963 research outputs found
Classical Time Crystals
We consider the possibility that classical dynamical systems display motion
in their lowest energy state, forming a time analogue of crystalline spatial
order. Challenges facing that idea are identified and overcome. We display
arbitrary orbits of an angular variable as lowest-energy trajectories for
nonsingular Lagrangian systems. Dynamics within orbits of broken symmetry
provide a natural arena for formation of time crystals. We exhibit models of
that kind, including a model with traveling density waves.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figur
Asymptotic Freedom: From Paradox to Paradigm
Asymptotic freedom was developed as a response to two paradoxes: the
weirdness of quarks, and in particular their failure to radiate copiously when
struck; and the coexistence of special relativity and quantum theory, despite
the apparent singularity of quantum field theory. It resolved these paradoxes,
and catalyzed the development of several modern paradigms: the hard reality of
quarks and gluons, the origin of mass from energy, the simplicity of the early
universe, and the power of symmetry as a guide to physical law.Comment: 26 pages, 10 figures. Lecture on receipt of the 2004 Nobel Prize. v2:
typo (in Ohm's law) correcte
Gravitational Theory with a Dynamical Time
A gravitational theory involving a vector field , whose zero
component has the properties of a dynamical time, is studied. The variation of
the action with respect to gives the covariant conservation of an
energy momentum tensor . Studying the theory in a
background which has killing vectors and killing tensors we find appropriate
shift symmetries of the field which lead to conservation laws. The
energy momentum that is the source of gravity is different
but related to and the covariant conservation of determines in general the vector field . When is chosen to be proportional to the metric, the theory
coincides with the Two Measures Theory, which has been studied before in
relation to the Cosmological Constant Problem. When the matter model consists
of point particles, or strings, the form of , solutions for
are found. For the case of a string gas cosmology, we find that
the Milne Universe can be a solution, where the gas of strings does not curve
the spacetime since although , , as a model for the early universe, this solution is also free
of the horizon problem. There may be also an application to the "time problem"
of quantum cosmology.Comment: 21 pages, discussions extended, some more explicit proofs included,
more references include
Spin-Dependent Hubbard Model and a Quantum Phase Transition in Cold Atoms
We describe an experimental protocol for introducing spin-dependent lattice
structure in a cold atomic fermi gas using lasers. It can be used to realize
Hubbard models whose hopping parameters depend on spin and whose interaction
strength can be controlled with an external magnetic field. We suggest that
exotic superfluidities will arise in this framework. An especially interesting
possibility is a class of states that support coexisting superfluid and normal
components, even at zero temperature. The quantity of normal component varies
with external parameters. We discuss some aspects of the quantum phase
transition that arises at the point where it vanishes.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures; added/corrected references in [11] and [44
A sharp 141 GeV Higgs prediction from environmental selection
We construct an environmentally selected supersymmetric standard model with a
single Higgs doublet, in analogy with the work of Hall and Nomura. The low
energy spectrum presents only the standard model states with a single Higgs and
TeV scale gauginos. The model features a precise Higgs mass prediction
m_H=141\pm 2 GeV and the neutral wino provides a viable dark matter candidate.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, 2 tables. v2: Minor corrections and amendments,
references adde
Charge Violation and Alice Behavior in Global and Textured Strings
Spontaneous breaking of global symmetries can produce ``Alice'' strings: line
defects which make unbroken symmetries multivalued, induce apparent charge
violation via Aharonov-Bohm interactions, and form point defects when twisted
into loops. We demonstrate this behavior for both divergent and textured global
Alice strings. Both adiabatically scatter charged particles via effective
Wilson lines. For textured Alice strings, such Wilson lines occur at all radii,
and are multivalued only inside the string. This produces measurable effects,
including path-dependent charge violation.Comment: 32 pages, 2 epsfigs, Revte
Lattice determination of the critical point of QCD at finite T and \mu
Based on universal arguments it is believed that there is a critical point
(E) in QCD on the temperature (T) versus chemical potential (\mu) plane, which
is of extreme importance for heavy-ion experiments. Using finite size scaling
and a recently proposed lattice method to study QCD at finite \mu we determine
the location of E in QCD with n_f=2+1 dynamical staggered quarks with
semi-realistic masses on lattices. Our result is T_E=160 \pm 3.5 MeV
and \mu_E= 725 \pm 35 MeV. For the critical temperature at \mu=0 we obtained
T_c=172 \pm 3 MeV.Comment: misprints corrected, version to appear in JHE
Parity Violation in Aharonov-Bohm Systems: The Spontaneous Hall Effect
We show how macroscopic manifestations of (and ) symmetry breaking can
arise in a simple system subject to Aharonov-Bohm interactions. Specifically,
we study the conductivity of a gas of charged particles moving through a dilute
array of flux tubes. The interaction of the electrons with the flux tubes is
taken to be of a purely Aharonov-Bohm type. We find that the system exhibits a
non-zero transverse conductivity, i.e., a spontaneous Hall effect. This is in
contrast with the fact that the cross sections for both scattering and
bremsstrahlung (soft photon emission) of a single electron from a flux tube are
invariant under reflections. We argue that the asymmetry in the conductivity
coefficients arises from many-body effects. On the other hand, the transverse
conductivity has the same dependence on universal constants that appears in the
Quantum Hall Effect, a result that we relate to the validity of the Mean Field
approximation.Comment: 12 pages (4 figures available upon request), RevTex, EHU-FT-93/1
Holographic Anyons in the ABJM Theory
We consider the holographic anyons in the ABJM theory from three different
aspects of AdS/CFT correspondence. First, we identify the holographic anyons by
using the field equations of supergravity, including the Chern-Simons terms of
the probe branes. We find that the composite of Dp-branes wrapped over CP3 with
the worldvolume magnetic fields can be the anyons. Next, we discuss the
possible candidates of the dual anyonic operators on the CFT side, and find the
agreement of their anyonic phases with the supergravity analysis. Finally, we
try to construct the brane profile for the holographic anyons by solving the
equations of motion and Killing spinor equations for the embedding profile of
the wrapped branes. As a by product, we find a BPS spiky brane for the dual
baryons in the ABJM theory.Comment: 1+33 pages, 3 figures; v2 discussion for D4-D6 case added, references
added; v3 comments adde
Internal Frame Dragging and a Global Analog of the Aharonov-Bohm Effect
It is shown that the breakdown of a {\it global} symmetry group to a discrete
subgroup can lead to analogues of the Aharonov-Bohm effect. At sufficiently low
momentum, the cross-section for scattering of a particle with nontrivial
charge off a global vortex is almost equal to (but definitely different from)
maximal Aharonov-Bohm scattering; the effect goes away at large momentum. The
scattering of a spin-1/2 particle off a magnetic vortex provides an amusing
experimentally realizable example.Comment: (14 pp
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