Unwinding Inflation

Higher-form flux that extends in all 3+1 dimensions of spacetime is a source of positive vacuum energy that can drive meta-stable eternal inflation. If the flux also threads compact extra dimensions, the spontaneous nucleation of a bubble of brane charged under the flux can trigger a classical cascade that steadily unwinds many units of flux, gradually decreasing the vacuum energy while inflating the bubble, until the cascade ends in the self-annihilation of the brane into radiation. With an initial number of flux quanta Q_{0} \simgeq N, this can result in N efolds of inflationary expansion while producing a scale-invariant spectrum of adiabatic density perturbations with amplitude and tilt consistent with observation. The power spectrum has an oscillatory component that does not decay away during inflation, relatively large tensor power, and interesting non-Gaussianities. Unwinding inflation fits naturally into the string landscape, and our preliminary conclusion is that consistency with observation can be attained without fine-tuning the string parameters. The initial conditions necessary for the unwinding phase are produced automatically by bubble formation, so long as the critical radius of the bubble is smaller than at least one of the compact dimensions threaded by flux.Comment: 29+15 pages, 10 figures, published versio

Inflation from Flux Cascades

When electric-type flux threads compact extra dimensions, a quantum nucleation event can break a flux line and initiate a cascade that unwinds many units of flux. Here, we present a novel mechanism for inflation based on this phenomenon. From the 4D point of view, the cascade begins with the formation of a bubble containing an open Friedmann-Robertson-Walker cosmology, but the vacuum energy inside the bubble is initially only slightly reduced, and subsequently decreases gradually throughout the cascade. If the initial flux number Q_0 ~ O(100), during the cascade the universe can undergo N ~ 60 efolds of inflationary expansion with gradually decreasing Hubble constant, producing a nearly scale-invariant spectrum of adiabatic density perturbations with amplitude and tilt consistent with observation, and a potentially observable level of non-Gaussianity and tensor modes. The power spectrum has a small oscillatory component that does not decay away during inflation, with a period set approximately by the light-crossing time of the compact dimension(s). Since the ingredients are fluxes threading compact dimensions, this mechanism fits naturally into the string landscape, but does not appear to suffer from the eta problem or require fine-tuning (beyond the usual anthropic requirement of small vacuum energy after reheating).Comment: 5 pages, 1 figur

D-brane scattering and annihilation

We study the dynamics of parallel brane-brane and brane-antibrane scattering in string theory in flat spacetime, focusing on the pair production of open strings that stretch between the branes. We are particularly interested in the case of scattering at small impact parameter $b < l_s$, where there is a tachyon in the spectrum when a brane and an antibrane approach within a string length. Our conclusion is that despite the tachyon, branes and antibranes can pass through each other with only a very small probability of annihilating, so long as $g_s$ is small and the relative velocity $v$ is neither too small nor too close to 1. Our analysis is relevant also to the case of charged open string production in world-volume electric fields, and we make use of this T-dual scenario in our analysis. We briefly discuss the application of our results to a stringy model of inflation involving moving branes.Comment: 25+7 pages, 5 figure

Large-scale anomalies from primordial dissipation

We analyze an inflationary model in which part of the power in density perturbations arises due to particle production. The amount of particle production is modulated by an auxiliary field. Given an initial gradient for the auxiliary field, this model produces a hemispherical power asymmetry and a suppression of power at low multipoles similar to those observed by WMAP and Planck in the CMB temperature. It also predicts an additive contribution to $\delta T$ with support only at very small $l$ that is aligned with the direction of the power asymmetry and has a definite sign, as well as small oscillations in the power spectrum at all $l$.Comment: 1+15 pages, 7 figure

Are the Health Services for Children with Special Health Care Needs Met Through School Services?

The Maternal and Child Health Bureau recognizes children with special health care needs (CSHCN) as "those with chronic physical, developmental, behavioral, or emotional conditions that require health and related services of a type or amount beyond that required of children generally" (Kuhlthau, Bloom, Van Cleave, Knapp, Romm, Klatka... Perrin, 2011, p.136). These children may need medication, medical care, mental or educational services, or special therapy in order to maintain functionality (Houtrow, Okumura, Hilton, & Rehm, 2011). A significant number of CSHCN attend school daily who require additional health support (DurRant, Gibbons, Poole, Suessmann, & Wyckoff, 2010). Federal law mandates schools to adapt their services to provide equal opportunity for the student body including CSHCN, but many schools struggle to adapt programs due to cost of personnel and resources (Murphy & Carbone, 2008). When school services are not fully available to CSHCN, they are more likely to have unfavorable outcomes in school such as repeating grade, lack of engagement, and increased absences (Reuben & Pastor, 2013). To ensure that the health needs of children with disabilities are met adequately at schools, it is important to understand how schools provide comprehensive services for them (Reuben & Pastor, 2013). / This honors project was conducted in rural eastern North Carolina at a school-based health center in collaboration with a school nurse in Wayne County. The purpose of this project was to examine the health services available to the 81 CSHCN at Brogden Middle School and determine barriers to available health services. The objectives of this project were 1) to interview 4-5 key informants in the public school who have close contact with CSHCN by Feb 11, 2014 and 2) identify programs and services most utilized by CSHCN at this public school by Feb 17, 2014. Public health interventions used in this project were advocacy and policy enforcement. Written recommendations based on the findings will be provided to the Director of the school-based health center, school nurse, and key teachers to improve services for CHSCN in this school.

University involvement in downtown revitalization: stakeholder perspectives and opportunities

The purpose of this study was to explore the perspectives of stakeholders on the sides of Rowan University and the Borough of Glassboro regarding the Rowan Boulevard/Downtown Glassboro project in 2011. The study investigated the perspectives of stakeholders on the town and gown relationship, what extending the educational component into the downtown would do to the town and college, and how this would foster the relationship thereafter. These stakeholders, eight on the side of the town and nine on the side of the gown, were interviewed. No strong differences were found between the perspectives of the town and the unversity. The stakeholders believed that bringing the university into the town would allow chances for university outreach into the community and allow the citizens to take full advantage of the various university offerings. It was reported that this integration could lead to more town and gown problems with student behavior. Communication and collaboration was the way to overcome this obstacle and maintain the relationship in the future