Skyrme model and Isospin Chemical Potential

We discuss the stability of the Skyrmion solution in the presence of a finite isospin chemical potential $\mu$. Solving numerically the mass of the Skyrmion as function of $\mu$, we find a critical value $\mu_c=222.8$ MeV where the Skyrmion mass vanishes. We compare the exact numerical treatment with an analytical discussion based on a special shape for the profile of the Skyrmion due to Atiyah and Manton. The extension of this ansatz for finite $\mu$ works quite well for $\mu<121$ MeV. Then, for small values of $\mu$, where the analytical approach is valid, we consider the possibility of having an angular deformation for the Skyrmionic profile, which is possible for finite values of $\mu$. This is however, a small effect. Finally we introduce finite temperature corrections, which strength the instability induced by the chemical potential, finding the dependence of the critical temperature on $\mu$.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figure

Why did modern post-tensioned floors flourish in the us and not in europe -a matter of tradition?

Unlike in Europe, prestressed concrete with post-tensioned reinforcement came to be a standard technique in building construction in the US. Kenneth Bondy has been the only one who has made a significant contribution to clarify why this occurred, by writing about his insights on the origins of post-tensioned floors in the United States. His vision is completed here with new data and put into context. Moreover, the American and European situations are compared in an attempt to explain why things developed so differently on each side of the Atlantic.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Two-flavor condensates in chiral dynamics: temperature and isospin density effects

Isospin density and thermal corrections for several condensates are discussed, at the one-loop level, in the frame of chiral dynamics with pionic degrees of freedom. The evolution of such objects give an additional insight into the condensed-pion phase transition, that occurs basically when |\mui|>m_\pi, being |\mui| the isospin chemical potential. Calculations are done in both phases, showing a good agreement with lattice results for such condensates.Comment: 9 pages, 10 figure

Ultrafilter spaces on the semilattice of partitions

The Stone-Cech compactification of the natural numbers bN, or equivalently, the space of ultrafilters on the subsets of omega, is a well-studied space with interesting properties. If one replaces the subsets of omega by partitions of omega, one can define corresponding, non-homeomorphic spaces of partition ultrafilters. It will be shown that these spaces still have some of the nice properties of bN, even though none is homeomorphic to bN. Further, in a particular space, the minimal height of a tree pi-base and P-points are investigated