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Articles 511 - 540 of 609

Full-Text Articles in Cosmology, Relativity, and Gravity

Systematic Errors In Cosmic Microwave Background Interferometry, Emory F. Bunn Apr 2007

Systematic Errors In Cosmic Microwave Background Interferometry, Emory F. Bunn

Physics Faculty Publications

Cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarization observations will require superb control of systematic errors in order to achieve their full scientific potential, particularly in the case of attempts to detect the B modes that may provide a window on inflation. Interferometry may be a promising way to achieve these goals. This paper presents a formalism for characterizing the effects of a variety of systematic errors on interferometric CMB polarization observations, with particular emphasis on estimates of the B-mode power spectrum. The most severe errors are those that couple the temperature anisotropy signal to polarization; such errors include cross talk within …

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Mosaicking With Cosmic Microwave Background Interferometers, Emory F. Bunn, Martin White Jan 2007

Mosaicking With Cosmic Microwave Background Interferometers, Emory F. Bunn, Martin White

Physics Faculty Publications

Measurements of cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropies by interferometers offer several advantages over single-dish observations. The formalism for analyzing interferometer CMB data is well developed in the flat-sky approximation, which is valid for small fields of view. As the area of sky is increased to obtain finer spectral resolution, this approximation needs to be relaxed. We extend the formalism for CMB interferometry, including both temperature and polarization, to mosaics of observations covering arbitrarily large areas of the sky, with each individual pointing lying within the flat-sky approximation. We present a method for computing the correlation between visibilities with arbitrary pointing …

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Purification By Fire : 2 Peter 3 And The Stoic Cosmos, Peter G. Speiser Jan 2007

Purification By Fire : 2 Peter 3 And The Stoic Cosmos, Peter G. Speiser

Master of Arts Theses

No abstract provided.

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Bianchi Identities And Weak Gravitational Lensing, Brian Keith Jan 2007

Bianchi Identities And Weak Gravitational Lensing, Brian Keith

Undergraduate Review

No abstract provided.

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Reissner–Nordstrom Expansion, Emil Prodanov, Rossen Ivanov, Vesselin Gueorguiev Jan 2007

Reissner–Nordstrom Expansion, Emil Prodanov, Rossen Ivanov, Vesselin Gueorguiev

Articles

We propose a classical mechanism for the cosmic expansion during the radiation-dominated era, assuming the Universe as a two-component gas. The first component is the ultra-relativistic “standard” fraction described by an equation of state of an ideal quantum gas of massless particles. The second component consist of superheavy charged particles and their interaction with the “standard” fraction drives the expansion. This interaction is described by the Reissner–Nordstr¨om metric purely geometrically — the superheavy charged particles are modeled as zero-dimensional naked singularities which exhibit gravitational repulsion. The radius of a repulsive sphere, surrounding a naked singularity of charge Q, is inversely …

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Quantization In Astrophysics, Brownian Motion, And Supersymmetry, Florentin Smarandache, Victor Christianto Jan 2007

Quantization In Astrophysics, Brownian Motion, And Supersymmetry, Florentin Smarandache, Victor Christianto

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

The present book discusses, among other things, various quantization phenomena found in Astrophysics and some related issues including Brownian Motion. With recent discoveries of exoplanets in our galaxy and beyond, this Astrophysics quantization issue has attracted numerous discussions in the past few years. Most chapters in this book come from published papers in various peer-reviewed journals, and they cover different methods to describe quantization, including Weyl geometry, Supersymmetry, generalized Schrödinger, and Cartan torsion method. In some chapters Navier-Stokes equations are also discussed, because it is likely that this theory will remain relevant in Astrophysics and Cosmology While much of the …

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Exotic Statistics For Strings In 4d Bf Theory, John C. Baez, Derek K. Wise, Alissa S. Crans Jan 2007

Exotic Statistics For Strings In 4d Bf Theory, John C. Baez, Derek K. Wise, Alissa S. Crans

Mathematics, Statistics and Data Science Faculty Works

After a review of exotic statistics for point particles in 3d BF theory, and especially 3d quantum gravity, we show that string-like defects in 4d BF theory obey exotic statistics governed by the 'loop braid group'. This group has a set of generators that switch two strings just as one would normally switch point particles, but also a set of generators that switch two strings by passing one through the other. The first set generates a copy of the symmetric group, while the second generates a copy of the braid group. Thanks to recent work of Xiao-Song Lin, we can …

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Casimir Forces And Non-Newtonian Gravitation, Roberto Onofrio Oct 2006

Casimir Forces And Non-Newtonian Gravitation, Roberto Onofrio

Dartmouth Scholarship

The search for non-relativistic deviations from Newtonian gravitation can lead to new phenomena signalling the unification of gravity with the other fundamental interactions. Various recent theoretical frameworks indicate a possible window for non-Newtonian forces with gravitational coupling strength in the micrometre range. The major expected background in the same range is attributable to the Casimir force or variants of it if dielectric materials, rather than conducting ones, are considered. Here we review the measurements of the Casimir force performed so far in the micrometre range and how they determine constraints on non-Newtonian gravitation, also discussing the dominant sources of false …

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Cooling Of The Quasi-Persistent Neutron Star X-Ray Transients Ks 1731-260 And Mxb 1659-29, Edward M. Cackett, Rudy Wijnands, Manuel Linares, Jon M. Miller, Jeroen Homan, Walter H. G. Lewin Oct 2006

Cooling Of The Quasi-Persistent Neutron Star X-Ray Transients Ks 1731-260 And Mxb 1659-29, Edward M. Cackett, Rudy Wijnands, Manuel Linares, Jon M. Miller, Jeroen Homan, Walter H. G. Lewin

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Research Publications

We present Chandra and XMM-Newton X-ray observations that monitor the neutron star cooling of the quasi-persistent neutron star X-ray transients KS 1731-260 and MXB 1659-29 for approximately 4 yr after these sources returned to quiescence from prolonged outbursts. In both sources the outbursts were long enough to significantly heat the neutron star crust out of thermal equilibrium with the core. We analyse the X-ray spectra by fitting absorbed neutron star atmosphere models to the observations. The results of our analysis strengthen the preliminary findings of Wijnands et al. that in both sources the neutron star crust cools down very rapidly …

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Signals For Lorentz Violation In Post-Newtonian Gravity, Quentin G. Bailey, V. Alan Kostelecký Aug 2006

Signals For Lorentz Violation In Post-Newtonian Gravity, Quentin G. Bailey, V. Alan Kostelecký

Publications

The pure-gravity sector of the minimal standard-model extension is studied in the limit of Riemann spacetime. A method is developed to extract the modified Einstein field equations in the limit of small metric fluctuations about the Minkowski vacuum, while allowing for the dynamics of the 20 independent coefficients for Lorentz violation. The linearized effective equations are solved to obtain the post-Newtonian metric. The corresponding post-Newtonian behavior of a perfect fluid is studied and applied to the gravitating many-body system. Illustrative examples of the methodology are provided using bumblebee models. The implications of the general theoretical results are studied for a …

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Probing The Universe On Gigaparsec Scales With Remote Cosmic Microwave Background Quadrupole Measurements, Emory F. Bunn Jun 2006

Probing The Universe On Gigaparsec Scales With Remote Cosmic Microwave Background Quadrupole Measurements, Emory F. Bunn

Physics Faculty Publications

Scattering of cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation in galaxy clusters induces a polarization signal proportional to the CMB quadrupole anisotropy at the cluster’s location and lookback time. A survey of such remote quadrupole measurements provides information about large-scale cosmological perturbations. This paper presents a formalism for calculating the correlation function of remote quadrupole measurements in spherical harmonic space. The number of independent modes probed by both single-redshift and volume-limited surveys is presented, along with the length scales probed by these modes. In a remote quadrupole survey sparsely covering a large area of sky, the largest-scale modes probe the same-length scales …

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The Clock Paradox In A Static Homogeneous Gravitational Field, Preston Jones, Lucas F. Wanex Feb 2006

The Clock Paradox In A Static Homogeneous Gravitational Field, Preston Jones, Lucas F. Wanex

Publications

The gedanken experiment of the clock paradox is solved exactly using the general relativistic equations for a static homogeneous gravitational field. We demonstrate that the general and special relativistic clock paradox solutions are identical and in particular that they are identical for finite acceleration. Practical expressions are obtained for proper time and coordinate time by using the destination distance as the key observable parameter. This solution provides a formal demonstration of the identity between the special and general relativistic clock paradox with finite acceleration and where proper time is assumed to be the same in both formalisms. By solving the …

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Sudden Gravitational Transition, Robert R. Caldwell, William Komp, Leonard Parker, Daniel A. T. Vanzella Jan 2006

Sudden Gravitational Transition, Robert R. Caldwell, William Komp, Leonard Parker, Daniel A. T. Vanzella

Dartmouth Scholarship

We investigate the properties of a cosmological scenario which undergoes a gravitational phase transition at late times. In this scenario, the Universe evolves according to general relativity in the standard, hot big bang picture until a redshift z≲1. Nonperturbative phenomena associated with a minimally-coupled scalar field catalyzes a transition, whereby an order parameter consisting of curvature quantities such as R2, RabRab, RabcdRabcd acquires a constant expectation value. The ensuing cosmic acceleration appears driven by a dark-energy component with an equation-of-state w<−1. We evaluate the constraints from type 1a supernovae, the cosmic microwave background, and other cosmological observations. We find that a range of models making a sharp transition to cosmic acceleration are consistent with observations.

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Variational Symmetries And Conservation Laws In Linearized Gravity, Balraj Menon Jan 2006

Variational Symmetries And Conservation Laws In Linearized Gravity, Balraj Menon

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The methods of symmetry group analysis are applied to the action functional of linearized gravity to derive necessary conditions for the existence of variational symmetries. Two classes of variational symmetries of linearized gravity are discussed, and the local conservation laws associated with these variational symmetries are presented by applying Noether's theorem

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Unfolding The Labyrinth: Open Problems In Physics, Mathematics, Astrophysics, And Other Areas Of Science, Florentin Smarandache, Victor Christianto, Fu Yuhua, Radi Khrapko, John Hutchison Jan 2006

Unfolding The Labyrinth: Open Problems In Physics, Mathematics, Astrophysics, And Other Areas Of Science, Florentin Smarandache, Victor Christianto, Fu Yuhua, Radi Khrapko, John Hutchison

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

The reader will find herein a collection of unsolved problems in mathematics and the physical sciences. Theoretical and experimental domains have each been given consideration. The authors have taken a liberal approach in their selection of problems and questions, and have not shied away from what might otherwise be called speculative, in order to enhance the opportunities for scientific discovery. Progress and development in our knowledge of the structure, form and function of the Universe, in the true sense of the word, its beauty and power, and its timeless presence and mystery, before which even the greatest intellect is awed …

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Neutrosophic Methods In General Relativity, Florentin Smarandache, Dmitri Rabounski, Larissa Borissova Dec 2005

Neutrosophic Methods In General Relativity, Florentin Smarandache, Dmitri Rabounski, Larissa Borissova

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

In this work the authors apply concepts of Neutrosophic Logic to the General Theory of Relativity to obtain a generalisation of Einstein’s fourdimensional pseudo-Riemannian differentiable manifold in terms of Smarandache Geometry (Smarandache manifolds), by which new classes of relativistic particles and non-quantum teleportation are developed. Fundamental features of Neutrosophic Logic are its denial of the Law of Excluded Middle, and open (or estimated) levels of truth, falsity and indeterminancy. Both Neutrosophic Logic and Smarandache Geometry were invented some years ago by one of the authors (F. Smarandache). The application of these purely mathematical theories to General Relativity reveals hitherto unknown …

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Integral Neutron Multiplicity Measurements From Cosmic Ray Interactions In Lead, Thomas E. Ward, Alexander A. Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolai A. Kudryashev, Denis E. Beller Oct 2005

Integral Neutron Multiplicity Measurements From Cosmic Ray Interactions In Lead, Thomas E. Ward, Alexander A. Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolai A. Kudryashev, Denis E. Beller

Transmutation Sciences Physics (TRP)

Sixty element 3He neutron multiplicity detector systems were designed, constructed and tested for use in cosmic ray experiments with a 30-cm cube lead target. A series of measurements were performed for the cosmic ray configuration at ground level (3 meters water equivalent, mwe), in the St. Petersburg metro tunnel (185 mwe), and in the Pyhäsalmi mine in Finland (583 and 1185 mwe). Anomalous coincidence events with charged cosmic ray particles at sea level produced events with 100-120 neutrons due possibly to the total disintegration of the Pb nucleus. These events were also detected at 185 mwe, but the particles …

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Limits Of Quintessence, R. R. Caldwell, Eric V. Linder Sep 2005

Limits Of Quintessence, R. R. Caldwell, Eric V. Linder

Dartmouth Scholarship

We present evidence that the simplest particle-physics scalar-field models of dynamical dark energy can be separated into distinct behaviors based on the acceleration or deceleration of the field as it evolves down its potential towards a zero minimum. We show that these models occupy narrow regions in the phase plane of w and w′, the dark energy equation of state and its time derivative in units of the Hubble time. Restricting an energy scale of the dark energy microphysics limits how closely a scalar field can resemble a cosmological constant. These results, indicating a desired measurement resolution of order σ(w′)≈(1+w), …

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Galactic Open Clusters, Ted Von Hippel Sep 2005

Galactic Open Clusters, Ted Von Hippel

Publications

The study of open clusters has a classic feel to it since the subject predates anyone alive today. Despite the age of this topic, I show via an ADS search that its relevance and importance in astronomy has grown faster in the last few decades than astronomy in general. This is surely due to both technical reasons and the interconnection of the field of stellar evolution to many branches of astronomy. In this review, I outline what we know today about open clusters and what they have taught us about a range of topics from stellar evolution to Galactic structure …

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Dark-Energy Evolution Across The Cosmological-Constant Boundary, Robert R. Caldwell, Michael Doran Aug 2005

Dark-Energy Evolution Across The Cosmological-Constant Boundary, Robert R. Caldwell, Michael Doran

Dartmouth Scholarship

We explore the properties of dark-energy models for which the equation of state, w, defined as the ratio of pressure to energy density, crosses the cosmological-constant boundary w=−1. We adopt an empirical approach, treating the dark energy as an uncoupled fluid or a generalized scalar field. We describe the requirements for a viable model, in terms of the equation of state and sound speed. A generalized scalar field cannot safely traverse w=−1, although a pair of scalars with w>−1 and w<−1 will work. A fluid description with a well-defined sound speed can also cross the boundary. Contrary to expectations, such a crossing model does not instantaneously resemble a cosmological constant at the moment w=−1 since the density and pressure perturbations do not necessarily vanish. But because a dark energy with w<−1 dominates only at very late times, and because the dark energy is not generally prone to gravitational clustering, then crossing the cosmological-constant boundary leaves no distinct imprint.

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Semi-Relativistic Approximation To Gravitational Radiation From Encounters With Non-Spinning Black Holes, Jonathan R. Gair, Daniel J. Kennefick, Shane L. Larson Jan 2005

Semi-Relativistic Approximation To Gravitational Radiation From Encounters With Non-Spinning Black Holes, Jonathan R. Gair, Daniel J. Kennefick, Shane L. Larson

All Physics Faculty Publications

The capture of compact bodies by black holes in galactic nuclei is an important prospective source for low frequency gravitational wave detectors, such as the planned Laser Interferometer Space Antenna. This paper calculates, using a semirelativistic approximation, the total energy and angular momentum lost to gravitational radiation by compact bodies on very high eccentricity orbits passing close to a supermassive, nonspinning black hole; these quantities determine the characteristics of the orbital evolution necessary to estimate the capture rate. The semirelativistic approximation improves upon treatments which use orbits at Newtonian order and quadrupolar radiation emission, and matches well onto accurate Teukolsky …

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Today's Take On Einstein’S Relativity: Proceedings Of The Conference Of 18 Feb 2005, Florentin Smarandache, Homer B. Tilton Jan 2005

Today's Take On Einstein’S Relativity: Proceedings Of The Conference Of 18 Feb 2005, Florentin Smarandache, Homer B. Tilton

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

Non Sequiturs in Relativity Four in number at this point Dr. Smith of "Lost in Space" had a knack of easing out of binds that he'd gotten himself into. Dr. Einstein was a little like that. Einstein originally declared that the distortions of special relativity reflect real changes to the objects being remotely observed, then reconsidered. The first non sequitur is quoted here from Sachs:[1] In a lecture that Einstein gave to the Prussian Academy of Sciences in 1921, he said the following: "Geometry predicates nothing about relations of real things, but only geometry together with the purport of physical …

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Manev Potential And General Relativity, Rossen Ivanov, Emil Prodanov Jan 2005

Manev Potential And General Relativity, Rossen Ivanov, Emil Prodanov

Articles

Manevis classical potential is known to successfully modify Newtonian celestial mechanics, in accordance with the general-relativistic description. The idea of replacing the exact solution of Einsteinis equations, describing orbiting bodies, with a classical potential is widely used today. These models are not restricted to planetary motion only, but also include numerous interesting astrophysical phenomena such as accretion of matter around black holes or massive stars.

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Dark-Matter Electric And Magnetic Dipole Moments, Kris Sigurdson, Michael Doran, Andriy Kurylov, Robert R. Caldwell, Marc Kamionkowski Oct 2004

Dark-Matter Electric And Magnetic Dipole Moments, Kris Sigurdson, Michael Doran, Andriy Kurylov, Robert R. Caldwell, Marc Kamionkowski

Dartmouth Scholarship

We consider the consequences of a neutral dark-matter particle with a nonzero electric and/or magnetic dipole moment. Theoretical constraints, as well as constraints from direct searches, precision tests of the standard-model, the cosmic microwave background and matter power spectra, and cosmic gamma rays, are included. We find that a relatively light particle with mass between an MeV and a few GeV and an electric or magnetic dipole as large as ∼3×10−16e  cm (roughly 1.6×10−5μB) satisfies all experimental and observational bounds. Some of the remaining parameter space may be probed with forthcoming more sensitive direct searches and with the Gamma-Ray Large …

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Book Review: The Edge Of Infinity: Supermassive Black Holes In The Universe, T. D. Oswalt Jun 2004

Book Review: The Edge Of Infinity: Supermassive Black Holes In The Universe, T. D. Oswalt

Publications

This document is Dr. Oswalt’s review of The Edge of Infinity : Supermassive Black Holes in the Universe by Fulvio Melia. Cambridge, 2003 148p, 0-521-81405-7 $30.00.

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Book Review: The Big Bang: A View From The 21st Century, T. D. Oswalt Feb 2004

Book Review: The Big Bang: A View From The 21st Century, T. D. Oswalt

Publications

This document is Dr. Oswalt’s review of The Big Bang : a View from the 21st Century by David M. Harland. Springer/Praxis, 2003 262p, 1-85233-713-3 $39.95.

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Lisa Time-Delay Interferometry Zero-Signal Solution: Geometrical Properties, Massimo Tinto, Shane L. Larson Jan 2004

Lisa Time-Delay Interferometry Zero-Signal Solution: Geometrical Properties, Massimo Tinto, Shane L. Larson

All Physics Faculty Publications

Time-delay interferometry (TDI) is the data processing technique needed for generating interferometric combinations of data measured by the multiple Doppler readouts available onboard the three Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) spacecraft. Within the space of all possible interferometric combinations TDI can generate, we have derived a specific combination that has zero response to the gravitational wave signal, and called it the zero-signal solution (ZSS). This is a two-parameter family of linear combinations of the generators of the TDI space, and its response to a gravitational wave becomes null when these two parameters coincide with the values of the angles of …

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Senior Thesis Work, Corey Jansen Jan 2004

Senior Thesis Work, Corey Jansen

Presidential Scholars Theses (1990 – 2006)

In closing, it is important to remember, as stated earlier, that no one can prove exactly what it was that the authors of Genesis were trying to get across to us. It is valid to note, however, that the stories they were trying to get across were intended for and more properly understood by the people at that time and place. While they form the basis of many of our beliefs in Christianity, they weren't written with the realization that thousands of years later there would be great scientific discoveries that would teach us more about the world and about …

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Novel N-Body Orbits For Constrained Potentials Including The Unusual Figure Eight Three Body Orbit, Jan M. Dudzik Jan 2004

Novel N-Body Orbits For Constrained Potentials Including The Unusual Figure Eight Three Body Orbit, Jan M. Dudzik

Masters Theses

Recently new n-body planar orbits have been discovered which are known as choreographies. These orbits correspond to small n, generally n<20, and exhibit unexpected patterns with respect to given initial conditions. Here we shall examine numerical solutions to the three-body problem and the restricted three-body problem for three body potentials that are the sum of three two-body potentials. Then for an everywhere attractive three body potential with non-collinear and collision-less orbits with a strictly monotone decreasing potential function there exist bound states that are not chaotic that are choreographies. For the right initial conditions these orbits can be mapped numerically and visualized. We will display a number of these cases corresponding to the three body problem, restricted three body problem, the chaotic restricted three body problem and the new figure eight bound state choreography for the Kazalov potential orbits to exhibit some of their special features and to take note of a number of open questions dealing with simple orbital problems.

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The Faith Factor: New Testament Cosmology In Its Historical Context, Keith A. Burton Jan 2004

The Faith Factor: New Testament Cosmology In Its Historical Context, Keith A. Burton

Journal of the Adventist Theological Society

No abstract provided.

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