1,507 research outputs found
Tracking quintessence and k-essence in a general cosmological background
We derive conditions for stable tracker solutions for both quintessence and
k-essence in a general cosmological background, H^2 \propto f(\rho). We find
that tracker solutions are possible only when \eta = d ln f /d ln \rho is
constant, aside from a few special cases, which are enumerated. Expressions for
the quintessence or k-essence equation of state are derived as a function of
\eta and the equation of state of the dominant background component.Comment: 6 pages, no figure
Comprehensive maximum likelihood estimation of diffusion compartment models towards reliable mapping of brain microstructure
open4siDiffusion MRI is a key in-vivo non invasive imaging capability that can probe the microstructure of the brain. However,its limited resolution requires complex voxelwise generative models of the diffusion. Diffusion Compartment (DC) models divide the voxel into smaller compartments in which diffusion is homogeneous. We present a comprehensive framework for maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) of such models that jointly features ML estimators of (i) the baseline MR signal,(ii) the noise variance,(iii) compartment proportions,and (iv) diffusion-related parameters. ML estimators are key to providing reliable mapping of brain microstructure as they are asymptotically unbiased and of minimal variance. We compare our algorithm (which efficiently exploits analytical properties of MLE) to alternative implementations and a state-of-theart strategy. Simulation results show that our approach offers the best reduction in computational burden while guaranteeing convergence of numerical estimators to the MLE. In-vivo results also reveal remarkably reliable microstructure mapping in areas as complex as the centrum semiovale. Our ML framework accommodates any DC model and is available freely for multi-tensor models as part of the ANIMA software (https://github.com/Inria-Visages/Anima-Public/wiki).Stamm, Aymeric; Commowick, Olivier; Warfield, Simon K.; Vantini, SimoneStamm, Aymeric; Commowick, Olivier; Warfield, Simon K.; Vantini, Simon
The Effect of Time Variation in the Higgs Vacuum Expectation Value on the Cosmic Microwave Background
A time variation in the Higgs vacuum expectation value alters the electron
mass and thereby changes the ionization history of the universe. This change
produces a measurable imprint on the pattern of cosmic microwave background
(CMB) fluctuations. The nuclear masses and nuclear binding energies, as well as
the Fermi coupling constant, are also altered, with negligible impact on the
CMB. We calculate the changes in the spectrum of the CMB fluctuations as a
function of the change in the electron mass. We find that future CMB
experiments could be sensitive to |\Delta m_e/m_e| \sim |\Delta G_F/G_F| \sim
10^{-2} - 10^{-3}. However, we also show that a change in the electron mass is
nearly, but not exactly, degenerate with a change in the fine-structure
constant. If both the electron mass and the fine-structure constant are
time-varying, the corresponding CMB limits are much weaker, particularly for l
< 1000.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, Fig. 3 modified, other minor correction
Aetherizing Lambda: Barotropic Fluids as Dark Energy
We examine the class of barotropic fluid models of dark energy, in which the
pressure is an explicit function of the density, p = f(\rho). Through general
physical considerations we constrain the asymptotic past and future behaviors
and show that this class is equivalent to the sum of a cosmological constant
and a decelerating perfect fluid, or "aether", with w_{AE}\ge0. Barotropic
models give substantially disjoint predictions from quintessence, except in the
limit of \LambdaCDM. They are also interesting in that they simultaneously can
ameliorate the coincidence problem and yet "predict" a value of w\approx-1.Comment: 6 pages; v2 matches PRD published versio
The Interaction of New and Old Magnetic Fluxes at the Beginning of Solar Cycle 23
The 11-year cycle of solar activity follows Hale's law by reversing the
magnetic polarity of leading and following sunspots in bipolar regions during
the minima of activity. In the 1996-97 solar minimum, most solar activity
emerged in narrow longitudinal zones - `active longitudes' but over a range in
latitude. Investigating the distribution of solar magnetic flux, we have found
that the Hale sunspot polarity reversal first occurred in these active zones.
We have estimated the rotation rates of the magnetic flux in the active zones
before and after the polarity reversal. Comparing these rotation rates with the
internal rotation inferred by helioseismology, we suggest that both `old' and
`new' magnetic fluxes were probably generated in a low-latitude zone near the
base of the solar convection zone. The reversal of active region polarity
observed in certain longitudes at the beginning of a new solar cycle suggests
that the phenomenon of active longitudes may give fundamental information about
the mechanism of the solar cycle. The non-random distribution of old-cycle and
new-cycle fluxes presents a challenge for dynamo theories, most of which assume
a uniform longitudinal distribution of solar magnetic fields.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures; accepted for publication in ApJ Letter
On Random Bubble Lattices
We study random bubble lattices which can be produced by processes such as
first order phase transitions, and derive characteristics that are important
for understanding the percolation of distinct varieties of bubbles. The results
are relevant to the formation of topological defects as they show that infinite
domain walls and strings will be produced during appropriate first order
transitions, and that the most suitable regular lattice to study defect
formation in three dimensions is a face centered cubic lattice. Another
application of our work is to the distribution of voids in the large-scale
structure of the universe. We argue that the present universe is more akin to a
system undergoing a first-order phase transition than to one that is
crystallizing, as is implicit in the Voronoi foam description. Based on the
picture of a bubbly universe, we predict a mean coordination number for the
voids of 13.4. The mean coordination number may also be used as a tool to
distinguish between different scenarios for structure formation.Comment: several modifications including new abstract, comparison with froth
models, asymptotics of coordination number distribution, further discussion
of biased defects, and relevance to large-scale structur
Nonstoichiometric doping and Bi antisite defect in single crystal Bi2Se3
We studied the defects of Bi2Se3 generated from Bridgman growth of
stoichiometric and nonstoichiometric self-fluxes. Growth habit, lattice size,
and transport properties are strongly affected by the types of defect
generated. Major defect types of Bi_Se antisite and partial Bi_2-layer
intercalation are identified through combined studies of direct atomic-scale
imaging with scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) in conjunction
with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (STEM-EDX), X-ray diffraction, and
Hall effect measurements. We propose a consistent explanation to the origin of
defect type, growth morphology, and transport property.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure
Solvable K-essence Cosmologies and Modified Chaplygin Gas Unified Models of Dark Energy and Dark Matter
This paper is devoted to the investigation of modified Chaplygin gas model in
the context of solvable k-essence cosmologies. For this purpose, we construct
equations of state parameter of this model for some particular values of the
parameter . The graphical behavior of these equations are also discussed by
using power law form of potential. The relationship between k-essence and
modified Chaplygin gas model shows viable results in the dark energy scenario.
We conclude that the universe behaves as a cosmological constant, quintessence
phase or phantom phase depending upon .Comment: 14 pages, 6 figure
Crossing Phantom Boundary in Modified Gravity : Jordan Frame vs Einstein Frame
We study capability of gravity models to allow crossing the phantom
boundary in both Jordan and Einstein conformal frames. In Einstein frame, these
models are equivalent to Einstein gravity together with a scalar field
minimally coupled to gravity. This scalar degree of freedom appears as a
quintessence field with a coupling with the matter sector. We investigate
evolution of the equation of sate parameter for some cosmologically viable
gravity models in both conformal frames. This investigation (beyond mere
theoretical arguments) acts as an operational tool to distinguish physical
status of the two conformal frames. It shows that the two conformal frames have
not the same physical status.Comment: 13 Pages, 4 figs., To appear in Gravitation and Cosmolog
Estimating Temperature Fluctuations in the Early Universe
A lagrangian for the essence field is constructed for a constant scalar
potential and its form determined when the scale factor was very small compared
to the present epoch but very large compared to the inflationary epoch. This
means that one is already in an expanding and flat universe. The form is
similar to that of an oscillator with time-dependent frequency. Expansion is
naturally built into the theory with the existence of growing classical
solutions of the scale factor. The formalism allows one to estimate
fluctuations of the temperature of the background radiation in these early
stages (compared to the present epoch) of the universe. If the temperature at
time is and at time the temperature is
(), then for small times, the probability for the logarithm of
inverse temperature evolution can be estimated to be given by
where
, is the Planck mass and Planck's constant and the
speed of light has been put equal to unity. There is the further possibility
that a single scalar field may suffice for an inflationary scenario as well as
the dark matter and dark energy realms.Comment: 8 pages, Revtex, title,abstract and format changed for journal
publication,no change in basic results, clarifications and a figure added.
Keywords: physics of the early universe,inflation, dark matter theory, dark
energy theory. PACS: 95.35.+d ; 95.36.+x ; 98.80.Cq ; 98.80.-
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