Non-equilibrium phenomena in the QCD phase transition

Within the context of the linear \s-model for two flavours, we investigate non-equilibrium phenomena that may occur during the QCD chiral phase transition in heavy-ion collisions. We assume that the chiral symmetry breaking is followed by a rapid quench so that the system falls out of thermal equilibrium. We study the mechanism for the amplification of the pion field during the oscillations of the \s-field towards and around its new minimum. We show that the pion spectrum develops a characteristic pronounced peak at low momenta.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures, RevTex

Classical evolution of fractal measures generated by a scalar field on the lattice

We investigate the classical evolution of a $\phi^4$ scalar field theory, using in the initial state random field configurations possessing a fractal measure expressed by a non-integer mass dimension. These configurations resemble the equilibrium state of a critical scalar condensate. The measures of the initial fractal behavior vary in time following the mean field motion. We show that the remnants of the original fractal geometry survive and leave an imprint in the system time averaged observables, even for large times compared to the approximate oscillation period of the mean field, determined by the model parameters. This behavior becomes more transparent in the evolution of a deterministic Cantor-like scalar field configuration. We extend our study to the case of two interacting scalar fields, and we find qualitatively similar results. Therefore, our analysis indicates that the geometrical properties of a critical system initially at equilibrium could sustain for several periods of the field oscillations in the phase of non-equilibrium evolution.Comment: 13 pages, 13 figures, version published at Int. J. Mod. Phys.

Quintom model with O(NN) symmetry

We investigate the quintom model of dark energy in the generalized case where the corresponding canonical and phantom fields possess O($N$) symmetries. Assuming exponential potentials we find that this O$(N)$ quintom paradigm exhibits novel properties comparing to the simple canonical and phantom scenarios. In particular, we find that the universe cannot result in a quintessence-type solution with $w>-1$, even in the cases where the phantom field seems to be irrelevant. On the contrary, there are always late-time attractors which correspond to accelerating universes with $w<-1$ and with a recent crossing of the phantom divide, and for a very large area of the parameter space they are the only ones. This is in contrast with the previous simple-quintom results, where an accelerating universe is a possible late-time stable solution but it is not guaranteed.Comment: 13 pages, no figur

Brane-Bulk energy exchange and agegraphic dark energy

We consider the agegraphic models of dark energy in a braneworld scenario with brane-bulk energy exchange. We assume that the adiabatic equation for the dark matter is satisfied while it is violated for the agegraphic dark energy due to the energy exchange between the brane and the bulk. Our study shows that with the brane-bulk interaction, the equation of state parameter of agegraphic dark energy on the brane, $w_D$, can have a transition from normal state where $w_D >-1$ to the phantom regime where $w_D <-1$, while the effective equation of state for dark energy always satisfies $w^{\mathrm{eff}}_D\geq-1$.Comment: 13 pages, to appear in IJMP

Quasinormal Modes in Noncommutative Schwarzschild black holes

We investigate the quasinormal modes of a massless scalar field in a Schwarzschild black hole, which is deformed due to noncommutative corrections. We present the deformed Schwarzschild black hole solution, which depends on the noncommutative parameter $\Theta$, and we extract the master equation as a Schr\"odinger-like equation, giving the explicit expression of the effective potential which is modified due to the noncommutative corrections. We solve the master equation numerically and we find that the noncommutative gravitational corrections ``break" the stability of the scalar perturbations in the long time evolution of the massless scalar field. The significance of these results is twofold. Firstly, our results can be related to the detection of gravitational waves by the near future gravitational wave detectors, such as LISA, which will have a significantly increased accuracy. In particular, these observed gravitational waves produced by binary strong gravitational systems have oscillating modes which can provide valuable information. Secondly, our results can serve as an additional tool to test the predictions of general relativity, as well as to examine the possible detection of this kind of gravitational corrections.Comment: 16 pages, 12 figure

Classical evolution of fractal measures on the lattice

We consider the classical evolution of a lattice of non-linear coupled oscillators for a special case of initial conditions resembling the equilibrium state of a macroscopic thermal system at the critical point. The displacements of the oscillators define initially a fractal measure on the lattice associated with the scaling properties of the order parameter fluctuations in the corresponding critical system. Assuming a sudden symmetry breaking (quench), leading to a change in the equilibrium position of each oscillator, we investigate in some detail the deformation of the initial fractal geometry as time evolves. In particular we show that traces of the critical fractal measure can sustain for large times and we extract the properties of the chain which determine the associated time-scales. Our analysis applies generally to critical systems for which, after a slow developing phase where equilibrium conditions are justified, a rapid evolution, induced by a sudden symmetry breaking, emerges in time scales much shorter than the corresponding relaxation or observation time. In particular, it can be used in the fireball evolution in a heavy-ion collision experiment, where the QCD critical point emerges, or in the study of evolving fractals of astrophysical and cosmological scales, and may lead to determination of the initial critical properties of the Universe through observations in the symmetry broken phase.Comment: 15 pages, 15 figures, version publiced at Physical Review

Cyclic cosmology from Lagrange-multiplier modified gravity

We investigate cyclic and singularity-free evolutions in a universe governed by Lagrange-multiplier modified gravity, either in scalar-field cosmology, as well as in $f(R)$ one. In the scalar case, cyclicity can be induced by a suitably reconstructed simple potential, and the matter content of the universe can be successfully incorporated. In the case of $f(R)$-gravity, cyclicity can be induced by a suitable reconstructed second function $f_2(R)$ of a very simple form, however the matter evolution cannot be analytically handled. Furthermore, we study the evolution of cosmological perturbations for the two scenarios. For the scalar case the system possesses no wavelike modes due to a dust-like sound speed, while for the $f(R)$ case there exist an oscillation mode of perturbations which indicates a dynamical degree of freedom. Both scenarios allow for stable parameter spaces of cosmological perturbations through the bouncing point.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, references added, accepted for publicatio

Interacting Three Fluid System and Thermodynamics of the Universe Bounded by the Event Horizon

The work deals with the thermodynamics of the universe bounded by the event horizon. The matter in the universe has three constituents namely dark energy, dark matter and radiation in nature and interaction between then is assumed. The variation of entropy of the surface of the horizon is obtained from unified first law while matter entropy variation is calculated from the Gibbss' law. Finally, validity of the generalized second law of thermodynamics is examined and conclusions are written point wise.Comment: 7 page