2,014 research outputs found
Global existence of classical solutions to the Vlasov-Poisson system in a three dimensional, cosmological setting
The initial value problem for the Vlasov-Poisson system is by now well
understood in the case of an isolated system where, by definition, the
distribution function of the particles as well as the gravitational potential
vanish at spatial infinity. Here we start with homogeneous solutions, which
have a spatially constant, non-zero mass density and which describe the mass
distribution in a Newtonian model of the universe. These homogeneous states can
be constructed explicitly, and we consider deviations from such homogeneous
states, which then satisfy a modified version of the Vlasov-Poisson system. We
prove global existence and uniqueness of classical solutions to the
corresponding initial value problem for initial data which represent spatially
periodic deviations from homogeneous states.Comment: 23 pages, Latex, report #
The Einstein-Vlasov sytem/Kinetic theory
The main purpose of this article is to guide the reader to theorems on global
properties of solutions to the Einstein-Vlasov system. This system couples
Einstein's equations to a kinetic matter model. Kinetic theory has been an
important field of research during several decades where the main focus has
been on nonrelativistic- and special relativistic physics, e.g. to model the
dynamics of neutral gases, plasmas and Newtonian self-gravitating systems. In
1990 Rendall and Rein initiated a mathematical study of the Einstein-Vlasov
system. Since then many theorems on global properties of solutions to this
system have been established. The Vlasov equation describes matter
phenomenologically and it should be stressed that most of the theorems
presented in this article are not presently known for other such matter models
(e.g. fluid models). The first part of this paper gives an introduction to
kinetic theory in non-curved spacetimes and then the Einstein-Vlasov system is
introduced. We believe that a good understanding of kinetic theory in
non-curved spacetimes is fundamental in order to get a good comprehension of
kinetic theory in general relativity.Comment: 31 pages. This article has been submitted to Living Rev. Relativity
(http://www.livingreviews.org
The formation of black holes in spherically symmetric gravitational collapse
We consider the spherically symmetric, asymptotically flat Einstein-Vlasov
system. We find explicit conditions on the initial data, with ADM mass M, such
that the resulting spacetime has the following properties: there is a family of
radially outgoing null geodesics where the area radius r along each geodesic is
bounded by 2M, the timelike lines are incomplete, and for r>2M
the metric converges asymptotically to the Schwarzschild metric with mass M.
The initial data that we construct guarantee the formation of a black hole in
the evolution. We also give examples of such initial data with the additional
property that the solutions exist for all and all Schwarzschild time,
i.e., we obtain global existence in Schwarzschild coordinates in situations
where the initial data are not small. Some of our results are also established
for the Einstein equations coupled to a general matter model characterized by
conditions on the matter quantities.Comment: 36 pages. A corollary on global existence in Schwarzschild
coordinates for data which are not small is added together with minor
modification
Regularity results for the spherically symmetric Einstein-Vlasov system
The spherically symmetric Einstein-Vlasov system is considered in
Schwarzschild coordinates and in maximal-isotropic coordinates. An open problem
is the issue of global existence for initial data without size restrictions.
The main purpose of the present work is to propose a method of approach for
general initial data, which improves the regularity of the terms that need to
be estimated compared to previous methods. We prove that global existence holds
outside the centre in both these coordinate systems. In the Schwarzschild case
we improve the bound on the momentum support obtained in \cite{RRS} for compact
initial data. The improvement implies that we can admit non-compact data with
both ingoing and outgoing matter. This extends one of the results in
\cite{AR1}. In particular our method avoids the difficult task of treating the
pointwise matter terms. Furthermore, we show that singularities never form in
Schwarzschild time for ingoing matter as long as This removes an
additional assumption made in \cite{A1}. Our result in maximal-isotropic
coordinates is analogous to the result in \cite{R1}, but our method is
different and it improves the regularity of the terms that need to be estimated
for proving global existence in general.Comment: 25 pages. To appear in Ann. Henri Poincar\'
The Newtonian Limit for Asymptotically Flat Solutions of the Vlasov-Einstein System
It is shown that there exist families of asymptotically flat solutions of the
Einstein equations coupled to the Vlasov equation describing a collisionless
gas which have a Newtonian limit. These are sufficiently general to confirm
that for this matter model as many families of this type exist as would be
expected on the basis of physical intuition. A central role in the proof is
played by energy estimates in unweighted Sobolev spaces for a wave equation
satisfied by the second fundamental form of a maximal foliation.Comment: 24 pages, plain TE
Neutrino Induced Coherent Pion Production off Nuclei and PCAC
We review the Rein--Sehgal model and criticize its use for low energy
neutrino induced coherent pion production. We have studied the validity of the
main approximations implicit in that model, trying to compare with physical
observables when that is possible and with microscopical calculations. Next, we
have tried to elaborate a new improved model by removing the more problematic
approximations, while keeping the model still reasonably simple. Last, we have
discussed the limitations intrinsic to any approach based on the partial
conservation of the axial current hypothesis. In particular, we have shown the
inability of such models to determine the angular distribution of the outgoing
pion with respect to the direction of the incoming neutrino, except for the
kinematical point.Comment: 19 latex pages, 7 figures, 1 table. Version accepted for publication
in Physical Review
Theoretical study of neutrino-induced coherent pion production off nuclei at T2K and MiniBooNE energies
We have developed a model for neutrino-induced coherent pion production off
nuclei in the energy regime of interest for present and forthcoming neutrino
oscillation experiments. It is based on a microscopic model for pion production
off the nucleon that, besides the dominant Delta pole contribution, takes into
account the effect of background terms required by chiral symmetry. Moreover,
the model uses a reduced nucleon-to-Delta resonance axial coupling, which leads
to coherent pion production cross sections around a factor two smaller than
most of the previous theoretical estimates. In the coherent production, the
main nuclear effects, namely medium corrections on the Delta propagator and the
final pion distortion, are included. We have improved on previous similar
models by taking into account the nucleon motion and employing a more
sophisticated optical potential. As found in previous calculations the
modification of the Delta self-energy inside the nuclear medium strongly
reduces the cross section, while the final pion distortion mainly shifts the
peak position to lower pion energies. The angular distribution profiles are not
much affected by nuclear effects. Nucleon motion increases the cross section by
15% at neutrino energies of 650 MeV, while Coulomb effects on charged pions are
estimated to be small. Finally, we discuss at length the deficiencies of the
Rein-Sehgal pion coherent production model for neutrino energies below 2 GeV,
and in particular for the MiniBooNE and T2K experiments. We also predict flux
averaged cross sections for these two latter experiments and K2K.Comment: 19 latex pages, 10 figures, 2 tables. Minor changes. Version accepted
for publication in Physical Review
Existence of maximal hypersurfaces in some spherically symmetric spacetimes
We prove that the maximal development of any spherically symmetric spacetime
with collisionless matter (obeying the Vlasov equation) or a massless scalar
field (obeying the massless wave equation) and possessing a constant mean
curvature Cauchy surface also contains a maximal Cauchy
surface. Combining this with previous results establishes that the spacetime
can be foliated by constant mean curvature Cauchy surfaces with the mean
curvature taking on all real values, thereby showing that these spacetimes
satisfy the closed-universe recollapse conjecture. A key element of the proof,
of interest in itself, is a bound for the volume of any Cauchy surface
in any spacetime satisfying the timelike convergence condition in terms of the
volume and mean curvature of a fixed Cauchy surface and the maximal
distance between and . In particular, this shows that any
globally hyperbolic spacetime having a finite lifetime and obeying the
timelike-convergence condition cannot attain an arbitrarily large spatial
volume.Comment: 8 pages, REVTeX 3.
Global solutions of a free boundary problem for selfgravitating scalar fields
The weak cosmic censorship hypothesis can be understood as a statement that
there exists a global Cauchy evolution of a selfgravitating system outside an
event horizon. The resulting Cauchy problem has a free null-like inner
boundary. We study a selfgravitating spherically symmetric nonlinear scalar
field. We show the global existence of a spacetime with a null inner boundary
that initially is located outside the Schwarzschild radius or, more generally,
outside an apparent horizon. The global existence of a patch of a spacetime
that is exterior to an event horizon is obtained as a limiting case.Comment: 31 pages, revtex, to appear in the Classical and Quantum Gravit
Resonance production by neutrinos: I. J=3/2 Resonances
The article contains general formulas for the production of J=3/2 resonances
by neutrinos and antineutrinos. It specializes to the P_{33}(1232) resonance
whose form factors are determined by theory and experiment and then are
compared with experimental results at low and high energies. It is shown that
the minimum in the low Q^2 region is a consequence of a combined effect from
the vanishing of the vector form factors, the muon mass and Pauli blocking.
Several improvements for the future investigations are suggested.Comment: 10 pages, LaTeX, misprints corrected, 1 reference adde
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