819 research outputs found
Evidence for alignment of the rotation and velocity vectors in pulsars. II. Further data and emission heights
We have conducted observations of 22 pulsars at frequencies of 0.7, 1.4 and
3.1 GHz and present their polarization profiles. The observations were carried
out for two main purposes. First we compare the orientation of the spin and
velocity vectors to verify the proposed alignment of these vectors by Johnston
et al. (2005). We find, for the 14 pulsars for which we were able to determine
both vectors, that 7 are plausibly aligned, a fraction which is lower than, but
consistent with, earlier measurements. Secondly, we use profiles obtained
simultaneously at widely spaced frequencies to compute the radio emission
heights. We find, similar to other workers in the field, that radiation from
the centre of the profile originates from lower in the magnetosphere than the
radiation from the outer parts of the profile.Comment: Accepted by MNRAS. 14 page
Quantum-classical transition in Scale Relativity
The theory of scale relativity provides a new insight into the origin of
fundamental laws in physics. Its application to microphysics allows us to
recover quantum mechanics as mechanics on a non-differentiable (fractal)
spacetime. The Schrodinger and Klein-Gordon equations are demonstrated as
geodesic equations in this framework. A development of the intrinsic properties
of this theory, using the mathematical tool of Hamilton's bi-quaternions, leads
us to a derivation of the Dirac equation within the scale-relativity paradigm.
The complex form of the wavefunction in the Schrodinger and Klein-Gordon
equations follows from the non-differentiability of the geometry, since it
involves a breaking of the invariance under the reflection symmetry on the
(proper) time differential element (ds - ds). This mechanism is generalized
for obtaining the bi-quaternionic nature of the Dirac spinor by adding a
further symmetry breaking due to non-differentiability, namely the differential
coordinate reflection symmetry (dx^mu - dx^mu) and by requiring invariance
under parity and time inversion. The Pauli equation is recovered as a
non-relativistic-motion approximation of the Dirac equation.Comment: 28 pages, no figur
The Scintillation Velocity of the Relativistic Binary Pulsar PSR J1141-6545
We report a dramatic orbital modulation in the scintillation timescale of the
relativistic binary pulsar J1141--6545 that both confirms the validity of the
scintillation speed methodology and enables us to derive important physical
parameters. We have determined the space velocity, the orbital inclination and
even the longitude of periastron of the binary system, which we find to be in
good agreement with that obtained from pulse timing measurements. Our data
permit two equally-significant physical interpretations of the system. The
system is either an edge-on binary with a high space velocity ( km
s) or is more face-on with a much slower velocity ( km
s). We favor the former, as it is more consistent with pulse timing and
the distribution of known neutron star masses. Under this assumption, the
runaway velocity of 115 km s is much greater than is expected if pulsars
do not receive a natal kick at birth. The derived inclination of the binary
system is (76\pm 2.5^{\circ}) degrees, implying a companion mass of 1.01 (\pm
)~0.02 M(_{\odot}) and a pulsar mass of 1.29 (\pm)~0.02 M(_{\odot}). Our
derived physical parameters indicate that this pulsar should prove to be an
excellent laboratory for tests of gravitational wave emission.Comment: Minor text and figure changes and corrections following referee's
Comments. 14 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
Beta blocker use in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus and systolic heart failure does not worsen glycaemic control
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The prognostic benefits of beta-blockers (BB) in patients with systolic heart failure (SHF) are known but despite this, in patients with diabetes they are underutilized. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of beta-blockers (BB) on glycaemic control in patients with Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM) and systolic heart failure (SHF) stratified to beta-1 selective (Bisoprolol) vs. nonselective BB (Carvedilol).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This observational, cohort study was conducted in patients with T2DM and SHF attending an Australian tertiary teaching hospital's heart failure services. The primary endpoint was glycaemic control measured by glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) at initiation and top dose of BB. Secondary endpoints included microalbuminuria, changes in lipid profile and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>125 patients were assessed. Both groups were well matched for gender, NYHA class and use of guideline validated heart failure and diabetic medications. The mean treatment duration was 1.9 ± 1.1 years with carvedilol and 1.4 ± 1.0 years with bisoprolol (<it>p </it>= ns). The carvedilol group achieved a reduction in HbA1c (7.8 ± 0.21% to 7.3 ± 0.17%, <it>p </it>= 0.02) whereas the bisoprolol group showed no change in HbA1c (7.0 ± 0.20% to 6.9 ± 0.23%, <it>p </it>= 0.92). There was no significant difference in the change in HbA1c from baseline to peak BB dose in the carvedilol group compared to the bisoprolol group. There was a similar deterioration in eGFR, but no significant changes in lipid profile or microalbuminuria in both groups (<it>p </it>= ns).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>BB use did not worsen glycaemic control, lipid profile or albuminuria status in subjects with SHF and T2DM. Carvedilol significantly improved glycemic control in subjects with SHF and T2DM and this improvement was non significantly better than that obtained with bisoprolol. BB's should not be withheld from patients with T2DM and SHF.</p
Scale relativity and fractal space-time: theory and applications
In the first part of this contribution, we review the development of the
theory of scale relativity and its geometric framework constructed in terms of
a fractal and nondifferentiable continuous space-time. This theory leads (i) to
a generalization of possible physically relevant fractal laws, written as
partial differential equation acting in the space of scales, and (ii) to a new
geometric foundation of quantum mechanics and gauge field theories and their
possible generalisations. In the second part, we discuss some examples of
application of the theory to various sciences, in particular in cases when the
theoretical predictions have been validated by new or updated observational and
experimental data. This includes predictions in physics and cosmology (value of
the QCD coupling and of the cosmological constant), to astrophysics and
gravitational structure formation (distances of extrasolar planets to their
stars, of Kuiper belt objects, value of solar and solar-like star cycles), to
sciences of life (log-periodic law for species punctuated evolution, human
development and society evolution), to Earth sciences (log-periodic
deceleration of the rate of California earthquakes and of Sichuan earthquake
replicas, critical law for the arctic sea ice extent) and tentative
applications to system biology.Comment: 63 pages, 14 figures. In : First International Conference on the
Evolution and Development of the Universe,8th - 9th October 2008, Paris,
Franc
Entropy, time irreversibility and Schroedinger equation in a primarily discrete space-time
In this paper we show that the existence of a primarily discrete space-time
may be a fruitful assumption from which we may develop a new approach of
statistical thermodynamics in pre-relativistic conditions. The discreetness of
space-time structure is determined by a condition that mimics the Heisenberg
uncertainty relations and the motion in this space-time model is chosen as
simple as possible. From these two assumptions we define a path-entropy that
measures the number of closed paths associated with a given energy of the
system preparation. This entropy has a dynamical character and depends on the
time interval on which we count the paths. We show that it exists an
like-equilibrium condition for which the path-entropy corresponds exactly to
the usual thermodynamic entropy and, more generally, the usual statistical
thermodynamics is reobtained. This result derived without using the Gibbs
ensemble method shows that the standard thermodynamics is consistent with a
motion that is time-irreversible at a microscopic level. From this change of
paradigm it becomes easy to derive a . A comparison with the
traditional Boltzmann approach is presented. We also show how our approach can
be implemented in order to describe reversible processes. By considering a
process defined simultaneously by initial and final conditions a well defined
stochastic process is introduced and we are able to derive a Schroedinger
equation, an example of time reversible equation.Comment: latex versio
Modelling annual and orbital variations in the scintillation of the relativistic binary PSR J11416545
We have observed the relativistic binary pulsar PSR J11416545 over a
period of 6 years using the Parkes 64 m radio telescope, with a focus on
modelling the diffractive intensity scintillations to improve the accuracy of
the astrometric timing model. The long-term scintillation, which shows orbital
and annual variations, allows us to measure parameters that are difficult to
measure with pulsar timing alone. These include: the orbital inclination ;
the longitude of the ascending node ; and the pulsar system transverse
velocity. We use the annual variations to resolve the previous ambiguity in the
sense of the inclination angle. Using the correct sense, and a prior
probability distribution given by a constraint from pulsar timing
(), we find and we estimate the
pulsar distance to be kpc. This then gives us an estimate of
this pulsar's proper motion of mas
yr in right ascension and mas yr in
declination. Finally, we obtain measurements of the spatial structure of the
interstellar electron density fluctuations, including: the spatial scale and
anisotropy of the diffraction pattern; the distribution of scattering material
along the line of sight; and spatial variation in the strength of turbulence
from epoch to epoch. We find that the scattering is dominated by a thin screen
at a distance of , with an anisotropy axial ratio .Comment: 17 pages, 8 figures, 2 tables. Accepted for publication in MNRA
ZOBOV: a parameter-free void-finding algorithm
ZOBOV (ZOnes Bordering On Voidness) is an algorithm that finds density
depressions in a set of points, without any free parameters, or assumptions
about shape. It uses the Voronoi tessellation to estimate densities, which it
uses to find both voids and subvoids. It also measures probabilities that each
void or subvoid arises from Poisson fluctuations. This paper describes the
ZOBOV algorithm, and the results from its application to the dark-matter
particles in a region of the Millennium Simulation. Additionally, the paper
points out an interesting high-density peak in the probability distribution of
dark-matter particle densities.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures, MNRAS, accepted. Added explanatory figures, and
better edge-detection methods. ZOBOV code available at
http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/~neyrinck/vobo
Entropy: From Black Holes to Ordinary Systems
Several results of black holes thermodynamics can be considered as firmly
founded and formulated in a very general manner. From this starting point we
analyse in which way these results may give us the opportunity to gain a better
understanding in the thermodynamics of ordinary systems for which a
pre-relativistic description is sufficient. First, we investigated the
possibility to introduce an alternative definition of the entropy basically
related to a local definition of the order in a spacetime model rather than a
counting of microstates. We show that such an alternative approach exists and
leads to the traditional results provided an equilibrium condition is assumed.
This condition introduces a relation between a time interval and the reverse of
the temperature. We show that such a relation extensively used in the black
hole theory, mainly as a mathematical trick, has a very general and physical
meaning here; in particular its derivation is not related to the existence of a
canonical density matrix. Our dynamical approach of thermodynamic equilibrium
allows us to establish a relation between action and entropy and we show that
an identical relation exists in the case of black holes. The derivation of such
a relation seems impossible in the Gibbs ensemble approach of statistical
thermodynamics. From these results we suggest that the definition of entropy in
terms of order in spacetime should be more general that the Boltzmann one based
on a counting of microstates. Finally we point out that these results are
obtained by reversing the traditional route going from the Schr\"{o}dinger
equation to statistical thermodynamics
Hausdorff dimension of a quantum string
In the path integral formulation of quantum mechanics, Feynman and Hibbs
noted that the trajectory of a particle is continuous but nowhere
differentiable. We extend this result to the quantum mechanical path of a
relativistic string and find that the ``trajectory'', in this case, is a
fractal surface with Hausdorff dimension three. Depending on the resolution of
the detecting apparatus, the extra dimension is perceived as ``fuzziness'' of
the string world-surface. We give an interpretation of this phenomenon in terms
of a new form of the uncertainty principle for strings, and study the
transition from the smooth to the fractal phase.Comment: 18 pages, non figures, ReVTeX 3.0, in print on Phys.Rev.
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