Dark matter as a ghost free conformal extension of Einstein theory

We discuss ghost free models of the recently suggested mimetic dark matter theory. This theory is shown to be a conformal extension of Einstein general relativity. Dark matter originates from gauging out its local Weyl invariance as an extra degree of freedom which describes a potential flow of the pressureless perfect fluid. For a positive energy density of this fluid the theory is free of ghost instabilities, which gives strong preference to stable configurations with a positive scalar curvature and trace of the matter stress tensor. Instabilities caused by caustics of the geodesic flow, inherent in this model, serve as a motivation for an alternative conformal extension of Einstein theory, based on the generalized Proca vector field. A potential part of this field modifies the inflationary stage in cosmology, whereas its rotational part at the post inflationary epoch might simulate rotating flows of dark matter.Comment: 8 pages, LaTe

Two Parameters for Three Dimensional Wetting Transitions

Critical effects at complete and critical wetting in three dimensions are studied using a coupled effective Hamiltonian H[s(y),\ell]. The model is constructed via a novel variational principle which ensures that the choice of collective coordinate s(y) near the wall is optimal. We highlight the importance of a new wetting parameter \Omega(T) which has a strong influence on critical properties and allows the status of long-standing Monte-Carlo simulation controversies to be re-examined.Comment: 4 pages RevTex, 2 encapsulated postscript figures, to appear in Europhys. Let

New nonlocal effective action

We suggest a new method for the calculation of the nonlocal part of the effective action. It is based on resummation of perturbation series for the heat kernel and its functional trace at large values of the proper time parameter. We derive a new, essentially nonperturbative, nonlocal contribution to the effective action in spacetimes with dimensions $d>2$.Comment: 28 pages, latex, no figures, typos are corrected, presentation improve

Tunnelling geometries II. Reduction methods for functional determinants

The reduction algorithms for functional determinants of differential operators on spacetime manifolds of different topological types are presented, which were recently used for the calculation of the no-boundary wavefunction and the partition function of tunnelling geometries in quantum gravity and cosmology.Comment: 23 pages, latex, figures are not included (available on request by regular mail), report Alberta Thy-41-9

Sex and recombination in the H\"otzel aging model

Why sex evolved and it prevails in nature remains one of the great puzzles of evolution. Most biologists would explain that it promotes genetic variability, however this explanation suffers from several difficulties. What advantages might sex confer? The present communication aims at certain investigations related to this question, in this way we introduce sexual recombination on the H\"otzel model (with males and females) and we compare these results with those from asexual reproduction without recombination.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figure