1,330 research outputs found
Computing in the RAIN: a reliable array of independent nodes
The RAIN project is a research collaboration between Caltech and NASA-JPL on distributed computing and data-storage systems for future spaceborne missions. The goal of the project is to identify and develop key building blocks for reliable distributed systems built with inexpensive off-the-shelf components. The RAIN platform consists of a heterogeneous cluster of computing and/or storage nodes connected via multiple interfaces to networks configured in fault-tolerant topologies. The RAIN software components run in conjunction with operating system services and standard network protocols. Through software-implemented fault tolerance, the system tolerates multiple node, link, and switch failures, with no single point of failure. The RAIN-technology has been transferred to Rainfinity, a start-up company focusing on creating clustered solutions for improving the performance and availability of Internet data centers. In this paper, we describe the following contributions: 1) fault-tolerant interconnect topologies and communication protocols providing consistent error reporting of link failures, 2) fault management techniques based on group membership, and 3) data storage schemes based on computationally efficient error-control codes. We present several proof-of-concept applications: a highly-available video server, a highly-available Web server, and a distributed checkpointing system. Also, we describe a commercial product, Rainwall, built with the RAIN technology
Physics of Interpulse Emission in Radio Pulsars
The magnetized induced Compton scattering off the particles of the
ultrarelativistic electron-positron plasma of pulsar is considered. The main
attention is paid to the transverse regime of the scattering, which holds in a
moderately strong magnetic field. We specifically examine the problem on
induced transverse scattering of the radio beam into the background, which
takes place in the open field line tube of a pulsar. In this case, the
radiation is predominantly scattered backwards and the scattered component may
grow considerably. Based on this effect, we for the first time suggest a
physical explanation of the interpulse emission observed in the profiles of
some pulsars. Our model can naturally account for the peculiar spectral and
polarization properties of the interpulses. Furthermore, it implies a specific
connection of the interpulse to the main pulse, which may reveal itself in the
consistent intensity fluctuations of the components at different timescales.
Diverse observational manifestations of this connection, including the moding
behavior of PSR B1822-09, the peculiar temporal and frequency structure of the
giant interpulses in the Crab pulsar, and the intrinsic phase correspondence of
the subpulse patterns in the main pulse and the interpulse of PSR B1702-19, are
discussed in detail. It is also argued that the pulse-to-pulse fluctuations of
the scattering efficiency may lead to strong variability of the interpulse,
which is yet to be studied observationally. In particular, some pulsars may
exhibit transient interpulses, i.e. the scattered component may be detectable
only occasionally.Comment: 28 pages, 2 figures. Accepted for publication in Ap
(1+3) Covariant Dynamics of Scalar Perturbations in Braneworlds
We discuss the dynamics of linear, scalar perturbations in an almost
Friedmann-Robertson-Walker braneworld cosmology of Randall-Sundrum type II
using the 1+3 covariant approach. We derive a complete set of frame-independent
equations for the total matter variables, and a partial set of equations for
the non-local variables which arise from the projection of the Weyl tensor in
the bulk. The latter equations are incomplete since there is no propagation
equation for the non-local anisotropic stress. We supplement the equations for
the total matter variables with equations for the independent constituents in a
cold dark matter cosmology, and provide solutions in the high and low-energy
radiation-dominated phase under the assumption that the non-local anisotropic
stress vanishes. These solutions reveal the existence of new modes arising from
the two additional non-local degrees of freedom. Our solutions should prove
useful in setting up initial conditions for numerical codes aimed at exploring
the effect of braneworld corrections on the cosmic microwave background (CMB)
power spectrum. As a first step in this direction, we derive the covariant form
of the line of sight solution for the CMB temperature anisotropies in
braneworld cosmologies, and discuss possible mechanisms by which braneworld
effects may remain in the low-energy universe.Comment: 22 pages replaced with additional references and minor corrections in
Revtex4, and accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.
Quantum fluctuations in brane-world inflation without inflaton on the brane
A Randall-Sundrum type brane-cosmological model in which slow-roll inflation
on the brane is driven solely by a bulk scalar field was recently proposed by
Himemoto and Sasaki. We analyze their model in detail and calculate the quantum
fluctuations of the bulk scalar field with . We decompose
the bulk scalar field into the infinite mass spectrum of 4-dimensional fields;
the field with the smallest mass-square, called the zero-mode, and the
Kaluza-Klein modes above it with a mass gap. We find the zero-mode dominance of
the classical solution holds if , where is
the curvature radius of the effectively anti-de Sitter bulk, but it is violated
if , though the violation is very small. Then we evaluate
the vacuum expectation value on the brane. We find the
zero-mode contribution completely dominates if similar
to the case of classical background. In contrast, we find the Kaluza-Klein
contribution is small but non-negligible if the value of is
large.Comment: 12pages, 1 figure, typos corrected, a couple of paragraphs modified
but no major change in the text, final version to be published in PR
Scalar perturbations from brane-world inflation
We investigate the scalar metric perturbations about a de Sitter brane
universe in a 5-dimensional anti de Sitter bulk. We compare the master-variable
formalism, describing metric perturbations in a 5-dimensional longitudinal
gauge, with results in a Gaussian normal gauge. For a vacuum brane (with
constant brane tension) there is a continuum of normalizable Kaluza-Klein
modes, with m>3H/2, which remain in the vacuum state. A light radion mode, with
m=\sqrt{2}H, satisfies the boundary conditions for two branes but is not
normalizable in the single-brane case. When matter is introduced (as a test
field) on the brane, this mode, together with the zero-mode and an infinite
ladder of discrete tachyonic modes, become normalizable. However, the boundary
condition requires the self-consistent 4-dimensional evolution of scalar field
perturbations on the brane and the dangerous growing modes are not excited.
These normalizable discrete modes introduce corrections at first-order to the
scalar field perturbations computed in a slow-roll expansion. On super-Hubble
scales, the correction is smaller than slow-roll corrections to the de Sitter
background. However on small scales the corrections can become significant.Comment: 15 page
Cosmology with massive neutrinos coupled to dark energy
Cosmological consequences of a coupling between massive neutrinos and dark energy are investigated. In such models, the neutrino mass is a function of a scalar field, which plays the role of dark energy. The evolution of the background and cosmological perturbations are discussed. We find that mass-varying neutrinos can leave a significant imprint on the anisotropies in the cosmic microwave background and even lead to a reduction of power on large angular scales
The Adiabatic Instability on Cosmology's Dark Side
We consider theories with a nontrivial coupling between the matter and dark
energy sectors. We describe a small scale instability that can occur in such
models when the coupling is strong compared to gravity, generalizing and
correcting earlier treatments. The instability is characterized by a negative
sound speed squared of an effective coupled dark matter/dark energy fluid. Our
results are general, and applicable to a wide class of coupled models and
provide a powerful, redshift-dependent tool, complementary to other
constraints, with which to rule many of them out. A detailed analysis and
applications to a range of models are presented in a longer companion paper.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur
Cosmic String Network Evolution in arbitrary Friedmann-Lemaitre models
We use the velocity-dependent one-scale model by Martins & Shellard to
investigate the evolution of a GUT long cosmic string network in arbitrary
Friedmann-Lemaitre models. Four representative models are used to show that in
general there is no scaling solution. The implications for structure formation
are briefly discussed.Comment: 8 pages, 4 postscript figures included, submitted to Phys. Rev.
f(R) Gravity and Chameleon Theories
We analyse f(R) modifications of Einstein's gravity as dark energy models in
the light of their connection with chameleon theories. Formulated as
scalar-tensor theories, the f(R) theories imply the existence of a strong
coupling of the scalar field to matter. This would violate all experimental
gravitational tests on deviations from Newton's law. Fortunately, the existence
of a matter dependent mass and a thin shell effect allows one to alleviate
these constraints. The thin shell condition also implies strong restrictions on
the cosmological dynamics of the f(R) theories. As a consequence, we find that
the equation of state of dark energy is constrained to be extremely close to -1
in the recent past. We also examine the potential effects of f(R) theories in
the context of the Eot-wash experiments. We show that the requirement of a thin
shell for the test bodies is not enough to guarantee a null result on
deviations from Newton's law. As long as dark energy accounts for a sizeable
fraction of the total energy density of the Universe, the constraints which we
deduce also forbid any measurable deviation of the dark energy equation of
state from -1. All in all, we find that both cosmological and laboratory tests
imply that f(R) models are almost coincident with a Lambda-CDM model at the
background level.Comment: 18 pages, 5 figure
Density perturbations in the brane-world
In Randall-Sundrum-type brane-world cosmologies, density perturbations
generate Weyl curvature in the bulk, which in turn backreacts on the brane via
stress-energy perturbations. On large scales, the perturbation equations
contain a closed system on the brane, which may be solved without solving for
the bulk perturbations. Bulk effects produce a non-adiabatic mode, even when
the matter perturbations are adiabatic, and alter the background dynamics. As a
consequence, the standard evolution of large-scale fluctuations in general
relativity is modified. The metric perturbation on large-scales is not constant
during high-energy inflation. It is constant during the radiation era, except
at most during the very beginning, if the energy is high enough.Comment: Additional arguments and minor corrections; version accepted by Phys.
Rev.
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