Milnor Invariants for Spatial Graphs

Link homotopy has been an active area of research for knot theorists since its introduction by Milnor in the 1950s. We introduce a new equivalence relation on spatial graphs called component homotopy, which reduces to link homotopy in the classical case. Unlike previous attempts at generalizing link homotopy to spatial graphs, our new relation allows analogues of some standard link homotopy results and invariants. In particular we can define a type of Milnor group for a spatial graph under component homotopy, and this group determines whether or not the spatial graph is splittable. More surprisingly, we will also show that whether the spatial graph is splittable up to component homotopy depends only on the link homotopy class of the links contained within it. Numerical invariants of the relation will also be produced.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figure

Chord Diagrams and Gauss Codes for Graphs

Chord diagrams on circles and their intersection graphs (also known as circle graphs) have been intensively studied, and have many applications to the study of knots and knot invariants, among others. However, chord diagrams on more general graphs have not been studied, and are potentially equally valuable in the study of spatial graphs. We will define chord diagrams for planar embeddings of planar graphs and their intersection graphs, and prove some basic results. Then, as an application, we will introduce Gauss codes for immersions of graphs in the plane and give algorithms to determine whether a particular crossing sequence is realizable as the Gauss code of an immersed graph.Comment: 20 pages, many figures. This version has been substantially rewritten, and the results are stronge

The decay of the X(3872) into \chi_{cJ} and the Operator Product Expansion in XEFT

XEFT is a low energy effective theory for the X(3872) that can be used to systematically analyze the decay and production of the X(3872) meson, assuming that it is a weakly bound state of charmed mesons. In a previous paper, we calculated the decays of X(3872) into \chi_{cJ} plus pions using a two-step procedure in which Heavy Hadron Chiral Perturbation Theory (HH\chiPT) amplitudes are matched onto XEFT operators and then X(3872) decay rates are then calculated using these operators. The procedure leads to IR divergences in the three-body decay X(3872) \to \chi_{cJ} \pi \pi when virtual D mesons can go on-shell in tree level HH\chiPT diagrams. In previous work, we regulated these IR divergences with the $D^{*0}$ width. In this work, we carefully analyze X(3872) \to \chi_{cJ} \pi^0 and X(3872) \to \chi_{cJ} \pi \pi using the operator product expansion (OPE) in XEFT. Forward scattering amplitudes in HH\chiPT are matched onto local operators in XEFT, the imaginary parts of which are responsible for the decay of the X(3872). Here we show that the IR divergences are regulated by the binding momentum of the X(3872) rather than the width of the D^{*0} meson. In the OPE, these IR divergences cancel in the calculation of the matching coefficients so the correct predictions for the X(3872) \to \chi_{c1} \pi \pi do not receive enhancements due to the width of the D^{*0}. We give updated predictions for the decay X(3872) \to \chi_{c1} \pi \pi at leading order in XEFT.Comment: 20 pages, 10 figure

Homotopy on spatial graphs and the Sato-Levine invariant

Edge-homotopy and vertex-homotopy are equivalence relations on spatial graphs which are generalizations of Milnor's link-homotopy. We introduce some edge (resp. vertex)-homotopy invariants of spatial graphs by applying the Sato-Levine invariant for the 2-component constituent algebraically split links and show examples of non-splittable spatial graphs up to edge (resp. vertex)-homotopy, all of whose constituent links are link-homotopically trivial.Comment: 17 pages,16 figure

Intrinsically linked graphs and even linking number

We study intrinsically linked graphs where we require that every embedding of the graph contains not just a non-split link, but a link that satisfies some additional property. Examples of properties we address in this paper are: a two component link with lk(A,L) = k2^r, k not 0, a non-split n-component link where all linking numbers are even, or an n-component link with components L, A_i where lk(L,A_i) = 3k, k not 0. Links with other properties are considered as well. For a given property, we prove that every embedding of a certain complete graph contains a link with that property. The size of the complete graph is determined by the property in question.Comment: Published by Algebraic and Geometric Topology at http://www.maths.warwick.ac.uk/agt/AGTVol5/agt-5-55.abs.htm

Some Considerations of the Goal Setting and Planning Processes in Public Higher Education

Too frequently the question of institutional purpose in higher education is unaddressed despite common agreement that it constitutes the critical core of organizational life. Resultantly, universities pursue complex programmes with little internal or external consensus on fundamental goals. This paper examines some important decision making areas in higher education and isolates a number of critical institutional variables which determine the nature of planning.La question d'objectif institutionnel est trop souvent escamotée malgré qu'elle constitue, selon l'accord commun, le noyau critique de la vie organisationnelle. Il en résulte que les universités poursuivent des programmes complexes sans trop chercher de consensus ni interne ni externe sur les objectifs fondamentaux. Cette étude fait l'analyse de quelques domaines importants de prise de décision dans l'enseignement supérieur et isole un certain nombre de variables institutionnels critiques qui déterminent l'orientation de la planification