A Model of Three-Dimensional Lattice Gravity

A model is proposed which generates all oriented $3d$ simplicial complexes weighted with an invariant associated with a topological lattice gauge theory. When the gauge group is $SU_q(2)$, $q^n=1,$ it is the Turaev-Viro invariant and the model may be regarded as a non-perturbative definition of $3d$ simplicial quantum gravity. If one takes a finite abelian group $G$, the corresponding invariant gives the rank of the first cohomology group of a complex \nolinebreak $C$: $I_G(C) = rank(H^1(C,G))$, which means a topological expansion in the Betti number $b^1$. In general, it is a theory of the Dijkgraaf-Witten type, $i.e.$ determined completely by the fundamental group of a manifold.Comment: 20 page

The quantum mechanical theory of collisions

textLecture notes by Roy Glauber, Department of Physics, Harvard University. Cours professe a l'Ecole d'ete de physique theorique. Les Houches, Haute-Savoie, FranceEcole d'ete de physique theorique. Les Houches, Haute-Savoie, FrancePhysic

Conformal transformations and the SLE partition function martingale

We present an implementation in conformal field theory (CFT) of local finite conformal transformations fixing a point. We give explicit constructions when the fixed point is either the origin or the point at infinity. Both cases involve the exponentiation of a Borel subalgebra of the Virasoro algebra. We use this to build coherent state representations and to derive a close analog of Wick's theorem for the Virasoro algebra. This allows to compute the conformal partition function in non trivial geometries obtained by removal of hulls from the upper half plane. This is then applied to stochastic Loewner evolutions (SLE). We give a rigorous derivation of the equations, obtained previously by the authors, that connect the stochastic Loewner equation to the representation theory of the Virasoro algebra. We give a new proof that this construction enumerates all polynomial SLE martingales. When one of the hulls removed from the upper half plane is the SLE hull, we show that the partition function is a famous local martingale known to probabilists, thereby unravelling its CFT origin.Comment: 41 pages, 4 figure

About Symmetries in Physics

The goal of this introduction to symmetries is to present some general ideas, to outline the fundamental concepts and results of the subject and to situate a bit the following lectures of this school. [These notes represent the write-up of a lecture presented at the fifth ``Seminaire Rhodanien de Physique: Sur les Symetries en Physique" held at Dolomieu (France), 17-21 March 1997. Up to the appendix and the graphics, it is to be published in "Symmetries in Physics", F.Gieres, M.Kibler,C.Lucchesi and O.Piguet, eds. (Editions Frontieres, 1998).]Comment: Latex, 42 pages, 4 figure

The Transverse Spin

Contents : 1. Pre-history 2. Transversity versus helicity 3. The massless limit. "Cardan" and "see-saw" transformations 4. Transversity distribution delta q(x). The diquark spectator model 5. Soffer inequality 6. Tensor charge sum rule 7. t-channel analysis 8. Selection rules for delta q(x) measurements 9. Evolution with Q squared 10. Quark polarimetry. The sheared-jet (Collins) effect 11. Single-spin asymmetries in inclusive experiments 12. Quark distribution dependent on both spin and transverse momentum 13. First evidence of quark transversityComment: 20 pages, 7 figures. Lecture given at Xeme Seminaire Rhodanien de Physique "Le Spin en Physique", 3-8 March, Torino, Italy. To appear in the proceeding

History of Spin and Statistics

These lectures were given in the framework of the ``Dixi\`eme s\'eminaire rhodanien de physique'' entitled ``Le spin en physique'', given at Villa Gualino, Turin, March 2002. We have shown how the difficulties of interpretation of atomic spectra led to the Pauli exclusion principle and to the notion of spin, and then described the following steps: the Pauli spin with 2$\times$2 matrices after the birth of "new" quantum mechanics, the Dirac equation and the magnetic moment of the electron, the spins and magnetic moments of other particles, proton, neutron and hyperons. Finally, we show the crucial role of statistics in the stability of the world.Comment: latex file, 7 figures, 3 table