Comments on Noncommutative Superspace

We study the N=1/2 supersymmetric theory on noncommutative superspace which is a deformation of usual superspace. We consider deformed Wess-Zumino model as an example and show vanishing of vacuum energy, renormalization of superpotential and nonvanishing of tadpole. We find that the perturbative effective action has terms which are not written in the star deformation. Also we consider gauge theory on noncommutative superspace and observe that gauge group is restricted. We generalize the star deformation to include noncommutativity between bosonic coordinates and fermionic coordinates.Comment: 19 pages, 6 figures, JHEP class, footnotes added, typos corrected, version to appear in JHE

Macroscopic strings as heavy quarks: Large-N gauge theory and anti-de Sitter supergravity

We study some aspects of Maldacena's large $N$ correspondence between N=4 superconformal gauge theory on D3-brane and maximal supergravity on AdS_5xS_5 by introducing macroscopic strings as heavy (anti)-quark probes. The macroscopic strings are semi-infinite Type IIB strings ending on D3-brane world-volume. We first study deformation and fluctuation of D3-brane when a macroscopic BPS string is attached. We find that both dynamics and boundary conditions agree with those for macroscopic string in anti-de Sitter supergravity. As by-product we clarify how Polchinski's Dirichlet / Neumann open string boundary conditions arise dynamically. We then study non-BPS macroscopic string anti-string pair configuration as physical realization of heavy quark Wilson loop. We obtain quark-antiquark static potential from the supergravity side and find that the potential exhibits nonanalyticity of square-root branch cut in `t Hooft coupling parameter. We put forward the nonanalyticity as prediction for large-N gauge theory at strong `t Hooft coupling limit. By turning on Ramond-Ramond zero-form potential, we also study theta-vacuum angle dependence of the static potential. We finally discuss possible dynamical realization of heavy N-prong string junction and of large-N loop equation via local electric field and string recoil thereof. Throughout comparisons of the AdS-CFT correspondence, we find crucial role played by `geometric duality' between UV and IR scales on directions perpendicular to D3-brane and parallel ones, explaining how AdS5 spacetime geometry emerges out of four-dimensional gauge theory at strong coupling.Comment: Latex, 6 figures, v2. typos corrected, v3. published versio

Anatomy of One-Loop Effective Action in Noncommutative Scalar Field Theories

One-loop effective action of noncommutative scalar field theory with cubic self-interaction is studied. Utilizing worldline formulation, both planar and nonplanar part of the effective action are computed explicitly. We find complete agreement of the result with Seiberg-Witten limit of string worldsheet computation and standard Feynman diagrammatics. We prove that, at low-energy and large noncommutativity limit, nonplanar part of the effective action is simplified enormously and is resummable into a quadratic action of scalar open Wilson line operators.Comment: 26 pages, Latex, 4 eps figures, v2. typos corrected, v3. combinatorics correcte

Wilson-Polyakov Loop at Finite Temperature in Large N Gauge Theory and Anti-de Sitter Supergravity

Aspects of d=4, N=4 superconformal U(N) gauge theory are studied at finite temperature. Utilizing dual description of large $N$ and strong coupling limit via Type IIB string theory compactification on Schwarzschild anti-de Sitter spacetime, we study correlations of Wilson-Polyakov loops and heavy quark potential thereof. We find that the heavy quark potential is Coulomb-like and has a finite range, as expected for gauge theory in high temperature, deconfinement phase. The potential exhibits finite temperature scaling consistent with underlying conformal invariance. We also study isolated heavy quark on probe D3-brane world-volume and find supporting evidence that near extremal D3-branes are located at Schwarzschild horizon.Comment: Latex, 17 pages, four figures, substantial revisio

BPS Dynamics of Triple (p,q) String Junction

We study dynamics of triple junction of (p,q) strings in Type IIB string theory. We probe tension and mass density of (p,q) strings by studying harmonic fluctuations of the triple junction. We show that they agree perfectly with BPS formula provided suitable geometric interpretation of the junction is given. We provide a precise statement of BPS limit and force-balance property. At weak coupling and sufficiently dense limit, we argue that (p,q)-string embedded in string network is a `wiggly string', whose low-energy dynamics can be described via renormalization group evolved, smooth effective non-relativistic string. We also suggest the possibility that, upon Type IIB strings are promoted to M-theory membrane, there can exist `evanescent' bound-states at triple junction in the continuum.Comment: 11 pages, Latex, 3 figures, typos correcte

Instantons of M(atrix) Theory in PP-Wave Background

M(atrix) theory in PP-wave background possesses a discrete set of classical vacua, all of which preserves 16 supersymmetry and interpretable as collection of giant gravitons. We find Euclidean instanton solutions that interpolate between them, and analyze their properties. Supersymmetry prevents direct mixing between different vacua but still allows effect of instanton to show up in higher order effective interactions, such as analog of v^4 interaction of flat space effective theory. An explicit construction of zero modes is performed, and Goldstone zero modes, bosonic and fermionic, are identified. We further generalize this to massive M(atrix) theory that includes fundamental hypermultiplets, corresponding to insertion of longitudinal fivebranes in the background. After a brief comparison to their counterpart in AdS\times S, we close with a summary.Comment: 25 pages, LaTeX, references added, section 5 update

Thermodynamics of AdS/QCD

We study finite temperature properties of four dimensional QCD-like gauge theories in the gauge theory/gravity duality picture. The gravity dual contains two deformed 5d AdS metrics, with and without a black hole, and a dilaton. We study the thermodynamics of the 4d boundary theory and constrain the two metrics so that they correspond to a high and a low temperature phase separated by a first order phase transition. The equation of state has the standard form for the pressure of a strongly coupled fluid modified by a vacuum energy, a bag constant. We determine the parameters of the deformation by using QCD results for $T_c$ and the hadron spectrum. With these parameters, we show that the phase transition in the 4d boundary theory and the 5d bulk Hawking-Page transition agree. We probe the dynamics of the two phases by computing the quark-antiquark free energy in them and confirm that the transition corresponds to confinement-deconfinement transition.Comment: 1+19 pages, 6 figures, references added, section 3 improve

Supersymmetry and Branes in M-theory Plane-waves

We study brane embeddings in M-theory plane-waves and their supersymmetry. The relation with branes in AdS backgrounds via the Penrose limit is also explored. Longitudinal planar branes are originated from AdS branes while giant gravitons of AdS spaces become spherical branes which are realized as fuzzy spheres in the massive matrix theory.Comment: 17 pages, JHEP style, references added, typos correcte

Open Wilson Lines and Generalized Star Product in Noncommutative Scalar Field Theories

Open Wilson line operators and generalized star product have been studied extensively in noncommutative gauge theories. We show that they also show up in noncommutative scalar field theories as universal structures. We first point out that dipole picture of noncommutative geometry provides an intuitive argument for robustness of the open Wilson lines and generalized star products therein. We calculate one-loop effective action of noncommutative scalar field theory with cubic self-interaction and show explicitly that the generalized star products arise in the nonplanar part. It is shown that, at low-energy, large noncommutativity limit, the nonplanar part is expressible solely in terms of the {\sl scalar} open Wilson line operator and descendants.Comment: 13 pages, Latex, 1 .eps figure, v2. typos corrected, v3. combinatorics correcte

Detection of SARS-associated Coronavirus in Throat Wash and Saliva in Early Diagnosis

Early detection of SARS-CoV in throat wash and saliva suggests that these specimens are ideal for SARS diagnosis