International Journal of Modern Physics D

In the Randall–Sundrum brane-world scenario and other non-compact Kaluza–Klein theories, the motion of test particles is higher-dimensional in nature. In other words, all test particles travel on five-dimensional geodesics but observers, who are bounded to spacetime, have access only to the 4D part of the trajectory. Conventionally, the dynamics of test particles as observed in 4D is discussed on the basis of the splitting of the geodesic equation in 5D. However, this procedure is not unique and therefore leads to some problems. The most serious one is the ambiguity in the definition of rest mass in 4D, which is crucial for the discussion of the dynamics. We propose the Hamilton–Jacobi formalism, instead of the geodesic one, to study the dynamics in 4D. On the basis of this formalism we provide an unambiguous expression for the rest mass and its variation along the motion as observed in 4D. It is independent of the coordinates and any parameterization used along the motion. Moreover, we are able to show a comprehensive picture of the various physical scenarios allowed in 4D, without having to deal with the subtle details of the splitting formalism. Moreover we study the extra non-gravitational forces perceived by an observer in 4D who describes the geodesic motion of a bulk test particle in 5D. Firstly, we show that the so-called fifth force fails to account for the variation of rest mass along the particle's worldline. Secondly, we offer here a new definition that correctly takes into account the change of mass observed in 4D.

In this paper, we introduce a new composite spectral indices α_γxγ = α_xγ - α_γ, and prove , that means α_γxγ is intrinsic. We plot a α_xox - α_γxγ diagram for 25 Gev γ-ray blazars for which α_x and α_γ have been provided in the literature, where α_xox = α_ox - α_x which was introduced by Sambruna et al. (1996) and proved that it is intrinsic by our previous paper (Xie et al. 2001). Using this new composite color–color (α_xox - α_γxγ) diagram, we investigated the nature of the HBLs–LBLs relationship, and the BL Lacs–FSRQs relationship, in high-energy emission. The results show that the spectral energy distributions of three subclasses of Gev γ-ray loud blazars are different, but essentially continuous: HBLs and FSRQs occupy separated regions while LBLs bridge the gap between HBLs and FSRQs. The results are consistent with that derived from a low energy color–color(α_xox - α_oro) diagram by Sambruna et al. (1996) and Xie et al. (2001). However, on the α_ox - α_xγ diagram, FSRQs, LBLs and HBLs occupy same region. Because both α_γxγ and α_xox are intrinsic, thus, the new connection among HBLs, LBLs and FSRQs obtained by us is intrinsic.

We study an analytical solution to the Einstein's equations in (2+1)-dimensions, representing the self-similar collapse of a circularly symmetric, minimally coupled, massless, scalar field. Depending on the value of certain parameters, this solution represents the formation of naked singularities. Since our solution is asymptotically flat, these naked singularities may be relevant for the weak cosmic censorship conjecture in (2+1)-dimensions.

We study the occurrence of naked singularities in the spherically symmetric collapse of a charged null fluid in an expanding de Sitter background — a piece of charged Vaidya–de Sitter spacetime. The naked singularities are found to be gravitationally strong in Tipler's sense and thus violate the cosmic censorship hypothesis.

Applying the Damour–Soffel–Xu framework of general-relativistic celestial mechanics, the theory of relativistic rigid body presented by Thorne and Gürsel is extended and developed in this paper. We successfully construct a quasi-rigid body model in the full post-Newtonian framework for the first time. This model has some simple properties in a similar way to the Newtonian rigid body, and it could be applied in geodynamics and astronomy, for example, to solve problems on rotation or precession of celestial bodies when relativistic effects are not negligible.

We examined the fall-back disk models, and in general accretion, proposed to explain the properties of AXPs and SGRs. We checked the possibility of some gas remaining around the neutron star after a supernova explosion. We also compared AXPs and SGRs with the X-ray pulsars in X-ray binaries. We conclude that the existing models of accretion from a fall-back disk are insufficient to explain the nature of AXPs and SGRs.

We have examined cosmic no-hair theorem for anisotropic Bianchi-models in Einstein–Cartan theory and it is possible to have inflationary solution with a scalar field. It has been noted that during the inflationary era, the evolution of the Universe does not depend on the form of the potential but the late time behaviour is dependent on the potential for the inflation field.

We study the weak-field limit of string-dilaton gravity and derive corrections to the Newtonian potential having strength directly depends on the self interaction potential and the nonminimal coupling of the dilaton scalar field. We discuss also possible astrophysical applications of the results, in particular the flat rotation curves of spiral galaxies.

In this paper we have revisited the research work of Rahman and Bera²² on Kaluza–Klein cosmological model within the framework of Lyra Geometry. It has been shown that the empty universe model yields a power law relation without any assumption. The role of bulk viscosity on five-dimensional cosmological model is discussed. The physical behaviour of the models is examined in all cases.

We study the evolution of a flat Friedmann–Robertson–Walker Universe, filled with a bulk viscous cosmological fluid, in the presence of time varying "constants." The dimensional analysis of the model suggests a proportionality between the bulk viscous pressure of the dissipative fluid and the energy density. Using this assumption and with the choice of the standard equations of state for the bulk viscosity coefficient, temperature and relaxation time, the general solution of the field equations can be obtained, with all physical parameters having a power-law time dependence. The symmetry analysis of this model, performed using Lie group techniques, confirms the uniqueness of the solution for this functional form of the bulk viscous pressure. In order to find another possible solution we relax the hypotheses and assume a concrete functional dependence for the "constants."

We study the consequences of the existence of spacelike conformal Killing vectors (SpCKV) parallel to x^a for cosmic strings and string fluid in the context of general relativity. The inheritance symmetries of the cosmic strings and string fluid are discussed in the case of SpCKV. Furthermore we examine proper homothetic spacelike Killing vectors for the cosmic strings and string fluid.

Possibly the most peculiar expectation of the standard fine-tuned cosmological paradigm is that cosmic acceleration is to only be a very recent (z<1) phenomenon, with the universe being required to be decelerating at all higher redshifts. Detailed exploration of the Hubble plot out to z=2 or so will not just provide an absolute test of this expectation but will also allow for testing of conformal gravity, a non fine-tuned alternate cosmological theory which provides equally good fitting to the current z<1 Hubble plot data while requiring the universe to be accelerating at higher z instead. With both standard and conformal gravity being found to be compatible with a very recently reported z=1.7 data point, additional data points will thus be needed to determine whether the universe is accelerating or decelerating above z=1.

In recent years it is generally believed that we should consider positive vacuum energy density or cosmological constant. Also as higher dimensional theory is important at the early stages of the Universe, so it will be interesting to study classical tests of cosmology in a higher dimensional generalized Kantowski–Sachs model. For matter field, we consider dust and a cosmological constant and examine which are physically permissible.

We investigate the occurrence and nature of naked singularities in the gravitational collapse of an adiabatic perfect fluid in self-similar higher dimensional space–times. It is shown that strong curvature naked singularities could occur if the weak energy condition holds. Its implication for cosmic censorship conjecture is discussed. Known results of analogous studies in four dimensions can be recovered.

We consider the dynamics of a causal bulk viscous cosmological fluid filled flat homogeneous Universe in the framework of the Brans–Dicke theory. Three classes of exact solutions of the field equations are obtained and the behavior of the physical parameters is considered in detail. In this model the energy density associated to the Brans–Dicke scalar field is of the same order of magnitude as the matter energy density. The inclusion of the bulk viscous pressure term in the matter energy-momentum tensor leads to a non-decelerating evolution of the Universe.

A plane-symmetric non-static cosmological model representing a bulk viscous fluid distribution has been obtained which is inhomogeneous and anisotropic and a particular case of which is gravitationally radiative. Without assuming any ad hoc law, we obtain a cosmological constant as a decreasing function of time. The physical and geometric features of the models are also discussed.

Recent redshift-distance measurements of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) at cosmological distances suggest that two-third of the energy density of the universe is dominated by dark energy component with an effective negative pressure. This dark energy component is described by the equation of state p_x = wρ_x (w ≥ - 1). We use gravitational lensing statistics to constrain the equation of state of this dark energy. We use n(Δθ), the image separation distribution function of lensed quasars, as a tool to probe w. We find that for the observed range of Ω_m ~ 0.2–0.4, w should lie between -0.8 ≤ w ≤ -0.4 in order to have five lensed quasars in a sample of 867 optical quasars. This limit is highly sensitive to lens and Schechter parameters and the evolution of galaxies.