Can non-Gaussian cosmological models explain the WMAP high optical depth for reionization?

The first-year Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe data suggest a high optical depth for Thomson scattering of  0.17 ± 0.04  , implying that the Universe was reionized at an earlier epoch than previously expected. Such early reionization is likely to be caused by ultraviolet (UV) photons from first stars, but it appears that the observed high optical depth can be reconciled within the standard structure formation model only if star formation in the early Universe was extremely efficient. With normal star formation efficiencies, cosmological models with non-Gaussian density fluctuations may circumvent this conflict as high density peaks collapse at an earlier epoch than in models with Gaussian fluctuations. We study cosmic reionization in non-Gaussian models and explore to what extent, within available constraints, non-Gaussianities affect the reionization history. For mild non-Gaussian fluctuations at redshifts of 30 to 50, the increase in optical depth remains at a level of a few per cent and appears unlikely to aid significantly in explaining the measured high optical depth. On the other hand, within available observational constraints, increasing the non-Gaussian nature of density fluctuations can easily reproduce the optical depth and may remain viable in underlying models of non-Gaussianity with a scale-dependence.     

Recent progress in the theory and application of symplectic integrators

In this paper various aspect of symplectic integrators are reviewed. Symplectic integrators are numerical integration methods for Hamiltonian systems which are designed to conserve the symplectic structure exactly as the original flow. There are explicit symplectic schemes for systems of the formH=T(p)+V(q), and implicit schemes for general Hamiltonian systems. As a general property, symplectic integrators conserve the energy quite well and therefore an artificial damping (excitation) caused by the accumulation of the local truncation error cannot occur. Symplectic integrators have been applied to the Kepler problem, the motion of minor bodies in the solar system and the long-term evolution of outer planets.     

Three-body problem

In the first part of this paper [Marchal, Yoshida, Sun Yi-Sui 1985] we have analyzed three-body systems satisfying the condition rkR where k is a suitable constant, r the mutual distance of the two masses of the binary and R the distance between the center of mass of the binary and the third mass.That condition rkR puts limits on the acceleration of the third mass and these limits allow us to determine the corresponding escape velocities.In this second part we look for initial conditions under which the inequality rkR will remain forever satisfied and we develop the corresponding tests of escape and their applications.This leads to a major improvement of the knowledge of the nature of three-body motions especially in the vicinity of triple close approaches.The region of bounded motions is much smaller than was generally expected and numerical computations of particular solutions show that we approach very near to the true limit.     

Quasi-radial modes of rotating stars in general relativity

By using the Cowling approximation, quasi-radial modes of rotating general relativistic stars are computed along equilibrium sequences from non-rotating to maximally rotating models. The eigenfrequencies of these modes are decreasing functions of the rotational frequency. The eigenfrequency curve of each mode as a function of the rotational frequency has discontinuities, which arise from the avoided crossing with other curves of axisymmetric modes.     

Non-Gaussian cosmic microwave background temperature fluctuations from peculiar velocities of clusters

We use numerical simulations of a (480 Mpc  h ⁻¹)³ volume to show that the distribution of peak heights in maps of the temperature fluctuations from the kinematic and thermal Sunyaev–Zeldovich (SZ) effects will be highly non-Gaussian, and very different from the peak-height distribution of a Gaussian random field. We then show that it is a good approximation to assume that each peak in either SZ effect is associated with one and only one dark matter halo. This allows us to use our knowledge of the properties of haloes to estimate the peak-height distributions. At fixed optical depth, the distribution of peak heights resulting from the kinematic effect is Gaussian, with a width that is approximately proportional to the optical depth; the non-Gaussianity comes from summing over a range of optical depths. The optical depth is an increasing function of halo mass and the distribution of halo speeds is Gaussian, with a dispersion that is approximately independent of halo mass. This means that observations of the kinematic effect can be used to put constraints on how the abundance of massive clusters evolves, and on the evolution of cluster velocities. The non-Gaussianity of the thermal effect, on the other hand, comes primarily from the fact that, on average, the effect is larger in more massive haloes, and the distribution of halo masses is highly non-Gaussian. We also show that because haloes of the same mass may have a range of density and velocity dispersion profiles, the relation between halo mass and the amplitude of the thermal effect is not deterministic, but has some scatter.     

Changes in extended boreal summer tropical cyclogenesis associated with large-scale flow patterns over the western North Pacific in response to the global warming hiatus

Climate Dynamics - This study examines extended boreal summer (May–October) tropical cyclogenesis events (TCGEs) associated with large-scale flow patterns (LFPs) over the western North...