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Alexander Feinstein

Publications and source records attributed to Alexander Feinstein.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

Self-Gravitating Bjorken Flow

I present a solution to the full Einstein-fluid equations representing a self-gravitating Bjorken flow. The motion and the geometry become inhomogeneous in the plane transversal to the flow and the energy density profile acquires, due to gravity, corrections in terms of proper time as compared to the original test hydrodynamics. The transverse distribution of energy density, for example, becomes $ε(τ,r)/ε(τ,0)\,=\, \cosh^{-4}{(3ar)}$

gr-qc

The Homogeneous Scalar Field and the Wet Dark Sides of the Universe

We study the possibility that a generalised real scalar field minimally coupled to gravity could explain both the galactic and the cosmological dark components of the universe. Within the framework of Einstein's Relativity we model static galactic halos by considering the most general action built from the scalar field and its first derivatives. Although the gravitational configuration is static, the scalar field may be either static, or homogeneous and linear in time. In the case of the static scalar field, the models we look at inevitably posses unphysical negative energies, and we are led to a sort of no-go result. In the case of the homogeneous scalar field, on the contrary, we find that compact objects with flat rotational curves and with the mass and the size of a typical galaxy can be successfully modeled and the Tully-Fisher relation recovered. We further show that the homogeneous scalar field deduced from the galactic halo spacetimes has an action compatible with the kinetic Unified Dark Matter models recently proposed by Scherrer. Therefore, such a homogeneous kinetic Unified Dark Matter not only may correctly mimic the galactic dynamics, but could also be used to model the present-day accelerated expansion in the universe.

gr-qc

Accelerating Universes from Short-Range Interactions

We show that short-range interactions between the fundamental particles in the universe can drive a period of accelerated expansion. This description fits the early universe. In the present day universe, if one postulates short-range interactions or a sort of "shielded gravity", the picture may repeat.

gr-qc

Relativistic hydrodynamics with sources for cosmological K-fluids

We consider hydrodynamics with non conserved number of particles and show that it can be modeled with effective fluid Lagrangians which explicitly depend on the velocity potentials. For such theories, the {}``shift symetry'' $ϕ\toϕ+$const. leading to the conserved number of fluid particles in conventional hydrodynamics is globaly broken and, as a result, the non conservation of particle number appears as a source term in the continuity equation. The particle number non-conservation is balanced by the entropy change, with both the entropy and the source term expresed in terms of the fluid velocity potential. Equations of hydrodynamics are derived using a modified version of Schutz's variational principle method. Examples of fluids described by such Lagrangians (tachyon condensate, k-essence) in spatially flat isotropic universe are briefly discussed.

gr-qc

Power-law expansion in k-essence cosmology

We study spatially flat isotropic universes driven by k-essence. It is shown that Friedmann and k-field equations may be analytically integrated for arbitrary k-field potentials during evolution with a constant baryotropic index. It follows that there is an infinite number of dynamically different k-theories with equivalent kinematics of the gravitational field. We show that there is a large "window" of stable solutions, and that the dust-like behaviour separates stable from unstable expansion. Restricting to the family of power law solutions, it is argued that the linear scalar field model, with constant function F, is isomorphic to a model with divergent speed of sound and this makes them less suitable for cosmological modeling than the non-linear k-field solutions we find in this paper.

astro-ph

Ghosts in a Mirror

We look at some dynamic geometries produced by scalar fields with both the "right" and the "wrong" sign of the kinetic energy. We start with anisotropic homogeneous universes with closed, open and flat spatial sections. A non-singular solution to the Einstein field equations representing an open anisotropic universe with the ghost field is found. This universe starts collapsing from $t \to -\infty$ and then expands to $t \to \infty$ without encountering singularities on its way. We further generalize these solutions to those describing inhomogeneous evolution of the ghost fields. Some interesting solutions with the plane symmetry are discussed. These have a property that the same line element solves the Einstein field equations in two mirror regions $|t|\geq z$ and $|t|\leq z$, but in one region the solution has the \emph{right} and in the other, the \emph{wrong} signs of the kinetic energy. We argue, however, that a physical observer can not reach the mirror region in a finite proper time. Self-similar collapse/expansion of these fields are also briefly discussed.

hep-th

Penrose Limits, the Colliding Plane Wave Problem and the Classical String Backgrounds

We show how the Szekeres form of the line element is naturally adapted to study Penrose limits in classical string backgrounds. Relating the "old" colliding wave problem to the Penrose limiting procedure as employed in string theory we discuss how two orthogonal Penrose limits uniquely determine the underlying target space when certain symmetry is imposed. We construct a conformally deformed background with two distinct, yet exactly solvable in terms of the string theory on R-R backgrounds, Penrose limits. Exploiting further the similarities between the two problems we find that the Penrose limit of the gauged WZW Nappi-Witten universe is itself a gauged WZW plane wave solution of Sfetsos and Tseytlin. Finally, we discuss some issues related to singularity, show the existence of a large class of non-Hausdorff solutions with Killing Cauchy Horizons and indicate a possible resolution of the problem of the definition of quantum vacuum in string theory on these time-dependent backgrounds.

hep-th

Power-Law Inflation from the Rolling Tachyon

Modeling the potential by an inverse square law in terms of the tachyon field ($V(T)=βT^{-2}$) we find exact solution for spatially flat isotropic universe.We show that for $β>2\sqrt{3}/3$ the model undergoes power-law inflation. A way to construct other exact solutions is specified and exemplified.

hep-th

Some aspects of pre big bang cosmology

This is a summary of a course given at the Fourth Mexican School on Gravitation and Mathematical Physics on some aspects of PBB cosmology. After introductory remarks the lectures concentrate on some amusing consequences derived from the symmetries of the string theory with respect to such classical concepts as isotropy and homogeneity. The extra dimensions and the symmetries of the M theory are further applied to show that the classical singularities might be just physically irrelevant. In the final lecture a model universe is "produced" from "almost nothing" and it is argued that initial plane waves are thermodynamically natural state for the universe to emerge from.

gr-qc

Exact Inflationary Solutions from a Superpotential

We propose a novel, potentially useful generating technique for constructing exact solutions of inflationary scalar field cosmologies with non-trivial potentials. The generating scheme uses the so-called superpotential and is inspired by recent studies of similar equations in supergravity. Some exact solutions are derived, and the physical meaning of the superpotential in these models is clarified.

gr-qc

Inhomogeneous Einstein-Rosen String Cosmology

Families of anisotropic and inhomogeneous string cosmologies containing non-trivial dilaton and axion fields are derived by applying the global symmetries of the string effective action to a generalized Einstein-Rosen metric. The models exhibit a two-dimensional group of Abelian isometries. In particular, two classes of exact solutions are found that represent inhomogeneous generalizations of the Bianchi type VI_h cosmology. The asymptotic behaviour of the solutions is investigated and further applications are briefly discussed.

gr-qc

Tilted String Cosmologies

Global symmetries of the string effective action are employed to generate tilted, homogeneous Bianchi type VI_h string cosmologies from a previously known stiff perfect fluid solution to Einstein gravity. The dilaton field is not constant on the surfaces of homogeneity. The future asymptotic state of the models is interpreted as a plane wave and is itself an exact solution to the string equations of motion to all orders in the inverse string tension. An inhomogeneous generalization of the Bianchi type III model is also found.

gr-qc