Nontrivial classes in H∗(Imb(S1,Rn))H^*(Imb(S^1,\R^n)) from nontrivalent graph cocycles

We construct nontrivial cohomology classes of the space $Imb(S^1,\R^n)$ of imbeddings of the circle into $\R^n$, by means of Feynman diagrams. More precisely, starting from a suitable linear combination of nontrivalent diagrams, we construct, for every even number $n\geq 4$, a de Rham cohomology class on $Imb(S^1,\R^n)$. We prove nontriviality of these classes by evaluation on the dual cycles.Comment: 10 pages, 11 figures. V2: minor changes, typos correcte

Big qq-ample Line Bundles

A recent paper of Totaro develops a theory of $q$-ample bundles in characteristic 0. Specifically, a line bundle $L$ on $X$ is $q$-ample if for every coherent sheaf $\mathcal{F}$ on $X$, there exists an integer $m_0$ such that $m\geq m_0$ implies $H^i(X,\mathcal{F}\otimes \mathcal{O}(mL))=0$ for $i>q$. We show that a line bundle $L$ on a complex projective scheme $X$ is $q$-ample if and only if the restriction of $L$ to its augmented base locus is $q$-ample. In particular, when $X$ is a variety and $L$ is big but fails to be $q$-ample, then there exists a codimension 1 subscheme $D$ of $X$ such that the restriction of $L$ to $D$ is not $q$-ample.Comment: 9 pages, 2 pdf figure

On the naturality of the Mathai-Quillen formula

We give an alternative proof for the Mathai-Quillen formula for a Thom form using its natural behaviour with respect to fiberwise integration. We also study this phenomenon in general context.Comment: 6 page

A study of electric motors for use in liquid and gaseous helium Engineering report no. 3530

Electric motor design and operation in liquid and gaseous helium environment

Link Invariants for Flows in Higher Dimensions

Linking numbers in higher dimensions and their generalization including gauge fields are studied in the context of BF theories. The linking numbers associated to $n$-manifolds with smooth flows generated by divergence-free p-vector fields, endowed with an invariant flow measure are computed in different cases. They constitute invariants of smooth dynamical systems (for non-singular flows) and generalizes previous results for the 3-dimensional case. In particular, they generalizes to higher dimensions the Arnold's asymptotic Hopf invariant for the three-dimensional case. This invariant is generalized by a twisting with a non-abelian gauge connection. The computation of the asymptotic Jones-Witten invariants for flows is naturally extended to dimension n=2p+1. Finally we give a possible interpretation and implementation of these issues in the context of string theory.Comment: 21+1 pages, LaTeX, no figure

The polarization of the planet-hosting WASP-18 system

We report observations of the linear polarization of the WASP-18 system, which harbors a very massive ( approx 10 M_J) planet orbiting very close to its star with an orbital period of 0.94 days. We find the WASP-18 system is polarized at about 200 parts-per-million (ppm), likely from the interstellar medium predominantly, with no strong evidence for phase dependent modulation from reflected light from the planet. We set an upper limit of 40 ppm (99% confidence level) on the amplitude of a reflected polarized light planetary signal. We compare the results with models for a number of processes that may produce polarized light in a planetary system to determine if we can rule out any phenomena with this limit. Models of reflected light from thick clouds can approach or exceed this limit, but such clouds are unlikely at the high temperature of the WASP-18b atmosphere. Additionally, we model the expected polarization resulting from the transit of the planet across the star and find this has an amplitude of about 1.6 ppm, which is well below our detection limits. We also model the polarization due to the tidal distortion of the star by the massive planet and find this is also too small to be measured currently.Comment: 23 pages, 10 Figures, 6 Tables, Accepted to A

Cyclic cocycles on twisted convolution algebras

We give a construction of cyclic cocycles on convolution algebras twisted by gerbes over discrete translation groupoids. For proper \'etale groupoids, Tu and Xu provide a map between the periodic cyclic cohomology of a gerbe-twisted convolution algebra and twisted cohomology groups which is similar to a construction of Mathai and Stevenson. When the groupoid is not proper, we cannot construct an invariant connection on the gerbe; therefore to study this algebra, we instead develop simplicial techniques to construct a simplicial curvature 3-form representing the class of the gerbe. Then by using a JLO formula we define a morphism from a simplicial complex twisted by this simplicial curvature 3-form to the mixed bicomplex computing the periodic cyclic cohomology of the twisted convolution algebras. The results in this article were originally published in the author's Ph.D. thesis.Comment: 39 page

A Note on the Equality of Algebraic and Geometric D-Brane Charges in WZW Models

The algebraic definition of charges for symmetry-preserving D-branes in Wess-Zumino-Witten models is shown to coincide with the geometric definition, for all simple Lie groups. The charge group for such branes is computed from the ambiguities inherent in the geometric definition.Comment: 12 pages, fixed typos, added references and a couple of remark

Optical absorption of non-interacting tight-binding electrons in a Peierls-distorted chain at half band-filling

In this first of three articles on the optical absorption of electrons in half-filled Peierls-distorted chains we present analytical results for non-interacting tight-binding electrons. We carefully derive explicit expressions for the current operator, the dipole transition matrix elements, and the optical absorption for electrons with a cosine dispersion relation of band width $W$ and dimerization parameter $\delta$. New correction (``$\eta$''-)terms to the current operator are identified. A broad band-to-band transition is found in the frequency range $W\delta < \omega < W$ whose shape is determined by the joint density of states for the upper and lower Peierls subbands and the strong momentum dependence of the transition matrix elements.Comment: 17 pages REVTEX 3.0, 2 postscript figures; hardcopy versions before May 96 are obsolete; accepted for publication in The Philosophical Magazine