181 research outputs found
Certain aspects of regularity in scalar field cosmological dynamics
We consider dynamics of the FRW Universe with a scalar field. Using
Maupertuis principle we find a curvature of geodesics flow and show that zones
of positive curvature exist for all considered types of scalar field potential.
Usually, phase space of systems with the positive curvature contains islands of
regular motion. We find these islands numerically for shallow scalar field
potentials. It is shown also that beyond the physical domain the islands of
regularity exist for quadratic potentials as well.Comment: 15 pages with 4 figures; typos corrected, final version to appear in
Regular and Chaotic Dynamic
Topological entropy for some isotropic cosmological models
The chaotical dynamics is studied in different Friedmann-Robertson- Walker
cosmological models with scalar (inflaton) field and hydrodynamical matter. The
topological entropy is calculated for some particular cases. Suggested scheme
can be easily generalized for wide class of models. Different methods of
calculation of topological entropy are compared.Comment: Final version to appear in Phys. Rev D. Minor changes, typos
corrected; 29 pages with 2 eps figure
Big Crunch Avoidance in k = 1 Semi-Classical Loop Quantum Cosmology
It is well known that a closed universe with a minimally coupled massive
scalar field always collapses to a singularity unless the initial conditions
are extremely fine tuned. We show that the corrections to the equations of
motion for the massive scalar field, given by loop quantum gravity in high
curvature regime, always lead to a bounce independently of the initial
conditions. In contrast to the previous works in loop quantum cosmology, we
note that the singularity can be avoided even at the semi-classical level of
effective dynamical equations with non-perturbative quantum gravity
modifications, without using a discrete quantum evolution.Comment: Minor changes, To appear in Physical Review
Energy Relaxation in Nonlinear One-Dimensional Lattices
We study energy relaxation in thermalized one-dimensional nonlinear arrays of
the Fermi-Pasta-Ulam type. The ends of the thermalized systems are placed in
contact with a zero-temperature reservoir via damping forces. Harmonic arrays
relax by sequential phonon decay into the cold reservoir, the lower frequency
modes relaxing first. The relaxation pathway for purely anharmonic arrays
involves the degradation of higher-energy nonlinear modes into lower energy
ones. The lowest energy modes are absorbed by the cold reservoir, but a small
amount of energy is persistently left behind in the array in the form of almost
stationary low-frequency localized modes. Arrays with interactions that contain
both a harmonic and an anharmonic contribution exhibit behavior that involves
the interplay of phonon modes and breather modes. At long times relaxation is
extremely slow due to the spontaneous appearance and persistence of energetic
high-frequency stationary breathers. Breather behavior is further ascertained
by explicitly injecting a localized excitation into the thermalized array and
observing the relaxation behavior
Quantum Creation of an Open Inflationary Universe
We discuss a dramatic difference between the description of the quantum
creation of an open universe using the Hartle-Hawking wave function and the
tunneling wave function. Recently Hawking and Turok have found that the
Hartle-Hawking wave function leads to a universe with Omega = 0.01, which is
much smaller that the observed value of Omega > 0.3. Galaxies in such a
universe would be about light years away from each other, so the
universe would be practically structureless. We will argue that the
Hartle-Hawking wave function does not describe the probability of the universe
creation. If one uses the tunneling wave function for the description of
creation of the universe, then in most inflationary models the universe should
have Omega = 1, which agrees with the standard expectation that inflation makes
the universe flat. The same result can be obtained in the theory of a
self-reproducing inflationary universe, independently of the issue of initial
conditions. However, there exist two classes of models where Omega may take any
value, from Omega > 1 to Omega << 1.Comment: 23 pages, 4 figures. New materials are added. In particular, we show
that boundary terms do not help to solve the problem of unacceptably small
Omega in the new model proposed by Hawking and Turok in hep-th/9803156. A
possibility to solve the cosmological constant problem in this model using
the tunneling wave function is discusse
Spectroscopic factor and proton formation probability for the d3/2 proton emitter 151mLu
The quenching of the experimental spectroscopic factor for proton emission from the short-lived d3/2 isomeric state in 151mLu was a long-standing problem. In the present work, proton emission from this isomer has been reinvestigated in an experiment at the Accelerator Laboratory of the University of Jyväskylä. The proton-decay energy and half-life of this isomer were measured to be 1295(5) keV and 15.4(8) μs, respectively, in agreement with another recent study. These new experimental data can resolve the discrepancy in the spectroscopic factor calculated using the spherical WKB approximation. Using the R-matrix approach it is found that the proton formation probability indicates no significant hindrance for the proton decay of 151mLu
Many body physics from a quantum information perspective
The quantum information approach to many body physics has been very
successful in giving new insight and novel numerical methods. In these lecture
notes we take a vertical view of the subject, starting from general concepts
and at each step delving into applications or consequences of a particular
topic. We first review some general quantum information concepts like
entanglement and entanglement measures, which leads us to entanglement area
laws. We then continue with one of the most famous examples of area-law abiding
states: matrix product states, and tensor product states in general. Of these,
we choose one example (classical superposition states) to introduce recent
developments on a novel quantum many body approach: quantum kinetic Ising
models. We conclude with a brief outlook of the field.Comment: Lectures from the Les Houches School on "Modern theories of
correlated electron systems". Improved version new references adde
The Science of Sungrazers, Sunskirters, and Other Near-Sun Comets
This review addresses our current understanding of comets that venture close to the Sun, and are hence exposed to much more extreme conditions than comets that are typically studied from Earth. The extreme solar heating and plasma environments that these objects encounter change many aspects of their behaviour, thus yielding valuable information on both the comets themselves that complements other data we have on primitive solar system bodies, as well as on the near-solar environment which they traverse. We propose clear definitions for these comets: We use the term near-Sun comets to encompass all objects that pass sunward of the perihelion distance of planet Mercury (0.307 AU). Sunskirters are defined as objects that pass within 33 solar radii of the Sun’s centre, equal to half of Mercury’s perihelion distance, and the commonly-used phrase sungrazers to be objects that reach perihelion within 3.45 solar radii, i.e. the fluid Roche limit. Finally, comets with orbits that intersect the solar photosphere are termed sundivers. We summarize past studies of these objects, as well as the instruments and facilities used to study them, including space-based platforms that have led to a recent revolution in the quantity and quality of relevant observations. Relevant comet populations are described, including the Kreutz, Marsden, Kracht, and Meyer groups, near-Sun asteroids, and a brief discussion of their origins. The importance of light curves and the clues they provide on cometary composition are emphasized, together with what information has been gleaned about nucleus parameters, including the sizes and masses of objects and their families, and their tensile strengths. The physical processes occurring at these objects are considered in some detail, including the disruption of nuclei, sublimation, and ionisation, and we consider the mass, momentum, and energy loss of comets in the corona and those that venture to lower altitudes. The different components of comae and tails are described, including dust, neutral and ionised gases, their chemical reactions, and their contributions to the near-Sun environment. Comet-solar wind interactions are discussed, including the use of comets as probes of solar wind and coronal conditions in their vicinities. We address the relevance of work on comets near the Sun to similar objects orbiting other stars, and conclude with a discussion of future directions for the field and the planned ground- and space-based facilities that will allow us to address those science topics
Cosmological Perturbations Through a General Relativistic Bounce
The ekpyrotic and cyclic universe scenarios have revived the idea that the
density perturbations apparent in today's universe could have been generated in
a `pre-singularity' epoch before the big bang. These scenarios provide explicit
mechanisms whereby a scale invariant spectrum of adiabatic perturbations may be
generated without the need for cosmic inflation, albeit in a phase preceding
the hot big bang singularity. A key question they face is whether there exists
a unique prescription for following perturbations through the bounce, an issue
which is not yet definitively settled. This goal of this paper is more modest,
namely to study a bouncing Universe model in which neither General Relativity
nor the Weak Energy Condition is violated. We show that a perturbation which is
pure growing mode before the bounce does not match to a pure decaying mode
perturbation after the bounce. Analytical estimates of when the comoving
curvature perturbation varies around the bounce are given. It is found that in
general it is necessary to evaluate the evolution of the perturbation through
the bounce in detail rather than using matching conditions.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures. Added more details showing how and when the
comoving curvature perturbation varies on large scales during the bounc
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