602 research outputs found
Interdependence between integrable cosmological models with minimal and non-minimal coupling
We consider the relation between exact solutions of cosmological models
having minimally and non-minimally coupled scalar fields. This is done for a
particular class of solvable models which, in the Einstein frame, have
potentials depending on hyperbolic functions and in the Jordan frame, where the
non-minimal coupling is conformal, possess a relatively simple dynamics. We
show that a particular model in this class can be generalized to the cases of
closed and open Friedmann universes and still exhibits a simple dynamics.
Further we illustrate the conditions for the existences of bounces in some
sub-classes of the set of integrable models we have considered.Comment: 15 pages, v2: figures and references added, accepted for publication
in CQ
Integrable cosmological models with non-minimally coupled scalar fields
We obtain general solutions for some flat Friedmann universes filled with a
scalar field in induced gravity models and models including the
Hilbert-Einstein curvature term plus a scalar field conformally coupled to
gravity. As is well known, these models are connected to minimally coupled
models through the combination of a conformal transformation and a
transformation of the scalar field. The explicit forms of the self-interaction
potentials for six exactly solvable models are presented here. We obtain the
general solution for one of the integrable models, namely, the induced gravity
model with a power-law potential for the self-interaction of the scalar field.
We argue that although being mathematically in a one-to-one correspondence with
the solutions in the minimally coupled models, the solutions in the
corresponding non-minimally coupled models are physically different. This is
because the cosmological evolutions seen by an internal observer connected with
the cosmic time can be quite different. The study of a few induced gravity
models with particular potentials gives us an explicit example of such a
difference.Comment: 20 pages, v3: references added, accepted for publication in CQ
Induced gravity, and minimally and conformally coupled scalar fields in Bianchi-I cosmological models
We study the cosmological evolution and singularity crossing in the Bianchi-I
universe filled with a conformally coupled scalar field and compare them with
those of the Bianchi-I universe filled with a minimally coupled scalar field.
We also write down the solution for the Bianchi-I Universe in the induced
gravity cosmology.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, final version, to appear in Physical Review
The deactivation of an NH3-SCR Cu-SAPO catalyst upon exposure to non-oxidizing conditions
Abstract A Cu-SAPO catalyst for NH3-SCR applications showed a significant loss of deNOx performance after exposure to oxygen-free conditions. The present work aims at elucidating the causes of the observed progressive deactivation by comparing different experimental procedures for the SCR activity tests. The adoption of an experimental protocol, which avoids the exposure to a non-oxidizing environment, ensured a stable activity of the Cu-SAPO catalyst. Moreover, treatment of the deactivated catalyst with an oxidizing mixture at 550 °C for 5 h enabled to partially recover the deNOx activity
Direct electrification of Rh/Al2O3 washcoated SiSiC foams for methane steam reforming: An experimental and modelling study
Electrified methane steam reforming (eMSR) is a promising concept for low-carbon hydrogen production. We investigate an innovative eMSR reactor where SiSiC foams, coated with Rh/Al2O3 catalyst, act as electrical resistances to generate the reaction heat via the Joule effect. The novel system was studied at different temperatures, space velocities, operating pressures and catalyst loadings. Thanks to efficient heating, active catalyst and optimal substrate geometry, complete methane conversions were observed even at a high space velocity of 200000 Nl/h/kgcat. A specific energy demand as low as 1.24 kWh/Nm3H2, with an unprecedented energy efficiency of 81%, was achieved on a washcoated foam with catalyst density of 86.3 g/L (GHSV = 150000 Nl/h/kgcat, S/C = 4.1, ambient pressure). A mathematical model was validated against measured performance indicators and used to design an intensified eMSR unit for small scale H2 production.(c) 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
The Inflaton and Time in the Matter-Gravity System
The emergence of time in the matter-gravity system is addressed within the
context of the inflationary paradigm. A quantum minisuperspace-homogeneous
minimally coupled inflaton system is studied with suitable initial conditions
leading to inflation and the system is approximately solved in the limit for
large scale factor. Subsequently normal matter (either non homogeneous inflaton
modes or lighter matter) is introduced as a perturbation and it is seen that
its presence requires the coarse averaging of a gravitational wave function
(which oscillates at trans-Planckian frequencies) having suitable initial
conditions. Such a wave function, which is common for all types of normal
matter, is associated with a ``time density'' in the sense that its modulus is
related to the amount of time spent in a given interval (or the rate of flow of
time). One is then finally led to an effective evolution equation (Schroedinger
Schwinger-Tomonaga) for ``normal'' matter. An analogy with the emergence of a
temperature in statistical mechanics is also pointed out.Comment: 14 pages, late
Black hole evaporation in a spherically symmetric non-commutative space-time
Recent work in the literature has studied the quantum-mechanical decay of a
Schwarzschild-like black hole, formed by gravitational collapse, into
almost-flat space-time and weak radiation at a very late time. The relevant
quantum amplitudes have been evaluated for bosonic and fermionic fields,
showing that no information is lost in collapse to a black hole. On the other
hand, recent developments in noncommutative geometry have shown that, in
general relativity, the effects of non-commutativity can be taken into account
by keeping the standard form of the Einstein tensor on the left-hand side of
the field equations and introducing a modified energy-momentum tensor as a
source on the right-hand side. Relying on the recently obtained
non-commutativity effect on a static, spherically symmetric metric, we have
considered from a new perspective the quantum amplitudes in black hole
evaporation. The general relativity analysis of spin-2 amplitudes has been
shown to be modified by a multiplicative factor F depending on a constant
non-commutativity parameter and on the upper limit R of the radial coordinate.
Limiting forms of F have been derived which are compatible with the adiabatic
approximation.Comment: 8 pages, Latex file with IOP macros, prepared for the QFEXT07
Conference, Leipzig, September 200
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