Negative radiation pressure exerted on kinks

The interaction of a kink and a monochromatic plane wave in one dimensional scalar field theories is studied. It is shown that in a large class of models the radiation pressure exerted on the kink is negative, i.e. the kink is {\sl pulled} towards the source of the radiation. This effect has been observed by numerical simulations in the $\phi^4$ model, and it is explained by a perturbative calculation assuming that the amplitude of the incoming wave is small. Quite importantly the effect is shown to be robust against small perturbations of the $\phi^4$ model. In the sine-Gordon (sG) model the time averaged radiation pressure acting on the kink turns out to be zero. The results of the perturbative computations in the sG model are shown to be in full agreement with an analytical solution corresponding to the superposition of a sG kink with a cnoidal wave. It is also demonstrated that the acceleration of the kink satisfies Newton's law.Comment: 23 pages, 8 figures, LaTeX/RevTe

An analytical approximation scheme to two point boundary value problems of ordinary differential equations

A new (algebraic) approximation scheme to find {\sl global} solutions of two point boundary value problems of ordinary differential equations (ODE's) is presented. The method is applicable for both linear and nonlinear (coupled) ODE's whose solutions are analytic near one of the boundary points. It is based on replacing the original ODE's by a sequence of auxiliary first order polynomial ODE's with constant coefficients. The coefficients in the auxiliary ODE's are uniquely determined from the local behaviour of the solution in the neighbourhood of one of the boundary points. To obtain the parameters of the global (connecting) solutions analytic at one of the boundary points, reduces to find the appropriate zeros of algebraic equations. The power of the method is illustrated by computing the approximate values of the ``connecting parameters'' for a number of nonlinear ODE's arising in various problems in field theory. We treat in particular the static and rotationally symmetric global vortex, the skyrmion, the Nielsen-Olesen vortex, as well as the 't Hooft-Polyakov magnetic monopole. The total energy of the skyrmion and of the monopole is also computed by the new method. We also consider some ODE's coming from the exact renormalization group. The ground state energy level of the anharmonic oscillator is also computed for arbitrary coupling strengths with good precision.Comment: 5 pages, 3 tables, Late

Non-relativistic Maxwell-Chern-Simons Vortices

The non-relativistic Maxwell-Chern-Simons model recently introduced by Manton is shown to admit self-dual vortex solutions with non-zero electric field. The interrelated ``geometric'' and ``hidden'' symmetries are explained. The theory is also extended to (non-relativistic) spinors. A relativistic, self-dual model, whose non-relativistic limit is the Manton model is also presented. The relation to previous work is discussed.Comment: 20 pages plain TeX. Revised: minor errors corrected and symmetries explained in a clearer way. Version as will appear in Ann. Phys. (N.Y.

The mass gap and vacuum energy of the Gross-Neveu model via the 2PPI expansion

We introduce the 2PPI (2-point-particle-irreducible) expansion, which sums bubble graphs to all orders. We prove the renormalizibility of this summation. We use it on the Gross-Neveu model to calculate the mass gap and vacuum energy. After an optimization of the expansion, the final results are qualitatively good.Comment: 14 pages,19 eps figures, revtex

Numerical simulation of oscillatons: extracting the radiating tail

Spherically symmetric, time-periodic oscillatons -- solutions of the Einstein-Klein-Gordon system (a massive scalar field coupled to gravity) with a spatially localized core -- are investigated by very precise numerical techniques based on spectral methods. In particular the amplitude of their standing-wave tail is determined. It is found that the amplitude of the oscillating tail is very small, but non-vanishing for the range of frequencies considered. It follows that exactly time-periodic oscillatons are not truly localized, and they can be pictured loosely as consisting of a well (exponentially) localized nonsingular core and an oscillating tail making the total mass infinite. Finite mass physical oscillatons with a well localized core -- solutions of the Cauchy-problem with suitable initial conditions -- are only approximately time-periodic. They are continuously losing their mass because the scalar field radiates to infinity. Their core and radiative tail is well approximated by that of time-periodic oscillatons. Moreover the mass loss rate of physical oscillatons is estimated from the numerical data and a semi-empirical formula is deduced. The numerical results are in agreement with those obtained analytically in the limit of small amplitude time-periodic oscillatons.Comment: 22 figures, accepted for publication in PR

Benefits of a marketing cooperative in transition agriculture: Mórakert purchasing and service co-operative

The paper analyses the potential benefits of marketing cooperatives in Hungary, employing a transaction cost economics framework. We found that the purchased quantity, the existence of contracts, flexibility and trust are the most important factors farmers consider when selling their products via a cooperative. The most striking result is that diversification has positive influences on the share of cooperatives in farmers’ sale. Furthermore, farmers with larger bargaining power have less willingness to sell their product to the cooperative. Surprisingly, asset specificity has rather negative effects on the share of cooperatives in members’ sales

Lignin-modifying enzymes of Pleurotus ostreatus grown on agro-residues

The activity of lignin peroxidase (LiP) and laccase produced by Pleurotus ostreatus in culture media composed of agro-residues was measured by spectrophotometry. The overall enzyme activity and its dependence on the composition of culture media were determined by using spectral mapping technique followed by non-linear mapping. The relationships between the parameters of enzyme production and the composition of culture media and fermentation time were assessed by stepwise regression analysis. It was established that P. ostreatus did not produce LiP. The lowest enzyme production was observed in culture media containing extract of wheat straw. This finding indicates that the use of other agro-residues as substitutes for wheat straw is justified. It was further established that the enzyme production was also influenced by the pH of the culture media. It was found that enzyme activity quadratically depended on the fermentation time

Spectral properties of the one-dimensional two-channel Kondo lattice model

We have studied the energy spectrum of a one-dimensional Kondo lattice, where the localized magnetic moments have SU(N) symmetry and two channels of conduction electrons are present. At half filling, the system is shown to exist in two phases: one dominated by RKKY-exchange interaction effects, and the other by Kondo screening. A quantum phase transition point separates these two regimes at temperature $T = 0$. The Kondo-dominated phase is shown to possess soft modes, with spectral gaps much smaller than the Kondo temperature.Comment: 4 pages + 2 figures. Submitted for publicatio

Exact solutions of closed string theory

We review explicitly known exact $D=4$ solutions with Minkowski signature in closed bosonic string theory. Classical string solutions with space-time interpretation are represented by conformal sigma models. Two large (intersecting) classes of solutions are described by gauged WZW models and `chiral null models' (models with conserved chiral null current). The latter class includes plane-wave type backgrounds (admitting a covariantly constant null Killing vector) and backgrounds with two null Killing vectors (e.g., fundamental string solution). $D>4$ chiral null models describe some exact $D=4$ solutions with electromagnetic fields, for example, extreme electric black holes, charged fundamental strings and their generalisations. In addition, there exists a class of conformal models representing axially symmetric stationary magnetic flux tube backgrounds (including, in particular, the dilatonic Melvin solution). In contrast to spherically symmetric chiral null models for which the corresponding conformal field theory is not known explicitly, the magnetic flux tube models (together with some non-semisimple WZW models) are among the first examples of solvable unitary conformal string models with non-trivial $D=4$ curved space-time interpretation. For these models one is able to express the quantum hamiltonian in terms of free fields and to find explicitly the physical spectrum and string partition function.Comment: 50 pages, harvma