259 research outputs found
Early Universe Constraints on Time Variation of Fundamental Constants
We study the time variation of fundamental constants in the early Universe.
Using data from primordial light nuclei abundances, CMB and the 2dFGRS power
spectrum, we put constraints on the time variation of the fine structure
constant , and the Higgs vacuum expectation value leads to a variation
in the electron mass, among other effects. Along the same line, we study the
variation of and the electron mass . In a purely phenomenological
fashion, we derive a relationship between both variations.Comment: 18 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in Physical Review
A new Colhuehuapian (early Miocene) caviomorph rodent from Patagonia and preliminary considerations on the early evolution of the superfamily Octodontoidea
Octodontoidea includes the most diverse superfamily of South American rodents in terms of morphology, taxonomy and ecology. The morphological and taxonomic diversity are evident since their earliest records (late Eocene?-early Oligocene). Nowadays there are two major lineages, the Echimyidae (including Myocastor) and the Octodontidae.the superfamily are not clear and need to be revised. In this contribution a new octodontoid rodent Nevertheless, the phylogenetic relationships of these two lineages with the most ancient members of from Colhuehuapian levels (early Miocene) of the Trelew Member (Sarmiento Formation) at Gaiman, Chubut Province, Argentina, is described. It is known through teeth and partially preserved jaws. This new taxon is characterized by having brachydont cheek teeth and the retention of DP4/dp4; it shares with Caviocricetus (Colhuehuapian) the general morphology of the upper cheek teeth and the terraced occlusal surfaces. The development of the metalophulid II in the lower cheek teeth and the pentalophodont premolar morphology are similar to that of Prospaniomys (Colhuehuapian). A cladistic analysis was performed in order to evaluate the relationships of the new taxon; we used 22 taxa and 39 dental and mandibular characters, since they are the only ones that can be tested in the new taxon. The results indicate this new specimen forms, with Caviocricetus and Plesiacarechimys (Colloncuran, middle Miocene), the stem group of a clade constituted by the acaremyids (+ Acarechimys), and by the fossil echimyids traditionally included within the subfamily Adelphomyinae. Moreover, we verified a variety of evolutionary lines within the superfamily that are not directly related with modern octodontoids; some of these lineages would have diverged in pre-Deseadan times (Oligocene) and persisted until the middle Miocene, retaining a generalized dental morphology for the superfamily.Sesiones libresFacultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse
Exact Philosophy of Space-Time
Starting from Bunge's (1977) scientific ontology, we expose a materialistic
relational theory of space-time, that carries out the program initiated by
Leibniz, and provides a protophysical basis consistent with any rigorous
formulation of General Relativity. Space-time is constructed from general
concepts which are common to any consistent scientific theory and they are
interpreted as emergent properties of the greatest assembly of things, namely,
the world.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures. Version compatible with the published one. arXiv
admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:gr-qc/971006
Axiomatic foundations of quantum mechanics revisited: the case for systems
We present an axiomatization of non-relativistic Quantum Mechanics for a
system with an arbitrary number of components. The interpretation of our system
of axioms is realistic and objective. The EPR paradox and its relation with
realism is discussed in this framework. It is shown that there is no
contradiction between realism and recent experimental results.Comment: submitted to International Journal of Theoretical Physics, uses
Latex, no figure
Gravitational memory of natural wormholes
A traversable wormhole solution of general scalar-tensor field equations is
presented. We have shown, after a numerical analysis for the behavior of the
scalar field of Brans-Dicke theory, that the solution is completely
singularity--free. Furthermore, the analysis of more general scalar field
dependent coupling constants indicates that the gravitational memory phenomenon
may play an important role in the fate of natural wormholes.Comment: 14 pages revtex, 1 ps figur
Strangelet spectra from type II supernovae
We study in this work the fate of strangelets injected as a contamination in
the tail of a "strange matter-driven" supernova shock. A simple model for the
fragmentation and braking of the strangelets when they pass through the
expanding oxygen shell is presented and solved to understand the reprocessing
of this component. We find that the escaping spectrum is a scaled-down version
of the one injected at the base of the oxygen shell. The supernova source is
likely to produce low-energy particles of quite independently
of the initial conditions. However, it is difficult that ultrarrelativistic
strangelets (such as the hypothetical Centauro primaries) can have an origin in
those explosive events.Comment: RevTex file, 5 pp., no figure
Instability of hyper-compact Kerr-like objects
Viable alternatives to astrophysical black holes include hyper-compact
objects without horizon, such as gravastars, boson stars, wormholes and
superspinars. The authors have recently shown that typical rapidly-spinning
gravastars and boson stars develop a strong instability. That analysis is
extended in this paper to a wide class of horizonless objects with approximate
Kerr-like geometry. A detailed investigation of wormholes and superspinars is
presented, using plausible models and mirror boundary conditions at the
surface. Like gravastars and boson stars, these objects are unstable with very
short instability timescales. This result strengthens previous conclusions that
observed hyper-compact astrophysical objects with large rotation are likely to
be black holes.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figures. To be published in CQ
Variable rest masses in 5-dimensional gravitation confronted with experimental data
Cosmological solutions of Einstein equation for a \mbox{5-dimensional}
space-time, in the case of a dust-filled universe, are presented. With these
solutions we are able to test a hypothetical relation between the rest mass of
a particle and the dimension. Comparison with experiment strongly
refutes the implied dependence of the rest mass on the cosmological time.Comment: Some references adde
Lorentz Violation in Extra Dimensions
In theories with extra dimensions it is well known that the Lorentz
invariance of the -dimensional spacetime is lost due to the compactified
nature of the dimensions leaving invariance only in 4d. In such theories
other sources of Lorentz violation may exist associated with the physics that
initiated the compactification process at high scales. Here we consider the
possibility of capturing some of this physics by analyzing the higher
dimensional analog of the model of Colladay and Kostelecky. In that scenario a
complete set of Lorentz violating operators arising from spontaneous Lorentz
violation, that are not obviously Planck-scale suppressed, are added to the
Standard Model action. Here we consider the influence of the analogous set of
operators which break Lorentz invariance in 5d within the Universal Extra
Dimensions picture. We show that such operators can greatly alter the
anticipated Kaluza-Klein(KK) spectra, induce electroweak symmetry breaking at a
scale related to the inverse compactification radius, yield sources of parity
violation in, e.g., 4d QED/QCD and result in significant violations of
KK-parity conservation produced by fermion Yukawa couplings, thus destabilizing
the lightest KK particle. LV in 6d is briefly discussed.Comment: 26 pages, 2 figures; additional references and discussio
Stratigraphy and chronology of a 15ka sequence of multi-sourced silicic tephras in a montane peat bog, eastern North Island, New Zealand.
We document the stratigraphy, composition, and chronology of a succession of 16 distal, silicic tephra layers interbedded with lateglacial and Holocene peats and muds up to c. 15 000 radiocarbon years (c. 18 000 calendar years) old at a montane site (Kaipo Bog) in eastern North Island, New Zealand. Aged from 665 +/- 15 to 14 700 +/- 95 14C yr BP, the tephras are derived from six volcanic centres in North Island, three of which are rhyolitic (Okataina, Taupo, Maroa), one peralkaline (Tuhua), and two andesitic (Tongariro, Egmont). Correlations are based on multiple criteria: field properties and stratigraphic interrelationships, ferromagnesian silicate mineral assemblages, glass-shard major element composition (from electron microprobe analysis), and radiocarbon dating. We extend the known distribution of tephras in eastern North Island and provide compositional data that add to their potential usefulness as isochronous markers. The chronostratigraphic framework established for the Kaipo sequence, based on both site-specific and independently derived tephra-based radiocarbon ages, provides the basis for fine-resolution paleoenvironmental studies at a climatically sensitive terrestrial site from the mid latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere. Tephras identified as especially useful paleoenvironmental markers include Rerewhakaaitu and Waiohau (lateglacial), Konini (lateglacial-early Holocene), Tuhua (middle Holocene), and Taupo and Kaharoa (late Holocene)
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