Global pointwise decay estimates for defocusing radial nonlinear wave equations

We prove global pointwise decay estimates for a class of defocusing semilinear wave equations in $n=3$ dimensions restricted to spherical symmetry. The technique is based on a conformal transformation and a suitable choice of the mapping adjusted to the nonlinearity. As a result we obtain a pointwise bound on the solutions for arbitrarily large Cauchy data, provided the solutions exist globally. The decay rates are identical with those for small data and hence seem to be optimal. A generalization beyond the spherical symmetry is suggested.Comment: 9 pages, 1 figur

Anomalously small wave tails in higher dimensions

We consider the late-time tails of spherical waves propagating on even-dimensional Minkowski spacetime under the influence of a long range radial potential. We show that in six and higher even dimensions there exist exceptional potentials for which the tail has an anomalously small amplitude and fast decay. Along the way we clarify and amend some confounding arguments and statements in the literature of the subject.Comment: 13 page

The Geoff Egan Memorial Lecture 2011. Artefacts, art and artifice: reconsidering iconographic sources for archaeological objects in early modern Europe

A first systematic analysis of historic domestic material culture depicted in contemporaneous Western painting and prints, c.1400-1800. Drawing on an extensive data set, the paper proposes to methodologies and hermeneutics for historical analysis and archaeological correspondence

Internal mode mechanism for collective energy transport in extended systems

We study directed energy transport in homogeneous nonlinear extended systems in the presence of homogeneous ac forces and dissipation. We show that the mechanism responsible for unidirectional motion of topological excitations is the coupling of their internal and translation degrees of freedom. Our results lead to a selection rule for the existence of such motion based on resonances that explains earlier symmetry analysis of this phenomenon. The direction of motion is found to depend both on the initial and the relative phases of the two harmonic drivings, even in the presence of noise.Comment: Final version, to appear in Physical Review Letter

EVA Glove Research Team

The goal of the basic research portion of the extravehicular activity (EVA) glove research program is to gain a greater understanding of the kinematics of the hand, the characteristics of the pressurized EVA glove, and the interaction of the two. Examination of the literature showed that there existed no acceptable, non-invasive method of obtaining accurate biomechanical data on the hand. For this reason a project was initiated to develop magnetic resonance imaging as a tool for biomechanical data acquisition and visualization. Literature reviews also revealed a lack of practical modeling methods for fabric structures, so a basic science research program was also initiated in this area

Searching For Integrated Sachs-Wolfe Effect Beyond Temperature Anisotropies: CMB E-mode Polarization-Galaxy Cross Correlation

The cross-correlation between cosmic microwave background (CMB) temperature anisotropies and the large scale structure (LSS) traced by the galaxy distribution, or sources at different wavelengths, is now well known. This correlation results from the integrated Sachs-Wolfe (ISW) effect in CMB anisotropies generated at late times due to the dark energy component of the Universe. In a reionized universe, the ISW quadrupole rescatters and contributes to the large-scale polarization signal. Thus, in principle, the large-scale polarization bump in the E-mode should also be correlated with the galaxy distribution. Unlike CMB temperature-LSS correlation that peaks for tracers at low redshifts this correlation peaks mostly at redshifts between 1 and 3. Under certain conditions, mostly involving a low optical depth to reionization, if the Universe reionized at a redshift around 6, the cross polarization-source signal is marginally detectable, though challenging as it requires all-sky maps of the large scale structure at redshifts between 1 and 3. If the Universe reionized at a redshift higher than 10, it is unlikely that this correlation will be detectable even with no instrumental noise all-sky maps. While our estimates do not guarantee a detection unknown physics related to the dark energy as well as still uncertain issues related to the large angular scale CMB and polarization anisotropies may motivate attempts to measure this correlation using upcoming CMB polarization E-mode maps.Comment: 13 pages; 3 figure panels, JCAP submitte

Max Weber e o problema dos valores: as justificativas para a neutralidade axiológica

O presente artigo versa sobre um dos temas mais centrais das ciências sociais em geral e da obra weberiana em particular, qual seja, o debate em torno do engajamento ou do distanciamento do cientista em relação à realidade social que constitui seu objeto. No decorrer deste texto é realizado um escrutínio da posição de Max Weber em torno dessa questão, que é condensada na sua defesa de uma postura de "neutralidade axiológica". Mais do que identificar o sentido atribuído a esta ideia, o objetivo que norteou a pesquisa foi o de apreender as justificativas apresentadas por Weber para conferir sustentação a essa premissa. A primeira etapa da pesquisa consistiu em uma uma leitura estrutural de todos os textos de Max Weber que versam sobre o tema em questão e que compõem a coletânea Gesammelte Aufsätze zur Wissenschaftslehre, conforme explicitado de modo detalhado na segunda seção do artigo. A partir disso foram selecionados todos os trechos contendo a expressão "neutralidade axiológia" e outros termos correlatos, apresentados na tabela em anexo. Esses trechos foram então classificados e analisados em relação ao seu conteúdo, com o intuito de apreender as justificativas apresentadas pelo autor. Ao final, todos esses dados foram mobilizados e sintetizado de modo a se produzir considerações mais gerais sobre a teoria do autor em questão. O principal resultado da investigação, que é aqui apresentado, é uma compreensão mais ampla e profunda das justificativas subjacentes a uma das posições mais cruciais da sociologia weberiana, e que permite um posicionamento mais bem informado em relação a essa temática que ainda se mantém como um dos pilares das reflexões epistemológicas nas ciências sociais contemporâneas. Portanto, o artigo contribui para o debate lançando uma nova luz sobre as premissas que estruturam a defesa do princípio da neutralidade axiológica, explicitando que a defesa de tal princípio se deve a uma pluralidade de justificativas. Além disso, a discussão aqui apresentada permite compreender com mais clareza as consequências dessa defesa da neutralidade axiológica para a ciência e para a vida social