655 research outputs found
String Imprints from a Pre-inflationary Era
We derive the equations governing the dynamics of cosmic strings in a flat
anisotropic universe of Bianchi type I and study the evolution of simple cosmic
string loop solutions. We show that the anisotropy of the background can have a
characteristic effect in the loop motion. We discuss some cosmological
consequences of these findings and, by extrapolating our results to cosmic
string networks, we comment on their ability to survive an inflationary epoch,
and hence be a possible fossil remnant (still visible today) of an anisotropic
phase in the very early universe.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure
Geodesic distance for right invariant Sobolev metrics of fractional order on the diffeomorphism group
We study Sobolev-type metrics of fractional order on the group
\Diff_c(M) of compactly supported diffeomorphisms of a manifold . We show
that for the important special case the geodesic distance on
\Diff_c(S^1) vanishes if and only if . For other manifolds we
obtain a partial characterization: the geodesic distance on \Diff_c(M)
vanishes for and for ,
with being a compact Riemannian manifold. On the other hand the geodesic
distance on \Diff_c(M) is positive for and
.
For we discuss the geodesic equations for these metrics. For
we obtain some well known PDEs of hydrodynamics: Burgers' equation for ,
the modified Constantin-Lax-Majda equation for and the
Camassa-Holm equation for .Comment: 16 pages. Final versio
Topological defects: A problem for cyclic universes?
We study the behaviour of cosmic string networks in contracting universes,
and discuss some of their possible consequences. We note that there is a
fundamental time asymmetry between defect network evolution for an expanding
universe and a contracting universe. A string network with negligible loop
production and small-scale structure will asymptotically behave during the
collapse phase as a radiation fluid. In realistic networks these two effects
are important, making this solution only approximate. We derive new scaling
solutions describing this effect, and test them against high-resolution
numerical simulations. A string network in a contracting universe, together
with the gravitational radiation background it has generated, can significantly
affect the dynamics of the universe both locally and globally. The network can
be an important source of radiation, entropy and inhomogeneity. We discuss the
possible implications of these findings for bouncing and cyclic cosmological
models.Comment: 11 RevTeX 4 pages, 6 figures; version to appear in Phys. Rev.
Relatório do Grupo de Trabalho de Estatísticas da Saúde
O Grupo de Trabalho de Estatísticas de Saúde - GTES foi criado no âmbito do Conselho
Superior de Estatística (Secção Permanente de Estatísticas Sociais), com o objetivo de
identificar e redefinir o conteúdo do sistema de informação das estatísticas oficiais de saúde
nos domínios “estado de saúde e seus determinantes”, “cuidados de saúde”, e “causas de
morte”. Para atingir esse objetivo o Grupo, em primeiro lugar, identificou as ineficiências do
atual sistema e, posteriormente, diagnosticou as necessidades nacionais e internacionais de
informação, de modo a apresentar propostas fundamentadas para a sua reestruturação e
racionalização. Neste quadro, a clarificação dos procedimentos de recolha a adotar, com
destaque para a explicitação dos atos administrativos existentes, assumiram, desde o início,
especial referência no mandato proposto para o GTES
Lagrangian evolution of global strings
We establish a method to trace the Lagrangian evolution of extended objects
consisting of a multicomponent scalar field in terms of a numerical calculation
of field equations in three dimensional Eulerian meshes. We apply our method to
the cosmological evolution of global strings and evaluate the energy density,
peculiar velocity, Lorentz factor, formation rate of loops, and emission rate
of Nambu-Goldstone (NG) bosons. We confirm the scaling behavior with a number
of long strings per horizon volume smaller than the case of local strings by a
factor of 10. The strategy and the method established here are
applicable to a variety of fields in physics.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure
The role of Malcolm Clarke (1930–2013) in the Azores as a scientist and educationist
Malcolm Roy Clarke (1930–2013) was a British teuthologist who made an important contribution to marine science in the
Azores archipelago (Portugal). Malcolm started doing research in the Azores from 1980s onward, settling for residency in 2000
after retirement (in 1987). He kept publishing on Azorean cephalopods collaborating in 20% of the peer reviewed works focus-
ing on two main areas: dietary studies; and the ecology of cephalopods on seamounts. Since his first visit in 1981, he was
involved in the description of the dietary ecology of several cetaceans, seabirds, and large pelagic and deep-water fish.
Using his own data, Malcolm revised the association of cephalopods with seamounts, updating and enlarging the different
cephalopod groups according to species behaviour and ecology. Malcolm taught several students working in the Azores on
cephalopods and beak identification, lecturing the Third International Workshop in Faial (2007). He empowered the recently
established research community, by providing important contacts with foreign institutes and informal advice. He collaborated
in the regional cetacean stranding network (RACA) and was an active member of the advisory board of the journal
Arquipelago—Life and Marine Sciences
. But the scientific role of Malcolm Clarke in the Azores went beyond his academic
activities. In the last 10 years Malcolm and Dot Clarke dedicated themselves to building and running a museum on Pico
Island, showing the biology of the sperm whale and its interaction with squid; a cultural and touristic legacy for future gen-
erations to enjoy
Further evidence for a variable fine-structure constant from Keck/HIRES QSO absorption spectra
[Abridged] We previously presented evidence for a varying fine-structure
constant, alpha, in two independent samples of Keck/HIRES QSO spectra. Here we
present a detailed many-multiplet analysis of a third Keck/HIRES sample
containing 78 absorption systems. We also re-analyse the previous samples,
providing a total of 128 absorption systems over the redshift range
0.2<z_abs<3.7. All three samples separately yield consistent, significant
values of da/a. The analyses of low- and high-z systems rely on different
ions/transitions with very different dependencies on alpha, yet they also give
consistent results. We identify additional random errors in 22 high-z systems
characterized by transitions with a large dynamic range in apparent optical
depth. Increasing the statistical errors on da/a for these systems gives our
fiducial result, a weighted mean da/a=(-0.543+/-0.116)x10^-5, representing
4.7-sigma evidence for a smaller weighted mean alpha in the absorption clouds.
Assuming that da/a=0 at z_abs=0, the data marginally prefer a linear increase
in alpha with time: dota/a=(6.40+/-1.35)x10^-16 yr^-1. The two-point
correlation function for alpha is consistent with zero over 0.2-13 Gpc comoving
scales and the angular distribution of da/a shows no significant dipolar
anisotropy. We therefore have no evidence for spatial variations in da/a. We
extend our previous searches for possible systematic errors, identifying
atmospheric dispersion and isotopic structure effects as potentially the most
significant. However, overall, known systematic errors do not explain the
results. Future many-multiplet analyses of QSO spectra from different
telescopes and spectrographs will provide a now crucial check on our Keck/HIRES
results.Comment: 31 pages, 25 figures (29 EPS files), 8 tables. Accepted by MNRAS.
Colour versions of Figs. 6, 8 & 10 and text version of Table 3 available at
http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~mim/pub.htm
Star Formation and Dynamics in the Galactic Centre
The centre of our Galaxy is one of the most studied and yet enigmatic places
in the Universe. At a distance of about 8 kpc from our Sun, the Galactic centre
(GC) is the ideal environment to study the extreme processes that take place in
the vicinity of a supermassive black hole (SMBH). Despite the hostile
environment, several tens of early-type stars populate the central parsec of
our Galaxy. A fraction of them lie in a thin ring with mild eccentricity and
inner radius ~0.04 pc, while the S-stars, i.e. the ~30 stars closest to the
SMBH (<0.04 pc), have randomly oriented and highly eccentric orbits. The
formation of such early-type stars has been a puzzle for a long time: molecular
clouds should be tidally disrupted by the SMBH before they can fragment into
stars. We review the main scenarios proposed to explain the formation and the
dynamical evolution of the early-type stars in the GC. In particular, we
discuss the most popular in situ scenarios (accretion disc fragmentation and
molecular cloud disruption) and migration scenarios (star cluster inspiral and
Hills mechanism). We focus on the most pressing challenges that must be faced
to shed light on the process of star formation in the vicinity of a SMBH.Comment: 68 pages, 35 figures; invited review chapter, to be published in
expanded form in Haardt, F., Gorini, V., Moschella, U. and Treves, A.,
'Astrophysical Black Holes'. Lecture Notes in Physics. Springer 201
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