239 research outputs found

    Constructing Self-Dual Strings

    Full text link
    We present an ADHMN-like construction which generates self-dual string solutions to the effective M5-brane worldvolume theory from solutions to the Basu-Harvey equation. Our construction finds a natural interpretation in terms of gerbes, which we develop in some detail. We also comment on a possible extension to stacks of multiple M5-branes.Comment: 1+19 pages, presentation improved, minor corrections, published versio

    Gravitational-wave astronomy: the high-frequency window

    Full text link
    This contribution is divided in two parts. The first part provides a text-book level introduction to gravitational radiation. The key concepts required for a discussion of gravitational-wave physics are introduced. In particular, the quadrupole formula is applied to the anticipated ``bread-and-butter'' source for detectors like LIGO, GEO600, EGO and TAMA300: inspiralling compact binaries. The second part provides a brief review of high frequency gravitational waves. In the frequency range above (say) 100Hz, gravitational collapse, rotational instabilities and oscillations of the remnant compact objects are potentially important sources of gravitational waves. Significant and unique information concerning the various stages of collapse, the evolution of protoneutron stars and the details of the supranuclear equation of state of such objects can be drawn from careful study of the gravitational-wave signal. As the amount of exciting physics one may be able to study via the detections of gravitational waves from these sources is truly inspiring, there is strong motivation for the development of future generations of ground based detectors sensitive in the range from hundreds of Hz to several kHz.Comment: 21 pages, 5 figures, Lectures presented at the 2nd Aegean Summer School on the Early Universe, Syros, Greece, September 200

    Critical Dynamics of Magnets

    Get PDF
    We review our current understanding of the critical dynamics of magnets above and below the transition temperature with focus on the effects due to the dipole--dipole interaction present in all real magnets. Significant progress in our understanding of real ferromagnets in the vicinity of the critical point has been made in the last decade through improved experimental techniques and theoretical advances in taking into account realistic spin-spin interactions. We start our review with a discussion of the theoretical results for the critical dynamics based on recent renormalization group, mode coupling and spin wave theories. A detailed comparison is made of the theory with experimental results obtained by different measuring techniques, such as neutron scattering, hyperfine interaction, muon--spin--resonance, electron--spin--resonance, and magnetic relaxation, in various materials. Furthermore we discuss the effects of dipolar interaction on the critical dynamics of three--dimensional isotropic antiferromagnets and uniaxial ferromagnets. Special attention is also paid to a discussion of the consequences of dipolar anisotropies on the existence of magnetic order and the spin--wave spectrum in two--dimensional ferromagnets and antiferromagnets. We close our review with a formulation of critical dynamics in terms of nonlinear Langevin equations.Comment: Review article (154 pages, figures included

    D0-D4 brane tachyon condensation to a BPS state and its excitation spectrum in noncommutative super Yang-Mills theory

    Full text link
    We investigate the D0-D4-brane system for different B-field backgrounds including the small instanton singularity in noncommutative SYM theory. We discuss the excitation spectrum of the unstable state as well as for the BPS D0-D4 bound state. We compute the tachyon potential which reproduces the complete mass defect. The relevant degrees of freedom are the massless (4,4) strings. Both results are in contrast with existing string field theory calculations. The excitation spectrum of the small instanton is found to be equal to the excitation spectrum of the fluxon solution on R^2_theta x R which we trace back to T-duality. For the effective theory of the (0,0) string excitations we obtain a BFSS matrix model. The number of states in the instanton background changes significantly when the B-field becomes self-dual. This leads us to the proposal of the existence of a phase transition or cross over at self-dual B-field.Comment: a4 11pt Latex2e 40 pages; v2: typos fixed, refined comments on renormalisation, refs added, v3: ref added, version publishe

    Couplings of light I=0 scalar mesons to simple operators in the complex plane

    Full text link
    The flavour and glue structure of the light scalar mesons in QCD are probed by studying the couplings of the I=0 mesons σ(600)\sigma(600) and f0(980)f_0(980) to the operators qˉq\bar{q}q, αsG2\alpha_s G^2 and to two photons. The Roy dispersive representation for the ππ\pi\pi amplitude t00(s)t_0^0(s) is used to determine the pole positions as well as the residues in the complex plane. On the real axis, t00t_0^0 is constrained to solve the Roy equation together with elastic unitarity up to the K\Kbar threshold leading to an improved description of the f0(980)f_0(980). The problem of using a two-particle threshold as a matching point is discussed. A simple relation is established between the coupling of a scalar meson to an operator jSj_S and the value of the related pion form-factor computed at the resonance pole. Pion scalar form-factors as well as two-photon partial-wave amplitudes are expressed as coupled-channel Omn\`es dispersive representations. Subtraction constants are constrained by chiral symmetry and experimental data. Comparison of our results for the qˉq\bar{q}q couplings with earlier determinations of the analogous couplings of the lightest I=1 and I=1/2I=1/2 scalar mesons are compatible with an assignment of the σ\sigma, κ\kappa, a0(980)a_0(980), f0(980)f_0(980) into a nonet. Concerning the gluonic operator αsG2\alpha_s G^2 we find a significant coupling to both the σ\sigma and the f0(980)f_0(980).Comment: 31 pages, 5 figure

    Theoretical Study of the \gamma\gamma-->meson-meson Reaction

    Full text link
    We present a unified picture which studies simultaneously the gamma gamma-->pi^+ pi^-, pi^0 pi^0, K^+ K^-, K^0 bar{K}^0, pi^0 eta reactions up to about sqrt(s)=1.4 GeV reproducing the experimental cross sections. The present work implements in an accurate way the final state interactions of the meson-meson system, which is shown to be essential in order to reproduce the data, particularly the L=0 channel. This latter channel is treated here following a recent theoretical work in which the meson-meson amplitudes are well reproduced and the f_0, a_0, sigma resonances show up clearly as poles of the t matrix. The present work, as done in earlier ones, also incorporates elements of chiral symmetry and exchange of vector and axial resonances in the crossed channels, as well as a direct coupling to the f_2(1270) and a_2(1320) resonances. We also evaluate the decay width of the f_0(980) and a_0(980) resonances into the gamma-gamma channel.Comment: 20 pages, 13 figures, LaTeX. Only significant change in the calculation of \gamma\gamma-->pi^+ pi^- from the more careful treatment of the tail of the f_2(1270) resonanc

    Meson-meson interactions in a nonperturbative chiral approach

    Get PDF
    A non-perturbative method which combines constraints from chiral symmetry breaking and coupled channel unitarity is used to describe the meson-meson interaction up to about 1.2 GeV. The approach uses the O(p^2) and O(p^4) chiral Lagrangians. The seven free parameters of the O(p^4) Lagrangian are fitted to the data. The results are in good agreement with a vast amount of experimental analyses. The amplitudes develop poles in the complex plane corresponding to the f0, a0, rho, K*, phi, sigma and kappa resonances; the latter two, very broad. The total and partial decay widths of the resonances are also well reproduced. Further extensions and applications of this chiral non-perturbative scheme are also discussed
    corecore