The Hole Probability for Gaussian Entire Functions

We study the hole probability of Gaussian random entire functions. More specifically, we work with entire functions in Taylor series form with i.i.d complex Gaussian coefficients. A hole is the event where the function has no zeros in a disc of radius r. We find exact asymptotics for the rate of decay of the hole probability for large values of r, outside a small exceptional set (which is deterministic).Comment: 1 figur

Z2×Z2Z_2\times Z_2 orbifold compactification -- the origin of realistic free fermionic models

All the realistic free fermionic models utilize a set of basis vectors, the NAHE set, that correspond to $Z_2\times Z_2$ orbifold compactification with nontrivial background fields. I argue that the realistic features of free fermionic models, like the number of generations and the fermion mass spectrum are due to the underlying $Z_2\times Z_2$ orbifold compactification.Comment: 4 pages, latex, To appear in proceedings of the Beyond the Standard Model IV Conference, Lake Tahoe, CA, Dec 13-18, 1994. IASSNS preprint number is corrected

The Function of the Second Postulate in Special Relativity

Many authors noted that the principle of relativity, together with space-time symmetries, suffices to derive Lorentz-like coordinate transformations between inertial frames. These contain a free parameter, $k$, (equal to $c^{-2}$ in special relativity) which is usually claimed to be empirically determinable, so that special relativity does not need the postulate of constancy of the speed of light. I analyze this claim and find that all methods destined to measure $k$ fail without further assumptions, similar to the second postulate. Specifically, measuring $k$ requires a signal that travels identically in opposite directions (this is unrelated to the conventionality of synchronization, as the one-postulate program implicitly selects the standard synchronization convention). Positing such a property about light is logically weaker than Einstein's second postulate but suffices to recover special relativity in full