Monopoles and Knots in Skyrme Theory

We show that the Skyrme theory actually is a theory of monopoles which allows a new type of solitons, the topological knots made of monopole-anti-monopole pair,which is different from the well-known skyrmions. Furthermore, we derive a generalized Skyrme action from the Yang-Mills action of QCD, which we propose to be an effective action of QCD in the infra-red limit. We discuss the physical implications of our results.Comment: 4 pages. Phys. Rev. Lett. in pres

Kinetically-controlled thin-film growth of layered β\beta- and γ−\gamma-Nax_{x}CoO2_{2} cobaltate

We report growth characteristics of epitaxial $\beta$-Na$_{0.6}$CoO$_{2}$ and $\gamma$-Na$_{0.7}$CoO$_{2}$ thin films on (001) sapphire substrates grown by pulsed-laser deposition. Reduction of deposition rate could change structure of Na$_{x}$CoO$_{2}$ thin film from $\beta$-phase with island growth mode to $\gamma$-phase with layer-by-layer growth mode. The $\gamma$-Na$_{0.7}$CoO$_{2}$ thin film exhibits spiral surface growth with multiterraced islands and highly crystallized texture compared to that of the $\beta$-Na$_{0.6}$CoO$_{2}$ thin film. This heterogeneous epitaxial film growth can give opportunity of strain effect of physical properties and growth dynamics of Na$_{x}$CoO$_{2}$ as well as subtle nature of structural change.Comment: accepted for publication in Applied Physics Letter

Strong and Electromagnetic Decays of Two New Lambdac∗Lambda_c^* Baryons

Two recently discovered excited charm baryons are studied within the framework of Heavy Hadron Chiral Perturbation Theory. We interpret these new baryons which lie 308 \MeV and 340 \MeV above the $\Lambda_c$ as $I=0$ members of a P-wave spin doublet. Differential and total decay rates for their double pion transitions down to the $\Lambda_c$ ground state are calculated. Estimates for their radiative decay rates are also discussed. We find that the experimentally determined characteristics of the $\Lambda_c^*$ baryons may be simply understood in the effective theory.Comment: 16 pages with 4 figures not included but available upon request, CALT-68-191

Color Reflection Invariance and Monopole Condensation in QCD

We review the quantum instability of the Savvidy-Nielsen-Olesen (SNO) vacuum of the one-loop effective action of SU(2) QCD, and point out a critical defect in the calculation of the functional determinant of the gluon loop in the SNO effective action. We prove that the gauge invariance, in particular the color reflection invariance, exclude the unstable tachyonic modes from the gluon loop integral. This guarantees the stability of the magnetic condensation in QCD.Comment: 28 pages, 3 figures, JHEP styl

QCD effective action with a most general homogeneous field background

We consider one-loop effective action of SU(3) QCD with a most general constant chromomagnetic (chromoelectric) background which has two independent Abelian field components. The effective potential with a pure magnetic background has a local minimum only when two Abelian components H_{\mu\nu}^3 and H_{\mu\nu}^8 of color magnetic field are orthogonal to each other. The non-trivial structure of the effective action has important implication in estimating quark-gluon production rate and p_T-distribution in quark-gluon plasma. In general the production rate depends on three independent Casimir invariants, in particular, it depends on the relative orientation between chromoelectric fields.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures (9 pages in published version

Comment on Ds∗→Dsπ0D_s^* \to D_s \pi^0 Decay

We calculate the rate for $D_s^* \rightarrow D_s \pi^0$ decay using Chiral Perturbation Theory. This isospin violating process results from $\pi^0$ - $\eta$ mixing, and its amplitude is proportional to $(m_d - m_u)/\bigl(m_s-(m_u+m_d)/2 \bigr)$. Experimental information on the branching ratio for $D_s^* \rightarrow D_s \pi^0$ can provide insight into the pattern of $SU(3)$ violation in radiative $D^*$ decays.Comment: 7 pages with 2 figures not included but available upon request, CALT-68-191

Abelian Dominance in Wilson Loops

It has been conjectured that the Abelian projection of QCD is responsible for the confinement of color. Using a gauge independent definition of the Abelian projection which does {\it not} employ any gauge fixing, we provide a strong evidence for the Abelian dominance in Wilson loop integral. In specific we prove that the gauge potential which contributes to the Wilson loop integral is precisely the one restricted by the Abelian projection.Comment: 4 pages, no figure, revtex. Phys. Rev. D in pres

On Signatures of Atmospheric Features in Thermal Phase Curves of Hot Jupiters

Turbulence is ubiquitous in Solar System planetary atmospheres. In hot Jupiter atmospheres, the combination of moderately slow rotation and thick pressure scale height may result in dynamical weather structures with unusually large, planetary-size scales. Using equivalent-barotropic, turbulent circulation models, we illustrate how such structures can generate a variety of features in the thermal phase curves of hot Jupiters, including phase shifts and deviations from periodicity. Such features may have been spotted in the recent infrared phase curve of HD 189733b. Despite inherent difficulties with the interpretation of disk-integrated quantities, phase curves promise to offer unique constraints on the nature of the circulation regime present on hot Jupiters.Comment: 22 pages, 6 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in Ap

Neutron scattering study of novel magnetic order in Na0.5CoO2

We report polarized and unpolarized neutron scattering measurements of the magnetic order in single crystals of Na0.5CoO2. Our data indicate that below T_N=88 K the spins form a novel antiferromagnetic pattern within the CoO2 planes, consisting of alternating rows of ordered and non-ordered Co ions. The domains of magnetic order are closely coupled to the domains of Na ion order, consistent with such a two-fold symmetric spin arrangement. Magnetoresistance and anisotropic susceptibility measurements further support this model for the electronic ground state.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure