(M-theory-)Killing spinors on symmetric spaces

We show how the theory of invariant principal bundle connections for reductive homogeneous spaces can be applied to determine the holonomy of generalised Killing spinor covariant derivatives of the form $D= \nabla + \Omega$ in a purely algebraic and algorithmic way, where $\Omega : TM \rightarrow \Lambda^*(TM)$ is a left-invariant homomorphism. Specialising this to the case of symmetric M-theory backgrounds (i.e. $(M,g,F)$ with $(M,g)$ a symmetric space and $F$ an invariant closed 4-form), we derive several criteria for such a background to preserve some supersymmetry and consequently find all supersymmetric symmetric M-theory backgrounds.Comment: Updated abstract for clarity. Added missing geometries to section 6. Main result stand

CHARTS FOR EQUILIBRIUM FLOW PROPERTIES OF AIR IN HYPERVELOCITY NOZZLES

Charts for equilibrium flow properties of air in hypervelocity nozzle

Algebraic and analytic Dirac induction for graded affine Hecke algebras

We define the algebraic Dirac induction map \Ind_D for graded affine Hecke algebras. The map \Ind_D is a Hecke algebra analog of the explicit realization of the Baum-Connes assembly map in the $K$-theory of the reduced $C^*$-algebra of a real reductive group using Dirac operators. The definition of \Ind_D is uniform over the parameter space of the graded affine Hecke algebra. We show that the map \Ind_D defines an isometric isomorphism from the space of elliptic characters of the Weyl group (relative to its reflection representation) to the space of elliptic characters of the graded affine Hecke algebra. We also study a related analytically defined global elliptic Dirac operator between unitary representations of the graded affine Hecke algebra which are realized in the spaces of sections of vector bundles associated to certain representations of the pin cover of the Weyl group. In this way we realize all irreducible discrete series modules of the Hecke algebra in the kernels (and indices) of such analytic Dirac operators. This can be viewed as a graded Hecke algebra analogue of the construction of discrete series representations for semisimple Lie groups due to Parthasarathy and Atiyah-Schmid.Comment: 37 pages, revised introduction, updated references, minor correction

Volunteers and volunteering in leisure : social science perspectives

Leisure has been widely examined within the context of social science theory; however, little work has considered the range of social science disciplines and applied them to specific phenomena located within the leisure field. This paper adopts such an approach to conceptualise and examine volunteers and volunteering in leisure settings. In a disciplinary sense, therefore, the sociological view focuses upon the conceptualisation of volunteering as leisure, the psychological view seeks to understand motivations driving volunteering while the perspective of economists tends to complement these standpoints in terms of why people volunteer and further examines the value of volunteer contributions. Comparative analysis of the perspectives enunciated within these key disciplines provides a picture of the status of research relating to leisure volunteers and volunteering. The purposes of this paper are to identify gaps in current knowledge, drawing out conclusions and their implications for an improved understanding of this area as well as to enhance comprehension of disciplinary contributions to the study of leisure phenomena

Nonlocal effects in the shot noise of diffusive superconductor - normal-metal systems

A cross-shaped diffusive system with two superconducting and two normal electrodes is considered. A voltage $eV < \Delta$ is applied between the normal leads. Even in the absence of average current through the superconducting electrodes their presence increases the shot noise at the normal electrodes and doubles it in the case of a strong coupling to the superconductors. The nonequilibrium noise at the superconducting electrodes remains finite even in the case of a vanishingly small transport current due to the absence of energy transfer into the superconductors. This noise is suppressed by electron-electron scattering at sufficiently high voltages.Comment: 4 pages, RevTeX, 2 eps figure

Higgs Portals for Thermal Dark Matter - EFT Perspectives and the NMSSM -

We analyze a low energy effective model of Dark Matter in which the thermal relic density is provided by a singlet Majorana fermion which interacts with the Higgs fields via higher dimensional operators. Direct detection signatures may be reduced if blind spot solutions exist, which naturally appear in models with extended Higgs sectors. Explicit mass terms for the Majorana fermion can be forbidden by a $Z_3$ symmetry, which in addition leads to a reduction of the number of higher dimensional operators. Moreover, a weak scale mass for the Majorana fermion is naturally obtained from the vacuum expectation value of a scalar singlet field. The proper relic density may be obtained by the $s$-channel interchange of Higgs and gauge bosons, with the longitudinal mode of the $Z$ boson (the neutral Goldstone mode) playing a relevant role in the annihilation process. This model shares many properties with the Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model (NMSSM) with light singlinos and heavy scalar and gauge superpartners. In order to test the validity of the low energy effective field theory, we compare its predictions with those of the ultraviolet complete NMSSM. Extending our framework to include $Z_3$ neutral Majorana fermions, analogous to the bino in the NMSSM, we find the appearance of a new bino-singlino well tempered Dark Matter region.Comment: 42 pages, 14 figures. v2: added references, published in JHE

Validation of a new spectrometer for noninvasive measurement of cardiac output

Acetylene is a blood-soluble gas and for many years its uptake rate during rebreathing tests has been used to calculate the flow rate of blood through the lungs (normally equal to cardiac output) as well as the volume of lung tissue. A new, portable, noninvasive instrument for cardiac output determination using the acetylene uptake method is described. The analyzer relies on nondispersive IR absorption spectroscopy as its principle of operation and is configured for extractive (side-stream) sampling. The instrument affords exceptionally fast (30 ms, 10%–90%, 90%–10%, at 500 mL min–1 flow rates), interference-free, simultaneous measurement of acetylene, sulfur hexafluoride (an insoluble reference gas used in the cardiac output calculation), and carbon dioxide (to determine alveolar ventilation), with good (typically ±2% full-scale) signal-to-noise ratios. Comparison tests with a mass spectrometer using serially diluted calibration gas samples gave excellent (R2>0.99) correlation for all three gases, validating the IR system's linearity and accuracy. A similar level of agreement between the devices also was observed during human subject C2H2 uptake tests (at rest and under incremental levels of exercise), with the instruments sampling a common extracted gas stream. Cardiac output measurements by both instruments were statistically equivalent from rest to 90% of maximal oxygen consumption; the physiological validity of the measurements was confirmed by the expected linear relationship between cardiac output and oxygen consumption, with both the slope and intercept in the published range. These results indicate that the portable, low-cost, rugged prototype analyzer discussed here is suitable for measuring cardiac output noninvasively in a point-of-care setting