Zero modes, gauge fixing, monodromies, ζ\zeta-functions and all that

We discuss various issues associated with the calculation of the reduced functional determinant of a special second order differential operator \boldmath{F}$=-d^2/d\tau^2+\ddot g/g$, $\ddot g\equiv d^2g/d\tau^2$, with a generic function $g(\tau)$, subject to periodic and Dirichlet boundary conditions. These issues include the gauge-fixed path integral representation of this determinant, the monodromy method of its calculation and the combination of the heat kernel and zeta-function technique for the derivation of its period dependence. Motivations for this particular problem, coming from applications in quantum cosmology, are also briefly discussed. They include the problem of microcanonical initial conditions in cosmology driven by a conformal field theory, cosmological constant and cosmic microwave background problems.Comment: 17 pages, to appear in J. Phys. A: Math. Theor. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1111.447

Spin crossover: the quantum phase transition induced by high pressure

The relationship is established between the Berry phase and spin crossover in condensed matter physics induced by high pressure. It is shown that the geometric phase has topological origin and can be considered as the order parameter for such transition.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Geometric phase shift for detection of gravitational radiation

An effect of geometrical phase shift is predicted for a light beam propagating in the field of a gravitational wave. Gravitational radiation detection experiments are proposed using this new effect, the corresponding estimates being given.Comment: LaTeX2e, 12 p

Mirror Descent and Convex Optimization Problems With Non-Smooth Inequality Constraints

We consider the problem of minimization of a convex function on a simple set with convex non-smooth inequality constraint and describe first-order methods to solve such problems in different situations: smooth or non-smooth objective function; convex or strongly convex objective and constraint; deterministic or randomized information about the objective and constraint. We hope that it is convenient for a reader to have all the methods for different settings in one place. Described methods are based on Mirror Descent algorithm and switching subgradient scheme. One of our focus is to propose, for the listed different settings, a Mirror Descent with adaptive stepsizes and adaptive stopping rule. This means that neither stepsize nor stopping rule require to know the Lipschitz constant of the objective or constraint. We also construct Mirror Descent for problems with objective function, which is not Lipschitz continuous, e.g. is a quadratic function. Besides that, we address the problem of recovering the solution of the dual problem

Towards a new quantization of Dirac's monopole

There are several mathematical and physical reasons why Dirac's quantization must hold. How far one can go without it remains an open problem. The present work outlines a few steps in this direction.Comment: To appear in Proceedings of "IV Taller de la Division de Gravitacion y Fisica Matematica". Misprints corrected, references and acknowledgments adde

Quasigroups, Asymptotic Symmetries and Conservation Laws in General Relativity

A new quasigroup approach to conservation laws in general relativity is applied to study asymptotically flat at future null infinity spacetime. The infinite-parametric Newman-Unti group of asymptotic symmetries is reduced to the Poincar\'e quasigroup and the Noether charge associated with any element of the Poincar\'e quasialgebra is defined. The integral conserved quantities of energy-momentum and angular momentum are linear on generators of Poincar\'e quasigroup, free of the supertranslation ambiguity, posess the flux and identically equal to zero in Minkowski spacetime.Comment: RevTeX4, 5 page

A non-associative quantum mechanics

A non-associative quantum mechanics is proposed in which the product of three and more operators can be non-associative one. The multiplication rules of the octonions define the multiplication rules of the corresponding operators with quantum corrections. The self-consistency of the operator algebra is proved for the product of three operators. Some properties of the non-associative quantum mechanics are considered. It is proposed that some generalization of the non-associative algebra of quantum operators can be helpful for understanding of the algebra of field operators with a strong interaction.Comment: one typo in Eq. (23) is correcte