In this work we obtain an approximate solution of the strongly nonlinear second order differential equation $frac{d^{2}u}{dt^{2}}+omega ^{2}u+alpha u^{2}frac{d^{2}u}{dt^{2}}+alpha uleft( frac{du}{dt}right)^{2}+beta omega ^{2}u^{3}=0$, describing the
large amplitude free vibrations of a uniform cantilever beam, by using a method based on the Laplace transform, and the convolution theorem. By reformulating the initial differential equation as an integral equation, with the use of an iterative procedure, an approximate solution of the nonlinear vibration equation can be obtained in any order of approximation. The iterative approximate solutions are compared with the exact numerical solution of the vibration equation.
Scalar-tensor gravitational theories are important extensions of standard general relativity, which can explain both the initial inflationary evolution, as well as the late accelerating expansion of the Universe. In the present paper we investigate t
he cosmological solution of a scalar-tensor gravitational theory, in which the scalar field $phi $ couples to the geometry via an arbitrary function $F(phi $). The kinetic energy of the scalar field as well as its self-interaction potential $V(phi )$ are also included in the gravitational action. By using a standard mathematical procedure, the Lie group approach, and Noether symmetry techniques, we obtain several exact solutions of the gravitational field equations describing the time evolutions of a flat Friedman-Robertson-Walker Universe in the framework of the scalar-tensor gravity. The obtained solutions can describe both accelerating and decelerating phases during the cosmological expansion of the Universe.
Obtaining exact solutions of the spherically symmetric general relativistic gravitational field equations describing the interior structure of an isotropic fluid sphere is a long standing problem in theoretical and mathematical physics. The usual app
roach to this problem consists mainly in the numerical investigation of the Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff and of the mass continuity equations, which describes the hydrostatic stability of the dense stars. In the present paper we introduce an alternative approach for the study of the relativistic fluid sphere, based on the relativistic mass equation, obtained by eliminating the energy density in the Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff equation. Despite its apparent complexity, the relativistic mass equation can be solved exactly by using a power series representation for the mass, and the Cauchy convolution for infinite power series. We obtain exact series solutions for general relativistic dense astrophysical objects described by the linear barotropic and the polytropic equations of state, respectively. For the polytropic case we obtain the exact power series solution corresponding to arbitrary values of the polytropic index $n$. The explicit form of the solution is presented for the polytropic index $n=1$, and for the indexes $n=1/2$ and $n=1/5$, respectively. The case of $n=3$ is also considered. In each case the exact power series solution is compared with the exact numerical solutions, which are reproduced by the power series solutions truncated to seven terms only. The power series representations of the geometric and physical properties of the linear barotropic and polytropic stars are also obtained.
In this paper, we investigate the Noether symmetries of a generalized scalar-tensor, Brans-Dicke type cosmological model, in which we consider explicit scalar field dependent couplings to the Ricci scalar, and to the scalar field kinetic energy, resp
ectively. We also include the scalar field self-interaction potential into the gravitational action. From the condition of the vanishing of the Lie derivative of the gravitational cosmological Lagrangian with respect to a given vector field we obtain three cosmological solutions describing the time evolution of a spatially flat Friedman-Robertson-Walker Universe filled with a scalar field. The cosmological properties of the solutions are investigated in detail, and it is shown that they can describe a large variety of cosmological evolutions, including models that experience a smooth transition from a decelerating to an accelerating phase.
We consider quasi-stationary (travelling wave type) solutions to a general nonlinear reaction-convection-diffusion equation with arbitrary, autonomous coefficients. The second order nonlinear equation describing one dimensional travelling waves can b
e reduced to a first kind first order Abel type differential equation By using two integrability conditions for the Abel equation (the Chiellini lemma and the Lemke transformation), several classes of exact travelling wave solutions of the general reaction--convection-diffusion equation are obtained, corresponding to different functional relations imposed between the diffusion, convection and reaction functions. In particular, we obtain travelling wave solutions for two non-linear second order partial differential equations, representing generalizations of the standard diffusion equation and of the classical Fisher--Kolmogorov equation, to which they reduce for some limiting values of the model parameters. The models correspond to some specific, power law type choices of the reaction and convection functions, respectively. The travelling wave solutions of these two classes of differential equations are investigated in detail by using both numerical and semi-analytical methods.
We present a general solution of the Einstein gravitational field equations for the static spherically symmetric gravitational interior spacetime of an isotropic fluid sphere. The solution is obtained by transforming the pressure isotropy condition,
a second order ordinary differential equation, into a Riccati type first order differential equation, and using a general integrability condition for the Riccati equation. This allows us to obtain an exact non-singular solution of the interior field equations for a fluid sphere, expressed in the form of infinite power series. The physical features of the solution are studied in detail numerically by cutting the infinite series expansions, and restricting our numerical analysis by taking into account only $n=21$ terms in the power series representations of the relevant astrophysical parameters. In the present model all physical quantities (density, pressure, speed of sound etc.) are finite at the center of the sphere. The physical behavior of the solution essentially depends on the equation of state of the dense matter at the center of the star. The stability properties of the model are also analyzed in detail for a number of central equations of state, and it is shown that it is stable with respect to the radial adiabatic perturbations. The astrophysical analysis indicates that this solution can be used as a realistic model for static general relativistic high density objects, like neutron stars.
New further integrability conditions of the Riccati equation $dy/dx=a(x)+b(x)y+c(x)y^{2}$ are presented. The first case corresponds to fixed functional forms of the coefficients $a(x)$ and $c(x)$ of the Riccati equation, and of the function $F(x)=a(x
)+[f(x)-b^{2}(x)]/4c(x)$, where $f(x)$ is an arbitrary function. The second integrability case is obtained for the reduced Riccati equation with $b(x)equiv 0$. If the coefficients $a(x)$ and $c(x)$ satisfy the condition $pm dsqrt{f(x)/c(x)}/dx=a(x)+f(x)$, where $f(x)$ is an arbitrary function, then the general solution of the reduced Riccati equation can be obtained by quadratures. The applications of the integrability condition of the reduced Riccati equation for the integration of the Schrodinger and Navier-Stokes equations are briefly discussed.
The generalized Chaplygin gas, which interpolates between a high density relativistic era and a non-relativistic matter phase, is a popular dark energy candidate. We consider a generalization of the Chaplygin gas model, by assuming the presence of a
bulk viscous type dissipative term in the effective thermodynamic pressure of the gas. The dissipative effects are described by using the truncated Israel-Stewart model, with the bulk viscosity coefficient and the relaxation time functions of the energy density only. The corresponding cosmological dynamics of the bulk viscous Chaplygin gas dominated universe is considered in detail for a flat homogeneous isotropic Friedmann-Robertson-Walker geometry. For different values of the model parameters we consider the evolution of the cosmological parameters (scale factor, energy density, Hubble function, deceleration parameter and luminosity distance, respectively), by using both analytical and numerical methods. In the large time limit the model describes an accelerating universe, with the effective negative pressure induced by the Chaplygin gas and the bulk viscous pressure driving the acceleration. The theoretical predictions of the luminosity distance of our model are compared with the observations of the type Ia supernovae. The model fits well the recent supernova data. From the fitting we determine both the equation of state of the Chaplygin gas, and the parameters characterizing the bulk viscosity. The evolution of the scalar field associated to the viscous Chaplygin fluid is also considered, and the corresponding potential is obtained. Hence the viscous Chaplygin gas model offers an effective dynamical possibility for replacing the cosmological constant, and to explain the recent acceleration of the universe.
