Universality Principle for Orbital Angular Momentum and Spin in Gravity with Torsion

We argue that compatibility with elementary particle physics requires gravitational theories with torsion to be unable to distinguish between orbital angular momentum and spin. An important consequence of this principle is that spinless particles must move along autoparallel trajectories, not along geodesics.Comment: Author Information under http://www.physik.fu-berlin.de/~kleinert/institution.html . Latest update of paper also at http://www.physik.fu-berlin.de/~kleinert/kleiner_re27

Generating Functionals for Harmonic Expectation Values of Paths with Fixed End Points. Feynman Diagrams for Nonpolynomial Interactions

We introduce a general class of generating functionals for the calculation of quantum-mechanical expectation values of arbitrary functionals of fluctuating paths with fixed end points in configuration or momentum space. The generating functionals are calculated explicitly for harmonic oscillators with time-dependent frequency, and used to derive a smearing formulas for correlation functions of polynomial and nonpolynomials functions of time-dependent positions and momenta. These formulas summarize the effect of thermal and quantum fluctuations, and serve to derive generalized Wick rules and Feynman diagrams for perturbation expansions of nonpolynomial interactions.Comment: Author Information under http://www.physik.fu-berlin.de/~kleinert/institution.html . Latest update of paper also at http://www.physik.fu-berlin.de/~kleinert/28

World Nematic Crystal Model of Gravity Explaining the Absence of Torsion

Assuming that at small distances space-time is equivalent to an elastic medium which is isotropic in space and time directions, we demonstrate that the quantum nematic liquid arising from this crystal by spontaneous proliferation of dislocations corresponds with a medium which is merely carrying curvature rigidity. This medium is at large distances indistinguishable from Einstein's spacetime of general relativity. It does not support torsion and possesses string-like curvature sources which in spacetime form world surfaces.Comment: 4 pages, submitted to Phys. Let. B: this is a polished version of gr-qc/030703

Addendum to paper: Strong-Coupling Behavior of ϕ4\phi^4-Theories and Critical Exponents [Phys. Rev. D 57, 2264 (1998)]

The graphical extrapolation procedure to infinite order of variational perturbation theory in a recent calculation of critical exponents of three-dimensional $\phi^4$-theories at infinite couplings is improved by another way of plotting the results.Comment: Author Information under http://www.physik.fu-berlin.de/~kleinert/institution.html . Latest update of paper also at http://www.physik.fu-berlin.de/~kleinert/kleiner_re257a/preprint.htm

Stiff Quantum Polymers

At ultralow temperatures, polymers exhibit quantum behavior, which is calculated here for the moments and of the end-to-end distribution in the large-stiffness regime. The result should be measurable for polymers in wide optical traps.Comment: 4 page

High-Order Variational Calculation for the Frequency of Time-Periodic Solutions

We develop a convergent variational perturbation theory for the frequency of time-periodic solutions of nonlinear dynamical systems. The power of the theory is illustrated by applying it to the Duffing oscillator.Comment: Author Information under http://www.physik.fu-berlin.de/~pelster/, http://www.physik.fu-berlin.de/~kleinert/ and http://www.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/ipvr/bv/personen/schanz.htm

Nonholonomic Mapping Principle for Classical Mechanics in Spaces with Curvature and Torsion. New Covariant Conservation Law for Energy-Momentum Tensor

The lecture explains the geometric basis for the recently-discovered nonholonomic mapping principle which specifies certain laws of nature in spacetimes with curvature and torsion from those in flat spacetime, thus replacing and extending Einstein's equivalence principle. An important consequence is a new action principle for determining the equation of motion of a free spinless point particle in such spacetimes. Surprisingly, this equation contains a torsion force, although the action involves only the metric. This force changes geodesic into autoparallel trajectories, which are a direct manifestation of inertia. The geometric origin of the torsion force is a closure failure of parallelograms. The torsion force changes the covariant conservation law of the energy-momentum tensor whose new form is derived.Comment: Corrected typos. Author Information under http://www.physik.fu-berlin.de/~kleinert/institution.html . Paper also at http://www.physik.fu-berlin.de/~kleinert/kleiner_re261/preprint.htm

Comment on Path Integral Derivation of Schr\"odinger Equation in Spaces with Curvature and Torsion

We present a derivation of the Schr\"odinger equation for a path integral of a point particle in a space with curvature and torsion which is considerably shorter and more elegant than what is commonly found in the literature.Comment: LaTeX file in sr