T-duality and Generalized Complex Geometry

We find the explicit T-duality transformation in the phase space formulation of the N=(1,1) sigma model. We also show that the T-duality transformation is a symplectomorphism and it is an element of O(d,d). Further, we find the explicit T-duality transformation of a generalized complex structure in this model. We also show that the extended supersymmetry of the sigma model is preserved under the T-duality.Comment: 18 pages; added references; published versio

Generalized Kahler Geometry from supersymmetric sigma models

We give a physical derivation of generalized Kahler geometry. Starting from a supersymmetric nonlinear sigma model, we rederive and explain the results of Gualtieri regarding the equivalence between generalized Kahler geometry and the bi-hermitean geometry of Gates-Hull-Rocek. When cast in the language of supersymmetric sigma models, this relation maps precisely to that between the Lagrangian and the Hamiltonian formalisms. We also discuss topological twist in this context.Comment: 18 page

The Great Circle Camera: A New Drift Scanning Instrument

We discuss the design, construction, and use of a new class of scanning camera that eliminates a critical limitation of standard CCD drift-scan observations. A standard scan, which involves no correction for the differential drift rates and curved stellar paths across the field-of-view, suffers from severe image degradation even when one observes at moderate declinations. Not only does this effect limit the area of the sky over which drift scanning is viable, but as detector sizes increase, CCD mosaics become standard, and dome/telescope seeing improves, the area of sky for which scanning is acceptable (image degradation \ltsim seeing) will be further reduced unless some action is taken. By modifying the scan path (the path on the sky traced by signal accumulated along a single CCD column) to lie along a great circle on the sky rather than along a path of constant declination, image degradation is minimized. In this paper, we discuss the design and implementation of a stage that rotates and translates the CCD during a drift-scan exposure so that the scan path is along a great circle on the sky. Data obtained during the commissioning run of the Great Circle Camera at the Las Campanas 1-m telescope are presented.Comment: Second attempt at a readable archival file. 7 pages (gzip'ed and uuencoded postscript). A version of the preprint with Figures 2 and 3 can be obtained from D. Zaritsky. Accepted for publication in PAS

Type IIB tensionless superstrings in a pp-wave background

We solve the tensionless string in a constant plane wave background and obtain a hugely degenerate spectrum. This is the case for a large class of plane wave backgrounds. We show that the solution can also be derived as a consistent limit of the quantized tensile theory of IIB strings in a pp-wave. This is in contrast to the situation for several other backgrounds.Comment: 1+17 pages, LaTeX, minor corrections, added new reference

Minding the Terrazzo Gap between Athletes and Nonathletes: Representativeness, Integration, and Academic Performance at the U.S. Air Force Academy

The tension between focusing on collegiate athletic or academic performance has persisted for decades. A recent study finds that recruited athletes in college athletic programs underperform academically, earning lower grades than predicted. It postulates that increased representativeness and integration efforts will enhance the academic value of college athletes’ experience. The U.S. Air Force Academy system presents a natural experiment of whether such efforts can affect student-athlete academic performance. In this setting, we find that student-athletes perform comparably to nonathletes after controlling for predicted academic performance

Courant-like brackets and loop spaces

We study the algebra of local functionals equipped with a Poisson bracket. We discuss the underlying algebraic structures related to a version of the Courant-Dorfman algebra. As a main illustration, we consider the functionals over the cotangent bundle of the superloop space over a smooth manifold. We present a number of examples of the Courant-like brackets arising from this analysis.Comment: 20 pages, the version published in JHE

Sigma models with off-shell N=(4,4) supersymmetry and noncommuting complex structures

We describe the conditions for extra supersymmetry in N=(2,2) supersymmetric nonlinear sigma models written in terms of semichiral superfields. We find that some of these models have additional off-shell supersymmetry. The (4,4) supersymmetry introduces geometrical structures on the target-space which are conveniently described in terms of Yano f-structures and Magri-Morosi concomitants. On-shell, we relate the new structures to the known bi-hypercomplex structures.Comment: 20 pages; v2: significant corrections, clarifications, and reorganization; v3: discussion of supersymmetry vs twisted supersymmetry added, relevant signs corrected

Sub-electron noise charge-coupled devices

A charge coupled device designed for celestial spectroscopy has achieved readout noise as low as 0.6 electrons rms. A nondestructive output circuit was operated in a special manner to read a single pixel multiple times. Off-chip electronics averaged the multiple values, reducing the random noise by the square root of the number of readouts. Charge capacity was measured to be 500,000 electrons. The device format is 1600 pixels horizontal by 64 pixels vertical. Pixel size is 28 microns square. Two output circuits are located at opposite ends of the 1600 bit CCD register. The device was thinned and operated backside illuminated at -110 degrees C. Output circuit design, layout, and operation are described. Presented data includes the photon transfer curve, noise histograms, and bar-target images down to 3 electrons signal. The test electronics are described, and future improvements are discussed

Gauged (2,2) Sigma Models and Generalized Kahler Geometry

We gauge the (2,2) supersymmetric non-linear sigma model whose target space has bihermitian structure (g, B, J_{\pm}) with noncommuting complex structures. The bihermitian geometry is realized by a sigma model which is written in terms of (2,2) semi-chiral superfields. We discuss the moment map, from the perspective of the gauged sigma model action and from the integrability condition for a Hamiltonian vector field. We show that for a concrete example, the SU(2) x U(1) WZNW model, as well as for the sigma models with almost product structure, the moment map can be used together with the corresponding Killing vector to form an element of T+T* which lies in the eigenbundle of the generalized almost complex structure. Lastly, we discuss T-duality at the level of a (2,2) sigma model involving semi-chiral superfields and present an explicit example.Comment: 33 page

First-order supersymmetric sigma models and target space geometry

We study the conditions under which N=(1,1) generalized sigma models support an extension to N=(2,2). The enhanced supersymmetry is related to the target space complex geometry. Concentrating on a simple situation, related to Poisson sigma models, we develop a language that may help us analyze more complicated models in the future. In particular, we uncover a geometrical framework which contains generalized complex geometry as a special case.Comment: 1+19 pages, JHEP style, published versio