Cubulating hyperbolic free-by-cyclic groups: the general case

Let $\Phi:F\rightarrow F$ be an automorphism of the finite-rank free group $F$. Suppose that $G=F\rtimes_\Phi\mathbb Z$ is word-hyperbolic. Then $G$ acts freely and cocompactly on a CAT(0) cube complex.Comment: 36 pages, 11 figures. Version 2 contains minor corrections. Accepted to GAF

The Outburst of the Blazar AO 0235+164 in 2006 December: Shock-in-Jet Interpretation

We present the results of polarimetric ($R$ band) and multicolor photometric ($BVRIJHK$) observations of the blazar AO 0235+16 during an outburst in 2006 December. The data reveal a short timescale of variability (several hours), which increases from optical to near-IR wavelengths; even shorter variations are detected in polarization. The flux density correlates with the degree of polarization, and at maximum degree of polarization the electric vector tends to align with the parsec-scale jet direction. We find that a variable component with a steady power-law spectral energy distribution and very high optical polarization (30-50%) is responsible for the variability. We interpret these properties of the blazar withina model of a transverse shock propagating down the jet. In this case a small change in the viewing angle of the jet, by $\lesssim 1^o$, and a decrease in the shocked plasma compression by a factor of $\sim$1.5 are sufficient to account for the variability.Comment: 22 pages, 8 figures, accepted for Ap

Color Variability of the Blazar AO 0235+16

Multicolor (UBVRIJHK) observations of the blazar AO 0235+16 are analyzed. The light curves were compiled at the Turin Observatory from literature data and the results of observations obtained in the framework of the WEBT program (http://www.to.astro/blazars/webt/). The color variability of the blazar was studied in eight time intervals with a sufficient number of multicolor optical observations; JHK data are available for only one of these. The spectral energy distribution (SED) of the variable component remained constant within each interval, but varied strongly from one interval to another. After correction for dust absorption, the SED can be represented by a power law in all cases, providing evidence for a synchrotron nature of the variable component. We show that the variability at both optical and IR wavelengths is associated with the same variable source.Comment: 11 pages, 9 figures, 4 tables, accepted for publication in Astronomy Report

Generating Functionals for Harmonic Expectation Values of Paths with Fixed End Points. Feynman Diagrams for Nonpolynomial Interactions

We introduce a general class of generating functionals for the calculation of quantum-mechanical expectation values of arbitrary functionals of fluctuating paths with fixed end points in configuration or momentum space. The generating functionals are calculated explicitly for harmonic oscillators with time-dependent frequency, and used to derive a smearing formulas for correlation functions of polynomial and nonpolynomials functions of time-dependent positions and momenta. These formulas summarize the effect of thermal and quantum fluctuations, and serve to derive generalized Wick rules and Feynman diagrams for perturbation expansions of nonpolynomial interactions.Comment: Author Information under http://www.physik.fu-berlin.de/~kleinert/institution.html . Latest update of paper also at http://www.physik.fu-berlin.de/~kleinert/28

New Gauge Invariant Formulation of the Chern-Simons Gauge Theory

A new gauge invariant formulation of the relativistic scalar field interacting with Chern-Simons gauge fields is considered. This formulation is consistent with the gauge fixed formulation. Furthermore we find that canonical (Noether) Poincar\'e generators are not gauge invariant even on the constraints surface and do not satisfy the (classical) Poincar\'e algebra. It is the improved generators, constructed from the symmetric energy-momentum tensor, which are (manifestly) gauge invariant and obey the classical Poincar\'e algebra.Comment: Shortened, to appear as Papid Communication-PRD/Nov/9

Visual clues act as a substitute for haptic feedback in robotic surgery

Objective: The lack of haptic feedback (HF) in robotic surgery is one of the major concerns of novice surgeons to that field. The superior visual appearances acquired during robotic surgery may give clues that make HF less important. Methods: We surveyed 52 individuals on their perception of HF during robotic surgery. The first group of 34 surgically inexperienced people used the da Vinci robot for their first time (drylab). The second group included 8 laparoscopic surgeons with experience up to a fifth robotic operation. The third group included 10 surgical experts with substantial experience (150-650 robotic cases). Visual analog assessment was made of perception of HF, how much HF was missed, how much the absence of HF impaired the operators' level of comfort. Robotic experts were asked if complications have occurred as a result of a lack of HF. Results: Of the first group, 50% reported the perception of HF, as did 55% of the second group and 100% of the third group (difference between group 1 and group 3: p<0.05). The first group missed HF for 6.5; the second group for 4.3, and the third group for 4 (difference between groups 1 and 3: p<0.05). The surgical experts claimed to have missed HF for 7.2 s when they first started robotic surgery (Difference to now: p<0.05). The lack of HF caused discomfort for the first group of 4; for the second group of 4,4, and for the third group of 2,6. One complication was reported by the robotic experts as resulting from the lack of HF. Conclusions: The data support the conclusion that even beginners quickly experience the perception of HF when performing robotic surgery. With more experience, perception of HF and the level of comfort with robotic surgery increases significantly. This perception of HF makes "real” HF less important and demonstrates that its importance is overestimated by novices in robotic surger

Detecting z > 2 Type IIn Supernovae

Type IIn supernovae (SNe IIn) dominate the brightest supernova events in observed FUV flux (~1200-2000A). We show that multi-band, multi-epoch optical surveys complete to m_r = 27 can detect the FUV emission of ~25 z > 2 SNe IIn deg^-2 yr^-1 rest-frame (~10 SNe IIn deg^-2 yr^-1 observed-frame) to 4 sigma using a technique monitoring color-selected galaxies. Moreover, the strength and evolution of the bright emission lines observed in low redshift SNe IIn imply that the Ly-a emission features in ~70% of z > 2 SNe IIn are above 8m-class telescope spectroscopic thresholds for ~2 yr rest-frame. As a result, existing facilities have the capability to both photometrically detect and spectroscopically confirm z > 2 SNe IIn and pave the way for efficient searches by future 8m-class survey and 30m-class telescopes. The method presented here uses the sensitivities and wide-field capabilities of current optical instruments and exploits (1) the efficiency of z > 2 galaxy color-selection techniques, (2) the intrinsic brightness distribution ( = -19.0 +/-0.9) and blue profile of SNe IIn continua, (3) the presence of extremely bright, long-lived emission features, and (4) the potential to detect blueshifted SNe Ly-a emission shortward of host galaxy Ly-a features.Comment: 26 pages (pre-print), 6 figures, accepted Ap

On the Minimal Model of Anyons

We present new geometric formulations for the fractional spin particle models on the minimal phase spaces. New consistent couplings of the anyon to background fields are constructed. The relationship between our approach and previously developed anyon models is discussed.Comment: 17 pages, LaTex, no figure

Quantum indistinguishability from general representations of SU(2n)

A treatment of the spin-statistics relation in nonrelativistic quantum mechanics due to Berry and Robbins [Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A (1997) 453, 1771-1790] is generalised within a group-theoretical framework. The construction of Berry and Robbins is re-formulated in terms of certain locally flat vector bundles over n-particle configuration space. It is shown how families of such bundles can be constructed from irreducible representations of the group SU(2n). The construction of Berry and Robbins, which leads to a definite connection between spin and statistics (the physically correct connection), is shown to correspond to the completely symmetric representations. The spin-statistics connection is typically broken for general SU(2n) representations, which may admit, for a given value of spin, both bose and fermi statistics, as well as parastatistics. The determination of the allowed values of the spin and statistics reduces to the decomposition of certain zero-weight representations of a (generalised) Weyl group of SU(2n). A formula for this decomposition is obtained using the Littlewood-Richardson theorem for the decomposition of representations of U(m+n) into representations of U(m)*U(n).Comment: 32 pages, added example section 4.

Scattering of scalar and Dirac particles by a magnetic tube of finite radius

We consider the Dirac equation in cylindrically symmetric magnetic fields and find its normal modes as eigenfunctions of a complete set of commuting operators. This set consists of the Dirac operator itself, the $z$-components of the linear and the total angular momenta, and of one of the possible spin polarization operators. The spin structure of the solution is completely fixed independently of the radial distribution of the magnetic field which influences only the radial modes. We solve explicitly the radial equations for the uniform magnetic field inside a solenoid of a finite radius and consider in detail the scattering of scalar and Dirac particles in this field. For particles with low energy the scattering cross section coincides with the Aharonov-Bohm scattering cross section. We work out the first order corrections to this result caused by the fact that the solenoid radius is finite. At high energies we obtain the classical result for the scattering cross section.Comment: LaTeX file, 17 page