119288312
Galileons with Gauge Symmetries
Galileon models arise in certain braneworld scenarios as modifications to General Relativity, and are also interesting as field theories in their own right. We show how the galileon model can be naturally generalized to include local gauge symmetries, by allowing for couplings to Yang-Mills fields. The resulting theories have at most second order spacetime derivatives in any representation of the gauge group, thereby avoiding Ostrogradski ghosts. We also extend the models to include curved space, and show how in that case we need to include non-minimal couplings between the galileons and the curvature tensors for the theory to retain its second order nature.
118724442
Measuring the speed of cosmological gravitational waves
In general relativity gravitational waves propagate at the speed of light, however in alternative theories of gravity that might not be the case. We study the effects of a modified speed of gravity, $c_T^2$, on the B-modes of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) anisotropy in polarisation. We find that a departure from the light speed value would leave a characteristic imprint on the BB spectrum part induced by tensors, manifesting as a shift in the angular scale of its peaks. We derive constraints by using the available {\it Planck} and BICEP2 datasets showing how $c_T^2$ can be measured, albeit obtaining weak constraints due to the overall poor accuracy of the current BB power spectrum measurements. The present constraint corresponds to $c_T^2 = 1.30 \pm 0.79$ and $c_T^2< 2.85$ at $95%$ C.L. by assuming a power law primordial tensor power spectrum and $c_T^2<2.33$ at $95%$ C.L. if the running of the spectral index is allowed. We derive forecasts for the next generation CMB satellites, which we find capable of tightly constraining $c_T^2$ at percent level, comparable with bounds from binary pulsar measurements, largely due to the absence of degeneracy with other cosmological parameters.
123125305
Relativistic astrophysics at GR20
We report the recent advances in Relativistic Astrophysics as presented at the GR20 meeting in Warsaw, Poland, in July 2013.
118418835
Mass-varying massive gravity
It has recently been shown that the graviton can consistently gain a constant mass without introducing the Boulware-Deser ghost. We propose a gravity model where the graviton mass is set by a scalar field and prove that this model is free of the Boulware-Deser ghost by analyzing its constraint system and showing that two constraints arise. We also initiate the study of the model's cosmic background evolution and tentatively discuss possible cosmological implications of this model. In particular, we consider a simple scenario where the scalar field setting the graviton mass is identified with the inflaton and the graviton mass evolves from a high to a low energy scale, giving rise to the current cosmic acceleration.
118686993
Bi-galileon theory II: phenomenology
We continue to introduce bi-galileon theory, the generalisation of the single galileon model introduced by Nicolis et al. The theory contains two coupled scalar fields and is described by a Lagrangian that is invariant under Galilean shifts in those fields. This paper is the second of two, and focuses on the phenomenology of the theory. We are particularly interesting in models that admit solutions that are asymptotically self accelerating or asymptotically self tuning. In contrast to the single galileon theories, we find examples of self accelerating models that are simultaneously free from ghosts, tachyons and tadpoles, able to pass solar system constraints through Vainshtein screening, and do not suffer from problems with superluminality, Cerenkov emission or strong coupling. We also find self tuning models and discuss how Weinberg’s no go theorem is evaded by breaking Poincaré invariance in the scalar sector. Whereas the galileon description is valid all the way down to solar system scales for the self-accelerating models, unfortunately the same cannot be said for self tuning models owing to the scalars backreacting strongly on to the geometry.
119243773
Goldstone's Theorem and Hamiltonian of Multi-galileon Modified Gravity
The Galileon model was recently proposed to locally describe a class of modified gravity theories, including the braneworld Dvali-Gabadadze-Porrati model. We discuss spontaneous symmetry breaking of the self-accelerating branch in a multi-Galileon theory with internal global symmetries. We show that a modified version of Goldstone's theorem is applicable to the symmetry breaking pattern and discuss its implications. We also derive the Hamiltonian of a general multi-Galileon theory and discuss its implications.
121706213
TeV LEPTOGENESIS IN THE MINIMAL SEESAW MODEL
We present a particularly economical and suggestive neutrino mass model, in which there are only two right-handed Majorana neutrinos of O(1) TeV and their masses are highly degenerate. Its novel Yukawa-coupling texture together with the seesaw mechanism allows us to achieve the normal neutrino mass hierarchy with ml = 0 and a nearly tri-bimaximal neutrino mixing pattern with the maximal CP-violating phase: eZ3 = n/4, 161 = ~ / 2 and sin2 = (1 -2 tan' eI3)/3. One may also obtain the inverted neutrino mass hierarchy with m3 = 0 and the corresponding neutrino mixing pattern with eZ3 = n/4 and eI3 = S = 0. In both cases, the observed matter-antimatter asymmetry of the Universe can naturally be interpreted through the resonant leptogenesis mechanism. An experimental test of this TeV-scale neutrino mass model might not be impossible at LHC and ILC in the near future.
119457636
Splitting of the pi-rho spectrum in a renormalized light-cone QCD-inspired model
We show that the splitting between the light pseudoscalar and vector meson states is due to the strong short-range attraction in the ${}^{1}{S}_{0}$ sector which makes the pion and the kaon light particles. We use a light-cone QCD-inspired model of the mass squared operator with harmonic confinement and a Dirac-delta interaction. We apply a renormalization method to define the model, in which the pseudoscalar ground state mass fixes the renormalized strength of the Dirac-delta interaction.
119525752
First order shape transition and critical point nuclei in Sm isotopes from relativistic mean field approach
The critical point nuclei in Sm isotopes, which marks the first order phase transition between spherical U(5) and axially deformed shapes SU(3), have been investigated in the microscopic quadrupole constrained relativistic mean field (RMF) model plus BCS method with all the most used interactions, i.e., NL1, NL3, NLSH and TM1. The calculated potential energy surfaces show a clear shape transition for the even-even Sm isotopes with $N = 82\sim 96$ and the critical point nuclei are found to be $^{148}$Sm, $^{150}$Sm and $^{152}$Sm. Similar conclusions can also be drawn from the microscopic neutron and proton single particle spectra.
120532642
Configuration dependence of moments of inertia in the odd-A nucleus from BCS theory
The moments of inertia (Mol) of odd-A and even-even rare-earth nuclei are calculated using the Nilsson + BCS method with and without the blocking effect taken into account. The calculated MoIs with blocking considered is smaller than that without blocking considered. The Mor of an odd-A nucleus depends strongly on which orbital is occupied by the odd nucleon. Although the calculated MoI's are systematically smaller than the data, the large fluctuations in the experimental odd-even differences in MoI's can be reproduced qualitatively. This is contrary to the common assertion that the MoI of an odd-A nucleus is some 15% larger than those of its neighboring even-even nuclei with the BCS theory and is helpful to understand the appearance of normally deformed identical bands in an odd-A nucleus and its even-even neighbors under the mean-field (BCS) approximation.
119479559
Analytic continuation of single-particle resonance energy and wave function in relativistic mean field theory
Single-particle resonant states in spherical nuclei are studied by an analytic continuation in the coupling constant (ACCC) method within the framework of the self-consistent relativistic mean field (RMF) theory. Taking the neutron resonant state nu1g(9/2) in Ca-60 as an example, we examine the analyticity of the eigenvalue and eigenfunction for the Dirac equation with respect to the coupling constant by means of a Pade approximant of the second kind. The RMF-ACCC approach is then applied to Zr-122 and, for the first time, this approach is employed to investigate both the energies, widths, and wave functions for lnot equal0 resonant states close to the continuum threshold. Predictions are also compared with corresponding results obtained from the scattering phase shift method.