5,270 research outputs found
An alternative theoretical approach to describe planetary systems through a Schrodinger-type diffusion equation
In the present work we show that planetary mean distances can be calculated
with the help of a Schrodinger-type diffusion equation. The obtained results
are shown to agree with the observed orbits of all the planets and of the
asteroid belt in the solar system, with only three empty states. Furthermore,
the equation solutions predict a fundamental orbit at 0.05 AU from solar-type
stars, a result confirmed by recent discoveries. In contrast to other similar
approaches previously presented in the literature, we take into account the
flatness of the solar system, by considering the flat solutions of the
Schrodinger-type equation. The model has just one input parameter, given by the
mean distance of Mercury.Comment: 6 pages. Version accepted for publication in Chaos, Solitons &
Fractal
Particle Creation by a Moving Boundary with Robin Boundary Condition
We consider a massless scalar field in 1+1 dimensions satisfying a Robin
boundary condition (BC) at a non-relativistic moving boundary. We derive a
Bogoliubov transformation between input and output bosonic field operators,
which allows us to calculate the spectral distribution of created particles.
The cases of Dirichlet and Neumann BC may be obtained from our result as
limiting cases. These two limits yield the same spectrum, which turns out to be
an upper bound for the spectra derived for Robin BC. We show that the particle
emission effect can be considerably reduced (with respect to the
Dirichlet/Neumann case) by selecting a particular value for the oscillation
frequency of the boundary position
Inertial forces in the Casimir effect with two moving plates
We combine linear response theory and dimensional regularization in order to
derive the dynamical Casimir force in the low frequency regime. We consider two
parallel plates moving along the normal direction in dimensional space. We
assume the free-space values for the mass of each plate to be known, and obtain
finite, separation-dependent mass corrections resulting from the combined
effect of the two plates. The global mass correction is proportional to the
static Casimir energy, in agreement with Einstein's law of equivalence between
mass and energy for stressed rigid bodies.Comment: 9 pages, 1 figure; title and abstract changed; to appear in Physical
Review
The Solar Twin Planet Search II. A Jupiter twin around a solar twin
Through our HARPS radial velocity survey for planets around solar twin stars,
we have identified a promising Jupiter twin candidate around the star HIP11915.
We characterize this Keplerian signal and investigate its potential origins in
stellar activity. Our analysis indicates that HIP11915 hosts a Jupiter-mass
planet with a 3800-day orbital period and low eccentricity. Although we cannot
definitively rule out an activity cycle interpretation, we find that a planet
interpretation is more likely based on a joint analysis of RV and activity
index data. The challenges of long-period radial velocity signals addressed in
this paper are critical for the ongoing discovery of Jupiter-like exoplanets.
If planetary in nature, the signal investigated here represents a very close
analog to the solar system in terms of both Sun-like host star and Jupiter-like
planet.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures; A&A accepted; typos corrected in this versio
Study od a Slice at +9 to +15 degrees of Declination: I. The Neutral Hydrogen Content of Galaxies in Loose Groups
We examine the H1 content of spiral galaxies in groups by using a catalog of
loose groups of galaxies identified in a magnitude limited sample m < 15.7
spanning the range 8 h to 18 h in right ascension and +9 to +15 in declination.
The redshift completeness of the galaxy sample is ~95%. No significant effect
of H1 depletion is found, although there may be a hint that the earliest type
spirals are slightly deficient.Comment: 10 pages, Latex, 3 tables, 5 figures, to appear in the Astronomical
Journa
Radiation Pressure as a Source of Decoherence
We consider the interaction of an harmonic oscillator with the quantum field
via radiation pressure. We show that a `Schrodinger cat' state decoheres in a
time scale that depends on the degree of `classicality' of the state
components, and which may be much shorter than the relaxation time scale
associated to the dynamical Casimir effect. We also show that decoherence is a
consequence of the entanglement between the quantum states of the oscillator
and field two-photon states. With the help of the fluctuation-dissipation
theorem, we derive a relation between decoherence and damping rates valid for
arbitrary values of the temperature of the field. Coherent states are selected
by the interaction as pointer states.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures, RevTex fil
On the Nature of the Cosmological Constant Problem
General relativity postulates the Minkowski space-time to be the standard
flat geometry against which we compare all curved space-times and the
gravitational ground state where particles, quantum fields and their vacuum
states are primarily conceived. On the other hand, experimental evidences show
that there exists a non-zero cosmological constant, which implies in a deSitter
space-time, not compatible with the assumed Minkowski structure. Such
inconsistency is shown to be a consequence of the lack of a application
independent curvature standard in Riemann's geometry, leading eventually to the
cosmological constant problem in general relativity.
We show how the curvature standard in Riemann's geometry can be fixed by
Nash's theorem on locally embedded Riemannian geometries, which imply in the
existence of extra dimensions. The resulting gravitational theory is more
general than general relativity, similar to brane-world gravity, but where the
propagation of the gravitational field along the extra dimensions is a
mathematical necessity, rather than being a a postulate. After a brief
introduction to Nash's theorem, we show that the vacuum energy density must
remain confined to four-dimensional space-times, but the cosmological constant
resulting from the contracted Bianchi identity is a gravitational contribution
which propagates in the extra dimensions. Therefore, the comparison between the
vacuum energy and the cosmological constant in general relativity ceases to be.
Instead, the geometrical fix provided by Nash's theorem suggests that the
vacuum energy density contributes to the perturbations of the gravitational
field.Comment: LaTex, 5 pages no figutres. Correction on author lis
Decoherence via Dynamical Casimir Effect
We derive a master equation for a mirror interacting with the vacuum field
via radiation pressure. The dynamical Casimir effect leads to decoherence of a
'Schroedinger cat' state in a time scale that depends on the degree of
'macroscopicity' of the state components, and which may be much shorter than
the relaxation time scale. Coherent states are selected by the interaction as
pointer states.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure
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