Session D4: Astronomy

Rotation of the polarization vector from distant radio galaxies in the perturbed FRW metric

Analysis of the correlation between the angular positions of distant radio galaxies on the sky and the orientations of their polarization vectors with respect to their major axes indicates a dipolar anisotropy in the large scale. We consider a single mode of large-scale scalar perturbation to the FRW metric. Using Newman-Penrose formalism, we calculate the rotation of the galaxy major axis with respect to the polarization vector as the elliptic image and the polarization vector are carried through the perturbed spacetime. The dependence of the rotation on the polar angular coordinate of the galaxy is qualitatively similar to the claimed dipole pattern.   

Estakhr's Continuum Astrophysics, Big Bang's Hydrodynamics & Turbulence (Fluid dynamics nature of Big Bang's remnant)

Big Bang's remnant is the fluid dynamical structure resulting from the Big Bang's explosion and all galaxies in this unified structure are connected to form a continuum structure, So the mechanical behavior of Big Bang's materials must be modeled as continuous mass rather than discrete galaxies. Continuum Astromechanics assumes that the substance of Big Bang's materials completely fills the space it occupies. (base on $U^{\mu}=\overline{U}^{\mu}+U'^{\mu}$ this is relativistic decomposition of Big Bang)   

Cosmic Ray Muons in the Standard Model of Fundamental Particles

Muons are one of the twelve fundamental particle types of matter, having the longest free-particle lifetime. It decays into three other leptons through an exchange of the weak vector bosons W $+$ /W -. Muons are present in cosmic ray showers in the atmosphere, and reach the sea level. Cosmic rays are a natural ``poor man's accelerator'' for community colleges. By detecting the delay time between arrival of the muon and appearance of the decay electron in our single scintillation detector, we measured the muon's lifetime at rest in the material of our detector. After correcting it by the known ratio of positive and negative muons in the flux and accounting for rates of muon capture in the material, we extracted the lifetime of the free positive muon, identical to the lifetime of both muons in vacuum, which compares well. Using literature data on muon fluxes at different heights in the atmosphere, we estimated the relativistic time dilation of muons. From our lifetime measurement we calculated the ratio of g w/M W~for~the weak coupling constant g w to the mass of the W-boson M W. Using further Standard Model relations and an experimental value for M W, we calculated the weak coupling constant, the electric charge of the muon, and the vacuum expectation value of the Higgs field. We also measured the sea-level flux of low-energy (below 160 MeV) muons which are slow enough to stop in our detector. We found the shapes of the energy spectra of low-energy muons and of their decay electrons. We did not find a systematic difference between day and night muon fluxes.   

The Range of a Potential

Most, nonrelativistic potentials have a characteristic range, i.e., the distance beyond which the interaction is effectively zero. An essential issue is: Given a potential energy function, V(r), how can its range be determined? An important prior question is whether the ``range of a potential'' makes physical sense? An earlier consideration of these matters, [1], provided partial answers to these questions [1]. The main purposes of this presentation are (i) reanalyze the notion of ``range of a potential'' as defined by Mickens [1], (ii) determine the range of all the standard potentials occurring in atomic, nuclear, and particle physics, and (iii) place restrictions on potential energy functions, having a finite range, at both short and asymptotical large distances. \underline {Reference}: [1] R.E. Mickens, Long-range interactions, Foundations of Physics, Vol. 9 (1979), 261-269.   

Counterfactual History is Consistent with Physics

Counterfactual histories (CFHs) are histories that did not ``happen'' [1, 2]. For this concept to be meaningful, CFHs must correspond to states of the physical universe for which none of the laws of physics are violated. We present arguments to show that CFHs are realizable. Several of their critical features are: (i) their past states (histories) are uniquely determined from any given ``present state''; (ii) the future evolution from any given ``present state'' is non-predictable; and (iii) different trajectories, evolving from a given ``present state'' do not communicate with each other. We demonstrate the validity of these propositions by means of a toy universe that has these features. The general conclusion reached is that CFHs may exist. References: [1] ``The Counterfactual History Review'' ( research journal). [2] E. H. Carr, What is History (Cambridge University Press, 1961).