On the order of BEC transition in weakly interacting gases predicted by mean-field theory

Predictions from Hartree-Fock (HF), Popov (P), Yukalov-Yukalova (YY) and $t$-matrix approximations regarding the thermodynamics from the normal to the BEC phase in weakly interacting Bose gases are considered. By analyzing the dependence of the chemical potential $\mu$ on temperature $T$ and particle density $\rho$ we show that none of them predicts a second-order phase transition as required by symmetry-breaking general considerations. In this work we find that the isothermal compressibility $\kappa_{T}$ predicted by these theories does not diverge at criticality as expected in a true second-order phase transition. Moreover the isotherms $\mu=\mu(\rho,T)$ typically exhibit a non-singled valued behavior in the vicinity of the BEC transition, a feature forbidden by general thermodynamic principles. This behavior can be avoided if a first order phase transition is appealed. The facts described above show that although these mean field approximations give correct results near zero temperature they are endowed with thermodynamic anomalies in the vicinity of the BEC transition. We address the implications of these results in the interpretation of current experiments with ultracold trapped alkali gases.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figure

Characterizing and modeling preferential flow using magnetic resonance imaging and multifractal theory.

bitstream/item/89956/1/Proci-07.00331.PD

Choreo: network-aware task placement for cloud applications

Cloud computing infrastructures are increasingly being used by network-intensive applications that transfer significant amounts of data between the nodes on which they run. This paper shows that tenants can do a better job placing applications by understanding the underlying cloud network as well as the demands of the applications. To do so, tenants must be able to quickly and accurately measure the cloud network and profile their applications, and then use a network-aware placement method to place applications. This paper describes Choreo, a system that solves these problems. Our experiments measure Amazon's EC2 and Rackspace networks and use three weeks of network data from applications running on the HP Cloud network. We find that Choreo reduces application completion time by an average of 8%-14% (max improvement: 61%) when applications are placed all at once, and 22%-43% (max improvement: 79%) when they arrive in real-time, compared to alternative placement schemes.National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant 0645960)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant 1065219)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant 1040072

Exactly stable non-BPS spinors in heterotic string theory on tori

Considering SO(32) heterotic string theory compactified on a torus of dimension 4 and less, stability of non-supersymmetric states is studied. A non-supersymmetric state with robust stability is constructed, and its exact stability is proven in a large region of moduli space against all the possible decay mechanisms allowed by charge conservation. Using various T-duality transform matrices, we translate various selection rules about conserved charges into simpler problems resembling partition and parity of integers. For heterotic string on T^4, we give a complete list of BPS atoms with elementary excitations, and we study BPS and non-BPS molecules with various binding energies. Using string-string duality, the results are interpreted in terms of Dirichlet-branes in type IIA string theory compactified on an orbifold limit of a K3 surface.Comment: 47 pages, 14 figures, LaTe

Transfer/Breakup Modes in the 6He+209Bi Reaction Near and Below the Coulomb Barrier

Reaction products from the interaction of 6He with 209Bi have been measured at energies near the Coulomb barrier. A 4He group of remarkable intensity, which dominates the total reaction cross section, has been observed. The angular distribution of the group suggests that it results primarily from a direct nuclear process. It is likely that this transfer/breakup channel is the doorway state that accounts for the previously observed large sub-barrier fusion enhancement in this system.Comment: 4 pages; 3 figure

D-Matter

We study the properties and phenomenology of particle-like states originating from D-branes whose spatial dimensions are all compactified. They are non-perturbative states in string theory and we refer to them as D-matter. In contrast to other non-perturbative objects such as 't Hooft-Polyakov monopoles, D-matter states could have perturbative couplings among themselves and with ordinary matter. The lightest D-particle (LDP) could be stable because it is the lightest state carrying certain (integer or discrete) quantum numbers. Depending on the string scale, they could be cold dark matter candidates with properties similar to that of wimps or wimpzillas. The spectrum of excited states of D-matter exhibits an interesting pattern which could be distinguished from that of Kaluza-Klein modes, winding states, and string resonances. We speculate about possible signatures of D-matter from ultra-high energy cosmic rays and colliders.Comment: 25 pages, 5 figures, references adde

Brane-Antibrane Inflation in Orbifold and Orientifold Models

We analyse the cosmological implications of brane-antibrane systems in string-theoretic orbifold and orientifold models. In a class of realistic models, consistency conditions require branes and antibranes to be stuck at different fixed points, and so their mutual attraction generates a potential for one of the radii of the underlying torus or the 4D string dilaton. Assuming that all other moduli have been fixed by string effects, we find that this potential leads naturally to a period of cosmic inflation with the radion or dilaton field as the inflaton. The slow-roll conditions are satisfied more generically than if the branes were free to move within the space. The appearance of tachyon fields at certain points in moduli space indicates the onset of phase transitions to different non-BPS brane systems, providing ways of ending inflation and reheating the corresponding observable brane universe. In each case we find relations between the inflationary parameters and the string scale to get the correct spectrum of density perturbations. In some examples the small numbers required as inputs are no smaller than 0.01, and are the same small quantities which are required to explain the gauge hierarchy.Comment: 30 pages, 2 figures. Substantial changes on version 1. New cosmological scenarios proposed including the dilaton as the inflaton. Main conclusions unchange