Heavy quark masses

In the large quark mass limit, an argument which identifies the mass of the heavy-light pseudoscalar or scalar bound state with the renormalized mass of the heavy quark is given. The following equation is discussed: m(sub Q) = m(sub B), where m(sub Q) and m(sub B) are respectively the mass of the heavy quark and the mass of the pseudoscalar bound state

Some Considerations on Chiral Gauge Theories

Some general considerations on the problem of non-perturbative definition of Chiral Gauge Theories are presented.Comment: 13 pages, Latex, talk given at CHIRAL '99, Taipei, Sep. 13-18, 199

Boosted Statistical Mechanics

Based on the fundamental principles of Relativistic Quantum Mechanics, we give a rigorous, but completely elementary, proof of the relation between fundamental observables of a statistical system when measured relatively to two inertial reference frames, connected by a Lorentz transformation.Comment: 8 page

The momentum of an electromagnetic wave inside a dielectric

The problem of assigning a momentum to an electromagnetic wave packet propagating inside an insulator has become known under the name of the Abraham-Minkowski controversy. In the present paper we re-examine the question, first through a power expansion in the polarizability of the medium and assuming the simplest and most natural choice for the force exerted on a dielectric material by an electromagnetic field. It is shown that the Abraham expression is highly favoured. We then show the complete generality of these results.Comment: 17 pages, no figure

q \bar q-potential

We show how to define and compute in a non-perturbative way the potential between q and \bar q colour sources in the singlet and octet (adjoint) representation of the colour group.Comment: 25 pages, REVTeX

Getting the Lorentz transformations without requiring an invariant speed

The structure of the Lorentz transformations follows purely from the absence of privileged inertial reference frames and the group structure (closure under composition) of the transformations---two assumptions that are simple and physically necessary. The existence of an invariant speed is \textit{not} a necessary assumption, and in fact is a consequence of the principle of relativity (though the finite value of this speed must, of course, be obtained from experiment). Von Ignatowsky derived this result in 1911, but it is still not widely known and is absent from most textbooks. Here we present a completely elementary proof of the result, suitable for use in an introductory course in special relativity.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur

Non-Perturbative Renormalisation and Kaon Physics

A general review is presented on the problem of non perturbative computation of the $K\to\pi\pi$ transition amplitude.Comment: 8 pages, Latex, uses espcrc2.sty, Talk given at LATTICE9