A note on monopole moduli spaces

We discuss the structure of the framed moduli space of Bogomolny monopoles for arbitrary symmetry breaking and extend the definition of its stratification to the case of arbitrary compact Lie groups. We show that each stratum is a union of submanifolds for which we conjecture that the natural $L^2$ metric is hyperKahler. The dimensions of the strata and of these submanifolds are calculated, and it is found that for the latter, the dimension is always a multiple of four.Comment: 17 pages, LaTe

TRIAD - Preliminary design of an operational earth resources survey system. 1969 summer faculty fellowship program in engineering systems design

TRIAD, preliminary design of operational earth resources survey syste

Intersection numbers of Riemann surfaces from Gaussian matrix models

We consider a Gaussian random matrix theory in the presence of an external matrix source. This matrix model, after duality (a simple version of the closed/open string duality), yields a generalized Kontsevich model through an appropriate tuning of the external source. The n-point correlation functions of this theory are shown to provide the intersection numbers of the moduli space of curves with a p-spin structure, n marked points and top Chern class. This sheds some light on Witten's conjecture on the relationship with the pth-KdV equation

TRIAD - Preliminary design of an operational earth resources survey system Final report

Design of operational earth resources survey syste

Classification of Singular Fibres on Rational Elliptic Surfaces in Characteristic Three

We determine and list all possible configurations of singular fibres on rational elliptic surfaces in characteristic three. In total, we find that 267 distinct configurations exist. This result complements Miranda and Persson's classification in characteristic zero, and Lang's classification in characteristic two.Comment: 40 Pages. Minor typos correcte

Intersection theory from duality and replica

Kontsevich's work on Airy matrix integrals has led to explicit results for the intersection numbers of the moduli space of curves. In this article we show that a duality between k-point functions on $N\times N$ matrices and N-point functions of $k\times k$ matrices, plus the replica method, familiar in the theory of disordered systems, allows one to recover Kontsevich's results on the intersection numbers, and to generalize them to other models. This provides an alternative and simple way to compute intersection numbers with one marked point, and leads also to some new results

An international prospective general population-based study of respiratory work disability

Background: Previous cross-sectional studies have shown that job change due to breathing problems at the workplace (respiratory work disability) is common among adults of working age. That research indicated that occupational exposure to gases, dust and fumes was associated with job change due to breathing problems, although causal inferences have been tempered by the cross-sectional nature of previously available data. There is a need for general population-based prospective studies to assess the incidence of respiratory work disability and to delineate better the roles of potential predictors of respiratory work disability.Methods: A prospective general population cohort study was performed in 25 centres in 11 European countries and one centre in the USA. A longitudinal analysis was undertaken of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey including all participants employed at any point since the baseline survey, 6659 subjects randomly sampled and 779 subjects comprising all subjects reporting physician-diagnosed asthma. The main outcome measure was new-onset respiratory work disability, defined as a reported job change during follow-up attributed to breathing problems. Exposure to dusts (biological or mineral), gases or fumes during follow-up was recorded using a job-exposure matrix. Cox proportional hazard regression modelling was used to analyse such exposure as a predictor of time until job change due to breathing problems.Results: The incidence rate of respiratory work disability was 1.2/1000 person-years of observation in the random sample (95% CI 1.0 to 1.5) and 5.7/1000 person-years in the asthma cohort (95% CI 4.1 to 7.8). In the random population sample, as well as in the asthma cohort, high occupational exposure to biological dust, mineral dust or gases or fumes predicted increased risk of respiratory work disability. In the random sample, sex was not associated with increased risk of work disability while, in the asthma cohort, female sex was associated with an increased disability risk (hazard ratio 2.8, 95% CI 1.3 to 5.9).Conclusions: Respiratory work disability is common overall. It is associated with workplace exposures that could be controlled through preventive measures