Critical exponents for higher-representation sources in 3D SU(3) gauge theory from CFT

We establish an exact mapping between the multiplication table of the irreducible representations of SU(3) and the fusion algebra of the two-dimensional conformal field theory in the same universality class of 3D SU(3) gauge theory at the deconfining point. In this way the Svetitsky-Yaffe conjecture on the critical behaviour of Polyakov lines in the fundamental representation naturally extends to whatever representation one considers. As a consequence, the critical exponents of the correlators of these Polyakov lines are determined. Monte Carlo simulations with sources in the symmetric two-index representation, combined with finite-size scaling analysis, compare very favourably with these predictions.Comment: 15 pages, 2 figure

Critical behavior of 3D SU(2) gauge theory at finite temperature: exact results from universality

We show that universality arguments, namely the Svetitsky-Yaffe conjecture, allow one to obtain exact results on the critical behavior of 3D SU(2) gauge theory at the finite temperature deconfinement transition,through a mapping into the 2D Ising model. In particular, we consider the finite-size scaling behavior of the plaquette operator, which can be mapped into the energy operator of the 2D Ising model. We obtain exact predictions for the dependence of the plaquette expectation value on the size and shape of the lattice and we compare them to Monte Carlo results, finding complete agreement. We discuss the application of this method to the computation of more general correlators of the plaquette operator at criticality, and its relevance to the study of the color flux tube structure.Comment: 10 pages, LaTeX file + 3 eps figure

Decomposing the Yang-Mills Field

Recently we have proposed a set of variables for describing the physical parameters of SU(N) Yang--Mills field. Here we propose an off-shell generalization of our Ansatz. For this we envoke the Darboux theorem to decompose arbitrary one-form with respect to some basis of one-forms. After a partial gauge fixing we identify these forms with the preimages of holomorphic and antiholomorphic forms on the coset space $SU(N)/U(1)^{N-1}$, identified as a particular coadjoint orbit. This yields an off-shell gauge fixed decomposition of the Yang-Mills connection that contains our original variables in a natural fashion.Comment: 5 pages, latex, no figure

Cyclotron-Synchrotron: harmonic fitting functions in the non-relativistic and trans-relativistic regimes

The present work investigates the calculation of absorption and emission cyclotron line profiles in the non-relativistic and trans-relativistic regimes. We provide fits for the ten first harmonics with synthetic functions down to 10^(-4) of the maximum flux with an accuracy of 20 per cent at worst. The lines at a given particle energy are calculated from the integration of the Schott formula over the photon and the particle solid angles relative to the magnetic field direction. The method can easily be extended to a larger number of harmonics. We also derive spectral fits of thermal emission line plasmas at non-relativistic and trans-relativistic temperatures extending previous parameterisations.Comment: 11 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic

XMM-Newton monitoring of X-ray variability in the quasar PKS 0558-504

We present the temporal analysis of X-ray observations of the radio-loud Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 galaxy (NLS1) PKS 0558-504 obtained during the XMM-Newton Calibration and Performance Verification (Cal/PV) phase. The long term light curve is characterized by persistent variability with a clear tendency for the X-ray continuum to harden when the count rate increases. Another strong correlation on long time scales has been found between the variability in the hard band and the total flux. On shorter time scales the most relevant result is the presence of smooth modulations, with characteristic time of ~ 2 hours observed in each individual observation. The short term spectral variability turns out to be rather complex but can be described by a well defined pattern in the hardness ratio-count rate plane.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in A&A special issue on first results from XM

Glaciology of the Queen Maud Land Traverse, 1964-65 South Pole - Pole of Relative Inaccessibility

The University Archives has determined that this item is of continuing value to OSU's history.An oversnow traverse was made from the South Pole to the Pole of Relative Inaccessibility along a zigzag path of about 800 nautical miles during the period 4 December 1964 to 27 January 1965. The surface varied from very hard with many highly developed sastrugi to very soft and smooth. The average air temperature was -28.8°C, with an absolute maximum of -l8.2°C on 5 January and an absolute minimum of -44.7°C on 26 January. The absolute maximum wind speed recorded was 9.0 m/s on 29 December and 17 January; there was 3 percent calm in December and 1 percent calm in January. Solar halos were frequent. Firn temperatures were taken at 29 sites; the most striking anomaly occurred on the last leg of the traverse where there was an abrupt change in slope and as the height increased the temperature anomalously increased before decreasing as expected. The temperature profile at the Pole of Inaccessibility was similar to that obtained by the Soviets in 1964. Temperature gradients were negative at the South Pole but strikingly positive in the vicinity of the Pole of Inaccessibility. Density profiles to depths of 40 m were taken at 12 sites with a neutron-scattering device; most of the density curves showed a break at a density of 0.52 to 0.54 g/cm3. Snow accumulation studies in pits showed an accumulation generally between 5 and 10g/cm2. Snow accumulation measured at the anemometer mast and the instrument shelter at the Pole of Inaccessibility for the period 14 December 1958 to 30 January 1965 was 3-6 g/cm2/yr.National Science Foundation NSF Grant GA-13

String effects and the distribution of the glue in mesons at finite temperature

The distribution of the gluon action density in mesonic systems is investigated at finite temperature. The simulations are performed in quenched QCD for two temperatures below the deconfinment phase. Unlike the gluonic profiles displayed at T=0, the action density iso-surfaces display a prolate-spheroid like shape. The curved width profile of the flux-tube is found to be consistent with the prediction of the free Bosonic string model at large distances.Comment: 14 pages,10 figure

Buried AGNs in Advanced Mergers:Mid-infrared color selection as a dual AGN finder

A direct consequence of hierarchical galaxy formation is the existence of dual supermassive black holes (SMBHs), which may be preferentially triggered as active galactic nuclei (AGN) during galaxy mergers. Despite decades of searching, however, dual AGNs are extremely rare, and most have been discovered serendipitously. Using the all-sky WISE survey, we identified a population of over 100 morphologically identified interacting galaxies or mergers that display red mid-infrared colors often associated in extragalactic sources with powerful AGNs. The vast majority of these advanced mergers are optically classified as star-forming galaxies suggesting that they may represent an obscured population of AGNs that cannot be found through optical studies. In this work, we present Chandra/ACIS observations and near-infrared spectra with the Large Binocular Telescope of six advanced mergers with projected pair separations less than ~ 10 kpc. The combined X-ray, near-infrared, and mid-infrared properties of these mergers provide confirmation that four out of the six mergers host at least one AGN, with four of the mergers possibly hosting dual AGNs with projected separations less than ~10 kpc, despite showing no firm evidence for AGNs based on optical spectroscopic studies. Our results demonstrate that 1) optical studies miss a significant fraction of single and dual AGNs in advanced mergers, and 2) mid-infrared pre-selection is extremely effective in identifying dual AGN candidates in late-stage mergers. Our multi-wavelength observations suggest that the buried AGNs in these mergers are highly absorbed, with intrinsic column densities in excess of N_H >10^24cm^-2, consistent with hydrodynamic simulations.Comment: 23 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication to Ap