Gaussian Effective Potential and the Coleman's normal-ordering Prescription : the Functional Integral Formalism

For a class of system, the potential of whose Bosonic Hamiltonian has a Fourier representation in the sense of tempered distributions, we calculate the Gaussian effective potential within the framework of functional integral formalism. We show that the Coleman's normal-ordering prescription can be formally generalized to the functional integral formalism.Comment: 6 pages, revtex; With derivation details and an example added. To appear in J. Phys.

Higher-spin Realisations of the Bosonic String

It has been shown that certain $W$ algebras can be linearised by the inclusion of a spin--1 current. This provides a way of obtaining new realisations of the $W$ algebras. Recently such new realisations of $W_3$ were used in order to embed the bosonic string in the critical and non-critical $W_3$ strings. In this paper, we consider similar embeddings in $W_{2,4}$ and $W_{2,6}$ strings. The linearisation of $W_{2,4}$ is already known, and can be achieved for all values of central charge. We use this to embed the bosonic string in critical and non-critical $W_{2,4}$ strings. We then derive the linearisation of $W_{2,6}$ using a spin--1 current, which turns out to be possible only at central charge $c=390$. We use this to embed the bosonic string in a non-critical $W_{2,6}$ string.Comment: 8 pages. CTP TAMU-10/95

Liouville and Toda Solitons in M-theory

We study the general form of the equations for isotropic single-scalar, multi-scalar and dyonic $p$-branes in superstring theory and M-theory, and show that they can be cast into the form of Liouville, Toda (or Toda-like) equations. The general solutions describe non-extremal isotropic $p$-branes, reducing to the previously-known extremal solutions in limiting cases. In the non-extremal case, the dilatonic scalar fields are finite at the outer event horizon.Comment: Latex, 10 pages. Minor corrections to text and titl

In-medium electron-nucleon scattering

In-medium nucleon electromagnetic form factors are calculated in the quark meson coupling model. The form factors are typically found to be suppressed as the density increases. For example, at normal nuclear density and $Q^2 \sim 0.3 { GeV}^2$, the nucleon electric form factors are reduced by approximately 8% while the magnetic form factors are reduced by only 1 - 2%. These variations are consistent with current experimental limits but should be tested by more precise experiments in the near future.Comment: 14 pages, latex, 3 figure