Intermediate left-right gauge symmetry, unification of couplings and fermion masses in SUSY SO(10)×S4SO(10)\times S_4

If left-right gauge theory occurs as an intermediate symmetry in a GUT then, apart from other advantages, it is possible to obtain the see-saw scale necessary to understand small neutrino masses with Majorana coupling of order unity. Barring threshold or non-renormalizable gravitational effects, or assumed presence of additional light scalar particles of unprescribed origin, all other attempts to achieve manifest one-loop gauge coupling unification in SUSY SO(10) with left-right intermediate symmetry have not been successful so far. Attributing this failure to lack of flavor symmetry in the GUT, we show how the spontaneous symmetry breaking of $SO(10)\times S_4$ leads to such intermediate scale extending over a wide range, $M_R \simeq 5\times 10^{9}$ GeV to $10^{15}$ GeV. All the charged fermion masses are fitted at the see-saw scale, $M_N\simeq M_R \simeq 4 \times 10^{13}$ GeV which is obtained with Majorana coupling $f_0 \simeq 1$. Using a constrained parametrization in which CP-violation originates only from quark sector, besides other predictions made in the neutrino sector, the reactor mixing angle is found to be $\theta_{13} \simeq 3^{\circ} - 5^{\circ}$ which is in the range accessible to ongoing and planned experiments. The leptonic Dirac phase turns out to be $\delta \sim 2.9- 3.1$ radians with Jarlskog invariant $J \sim 2.95 \times 10^{-5} - 10^{-3}$.Comment: Minor clarification and few references added to match the published versio

Chaos in an Exact Relativistic 3-body Self-Gravitating System

We consider the problem of three body motion for a relativistic one-dimensional self-gravitating system. After describing the canonical decomposition of the action, we find an exact expression for the 3-body Hamiltonian, implicitly determined in terms of the four coordinate and momentum degrees of freedom in the system. Non-relativistically these degrees of freedom can be rewritten in terms of a single particle moving in a two-dimensional hexagonal well. We find the exact relativistic generalization of this potential, along with its post-Newtonian approximation. We then specialize to the equal mass case and numerically solve the equations of motion that follow from the Hamiltonian. Working in hexagonal-well coordinates, we obtaining orbits in both the hexagonal and 3-body representations of the system, and plot the Poincare sections as a function of the relativistic energy parameter $\eta$. We find two broad categories of periodic and quasi-periodic motions that we refer to as the annulus and pretzel patterns, as well as a set of chaotic motions that appear in the region of phase-space between these two types. Despite the high degree of non-linearity in the relativistic system, we find that the the global structure of its phase space remains qualitatively the same as its non-relativisitic counterpart for all values of $\eta$ that we could study. However the relativistic system has a weaker symmetry and so its Poincare section develops an asymmetric distortion that increases with increasing $\eta$. For the post-Newtonian system we find that it experiences a KAM breakdown for $\eta \simeq 0.26$: above which the near integrable regions degenerate into chaos.Comment: latex, 65 pages, 36 figures, high-resolution figures available upon reques

Dynamical N-body Equlibrium in Circular Dilaton Gravity

We obtain a new exact equilibrium solution to the N-body problem in a one-dimensional relativistic self-gravitating system. It corresponds to an expanding/contracting spacetime of a circle with N bodies at equal proper separations from one another around the circle. Our methods are straightforwardly generalizable to other dilatonic theories of gravity, and provide a new class of solutions to further the study of (relativistic) one-dimensional self-gravitating systems.Comment: 4 pages, latex, reference added, minor changes in wordin

Cosmological Models in Two Spacetime Dimensions

Various physical properties of cosmological models in (1+1) dimensions are investigated. We demonstrate how a hot big bang and a hot big crunch can arise in some models. In particular, we examine why particle horizons do not occur in matter and radiation models. We also discuss under what circumstances exponential inflation and matter/radiation decoupling can happen. Finally, without assuming any particular equation of state, we show that physical singularities can occur in both untilted and tilted universe models if certain assumptions are satisfied, similar to the (3+1)-dimensional cases.Comment: 22 pgs., 2 figs. (available on request) (revised version contains `paper.tex' macro file which was omitted in earlier version

Experimental study of wing leading-edge devices for improved maneuver performance of a supercritical maneuvering fighter configuration

Wind tunnel tests were conducted to examine the use of wing leading-edge devices for improved subsonic and transonic maneuver performance. These devices were tested on a fighter configuration which utilized supercritical-wing technology. The configuration had a leading-edge sweep of 45 deg and an aspect ratio of 3.28. The tests were conducted at Mach numbers of 0.60 and 0.85 with angles of attack from -0.5 deg to 22 deg. At both Mach numbers, sharp leading-edge flaps produced vortices which greatly altered the flow pattern on the wing and resulted in substantial reductions in drag at high lift. Underwing or pylon-type vortex generators also reduced drag at high lift. The vortex generators worked better at a Mach number of 0.60. The vortex generators gave the best overall results with zero toe-in angle and when mounted on either the outboard part of the wing or at both an outboard location and halfway out the semispan. Both the flaps and the vortex generators had a minor effect on the pitching moment. Fluorescent minitufts were found to be useful for flow visualization at transonic maneuver conditions

A police-led real-time surveillance system for suspected suicides in Great Britain

It has become increasingly apparent that rapidly available information about the occurrence of suicides is needed, particularly to support suicide prevention efforts. Concerns about the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on vulnerability to suicide highlighted the need for such early data internationally. Here, we set out the nature, current status, and content of a real-time suicide monitoring system in Great Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales), and explore its potential to contribute to timely and targeted suicide prevention initiatives. We also discuss the challenges to successful implementation

Type II Seesaw Dominance in Non-supersymmetric and Split Susy SO(10) and Proton Life Time

Recently type II seesaw dominance in a supersymmetric SO(10) framework has been found useful in explaining large solar and atmospheric mixing angles as well as larger values of $theta_{13}$ while unifying quark and lepton masses. An important question in these models is whether there exists consistency between coupling unification and type II seesaw dominance. Scenarios where this consistency can be demonstrated have been given in a SUSY framework. In this paper we give examples where type II dominance occurs in SO(10) models without supersymmetry but with additional TeV scale particles and also in models with split-supersummetry. Grand unification is realized in a two-step process via breaking of SO(10) to SU(5) and then to a TeV scale standard model supplemented by extra fields and an SU(5) Higgs multiplet ${15}_H$ at a scale about $10^{12}$ GeV to give type-II seesaw. The predictions for proton lifetime in these models are in the range $\tau_p^0 = 2\times 10^{35}$ yrs. to $\tau_p^0 = 6\times 10^{35}$ yrs.. A number of recent numerical fits to GUT-scale fermion masses can be accommodated within this model.Comment: 7 pages LaTeX, 3 figures, related areas: hep-ex, hep-th, astro-ph; Reference added, typo corrected, version to appear in Physical Review

Environment as a Witness: Selective Proliferation of Information and Emergence of Objectivity in a Quantum Universe

We study the role of the information deposited in the environment of an open quantum system in course of the decoherence process. Redundant spreading of information -- the fact that some observables of the system can be independently ``read-off'' from many distinct fragments of the environment -- is investigated as the key to effective objectivity, the essential ingredient of ``classical reality''. This focus on the environment as a communication channel through which observers learn about physical systems underscores importance of quantum Darwinism -- selective proliferation of information about ``the fittest states'' chosen by the dynamics of decoherence at the expense of their superpositions -- as redundancy imposes the existence of preferred observables. We demonstrate that the only observables that can leave multiple imprints in the environment are the familiar pointer observables singled out by environment-induced superselection (einselection) for their predictability. Many independent observers monitoring the environment will therefore agree on properties of the system as they can only learn about preferred observables. In this operational sense, the selective spreading of information leads to appearance of an objective ``classical reality'' from within quantum substrate.Comment: New figures, to appear in PR

Mutations of the ret protooncogene in German multiple endocrine neoplasia families: Relation between genotype and phenotype.

It has been suggested that not only the position but also the nature of the mutations of the ret protooncogene strongly correlate with the clinical manifestation of the multiple endocrine neoplasm type 2 (MEN 2) syndrome. In particular, individuals with a Cys634-Arg substitution should have a greater risk of developing parathyroid disease. We, therefore, analyzed 94 unrelated families from Germany with inherited medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) for mutation of the ret protooncogene. In all but 1 of 59 families with MEN 2A, germline mutations in the extracellular domain of the ret protein were found. Some 81% of the MEN 2A mutations affected codon 634. Phenotype-genotype correlations suggested that the prevalence of pheochromocytoma and hyperparathyroidism is significantly higher in families with codon 634 mutations, but there was no correlation with the nature of the mutation. In all but 1 of 27 familial MTC (FMTC) families, mutations were detected in 1 of 4 cysteines in the extracellular domain of the ret protooncogene. Half of the FMTC mutations affected codon 634. Mutations outside of codon 634 occurred more often in FMTC families than in MEN 2A families. In all but 1 of 8 MEN 2B patients, de novo mutations in codon 918 were found. These data confirm the preferential localization of MEN 2-associated mutations and the correlation between disease phenotype and the position of the ret mutation, but there was no correlation between the occurrence of hyperparathyroidism or pheochromocytoma and the nature of the mutation