5458009
Scalar effective potential for D7 brane probes which break chiral symmetry
We consider D7 brane probes embedded in deformed AdS5 × S5 supergravity backgrounds which are non-supersymmetric in the interior. In the context of the generalised AdS/CFT correspondence, these setups are dual to QCD-like theories with fundamental matter which display chiral symmetry breaking by a quark condensate. Evaluating the D7 action for a surface instanton configuration gives rise to an effective potential for the scalar Higgs vev in the dual field theory. We calculate this potential for two specific supergravity backgrounds. For a metric due to Constable and Myers, we find that the potential is asymptotically bounded by a 1/Q4 behaviour and has a minimum at zero vev. For the Yang-Mills* background we find that the Higgs potential scales quadratically with the Higgs vev. This corresponds to a canonical mass term and the embedding is again stable.
119206061
Hadronization at the AdS wall
We describe hadronization events, using the AdS/CFT Correspondence, which display many of the qualitative features expected in QCD. In particular we study the motion of strings with separating end points in a back-reacted hard wall geometry. The solutions show the development of a linear QCD-like string. The end points oscillate in the absence of string breaking. We introduce string breaking by hand and evolve the new state forward in time to observe the separation of two string segments. A kink associated with this breaking evolves to the end points of the string inducing rho meson production. We explicitly compute the rho meson production at the end point.
14538317
Field theory operator encoding in N = 2 geometries
We investigate supergravity solutions describing D5-branes wrapped on a two cycle which are dual to = 2 super Yang Mills theory. Brane probing these solutions allows the moduli space of the field theory to be identified. There are a unique set of coordinates in which the field theory on the probe takes an = 2 form and in these coordinates the running coupling of the gauge theory may be identified. We show that the geometry, when restricted to the moduli space, takes a very simple form involving only two functions. One is the running gauge coupling whilst the other parametrizes the scalar operators of the field theory. The D5-brane distributions, for the full set of solutions in the literature, can be determined by assuming the field theory's form for the running coupling as a function of scalar vevs. We show that the resulting distributions also correctly reproduce the scalar operators parametrized elsewhere providing the first non-trivial consistency check on the duality.
118470786
Chemical potential in the gravity dual of a 2 + 1 dimensional system
We study probe D5 branes in D3 brane AdS5 and AdS5-Schwarzschild backgrounds as a prototype dual description of strongly coupled 2+1 dimensional quasiparticles. We introduce a chemical potential through the U(1)R symmetry group, U(1) baryon number, and a U(1) of isospin in the multiflavor case. We find the appropriate D5 embeddings in each case—the embeddings do not exhibit the spontaneous symmetry breaking that would be needed for a superconductor. The isospin chemical potential does induce the condensation of charged meson states.
18555159
Additional fermion families and precision electroweak data
Abstract The S , T , and U formalism for studying electroweak precision data has recently been updated to include the effects of new light physics and within this analysis the latest LEP and SLC data tightly constrain models of physics beyond the Standard Model. We re-examine the constraints on additional strong and weakly interacting fermion families in the light of these developments. We conclude that the precision data favour models with at least one fermion with a mass below 150 GeV.
13898734
Confinement, glueballs and strings from deformed AdS
We study aspects of confinement in two deformed versions of the AdS/CFT correspondence — the GPPZ dual of Script N = 1* Yang Mills, and the Yang Mills* Script N = 0 dual. Both geometries describe discrete glueball spectra which we calculate numerically. The results agree at the 10% level with previous AdS/CFT computations in the Klebanov Strassler background and AdS Schwarzchild respectively. We also calculate the spectra of bound states of the massive fermions in these geometries and show that they are light, so not decoupled from the dynamics. We then study the behaviour of Wilson loops in the 10d lifts of these geometries. We find a transition from AdS-like strings in the UV to strings that interact with the unknown physics of the central singularity of the space in the IR.
14156633
EVOLUTIONARY SIGNATURES IN THE FORMATION OF LOW-MASS PROTOSTARS. II. TOWARD RECONCILING MODELS AND OBSERVATIONS
A long-standing problem in low-mass star formation is the luminosity problem, whereby protostars are underluminous compared to the accretion luminosity expected both from theoretical collapse calculations and arguments based on the minimum accretion rate necessary to form a star within the embedded phase duration. Motivated by this luminosity problem, we present a set of evolutionary models describing the collapse of low-mass, dense cores into protostars. We use as our starting point the evolutionary model following the inside-out collapse of a singular isothermal sphere as presented by Young & Evans. We calculate the radiative transfer of the collapsing core throughout the full duration of the collapse in two dimensions. From the resulting spectral energy distributions, we calculate standard observational signatures (L bol, T bol, L bol/L smm) to directly compare to observations. We incorporate several modifications and additions to the original Young & Evans model in an effort to better match observations with model predictions; we include (1) the opacity from scattering in the radiative transfer, (2) a circumstellar disk directly in the two-dimensional radiative transfer, (3) a two-dimensional envelope structure, taking into account the effects of rotation, (4) mass-loss and the opening of outflow cavities, and (5) a simple treatment of episodic mass accretion. We find that scattering, two-dimensional geometry, mass-loss, and outflow cavities all affect the model predictions, as expected, but none resolve the luminosity problem. On the other hand, we find that a cycle of episodic mass accretion similar to that predicted by recent theoretical work can resolve this problem and bring the model predictions into better agreement with observations. Standard assumptions about the interplay between mass accretion and mass loss in our model give star formation efficiencies consistent with recent observations that compare the core mass function and stellar initial mass function. Finally, the combination of outflow cavities and episodic mass accretion reduces the connection between observational class and physical stage to the point where neither of the two commonly used observational signatures (T bol and L bol/L smm) can be considered reliable indicators of physical stage.
119215626
THE PROPERTIES OF MASSIVE, DENSE CLUMPS: MAPPING SURVEYS OF HCN AND CS
We have mapped over 50 massive, dense clumps with four dense gas tracers: HCN J = 1-0 and 3-2; and CS J = 2-1 and 7-6 transitions. Spectral lines of optically thin H13CN 3-2 and C34S 5-4 were also obtained toward the map centers. These maps usually demonstrate single well-peaked distributions at our resolution, even with higher J transitions. The size, virial mass, surface density, and mean volume density within a well-defined angular size (FWHM) were calculated from the contour maps for each transition. We found that transitions with higher effective density usually trace the more compact, inner part of the clumps but have larger linewidths, leading to an inverse linewidth-size relation using different tracers. The mean surface densities are 0.29, 0.33, 0.78, 1.09 g cm–2 within FWHM contours of CS 2-1, HCN 1-0, HCN 3-2, and CS 7-6, respectively. We find no correlation of L IR with surface density and a possible inverse correlation with mean volume density, contrary to some theoretical expectations. Molecular line luminosities L'mol were derived for each transition. We see no evidence in the data for the relation between L'mol and mean density posited by modelers. The correlation between L'mol and the virial mass is roughly linear for each dense gas tracer. No obvious correlation was found between the line luminosity ratio and infrared luminosity, bolometric temperature, or the L IR/M Vir ratio. A nearly linear correlation was found between the infrared luminosity and the line luminosity of all dense gas tracers for these massive, dense clumps, with a lower cutoff in luminosity at LIR = 104.5 L ☉. The L IR-L'HCN1-0 correlation agrees well with the one found in galaxies. These correlations indicate a constant star formation rate per unit mass from the scale of dense clumps to that of distant galaxies when the mass is measured for dense gas. These results support the suggestion that starburst galaxies may be understood as having a large fraction of gas in dense clumps.
43192633
c2d Spitzer IRS spectra of embedded low-mass young stars: gas-phase emission lines
Context. A survey of mid-infrared gas-phase emission lines of H_2, H_(2)O and various atoms toward a sample of 43 embedded low-mass young stars in nearby star-forming regions is presented. The sources are selected from the Spitzer “Cores to Disks” (c2d) legacy program. 
 
Aims. The environment of embedded protostars is complex both in its physical structure (envelopes, outflows, jets, protostellar disks) and the physical processes (accretion, irradiation by UV and/or X-rays, excitation through slow and fast shocks) which take place. The mid-IR spectral range hosts a suite of diagnostic lines which can distinguish them. A key point is to spatially resolve the emission in the Spitzer-IRS spectra to separate extended PDR and shock emission from compact source emission associated with the circumstellar disk and jets. 
 
Methods. An optimal extraction method is used to separate both spatially unresolved (compact, up to a few hundred AU) and spatially resolved (extended, thousand AU or more) emission from the IRS spectra. The results are compared with the c2d disk sample and literature PDR and shock models to address the physical nature of the sources. 
 
Results. Both compact and extended emission features are observed. Warm (T_(ex) few hundred K) H_2, observed through the pure rotational H_2 S(0), S(1) and S(2) lines, and [S i] 25 μm emission is observed primarily in the extended component. [S i] is observed uniquely toward truly embedded sources and not toward disks. On the other hand hot (T_(ex) ≳ 700 K) H_2, observed primarily through the S(4) line, and [Ne ii] emission is seen mostly in the spatially unresolved component. [Fe ii] and [Si ii] lines are observed in both spatial components. Hot H_(2)O emission is found in the spatially unresolved component of some sources. 
 
Conclusions. The observed emission on ≥1000 AU scales is characteristic of PDR emission and likely originates in the outflow cavities in the remnant envelope created by the stellar wind and jets from the embedded young stars. Weak shocks along the outflow wall can also contribute. The compact emission is likely of mixed origin, comprised of optically thick circumstellar disk and/or jet/outflow emission from the protostellar object.
15916297
Constraining the structure of the non-spherical pre-protostellar core L1544
We present a study of the pre-protostellar core L1544. A series of self-consistent, three-dimensional continuum radiative transfer models is constructed. The outputs of these models are convolved with appropriate telescope beam responses, and compared with existing SCUBA data. The resulting comparison allows us to constrain the structure of L1544. We find that the source is well-fitted by a prolate spheroid, having an ellipsoidal power-law density distribution of index m ∼ 2(1.75 < m < 2.25) in to at least r ∼ 1600 au. For r < 1600 au, the data are consistent with either an extension of the power law to smaller radii, or a flattened (Bonner-Ebert-like) density distribution. Furthermore, we find an optical depth along the short axis at 1300 μm of τ 1300,short = 5 x 10 -3 (2 x 10 -3 < τ 1300,short < 8 x 10 -3 ), a central luminosity L* =0(<10 -3 L ○. ), a long-axis diameter D = 0.1 pc [0.08 < D(pc) < 0.16; 16000 < D(au) < 32 000], an axis ratio q = 2 (1.7 < q < 2.5), and an external interstellar radiation field (ISRF) defined by Mathis et al. to within 50 per cent. The outer diameter and axis ratio may each be somewhat larger due to potential on-source chopping in the observations, and the projection of the long axis on to the plane of the sky. While these results are similar to those inferred directly from observations or spherical modelling due to the source transparency at submillimetre wavelengths, we infer a smaller size, lower mass, and higher optical depth/column density, exposed to a stronger external radiation field than previously assumed. Finally, we find that both the spectral energy distribution (SED) and surface brightness distribution are necessary to constrain the source properties in this way, and even a modest variation in X 2 can significantly alter the fit quality.
6396379
A Spitzer c2d legacy survey to identify and characterize disks with inner dust holes
Understanding how disks dissipate is essential to studies of planet formation. However, identifying exactly how dust and gas dissipate is complicated due to the difficulty of finding objects that are clearly in the transition phase of losing their surrounding material. We use Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) spectra to examine 35 photometrically selected candidate cold disks (disks with large inner dust holes). The infrared spectra are supplemented with optical spectra to determine stellar and accretion properties and 1.3 mm photometry to measure disk masses. Based on detailed spectral energy distribution modeling, we identify 15 new cold disks. The remaining 20 objects have IRS spectra that are consistent with disks without holes, disks that are observed close to edge-on, or stars with background emission. Based on these results, we determine reliable criteria to identify disks with inner holes from Spitzer photometry, and examine criteria already in the literature. Applying these criteria to the c2d surveyed star-forming regions gives a frequency of such objects of at least 4% and most likely of order 12% of the young stellar object population identified by Spitzer. We also examine the properties of these new cold disks in combination with cold disks from the literature. Hole sizes in this sample are generally smaller than in previously discovered disks and reflect a distribution in better agreement with exoplanet orbit radii. We find correlations between hole size and both disk and stellar masses. Silicate features, including crystalline features, are present in the overwhelming majority of the sample, although the 10 μm feature strength above the continuum declines for holes with radii larger than ~7 AU. In contrast, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are only detected in 2 out of 15 sources. Only a quarter of the cold disk sample shows no signs of accretion, making it unlikely that photoevaporation is the dominant hole-forming process in most cases.