336 research outputs found
Constrained generalized supersymmetries and superparticles with tensorial central charges. A classification
We classify the admissible types of constraint (hermitian, holomorphic, with
reality conditions on the bosonic sectors, etc.) for generalized
supersymmetries in the presence of complex spinors. We further point out which
constrained generalized supersymmetries admit a dual formulation. For both real
and complex spinors generalized supersymmetries are constructed and classified
as dimensional reductions of supersymmetries from {\em oxidized} space-times
(i.e. the maximal space-times associated to -component Clifford irreps). We
apply these results to sistematically construct a class of models describing
superparticles in presence of bosonic tensorial central charges, deriving the
consistency conditions for the existence of the action, as well as the
constrained equations of motion. Examples of these models (which, in their
twistorial formulation, describe towers of higher-spin particles) were first
introduced by Rudychev and Sezgin (for real spinors) and later by Bandos and
Lukierski (for complex spinors).Comment: 32 pages, LaTe
The holonomy of the supercovariant connection and Killing spinors
We show that the holonomy of the supercovariant connection for M-theory
backgrounds with Killing spinors reduces to a subgroup of SL(32-N,\bR)\st
(\oplus^N \bR^{32-N}). We use this to give the necessary and sufficient
conditions for a background to admit Killing spinors. We show that there is
no topological obstruction for the existence of up to 22 Killing spinors in
eleven-dimensional spacetime. We investigate the symmetry superalgebras of
supersymmetric backgrounds and find that their structure constants are
determined by an antisymmetric matrix. The Lie subalgebra of bosonic generators
is related to a real form of a symplectic group. We show that there is a
one-one correspondence between certain bases of the Cartan subalgebra of
sl(32, \bR) and supersymmetric planar probe M-brane configurations. A
supersymmetric probe configuration can involve up to 31 linearly independent
planar branes and preserves one supersymmetry. The space of supersymmetric
planar probe M-brane configurations is preserved by an SO(32,\bR) subgroup of
SL(32, \bR).Comment: 27 pages, a key reference was added. v3: minor change
Hermitian versus holomorphic complex and quaternionic generalized supersymmetries of the M-theory. A classification
Relying upon the division-algebra classification of Clifford algebras and
spinors, a classification of generalized supersymmetries (or, with a slight
abuse of language,"generalized supertranslations") is provided. In each given
space-time the maximal, saturated, generalized supersymmetry, compatible with
the division-algebra constraint that can be consistently imposed on spinors and
on superalgebra generators, is furnished. Constraining the superalgebra
generators in both the complex and the quaternionic cases gives rise to the two
classes of constrained hermitian and holomorphic generalized supersymmetries.
In the complex case these two classes of generalized supersymmetries can be
regarded as complementary. The quaternionic holomorphic supersymmetry only
exists in certain space-time dimensions and can admit at most a single bosonic
scalar central charge.
The results here presented pave the way for a better understanding of the
various algebra-type of structures which can be introduced in different
space-time signatures and in association with different division algebras, as
well as their mutual relations. In a previous work, e.g., the introduction of a
complex holomorphic generalized supersymmetry was shown to be necessary in
order to perform the analytic continuation of the standard -theory to the
11-dimensional Euclidean space. As an application of the present results, it is
shown that the above algebra also admits a 12-dimensional, Euclidean,
-algebra presentation.Comment: 25 pages, LaTe
K(E10), Supergravity and Fermions
We study the fermionic extension of the E10/K(E10) coset model and its
relation to eleven-dimensional supergravity. Finite-dimensional spinor
representations of the compact subgroup K(E10) of E(10,R) are studied and the
supergravity equations are rewritten using the resulting algebraic variables.
The canonical bosonic and fermionic constraints are also analysed in this way,
and the compatibility of supersymmetry with local K(E10) is investigated. We
find that all structures involving A9 levels 0,1 and 2 nicely agree with
expectations, and provide many non-trivial consistency checks of the existence
of a supersymmetric extension of the E10/K(E10) coset model, as well as a new
derivation of the `bosonic dictionary' between supergravity and coset
variables. However, there are also definite discrepancies in some terms
involving level 3, which suggest the need for an extension of the model to
infinite-dimensional faithful representations of the fermionic degrees of
freedom.Comment: 50 page
An E9 multiplet of BPS states
We construct an infinite E9 multiplet of BPS states for 11D supergravity. For
each positive real root of E9 we obtain a BPS solution of 11D supergravity, or
of its exotic counterparts, depending on two non-compact transverse space
variables. All these solutions are related by U-dualities realised via E9 Weyl
transformations in the regular embedding of E9 in E10, E10 in E11. In this way
we recover the basic BPS solutions, namely the KK-wave, the M2 brane, the M5
brane and the KK6-monopole, as well as other solutions admitting eight
longitudinal space dimensions. A novel technique of combining Weyl reflexions
with compensating transformations allows the construction of many new BPS
solutions, each of which can be mapped to a solution of a dual effective action
of gravity coupled to a certain higher rank tensor field. For real roots of E10
which are not roots of E9, we obtain additional BPS solutions transcending 11D
supergravity (as exemplified by the lowest level solution corresponding to the
M9 brane). The relation between the dual formulation and the one in terms of
the original 11D supergravity fields has significance beyond the realm of BPS
solutions. We establish the link with the Geroch group of general relativity,
and explain how the E9 duality transformations generalize the standard Hodge
dualities to an infinite set of `non-closing dualities'.Comment: 76 pages, 6 figure
Simulations of neutron background in a time projection chamber relevant to dark matter searches
Presented here are results of simulations of neutron background performed for
a time projection chamber acting as a particle dark matter detector in an
underground laboratory. The investigated background includes neutrons from rock
and detector components, generated via spontaneous fission and (alpha, n)
reactions, as well as those due to cosmic-ray muons. Neutrons were propagated
to the sensitive volume of the detector and the nuclear recoil spectra were
calculated. Methods of neutron background suppression were also examined and
limitations to the sensitivity of a gaseous dark matter detector are discussed.
Results indicate that neutrons should not limit sensitivity to WIMP-nucleon
interactions down to a level of (1 - 3) x 10^{-8} pb in a 10 kg detector.Comment: 27 pages (total, including 3 tables and 11 figures). Accepted for
publication in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research - Section
Vertical Confinement and Evolution of Reentrant Insulating Transition in the Fractional Quantum Hall Regime
We have observed an anomalous shift of the high field reentrant insulating
phases in a two-dimensional electron system (2DES) tightly confined within a
narrow GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well. Instead of the well-known transitions into the
high field insulating states centered around , the 2DES confined
within an 80\AA-wide quantum well exhibits the transition at .
Comparably large quantum lifetime of the 2DES in narrow well discounts the
effect of disorder and points to confinement as the primary driving force
behind the evolution of the reentrant transition.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
The effect of scale-free topology on the robustness and evolvability of genetic regulatory networks
We investigate how scale-free (SF) and Erdos-Renyi (ER) topologies affect the
interplay between evolvability and robustness of model gene regulatory networks
with Boolean threshold dynamics. In agreement with Oikonomou and Cluzel (2006)
we find that networks with SFin topologies, that is SF topology for incoming
nodes and ER topology for outgoing nodes, are significantly more evolvable
towards specific oscillatory targets than networks with ER topology for both
incoming and outgoing nodes. Similar results are found for networks with SFboth
and SFout topologies. The functionality of the SFout topology, which most
closely resembles the structure of biological gene networks (Babu et al.,
2004), is compared to the ER topology in further detail through an extension to
multiple target outputs, with either an oscillatory or a non-oscillatory
nature. For multiple oscillatory targets of the same length, the differences
between SFout and ER networks are enhanced, but for non-oscillatory targets
both types of networks show fairly similar evolvability. We find that SF
networks generate oscillations much more easily than ER networks do, and this
may explain why SF networks are more evolvable than ER networks are for
oscillatory phenotypes. In spite of their greater evolvability, we find that
networks with SFout topologies are also more robust to mutations than ER
networks. Furthermore, the SFout topologies are more robust to changes in
initial conditions (environmental robustness). For both topologies, we find
that once a population of networks has reached the target state, further
neutral evolution can lead to an increase in both the mutational robustness and
the environmental robustness to changes in initial conditions.Comment: 16 pages, 15 figure
Intersection rules, dynamics and symmetries
We consider theories containing gravity, at most one dilaton and form field
strengths. We show that the existence of particular BPS solutions of
intersecting extremal closed branes select the theories, which upon dimensional
reduction to three dimensions possess a simple simply laced Lie group symmetry
G. Furthermore these theories can be fully reconstructed from the dynamics of
such branes and of their openings. Amongst such theories are the effective
actions of the bosonic sector of M-theory and of the bosonic string. The BPS
intersecting brane solutions form representations of a subgroup of the group of
Weyl reflections and outer automorphisms of the triple Kac-Moody extension G+++
of the G algebra, which cannot be embedded in the overextended Kac-Moody
subalgebra G++ characterising the cosmological Kasner solutions.Comment: Latex 30 pages, 3 figure
Farming and the geography of nutrient production for human use: a transdisciplinary analysis
Background: Information about the global structure of agriculture and nutrient production and its diversity is essential to improve present understanding of national food production patterns, agricultural livelihoods, and food chains, and their linkages to land use and their associated ecosystems services. Here we provide a plausible breakdown of global agricultural and nutrient production by farm size, and also study the associations between farm size, agricultural diversity, and nutrient production. This analysis is crucial to design interventions that might be appropriately targeted to promote healthy diets and ecosystems in the face of population growth, urbanisation, and climate change.
Methods: We used existing spatially-explicit global datasets to estimate the production levels of 41 major crops, seven livestock, and 14 aquaculture and fish products. From overall production estimates, we estimated the production of vitamin A, vitamin Bââ, folate, iron, zinc, calcium, calories, and protein. We also estimated the relative contribution of farms of different sizes to the production of different agricultural commodities and associated nutrients, as well as how the diversity of food production based on the number of different products grown per geographic pixel and distribution of products within this pixel (Shannon diversity index [H]) changes with different farm sizes.
Findings: Globally, small and medium farms (â€50 ha) produce 51â77% of nearly all commodities and nutrients examined here. However, important regional differences exist. Large farms (>50 ha) dominate production in North America, South America, and Australia and New Zealand. In these regions, large farms contribute between 75% and 100% of all cereal, livestock, and fruit production, and the pattern is similar for other commodity groups. By contrast, small farms (â€20 ha) produce more than 75% of most food commodities in sub-Saharan Africa, southeast Asia, south Asia, and China. In Europe, west Asia and north Africa, and central America, medium-size farms (20â50 ha) also contribute substantially to the production of most food commodities. Very small farms (â€2 ha) are important and have local significance in sub-Saharan Africa, southeast Asia, and south Asia, where they contribute to about 30% of most food commodities. The majority of vegetables (81%), roots and tubers (72%), pulses (67%), fruits (66%), fish and livestock products (60%), and cereals (56%) are produced in diverse landscapes (H>1·5). Similarly, the majority of global micronutrients (53â81%) and protein (57%) are also produced in more diverse agricultural landscapes (H>1·5). By contrast, the majority of sugar (73%) and oil crops (57%) are produced in less diverse ones (Hâ€1·5), which also account for the majority of global calorie production (56%). The diversity of agricultural and nutrient production diminishes as farm size increases. However, areas of the world with higher agricultural diversity produce more nutrients, irrespective of farm size.
Interpretation: Our results show that farm size and diversity of agricultural production vary substantially across regions and are key structural determinants of food and nutrient production that need to be considered in plans to meet social, economic, and environmental targets. At the global level, both small and large farms have key roles in food and nutrition security. Efforts to maintain production diversity as farm sizes increase seem to be necessary to maintain the production of diverse nutrients and viable, multifunctional, sustainable landscapes.
Funding: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, CGIAR Research Programs on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security and on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health funded by the CGIAR Fund Council, Daniel and Nina Carasso Foundation, European Union, International Fund for Agricultural Development, Australian Research Council, National Science Foundation, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and Joint Programming Initiative on Agriculture, Food Security and Climate ChangeâBelmont Forum
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