297 research outputs found
On factorizations in perturbative quantum gravity
Some features of Einstein gravity are most easily understood from string
theory but are not manifest at the level of the usual Lagrangian formulation.
One example is the factorization of gravity amplitudes into gauge theory
amplitudes. Based on the recently constructed `double field theory' and a
geometrical frame-like formalism developed by Siegel, we provide a framework of
perturbative Einstein gravity coupled to a 2-form and a dilaton in which, as a
consequence of T-duality, the Feynman rules factorize to all orders in
perturbation theory. We thereby establish the precise relation between the
field variables in different formulations and discuss the Lagrangian that, when
written in terms of these variables, makes a left-right factorization manifest.Comment: 18 pages, v2: reference added, to appear in JHE
Phototropism: Translating light into directional growth.
Phototropism allows plants to align their photosynthetic tissues with incoming light. The direction of incident light is sensed by the phototropin family of blue light photoreceptors (phot1 and phot2 in Arabidopsis), which are light-activated protein kinases. The kinase activity of phototropins and phosphorylation of residues in the activation loop of their kinase domains are essential for the phototropic response. These initial steps trigger the formation of the auxin gradient across the hypocotyl that leads to asymmetric growth. The molecular events between photoreceptor activation and the growth response are only starting to be elucidated. In this review, we discuss the major steps leading from light perception to directional growth concentrating on Arabidopsis. In addition, we highlight links that connect these different steps enabling the phototropic response
Invariances and Equations of Motion in Double Field Theory
We investigate the full set of equations of motion in double field theory and
discuss their O(D,D) symmetry and gauge transformation properties. We obtain a
Ricci-like tensor, its associated Bianchi identities, and relate our results to
those with a generalized metric formulation.Comment: 24 page
Ramond-Ramond Cohomology and O(D,D) T-duality
In the name of supersymmetric double field theory, superstring effective
actions can be reformulated into simple forms. They feature a pair of vielbeins
corresponding to the same spacetime metric, and hence enjoy double local
Lorentz symmetries. In a manifestly covariant manner --with regard to O(D,D)
T-duality, diffeomorphism, B-field gauge symmetry and the pair of local Lorentz
symmetries-- we incorporate R-R potentials into double field theory. We take
them as a single object which is in a bi-fundamental spinorial representation
of the double Lorentz groups. We identify cohomological structure relevant to
the field strength. A priori, the R-R sector as well as all the fermions are
O(D,D) singlet. Yet, gauge fixing the two vielbeins equal to each other
modifies the O(D,D) transformation rule to call for a compensating local
Lorentz rotation, such that the R-R potential may turn into an O(D,D) spinor
and T-duality can flip the chirality exchanging type IIA and IIB
supergravities.Comment: 1+37 pages, no figure; Structure reorganized, References added, To
appear in JHEP. cf. Gong Show of Strings 2012
(http://wwwth.mpp.mpg.de/members/strings/strings2012/strings_files/program/Talks/Thursday/Gongshow/Lee.pdf
Defining the site of light perception and initiation of phototropism in Arabidopsis.
Phototropism is an adaptive response allowing plants to optimize photosynthetic light capture. This is achieved by asymmetric growth between the shaded and lit sides of the stimulated organ. In grass seedlings, the site of phototropin-mediated light perception is distinct from the site of bending; however, in dicotyledonous plants (e.g., Arabidopsis), spatial aspects of perception remain debatable. We use morphological studies and genetics to show that phototropism can occur in the absence of the root, lower hypocotyl, hypocotyl apex, and cotyledons. Tissue-specific expression of the phototropin1 (phot1) photoreceptor demonstrates that light sensing occurs in the upper hypocotyl and that expression of phot1 in the hypocotyl elongation zone is sufficient to enable a normal phototropic response. Moreover, we show that efficient phototropism occurs when phot1 is expressed from endodermal, cortical, or epidermal cells and that its local activation rapidly leads to a global response throughout the seedling. We propose that spatial aspects in the steps leading from light perception to growth reorientation during phototropism differ between grasses and dicots. These results are important to properly interpret genetic experiments and establish a model connecting light perception to the growth response, including cellular and morphological aspects
The local symmetries of M-theory and their formulation in generalised geometry
In the doubled field theory approach to string theory, the T-duality group is
promoted to a manifest symmetry at the expense of replacing ordinary Riemannian
geometry with generalised geometry on a doubled space. The local symmetries are
then given by a generalised Lie derivative and its associated algebra. This
paper constructs an analogous structure for M-theory. A crucial by-product of
this is the derivation of the physical section condition for M-theory
formulated in an extended space.Comment: 20 pages, v2: Author Name corrected, v3: typos correcte
Geometry and dynamics of higher-spin frame fields
We give a systematic account of unconstrained free bosonic higher-spin fields
on D-dimensional Minkowski and (Anti-)de Sitter spaces in the frame formalism.
The generalized spin connections are determined by solving a chain of
torsion-like constraints. Via a generalization of the vielbein postulate these
allow to determine higher-spin Christoffel symbols, whose relation to the de
Wit--Freedman connections is discussed. We prove that the generalized Einstein
equations, despite being of higher-derivative order, give rise to the AdS
Fronsdal equations in the compensator formulation. To this end we derive
Damour-Deser identities for arbitrary spin on AdS. Finally we discuss the
possibility of a geometrical and local action principle, which is manifestly
invariant under unconstrained higher-spin symmetries.Comment: 30 pages, uses youngtab.sty, v2: minor changes, references adde
Duality Invariant M-theory: Gauged supergravities and Scherk-Schwarz reductions
We consider the reduction of the duality invariant approach to M-theory by a
U-duality group valued Scherk-Schwarz twist. The result is to produce
potentials for gauged supergravities that are normally associated with
non-geometric compactifications. The local symmetry reduces to gauge
transformations with the gaugings exactly matching those of the embedding
tensor approach to gauged supergravity. Importantly, this approach now includes
a nontrivial dependence of the fields on the extra coordinates of the extended
space.Comment: 22 pages Latex; v2: typos corrected and references adde
Large Gauge Transformations in Double Field Theory
Finite gauge transformations in double field theory can be defined by the
exponential of generalized Lie derivatives. We interpret these transformations
as `generalized coordinate transformations' in the doubled space by proposing
and testing a formula that writes large transformations in terms of derivatives
of the coordinate maps. Successive generalized coordinate transformations give
a generalized coordinate transformation that differs from the direct
composition of the original two. Instead, it is constructed using the Courant
bracket. These transformations form a group when acting on fields but,
intriguingly, do not associate when acting on coordinates.Comment: 40 pages, v2: discussion of dilaton added, to appear in JHE
Global aspects of double geometry
We consider the concept of a generalised manifold in the O(d,d) setting,
i.e., in double geometry. The conjecture by Hohm and Zwiebach for the form of
finite generalised diffeomorphisms is shown to hold. Transition functions on
overlaps are defined. Triple overlaps are trivial concerning their action on
coordinates, but non-trivial on fields, including the generalised metric. A
generalised manifold is an ordinary manifold, but the generalised metric on the
manifold carries a gerbe structure. We show how the abelian behaviour of the
gerbe is embedded in the non-abelian T-duality group. We also comment on
possibilities and difficulties in the U-duality setting.Comment: 20 pp. v3: refs. added, discussion added on limitations of formalis
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