A direct proof of Kim's identities

As a by-product of a finite-size Bethe Ansatz calculation in statistical mechanics, Doochul Kim has established, by an indirect route, three mathematical identities rather similar to the conjugate modulus relations satisfied by the elliptic theta constants. However, they contain factors like $1 - q^{\sqrt{n}}$ and $1 - q^{n^2}$, instead of $1 - q^n$. We show here that there is a fourth relation that naturally completes the set, in much the same way that there are four relations for the four elliptic theta functions. We derive all of them directly by proving and using a specialization of Weierstrass' factorization theorem in complex variable theory.Comment: Latex, 6 pages, accepted by J. Physics

Bethe Ansatz Equations for the Broken ZNZ_{N}-Symmetric Model

We obtain the Bethe Ansatz equations for the broken ${\bf Z}_{N}$-symmetric model by constructing a functional relation of the transfer matrix of $L$-operators. This model is an elliptic off-critical extension of the Fateev-Zamolodchikov model. We calculate the free energy of this model on the basis of the string hypothesis.Comment: 43 pages, latex, 11 figure

Gaudin Hypothesis for the XYZ Spin Chain

The XYZ spin chain is considered in the framework of the generalized algebraic Bethe ansatz developed by Takhtajan and Faddeev. The sum of norms of the Bethe vectors is computed and expressed in the form of a Jacobian. This result corresponds to the Gaudin hypothesis for the XYZ spin chain.Comment: 12 pages, LaTeX2e (+ amssymb, amsthm); to appear in J. Phys.

Ex-nihilo: Obstacles Surrounding Teaching the Standard Model

The model of the Big Bang is an integral part of the national curriculum for England. Previous work (e.g. Baxter 1989) has shown that pupils often come into education with many and varied prior misconceptions emanating from both internal and external sources. Whilst virtually all of these misconceptions can be remedied, there will remain (by its very nature) the obstacle of ex-nihilo, as characterised by the question `how do you get something from nothing?' There are two origins of this obstacle: conceptual (i.e. knowledge-based) and cultural (e.g. deeply held religious viewpoints). The article shows how the citizenship section of the national curriculum, coming `online' in England from September 2002, presents a new opportunity for exploiting these.Comment: 6 pages. Accepted for publication in Physics E

Some comments on developments in exact solutions in statistical mechanics since 1944

Lars Onsager and Bruria Kaufman calculated the partition function of the Ising model exactly in 1944 and 1949. Since then there have been many developments in the exact solution of similar, but usually more complicated, models. Here I shall mention a few, and show how some of the latest work seems to be returning once again to the properties observed by Onsager and Kaufman.Comment: 28 pages, 5 figures, section on six-vertex model revise

Critical and Tricritical Hard Objects on Bicolorable Random Lattices: Exact Solutions

We address the general problem of hard objects on random lattices, and emphasize the crucial role played by the colorability of the lattices to ensure the existence of a crystallization transition. We first solve explicitly the naive (colorless) random-lattice version of the hard-square model and find that the only matter critical point is the non-unitary Lee-Yang edge singularity. We then show how to restore the crystallization transition of the hard-square model by considering the same model on bicolored random lattices. Solving this model exactly, we show moreover that the crystallization transition point lies in the universality class of the Ising model coupled to 2D quantum gravity. We finally extend our analysis to a new two-particle exclusion model, whose regular lattice version involves hard squares of two different sizes. The exact solution of this model on bicolorable random lattices displays a phase diagram with two (continuous and discontinuous) crystallization transition lines meeting at a higher order critical point, in the universality class of the tricritical Ising model coupled to 2D quantum gravity.Comment: 48 pages, 13 figures, tex, harvmac, eps

Exact low-temperature behavior of kagome antiferromagnet at high fields

Low-energy degrees of freedom of a spin-1/2 kagome antiferromagnet in the vicinity of the saturation field are mapped to a hard-hexagon model on a triangular lattice. The latter model is exactly solvable. The presented mapping allows to obtain quantitative description of the magnetothermodynamics of a quantum kagome antiferromagnet up to exponentially small corrections as well as predict the critical behavior for the transition into a magnon crystal state. Analogous mapping is presented for the sawtooth chain, which is mapped onto a model of classical hard dimers on a chain.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, replaced with accepted versio

Entropy of Folding of the Triangular Lattice

The problem of counting the different ways of folding the planar triangular lattice is shown to be equivalent to that of counting the possible 3-colorings of its bonds, a dual version of the 3-coloring problem of the hexagonal lattice solved by Baxter. The folding entropy Log q per triangle is thus given by Baxter's formula q=sqrt(3)(Gamma[1/3])^(3/2)/2pi =1.2087...Comment: 9 pages, harvmac, epsf, uuencoded, 5 figures included, Saclay preprint T/9401

Exact solution and interfacial tension of the six-vertex model with anti-periodic boundary conditions

We consider the six-vertex model with anti-periodic boundary conditions across a finite strip. The row-to-row transfer matrix is diagonalised by the `commuting transfer matrices' method. {}From the exact solution we obtain an independent derivation of the interfacial tension of the six-vertex model in the anti-ferroelectric phase. The nature of the corresponding integrable boundary condition on the $XXZ$ spin chain is also discussed.Comment: 18 pages, LaTeX with 1 PostScript figur

Star-Triangle Relation for a Three Dimensional Model

The solvable $sl(n)$-chiral Potts model can be interpreted as a three-dimensional lattice model with local interactions. To within a minor modification of the boundary conditions it is an Ising type model on the body centered cubic lattice with two- and three-spin interactions. The corresponding local Boltzmann weights obey a number of simple relations, including a restricted star-triangle relation, which is a modified version of the well-known star-triangle relation appearing in two-dimensional models. We show that these relations lead to remarkable symmetry properties of the Boltzmann weight function of an elementary cube of the lattice, related to spatial symmetry group of the cubic lattice. These symmetry properties allow one to prove the commutativity of the row-to-row transfer matrices, bypassing the tetrahedron relation. The partition function per site for the infinite lattice is calculated exactly.Comment: 20 pages, plain TeX, 3 figures, SMS-079-92/MRR-020-92. (corrupted figures replaced