28,055 research outputs found
Strong contraction of the representations of the three dimensional Lie algebras
For any Inonu-Wigner contraction of a three dimensional Lie algebra we
construct the corresponding contractions of representations. Our method is
quite canonical in the sense that in all cases we deal with realizations of the
representations on some spaces of functions; we contract the differential
operators on those spaces along with the representation spaces themselves by
taking certain pointwise limit of functions. We call such contractions strong
contractions. We show that this pointwise limit gives rise to a direct limit
space. Many of these contractions are new and in other examples we give a
different proof
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Supporting Computer-supported collaborative work (CSCW) in conceptual design
In order to gain a better understanding of online conceptual collaborative design processes this paper investigates how student designers make use of a shared virtual synchronous environment when engaged in conceptual design. The software enables users to talk to each other and share sketches when they are remotely located. The paper describes a novel methodology for observing and analysing collaborative design processes by adapting the concepts of grounded theory. Rather than concentrating on narrow aspects of the final artefacts, emerging âthemesâ are generated that provide a broader picture of collaborative design process and context descriptions. Findings on the themes of âgrounding â mutual understandingâ and âsupport creativityâ complement findings from other research, while important themes associated with ânear-synchronyâ have not been emphasised in other research. From the study, a series of design recommendations are made for the development of tools to support online computer-supported collaborative work in design using a shared virtual environment
Higher Gauge Theory and Gravity in (2+1) Dimensions
Non-abelian higher gauge theory has recently emerged as a generalization of
standard gauge theory to higher dimensional (2-dimensional in the present
context) connection forms, and as such, it has been successfully applied to the
non-abelian generalizations of the Yang-Mills theory and 2-form
electrodynamics. (2+1)-dimensional gravity, on the other hand, has been a
fertile testing ground for many concepts related to classical and quantum
gravity, and it is therefore only natural to investigate whether we can find an
application of higher gauge theory in this latter context. In the present paper
we investigate the possibility of applying the formalism of higher gauge theory
to gravity in (2+1) dimensions, and we show that a nontrivial model of
(2+1)-dimensional gravity coupled to scalar and tensorial matter fields - the
model - can be formulated both as a standard gauge theory and
as a higher gauge theory. Since the model has a very rich structure - it admits
as solutions black-hole BTZ-like geometries, particle-like geometries as well
as Robertson-Friedman-Walker cosmological-like expanding geometries - this
opens a wide perspective for higher gauge theory to be tested and understood in
a relevant gravitational context. Additionally, it offers the possibility of
studying gravity in (2+1) dimensions coupled to matter in an entirely new
framework.Comment: 22 page
The Symmetries of Nature
The study of the symmetries of nature has fascinated scientists for eons. The application of the formal mathematical description of
symmetries during the last century has produced many breakthroughs in
our understanding of the substructure of matter. In this talk, a number
of these advances are discussed, and the important role that George
Sudarshan played in their development is emphasize
Quasiclassical Coarse Graining and Thermodynamic Entropy
Our everyday descriptions of the universe are highly coarse-grained,
following only a tiny fraction of the variables necessary for a perfectly
fine-grained description. Coarse graining in classical physics is made natural
by our limited powers of observation and computation. But in the modern quantum
mechanics of closed systems, some measure of coarse graining is inescapable
because there are no non-trivial, probabilistic, fine-grained descriptions.
This essay explores the consequences of that fact. Quantum theory allows for
various coarse-grained descriptions some of which are mutually incompatible.
For most purposes, however, we are interested in the small subset of
``quasiclassical descriptions'' defined by ranges of values of averages over
small volumes of densities of conserved quantities such as energy and momentum
and approximately conserved quantities such as baryon number. The
near-conservation of these quasiclassical quantities results in approximate
decoherence, predictability, and local equilibrium, leading to closed sets of
equations of motion. In any description, information is sacrificed through the
coarse graining that yields decoherence and gives rise to probabilities for
histories. In quasiclassical descriptions, further information is sacrificed in
exhibiting the emergent regularities summarized by classical equations of
motion. An appropriate entropy measures the loss of information. For a
``quasiclassical realm'' this is connected with the usual thermodynamic entropy
as obtained from statistical mechanics. It was low for the initial state of our
universe and has been increasing since.Comment: 17 pages, 0 figures, revtex4, Dedicated to Rafael Sorkin on his 60th
birthday, minor correction
On the extent and role of the small proteome in the parasitic eukaryote Trypanosoma brucei
Background: Although technical advances in genomics and proteomics research have yielded a better understanding of the coding capacity of a genome, one major challenge remaining is the identification of all expressed proteins, especially those less than 100 amino acids in length. Such information can be particularly relevant to human pathogens, such as Trypanosoma brucei, the causative agent of African trypanosomiasis, since it will provide further insight into the parasite biology and life cycle. Results: Starting with 993 T. brucei transcripts, previously shown by RNA-Sequencing not to coincide with annotated coding sequences (CDS), homology searches revealed that 173 predicted short open reading frames in these transcripts are conserved across kinetoplastids with 13 also conserved in representative eukaryotes. Mining mass spectrometry data sets revealed 42 transcripts encoding at least one matching peptide. RNAi-induced down-regulation of these 42 transcripts revealed seven to be essential in insect-form trypanosomes with two also required for the bloodstream life cycle stage. To validate the specificity of the RNAi results, each lethal phenotype was rescued by co-expressing an RNAi-resistant construct of each corresponding CDS. These previously non-annotated essential small proteins localized to a variety of cell compartments, including the cell surface, mitochondria, nucleus and cytoplasm, inferring the diverse biological roles they are likely to play in T. brucei. We also provide evidence that one of these small proteins is required for replicating the kinetoplast (mitochondrial) DNA. Conclusions: Our studies highlight the presence and significance of small proteins in a protist and expose potential new targets to block the survival of trypanosomes in the insect vector and/or the mammalian host
Gauge Formulation of the Spinning Black Hole in (2+1)-Dimensional Anti-de Sitter Space
We compute the group element of SO(2,2) associated with the spinning black
hole found by Ba\~nados, Teitelboim and Zanelli in (2+1)-dimensional anti-de
Sitter space-time. We show that their metric is built with SO(2,2) gauge
invariant quantities and satisfies Einstein's equations with negative
cosmological constant everywhere except at . Moreover, although the metric
is singular on the horizons, the group element is continuous and possesses a
kink there.Comment: 10 page
They are Small Worlds After All: Revised Properties of Kepler M Dwarf Stars and their Planets
We classified the reddest () stars observed by the NASA
mission into main sequence dwarf or evolved giant stars and determined the
properties of 4216 M dwarfs based on a comparison of available photometry with
that of nearby calibrator stars, as well as available proper motions and
spectra. We revised the properties of candidate transiting planets using the
stellar parameters, high-resolution imaging to identify companion stars, and,
in the case of binaries, fitting light curves to identify the likely planet
host. In 49 of 54 systems we validated the primary as the host star. We
inferred the intrinsic distribution of M dwarf planets using the method of
iterative Monte Carlo simulation. We compared several models of planet orbital
geometry and clustering and found that one where planets are exponentially
distributed and almost precisely coplanar best describes the distribution of
multi-planet systems. We determined that M dwarfs host an average of
planets with radii of 1-4 and orbital periods of
1.5-180 d. The radius distribution peaks at and is
essentially zero at , although we identify three giant planet
candidates other than the previously confirmed Kepler-45b. There is suggestive
but not significant evidence that the radius distribution varies with orbital
period. The distribution with logarithmic orbital period is flat except for a
decline for orbits less than a few days. Twelve candidate planets, including
two Jupiter-size objects, experience an irradiance below the threshold level
for a runaway greenhouse on an Earth-like planet and are thus in a "habitable
zone".Comment: MNRAS, in press. Tables 1, 3, and 4 are available in electronic form
in the "anc" director
Climate changes over the past millennium: Relationships with Mediterranean climates
Evidence is reviewed for climate change and its causes over the interval spanning roughly the past millennium. Particular emphasis is placed on patterns of climate change influencing Mediterranean climates of the Northern Hemisphere. The evidence is taken from studies using
high-resolution climate âproxyâ data sources, and climate modeling simulations. The available evidence suggests that forced changes in dynamical modes of variability including the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) have played a key role in the patterns of climate variability in Mediterranean regions over the past millennium
Reactor antineutrino spectra and their application to antineutrino-induced reactions. II
The antineutrino and electron spectra associated with various nuclear fuels are calculated. While there are substantial differences between the spectra of different uranium and plutonium isotopes, the dependence on the energy and flux of the fission-inducing neutrons is very weak. The resulting spectra can be used for the calculation of the antineutrino and electron spectra of an arbitrary nuclear reactor at various stages of its refueling cycle. The sources of uncertainties in the spectrum are identified and analyzed in detail. The exposure time dependence of the spectrum is also discussed. The averaged cross sections of the inverse neutron ÎČ decay, weak charged and neutral-current-induced deuteron disintegration, and the antineutrino-electron scattering are then evaluated using the resulting ÎœÌ
_e spectra.
[RADIOACTIVITY, FISSION 235U, 238U, (^239)Pu, (^240)Pu, (^241)Pu, antineutrino and electron spectra calculated. Ï for ÎœÌ
induced reactions analyzed.
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