96 research outputs found
Dynamics and instability of false vacuum bubbles
This paper examines the classical dynamics of false vacuum regions embedded
in surrounding regions of true vacuum, in the thin-wall limit. The dynamics of
all generally relativistically allowed solutions -- most but not all of which
have been previously studied -- are derived, enumerated, and interpreted. We
comment on the relation of these solutions to possible mechanisms whereby
inflating regions may be spawned from non-inflating ones. We then calculate the
dynamics of first order deviations from spherical symmetry, finding that many
solutions are unstable to such aspherical perturbations. The parameter space in
which the perturbations on bound solutions inevitably become nonlinear is
mapped. This instability has consequences for the Farhi-Guth-Guven mechanism
for baby universe production via quantum tunneling.Comment: 16 PRD-style pages including 11 embedded figures; accepted by PRD.
Revised version includes new solution, discussion of 'thermal activation',
added reference, fixed typo
Linear orderings of random geometric graphs (extended abstract)
In random geometric graphs, vertices are randomly distributed on [0,1]^2 and pairs of vertices are connected by edges
whenever they are sufficiently close together. Layout problems seek a linear ordering of the vertices of a graph such that a
certain measure is minimized. In this paper, we study several layout problems on random geometric graphs: Bandwidth,
Minimum Linear Arrangement, Minimum Cut, Minimum Sum Cut, Vertex Separation and Bisection. We first prove that
some of these problems remain \NP-complete even for geometric graphs. Afterwards, we compute lower bounds that hold
with high probability on random geometric graphs. Finally, we characterize the probabilistic behavior of the lexicographic
ordering for our layout problems on the class of random geometric graphs.Postprint (published version
Convergence theorems for some layout measures on random lattice and random geometric graphs
This work deals with convergence theorems and bounds on the
cost of several layout measures for lattice graphs, random
lattice graphs and sparse random geometric graphs. For full
square lattices, we give optimal layouts for the problems
still open. Our convergence theorems can be viewed as an
analogue of the Beardwood, Halton and Hammersley theorem for
the Euclidian TSP on random points in the -dimensional
cube. As the considered layout measures are
non-subadditive, we use percolation theory to obtain our
results on random lattices and random geometric graphs. In
particular, we deal with the subcritical regimes on these
class of graphs.Postprint (published version
Antenna Design and Interface Dynamics for Cellular Handsets
This project involves the design and computational analysis of a Planar Inverted-F Antenna at a resonant frequency of 850 MHz in an effort to investigate and optimize its performance in the LG Nexus 5 D820 smartphone. A three-dimensional, full-wave computational model of the antenna was created with HFSS and variations of different physical parameters were conducted. The data from HFSS was exported into ADS for analog circuit modeling. The modeling predictions were successfully tested with a designed and constructed antenna
Puerto Rico Light Pollution
In Puerto Rico, light pollution is a serious problem for people living in urban environments as well as organisms in the wild. The goal of this project is to develop a procedure for measuring ground level light pollution, and to carry out initial light measurements to lay the groundwork for future studies. Surveys of Puerto Rican citizens were done to get an idea of public awareness of light pollution. The outcomes of the project are a manual for collecting data, initial measurements using the procedure at key locations, as well as a better understanding of public opinion. Our results will be presented to Para la Naturaleza and la Junta de Calidad Ambiental so they can use it to create a plan for future regulation and control of light pollution in Puerto Rico
Black Holes at the IceCube Neutrino Telescope
If the fundamental Planck scale is about a TeV and the cosmic neutrino flux
is at the Waxman-Bahcall level, quantum black holes are created daily in the
Antarctic ice-cap. We re-examine the prospects for observing such black holes
with the IceCube neutrino-detection experiment. To this end, we first revise
the black hole production rate by incorporating the effects of inelasticty,
i.e., the energy radiated in gravitational waves by the multipole moments of
the incoming shock waves. After that we study in detail the process of Hawking
evaporation accounting for the black hole's large momentum in the lab system.
We derive the energy spectrum of the Planckian cloud which is swept forward
with a large, O (10^6), Lorentz factor. (It is noteworthy that the boosted
thermal spectrum is also relevant for the study of near-extremal supersymmetric
black holes, which could be copiously produced at the LHC.) In the
semiclassical regime, we estimate the average energy of the boosted particles
to be less than 20% the energy of the neutrino-progenitor. Armed with such a
constraint, we determine the discovery reach of IceCube by tagging on "soft"
(relative to what one would expect from charged current standard model
processes) muons escaping the electromagnetic shower bubble produced by the
black hole's light descendants. The statistically significant 5-sigma excess
extends up to a quantum gravity scale ~ 1.3 TeV.Comment: Matching version to be published in Phys. Rev.
Patterns of Duality in N=1 SUSY Gauge Theories
We study the patterns in the duality of a wide class of N=1 supersymmetric
gauge theories in four dimensions. We present many new generalizations of the
classic duality models of Kutasov and Schwimmer, which have themselves been
generalized numerous times in works of Intriligator, Leigh and the present
authors. All of these models contain one or two fields in a two-index tensor
representation, along with fields in the defining representation. The
superpotential for the two-index tensor(s) resembles A_k or D_k singularity
forms, generalized from numbers to matrices. Looking at the ensemble of these
models, classifying them by superpotential, gauge group, and ``level'' -- for
terminology we appeal to the architecture of a typical European-style theatre
-- we identify emerging patterns and note numerous interesting puzzles.Comment: 34 pages, 4 figures, uses harvmac and table
Regulating Eternal Inflation II: The Great Divide
In a previous paper, two of the authors presented a "regulated" picture of
eternal inflation. This picture both suggested and drew support from a
conjectured discontinuity in the amplitude for tunneling from positive to
negative vacuum energy, as the positive vacuum energy was sent to zero;
analytic and numerical arguments supporting this conjecture were given. Here we
show that this conjecture is false, but in an interesting way. There are no
cases where tunneling amplitudes are discontinuous at vanishing cosmological
constant; rather, the space of potentials separates into two regions. In one
region decay is strongly suppressed, and the proposed picture of eternal
inflation remains viable; sending the (false) vacuum energy to zero in this
region results in an absolutely stable asymptotically flat space. In the other
region, we argue that the space-time at vanishing cosmological constant is
unstable, but not asymptotically Minkowski. The consequences of our results for
theories of supersymmetry breaking are unchanged.Comment: JHEP3, 19 Pages, 7 Figure
Reproductive Failure in UK Harbour Porpoises Phocoena phocoena : Legacy of Pollutant Exposure?
This research was supported by a Marie Curie International Outgoing Fellowship within the Seventh European Community Framework Programme (Project Cetacean-stressors, PIOF-GA-2010-276145 to PDJ and SM). Additional funding was provided through the Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic, North East Atlantic, Irish and North Seas (ASCOBANS) (Grants SSFA/2008 and SSFA / ASCOBANS / 2010 / 5 to SM). Analysis of Scottish reproductive and teeth samples was funded by the EC-funded BIOCET project (BIOaccumulation of persistent organic pollutants in small CETaceans in European waters: transport pathways and impact on reproduction, grant EVK3-2000-00027 to GJP), and Marine Scotland (GJP). Samples examined in this research were collected under the collaborative Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (http://ukstrandings.org/), which is funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the UK’s Devolved Administrations in Scotland and Wales (http://sciencesearch.defra.gov.uk/Defaul​t.aspx?Menu=Menu&Module=More&Location=No​ne&Completed=0&ProjectID=15331) (grants to PDJ, RD). UK Defra also funded the chemical analysis under a service-level agreement with the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (grants to RJL, JB). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD
Geometric Algebra Techniques for General Relativity
Geometric (Clifford) algebra provides an efficient mathematical language for
describing physical problems. We formulate general relativity in this language.
The resulting formalism combines the efficiency of differential forms with the
straightforwardness of coordinate methods. We focus our attention on
orthonormal frames and the associated connection bivector, using them to find
the Schwarzschild and Kerr solutions, along with a detailed exposition of the
Petrov types for the Weyl tensor.Comment: 34 pages, 0 figures; submitted to Annals of Physic
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