Gravitational Correction to Running of Gauge Couplings

We calculate the contribution of graviton exchange to the running of gauge couplings at lowest non-trivial order in perturbation theory. Including this contribution in a theory that features coupling constant unification does not upset this unification, but rather shifts the unification scale. When extrapolated formally, the gravitational correction renders all gauge couplings asymptotically free.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures; v2: Clarified awkward sentences and notations. Corrected typos. Added references and discussion thereof in introduction. Minor copy editting changes to agree with version to be published in Physical Review Letter

Relationship between Hawking Radiation and Gravitational Anomalies

We show that in order to avoid a breakdown of general covariance at the quantum level the total flux in each outgoing partial wave of a quantum field in a black hole background must be equal to that of a (1+1)-dimensional blackbody at the Hawking temperature.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure; v2: typo corrected, reference added; v3: comment added, minor editorial changes to agree with published versio

A conceptual model for researching the production and potential tourist consumption of popular media texts

This paper attempts to develop a conceptual model of the process of production and consumption of popular media texts (PMTs) to investigate the relationships between the production elements of PMTs and the ways in which particular production values may appeal to potential tourists in diverse settings. The proposed model presumes that there may be structurally causal relationships between highlighted major elements of PMTs production and patterns of consumption associated with audience involvement, subsequent audience loyalty, and intention to visit the locations depicted in the programming in the context of film-induced tourism. The conceptualised model of the process of production and consumption of PMTs is hypothesised by reviewing previous literature and empirical studies. This paper draws attention to trans-national and interdisciplinary perspectives which will enable researchers to develop new ideas and perspectives in exploring the complicated inter-communication processes between PMTs from the production side with audiences/tourists as consumers, and understanding the relationships and mediation between production and consumption of PMTs and associated tourism

Understanding popular media production and potential tourist consumption: a methodological agenda

Research on the tourism implications of television-induced tourism generally remains limited, with no single agreed approach to its study. In particular, there are methodological difficulties in understanding this phenomenon and a subsequent lack of empirical research into the relationships between films and TV programmes and tourism. Furthermore, there has been limited attention to the underlying mechanisms and structures in the relationships between the production and consumption of films or TV programmes, audiences and potential tourists, particularly in non-Western contexts

Gravitational anomalies: a recipe for Hawking radiation

We explore the method of Robinson and Wilczek for deriving the Hawking temperature of a black hole. In this method, the Hawking radiation restores general covariance in an effective theory of near-horizon physics which otherwise exhibits a gravitational anomaly at the quantum level. The method has been shown to work for broad classes of black holes in arbitrary spacetime dimensions. These include static black holes, accreting or evaporating black holes, charged black holes, rotating black holes, and even black rings. In the case of charged and rotating black holes, the expected super-radiant current is also reproduced.Comment: 7 pages; This essay received an "Honorable Mention" in the 2007 Essay Competition of the Gravity Research Foundation; (v2) Short comments and references added; (v3) Minor revisions and updated references to agree with published versio