1,818 research outputs found
Reconstruction of a Nonminimal Coupling Theory with Scale-invariant Power Spectrum
A nonminimal coupling single scalar field theory, when transformed from
Jordan frame to Einstein frame, can act like a minimal coupling one. Making use
of this property, we investigate how a nonminimal coupling theory with
scale-invariant power spectrum could be reconstructed from its minimal coupling
counterpart, which can be applied in the early universe. Thanks to the coupling
to gravity, the equation of state of our universe for a scale-invariant power
spectrum can be relaxed, and the relation between the parameters in the action
can be obtained. This approach also provides a means to address the Big-Bang
puzzles and anisotropy problem in the nonminimal coupling model within Jordan
frame. Due to the equivalence between the two frames, one may be able to find
models that are free of the horizon, flatness, singularity as well as
anisotropy problems.Comment: 31 pages, 4 figure
Responses of LAI to rainfall explain contrasting sensitivities to carbon uptake between forest and non-forest ecosystems in Australia
© 2017 The Author(s). Non-forest ecosystems (predominant in semi-arid and arid regions) contribute significantly to the increasing trend and interannual variation of land carbon uptake over the last three decades, yet the mechanisms are poorly understood. By analysing the flux measurements from 23 ecosystems in Australia, we found the the correlation between gross primary production (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (Re) was significant for non-forest ecosystems, but was not for forests. In non-forest ecosystems, both GPP and Re increased with rainfall, and, consequently net ecosystem production (NEP) increased with rainfall. In forest ecosystems, GPP and Re were insensitive to rainfall. Furthermore sensitivity of GPP to rainfall was dominated by the rainfall-driven variation of LAI rather GPP per unit LAI in non-forest ecosystems, which was not correctly reproduced by current land models, indicating that the mechanisms underlying the response of LAI to rainfall should be targeted for future model development
Non-linear Realizations of Conformal Symmetry and Effective Field Theory for the Pseudo-Conformal Universe
The pseudo-conformal scenario is an alternative to inflation in which the
early universe is described by an approximate conformal field theory on flat,
Minkowski space. Some fields acquire a time-dependent expectation value, which
breaks the flat space so(4,2) conformal algebra to its so(4,1) de Sitter
subalgebra. As a result, weight-0 fields acquire a scale invariant spectrum of
perturbations. The scenario is very general, and its essential features are
determined by the symmetry breaking pattern, irrespective of the details of the
underlying microphysics. In this paper, we apply the well-known coset technique
to derive the most general effective lagrangian describing the Goldstone field
and matter fields, consistent with the assumed symmetries. The resulting action
captures the low energy dynamics of any pseudo-conformal realization, including
the U(1)-invariant quartic model and the Galilean Genesis scenario. We also
derive this lagrangian using an alternative method of curvature invariants,
consisting of writing down geometric scalars in terms of the conformal mode.
Using this general effective action, we compute the two-point function for the
Goldstone and a fiducial weight-0 field, as well as some sample three-point
functions involving these fields.Comment: 49 pages. v2: minor corrections, added references. v3: minor edits,
version appearing in JCA
Mirage Cosmology of U(1) Gauge Field on Unstable D3 Brane Universe
An unstable -brane universe governed by the DBI action of the tachyon
field minimally coupled to a U(1) gauge boson is examined. The cosmological
evolution of this coupled system, is further analyzed, in terms of the
expansion rate of the inflating brane, which is highly affected by the presence
of the tachyonic and gauge field charges. We show, that the minimal coupling
makes the effective brane density less divergent. However, for some sectors of
the theory the tachyon is not able to regulate it in an efficient fashion.
Also, a detailed analysis of the dependance of the effective brane density on
the scale factor of the universe is performed, which leads to various
cosmological models.Comment: ReVTeX format 20 pages; v2 1 figure added, one additional paragraph
with extra comments added, enlarged list of references, version to appear in
JHE
Crossing the Phantom Divide: Theoretical Implications and Observational Status
If the dark energy equation of state parameter w(z) crosses the phantom
divide line w=-1 (or equivalently if the expression d(H^2(z))/dz - 3\Omega_m
H_0^2 (1+z)^2 changes sign) at recent redshifts, then there are two possible
cosmological implications: Either the dark energy consists of multiple
components with at least one non-canonical phantom component or general
relativity needs to be extended to a more general theory on cosmological
scales. The former possibility requires the existence of a phantom component
which has been shown to suffer from serious theoretical problems and
instabilities. Therefore, the later possibility is the simplest realistic
theoretical framework in which such a crossing can be realized. After providing
a pedagogical description of various dark energy observational probes, we use a
set of such probes (including the Gold SnIa sample, the first year SNLS
dataset, the 3-year WMAP CMB shift parameter, the SDSS baryon acoustic
oscillations peak (BAO), the X-ray gas mass fraction in clusters and the linear
growth rate of perturbations at z=0.15 as obtained from the 2dF galaxy redshift
survey) to investigate the priors required for cosmological observations to
favor crossing of the phantom divide. We find that a low \Omega_m prior
(0.2<\Omega_m <0.25) leads, for most observational probes (except of the SNLS
data), to an increased probability (mild trend) for phantom divide crossing. An
interesting degeneracy of the ISW effect in the CMB perturbation spectrum is
also pointed out.Comment: Accepted in JCAP (to appear). Comments added, typos corrected. 19
pages (revtex), 8 figures. The numerical analysis files (Mathematica +
Fortran) with instructions are available at
http://leandros.physics.uoi.gr/pdl-cross/pdl-cross.htm . The ppt file of a
relevant talk may be downloaded from
http://leandros.physics.uoi.gr/pdl-cross/pdl2006.pp
Cosmology with Interaction between Phantom Dark Energy and Dark Matter and the Coincidence Problem
We study a cosmological model in which phantom dark energy is coupled to dark
matter by phenomenologically introducing a coupled term to the equations of
motion of dark energy and dark matter. This term is parameterized by a
dimensionless coupling function , Hubble parameter and the energy
density of dark matter, and it describes an energy flow between the dark energy
and dark matter. We discuss two cases: one is the case where the
equation-of-state of the dark energy is a constant; the other is
that the dimensionless coupling function is a constant. We investigate
the effect of the interaction on the evolution of the universe, the total
lifetime of the universe, and the ratio of the period when the universe is in
the coincidence state to its total lifetime. It turns out that the interaction
will produce significant deviation from the case without the interaction.Comment: Latex, 17 pages including 14 figures, minor change
UV stable, Lorentz-violating dark energy with transient phantom era
Phantom fields with negative kinetic energy are often plagued by the vacuum
quantum instability in the ultraviolet region. We present a Lorentz-violating
dark energy model free from this problem and show that the crossing of the
cosmological constant boundary w=-1 to the phantom equation of state is
realized before reaching a de Sitter attractor. Another interesting feature is
a peculiar time-dependence of the effective Newton's constant; the magnitude of
this effect is naturally small but may be close to experimental limits. We also
derive momentum scales of instabilities at which tachyons or ghosts appear in
the infrared region around the present Hubble scale and clarify the conditions
under which tachyonic instabilities do not spoil homogeneity of the
present/future Universe.Comment: 22 pages, 7 figures; Presentation modified substantially, results and
conclusions unchanged. Journal versio
Tachyonic Inflation in a Warped String Background
We analyze observational constraints on the parameter space of tachyonic
inflation with a Gaussian potential and discuss some predictions of this
scenario. As was shown by Kofman and Linde, it is extremely problematic to
achieve the required range of parameters in conventional string
compactifications. We investigate if the situation can be improved in more
general compactifications with a warped metric and varying dilaton. The
simplest examples are the warped throat geometries that arise in the vicinity
of of a large number of space-filling D-branes. We find that the parameter
range for inflation can be accommodated in the background of D6-branes wrapping
a three-cycle in type IIA. We comment on the requirements that have to be met
in order to realize this scenario in an explicit string compactification.Comment: Latex, JHEP class, 20 pages, 4 figures. v2: references added, small
error in section 7 corrected, published versio
Low Temperature Precursor Route for Highly Efficient Spherically Shaped LED-Phosphors M2Si5N8:Eu2+ (M = Eu, Sr, Ba)
The highly efficient nitridosilicate phosphors M2Si5N8 (M = Sr, Ba, Eu) for phosphor-converted pc-LEDs were synthesized at low temperatures using a novel precursor route involving metal amides M(NH2)2. These precursors have been synthesized by dissolution of the respective metals in supercritical ammonia at 150°C and 300 bar. The thermal behavior and decomposition process of the amides were investigated with temperature programmed powder X-ray diffractometry and thermoanalytical measurements (DTA/TG). These investigations rendered the amides as suitable intermediates for reaction with silicon diimide (Si(NH)2). Thus, the desired nitridosilicate phosphors were obtained at relatively low temperatures around 1150−1400°C which is approximately 300°C lower compared to common synthetic approaches starting from metals or oxides. The influence of the thermal treatment on the phosphor morphology has been studied extensively. The accessibility of spherical phosphor particles represents another striking feature of this route since it improves light extraction from the crystallites due to decreasing light guiding and decreasing re-absorption inside the phosphor particle. The synthesized luminescent materials M2Si5N8:Eu2+ (M = Sr, Ba) exhibit quantum efficiencies and emission band widths (FWHM 70−90 nm) comparable to standard phosphor powders. Employment of Eu(NH2)2 as dopant reagent for synthesis of Ba2Si5N8:Eu2+ proved favorable for the formation of spherical crystallites compared to doping with Eu metal, halides, or oxide
- …