An Alternative Construction of the Quantum Action for Supergravity

We develop a method to derive the on-shell invariant quantum action of the supergravity in such a way that the quartic ghost interaction term is explicity determined. First, we reinvestigate the simple supergravity in terms of a principal superfibre bundle. This gives rise to the closed geometrical BRST algebra. Therefore we determine the open BRST algebra, which realizes the invariance of the classical action. Then, given a prescription to build the full quantum action, we obtain the quantum BRST algebra. Together with the constructed quantum action this allows us to recover the auxiliary fields and the invariant extension of the classical action.Comment: 17 pages, No figure

On Auxiliary Fields in BF Theories

We discuss the structure of auxiliary fields for non-Abelian BF theories in arbitrary dimensions. By modifying the classical BRST operator, we build the on-shell invariant complete quantum action. Therefore, we introduce the auxiliary fields which close the BRST algebra and lead to the invariant extension of the classical action.Comment: 7 pages, minor changes, typos in equations corrected and acknowledgements adde

Off-shell BRST-VSUSY superalgebra for D=4 BF theories in the superconnection formalism

We propose the superconnection formalism to construct the off-shell BRST-VSUSY superalgebra for D=4 BF theories. The method is based on the natural introduction of physical fields as well as auxiliary fields via superconnections and their associated supercurvatures defined on a superspace. We also give a prescription to build the off-shell BRST-VSUSY exact quantum action.Comment: Latex, 13 pages, no figures, comments and references adde

Monte Carlo simulation of a hard-sphere gas in the planar Fourier flow with a gravity field

By means of the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo method, the Boltzmann equation is numerically solved for a gas of hard spheres enclosed between two parallel plates kept at different temperatures and subject to the action of a gravity field normal to the plates. The profiles of pressure, density, temperature and heat flux are seen to be quite sensitive to the value of the gravity acceleration $g$. If the gravity field and the heat flux are parallel ($g>0$), the magnitudes of both the temperature gradient and the heat flux are smaller than in the opposite case ($g<0$). When considering the actual heat flux relative to the value predicted by the Fourier law, it is seen that, if $g>0$, the ratio increases as the reduced local field strength increases, while the opposite happens if $g<0$. The simulation results are compared with theoretical predictions for Maxwell moleculesComment: 18 pages (LaTex), 7 figures (eps