Comparison of the oscillatory behaviors of a gravitating Nambu-Goto string with a test string

Comparison of the oscillatory behavior of a gravitating infinite Nambu-Goto string and a test string is investigated using the general relativistic gauge invariant perturbation technique with two infinitesimal parameters on a flat spacetime background. Due to the existence of the pp-wave exact solution, we see that the conclusion that the dynamical degree of freedom of an infinite Nambu-Goto string is completely determined by that of gravitational waves, which was reached in our previous works [K. Nakamura, A. Ishibashi and H. Ishihara, Phys. Rev. D{\bf 62} (2002), 101502(R); K. Nakamura and H. Ishihara, Phys. Rev. D{\bf 63} (2001), 127501.], do not contradict to the dynamics of a test string. We also briefly discuss the implication of this result.Comment: 32 pages, 1 figure, PTPTeX ver.0.8 (LateX2e), Accepted for publication to Progress of Theoretical Physic

From modes to movement in the behavior of C. elegans

Organisms move through the world by changing their shape, and here we explore the mapping from shape space to movements in the nematode C. elegans as it crawls on a planar agar surface. We characterize the statistics of the trajectories through the correlation functions of the orientation angular velocity, orientation angle and the mean-squared displacement, and we find that the loss of orientational memory has significant contributions from both abrupt, large amplitude turning events and the continuous dynamics between these events. Further, we demonstrate long-time persistence of orientational memory in the intervals between abrupt turns. Building on recent work demonstrating that C. elegans movements are restricted to a low-dimensional shape space, we construct a map from the dynamics in this shape space to the trajectory of the worm along the agar. We use this connection to illustrate that changes in the continuous dynamics reveal subtle differences in movement strategy that occur among mutants defective in two classes of dopamine receptors

Morphoelastic rods Part 1: A single growing elastic rod

A theory for the dynamics and statics of growing elastic rods is presented. First, a single growing rod is considered and the formalism of three-dimensional multiplicative decomposition of morphoelasticity is used to describe the bulk growth of Kirchhoff elastic rods. Possible constitutive laws for growth are discussed and analysed. Second, a rod constrained or glued to a rigid substrate is considered, with the mismatch between the attachment site and the growing rod inducing stress. This stress can eventually lead to instability, bifurcation, and buckling

Dirichlet sigma models and mean curvature flow

The mean curvature flow describes the parabolic deformation of embedded branes in Riemannian geometry driven by their extrinsic mean curvature vector, which is typically associated to surface tension forces. It is the gradient flow of the area functional, and, as such, it is naturally identified with the boundary renormalization group equation of Dirichlet sigma models away from conformality, to lowest order in perturbation theory. D-branes appear as fixed points of this flow having conformally invariant boundary conditions. Simple running solutions include the paper-clip and the hair-pin (or grim-reaper) models on the plane, as well as scaling solutions associated to rational (p, q) closed curves and the decay of two intersecting lines. Stability analysis is performed in several cases while searching for transitions among different brane configurations. The combination of Ricci with the mean curvature flow is examined in detail together with several explicit examples of deforming curves on curved backgrounds. Some general aspects of the mean curvature flow in higher dimensional ambient spaces are also discussed and obtain consistent truncations to lower dimensional systems. Selected physical applications are mentioned in the text, including tachyon condensation in open string theory and the resistive diffusion of force-free fields in magneto-hydrodynamics.Comment: 77 pages, 21 figure

The Spectrum of the Dirac Operator on Coset Spaces with Homogeneous Gauge Fields

The spectrum and degeneracies of the Dirac operator are analysed on compact coset spaces when there is a non-zero homogeneous background gauge field which is compatible with the symmetries of the space, in particular when the gauge field is derived from the spin-connection. It is shown how the degeneracy of the lowest Landau level in the recently proposed higher dimensional quantum Hall effect is related to the Atiyah-Singer index theorem for the Dirac operator on a compact coset space.Comment: 25 pages, typeset in LaTeX, uses youngtab.st

The Phase Diagram of Fluid Random Surfaces with Extrinsic Curvature

We present the results of a large-scale simulation of a Dynamically Triangulated Random Surface with extrinsic curvature embedded in three-dimensional flat space. We measure a variety of local observables and use a finite size scaling analysis to characterize as much as possible the regime of crossover from crumpled to smooth surfaces.Comment: 29 pages. There are also 19 figures available from the authors but not included here - sorr

Black Strings, Black Rings and State-space Manifold

State-space geometry is considered, for diverse three and four parameter non-spherical horizon rotating black brane configurations, in string theory and $M$-theory. We have explicitly examined the case of unit Kaluza-Klein momentum $D_1D_5P$ black strings, circular strings, small black rings and black supertubes. An investigation of the state-space pair correlation functions shows that there exist two classes of brane statistical configurations, {\it viz.}, the first category divulges a degenerate intrinsic equilibrium basis, while the second yields a non-degenerate, curved, intrinsic Riemannian geometry. Specifically, the solutions with finitely many branes expose that the two charged rotating $D_1D_5$ black strings and three charged rotating small black rings consort real degenerate state-space manifolds. Interestingly, arbitrary valued $M_5$-dipole charged rotating circular strings and Maldacena Strominger Witten black rings exhibit non-degenerate, positively curved, comprehensively regular state-space configurations. Furthermore, the state-space geometry of single bubbled rings admits a well-defined, positive definite, everywhere regular and curved intrinsic Riemannian manifold; except for the two finite values of conserved electric charge. We also discuss the implication and potential significance of this work for the physics of black holes in string theory.Comment: 41 pages, Keywords: Rotating Black Branes; Microscopic Configurations; State-space Geometry, PACS numbers: 04.70.-s Physics of black holes; 04.70.Bw Classical black holes; 04.70.Dy Quantum aspects of black holes, evaporation, thermodynamic

Casimir effect due to a single boundary as a manifestation of the Weyl problem

The Casimir self-energy of a boundary is ultraviolet-divergent. In many cases the divergences can be eliminated by methods such as zeta-function regularization or through physical arguments (ultraviolet transparency of the boundary would provide a cutoff). Using the example of a massless scalar field theory with a single Dirichlet boundary we explore the relationship between such approaches, with the goal of better understanding the origin of the divergences. We are guided by the insight due to Dowker and Kennedy (1978) and Deutsch and Candelas (1979), that the divergences represent measurable effects that can be interpreted with the aid of the theory of the asymptotic distribution of eigenvalues of the Laplacian discussed by Weyl. In many cases the Casimir self-energy is the sum of cutoff-dependent (Weyl) terms having geometrical origin, and an "intrinsic" term that is independent of the cutoff. The Weyl terms make a measurable contribution to the physical situation even when regularization methods succeed in isolating the intrinsic part. Regularization methods fail when the Weyl terms and intrinsic parts of the Casimir effect cannot be clearly separated. Specifically, we demonstrate that the Casimir self-energy of a smooth boundary in two dimensions is a sum of two Weyl terms (exhibiting quadratic and logarithmic cutoff dependence), a geometrical term that is independent of cutoff, and a non-geometrical intrinsic term. As by-products we resolve the puzzle of the divergent Casimir force on a ring and correct the sign of the coefficient of linear tension of the Dirichlet line predicted in earlier treatments.Comment: 13 pages, 1 figure, minor changes to the text, extra references added, version to be published in J. Phys.