Magnetic Monopole and the Finite Photon Mass: Are They Compatible?

We analyze the role played by the gauge invariance for the existence of Dirac monopole. To this end, we consider the electrodynamics with massive photon and ask if the magnetic charge can be introduced there. We show that the derivation of the Dirac quantization condition based on the angular momentum algebra cannot be generalized to the case of massive electrodynamics. Possible implications of this result are briefly discussed.Comment: 12 pages, revtex, no figure

The Charged Neutrino: A New Approach to the Solar Neutrino Problem

We have considered the effect of the reduction of the solar neutrino flux on earth due to the deflection of the charged neutrino by the magnetic field of the solar convective zone. The antisymmetry of this magnetic field about the plane of the solar equator induces the anisotropy of the solar neutrino flux thus creating the deficit of the neutrino flux on the earth. The deficit has been estimated in terms of solar and neutrino parameters and the condition of a 50 \% deficit has been obtained: Q_{\nu} gradH \agt 10^{-18} eG/cm where $Q_{\nu}$ is the neutrino electric charge, $gradH$ is the gradient of the solar toroidal magnetic field, e is the electron charge. Some attractive experimental consequences of this scenario are qualitatively discussed.Comment: 15 pages, UM-P/94-26, in REVTE

Effects of extended impurity perturbation in d-wave superconductor

We describe the effects of electronic perturbation distributed on nearest neighbor sites to the impurity center in a planar \textit{d}-wave superconductor, in approximation of circular Fermi surface. Alike the behavior previously reported for point-like perturbation and square Fermi surface, the quasiparticle density of states $\rho (\epsilon)$ can display a resonance inside the gap (and very weak features from low symmetry representations of non-local perturbation) and asymptotically vanishes at $\epsilon \to 0$ as $\rho\sim\epsilon/\ln^2\epsilon$. The local suppression of SC order parameter in this model is found to be somewhat weaker than for an equivalent point-like (non-magnetic) perturbation and much weaker than for a spin-dependent (extended) perturbation.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, some minor typos and the curves in Fig. 5 correcte

Black holes with magnetic charge and quantized mass

We examine the issue of magnetic charge quantization in the presence of black holes. It is pointed out that quantization of magnetic charge can lead to the mass quantization for magnetically charged black holes. We also discuss some implications for the experimental searches of magnetically charged black holes.Comment: RevTeX, 11 pages, Invited paper for the first editorial volume of the book series "Contemporary Fundamental Physics" by the Nova Science Publisher

Absolute and differential measurement of water vapor supersaturation using a commercial thin-film sensor

We describe a technique for measuring the water vapor supersaturation of normal air over a temperature range of –40<~T<~0 °C. The measurements use an inexpensive commercial hygrometer which is based on a thin-film capacitive sensor. The time required for the sensor to reach equilibrium was found to increase exponentially with decreasing sensor temperature, exceeding 2 min for T = –30 °C; however, the water vapor sensitivity of the device remained high down to this temperature. After calibrating our measurement procedure, we found residual scatter in the data corresponding to an uncertainty in the absolute water vapor pressure of about ±15%. This scatter was due mainly to long-term drift, which appeared to be intrinsic to the capacitive thin-film sensor. The origin of this drift is not clear, but it effectively limits the applicability of this instrument for absolute measurements. We also found, however, that the high sensitivity of the thin-film sensor makes it rather well suited for differential measurements. By comparing supersaturated and saturated air at the same temperature we obtained a relative measurement uncertainty of about ±1.5%, an order of magnitude better than the absolute measurements