On non-L2L^2 solutions to the Seiberg-Witten equations

We show that a previous paper of Freund describing a solution to the Seiberg-Witten equations has a sign error rendering it a solution to a related but different set of equations. The non-$L^2$ nature of Freund's solution is discussed and clarified and we also construct a whole class of solutions to the Seiberg-Witten equations.Comment: 8 pages, Te

Quantum critical transport, duality, and M-theory

We consider charge transport properties of 2+1 dimensional conformal field theories at non-zero temperature. For theories with only Abelian U(1) charges, we describe the action of particle-vortex duality on the hydrodynamic-to-collisionless crossover function: this leads to powerful functional constraints for self-dual theories. For the n=8 supersymmetric, SU(N) Yang-Mills theory at the conformal fixed point, exact hydrodynamic-to-collisionless crossover functions of the SO(8) R-currents can be obtained in the large N limit by applying the AdS/CFT correspondence to M-theory. In the gravity theory, fluctuating currents are mapped to fluctuating gauge fields in the background of a black hole in 3+1 dimensional anti-de Sitter space. The electromagnetic self-duality of the 3+1 dimensional theory implies that the correlators of the R-currents obey a functional constraint similar to that found from particle-vortex duality in 2+1 dimensional Abelian theories. Thus the 2+1 dimensional, superconformal Yang Mills theory obeys a "holographic self duality" in the large N limit, and perhaps more generally.Comment: 35 pages, 4 figures; (v2) New appendix on CFT2, corrected normalization of gauge field action, added ref

Superevolution

Usually, in supersymmetric theories, it is assumed that the time-evolution of states is determined by the Hamiltonian, through the Schr\"odinger equation. Here we explore the superevolution of states in superspace, in which the supercharges are the principal operators. The superevolution equation is consistent with the Schr\"odinger equation, but it avoids the usual degeneracy between bosonic and fermionic states. We discuss superevolution in supersymmetric quantum mechanics and in a simple supersymmetric field theory.Comment: 23 page

Model for self-tuning the cosmological constant

The vanishing cosmological constant in the four dimensional space-time is obtained in a 5D Randall-Sundrum model with a brane (B1) located at $y=0$. The matter fields can be located at the brane. For settling any vacuum energy generated at the brane to zero, we need a three index antisymmetric tensor field $A_{MNP}$ with a specific form for the Lagrangian. For the self-tuning mechanism, the bulk cosmological constant should be negative.Comment: LaTeX file of 4 pages, to appear in Phys. Rev. Let

A representation formula for maps on supermanifolds

In this paper we analyze the notion of morphisms of rings of superfunctions which is the basic concept underlying the definition of supermanifolds as ringed spaces (i.e. following Berezin, Leites, Manin, etc.). We establish a representation formula for all morphisms from the algebra of functions on an ordinary manifolds to the superalgebra of functions on an open subset of R^{p|q}. We then derive two consequences of this result. The first one is that we can integrate the data associated with a morphism in order to get a (non unique) map defined on an ordinary space (and uniqueness can achieved by restriction to a scheme). The second one is a simple and intuitive recipe to compute pull-back images of a function on a manifold by a map defined on a superspace.Comment: 23 page

Dynamic ductile to brittle transition in a one-dimensional model of viscoplasticity

We study two closely related, nonlinear models of a viscoplastic solid. These models capture essential features of plasticity over a wide range of strain rates and applied stresses. They exhibit inelastic strain relaxation and steady flow above a well defined yield stress. In this paper, we describe a first step in exploring the implications of these models for theories of fracture and related phenomena. We consider a one dimensional problem of decohesion from a substrate of a membrane that obeys the viscoplastic constitutive equations that we have constructed. We find that, quite generally, when the yield stress becomes smaller than some threshold value, the energy required for steady decohesion becomes a non-monotonic function of the decohesion speed. As a consequence, steady state decohesion at certain speeds becomes unstable. We believe that these results are relevant to understanding the ductile to brittle transition as well as fracture stability.Comment: 10 pages, REVTeX, 12 postscript figure

Learning from Minimum Entropy Queries in a Large Committee Machine

In supervised learning, the redundancy contained in random examples can be avoided by learning from queries. Using statistical mechanics, we study learning from minimum entropy queries in a large tree-committee machine. The generalization error decreases exponentially with the number of training examples, providing a significant improvement over the algebraic decay for random examples. The connection between entropy and generalization error in multi-layer networks is discussed, and a computationally cheap algorithm for constructing queries is suggested and analysed.Comment: 4 pages, REVTeX, multicol, epsf, two postscript figures. To appear in Physical Review E (Rapid Communications

Signed zeros of Gaussian vector fields-density, correlation functions and curvature

We calculate correlation functions of the (signed) density of zeros of Gaussian distributed vector fields. We are able to express correlation functions of arbitrary order through the curvature tensor of a certain abstract Riemann-Cartan or Riemannian manifold. As an application, we discuss one- and two-point functions. The zeros of a two-dimensional Gaussian vector field model the distribution of topological defects in the high-temperature phase of two-dimensional systems with orientational degrees of freedom, such as superfluid films, thin superconductors and liquid crystals.Comment: 14 pages, 1 figure, uses iopart.cls, improved presentation, to appear in J. Phys.

de Sitter Thermodynamics: A glimpse into non equilibrium

In this article is shown that the thermodynamical evolution of a Schwarzschild de Sitter space is the evaporation of its black hole. The result is extended in higher dimensions to Lovelock theories of gravity with a single positive cosmological constant

Elastic forces that do no work and the dynamics of fast cracks

Elastic singularities such as crack tips, when in motion through a medium that is itself vibrating, are subject to forces orthogonal to the direction of motion and thus impossible to determine by energy considerations alone. This fact is used to propose a universal scenario, in which three dimensionality is essential, for the dynamic instability of fast cracks in thin brittle materials.Comment: 8 pages Latex, 1 Postscript figur