Classification and Characterization of rationally elliptic manifolds in low dimensions

We give a characterization of closed, simply connected, rationally elliptic 6-manifolds in terms of their rational cohomology rings and a partial classification of their real cohomology rings. We classify rational, real and complex homotopy types of closed, simply connected, rationally elliptic 7-manifolds. We give partial results in dimensions 8 and 9.Comment: 23 pages; extended Section 2, revised Section 5 and several minor revision

Support Varieties and Representation Type of Self-Injective Algebras

We use the theory of varieties for modules arising from Hochschild cohomology to give an alternative version of the wildness criterion of Bergh and Solberg: If a finite dimensional self-injective algebra has a module of complexity at least 3 and satisfies some finiteness assumptions on Hochschild cohomology, then the algebra is wild. We show directly how this is related to the analogous theory for Hopf algebras that we developed. We give applications to many different types of algebras: Hecke algebras, reduced universal enveloping algebras, small half-quantum groups, and Nichols (quantum symmetric) algebras.Comment: 21 page

Loop operators and S-duality from curves on Riemann surfaces

We study Wilson-'t Hooft loop operators in a class of N=2 superconformal field theories recently introduced by Gaiotto. In the case that the gauge group is a product of SU(2) groups, we classify all possible loop operators in terms of their electric and magnetic charges subject to the Dirac quantization condition. We then show that this precisely matches Dehn's classification of homotopy classes of non-self-intersecting curves on an associated Riemann surface--the same surface which characterizes the gauge theory. Our analysis provides an explicit prediction for the action of S-duality on loop operators in these theories which we check against the known duality transformation in several examples.Comment: 41 page

No time machines in classical general relativity

Irrespective of local conditions imposed on the metric, any extendible spacetime U has a maximal extension containing no closed causal curves outside the chronological past of U. We prove this fact and interpret it as impossibility (in classical general relativity) of the time machines, insofar as the latter are defined to be causality-violating regions created by human beings (as opposed to those appearing spontaneously).Comment: A corrigendum (to be published in CQG) has been added to correct an important mistake in the definition of localit