Isometric Embeddings and Noncommutative Branes in Homogeneous Gravitational Waves

We characterize the worldvolume theories on symmetric D-branes in a six-dimensional Cahen-Wallach pp-wave supported by a constant Neveu-Schwarz three-form flux. We find a class of flat noncommutative euclidean D3-branes analogous to branes in a constant magnetic field, as well as curved noncommutative lorentzian D3-branes analogous to branes in an electric background. In the former case the noncommutative field theory on the branes is constructed from first principles, related to dynamics of fuzzy spheres in the worldvolumes, and used to analyse the flat space limits of the string theory. The worldvolume theories on all other symmetric branes in the background are local field theories. The physical origins of all these theories are described through the interplay between isometric embeddings of branes in the spacetime and the Penrose-Gueven limit of AdS3 x S3 with Neveu-Schwarz three-form flux. The noncommutative field theory of a non-symmetric spacetime-filling D-brane is also constructed, giving a spatially varying but time-independent noncommutativity analogous to that of the Dolan-Nappi model.Comment: 52 pages; v2: References adde

Homogeneous compact geometries

We classify compact homogeneous geometries of irreducible spherical type and rank at least 2 which admit a transitive action of a compact connected group, up to equivariant 2-coverings. We apply our classification to polar actions on compact symmetric spaces.Comment: To appear in: Transformation Group

Intersection theory and the Alesker product

Alesker has introduced the space $\mathcal V^\infty(M)$ of {\it smooth valuations} on a smooth manifold $M$, and shown that it admits a natural commutative multiplication. Although Alesker's original construction is highly technical, from a moral perspective this product is simply an artifact of the operation of intersection of two sets. Subsequently Alesker and Bernig gave an expression for the product in terms of differential forms. We show how the Alesker-Bernig formula arises naturally from the intersection interpretation, and apply this insight to give a new formula for the product of a general valuation with a valuation that is expressed in terms of intersections with a sufficiently rich family of smooth polyhedra.Comment: further revisons, now 23 page

The recursive nature of cominuscule Schubert calculus

The necessary and sufficient Horn inequalities which determine the non-vanishing Littlewood-Richardson coefficients in the cohomology of a Grassmannian are recursive in that they are naturally indexed by non-vanishing Littlewood-Richardson coefficients on smaller Grassmannians. We show how non-vanishing in the Schubert calculus for cominuscule flag varieties is similarly recursive. For these varieties, the non-vanishing of products of Schubert classes is controlled by the non-vanishing products on smaller cominuscule flag varieties. In particular, we show that the lists of Schubert classes whose product is non-zero naturally correspond to the integer points in the feasibility polytope, which is defined by inequalities coming from non-vanishing products of Schubert classes on smaller cominuscule flag varieties. While the Grassmannian is cominuscule, our necessary and sufficient inequalities are different than the classical Horn inequalities.Comment: 41 pages, revisions to improve clarity of expositio

Three-point bounds for energy minimization

Three-point semidefinite programming bounds are one of the most powerful known tools for bounding the size of spherical codes. In this paper, we use them to prove lower bounds for the potential energy of particles interacting via a pair potential function. We show that our bounds are sharp for seven points in RP^2. Specifically, we prove that the seven lines connecting opposite vertices of a cube and of its dual octahedron are universally optimal. (In other words, among all configurations of seven lines through the origin, this one minimizes energy for all potential functions that are completely monotonic functions of squared chordal distance.) This configuration is the only known universal optimum that is not distance regular, and the last remaining universal optimum in RP^2. We also give a new derivation of semidefinite programming bounds and present several surprising conjectures about them.Comment: 30 page