Non-perturbative studies of N=2 conformal quiver gauge theories

We study N=2 super-conformal field theories in four dimensions that correspond to mass-deformed linear quivers with n gauge groups and (bi-)fundamental matter. We describe them using Seiberg-Witten curves obtained from an M-theory construction and via the AGT correspondence. We take particular care in obtaining the detailed relation between the parameters appearing in these descriptions and the physical quantities of the quiver gauge theories. This precise map allows us to efficiently reconstruct the non-perturbative prepotential that encodes the effective IR properties of these theories. We give explicit expressions in the cases n=1,2, also in the presence of an Omega-background in the Nekrasov-Shatashvili limit. All our results are successfully checked against those of the direct microscopic evaluation of the prepotential a la Nekrasov using localization methods.Comment: 56 pages, 7 figures, PdfLaTeX. v2: a few references added, version to appear on Fortschritte der Physi

Modular and duality properties of surface operators in N=2* gauge theories

We calculate the instanton partition function of the four-dimensional N=2* SU(N) gauge theory in the presence of a generic surface operator, using equivariant localization. By analyzing the constraints that arise from S-duality, we show that the effective twisted superpotential, which governs the infrared dynamics of the two-dimensional theory on the surface operator, satisfies a modular anomaly equation. Exploiting the localization results, we solve this equation in terms of elliptic and quasi-modular forms which resum all non-perturbative corrections. We also show that our results, derived for monodromy defects in the four-dimensional theory, match the effective twisted superpotential describing the infrared properties of certain two-dimensional sigma models coupled either to pure N=2 or to N=2* gauge theories.Comment: 51 pages, v3: references added, typos fixed, footnote added, some small changes in the text, appendix B streamlined. Matches the published versio

Surface operators in 5d gauge theories and duality relations

We study half-BPS surface operators in 5d N=1 gauge theories compactified on a circle. Using localization methods and the twisted chiral ring relations of coupled 3d/5d quiver gauge theories, we calculate the twisted chiral superpotential that governs the infrared properties of these surface operators. We make a detailed analysis of the localization integrand, and by comparing with the results from the twisted chiral ring equations obtain constraints on the 3d and 5d Chern-Simons levels so that the instanton partition function does not depend on the choice of integration contour. For these values of the Chern-Simons couplings, we comment on how the distinct quiver theories that realize the same surface operator are related to each other by Aharony-Seiberg dualities.Comment: 39 pages. v2: A few sentences rephrased, references added, and typos corrected. Matches version published in JHE

Análisis multitemporal de glaciares descubiertos en la región del Maule, Chile

88 p.Este trabajo tuvo como principal objetivo realizar un estudio multitemporal que muestre la variabilidad superficial que presentan los glaciares descubiertos en la Región del Maule, en Chile, en un período comprendido entre los años 1985 y 2012. Adicionalmente fue posible realizar un inventario superficial de los glaciares descubiertos en la región actualizado al año 2012. Las principales herramientas utilizadas fueron imágenes satelitales LANDSAT y Sistemas de Información Geográfica (SIG). La información recabada a través de estas herramientas fue corroborada con fotografías aéreas directas tomadas sobre las zonas en estudio, encontrándose alta similitud entre los dos tipos de imágenes. Los resultados mostraron que en la Región del Maule de Chile, existen cinco zonas con presencia de glaciares descubiertos. Estas áreas, desde norte a sur son: El Complejo Volcánico Planchón-Peteroa, El Complejo Volcánico Descabezado Grande, El Cerro Toro o Gloria, El Complejo Volcánico San Pedro San Pablo y El Nevado Longaví. De acuerdo a los resultados, hay una fuerte relación entre las precipitaciones y la presencia de glaciares descubiertos en la región, no evidenciándose una tendencia clara en cuanto a su incremento o su disminución. Los glaciares descubiertos en la región son principalmente del tipo de montaña y glaciaretes. La superficie de glaciares descubiertos en la Región del Maule, inventariada al año 2012, se estimó en 2.354 ha./SUMMARY:This work it was as main objective to make a multitemporal study that shows the surface variability that present the uncovered glaciers in the Maule Region of Chile, in the period between the years 1985 and 2012. Additionally it was possible to make a surface inventory of uncovered glaciers in the region update to 2012. The main tools used were LANDSAT satellite imagery and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The information collected through these tools was corroborated with direct aerial photographs taken over the areas under study, found a high similarity between the two types of images. Results showed that in the Maule Region of Chile there are five areas with uncovered glaciers presence. These areas, from north to south are: The Planchon-Peteroa Volcanic Complex; The Descabezado Grande Volcanic Complex, The Toro or Gloria Mount, The San Pedro-San Pablo Volcanic Complex, and The Longaví Snowy. According to the results, there is a strong relationship between rainfall and the uncovered glaciers presence in the region, does not show a clear tendency to increase or decrease. Glaciers uncovered in the region are mainly of kind mountain and glaciarete. The surface of glaciers discovered in the Maule Region, inventoried by 2012 was estimated at 2,354 ha

The Lorentz force between D0 and D6 branes in string and M(atrix) theory

We use different techniques to analyze the system formed by a D0 brane and a D6 brane (with background gauge fields) in relative motion. In particular, using the closed string formalism of boosted boundary states, we show the presence of a term linear in the velocity, corresponding to the Lorentz force experienced by the D0 brane moving in the magnetic background produced by the D6 brane. This term, that was missed in previous analyses of this system, comes entirely from the R-R odd spin structure and is also reproduced by a M(atrix) theory calculation.Comment: 13 pages, plain LaTeX; some clarifying comments and a reference adde

Infections and Multiple Sclerosis: From the World to Sardinia, From Sardinia to the World

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. Sardinia, an Italian island, is one of the areas with the highest global prevalence of MS. Genetic factors have been widely explored to explain this greater prevalence among some populations; the genetic makeup of the Sardinians appears to make them more likely to develop autoimmune diseases. A strong association between MS and some infections have been reported globally. The most robust evidence indicating the role of infections is MS development concerns the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Anti-EBV antibodies in patients once infected by EBV are associated with the development of MS years later. These features have also been noted in Sardinian patients with MS. Many groups have found an increased expression of the Human endogenous retroviruses (HERV) family in patients with MS. A role in pathogenesis, prognosis, and prediction of treatment response has been proposed for HERV. A European multi-centre study has shown that their presence was variable among populations, ranging from 59% to 100% of patients, with higher HERV expression noted in Sardinian patients with MS. The mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) DNA and antibodies against MAP2694 protein were found to be associated with MS in Sardinian patients. More recently, this association has also been reported in Japanese patients with MS. In this study, we analysed the role of infectious factors in Sardinian patients with MS and compared it with the findings reported in other populations

Devolatilization of organo-sulfur compounds in coal gasification

Coal gasification is a thermo-chemical process aiming at the production of high heating value syngas. The coal charges present, typically, a low quantity of sulfur compounds for prevent the formation of a large amount of sulfuric acid (H2S), that is a pollutant and a poison for catalysts, in syngas stream. However, in the world there are a lot of coals that cannot be used for gasification because of their high sulfur content (e.g. Sulcis Italian coal or Inner Mongolia Chinese coal). The interest on these types of coal is increasing due to a novel technology that allows to convert H2S and CO2into syngas (AG2S\u2122). The aim of this work is to propose a predictive kinetic model of the release of sulfur compounds (e.g H2S) from coal. This kinetic scheme is implement into GASDS, a package that includes a gasifier mathematical model, which accurately describes the inter-phase mass and heat transfer. The first complexity relies in the characterization of the coal, in particular the relative amount of the different forms of sulfur components (e.g. inorganic such as pyritic and sulfates, and organic sulfur such as aliphatic, aromatic and thiophenic) and their pyrolysis and devolatilization process. The kinetic model, with the related rate parameters, is validated through comparison with experimental data from the literature and obtained during several experimental campaigns at the Sotacarbo S.p.A. pilot platform. Finally, different operating conditions of gasification are analyzed in order to obtain the best yield in the downstream process, with special reference to the novel Acid Gas to Syngas (AG2STM) process

Water defluoridation by carbonate calcined and uncalcined Layered Double Hydroxides (LDHs)

Carbonate Layered Double Hydroxides (LDHs) with different cationic composition and M/M3+ molar ratio were tested, both untreated and calcined, for water defluoridation. The defluoridation capacity of calcined LDHs, produced by intercalation during the reconstruction of lamellar structure, is more effective than the anion exchange of untreated LDHs. Among the calcined LDHs tested, that with 3Mg/(0.5Al+0.5Fe) molar ratio yields a maximum fluoride sorption capacity up to 92.3 mg/g, in spite of the high pH value (up to 12) of the experiments. After four cycles of regeneration by calcination and subsequent water defluoridation, this LDH composition maintains more than 80% of its fluoride removal capacity

Modular anomaly equations and S-duality in N=2 conformal SQCD

We use localization techniques to study the non-perturbative properties of an N = 2 $$\mathcal{N}=2$$ superconformal gauge theory with gauge group SU(3) and six fundamental flavours. The instanton corrections to the prepotential, the dual periods and the period matrix are calculated in a locus of special vacua possessing a ℤ 3 symmetry. In a semiclassical expansion, we show that these observables are constrained by S-duality via a modular anomaly equation which takes the form of a recursion relation. The solutions of the recursion relation are quasi-modular functions of Γ 1 (3), which is a subgroup of the S -duality group and is also a congruence subgroup of SL(2 , ℤ )