Symmetry transformations in Batalin-Vilkovisky formalism

This short note is closely related to Sen-Zwiebach paper on gauge transformations in Batalin-Vilkovisky theory (hep-th 9309027). We formulate some conditions of physical equivalence of solutions to the quantum master equation and use these conditions to give a very transparent analysis of symmetry transformations in BV-approach. We prove that in some sense every quantum observable (i.e. every even function $H$ obeying $\Delta_{\rho}(He^S)=0$) determines a symmetry of the theory with the action functional $S$ satisfying quantum master equation $\Delta_{\rho}e^S=0$ \endComment: 3 page

Homology of Lie algebra of supersymmetries and of super Poincare Lie algebra

We study the homology and cohomology groups of super Lie algebra of supersymmetries and of super Poincare Lie algebra in various dimensions. We give complete answers for (non-extended) supersymmetry in all dimensions $\leq 11$. For dimensions $D=10,11$ we describe also the cohomology of reduction of supersymmetry Lie algebra to lower dimensions. Our methods can be applied to extended supersymmetry algebra.Comment: New version with some additions and correction

1RXSJ062518.2+733433: A bright, soft intermediate polar

We present the results of 50 hours time-resolved R-band photometry of the ROSAT all-sky survey source 1RXSJ062518.2+733433. The source was identified by Wei et al. (1999) as a cataclysmic variable. Our photometry, performed in 10 nights between February 11, 2003, and March 21, 2003, reveals two stable periodicities at 19.7874 and 283.118 min, which are identified as probable spin and orbital periods of the binary. We therefore classify 1RXSJ062518.2+733433 as an intermediate polar. Analysis of the RASS X-ray observations reveal a variability of 100% in the X-ray flux and a likely soft X-ray excess. The new IP thus joins the rare group of soft IPs with only four members so far.Comment: submitted to A&A, 5 pages, 6 figures of reduced qualit

Abelian Duality

We show that on three-dimensional Riemannian manifolds without boundaries and with trivial first real de Rham cohomology group (and in no other dimensions) scalar field theory and Maxwell theory are equivalent: the ratio of the partition functions is given by the Ray-Singer torsion of the manifold. On the level of interaction with external currents, the equivalence persists provided there is a fixed relation between the charges and the currents.Comment: 11 pages, LaTeX, no figures, a reference added, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Buckling without bending: a new paradigm in morphogenesis

A curious feature of organ and organoid morphogenesis is that in certain cases, spatial oscillations in the thickness of the growing "film" are out-of-phase with the deformation of the slower-growing "substrate," while in other cases, the oscillations are in-phase. The former cannot be explained by elastic bilayer instability, and contradict the notion that there is a universal mechanism by which brains, intestines, teeth, and other organs develop surface wrinkles and folds. Inspired by the microstructure of the embryonic cerebellum, we develop a new model of 2d morphogenesis in which system-spanning elastic fibers endow the organ with a preferred radius, while a separate fiber network resides in the otherwise fluid-like film at the outer edge of the organ and resists thickness gradients thereof. The tendency of the film to uniformly thicken or thin is described via a "growth potential". Several features of cerebellum, +blebbistatin organoid, and retinal fovea morphogenesis, including out-of-phase behavior and a film thickness amplitude that is comparable to the radius amplitude, are readily explained by our simple analytical model, as may be an observed scale-invariance in the number of folds in the cerebellum. We also study a nonlinear variant of the model, propose further biological and bio-inspired applications, and address how our model is and is not unique to the developing nervous system.Comment: version accepted by Physical Review

M-Theory on (K3 X S^1)/Z_2

We analyze $M$-theory compactified on $(K3\times S^1)/Z_2$ where the $Z_2$ changes the sign of the three form gauge field, acts on $S^1$ as a parity transformation and on K3 as an involution with eight fixed points preserving SU(2) holonomy. At a generic point in the moduli space the resulting theory has as its low energy limit N=1 supergravity theory in six dimensions with eight vector, nine tensor and twenty hypermultiplets. The gauge symmetry can be enhanced (e.g. to $E_8$) at special points in the moduli space. At other special points in the moduli space tensionless strings appear in the theory.Comment: LaTeX file, 11 page