A Generic Renormalization Method in Curved Spaces and at Finite Temperature

Based only on simple principles of renormalization in coordinate space, we derive closed renormalized amplitudes and renormalization group constants at 1- and 2-loop orders for scalar field theories in general backgrounds. This is achieved through a generic renormalization procedure we develop exploiting the central idea behind differential renormalization, which needs as only inputs the propagator and the appropriate laplacian for the backgrounds in question. We work out this generic coordinate space renormalization in some detail, and subsequently back it up with specific calculations for scalar theories both on curved backgrounds, manifestly preserving diffeomorphism invariance, and at finite temperature.Comment: 15pp., REVTeX, UB-ECM-PF 94/1

Statistical aspects of coexisting fatigue failure mechanisms in OFHC copper

Axial load fatigue endurance distributions of annealed oxygen free high conductivity copper specimens with cold worked surface layer tested at four stress level

The Hidden Spatial Geometry of Non-Abelian Gauge Theories

The Gauss law constraint in the Hamiltonian form of the $SU(2)$ gauge theory of gluons is satisfied by any functional of the gauge invariant tensor variable $\phi^{ij} = B^{ia} B^{ja}$. Arguments are given that the tensor $G_{ij} = (\phi^{-1})_{ij}\,\det B$ is a more appropriate variable. When the Hamiltonian is expressed in terms of $\phi$ or $G$, the quantity $\Gamma^i_{jk}$ appears. The gauge field Bianchi and Ricci identities yield a set of partial differential equations for $\Gamma$ in terms of $G$. One can show that $\Gamma$ is a metric-compatible connection for $G$ with torsion, and that the curvature tensor of $\Gamma$ is that of an Einstein space. A curious 3-dimensional spatial geometry thus underlies the gauge-invariant configuration space of the theory, although the Hamiltonian is not invariant under spatial coordinate transformations. Spatial derivative terms in the energy density are singular when $\det G=\det B=0$. These singularities are the analogue of the centrifugal barrier of quantum mechanics, and physical wave-functionals are forced to vanish in a certain manner near $\det B=0$. It is argued that such barriers are an inevitable result of the projection on the gauge-invariant subspace of the Hilbert space, and that the barriers are a conspicuous way in which non-abelian gauge theories differ from scalar field theories.Comment: 19 pages, TeX, CTP #223

A Two-loop Test of Buscher's T-duality I

We study the two loop quantum equivalence of sigma models related by Buscher's T-duality transformation. The computation of the two loop perturbative free energy density is performed in the case of a certain deformation of the SU(2) principal sigma model, and its T-dual, using dimensional regularization and the geometric sigma model perturbation theory. We obtain agreement between the free energy density expressions of the two models.Comment: 28 pp, Latex, references adde

Regularization Methods in Chiral Perturbation Theory

Chiral lagrangians describing the interactions of Goldstone bosons in a theory possessing spontaneous symmetry breaking are effective, non-renormalizable field theories in four dimensions. Yet, in a momentum expansion one is able to extract definite, testable predictions from perturbation theory. These techniques have yielded in recent years a wealth of information on many problems where the physics of Goldstone bosons plays a crucial role, but theoretical issues concerning chiral perturbation theory remain, to this date, poorly treated in the literature. We present here a rather comprehensive analysis of the regularization and renormalization ambiguities appearing in chiral perturbation theory at the one loop level. We discuss first on the relevance of dealing with tadpoles properly. We demonstrate that Ward identities severely constrain the choice of regulators to the point of enforcing unique, unambiguous results in chiral perturbation theory at the one-loop level for any observable which is renormalization-group invariant. We comment on the physical implications of these results and on several possible regulating methods that may be of use for some applications.Comment: 37 pages, 5 figs. not included (available upon request), LaTeX, PREPRINT UB-ECM-PF 93/1

RG Flow Irreversibility, C-Theorem and Topological Nature of 4D N=2 SYM

We determine the exact beta function and a RG flow Lyapunov function for N=2 SYM with gauge group SU(n). It turns out that the classical discriminants of the Seiberg-Witten curves determine the RG potential. The radial irreversibility of the RG flow in the SU(2) case and the non-perturbative identity relating the $u$-modulus and the superconformal anomaly, indicate the existence of a four dimensional analogue of the c-theorem for N=2 SYM which we formulate for the full SU(n) theory. Our investigation provides further evidence of the essentially topological nature of the theory.Comment: 9 pages, LaTeX file. Discussion on WDVV and integrability. References added. Version published in PR

Remarks on T-duality for open strings

This contribution gives in sigma-model language a short review of recent work on T-duality for open strings in the presence of abelian or non-abelian gauge fields. Furthermore, it adds a critical discussion of the relation between RG beta-functions and the Born-Infeld action in the case of a string coupled to a D-brane.Comment: 7 pages, LATEX, requires esprc2.sty (included in uu-file

Experiments with urea on private farms

Many District Advisers have carried out trials on private farms to test the response to a variety of types of supplementary feeds. This report gives brief details of five such experiments carried out with urea supplements over the last five years. Table 1 summarises the details and results of these trials

Relative entropy in 2d Quantum Field Theory, finite-size corrections and irreversibility of the Renormalization Group

The relative entropy in two-dimensional Field Theory is studied for its application as an irreversible quantity under the Renormalization Group, relying on a general monotonicity theorem for that quantity previously established. In the cylinder geometry, interpreted as finite-temperature field theory, one can define from the relative entropy a monotonic quantity similar to Zamolodchikov's c function. On the other hand, the one-dimensional quantum thermodynamic entropy also leads to a monotonic quantity, with different properties. The relation of thermodynamic quantities with the complex components of the stress tensor is also established and hence the entropic c theorems are proposed as analogues of Zamolodchikov's c theorem for the cylinder geometry.Comment: 5 pages, Latex file, revtex, reorganized to best show the generality of the results, version to appear in Phys. Rev. Let