Continuous Local Symmetry in Ising-type Models

A class of generalized Ising models is examined with a view to extracting a low energy sector comprising Dirac fermions coupled to Yang-Mills vectors. The main feature of this approach is a set of gap equations, covariant with respect to one of the $4$-dimensional crystallographic space groups.Comment: 7 pages, latex, IC/94/2

Interpretation of High Energy String Scattering in terms of String Configurations

High energy string scattering at fixed momentum transfer, known to be dominated by Regge trajectory exchange, is interpreted by identifying families of string states which induce each type of trajectory exchange. These include the usual leading trajectory $\alpha(t)=\alpha^\prime t+1$ and its daughters as well as the ``sister'' trajectories $\alpha_m(t)=\alpha(t)/m-(m-1)/2$ and their daughters. The contribution of the sister $\alpha_m$ to high energy scattering is dominated by string excitations in the $m^{th}$ mode. Thus, at large $-t$, string scattering is dominated by wee partons, consistently with a picture of string as an infinitely composite system of ``constituents'' which carry zero energy and momentum.Comment: 14 pages, phyzzx, psfig required, Florida Preprint UFIFT-94-

Intermittency and structure functions in channel flow turbulence

We present a study of intermittency in a turbulent channel flow. Scaling exponents of longitudinal streamwise structure functions, $\zeta_p /\zeta_3$, are used as quantitative indicators of intermittency. We find that, near the center of the channel the values of $\zeta_p /\zeta_3$ up to $p=7$ are consistent with the assumption of homogeneous/isotropic turbulence. Moving towards the boundaries, we observe a growth of intermittency which appears to be related to an intensified presence of ordered vortical structures. In fact, the behaviour along the normal-to-wall direction of suitably normalized scaling exponents shows a remarkable correlation with the local strength of the Reynolds stress and with the \rms value of helicity density fluctuations. We argue that the clear transition in the nature of intermittency appearing in the region close to the wall, is related to a new length scale which becomes the relevant one for scaling in high shear flows.Comment: 4 pages, 6 eps figure

Supersymmetry, the Cosmological Constant and a Theory of Quantum Gravity in Our Universe

There are many theories of quantum gravity, depending on asymptotic boundary conditions, and the amount of supersymmetry. The cosmological constant is one of the fundamental parameters that characterize different theories. If it is positive, supersymmetry must be broken. A heuristic calculation shows that a cosmological constant of the observed size predicts superpartners in the TeV range. This mechanism for SUSY breaking also puts important constraints on low energy particle physics models. This essay was submitted to the Gravity Research Foundation Competition and is based on a longer article, which will be submitted in the near future

Effects of the Generalized Uncertainty Principle on the Inflation Parameters

We investigate the effects of the generalized uncertainty principle on the inflationary dynamics of the early universe in both standard and braneworld viewpoint. We choose the Randall-Sundrum II model as our underlying braneworld scenario. We find that the quantum gravitational effects lead to a spectral index which is not scale invariant. Also, the amplitude of density fluctuations is reduced by increasing the strength of quantum gravitational corrections. However, the tensor-to-scalar ratio increases by incorporation of these quantum gravity effects. We outline possible manifestations of these quantum gravity effects in the recent and future observations.Comment: 11 pages, revised version with new references, Accepted for publication in IJMP

Broad band time-resolved E_{p,i}--L_{iso} correlation in GRBs

We report results of a systematic study of the broad band (2--2000 keV) time resolved prompt emission spectra of a sample of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) detected with both Wide Field Cameras on board the \sax\ satellite and the \batse\ experiment on board CGRO. In this first paper, we study the time-resolved dependence of the intrinsic peak energy $E_{p,i}$ of the $E F(E)$ spectrum on the corresponding isotropic bolometric luminosity $L_{\rm iso}$. The $E_{p,i}$--$L_{\rm iso}$ relation or the equivalent relation between $E_{p,i}$ and the bolometric released energy $E_{iso}$, derived using the time averaged spectra of long GRBs with known redshift, is well established, but its physical origin is still a subject of discussion. In addition, some authors maintain that these relations are the result of instrumental selection effects. We find that not only a relation between the measured peak energy $E_p$ and the corresponding energy flux, but also a strong $E_{p,i}$ versus $L_{\rm iso}$ correlation are found within each burst and merging together the time resolved data points from different GRBs. We do not expect significant instrumental selection effects that can affect the obtained results, apart from the fact that the GRBs in our sample are sufficiently bright to perform a time-resolved spectroscopy and that they have known redshift. If the fundamental physical process that gives rise to the GRB phenomenon does not depend on its brightness, we conclude that the found $E_{p,i}$ versus $L_{\rm iso}$ correlation within each GRB is intrinsic to the emission process, and that the correlations discovered by Amati et al. and Yonetoku et al. are likely not the result of selection effects. We also discuss the properties of the correlations found.Comment: 27 pages,4 tables, 7 figure, accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journa

Classical Effective Field Theory for Weak Ultra Relativistic Scattering

Inspired by the problem of Planckian scattering we describe a classical effective field theory for weak ultra relativistic scattering in which field propagation is instantaneous and transverse and the particles' equations of motion localize to the instant of passing. An analogy with the non-relativistic (post-Newtonian) approximation is stressed. The small parameter is identified and power counting rules are established. The theory is applied to reproduce the leading scattering angle for either a scalar interaction field or electro-magnetic or gravitational; to compute some subleading corrections, including the interaction duration; and to allow for non-zero masses. For the gravitational case we present an appropriate decomposition of the gravitational field onto the transverse plane together with its whole non-linear action. On the way we touch upon the relation with the eikonal approximation, some evidence for censorship of quantum gravity, and an algebraic ring structure on 2d Minkowski spacetime.Comment: 29 pages, 2 figures. v4: Duration of interaction is determined in Sec 4 and detailed in App C. Version accepted for publication in JHE

Classicalization of Gravitons and Goldstones

We establish a close parallel between classicalization of gravitons and derivatively-coupled Nambu-Goldstone-type scalars. We show, that black hole formation in high energy scattering process represents classicalization with the classicalization radius given by Schwarzschild radius of center of mass energy, and with the precursor of black hole entropy being given by number of soft quanta composing this classical configuration. Such an entropy-equivalent is defined for scalar classicalons also and is responsible for exponential suppression of their decay into small number of final particles. This parallel works in both ways. For optimists that are willing to hypothesize that gravity may indeed self-unitarize at high energies via black hole formation, it illustrates that the Goldstones may not be much different in this respect, and they classicalize essentially by similar dynamics as gravitons. In the other direction, it may serve as an useful de-mystifier of via-black-hole-unitarization process and of the role of entropy in it, as it illustrates, that much more prosaic scalar theories essentially do the same. Finally, it illustrates that in both cases classicalization is the defining property for unitarization, and that it sets-in before one can talk about accompanying properties, such as entropy and thermality of static classicalons (black holes). These properties are by-products of classicalization, and their equivalents can be defined for non-gravitational cases of classicalization.Comment: 23 page

Exact Gravitational Shockwaves and Planckian Scattering on Branes

We obtain a solution describing a gravitational shockwave propagating along a Randall-Sundrum brane. The interest of such a solution is twofold: on the one hand, it is the first exact solution for a localized source on a Randall-Sundrum three-brane. On the other hand, one can use it to study forward scattering at Planckian energies, including the effects of the continuum of Kaluza-Klein modes. We map out the different regimes for the scattering obtained by varying the center-of-mass energy and the impact parameter. We also discuss exact shockwaves in ADD scenarios with compact extra dimensions.Comment: 19 pages, 3 figures. v2: references added, minor improvements and small errors correcte

A simple empirical redshift indicator for gamma-ray bursts

We propose a new empirical redshift indicator for gamma-ray bursts. This indicator is easily computed from the gamma-ray burst spectral parameters, and its duration, and it provides ``pseudo-redshifts'' accurate to a factor two. Possible applications of this redshift indicator are briefly discussed.Comment: Final version, 4 pages, 3 figures, A&A, vol. 407, L