Mixmaster Horava-Witten Cosmology

We discuss various superstring effective actions and, in particular, their common sector which leads to the so-called pre-big-bang cosmology (cosmology in a weak coupling limit of heterotic superstring). Then, we review the main ideas of the Horava-Witten theory which is a strong coupling limit of heterotic superstring theory. Using the conformal relationship between these two theories we present Kasner asymptotic solutions of Bianchi type IX geometries within these theories and make predictions about possible emergence of chaos. Finally, we present a possible method of generating Horava-Witten cosmological solutions out of the well-known general relativistic pre-big-bang solutions.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, based on the talks given at Marcel Grossmann Meeting IX, Rome 2000 and at "Supersymmetry and Quantum Field Theory" (D.V. Volkov Memorial), Kharkov 2000, espcrc2.sty include

Spacetime averaging of exotic singularity universes

Taking a spacetime average as a measure of the strength of singularities we show that big-rips (type I) are stronger than big-bangs. The former have infinite spacetime averages while the latter have them equal to zero. The sudden future singularities (type II) and $w-$singularities (type V) have finite spacetime averages. The finite scale factor (type III) singularities for some values of the parameters may have an infinite average and in that sense they may be considered stronger than big-bangs.Comment: 5 pages, no figures, REVTEX4-1, minor improvement

The Isospectral Dirac Operator on the 4-dimensional Orthogonal Quantum Sphere

Equivariance under the action of Uq(so(5)) is used to compute the left regular and (chiral) spinorial representations of the algebra of the orthogonal quantum 4-sphere S^4_q. These representations are the constituents of a spectral triple on this sphere with a Dirac operator which is isospectral to the canonical one on the round undeformed four-sphere and which gives metric dimension four for the noncommutative geometry. Non-triviality of the geometry is proved by pairing the associated Fredholm module with an `instanton' projection. We also introduce a real structure which satisfies all required properties modulo smoothing operators.Comment: 40 pages, no figures, Latex. v2: Title changed. Sect. 9 on real structure completely rewritten and results strengthened. Additional minor changes throughout the pape

Inhomogenized sudden future singularities

We find that sudden future singularities may also appear in spatially inhomogeneous Stephani models of the universe. They are temporal pressure singularities and may appear independently of the spatial finite density singularities already known to exist in these models. It is shown that the main advantage of the homogeneous sudden future singularities which is the fulfillment of the strong and weak energy conditions may not be the case for inhomogeneous models.Comment: REVTEX 4, 5 pages, no figures, a discussion of the most general case include

The Spectral Geometry of the Equatorial Podles Sphere

We propose a slight modification of the properties of a spectral geometry a la Connes, which allows for some of the algebraic relations to be satisfied only modulo compact operators. On the equatorial Podles sphere we construct suq2-equivariant Dirac operator and real structure which satisfy these modified properties.Comment: 6 pages. Latex. V2: Minor changes; to appear in Comptes Rendus Mathematiqu

Simple Dynamics on the Brane

We apply methods of dynamical systems to study the behaviour of the Randall-Sundrum models. We determine evolutionary paths for all possible initial conditions in a 2-dimensional phase space and we investigate the set of accelerated models. The simplicity of our formulation in comparison to some earlier studies is expressed in the following: our dynamical system is a 2-dimensional Hamiltonian system, and what is more advantageous, it is free from the degeneracy of critical points so that the system is structurally stable. The phase plane analysis of Randall-Sundrum models with isotropic Friedmann geometry clearly shows that qualitatively we deal with the same types of evolution as in general relativity, although quantitatively there are important differences.Comment: an improved version, 34 pages, 9 eps figure

Generalised boundary conditions for the Aharonov-Bohm effect combined with a homogeneous magnetic field

The most general admissible boundary conditions are derived for an idealised Aharonov-Bohm flux intersecting the plane at the origin on the background of a homogeneous magnetic field. A standard technique based on self-adjoint extensions yields a four-parameter family of boundary conditions; other two parameters of the model are the Aharonov-Bohm flux and the homogeneous magnetic field. The generalised boundary conditions may be regarded as a combination of the Aharonov-Bohm effect with a point interaction. Spectral properties of the derived Hamiltonians are studied in detail.Comment: 32 pages, a LaTeX source file with 2 eps figures; submitted to J. Math. Phy

Local Index Formula on the Equatorial Podles Sphere

We discuss spectral properties of the equatorial Podles sphere. As a preparation we also study the `degenerate' (i.e. $q=0$) case (related to the quantum disk). We consider two different spectral triples: one related to the Fock representation of the Toeplitz algebra and the isopectral one. After the identification of the smooth pre-$C^*$-algebra we compute the dimension spectrum and residues. We check the nontriviality of the (noncommutative) Chern character of the associated Fredholm modules by computing the pairing with the fundamental projector of the $C^*$-algebra (the nontrivial generator of the $K_0$-group) as well as the pairing with the $q$-analogue of the Bott projector. Finally, we show that the local index formula is trivially satisfied.Comment: 18 pages, no figures; minor correction

Metrics and Pairs of Left and Right Connections on Bimodules

Properties of metrics and pairs consisting of left and right connections are studied on the bimodules of differential 1-forms. Those bimodules are obtained from the derivation based calculus of an algebra of matrix valued functions, and an SL\sb q(2,\IC)-covariant calculus of the quantum plane plane at a generic $q$ and the cubic root of unity. It is shown that, in the aforementioned examples, giving up the middle-linearity of metrics significantly enlarges the space of metrics. A~metric compatibility condition for the pairs of left and right connections is defined. Also, a compatibility condition between a left and right connection is discussed. Consequences entailed by reducing to the centre of a bimodule the domain of those conditions are investigated in detail. Alternative ways of relating left and right connections are considered.Comment: 16 pages, LaTeX, nofigure

Aharonov-Bohm Effect with δ\delta--type Interaction

A quantum particle interacting with a thin solenoid and a magnetic flux is described by a five-parameter family of Hamilton operators, obtained via the method of self-adjoint extensions. One of the parameters, the value of the flux, corresponds to the Aharonov-Bohm effect; the other four parameters correspond to the strength of a singular potential barrier. The spectrum and eigenstates are computed and the scattering problem is solved.Comment: 19 pages, Late