911 research outputs found
The defect variance of random spherical harmonics
The defect of a function is defined as the
difference between the measure of the positive and negative regions. In this
paper, we begin the analysis of the distribution of defect of random Gaussian
spherical harmonics. By an easy argument, the defect is non-trivial only for
even degree and the expected value always vanishes. Our principal result is
obtaining the asymptotic shape of the defect variance, in the high frequency
limit. As other geometric functionals of random eigenfunctions, the defect may
be used as a tool to probe the statistical properties of spherical random
fields, a topic of great interest for modern Cosmological data analysis.Comment: 19 page
The puzzling case of the radio-loud QSO 3C 186: a gravitational wave recoiling black hole in a young radio source?
Context. Radio-loud AGNs with powerful relativistic jets are thought to be
associated with rapidly spinning black holes (BHs). BH spin-up may result from
a number of processes, including accretion of matter onto the BH itself, and
catastrophic events such as BH-BH mergers. Aims. We study the intriguing
properties of the powerful (L_bol ~ 10^47 erg s^-1) radio-loud quasar 3C 186.
This object shows peculiar features both in the images and in the spectra.
Methods. We utilize near-IR Hubble Space Telescope (HST) images to study the
properties of the host galaxy, and HST UV and Sloan Digital Sky Survey optical
spectra to study the kinematics of the source. Chandra X-ray data are also used
to better constrain the physical interpretation. Results. HST imaging shows
that the active nucleus is offset by 1.3 +- 0.1 arcsec (i.e. ~11 kpc) with
respect to the center of the host galaxy. Spectroscopic data show that the
broad emission lines are offset by -2140 +-390 km/s with respect to the narrow
lines. Velocity shifts are often seen in QSO spectra, in particular in
high-ionization broad emission lines. The host galaxy of the quasar displays a
distorted morphology with possible tidal features that are typical of the late
stages of a galaxy merger. Conclusions. A number of scenarios can be envisaged
to account for the observed features. While the presence of a peculiar outflow
cannot be completely ruled out, all of the observed features are consistent
with those expected if the QSO is associated with a gravitational wave (GW)
recoiling BH. Future detailed studies of this object will allow us to confirm
this type of scenario and will enable a better understanding of both the
physics of BH-BH mergers and the phenomena associated with the emission of GW
from astrophysical sources.Comment: 16 pages, 8 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy &
Astrophysics. New appendix adde
Chiral gauge theories and anomalies in the Wilson renormalization group approach
We extend the Wilson renormalization group (RG) formulation to chiral gauge
theories and show that local gauge symmetry can be implemented by a suitable
choice of the RG flow boundary conditions. Since the space-time dimension is
four, there is no ambiguity in handling the matrix \g_5 and left and right
fermions are not coupled. As a result the ultraviolet action contains all
possible globally chiral invariant interactions. Nevertheless, the correct
chiral anomaly is reproduced.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figures, LaTex, uses epsfig, amssym
NuSTAR and Suzaku X-ray Spectroscopy of NGC 4151: Evidence for Reflection from the Inner Accretion Disk
We present X-ray timing and spectral analyses of simultaneous 150 ks Nuclear
Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) and Suzaku X-ray observations of the
Seyfert 1.5 galaxy NGC 4151. We disentangle the continuum emission, absorption,
and reflection properties of the active galactic nucleus (AGN) by applying
inner accretion disk reflection and absorption-dominated models. With a
time-averaged spectral analysis, we find strong evidence for relativistic
reflection from the inner accretion disk. We find that relativistic emission
arises from a highly ionized inner accretion disk with a steep emissivity
profile, which suggests an intense, compact illuminating source. We find a
preliminary, near-maximal black hole spin a>0.9 accounting for statistical and
systematic modeling errors. We find a relatively moderate reflection fraction
with respect to predictions for the lamp post geometry, in which the
illuminating corona is modeled as a point source. Through a time-resolved
spectral analysis, we find that modest coronal and inner disk reflection flux
variation drives the spectral variability during the observations. We discuss
various physical scenarios for the inner disk reflection model, and we find
that a compact corona is consistent with the observed features.Comment: 20 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
The extended empirical process test for non-Gaussianity in the CMB, with an application to non-Gaussian inflationary models
In (Hansen et al. 2002) we presented a new approach for measuring
non-Gaussianity of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) anisotropy pattern,
based on the multivariate empirical distribution function of the spherical
harmonics a_lm of a CMB map. The present paper builds upon the same ideas and
proposes several improvements and extensions. More precisely, we exploit the
additional information on the random phases of the a_lm to provide further
tests based on the empirical distribution function. Also we take advantage of
the effect of rotations in improving the power of our procedures. The suggested
tests are implemented on physically motivated models of non-Gaussian fields;
Monte-Carlo simulations suggest that this approach may be very promising in the
analysis of non-Gaussianity generated by non-standard models of inflation. We
address also some experimentally meaningful situations, such as the presence of
instrumental noise and a galactic cut in the map.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.
Practical Algebraic Renormalization
A practical approach is presented which allows the use of a non-invariant
regularization scheme for the computation of quantum corrections in
perturbative quantum field theory. The theoretical control of algebraic
renormalization over non-invariant counterterms is translated into a practical
computational method. We provide a detailed introduction into the handling of
the Slavnov-Taylor and Ward-Takahashi identities in the Standard Model both in
the conventional and the background gauge. Explicit examples for their
practical derivation are presented. After a brief introduction into the Quantum
Action Principle the conventional algebraic method which allows for the
restoration of the functional identities is discussed. The main point of our
approach is the optimization of this procedure which results in an enormous
reduction of the calculational effort. The counterterms which have to be
computed are universal in the sense that they are independent of the
regularization scheme. The method is explicitly illustrated for two processes
of phenomenological interest: QCD corrections to the decay of the Higgs boson
into two photons and two-loop electroweak corrections to the process .Comment: version to be published in Annals of Physic
Splines and Wavelets on Geophysically Relevant Manifolds
Analysis on the unit sphere found many applications in
seismology, weather prediction, astrophysics, signal analysis, crystallography,
computer vision, computerized tomography, neuroscience, and statistics.
In the last two decades, the importance of these and other applications
triggered the development of various tools such as splines and wavelet bases
suitable for the unit spheres , and the
rotation group . Present paper is a summary of some of results of the
author and his collaborators on generalized (average) variational splines and
localized frames (wavelets) on compact Riemannian manifolds. The results are
illustrated by applications to Radon-type transforms on and
.Comment: The final publication is available at http://www.springerlink.co
Effects of Goji berries supplementation on the productive performance of rabbit
Abstract
Recognized by the traditional medicine and recent scientific research studies, Lycium barbarum berries (Goji berries) have beneficial effects on human and animal health. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effects of Goji berries on the productive performance of rabbits. One month before insemination, 60 New Zealand White does were randomly assigned to one of the following 3 dietary treatments: commercial standard diet (C); C supplemented with 1% Goji berries (LG); and C supplemented with 3% Goji berries (HG). After weaning up to 91 days of age, 15 randomly selected rabbits/group were fed the same diet as the mothers (C, LG, and HG). Non-pregnant and lactating does of C group showed the highest feed intake (P < 0.01), although no significant differences in body weight (BW) were observed between groups. Nutritional treatment did not affect the offspring's feed intake. However, the rabbits fed with Goji supplementation showed not only higher mean BW both during growth (P < 0.001) and at slaughter (P < 0.01), but also better feed conversion ratio (FCR; P < 0.01) than the control group. Rabbits of LG group showed the best performances in the pre-weaning period which was probably related to the highest milk production of the LG does (P < 0.001). Indeed, LG group showed lower pre-weaning mortality (P < 0.05), higher litter size (P < 0.05), and higher litter weight (P < 0.05) at day 18 as well as higher litter size at weaning (P = 0.05) compared to C group. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that a low percentage of dietary supplementation with Goji berry improves both reproductive and productive traits of rabbits. Although further studies are needed, our study paves the way for the use of Goji berries in the rabbit nutrition
Glycosidases during chick embryo lung development and their colocalization with proteoglycans and growth factors
During development, the epithelial component of the lung goes through a complex orderly process of branching, following strict patterns of space and time. Proteoglycans, glycosaminoglycans and growth factors are fundamental components of the extracellular matrix and perform a key role in differentiative processes. The embryonic chick lung shows a specific glycosaminoglycan composition at different levels of branching and at different embryonic stages. Proteoglycan and glycosaminoglycan accumulation is the result of secretion, absorption and degradation processes. In this pathway, enzymes, such as glycosidases, growth factors and cytokines are involved. We examined the behaviour of glycosidases, such as Ăź-hexosaminidases (Ăź-N-acetyl-D-glucosaminidase, Ăź- N-acetyl-D-galactosaminidase), Ăź-glucuronidase and Ăź-galactosidase, during the development of the lung bud. Our data show that the activity of the enzymes is closely linked to the processes of epithelial proliferation, bronchial tubule lengthening and infiltration of the surrounding mesenchyme. The glycosaminoglycans colocalize with transforming growth factor Ăź2 and inter- leukin-1 in the basement membrane and in the mesenchymal areas where the epithelium grows, and are complementary to the presence of the glycosidases. In conclusion, the activity of these glycosidases is spatially and temporally programmed and favors the release of the factors and the events which they influence
Use of agro-industrial by-products for fattening lambs: pasta factory residues. Influence on meat production and meat quality
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