Towards the Theory of Cosmological Phase Transitions

We discuss recent progress (and controversies) in the theory of finite temperature phase transitions. This includes the structure of the effective potential at a finite temperature, the infrared problem in quantum statistics of gauge fields, the theory of formation of critical and subcritical bubbles and the theory of bubble wall propagation.Comment: 50 p

On the hadronic contribution to sterile neutrino production

Sterile neutrinos with masses in the keV range are considered to be a viable candidate for warm dark matter. The rate of their production through active-sterile neutrino transitions peaks, however, at temperatures of the order of the QCD scale, which makes it difficult to estimate their relic abundance quantitatively, even if the mass of the sterile neutrino and its mixing angle were known. We derive here a relation, valid to all orders in the strong coupling constant, which expresses the production rate in terms of the spectral function associated with active neutrinos. The latter can in turn be expressed as a certain convolution of the spectral functions related to various mesonic current-current correlation functions, which are being actively studied in other physics contexts. In the naive weak coupling limit, the appropriate Boltzmann equations can be derived from our general formulae.Comment: 28 pages. v2: small clarifications added, published versio

About levitation of superconducting rings for magnetic system of multipole plasma trap

In order to continue works on creation of the plasma trap with levitating magnetic coils the analytical function of the potential energy U(x,θ) of the system of two coaxial superconducting rings (and the upper ring is fixed at that), which trapped given fluxes of the same sign, in the homogeneous gravity field versus the coordinate x of the free ring and the deflection angle θ of its axis from the vertical has been obtained under approximation of thin rings. For manufactured HTSC rings, which trapped fluxes of the same sign, with the help of calculations of the dependence U(x,θ) in Mathcad system, such values of magnetic fluxes trapped by rings have been obtained under which equilibrium states of the free ring in the field of the fixed ring, stable to the shift of the levitating ring plane along the common axis and to the deflection of its axis from the vertical, exist. The existence of the determined by calculations equilibrium state for HTSC rings under trapped fluxes of the same sign, stable to the vertical shifts of the levitating ring and to the deflection of its axis from the vertical, has been proved experimentally.В продолжение работ по созданию плазменной ловушки с левитирующими магнитными катушками в приближении тонких колец получено аналитическое выражение для потенциальной энергии U (x,θ) системы из двух коаксиальных сверхпроводящих колец (причем, верхнее из них закреплено), захвативших заданные потоки одного знака, в однородном поле силы тяжести как функции координаты x свободного кольца и угла отклонения θ его оси от вертикали. Для изготовленных ВТСП-колец, захвативших потоки одного знака, с помощью расчетов в системе Mathcad зависимости U (x,θ) были найдены такие значения захваченных кольцами магнитных потоков, при которых существуют равновесные состояния свободного кольца в поле закрепленного кольца, устойчивые по отношению к смещению плоскости левитирующего кольца вдоль общей оси и к отклонению его оси от вертикали. Существование найденного из расчетов равновесного состояния для ВТСП- колец при захваченных потоках одного знака, устойчивого по отношению к вертикальным смещениям левитирующего кольца и к отклонению его оси от вертикали, было подтверждено экспериментально.У продовження робіт зі створення плазмової пастки з левітуючими магнітними котушками в наближенні тонких кілець отримано аналітичний вираз для потенційної енергії U (x, θ) системи з двох коаксіальних надпровідних кілець (причому, верхнє з них закріплено), що захопили задані потоки одного знаку, в однорідному полі сили тяжіння як функції координати x вільного кільця і кута відхилення θ його осі від вертикалі. Для виготовлених ВТНП-кілець, які захопили потоки одного знаку, за допомогою розрахунків в системі Mathcad залежності U (x, θ), були знайдені такі значення захоплених кільцями магнітних потоків, при яких існують рівноважні стани вільного кільця в полі закріпленого кільця, стійкі по відношенню до зміщення площини левітуючого кільця уздовж загальної осі та до відхилення його осі від вертикалі. Існування знайденого з розрахунків рівноважного стану для ВТНП-кілець при захоплених потоках одного знаку, стійкого по відношенню до вертикальних зсувів левітуючого кільця та до відхилення його осі від вертикалі, було підтверджено експериментально

First-order cosmological phase transitions in the radiation dominated era

We consider first-order phase transitions of the Universe in the radiation-dominated era. We argue that in general the velocity of interfaces is non-relativistic due to the interaction with the plasma and the release of latent heat. We study the general evolution of such slow phase transitions, which comprise essentially a short reheating stage and a longer phase equilibrium stage. We perform a completely analytical description of both stages. Some rough approximations are needed for the first stage, due to the non-trivial relations between the quantities that determine the variation of temperature with time. The second stage, instead, is considerably simplified by the fact that it develops at a constant temperature, close to the critical one. Indeed, in this case the equations can be solved exactly, including back-reaction on the expansion of the Universe. This treatment also applies to phase transitions mediated by impurities. We also investigate the relations between the different parameters that govern the characteristics of the phase transition and its cosmological consequences, and discuss the dependence of these parameters with the particle content of the theory.Comment: 38 pages, 3 figures; v2: Minor changes, references added; v3: several typos correcte

Dynamics of Two Higgs Doublet CP Violation and Baryogenesis at the Electroweak Phase Transition

We quantitatively study the charge transport mechanism of electroweak baryogenesis in a realistic two-Higgs-doublet model, comparing the contributions from quarks and leptons reflecting from electroweak domain walls, and comparing the exact profile of the CP-violating phase with a commonly used ansatz. We note that the phenomenon of spontaneous CP violation at high temperature can occur in this model, even when there is no CP violation at zero temperature. We include all known effects which are likely to influence the baryon production rate, including strong sphalerons, the nontrivial dispersion relations of the quasiparticles in the plasma, and Debye screening of gauged charges. We confirm the claim of Joyce, Prokopec and Turok that the reflection of tau leptons from the wall gives the dominant effect. We conclude that this mechanism is marginally strong enough to produce the observed baryon asymmetry of the universe.Comment: 49 pp. latex, 6 figures; section on diffusion expanded and corrected, published versio

Electroweak Phase Transition in Two Higgs Doublet Models

We reexamine the strength of the first order phase transition in the electroweak theory supplemented by an extra Higgs doublet. The finite-temperature effective potential, $V_{eff}$, is computed to one-loop order, including the summation of ring diagrams, to study the ratio $\phi_c/T_c$ of the Higgs field VEV to the critical temperature. We make a number of improvements over previous treatments, including a consistent treatment of Goldstone bosons in $V_{eff}$, an accurate analytic approximation to $V_{eff}$ valid for any mass-to-temperature ratios, and use of the experimentally measured top quark mass. For two-Higgs doublet models, we identify a significant region of parameter space where $\phi_c/T_c$ is large enough for electroweak baryogenesis, and we argue that this identification should persist even at higher orders in perturbation theory. In the case of the minimal supersymmetric standard model, our results indicate that the extra Higgs bosons have little effect on the strength of the phase transition.Comment: 18 pp., 5 figures, uses epsf.tex. Corrected matching conditions for analytic approximation to thermal effective potential, eq. (10), and typos in eq. (5

Modulation of tomato root architecture and root hair traits by Pseudomonas brassicacearum and Variovorax paradoxus containing 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase

By decreasing root 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) content and plant ethylene production, the microbial enzyme ACC deaminase is a widespread beneficial trait of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), ameliorating ethylene-mediated root growth inhibition. However, relatively little is known about whether bacterial ACC deaminase modulates root architecture and root hair traits. Thus the dwarf tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) cultivar Micro-Tom was inoculated in vitro with Pseudomonas brassicacearum Am3, its ACC deaminase deficient mutant T8-1, a known PGPR strain Variovorax paradoxus 5C-2 or chemically treated with agents that promoted or inhibited ethylene production or sensitivity (Ag+, Co2+, and ACC). ACC treatment reduced both root elongation and the number of lateral roots, while ethylene inhibitors (Ag+, Co2+) and V. paradoxus 5C-2 promoted primary root elongation, but differentially affected lateral root length and number. Ag+ stimulated lateral root development, while Co2+ and V. paradoxus 5C-2 did not. Inoculation with P. brassicacearum Am3 and T8-1 inhibited elongation of the primary and lateral roots at a high inoculum concentration (106 cells cm3). All bacterial strains significantly increased the length and number of root hairs, with these effects more pronounced in P. brassicacearum Am3 than in the mutant T8-1. Treatment with Ag+ inhibited root hair formation and elongation, while Co2+ had the opposite effects. ACC treatment had no effect on root hair elongation but increased root hair density. While root growth inhibition caused by P. brassicacearum Am3 was independent of ACC deaminase, the promotion of root hair elongation and density by this strain was augmented by ACC deaminase activity. Thus ACC deaminase can modulate the morphological impacts of bacteria on root hair response by affecting plant ethylene content. © 2022, Institute of Experimental Botany, ASCR. All rights reserved

Changes in spontaneous and odorant-induced single-unit activity of mitral/tufted neurons of the rat olfactory bulb during xylazine-tiletamine-zolazepam anesthesia

The nature and severity of mitral/tufted (M/T) cells reactions to odorants presented in anesthesia depend on various factors, and, above all, the nature and concentration of the odor, anesthesia, and the functional state of the olfactory bulb (OB). Compared to wakefulness, under anesthesia, the intensity of OB M/T cells responses to the odorants presented increases. However, the influence of anesthesia dynamics on the intensity of such responses has not been studied. To address this problem in rats, the activity of M/T cells and the local field potentials (LFP) in OB were recorded in the course of xylazine-tiletamine-zolazepam (XTZ) anesthesia. It has been shown that in the course of the anesthesia, the average frequency of background and odorant-induced single-unit activity of M/T cells increases, while the dominant frequency value of LFP in the gamma frequency range (90–170 Hz), on the contrary, decreases. The observed effects are assumed to be associated with changes in the functional state of the OB and systems for processing olfactory information in anesthesia

Comparative Study of the Abscisic Acid Metabolism Using Analogue Tritium-Labeled in the Cyclohexene or Side Moiety

© 2020, Pleiades Publishing, Ltd. Abstract: A procedure was developed for introducing tritium into the side chain of the abscisic acid (ABA) molecule. The reaction was carried out in dioxane in the presence of the Lindlar catalyst. The yield of the labeled product was 70% and the molar radioactivity was 44 Ci/mol. The tritium-labeled abscisic acid analogue was found to be a growth substrate for soil bacteria that incorporate a radioactive label into cellular metabolites. The absorption of the label by bacteria from the side chain of abscisic acid is more than an order of magnitude higher than that for labeling in the cyclohexene moiety. The results indicate the existence of a previously unknown metabolism pathway of ABA in microorganisms