13,389 research outputs found
Rippled Cosmological Dark Matter from Damped Oscillating Newton Constant
Let the reciprocal Newton 'constant' be an apparently non-dynamical
Brans-Dicke scalar field damped oscillating towards its General Relativistic
VEV. We show, without introducing additional matter fields or dust, that the
corresponding cosmological evolution averagely resembles, in the Jordan frame,
the familiar dark radiation -> dark matter -> dark energy domination sequence.
The fingerprints of our theory are fine ripples, hopefully testable, in the FRW
scale factor; they die away at the General Relativity limit. The possibility
that the Brans-Dicke scalar also serves as the inflaton is favorably examined.Comment: RevTex4, 12 pages, 5 figures; Minor revision, References adde
Sigma-Model Aether
Theories of low-energy Lorentz violation by a fixed-norm "aether" vector
field with two-derivative kinetic terms have a globally bounded Hamiltonian and
are perturbatively stable only if the vector is timelike and the kinetic term
in the action takes the form of a sigma model. Here we investigate the
phenomenological properties of this theory. We first consider the propagation
of modes in the presence of gravity, and show that there is a unique choice of
curvature coupling that leads to a theory without superluminal modes.
Experimental constraints on this theory come from a number of sources, and we
examine bounds in a two-dimensional parameter space. We then consider the
cosmological evolution of the aether, arguing that the vector will naturally
evolve to be orthogonal to constant-density hypersurfaces in a
Friedmann-Robertson-Walker cosmology. Finally, we examine cosmological
evolution in the presence of an extra compact dimension of space, concluding
that a vector can maintain a constant projection along the extra dimension in
an expanding universe only when the expansion is exponential.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures; fixed minor typo and changed references in v
Solution of the dispersionless Hirota equations
The dispersionless differential Fay identity is shown to be equivalent to a
kernel expansion providing a universal algebraic characterization and solution
of the dispersionless Hirota equations. Some calculations based on D-bar data
of the action are also indicated.Comment: Late
Fine Tuning Free Paradigm of Two Measures Theory: K-Essence, Absence of Initial Singularity of the Curvature and Inflation with Graceful Exit to Zero Cosmological Constant State
The dilaton-gravity sector of the Two Measures Field Theory (TMT)is explored
in detail in the context of cosmology. The model possesses scale invariance
which is spontaneously broken due to the intrinsic features of the TMT
dynamics. The effective model represents an explicit example of the effective
k-essence resulting from first principles without any exotic term in the
fundamental action. Depending of the choice of regions in the parameter space,
TMT exhibits different possible outputs for cosmological dynamics: a) Absence
of initial singularity of the curvature while its time derivative is singular.
This is a sort of "sudden" singularities studied by Barrow on purely kinematic
grounds. b) Power law inflation in the subsequent stage of evolution. Depending
on the region in the parameter space (but without fine tuning) the inflation
ends with a graceful exit either into the state with zero cosmological constant
(CC) or into the state driven by both a small CC and the field phi with a
quintessence-like potential. c) Possibility of resolution of the old CC
problem. From the point of view of TMT, it becomes clear why the old CC problem
cannot be solved (without fine tuning) in conventional field theories. d) TMT
enables two ways for achieving small CC without fine tuning of dimensionfull
parameters: either by a seesaw type mechanism or due to a correspondence
principle between TMT and conventional field theories (i.e theories with only
the measure of integration sqrt{-g} in the action. e) There is a wide range of
the parameters such that in the late time universe: the equation-of-state
w=p/\rho <-1; w asymptotically (as t\to\infty) approaches -1 from below; \rho
approaches a constant, the smallness of which does not require fine tuning of
dimensionfull parameters.Comment: 37 pages, 20 figures. Minor misprints corrected, reference added. The
final version published in Phys. Rev.
The extended Malkus-Robbins dynamo as a perturbed Lorenz system
Recent investigations of some self-exciting Faraday-disk homopolar dynamo ([1-4]) have yielded the classic Lorenz equations as a special limit when one of the principal bifurcation parameters is zero. In this paper we focus upon one of those models [3] and illustrate what happens to some of the lowest order unstable periodic orbits as this parameter is increased from zero
Mapping EK Draconis with PEPSI - Possible evidence for starspot penumbrae
We present the first temperature surface map of EK Dra from
very-high-resolution spectra obtained with the Potsdam Echelle Polarimetric and
Spectroscopic Instrument (PEPSI) at the Large Binocular Telescope. Changes in
spectral line profiles are inverted to a stellar surface temperature map using
our Map code. The long-term photometric record is employed to compare our
map with previously published maps. Four cool spots were reconstructed, but no
polar spot was seen. The temperature difference to the photosphere of the spots
is between 990 and 280K. Two spots are reconstructed with a typical solar
morphology with an umbra and a penumbra. For the one isolated and relatively
round spot (A), we determine an umbral temperature of 990K and a penumbral
temperature of 180K below photospheric temperature. The umbra to photosphere
intensity ratio of EK Dra is approximately only half of that of a comparison
sunspot. A test inversion from degraded line profiles showed that the higher
spectral resolution of PEPSI reconstructs the surface with a temperature
difference that is on average 10% higher than before and with smaller surface
areas by 10-20%. PEPSI is therefore better suited to detecting and
characterising temperature inhomogeneities. With ten more years of photometry,
we also refine the spot cycle period of EK Dra to 8.90.2 years with a
continuing long-term fading trend. The temperature morphology of spot A so far
appears to show the best evidence for the existence of a solar-like penumbra
for a starspot. We emphasise that it is more the non-capture of the true umbral
contrast rather than the detection of the weak penumbra that is the limiting
factor. The relatively small line broadening of EK Dra, together with the only
moderately high spectral resolutions previously available, appear to be the
main contributors to the lower-than-expected spot contrasts when comparing to
the Sun.Comment: Accepted for A&
Surveying the solar system by measuring angles and times: from the solar density to the gravitational constant
A surprisingly large amount of information on our solar system can be gained
from simple measurements of the apparent angular diameters of the sun and the
moon. This information includes the average density of the sun, the distance
between earth and moon, the radius of the moon, and the gravitational constant.
In this note it is described how these and other quantities can be obtained by
simple earthbound measurements of angles and times only, without using any
explicit information on distances between celestial bodies. The pedagogical and
historical aspects of these results are also discussed briefly.Comment: 12 pges, one figur
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