A Self-Similar Dynamics in Viscous Spheres

We study the evolution of radiating and viscous fluid spheres assuming an additional homothetic symmetry on the spherically symmetric space-time. We match a very simple solution to the symmetry equations with the exterior one (Vaidya). We then obtain a system of two ordinary differential equations which rule the dynamics, and find a self-similar collapse which is shear-free and with a barotropic equation of state. Considering a huge set of initial self-similar dynamics states, we work out a model with an acceptable physical behavior.     

Exact Solutions of Covariant Wave Equations with a Multipole Source Term on Curved Spacetimes

A formalism is presented for calculating exactsolutions of covariant inhomogeneous scalar and tensorwave equations whose source terms are arbitrary ordermultipoles on a curved background spacetime. The developed formalism is based on the theory ofthe higher-order fundamental solutions for wave equationwhich are the distributions that satisfy theinhomogeneous wave equation with the corresponding order covariant derivatives of the Dirac deltafunction on the right-hand side. Like the classicalGreen's function for a scalar wave equation, thehigher-order fundamental solutions contain a direct termwhich has support on the light cone as well as a tailterm which has support inside the light cone. Knowinghow to compute the fundamental solutions of arbitraryorder, one can find exact multipole solutions of wave equations on curved spacetimes. Wepresent complete recurrent algorithms for calculatingthe arbitrary-order fundamental solutions and the exactmultipole solutions in a form convenient for practical computations. As an example we apply thealgorithm to a massless scalar wave field on aparticular Robertson-Walker spacetime.     

The Relation of Generalized Scalar-Tensor Theory with the 5D Space-Time-Matter Theory

The relationship between cosmological solutionsof five-dimensional Space-Time-Matter (STM) theory anda Generalized Scalar-Tensor (GST) theory is investigatedin which the cosmological term Lambda depends not only on a scalar field but also onits time derivative .Identification of these solutions allows us to solve forthe functional form of the cosmological term, and mayhave relevance for the early Universe.     

In situ polymer nanocomposites: Effect of nanoparticles on the interfacial region

Composites based on the blends of polyurethane and poly(methyl methacrylate) of various composition were synthesized in situ in the presence of various amounts of nanoparticles (fumed silica). From thermophysical measurements it was found that, during reaction, phase separation and evolution of two phases occur. The temperature transitions in the systems and their positions depend on the blend composition and on various amounts of nanoparticles. Using scanning differential calorimetry from the changing of heat capacity increments the fraction of an intermediate region between two main phases has been estimated. For the first time it was observed that in nanocomposites in the temperature region between two main relaxation transitions, there appears a third transition, which was related to the adsorption layers formed by both components at the interface of the nanoparticles. The appearance of such intermediate regions increases essentially the fraction of an interfacial region in the system.     

Invariance of the Massless Field Equations under Changes of the Metric

It is shown that the Maxwell equations with sources, expressed in terms of the covariant tensor field F_ijand the current density four-vector Jⁱ, are invariant under the change of the metric g_ijby g_ij = g_ij+ l_il_jif l_iis a principal null direction of F_ijand that an analogous result holds in the case of the massless Klein-Gordon equation if l_iis null and orthogonal to the gradient of the field and in the case of the null dust equations if l_iis parallel to the dust four-velocity. An elementary proof of the following generalization of the Xanthopoulos theorem is also given: Let (g_ij, F_ij) be an exact solution of the Einstein-Maxwell equations and let l_ibe a principal null direction of F_ij, then (g_ij+ l_il_j, F_ij) is also an exact solution of the Einstein-Maxwell equations if and only if (l_il_j, 0) satisfies the Einstein-Maxwell equations linearized about the background solution (g_ij, F_ij). Furthermore, analogous theorems, where the source of the gravitational field is a massless Klein-Gordon field or null dust, are presented.     

String Thermalization in Static Spacetimes

We study the evolution, the transverse spreadingand the subsequent thermalization of string states inthe Weyl static axisymmetric spacetime. This possessesa singular event horizon on the symmetry axis and a naked singularity along the otherdirections. The branching diffusion process of stringbits approaching the singular black-hole horizonprovides the notion of the temperature that iscalculated for this process. We find that the solution of theFokker-Planck equation in the phase space of thetransverse variables of the string, can be factored asa product of two thermal distributions, provided that the classical conjugate variables satisfy theuncertainty principle. We comment on the possiblephysical significance of this result.     

A Quasi-Spherical Gravitational Wave Solution in Kaluza-Klein Theory

An exact solution of the source-free Kaluza-Klein field equations is presented. It is a 5D generalization of the Robinson-Trautman quasispherical gravitational wave with a cosmological constant. The properties of the 5D solution are briefly described.     

General-Relativistic Thomas-Fermi Model

A system of self-gravitating massive fermions isstudied in the framework of the general-relativisticThomas-Fermi model. We study the properties of the freeenergy functional and its relation to Einstein's fleld equations. We then describe aself-gravitating fermion gas by a set of Thomas-Fermitype self-consistency equations.     

Thermodynamic Equilibrium in the Expanding Universe

We show that a relativistic gas may be at"global" equilibrium in the expanding universe for anyequation of state 0 < p /3, provided thatthe gas particles move under the influence of aself-interacting, efiective one-particle force in between elasticbinary collisions. In the force-free limit we recoverthe equilibrium conditions for ultrarelativistic matterwhich imply the existence of a conformal timelike Killing vector.     

Dynamical Vacuum in Quantum Cosmology

By regarding the vacuum as a perfect fluid with equation of state p = -, de Sitter's cosmological model is quantized. Our treatment differs from previous ones in that it endows the vacuum with dynamical degrees of freedom, following modern ideas that the cosmological term is a manifestation of the vacuum energy. Instead of being postulated from the start, the cosmological constant arises from the degrees of freedom of the vacuum regarded as a dynamical entity, and a time variable can be naturally introduced. Taking the scale factor as the sole degree of freedom of the gravitational field, stationary and wave-packet solutions to the Wheeler-DeWitt equation are found, whose properties are studied. It is found that states of the Universe with a definite value of the cosmological constant do not exist. For the wave packets investigated, quantum effects are noticeable only for small values of the scale factor, a classical regime being attained at asymptotically large times.