T-duality Twists and Asymmetric Orbifolds

We study some aspects of asymmetric orbifolds of tori, with the orbifold group being some $\mathbb{Z}_N$ subgroup of the T-duality group and, in particular, provide a concrete understanding of certain phase factors that may accompany the T-duality operation on the stringy Hilbert space in toroidal compactification. We discuss how these T-duality twist phase factors are related to the symmetry and locality properties of the closed string vertex operator algebra, and clarify the role that they enact in the modular covariance of the orbifold theory, mainly using asymmetric orbifolds of tori which are root lattices as working examples.Comment: 67 pages. v2: references added and typos correcte

Ground States of S-duality Twisted N=4 Super Yang-Mills Theory

We study the low-energy limit of a compactification of N=4 U(n) super Yang-Mills theory on $S^1$ with boundary conditions modified by an S-duality and R-symmetry twist. This theory has N=6 supersymmetry in 2+1D. We analyze the $T^2$ compactification of this 2+1D theory by identifying a dual weakly coupled type-IIA background. The Hilbert space of normalizable ground states is finite-dimensional and appears to exhibit a rich structure of sectors. We identify most of them with Hilbert spaces of Chern-Simons theory (with appropriate gauge groups and levels). We also discuss a realization of a related twisted compactification in terms of the (2,0)-theory, where the recent solution by Gaiotto and Witten of the boundary conditions describing D3-branes ending on a (p,q) 5-brane plays a crucial role.Comment: 104 pages, 5 figures. Revisions to subsection (6.6) and other minor corrections included in version

Indenture as a Self-Enforced Contract Device: An Experimental Test

We experimentally test the efficacy of indenture as a self-enforced contract device. In an indenture game, the principal signals the intention of payment-on-delivery, by tearing a banknote and giving the agent half of it as "prepayment"; the agent receives the completing half after delivering the service. By forward induction, cooperation is incentive-compatibly self-enforcing. The indenture performs very well, inducing a significantly higher level of cooperation than that in a three-stage centipede game, which we use to benchmark the natural rate of cooperation. The difference between cooperation rates in both games increases over time.Cooperation, experiment, contracts, indenture, reciprocity

Computer simulation of the mathematical modeling involved in constitutive equation development: Via symbolic computations

Development of new material models for describing the high temperature constitutive behavior of real materials represents an important area of research in engineering disciplines. Derivation of mathematical expressions (constitutive equations) which describe this high temperature material behavior can be quite time consuming, involved and error prone; thus intelligent application of symbolic systems to facilitate this tedious process can be of significant benefit. A computerized procedure (SDICE) capable of efficiently deriving potential based constitutive models, in analytical form is presented. This package, running under MACSYMA, has the following features: partial differentiation, tensor computations, automatic grouping and labeling of common factors, expression substitution and simplification, back substitution of invariant and tensorial relations and a relational data base. Also limited aspects of invariant theory were incorporated into SDICE due to the utilization of potentials as a starting point and the desire for these potentials to be frame invariant (objective). Finally not only calculation of flow and/or evolutionary laws were accomplished but also the determination of history independent nonphysical coefficients in terms of physically measurable parameters, e.g., Young's modulus, was achieved. The uniqueness of SDICE resides in its ability to manipulate expressions in a general yet predefined order and simplify expressions so as to limit expression growth. Results are displayed when applicable utilizing index notation