Remarks on the Classical Size of D-Branes

We discuss different criteria for `classical size' of extremal Dirichlet p-branes in type-II supergravity. Using strong-weak coupling duality, we find that the size of the strong-coupling region at the core of the (p<3)-branes, is always given by the asymptotic string scale, if measured in the weakly coupled dual string metric. We also point out how the eleven-dimensional Planck scale arises in the classical 0-brane solution, as well as the ten-dimensional Planck scale in the D-instanton solution.Comment: 8 pp, harvma

Galois covers of the open p-adic disc

This paper investigates Galois branched covers of the open $p$-adic disc and their reductions to characteristic $p$. Using the field of norms functor of Fontaine and Wintenberger, we show that the special fiber of a Galois cover is determined by arithmetic and geometric properties of the generic fiber and its characteristic zero specializations. As applications, we derive a criterion for good reduction in the abelian case, and give an arithmetic reformulation of the local Oort Conjecture concerning the liftability of cyclic covers of germs of curves.Comment: 19 pages; substantial organizational and expository changes; this is the final version corresponding to the official publication in Manuscripta Mathematica; abstract update

High-field noise in metallic diffusive conductors

We analyze high-field current fluctuations in degenerate conductors by mapping the electronic Fermi-liquid correlations at equilibrium to their semiclassical non-equilibrium form. Our resulting Boltzmann description is applicable to diffusive mesoscopic wires. We derive a non-equilibrium connection between thermal fluctuations of the current and resistive dissipation. In the weak-field limit this is the canonical fluctuation- dissipation theorem. Away from equilibrium, the connection enables explicit calculation of the excess ``hot-electron'' contribution to the thermal spectrum. We show that excess thermal noise is strongly inhibited by Pauli exclusion. This behaviour is generic to the semiclassical metallic regime.Comment: 13 pp, one fig. Companion paper to cond-mat/9911251. Final version, to appear in J. Phys.: Cond. Ma

Space-time symplectic extension

It is conjectured that in the origin of space-time there lies a symplectic rather than metric structure. The complex symplectic symmetry Sp(2l,C), l\ge1 instead of the pseudo-orthogonal one SO(1,d-1), d\ge4 is proposed as the space-time local structure group. A discrete sequence of the metric space-times of the fixed dimensionalities d=(2l)^2 and signatures, with l(2l-1) time-like and l(2l+1) space-like directions, defined over the set of the Hermitian second-rank spin-tensors is considered as an alternative to the pseudo-Euclidean extra dimensional space-times. The basic concepts of the symplectic framework are developed in general, and the ordinary and next-to-ordinary space-time cases with l=1,2, respectively, are elaborated in more detail. In particular, the scheme provides the rationale for the four-dimensionality and 1+3 signature of the ordinary space-time.Comment: 15 pp, LaTe

On certain other sets of integers

We show that if A is a subset of {1,...,N} containing no non-trivial three-term arithmetic progressions then |A|=O(N/ log^{3/4-o(1)} N).Comment: 29 pp. Corrected typos. Added definitions for some non-standard notation and remarks on lower bound

Three Generations of SUSY Standard Model of Nambu-Goto String

A four dimensional Superstring is constructed starting from a twenty six dimensional bosonic string. Fermions are introduced by noting the Manselstam's proof of equivalence of two fermions to one boson in 1+1 dimensions. The action of the superstring is invariant under SO(6)$\times$ SO(5). It has four bosonic coordinates and twenty four Majorana fermions of SO(3,1) representing two transverse modes of super fermions and conformal ghosts (b,c). The super conformal ghosts ($\beta, \gamma$) are the quanta of an extended Hilbert space of the remaining longitudinal modes of two superfermions. The massless spectrum obtained by quantising the action, contain vector mesons which are generators of the SO(6)$\times$SO(5). Using Wilson loops, this product group is proven to descend to $Z_3\times SU(3)\times SU(2)\times U(1)$ without breaking supersymmetry.Thus there are just three generations of quarks and leptons.Comment: 11 page

Spectral analysis and abundances of the post-HB star HD 76431

HD76431 is a slow rotating post-HB star that shows an underabundance of helium by 0.5 dex relative to the solar value. These observational facts suggest that atomic diffusion could be active in its atmosphere. We have used the MMT and Bok spectra to estimate the atmospheric parameters of the target star using the model atmospheres and synthetic spectra calculated with TLUSTY and SYNSPEC. The derived values of the effective temperature, surface gravity, helium abundance are consistent with those obtained by Ramspeck et al. (2001b). It appears that NLTE effect are not important for HD76431. We have used Stokes I spectra from ESPaDOnS at CFHT to perform an abundance analysis and a search for observational evidence of vertical stratification of the abundance of certain elements. The results of our abundance analysis are in good agreement with previously published data with respect to average abundances. Our numerical simulations show that carbon and nitrogen reveal signatures of vertical abundance stratification in the atmosphere of HD76431. It appears that the carbon abundance increases toward the deeper atmospheric layers. Nitrogen also shows a similar behaviour, but in deeper atmospheric layers we obtain a significant dispersion for the estimates of its abundance. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of vertical abundance stratification of metals in a post-HB star and up to now it is the hottest star to show such stratification features. We also report the detection of two SiIII and one TiIII emission lines in the spectra of HD76431 that were not detected in previous studies.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA