387 research outputs found
Quantum Field Theory on Spacetimes with a Compactly Generated Cauchy Horizon
We prove two theorems which concern difficulties in the formulation of the
quantum theory of a linear scalar field on a spacetime, (M,g_{ab}), with a
compactly generated Cauchy horizon. These theorems demonstrate the breakdown of
the theory at certain `base points' of the Cauchy horizon, which are defined as
`past terminal accumulation points' of the horizon generators. Thus, the
theorems may be interpreted as giving support to Hawking's `Chronology
Protection Conjecture', according to which the laws of physics prevent one from
manufacturing a `time machine'. Specifically, we prove: Theorem 1: There is no
extension to (M,g_{ab}) of the usual field algebra on the initial globally
hyperbolic region which satisfies the condition of F-locality at any base
point. In other words, any extension of the field algebra must, in any globally
hyperbolic neighbourhood of any base point, differ from the algebra one would
define on that neighbourhood according to the rules for globally hyperbolic
spacetimes. Theorem 2: The two-point distribution for any Hadamard state
defined on the initial globally hyperbolic region must (when extended to a
distributional bisolution of the covariant Klein-Gordon equation on the full
spacetime) be singular at every base point x in the sense that the difference
between this two point distribution and a local Hadamard distribution cannot be
given by a bounded function in any neighbourhood (in MXM) of (x,x). Theorem 2
implies quantities such as the renormalized expectation value of \phi^2 or of
the stress-energy tensor are necessarily ill-defined or singular at any base
point. The proofs rely on the `Propagation of Singularities' theorems of
Duistermaat and H\"ormander.Comment: 37 pages, LaTeX, uses latexsym and amsbsy, no figures; updated
version now published in Commun. Math. Phys.; no major revisions from
original versio
Reissner Nordstr\"{o}m Background Metric in Dynamical Co-ordinates: Exceptional Behaviour of Hadamard States
We cast the Reissner Nordstrom solution in a particular co-ordinate system
which shows dynamical evolution from initial data. The initial data for the
case is regular. This procedure enables us to treat the metric as a
collapse to a singularity. It also implies that one may assume Wald axioms to
be valid globally in the Cauchy development, especially when Hadamard states
are chosen. We can thus compare the semiclassical behaviour with spherical dust
case, looking upon the metric as well as state specific information as
evolution from initial data. We first recover the divergence on the Cauchy
horizon obtained earlier. We point out that the semiclassical domain extends
right upto the Cauchy horizon. This is different from the spherical dust case
where the quantum gravity domain sets in before. We also find that the
backreaction is not negligible near the central singularity, unlike the dust
case. Apart from these differences, the Reissner Nordstrom solution has a
similarity with dust in that it is stable over a considerable period of time.
The features appearing dust collapse mentioned above were suggested to be
generally applicable within spherical symmetry. Reissner Nordstrom background
(along with the quantum state) generated from initial data, is shown not to
reproduce them
Systems biology of bacterial persistence, a metabolism-driven strategy for survival
Bacteriële persisten zijn bacteriën die antibiotica tolereren en kunnen opnieuw vermenigvuldigen na antibiotische behandeling. Ze veroorzaken infecties, bijvoorbeeld tuberculose. Ze zijn verschillend van antibiotica resistente bacteriën, omdat het mechanisme van antibiotische tolerantie niet genetisch is. In dit proefschrift laten we zien dat deze persistelcellen eigenlijk veel vaker zijn dan eerder bekend, en dat hun antibiotica-tolerantie een eigenschap is die voortkomt uit een algemene stressrespons tegen lage nutriënten. De nieuwe inzichten in de functie van bacteriële persistentie, gezien als een metabolisgedreven strategie voor overleving, wijzen op toekomstig onderzoek dat kan leiden tot hun uitroeiing
Fluctuation effects in disordered Peierls systems
We review the density of states and related quantities of quasi
one-dimensional disordered Peierls systems in which fluctuation effects of a
backscattering potential play a crucial role. The low-energy behavior of
non-interacting fermions which are subject to a static random backscattering
potential will be described by the fluctuating gap model (FGM). Recently, the
FGM has also been used to explain the pseudogap phenomenon in high-
superconductors. After an elementary introduction to the FGM in the context of
commensurate and incommensurate Peierls chains, we develop a non-perturbative
method which allows for a simultaneous calculation of the density of states
(DOS) and the inverse localization length. First, we recover all known results
in the limits of zero and infinite correlation lengths of the random potential.
Then, we attack the problem of finite correlation lengths. While a complex
order parameter, which describes incommensurate Peierls chains, leads to a
suppression of the DOS, i.e. a pseudogap, the DOS exhibits a singularity at the
Fermi energy if the order parameter is real and therefore refers to a
commensurate system. We confirm these results by calculating the DOS and the
inverse localization length for finite correlation lengths and Gaussian
statistics of the backscattering potential with unprecedented accuracy
numerically. Finally, we consider the case of classical phase fluctuations
which apply to low temperatures where amplitude fluctuations are frozen out. In
this physically important regime, which is also characterized by finite
correlation lengths, we present analytic results for the DOS, the inverse
localization length, the specific heat, and the Pauli susceptibility.Comment: 60 pages, 16 figure
Fallowing of selected arable fields in a farmland mosaic affects processes on landscape level: a case study of small mammal communities
In 2008 on six 1-ha plots the structure and species diversity of small mammal community inhabiting a narrow belt of coastal zone of the Łuknajno Lake (Masurian Lake District, North-East of Poland) were studied. The results obtained were compared with the results of similar studies carried out in the same area in 1981, when still intensive agricultural activities were present around the lake (abandoned in 1991 by leaving the agricultural fields fallow). In comparison with 1981, a decrease in the number of species inhabiting the fringe of the lake was discovered, as well as some significant changes in the domination structure of the community. Currently, the dominant forest species - the bank vole Myodes glareolus (Schreber 1780) and the yellow-necked mouse Apodemus flavicollis (Melchior 1834) - replaced the most numerous in 1981 - the striped field mouse Apodemus agrarius (Pallas 1771). Taking into consideration the fact that environmental conditions at the coastal zone have not changed, it was suggested that the changes in the community of small mammals were caused by setting aside arable lands around the lake. The results obtained lead to the conclusion that the range of the ecological effects of local changes in the landscape mosaic may include an area much larger than the one directly affected by these changes. They constitute the basis for a discussion on the relationship between various elements of environmental mosaic in heterogeneous landscape
Supersymmetric Field-Theoretic Models on a Supermanifold
We propose the extension of some structural aspects that have successfully
been applied in the development of the theory of quantum fields propagating on
a general spacetime manifold so as to include superfield models on a
supermanifold. We only deal with the limited class of supermanifolds which
admit the existence of a smooth body manifold structure. Our considerations are
based on the Catenacci-Reina-Teofillatto-Bryant approach to supermanifolds. In
particular, we show that the class of supermanifolds constructed by
Bonora-Pasti-Tonin satisfies the criterions which guarantee that a
supermanifold admits a Hausdorff body manifold. This construction is the
closest to the physicist's intuitive view of superspace as a manifold with some
anticommuting coordinates, where the odd sector is topologically trivial. The
paper also contains a new construction of superdistributions and useful results
on the wavefront set of such objects. Moreover, a generalization of the
spectral condition is formulated using the notion of the wavefront set of
superdistributions, which is equivalent to the requirement that all of the
component fields satisfy, on the body manifold, a microlocal spectral condition
proposed by Brunetti-Fredenhagen-K\"ohler.Comment: Final version to appear in J.Math.Phy
- …