193 research outputs found
Soap Bubbles in Outer Space: Interaction of a Domain Wall with a Black Hole
We discuss the generalized Plateau problem in the 3+1 dimensional
Schwarzschild background. This represents the physical situation, which could
for instance have appeared in the early universe, where a cosmic membrane (thin
domain wall) is located near a black hole. Considering stationary axially
symmetric membranes, three different membrane-topologies are possible depending
on the boundary conditions at infinity: 2+1 Minkowski topology, 2+1 wormhole
topology and 2+1 black hole topology.
Interestingly, we find that the different membrane-topologies are connected
via phase transitions of the form first discussed by Choptuik in investigations
of scalar field collapse. More precisely, we find a first order phase
transition (finite mass gap) between wormhole topology and black hole topology;
the intermediate membrane being an unstable wormhole collapsing to a black
hole. Moreover, we find a second order phase transition (no mass gap) between
Minkowski topology and black hole topology; the intermediate membrane being a
naked singularity.
For the membranes of black hole topology, we find a mass scaling relation
analogous to that originally found by Choptuik. However, in our case the
parameter is replaced by a 2-vector parametrizing the solutions.
We find that where . We also find a periodic wiggle in the scaling relation.
Our results show that black hole formation as a critical phenomenon is far
more general than expected.Comment: 15 pages, Latex, 4 figures include
Sound-induced artifact in cochlear blood flow measurements using the laser Doppler flowmeter
The laser Doppler flowmeter has been shown to give a response from the cochlea during high intensity acoustic stimulation which is not related to blood flow through the cochlea. The magnitude of this response depends upon the intensity and frequency of stimulation and the location of the probe on the cochlea. Evidence is presented that the response is derived from the vibration of cochlear tissue and/or the bony cochlear shell during acoustic stimulation.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/26467/1/0000001.pd
Improving the sensitivity of future GW observatories in the 1-10 Hz band: Newtonian and seismic noise
The next generation gravitational wave interferometric detectors will likely be underground detectors to extend the GW detection frequency band to frequencies below the Newtonian noise limit. Newtonian noise originates from the continuous motion of the Earth’s crust driven by human activity, tidal stresses and seismic motion, and from mass density fluctuations in the atmosphere. It is calculated that on Earth’s surface, on a typical day, it will exceed the expected GW signals at frequencies below 10 Hz. The noise will decrease underground by an unknown amount. It is
important to investigate and to quantify this expected reduction and its effect on the sensitivity of future detectors, to plan for further improvement strategies. We report about some of these aspects. Analytical models can be used in the simplest scenarios to get a better qualitative and semi-quantitative understanding. As more complete modeling can be done numerically, we will discuss also some results obtained with a finite-element-based modeling tool. The method is verified by comparing its results with the results of analytic calculations for surface detectors. A key point about noise models is their initial parameters and conditions, which require detailed information about seismic motion in a real scenario. We will describe an effort to characterize the seismic activity at the Homestake mine which is currently in progress. This activity is specifically aimed to provide informations and to explore the site as a possible candidate for an underground observatory. Although the only compelling reason to put the interferometer underground is to reduce the Newtonian noise, we expect that the more stable underground environment will have a more general positive impact on the sensitivity.We will end this report with some considerations about seismic and suspension noise
Noise parametric identification and whitening for LIGO 40-meter interferometer data
We report the analysis we made on data taken by Caltech 40-meter prototype
interferometer to identify the noise power spectral density and to whiten the
sequence of noise. We concentrate our study on data taken in November 1994, in
particular we analyzed two frames of data: the 18nov94.2.frame and the
19nov94.2.frame.
We show that it is possible to whiten these data, to a good degree of
whiteness, using a high order whitening filter. Moreover we can choose to
whiten only restricted band of frequencies around the region we are interested
in, obtaining a higher level of whiteness.Comment: 11 pages, 15 figures, accepted for publication by Physical Review
Towards a Realistic Neutron Star Binary Inspiral: Initial Data and Multiple Orbit Evolution in Full General Relativity
This paper reports on our effort in modeling realistic astrophysical neutron
star binaries in general relativity. We analyze under what conditions the
conformally flat quasiequilibrium (CFQE) approach can generate
``astrophysically relevant'' initial data, by developing an analysis that
determines the violation of the CFQE approximation in the evolution of the
binary described by the full Einstein theory. We show that the CFQE assumptions
significantly violate the Einstein field equations for corotating neutron stars
at orbital separations nearly double that of the innermost stable circular
orbit (ISCO) separation, thus calling into question the astrophysical relevance
of the ISCO determined in the CFQE approach. With the need to start numerical
simulations at large orbital separation in mind, we push for stable and long
term integrations of the full Einstein equations for the binary neutron star
system. We demonstrate the stability of our numerical treatment and analyze the
stringent requirements on resolution and size of the computational domain for
an accurate simulation of the system.Comment: 22 pages, 18 figures, accepted to Phys. Rev.
Branching Fractions for D0 -> K+K- and D0 -> pi+pi-, and a Search for CP Violation in D0 Decays
Using the large hadroproduced charm sample collected in experiment E791 at
Fermilab, we have measured ratios of branching fractions for the two-body
singly-Cabibbo-suppressed charged decays of the D0:
(D0 -> KK)/(D0 -> Kpi) = 0.109 +- 0.003 +- 0.003,
(D0 -> pipi)/(D0 -> Kpi) = 0.040 +- 0.002 +- 0.003, and
(D0 -> KK)/(D0 -> pipi) = 2.75 +- 0.15 +- 0.16. We have looked for
differences in the decay rates of D0 and D0bar to the CP eigenstates K+K- and
pi+pi-, and have measured the CP asymmetry parameters
A_CP(K+K-) = -0.010 +- 0.049 +- 0.012 and
A_CP(pi+pi-) = -0.049 +- 0.078 +- 0.030, both consistent with zero.Comment: 10 Postscript pages, including 2 figures. Submitted to Phys. Lett.
Asymmetries between the production of D+ and D- mesons from 500 GeV/c pi- nucleon interactions as a function of xF and pt**2
We present asymmetries between the production of D+ and D- mesons in Fermilab
experiment E791 as a function of xF and pt**2. The data used here consist of
74,000 fully-reconstructed charmed mesons produced by a 500 GeV/c pi- beam on C
and Pt foils. The measurements are compared to results of models which predict
differences between the production of heavy-quark mesons that have a light
quark in common with the beam (leading particles) and those that do not
(non-leading particles). While the default models do not agree with our data,
we can reach agreement with one of them, PYTHIA, by making a limited number of
changes to parameters used
Search for CP Violation in Charged D Meson Decays
We report results of a search for CP violation in the singly
Cabibbo-suppressed decays D+ -> K- K+ pi+, phi pi+, K*(892)0 K+, and pi- pi+
pi+ based on data from the charm hadroproduction experiment E791 at Fermilab.
We search for a difference in the D+ and D- decay rates for each of the final
states. No evidence for a difference is seen. The decay rate asymmetry
parameters A(CP), defined as the difference in the D+ and D- decay rates
divided by the sum of the decay rates, are measured to be: A(CP)(K K pi) =
-0.014 +/- 0.029, A(CP)(phi pi) = -0.028 +/- 0.036, A(CP)(K*(892) K) = -0.010
+/- 0.050, and A(CP)(pi pi pi) = -0.017 +/- 0.042.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures, 1 table; Elsevier LaTe
Search for Rare and Forbidden Dilepton Decays of the D+, Ds, and D0 Charmed Mesons
We report the results of a search for flavor-changing neutral current,
lepton-flavor violating, and lepton-number violating decays of D+, Ds, and D0
mesons (and their antiparticles) into modes containing muons and electrons.
Using data from Fermilab charm hadroproduction experiment E791, we examine the
pi,l,l and K,l,l decay modes of D+ and Ds and the l+l- decay modes of D0. No
evidence for any of these decays is found. Therefore, we present
branching-fraction upper limits at 90% confidence level for the 24 decay modes
examined. Eight of these modes have no previously reported limits, and fourteen
are reported with significant improvements over previously published results.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures, LaTeX, elsart.cls, epsf.sty, amsmath.sty
Submitted to Physics Letters
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