Superextendons with a modified measure

For superstrings, the consequences of replacing the measure of integration $\sqrt{-\gamma}d^2 x$ in the Polyakov's action by $\Phi d^2 x$ where $\Phi$ is a density built out of degrees of freedom independent of the metric $\gamma_{ab}$ defined in the string are studied. As in Siegel reformulation of the Green Schwarz formalism the Wess-Zumino term is the square of supersymmetric currents. As opposed to the Siegel case, the compensating fields needed for this do not enter into the action just as in a total derivative. They instead play a crucial role to make up a consistent dynamics. The string tension appears as an integration constant of the equations of motion. The generalization to higher dimensional extended objects is also studied using in this case the Bergshoeff and Sezgin formalism with the associated additional fields, which again are dynamically relevant unlike the standard formulation. Also unlike the standard formulation, there is no need of a cosmological term on the world brane.Comment: typos corrected, references adde

Avoiding BBN Constraints on Mirror Models for Sterile Neutrinos

We point out that in models that explain the LSND result for neutrino oscillation using the mirror neutrinos, the big bang nucleosynthesis constraint can be avoided by using the late time phase transition that only helps to mix the active and the sterile neutrinos. We discuss the astrophysical as well as cosmological implications of this proposal.Comment: 5 pages, latex; more discussion added; results unchange

Cartoon Computation: Quantum-like computing without quantum mechanics

We present a computational framework based on geometric structures. No quantum mechanics is involved, and yet the algorithms perform tasks analogous to quantum computation. Tensor products and entangled states are not needed -- they are replaced by sets of basic shapes. To test the formalism we solve in geometric terms the Deutsch-Jozsa problem, historically the first example that demonstrated the potential power of quantum computation. Each step of the algorithm has a clear geometric interpetation and allows for a cartoon representation.Comment: version accepted in J. Phys.A (Letter to the Editor

Spheroidal galactic halos and mirror dark matter

Mirror matter has been proposed as a dark matter candidate. It has several very attractive features, including automatic stability and darkness, the ability to mimic the broad features of cold dark matter while in the linear density perturbation regime, and consistency with all direct dark matter search experiments, both negative (e.g. CDMS II) and positive (DAMA). In this paper we consider an important unsolved problem: Are there plausible reasons to explain why most of the mirror matter in spiral galaxies exists in the form of gaseous {\it spheroidal} galactic halos around ordinary matter {\it disks}? We compute an order-of-magnitude estimate that the mirror photon luminosity of a typical spiral galaxy today is around $10^{44}$ erg/s. Interestingly, this rate of energy loss is similar to the power supplied by ordinary supernova explosions. We discuss circumstances under which supernova power can be used to heat the gaseous part of the mirror matter halo and hence prevent its collapse to a disk. The {\it macro}scopic ordinary-mirror asymmetry plays a fundamental role in our analysis.Comment: about 6 page

Conformally Invariant Gauge Theory of 3-Branes in 6D and the Cosmological Constant

It is shown that the gauge theory of relativistic 3-Branes can be formulated in a conformally invariant way if the embedding space is six-dimensional. The implementation of conformal invariance requires the use of a modified measure, independent of the metric in the action. Brane-world scenarios without the need of a cosmological constant in 6D are constructed. Thus, no ``old'' cosmological constant problem appears at this level.Comment: 12 pages, Latex, no figures; final version accepted for publication in Phys.Rev. D; Sect.II expande

Mirror Matter as Self Interacting Dark Matter

It has been argued that the observed core density profile of galaxies is inconsistent with having a dark matter particle that is collisionless and alternative dark matter candidates which are self interacting may explain observations better. One new class of self interacting dark matter that has been proposed in the context mirror universe models of particle physics is the mirror hydrogen atom whose stability is guaranteed by the conservation of mirror baryon number. We show that the effective transport cross section for mirror hydrogen atoms, has the right order of magnitude for solving the ``cuspy'' halo problem. Furthermore, the suppression of dissipation effects for mirror atoms due to higher mirror mass scale prevents the mirror halo matter from collapsing into a disk strengthening the argument for mirror matter as galactic dark matter.Comment: 6 pages; some references adde

Mathisson-Papapetrou equations in metric and gauge theories of gravity in a Lagrangian formulation

We present a simple method to derive the semiclassical equations of motion for a spinning particle in a gravitational field. We investigate the cases of classical, rotating particles (pole-dipole particles), as well as particles with intrinsic spin. We show that, starting with a simple Lagrangian, one can derive equations for the spin evolution and momentum propagation in the framework of metric theories of gravity and in theories based on a Riemann-Cartan geometry (Poincare gauge theory), without explicitly referring to matter current densities (spin and energy-momentum). Our results agree with those derived from the multipole expansion of the current densities by the conventional Papapetrou method and from the WKB analysis for elementary particles.Comment: 28 page

Neutrino physics and the mirror world: how exact parity symmetry explains the solar neutrino deficit, the atmospheric neutrino anomaly and the LSND experiment

Evidence for $\bar \nu_{\mu} \rightarrow \bar \nu_e$ oscillations has been reported at LAMPF using the LSND detector. Further evidence for neutrino mixing comes from the solar neutrino deficit and the atmospheric neutrino anomaly. All of these anomalies require new physics. We show that all of these anomalies can be explained if the standard model is enlarged so that an unbroken parity symmetry can be defined. This explanation holds independently of the actual model for neutrino masses. Thus, we argue that parity symmetry is not only a beautiful candidate for a symmetry beyond the standard model, but it can also explain the known neutrino physics anomalies.Comment: 27 pages, LaTeX, no figures, additional discussion on big bang nucleosynthesis, some additional references, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Leptogenesis via Collisions: Leaking Lepton Number to the Hidden Sector

We propose a lepto-baryogenesis mechanism in which the non-zero B-L of the universe is produced in out-of-equilibrium, lepton number and CP violating scattering processes that convert ordinary particles into particles of some hidden sector. In particular, we consider the processes $l \phi > l' \phi', \bar l' \bar phi'$ mediated by the heavy Majorana neutrinos $N$ of the seesaw mechanism, where $l$ and $\phi$ are ordinary lepton and Higgs doublets and $l'$, $\phi'$ their hidden counterparts. Such a leptogenesis mechanism is effective even if the reheating temperature is much smaller than the heavy neutrino masses. In particular, it can be as low as $10^{9}$ GeV.Comment: 4 pages, revtex, 2 figures; as to appear in PRL, supplemented with an additional remar

Nucleation of (4)R^{(4)}R Brane Universes

The creation of brane universes induced by a totally antisymmetric tensor living in a fixed background spacetime is presented, where a term involving the intrinsic curvature of the brane is considered. A canonical quantum mechanical approach employing Wheeler-DeWitt equation is done. The probability nucleation for the brane is calculated taking into account both an instanton method and a WKB approximation. Some cosmological implications arose from the model are presented.Comment: 19 pages, 2 figure