputs found
Effect of Primordial Black Holes on the Cosmic Microwave Background and Cosmological Parameter Estimates
We investigate the effect of non-evaporating primordial black holes (PBHs) on
the ionization and thermal history of the universe. X-rays emitted by gas
accretion onto PBHs modify the cosmic recombination history, producing
measurable effects on the spectrum and anisotropies of the Cosmic Microwave
Background (CMB). Using the third-year WMAP data and FIRAS data we improve
existing upper limits on the abundance of PBHs with masses >0.1 Msun by several
orders of magnitude. Fitting WMAP3 data with cosmological models that do not
allow for non-standard recombination histories, as produced by PBHs or other
early energy sources, may lead to an underestimate of the best-fit values of
the amplitude of linear density fluctuations (sigma_8) and the scalar spectral
index (n_s). Cosmological parameter estimates are affected because models with
PBHs allow for larger values of the Thomson scattering optical depth, whose
correlation with other parameters may not be correctly taken into account when
PBHs are ignored. Values of tau_e=0.2, n_s=1 and sigma_8=0.9 are allowed at 95%
CF. This result that may relieve recent tension between WMAP3 data and clusters
data on the value of sigma_8. PBHs may increase the primordial molecular
hydrogen abundance by up to two orders of magnitude, this promoting cooling and
star formation. The suppression of galaxy formation due to X-ray heating is
negligible for models consistent with the CMB data. Thus, the formation rate of
the first galaxies and stars would be enhanced by a population of PBHs.Comment: 17 pages (Apj style), 9 figures, submitted to Ap
Towards Closing the Window on Strongly Interacting Dark Matter: Far-Reaching Constraints from Earth's Heat Flow
We point out a new and largely model-independent constraint on the dark
matter scattering cross section with nucleons, applying when this quantity is
larger than for typical weakly interacting dark matter candidates. When the
dark matter capture rate in Earth is efficient, the rate of energy deposition
by dark matter self-annihilation products would grossly exceed the measured
heat flow of Earth. This improves the spin-independent cross section
constraints by many orders of magnitude, and closes the window between
astrophysical constraints (at very large cross sections) and underground
detector constraints (at small cross sections). In the applicable mass range,
from about 1 to about 10^{10} GeV, the scattering cross section of dark matter
with nucleons is then bounded from above by the latter constraints, and hence
must be truly weak, as usually assumed.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures; minor updates to match published versio
Vulnerability analysis of satellite-based synchronized smart grids monitoring systems
The large-scale deployment of wide-area monitoring systems could play a strategic role in supporting the evolution of traditional power systems toward smarter and self-healing grids. The correct operation of these synchronized monitoring systems requires a common and accurate timing reference usually provided by a satellite-based global positioning system. Although these satellites signals provide timing accuracy that easily exceeds the needs of the power industry, they are extremely vulnerable to radio frequency interference. Consequently, a comprehensive analysis aimed at identifying their potential vulnerabilities is of paramount importance for correct and safe wide-area monitoring system operation. Armed with such a vision, this article presents and discusses the results of an experimental analysis aimed at characterizing the vulnerability of global positioning system based wide-area monitoring systems to external interferences. The article outlines the potential strategies that could be adopted to protect global positioning system receivers from external cyber-attacks and proposes decentralized defense strategies based on self-organizing sensor networks aimed at assuring correct time synchronization in the presence of external attacks
Coherent states for Hopf algebras
Families of Perelomov coherent states are defined axiomatically in the
context of unitary representations of Hopf algebras possessing a Haar integral.
A global geometric picture involving locally trivial noncommutative fibre
bundles is involved in the construction. A noncommutative resolution of
identity formula is proved in that setup. Examples come from quantum groups.Comment: 19 pages, uses kluwer.cls; the exposition much improved; an example
of deriving the resolution of identity via coherent states for SUq(2) added;
the result differs from the proposals in literatur
Spin/Orbital Pattern-Dependent Polaron Absorption in Nd(1-x)Sr(x)MnO3
We investigated optical properties of Nd(1-x)Sr(x)MnO3 (x= 0.40, 0.50, 0.55,
and 0.65) single crystals. In the spin/orbital disordered state, their
conductivity spectra look quite similar, and the strength of the mid-infrared
absorption peak is proportional to x(1-x) consistent with the polaron picture.
As temperature lowers, the Nd(1-x)Sr(x)MnO3 samples enter into various
spin/orbital ordered states, whose optical responses are quite different. These
optical responses can be explained by the spin/orbital ordering
pattern-dependent polaron hopping.Comment: 3 figures (gzipped
Thermal States in Conformal QFT. II
We continue the analysis of the set of locally normal KMS states w.r.t. the
translation group for a local conformal net A of von Neumann algebras on the
real line. In the first part we have proved the uniqueness of KMS state on
every completely rational net. In this second part, we exhibit several
(non-rational) conformal nets which admit continuously many primary KMS states.
We give a complete classification of the KMS states on the U(1)-current net and
on the Virasoro net Vir_1 with the central charge c=1, whilst for the Virasoro
net Vir_c with c>1 we exhibit a (possibly incomplete) list of continuously many
primary KMS states. To this end, we provide a variation of the
Araki-Haag-Kastler-Takesaki theorem within the locally normal system framework:
if there is an inclusion of split nets A in B and A is the fixed point of B
w.r.t. a compact gauge group, then any locally normal, primary KMS state on A
extends to a locally normal, primary state on B, KMS w.r.t. a perturbed
translation. Concerning the non-local case, we show that the free Fermi model
admits a unique KMS state.Comment: 36 pages, no figure. Dedicated to Rudolf Haag on the occasion of his
90th birthday. The final version is available under Open Access. This paper
contains corrections to the Araki-Haag-Kaster-Takesaki theorem (and to a
proof of the same theorem in the book by Bratteli-Robinson). v3: a reference
correcte
Manganites at Quarter Filling: Role of Jahn-Teller Interactions
We have analyzed different correlation functions in a realistic spin-orbital
model for half-doped manganites. Using a finite-temperature diagonalization
technique the CE phase was found in the charge-ordered phase in the case of
small antiferromagnetic interactions between electrons. It is shown
that a key ingredient responsible for stabilization of the CE-type spin and
orbital-ordered state is the cooperative Jahn-Teller (JT) interaction between
next-nearest Mn neighbors mediated by the breathing mode distortion of
Mn octahedra and displacements of Mn ions. The topological phase
factor in the Mn-Mn hopping leading to gap formation in one-dimensional models
for the CE phase as well as the nearest neighbor JT coupling are not able to
produce the zigzag chains typical for the CE phase in our model.Comment: 16 pages with 16 figures, contains a more detailed parameter estimate
based on the structural data by Radaelli et al. (accepted for publication in
Phys. Rev. B
Melting of Charge/Orbital Ordered States in NdSrMnO: Temperature and Magnetic Field Dependent Optical Studies
We investigated the temperature ( 15 290 K) and the magnetic
field ( 0 17 T) dependent optical conductivity spectra of a
charge/orbital ordered manganite, NdSrMnO. With variation
of and , large spectral weight changes were observed up to 4.0 eV. These
spectral weight changes could be explained using the polaron picture.
Interestingly, our results suggested that some local ordered state might remain
above the charge ordering temperature, and that the charge/orbital melted state
at a high magnetic field (i.e. at 17 T and 4.2 K) should be a three
dimensional ferromagnetic metal. We also investigated the first order phase
transition from the charge/orbital ordered state to ferromagnetic metallic
state using the - and % -dependent dielectric constants . In
the charge/orbital ordered insulating state, was positive and
. With increasing and , was
increased up to the insulator-metal phase boundaries. And then,
abruptly changed into negative and , which was
consistent with typical responses of a metal. Through the analysis of using an effective medium approximation, we found that the melting
of charge/orbital ordered states should occur through the percolation of
ferromagnetic metal domains.Comment: submitted to Phys. Rev.
Evidence of Vortices on the Insulating Side of the Superconductor-Insulator Transition
The magnetoresistance of ultrathin insulating films of Bi has been studied
with magnetic fields applied parallel and perpendicular to the plane of the
sample. Deep in the strongly localized regime, the magnetoresistance is
negative and independent of field orientation. As film thicknesses increase,
the magnetoresistance becomes positive, and a difference between values
measured in perpendicular and parallel fields appears, which is a linear
function of the magnetic field and is positive. This is not consistent with the
quantum interference picture. We suggest that it is due to vortices present on
the insulating side of the superconductor-insulator transition.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
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