119425527
Moving five-branes in low-energy heterotic M theory
We construct cosmological solutions of four-dimensional effective heterotic M-theory with a moving five-brane and evolving dilaton and T modulus. It is shown that the five-brane generates a transition between two asymptotic rolling-radii solutions. Moreover, the five-brane motion always drives the solutions towards strong coupling asymptotically. We present an explicit example of a negative-time branch solution which ends in a brane collision accompanied by a small-instanton transition. The five-dimensional origin of some of our solutions is also discussed.
119373306
Gravitational instantons and internal dimensions
We study instanton solutions in general relativity with a scalar field. The metric ansatz we use is composed of a particular warp product of general Einstein metrics, such as those found in a number of cosmological settings, including string cosmology, supergravity compactifications and general Kaluza Klein reductions. Using the Hartle-Hawking prescription the instantons we obtain determine whether metrics involving extra compact dimensions of this type are favoured as initial conditions for the universe. Specifically, we find that these product metric instantons, viewed as constrained instantons, do have a local minima in the action. These minima are then compared with the higher dimensional version of the Hawking-Turok instantons, and we argue that the latter always have lower action than those associated with these product metrics.
16659387
Stability walls in heterotic theories
We study the sub-structure of the heterotic Kahler moduli space due to the presence of non-Abelian internal gauge fields from the perspective of the four-dimensional effective theory. Internal gauge fields can be supersymmetric in some regions of the Kahler moduli space but break supersymmetry in others. In the context of the four-dimensional theory, we investigate what happens when the Kahler moduli are changed from the supersymmetric to the non-supersymmetric region. Our results provide a low-energy description of supersymmetry breaking by internal gauge fields as well as a physical picture for the mathematical notion of bundle stability. Specifically, we find that at the transition between the two regions an additional anomalous U(1) symmetry appears under which some of the states in the low-energy theory acquire charges. We compute the associated D-term contribution to the four-dimensional potential which contains a Kahler-moduli dependent Fayet-Iliopoulos term and contributions from the charged states. We show that this D-term correctly reproduces the expected physics. Several mathematical conclusions concerning vector bundle stability are drawn from our arguments. We also discuss possible physical applications of our results to heterotic model building and moduli stabilisation.
9414220
Spatial Clustering of Galaxies in Large Datasets
Datasets with tens of millions of galaxies present new challenges for the analysis of spatial clustering. We have built a framework, that integrates a database of object catalogs, tools for creating masks of bad regions, and a fast (NlogN) correlation code. This system has enabled unprecedented efficiency in carrying out the analysis of galaxy clustering in the SDSS catalog. A similar approach is used to compute the three-dimensional spatial clustering of galaxies on very large scales. We describe our strategy to estimate the effect of photometric errors using a database. We discuss our efforts as an early example of data-intensive science. While it would have been possible to get these results without the framework we describe, it will be infeasible to perform these computations on the future huge datasets without using this framework.
14193738
Cosmological Parameters from Eigenmode Analysis of Sloan Digital Sky Survey Galaxy Redshifts
We present estimates of cosmological parameters from the application of the Karhunen-Loeve transform to the analysis of the three-dimensional power spectrum of density fluctuations using Sloan Digital Sky Survey galaxy redshifts. We use Ωmh and fb = Ωb/Ωm to describe the shape of the power spectrum, σ for the (linearly extrapolated) normalization, and β to parameterize linear theory redshift-space distortions. On scales k 0.16 h Mpc-1, our maximum likelihood values are Ωmh = 0.264 ± 0.043, fb = 0.286 ± 0.065, σ = 0.966 ± 0.048, and β = 0.45 ± 0.12. When we take a prior on Ωb from the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP), we find Ωmh = 0.207 ± 0.030, which is in excellent agreement with WMAP and the Two-Degree Field. This indicates that we have reasonably measured the gross shape of the power spectrum, but we have difficulty breaking the degeneracy between Ωmh and fb, because the baryon oscillations are not resolved in the current spectroscopic survey window function.
56124619
Cosmological Parameters from Galaxy Clustering in the SDSS
We present estimates of cosmological parameters from the application of the Karhunen-Loève transform to the analysis of the 3D power spectrum of density fluctuations using Sloan Digital Sky Survey galaxy redshifts. We use Ωmh and fb Ωb Ωm to describe the shape of the power spectrum, σ8g for the (linearly extrapolated) normalization, and β to parametrize linear theory redshift space distortions. On scales k 0 16hMpc 1, our maximum likelihood values are Ωmh 0 264 0 043, fb 0 286 0 065, σ8g 0 966 0 048, and β 0 45 0 12. When we take a prior on Ωb from WMAP, we find Ωmh 0 207 0 030, which is in excellent agreement with WMAP and 2dF. This indicates that we have reasonably measured the gross shape of the power spectrum but we have difficulty breaking the degeneracy between Ωmh and fb because the baryon oscillations are not resolved in the current spectroscopic survey window function.
55130881
The Replacement of the ISIS White-Circuit Choke
The ISIS accelerator is based on an 800 MeV synchrotron arranged as a White-Circuit [1]. Key to its operation is a large storage choke with ten main, and ten auxiliary windings. The main windings resonate with the associated capacitor banks at 50 Hz and also provide a path for a DC bias current past the capacitors. The auxiliary windings provide for the AC excitation of the magnet circuit. Known as the “NINA” choke from its previous service on the NINA synchrotron at Daresbury Laboratory, it was built in 1963. The windings are built into a single frame and are therefore closely coupled by the magnetic circuit. In the event of a failure on any winding, the choke would have to be dismantled to replace the damaged parts. As it weighs about 90 tons without its cooling oil this would be a major task even if sufficient spare parts were available.
2268634
The SDSS skyserver: public access to the sloan digital sky server data
The SkyServer provides Internet access to the public Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) data for both astronomers and for science education. This paper describes the SkyServer goals and architecture. It also describes our experience operating the SkyServer on the Internet. The SDSS data is public and well-documented so it makes a good test platform for research on database algorithms and performance.