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It is believed that the core of a neutron star can be host to various novel phases of matter, from nucleon superfluid phase to exotic high baryon density quantum chromodynamics (QCD) phases. Different observational signals for such phase transitions have been discussed in the literature. Here, we point out a unique phenomenon associated with phase transition to a superfluid phase, which may be the nucleon superfluid phase or a phase like the CFL phase, allowing for superfluid vortices. In any superfluid phase transition, a random network of vortices forms via the so-called Kibble-Zurek mechanism, which eventually mostly decays away, finally leaving primarily vortices arising from the initial angular momentum of the core. This transient, random vortex network can have a non-zero net angular momentum for the superfluid component, which will generally be oriented in an arbitrary direction. This is in contrast to the final vortices, which arise from initial rotation and hence have the initial angular momentum of the neutron star. The angular momentum of the random vortex network is balanced by an equal and opposite angular momentum in the normal fluid due to the conservation of angular momentum, thereby imparting an arbitrarily oriented angular momentum component to the outer shell of the neutron star. This will affect the pulse timing and pulse profile of a pulsar. These changes in the pulses will decay away in a characteristic manner such that the random vortex network decays, obeying specific scaling laws leading to universal features for the detection of superfluid transitions occurring in a pulsar core., Comment: 9 pages, no figures

It is believed that cores of neutron stars provide a natural laboratory where exotic high baryon density QCD phases may exist.The theoretically well established {\it neutron superfluid phase} is also believed to be found only inside neutron stars. Focus on neutron stars has intensified in recent years with the direct detection of gravitational waves (GWs) from binary neutron star (BNS) merger, which has allowed the possibility of directly probing the properties of the interior of a neutron star. A remarkable phenomenon manifested by rapidly rotating neutron stars is in their {\it avatar} as {\it Pulsars}. The accuracy of pulsar timing allowed the first indirect detection of GWs from a BNS system and opened up a few exciting possibilities. Any pulsar deformation, even if incredibly tiny, can leave imprints on the pulses by introducing tiny perturbations of the moment of inertia (MI) tensor components. While the diagonal MI components of the perturbed MI tensor affect the pulse timings, the off-diagonal components lead to the pulsar's wobbling and affecting the pulse profile. This opens up an opportunity to explore various phase transitions inside a pulsar core by induced density fluctuations through the observable effects on the pulse timing and profile. Such perturbations also naturally induce a rapidly changing quadrupole moment of the star, thereby providing a new source of GW emission. Another remarkable possibility arises when we consider the effect of an external GW on a neutron star. With the possibility of detecting any minute changes in its configuration through pulse observations, the neutron star has the potential to perform as a Weber detector of GWs. This brief review focuses on these specific aspects of a pulsar, specifically on the type of physics that can be probed by utilizing the effect of changes in the MI tensor on pulse properties., Comment: Review article (revised), 31 pages, title changed, abstract reduced, fig.6 is corrected (larger fonts), references added, accepted for publication in Modern Physics Letters A (MPLA)

We calculate detailed modification of pulses from a pulsar arising from the effects of phase transition induced density fluctuations on the pulsar moment of inertia. We represent general statistical density fluctuations using a simple model where the initial moment of inertia tensor of the pulsar (taken to be diagonal here) is assumed to get random additional contributions for each of its component which are taken to be Gaussian distributed with certain width characterized by the strength of density fluctuations $\epsilon$. Using sample values of $\epsilon$, (and the pulsar deformation parameter $\eta$) we numerically calculate detailed pulse modifications by solving Euler's equations for the rotational dynamics of the pulsar. We also give analytical estimates which can be used for arbitrary values of $\epsilon$ and $\eta$. We show that there are very specific patterns in the perturbed pulses which are observable in terms of modulations of pulses over large time periods. In view of the fact that density fluctuations fade away eventually leading to a uniform phase in the interior of pulsar, the off-diagonal components of MI tensor also vanish eventually. Thus, the modification of pulses due to induced wobbling (from the off-diagonal MI components) will also die away eventually. This allows one to distinguish these transient pulse modulations from the effects of any wobbling originally present. Further, the decay of these modulations in time directly relates to relaxation of density fluctuations in the pulsar giving valuable information about the nature of phase transition occurring inside the pulsar., Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, Accepted for publication in MNRAS

The design of a robust superhydrophobic surface is a widely pursued topic.While many investigations are limited to applications with high impact velocities (for raindrops of the order of a few m/s), the essence of robustness is yet to be analyzed for applications involving quasi-static liquid transfer.To achieve robustness with high impact velocities, the surface parameters (geometrical details, chemistry) have to be selected from a narrow range of permissible values, which often entail additional manufacturing costs.From the dual perspectives of thermodynamics and mechanics, we analyze the significance of robustness for quasi-static drop impact, and present the range of permissible surface characteristics.For surfaces with a Youngs contact angle greater than 90{\deg} and square micropillar geometry, we show that robustness can be enforced when an intermediate wetting state (sagged state) impedes transition to a wetted state (Wenzel state).From the standpoint of mechanics, we use available scientific data to prove that a surface with any topology must withstand a pressure of 117 Pa to be robust.Finally, permissible values of surface characteristics are determined, which ensure robustness with thermodynamics (formation of sagged state) and mechanics (withstanding 117 Pa)., Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures

We discuss a novel mechanism for segregation of baryons and anti-baryons in the quark-gluon plasma phase which can lead to formation of quark and antiquark nuggets in the early universe, irrespective of the order of the quark-hadron phase transition. This happens due to CP violating scattering of quarks and antiquarks from moving $Z(3)$ domain walls. CP violation here is spontaneous in nature and arises from the nontrivial profile of the background gauge field ($A_{0}$ ) between different $Z(3)$ vacua. We study the effect of this spontaneous CP violation on the baryon transport across the collapsing large $Z(3)$ domain walls (which can arise in the context of certain low energy scale inflationary models). Our results show that this CP violation can lead to large concentrations of baryons and anti-baryons in the early universe. The quark and antiquark nuggets, formed by this alternate mechanism, can provide a viable dark matter candidate within standard model without violating any observational constraints., Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. D

We study resonant gravitino production in the early Universe in the presence of SUSY flat directions whose large VEVs break some but not all gauge symmetries. We find that for a large region of parameter space the gravitino abundance is several orders of magnitude larger than the cosmological upper bound. Since flat directions with large VEVs are generically expected in supersymmetric theories this result further exacerbates the gravitino problem., Comment: 5 pages, matches the published version. Minor changes in the text; references added

Flat directions in supersymmetric models can get large vacuum expectation values in the early Universe which leads to a large mass for gauge bosons and gauginos. We point out that this can then result in enhanced gravitino production because the cross-section for the production of the +/- 1/2 helicity states of the gravitino is proportional to the square of the gaugino masses. We consider gravitino production after inflation in such a scenario and find that the abundance in some cases can be much larger than the upper bound on the gravtino abundance from cosmological constraints unless the flat direction field has a very small vacuum expectation value when it commences oscillating., Comment: 5 pages

Flat directions in generic supersymmetric theories can change the thermal history of the Universe. A novel scenario was proposed earlier where the vacuum expectation value of the flat directions induces large masses for all the gauge bosons and gauginos. This delays the thermalization of the Universe after inflation and solves the gravitino problem. In this article we perform a detailed calculation of the above scenario. We include the appropriate initial state particle distribution functions, consider the conditions for the feasibility of the non-thermal scenario, and investigate phase space suppression of gravitino production in the context of heavy gauge bosons and gauginos in the final state. We find that the total gravitino abundance generated is consistent with cosmological constraints., Comment: 40 pages, 10 figures, published version with several changes including in conclusion

In this paper, we explore the possibility of spontaneous CP violation in the scattering of quarks and anti-quarks from QCD Z(3) domain walls. The CP violation here arises from the nontrivial profile of the background gauge field $(A_{0})$ between different Z(3) vacua. We calculate the spatial variation of $A_{0}$ across the Z(3) interface from the profile of the Polyakov loop $L(\vec{x})$ for the Z(3) interface and calculate the reflection of quarks and antiquarks using the Dirac equation. This spontaneous CP violation has interesting consequences for the relativistic heavy-ion collision experiments, such as baryon enhancement at high $P_{T}$. It also acts as a source of additional J/$\psi$ suppression. We also discuss its implications for the early universe., Comment: 13 pages, Latex, 7 figures, Two different effective potentials studied with similar temperatures showing consistent results. Final published version

We studied the question of parity breaking in a supersymmetric left-right model, in which the left-right symmetry is broken with Higgs doublets (carrying $B-L=\pm 1$). Unlike the left-right symmetric models with triplet Higgs scalars (carrying $B-L=\pm 2$), in this model it is possible to break parity spontaneously by adding a parity odd singlet. We then discussed how neutrino mass of type III seesaw can be invoked in this model by adding extra fermion singlets. We considered simple forms of the mass matrices that are consistent with the unification scheme and demonstrate how they can reproduce the required neutrino mixing matrix. In this model, the baryon asymmetry of the universe is generated via leptogenesis. The required mass scales in the model is then found to be consistent with the gauge coupling unification., Comment: 19 pages, 1 eps figure

We propose a novel implementation of spontaneous parity breaking in supersymmetric left-right symmetric model, avoiding some of the problems encountered in previous studies. This implementation includes a bitriplet and a singlet, in addition to the bidoublets which extend the Higgs sector of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM). The supersymmetric vacua of this theory are shown to lead generically to spontaneous violation of parity, while preserving R parity. The model is shown to reproduce the see-saw relation for vacuum expectation values, $v_L v_R \approx m_{EW}^2$ relating the new mass scales $v_L$, $v_R$ to the electroweak scale $m_{EW}$, just as in the non-supersymmetric version. The scale $v_R$ determines the mass scale of heavy majorana neutrinos, which gets related to the obeserved neutrino masses through type II see-saw relation., Comment: 12 pages, revtex4

Left-Right symmetry including supersymmetry presents an important class of gauge models which may possess natural solutions to many issues of phenomenology. Cosmology of such models indicates a phase transition accompanied by domain walls. Such walls must be unstable in order to not conflict with standard cosmology, and can further be shown to assist with open issues of cosmology such as dilution of unwanted relic densities and leptogenesis. In this paper we construct a model of gauge mediated supersymmetry breaking in which parity breaking is also signalled along with supersymmetry breaking and so as to be consistent with cosmological requirements. It is shown that addressing all the stated cosmological issues requires an extent of fine tuning, while in the absence of fine tuning, leptogenesis accompanying successful completion of the phase transition is still viable.

We study the cosmology of two versions of supersymmetric Left-Right symmetric model. The scale of the $B-L$ symmetry breaking in these models is naturally low, $10^4 - 10^6$ GeV. Spontaneous breakdown of parity is accompanied by a first order phase transition. We simulate the domain walls of the phase transition and show that they provide requisite conditions, specifically, $CP$ violating phase needed for leptogenesis. Additionally soft resonant leptogenesis is conditionally viable in the two models considered. Some of the parameters in the soft supersymmetry breaking terms are shown to be constrained from these considerations. It is argued that the models may be testable in upcoming collider and cosmology experiments., Comment: 25 pages, 2 figures, revtex4, minor clarifications, references added, conclusion remains same, to appear in Nuclear Physics B

We consider salient cosmological features of a supersymmetric model which is Left-Right symmetric and therefore possessing gauged $B-L$ symmetry. The requirement of breaking parity and also obtaining charge preserving vacua introduces some unique features to this model (MSLRM), resulting in a preference for non-thermal Leptogenesis. Assuming that the model preserves TeV scale supersymmetry, we show that the vacuum structure generically possesses domain walls, which can serve two important purposes. They can signal a secondary inflation required to remove unwanted relics such as gravitino and moduli and also generate lepton asymmetry by a mechanism similar to electroweak baryogenesis. The requirement of disappearance of domain walls imposes constraints on the soft parameters of the theory, testable at the TeV scale. We also propose an alternative model with spontaneous parity violation (MSLR\rlap/P). Incorporating the same cosmological considerations in this case entails constraints on a different set of soft parameters., Comment: 18 pages. Minor changes in text, but conclusion remains same. Published in Phys. Rev. D

We consider a supersymmetric SO(10) model which remains renormalisable upto Planck scale. The cosmology of such a model passes through a Left-Right symmetric phase. Potential problems associated with domain walls can be evaded if parity breaking is induced by soft terms when supersymmetry breaks in the hidden sector. The smallness of this breaking permits a brief period of domination by the domain walls ensuring dilution of gravitinos and other unwanted relics. The requirement that domain walls disappear constrains some of the soft parameters of the Higgs potential., Comment: 4 pages, To appear in Proceedings of SUSY06, the 14th International Conference on Supersymmetry and the Unification of Fundamental Interactions, UC Irvine, California, 12-17 June 2006