Ghost constraints and the covariant quantization of the superparticle in ten dimensions

We present a modification of the Berkovits superparticle. This is firstly in order to covariantly quantize the pure spinor ghosts, and secondly to covariantly calculate matrix elements of a generic operator between two states. We proceed by lifting the pure spinor ghost constraints and regaining them through a BRST cohomology. We are then able to perform a BRST quantization of the system in the usual way, except for some interesting subtleties. Since the pure spinor constraints are reducible, ghosts for ghosts terms are needed, which have so far been calculated up to level 4. Even without a completion of these terms, we are still able to calculate arbitrary matrix elements of a physical operator between two physical states.Comment: 38 pages, Latex, no figures. Published versio

Report on discussion of Pinex experiment with J-12 group at Los Alamos

Plans for participation in Operation Hardtack include performance of a Pinex experiment on three barge-based events: Nutmeg, Hickory, and Juniper. The J-12 group at Los Alamos has been planning for a group of similar experiments. Inclusion of Pinex in the Hardtack diagnostic program occurred considerably later; also, J-12 has successfully carried out two Pinex experiments during Operation Plumbbob. This visit was made to take the fullest possible advantage of their experience to date. Discussion of the experiment at these meetings is summarized under five convenient headings: Detector; Pinhole and Collimator Assembly; Alignment; Data Analysis; and Recovery

Relating Green-Schwarz and Extended Pure Spinor Formalisms by Similarity Transformation

In order to gain deeper understanding of pure-spinor-based formalisms of superstring, an explicit similarity transformation is constructed which provides operator mapping between the light-cone Green-Schwarz (LCGS) formalism and the extended pure spinor (EPS) formalism, a recently proposed generalization of the Berkovits' formalism in an enlarged space. By applying a systematic procedure developed in our previous work, we first construct an analogous mapping in the bosonic string relating the BRST and the light-cone formulations. This provides sufficient insights and allows us to construct the desired mapping in the more intricate case of superstring as well. The success of the construction owes much to the enlarged field space where pure spinor constraints are removed and to the existence of the ``B-ghost'' in the EPS formalism.Comment: 37pages, no figur

A New First Class Algebra, Homological Perturbation and Extension of Pure Spinor Formalism for Superstring

Based on a novel first class algebra, we develop an extension of the pure spinor (PS) formalism of Berkovits, in which the PS constraints are removed. By using the homological perturbation theory in an essential way, the BRST-like charge $Q$ of the conventional PS formalism is promoted to a bona fide nilpotent charge $\hat{Q}$, the cohomology of which is equivalent to the constrained cohomology of $Q$. This construction requires only a minimum number (five) of additional fermionic ghost-antighost pairs and the vertex operators for the massless modes of open string are obtained in a systematic way. Furthermore, we present a simple composite "$b$-ghost" field $B(z)$ which realizes the important relation $T(z) = \{\hat{Q}, B(z)\}$, with $T(z)$ the Virasoro operator, and apply it to facilitate the construction of the integrated vertex. The present formalism utilizes U(5) parametrization and the manifest Lorentz covariance is yet to be achieved.Comment: 38 pages, no figure. Proof of triviality of delta-homology improved and a reference adde

Effects of working memory on naturally occurring cravings

This is the author accepted manuscriptElaborated Intrusion (EI) theory posits a key role for visuospatial working memory (WM) in craving. In line with the predictions of EI theory, several studies have found that WM and craving show mutually interfering effects - for example, performance of visuospatial WM tasks has been found to attenuate naturally occurring cravings. However, the extent to which these effects are driven specifically by visuospatial processing remains unclear. We conducted two experiments to investigate the effects of WM on naturally occurring cravings in more detail. In experiment 1, we examined whether such effects are driven specifically by visuospatial WM processes or can also be induced by a verbal WM task. Subjective craving ratings were attenuated equally by performance of visuospatial and verbal WM tasks, suggesting that craving is not dependent specifically on visuospatial processing. In experiment 2, we examined whether effects of visuospatial WM on craving could be driven by simple distraction. Naturally occurring cravings were attenuated in a control condition with minimal WM demands (watching a video). However, the magnitude of attenuation was significantly greater in a visuospatial WM condition. Taken together, these findings highlight a key role for WM in the attenuation of naturally occurring craving, but do not support the hypothesis that such effects are dependent specifically on visuospatial processing

Pure spinor superfields -- an overview

Maximally supersymmetric theories do not allow off-shell superspace formulations with traditional superfields containing a finite set of auxiliary fields. It has become clear that off-shell supersymmetric action formulations of such models can be achieved by the introduction of pure spinors. In this talk, an overview of this formalism is given, with emphasis on D=10 super-Yang-Mills theory and D=11 supergravity. This a somewhat expanded version of a talk presented at the workshop "Breaking of supersymmetry and ultraviolet divergences in extended supergravity" (BUDS), Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, March 25-28, 2013.Comment: 34 pp., 2 figs., contributions to the proceedings of the workshop "Breaking of supersymmetry and ultraviolet divergences in extended supergravity" (BUDS), Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, March 25-28, 201

Origin of Pure Spinor Superstring

The pure spinor formalism for the superstring, initiated by N. Berkovits, is derived at the fully quantum level starting from a fundamental reparametrization invariant and super-Poincare invariant worldsheet action. It is a simple extension of the Green-Schwarz action with doubled spinor degrees of freedom with a compensating local supersymmetry on top of the conventional kappa-symmetry. Equivalence to the Green-Schwarz formalism is manifest from the outset. The use of free fields in the pure spinor formalism is justified from the first principle. The basic idea works also for the superparticle in 11 dimensions.Comment: 21 pages, no figure; v2: refs. adde

A Global Community of Courts? Modelling the Use of Persuasive Authority as a Complex Network

There is a growing discussion in the legal literature of an emerging global community of courts composed of a network of increasing judicial dialogue across national borders. We investigate the use of foreign persuasive authority in common law countries by analyzing the network of citations to case law in a corpus of over 1.5 million judgments given by the senior courts of twenty-six common law countries. Our corpus of judgments is derived from data available in the vLex Justis database. In this paper we aim to quantify the flow of jurisprudence across the countries in our corpus and to explore the factors that may influence a judge’s selection of foreign jurisprudence. Utilization of foreign case law varies across the countries in our data, with the courts of some countries presenting higher engagement with foreign jurisprudence than others. Our analysis shows that there has been an upward trend in the use of foreign case law over time, with a marked increase in citations across national borders from the 1990s onward, potentially indicating that increased digital access to foreign judgments has served to facilitate and promote comparative analysis. Not only has the use of foreign case law generally increased over time, the factors that may influence the selection of case law have also evolved, with judges gradually casting their research beyond the most influential and well-known foreign authorities. Notwithstanding that judgments emanating from the United Kingdom (chiefly from the courts of England and Wales) constitute the most frequently consulted body of jurisprudence, we find evidence that domestic courts favor citing the case law of countries that are geographically proximal

Vertex Operators for Closed Superstrings

We construct an iterative procedure to compute the vertex operators of the closed superstring in the covariant formalism given a solution of IIA/IIB supergravity. The manifest supersymmetry allows us to construct vertex operators for any generic background in presence of Ramond-Ramond (RR) fields. We extend the procedure to all massive states of open and closed superstrings and we identify two new nilpotent charges which are used to impose the gauge fixing on the physical states. We solve iteratively the equations of the vertex for linear x-dependent RR field strengths. This vertex plays a role in studying non-constant C-deformations of superspace. Finally, we construct an action for the free massless sector of closed strings, and we propose a form for the kinetic term for closed string field theory in the pure spinor formalism.Comment: TeX, harvmac, amssym.tex, 41 pp; references adde