First Class Constrained Systems and Twisting of Courant Algebroids by a Closed 4-form

We show that in analogy to the introduction of Poisson structures twisted by a closed 3-form by Park and Klimcik-Strobl, the study of three dimensional sigma models with Wess-Zumino term leads in a likewise way to twisting of Courant algebroid structures by closed 4-forms H. The presentation is kept pedagogical and accessible to physicists as well as to mathematicians, explaining in detail in particular the interplay of field transformations in a sigma model with the type of geometrical structures induced on a target. In fact, as we also show, even if one does not know the mathematical concept of a Courant algebroid, the study of a rather general class of 3-dimensional sigma models leads one to that notion by itself. Courant algebroids became of relevance for mathematical physics lately from several perspectives - like for example by means of using generalized complex structures in String Theory. One may expect that their twisting by the curvature H of some 3-form Ramond-Ramond gauge field will become of relevance as well.Comment: 25 pages, invited contribution to the Wolfgang Kummer memorial volum

Non-geometric String Backgrounds and Worldsheet Algebras

Using worldsheet Hamiltonian methods we derive a charge algebra which generalizes the Courant bracket to include fluxes of general index type. This is achieved by coupling a bi-vector to the Hamiltonian of the Polyakov model. This bracket is useful to describe so-called non-geometric backgrounds and has been discussed in the mathematics literature by Dmitry Roytenberg.Comment: 18 page

Hidden isometry of "T-duality without isometry"

We study the T-dualisability criteria of Chatzistavrakidis, Deser and Jonke [3] who recently used Lie algebroid gauge theories to obtain sigma models exhibiting a "T-duality without isometry". We point out that those T-dualisability criteria are not written invariantly in [3] and depend on the choice of the algebroid framing. We then show that there always exists an isometric framing for which the Lie algebroid gauging boils down to standard Yang-Mills gauging. The "T-duality without isometry" of Chatzistavrakidis, Deser and Jonke is therefore nothing but traditional isometric non-Abelian T-duality in disguise.Comment: 15 page

Geometry of Centroaffine Surfaces in R5\mathbb{R}^5

We use Cartan's method of moving frames to compute a complete set of local invariants for nondegenerate, 2-dimensional centroaffine surfaces in $\mathbb{R}^5 \setminus \{0\}$ with nondegenerate centroaffine metric. We then give a complete classification of all homogeneous centroaffine surfaces in this class

Tachyon Condensates and String Theoretic Inflation

Cosmological solutions of the beta function equations for the background fields of the closed bosonic string are investigated at the one-loop level. Following recent work of Kostelecky and Perry, it is assumed that the spatial sections of the space-time are conformally flat. Working in the sigma-model frame, the non-trivial tachyon potential is utilized to determine solutions with sufficient inflation to solve the smoothness and flatness problems. The graceful exit and density perturbation constraints can also be successfully implemented.Comment: FERMI-PUB 93/074-T, harvmac, 16 page

Supergravity background of the lambda-deformed AdS_3 x S^3 supercoset

We construct the solution of type IIB supergravity describing the integrable lambda-deformation of the AdS_3 x S^3 supercoset. While the geometry corresponding to the deformation of the bosonic coset has been found in the past, our background is more natural for studying superstrings, and several interesting features distinguish our solution from its bosonic counterpart. We also report progress towards constructing the lambda-deformation of the AdS_5 x S^5 supercoset.Comment: 31 pages, v2: references adde

Derivation of Einstein Cartan theory from general relativity

This work derives the elements of classical Einstein Cartan theory (EC) from classical general relativity (GR) in two ways. (I) Derive translational holonomy and the spin torsion field equation of EC for one Kerr mass in GR. (II) Derive the field equations of EC as the continuum limit of a sequence of discrete distributions of Kerr masses in classical GR with no electric charge. his derivation does not extend to the quantum domain because of inequality constraints. The convergence computations employ epsilon delta arguments, and are not as rigorous as weak convergence in Sobolev norm. Derivation of EC from GR strengthens the case for new physics derived from EC, including modeling exchange of intrinsic and orbital angular momentum, removing some gravitational singularities from Big Bang and black hole models, introducing a spin contact force that is a geometric candidate for the origin of cosmic inflation, and providing a better classical limit for theories of quantum gravity.Comment: 47 pages, 1 table, 66 equations, 3 figures, 93 lines of computer algebra, 33 references. This version improves organization and many sections. It argues that deriving EC from GR greatly strengthens the case for new physics that is derived from EC; the new physics is listed. Section 2 updates the 1986 paper below. Petti RJ, 1986, Gen Rel Grav vol 18, 441-46

Pseudoduality in Sigma Models

We revisit classical "on shell" duality, i.e., pseudoduality, in two dimensional conformally invariant classical sigma models and find some new interesting results. We show that any two sigma models that are "on shell" duals have opposite 1-loop renormalization group beta functions because of the integrability conditions for the pseudoduality transformation. A new result states for any two compact Lie groups of the same dimension there is a natural pseudoduality transformation that maps classical solutions of the WZW model on the first group into solutions of the WZW model on the second group. This transformation preserves the stress-energy tensor. The two groups can be non-isomorphic such as B_n and C_n in the Cartan notation. This transformation can be used for a new construction of non-local conserved currents. The new non-local currents on G depend on the choice of dual group G-tilde.Comment: 28 pages, LaTeX fil

Elliptic solutions of generalized Brans-Dicke gravity with a non-universal coupling

We study a model of the generalized Brans-Dicke gravity presented in both the Jordan and in the Einstein frames, which are conformally related. We show that the scalar field equations in the Einstein frame are reduced to the geodesics equations on the target space of the nonlinear sigma-model. The analytical solutions in elliptical functions are obtained when the conformal couplings are given by reciprocal exponential functions. The behavior of the scale factor in the Jordan frame is studied using numerical computations. For certain parameters the solutions can describe an accelerated expansion. We also derive an analytical approximation in exponential functions.Comment: 24 pages, 3 figures; v2: typos fixed, few remarks and references added; version to appear in EPJ