Higher gauge theory -- differential versus integral formulation

The term higher gauge theory refers to the generalization of gauge theory to a theory of connections at two levels, essentially given by 1- and 2-forms. So far, there have been two approaches to this subject. The differential picture uses non-Abelian 1- and 2-forms in order to generalize the connection 1-form of a conventional gauge theory to the next level. The integral picture makes use of curves and surfaces labeled with elements of non-Abelian groups and generalizes the formulation of gauge theory in terms of parallel transports. We recall how to circumvent the classic no-go theorems in order to define non-Abelian surface ordered products in the integral picture. We then derive the differential picture from the integral formulation under the assumption that the curve and surface labels depend smoothly on the position of the curves and surfaces. We show that some aspects of the no-go theorems are still present in the differential (but not in the integral) picture. This implies a substantial structural difference between non-perturbative and perturbative approaches to higher gauge theory. We finally demonstrate that higher gauge theory provides a geometrical explanation for the extended topological symmetry of BF-theory in both pictures.Comment: 26 pages, LaTeX with XYPic diagrams; v2: typos corrected and presentation improve

Fluctuation theorems for excess and housekeeping heats for underdamped systems

We present a simple derivation of the integral fluctuation theorems for excess housekeeping heat for an underdamped Langevin system, without using the concept of dual dynamics. In conformity with the earlier results, we find that the fluctuation theorem for housekeeping heat holds when the steady state distributions are symmetric in velocity, whereas there is no such requirement for the excess heat. We first prove the integral fluctuation theorem for the excess heat, and then show that it naturally leads to the integral fluctuation theorem for housekeeping heat. We also derive the modified detailed fluctuation theorems for the excess and housekeeping heats.Comment: 10 pages. Section 3 contains further generalization

Entropy production theorems and some consequences

The total entropy production fluctuations are studied in some exactly solvable models. For these systems, the detailed fluctuation theorem holds even in the transient state, provided initially the system is prepared in thermal equilibrium. The nature of entropy production during the relaxation of a system to equilibrium is analyzed. The averaged entropy production over a finite time interval gives a better bound for the average work performed on the system than that obtained from the well known Jarzynski equality. Moreover, the average entropy production as a quantifier for information theoretic nature of irreversibility for finite time nonequilibrium processes is discussed.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figure

Fluctuation theorems in presence of information gain and feedback

In this study, we rederive the fluctuation theorems in presence of feedback, by assuming the known Jarzynski equality and detailed fluctuation theorems. We first reproduce the already known work theorems for a classical system, and then extend the treatment to the other classical theorems. For deriving the extended quantum fluctuation theorems, we have considered open systems. No assumption is made on the nature of environment and the strength of system-bath coupling. However, it is assumed that the measurement process involves classical errors.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figur

Relativistic Mean Field in A≈A\approx80 nuclei and low energy proton reactions

Relativistic Mean Field calculations have been performed for a number of nuclei in mass $A\approx$80 region. Ground state binding energy, charge radius and charge density values have been compared with experiment. Optical potential have been generated folding the nuclear density with the microscopic nuclear interaction DDM3Y. S-factors for low energy ($p,\gamma$) and ($p,n$) reactions have been calculated and compared with experiment.Comment: To appear in Physical Review

Topologically Massive Non-Abelian Gauge Theories: Constraints and Deformations

We study the relationship between three non-Abelian topologically massive gauge theories, viz. the naive non-Abelian generalization of the Abelian model, Freedman-Townsend model and the dynamical 2-form theory, in the canonical framework. Hamiltonian formulation of the naive non-Abelian theory is presented first. The other two non-Abelian models are obtained by deforming the constraints of this model. We study the role of the auxiliary vector field in the dynamical 2-form theory in the canonical framework and show that the dynamical 2-form theory cannot be considered as the embedded version of naive non-Abelian model. The reducibility aspect and gauge algebra of the latter models are also discussed.Comment: ReVTeX, 17 pp; one reference added, version published in Phys. Rev.