Iterated Monodromy Groups of Quadratic Polynomials, I

We describe the iterated monodromy groups associated with post-critically finite quadratic polynomials, and explicit their connection to the `kneading sequence' of the polynomial. We then give recursive presentations by generators and relations for these groups, and study some of their properties, like torsion and `branchness'.Comment: 18 pages, 3 EPS figure

Alternating trilinear forms on a 9-dimensional space and degenerations of (3,3)-polarized Abelian surfaces

We give a detailed analysis of the semisimple elements, in the sense of Vinberg, of the third exterior power of a 9-dimensional vector space over an algebraically closed field of characteristic different from 2 and 3. To a general such element, one can naturally associate an Abelian surface X, which is embedded in 8-dimensional projective space. We study the combinatorial structure of this embedding and explicitly recover the genus 2 curve whose Jacobian variety is X. We also classify the types of degenerations of X that can occur. Taking the union over all Abelian surfaces in Heisenberg normal form, we get a 5-dimensional variety which is a birational model for a genus 2 analogue of Shioda's modular surfaces. We find determinantal set-theoretic equations for this variety and present some additional equations which conjecturally generate the radical ideal.Comment: 30 pages; v2: small correction

Existence, uniqueness and a constructive solution algorithm for a class of finite Markov moment problems

We consider a class of finite Markov moment problems with arbitrary number of positive and negative branches. We show criteria for the existence and uniqueness of solutions, and we characterize in detail the non-unique solution families. Moreover, we present a constructive algorithm to solve the moment problems numerically and prove that the algorithm computes the right solution

Quantum geometry from phase space reduction

In this work we give an explicit isomorphism between the usual spin network basis and the direct quantization of the reduced phase space of tetrahedra. The main outcome is a formula that describes the space of SU(2) invariant states by an integral over coherent states satisfying the closure constraint exactly, or equivalently, as an integral over the space of classical tetrahedra. This provides an explicit realization of theorems by Guillemin--Sternberg and Hall that describe the commutation of quantization and reduction. In the final part of the paper, we use our result to express the FK spin foam model as an integral over classical tetrahedra and the asymptotics of the vertex amplitude is determined.Comment: 33 pages, 1 figur

Space charge induced luminescence in epoxy resin

Dielectric breakdown of epoxies is preceded by a light emission from the solid state material, so-called electroluminescence. Very little is known however on the luminescence properties of epoxy. The aim of this paper is to derive information that can be used as a basis to understand the nature of the excited states and their involvement in electrical degradation processes