On N=2 low energy effective actions

We propose a Wilsonian action compatible with special geometry and higher dimension N=2 corrections, and show that the holomorphic contribution F to the low energy effective action is independent of the infrared cutoff. We further show that for asymptotically free SU(2) super Yang-Mills theories, the infrared cutoff can be tuned to cancel leading corrections to F. We also classify all local higher-dimensional contributions to the N=2 superspace effective action that produce corrections to the Kahler potential when reduced to N=1 superspace.Comment: 9 pages, Late

The Gaugings of Maximal D=6 Supergravity

We construct the most general gaugings of the maximal D=6 supergravity. The theory is (2,2) supersymmetric, and possesses an on-shell SO(5,5) duality symmetry which plays a key role in determining its couplings. The field content includes 16 vector fields that carry a chiral spinor representation of the duality group. We utilize the embedding tensor method which determines the appropriate combinations of these vectors that participate in gauging of a suitable subgroup of SO(5,5). The construction also introduces the magnetic duals of the 5 two-form potentials and 16 vector fields.Comment: 34 pages, latex, reference added, typo's corrected and minor improvements mad

Consistent truncation of d = 11 supergravity on AdS_4 x S^7

We study the system of equations derived twenty five years ago by B. de Wit and the first author [Nucl. Phys. B281 (1987) 211] as conditions for the consistent truncation of eleven-dimensional supergravity on AdS_4 x S^7 to gauged N = 8 supergravity in four dimensions. By exploiting the E_7(7) symmetry, we determine the most general solution to this system at each point on the coset space E_7(7)/SU(8). We show that invariants of the general solution are given by the fluxes in eleven-dimensional supergravity. This allows us to both clarify the explicit non-linear ansatze for the fluxes given previously and to fill a gap in the original proof of the consistent truncation. These results are illustrated with several examples.Comment: 41 pages, typos corrected, published versio

Strong Couplings of X(3872)_{J=1,2} and a New Look at J/psi Suppression in Heavy Ion Collisions

We define and compute from data the strong couplings of the X(3872) with both of the possible quantum numbers assignments J^{PC}=1^{++},2^{-+}. We use these to compute cross sections for J/psi resonance scattering into D Dbar*. As an application of the results obtained we revise the calculation of the J/psi absorption in a hot hadron gas to confront with recent RHIC observations in Au-Au collisions.Comment: 23 pages, 18 figures, 4 table

Electric/magnetic duality for chiral gauge theories with anomaly cancellation

We show that 4D gauge theories with Green-Schwarz anomaly cancellation and possible generalized Chern-Simons terms admit a formulation that is manifestly covariant with respect to electric/magnetic duality transformations. This generalizes previous work on the symplectically covariant formulation of anomaly-free gauge theories as they typically occur in extended supergravity, and now also includes general theories with (pseudo-)anomalous gauge interactions as they may occur in global or local N=1 supersymmetry. This generalization is achieved by relaxing the linear constraint on the embedding tensor so as to allow for a symmetric 3-tensor related to electric and/or magnetic quantum anomalies in these theories. Apart from electric and magnetic gauge fields, the resulting Lagrangians also feature two-form fields and can accommodate various unusual duality frames as they often appear, e.g., in string compactifications with background fluxes.Comment: 37 pages; v2: typos corrected and 1 reference adde

A method for mechanical generation of radio frequency fields in nuclear magnetic resonance force microscopy

We present an innovative method for magnetic resonance force microscopy (MRFM) with ultra-low dissipation, by using the higher modes of the mechanical detector as radio frequency (rf) source. This method allows MRFM on samples without the need to be close to an rf source. Furthermore, since rf sources require currents that give dissipation, our method enables nuclear magnetic resonance experiments at ultra-low temperatures. Removing the need for an on-chip rf source is an important step towards a MRFM which can be widely used in condensed matter physics.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, to be submitted to Physical Review Applie

Supersymmetric Brane World Scenarios from Off-Shell Supergravity

Using N=2 off-shell supergravity in five dimensions, we supersymmetrize the brane world scenario of Randall and Sundrum. We extend their construction to include supersymmetric matter at the fixpoints.Comment: 15 pages, no figures, late

N=2 Supersymmetric Scalar-Tensor Couplings

We determine the general coupling of a system of scalars and antisymmetric tensors, with at most two derivatives and undeformed gauge transformations, for both rigid and local N=2 supersymmetry in four-dimensional spacetime. Our results cover interactions of hyper, tensor and double-tensor multiplets and apply among others to Calabi-Yau threefold compactifications of Type II supergravities. As an example, we give the complete Lagrangian and supersymmetry transformation rules of the double-tensor multiplet dual to the universal hypermultiplet.Comment: 23 pages, LaTeX2e with amsmath.sty; v2: corrected typos and added referenc

Entropy Maximization in the Presence of Higher-Curvature Interactions

Within the context of the entropic principle, we consider the entropy of supersymmetric black holes in N=2 supergravity theories in four dimensions with higher-curvature interactions, and we discuss its maximization at points in moduli space at which an excess of hypermultiplets becomes massless. We find that the gravitational coupling function F^(1) enhances the maximization at these points in moduli space. In principle, this enhancement may be modified by the contribution from higher F^(g)-couplings. We show that this is indeed the case for the resolved conifold by resorting to the non-perturbative expression for the topological free energy.Comment: 22 pages, 8 figures, AMS-LaTe

Regularisation, the BV method, and the antibracket cohomology

We review the Lagrangian Batalin--Vilkovisky method for gauge theories. This includes gauge fixing, quantisation and regularisation. We emphasize the role of cohomology of the antibracket operation. Our main example is $d=2$ gravity, for which we also discuss the solutions for the cohomology in the space of local integrals. This leads to the most general form for the action, for anomalies and for background charges.Comment: 12 pages, LaTeX, Preprint-KUL-TF-94/2