Vacuum polarization by topological defects in de Sitter spacetime

In this paper we investigate the vacuum polarization effects associated with a massive quantum scalar field in de Sitter spacetime in the presence of gravitational topological defects. Specifically we calculate the vacuum expectation value of the field square, $$. Because this investigation has been developed in a pure de Sitter space, here we are mainly interested on the effects induced by the presence of the defects.Comment: Talk presented at the 1st. Mediterranean Conference on Classical and Quantum Gravity (MCCQG

Nonplanar integrability at two loops

In this article we compute the action of the two loop dilatation operator on restricted Schur polynomials that belong to the su(2) sector, in the displaced corners approximation. In this non-planar large N limit, operators that diagonalize the one loop dilatation operator are not corrected at two loops. The resulting spectrum of anomalous dimensions is related to a set of decoupled harmonic oscillators, indicating integrability in this sector of the theory at two loops. The anomalous dimensions are a non-trivial function of the 't Hooft coupling, with a spectrum that is continuous and starting at zero at large N, but discrete at finite N.Comment: version to appear in JHE

A Link Between the Semi-Major Axis of Extrasolar Gas Giant Planets and Stellar Metallicity

The fact that most extrasolar planets found to date are orbiting metal-rich stars lends credence to the core accretion mechanism of gas giant planet formation over its competitor, the disc instability mechanism. However, the core accretion mechanism is not refined to the point of explaining orbital parameters such as their unexpected semi-major axes and eccentricities. We propose a model, which correlates the metallicity of the host star with the original semi-major axis of its most massive planet, prior to migration, considering that the core accretion scenario governs giant gas planet formation. The model predicts that the optimum regions for planetary formation shift inward as stellar metallicity decreases, providing an explanation for the observed absence of long period planets in metal-poor stars. We compare our predictions with the available data on extrasolar planets for stars with masses similar to the mass of the Sun. A fitting procedure produces an estimate of what we define as the Zero Age Planetary Orbit (ZAPO) curve as a function of the metallicity of the star. The model also hints that the lack of planets circling metal-poor stars may be partly caused by an enhanced destruction probability during the migration process, since the planets lie initially closer to the central stars.Comment: Nature of the replacement: According to recent simulations, the temperature profile, T, is more adequately reproduced by beta = 1 rather than beta = 2. We have introduced a distance scale factor that solves the very fast drop of T for low metallicity and introduces naturally the inferior distance limit of our ZAPO. Under this modification all the fitting process was altere

A double coset ansatz for integrability in AdS/CFT

We give a proof that the expected counting of strings attached to giant graviton branes in AdS_5 x S^5, as constrained by the Gauss Law, matches the dimension spanned by the expected dual operators in the gauge theory. The counting of string-brane configurations is formulated as a graph counting problem, which can be expressed as the number of points on a double coset involving permutation groups. Fourier transformation on the double coset suggests an ansatz for the diagonalization of the one-loop dilatation operator in this sector of strings attached to giant graviton branes. The ansatz agrees with and extends recent results which have found the dynamics of open string excitations of giants to be given by harmonic oscillators. We prove that it provides the conjectured diagonalization leading to harmonic oscillators.Comment: 33 pages, 3 figures; v2: references adde

Nonrelativistic Quantum Analysis of the Charged Particle-Dyon System on a Conical Spacetime

In this paper we develop the nonrelativistic quantum analysis of the charged particle-dyon system in the spacetime produced by an idealized cosmic string. In order to do that, we assume that the dyon is superposed to the cosmic string. Considering this peculiar configuration {\it conical} monopole harmonics are constructed, which are a generalizations of previous monopole harmonics obtained by Wu and Yang(1976 {\it Nucl. Phys. B} {\bf 107} 365) defined on a conical three-geometry. Bound and scattering wave functions are explicitly derived. As to bound states, we present the energy spectrum of the system, and analyze how the presence of the topological defect modifies obtained result. We also analyze this system admitting the presence of an extra isotropic harmonic potential acting on the particle. We show that the presence of this potential produces significant changes in the energy spectrum of the system.Comment: Paper accepted for publication in Classical and Quantum Gravit

Vacuum Polarization of a Massless Scalar Field in the Background of a Global Monopole with Finite Core

In this paper we analyze the vacuum polarization effects of a massless scalar field in the background of a global monopole considering a inner structure to it. Specifically we investigate the effect of its structure on the vacuum expectation value of the square of the field operator, , admitting a non-minimal coupling between the field with the geometry: $\xi {\cal{R}}\hat{\Phi}^2$. Also we calculate the corrections on the vacuum expectation value of the energy-momentum tensor, , due to the inner structure of the monopole. In order to develop these analysis, we calculate the Euclidean Green function associated with the system for points in the region outside the core. As we shall see, for specific value of the coupling parameter $\xi$, the corrections caused by the inner structure of the monopole can provide relevant contributions on these vacuum polarizations.Comment: Accepted for publication in Classical and Quantum Gravity. Added references. 22 pages, 1 figur