122690514
Strings in the Operator Formalism
Abstract We consider string theories in the operator formalism. In particular we develop Polyakov strings completely in the operator language. The operator approach turns out to be economical, self-contained and manifestly modular invariant.
15868022
Donaldson Invariants for Non-Simply Connected Manifolds
Abstract:We study Coulomb branch (“u-plane”) integrals for supersymmetric SU(2),SO(3) Yang–Mills theory on 4-manifolds X of b1(X)>0, b2+(X)= 1. Using wall-crossing arguments we derive expressions for the Donaldson invariants for manifolds with b1(X)>0, b2+(X)>0. Explicit expressions for , where Fg is a Riemann surface of genus g are obtained using Kronecker's double series identity. The result might be useful in future studies of quantum cohomology.
118337669
Symmetries of the Bosonic String S-Matrix
The bracket operation on mutually local BRST classes may be combined with Lorentz invariance and analyticity to write an infinite set of finite difference relations on string scattering amplitudes. When combined with some simple physical criteria these relations uniquely determine the genus zero string $S$-matrix for $N\leq 26$-particle scattering in $\IR^{25,1}$ in terms of a single parameter, $\kappa$, the string coupling. We propose that the high-energy limit of the relations are the Ward identities for the high-energy symmetries of string theory.
124306496
The M theory three form and E(8) gauge theory
14205277
Melvin Models and Diophantine Approximation
Melvin models with irrational twist parameter provide an interesting example of conformal field theories with non-compact target space, and localized states which are arbitrarily close to being delocalized. We study the torus partition sum of these models, focusing on the properties of the regularized dimension of the space of localized states. We show that its behavior is related to interesting arithmetic properties of the twist parameter γ, such as the Lyapunov exponent. Moreover, for γ in a set of measure one the regularized dimension is in fact not a well-defined number but must be considered as a random variable in a probability distribution.
122595912
Anomalies in Nonlinear $\sigma$ Models
Certain nonlinear sigma models with fermions suffer from an anomaly similar to the one in non-Abelian gauge theory. We exhibit this anomaly using both perturbative and global methods. The affected theories are ill defined and hence unsuitable for describing low-energy dynamics. They include certain supersymmetric models in four space-time dimensions.
119023526
The phantom menaced: Constraints on low-energy effective ghosts
It has been suggested that a scalar field with negative kinetic energy, or ``ghost,'' could be the source of the observed late-time cosmological acceleration. Naively, such theories should be ruled out by the catastrophic quantum instability of the vacuum. We derive phenomenological bounds on the Lorentz-violating ultraviolet cutoff $\ensuremath{\Lambda}$ which must apply to low-energy effective theories of ghosts, in order to keep the instability at unobservable levels. Assuming only that ghosts interact at least gravitationally, we show that $\ensuremath{\Lambda}\ensuremath{\lesssim}3\mathrm{MeV}$ for consistency with the cosmic gamma ray background. We also show that theories of ghosts with a Lorentz-conserving cutoff are completely excluded.
119099410
Energy loss of leading hadrons and direct photon production in evolving quark-gluon plasma
We calculate the nuclear modification factor of neutral pions and the photon yield at high p{sub T} in central Au-Au collisions at the Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider (RHIC) ({radical}(s)=200 GeV) and Pb-Pb collisions at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) ({radical}(s)=5500 GeV). A leading-order accurate treatment of jet energy loss in the medium has been convolved with a physical description of the initial spatial distribution of jets and a one dimensional hydrodynamic expansion. We reproduce the nuclear modification factor for pions R{sub AA} at RHIC, assuming an initial temperature T{sub i}=370 MeV and a formation time {tau}{sub i}=0.26 fm/c, corresponding to dN/dy=1260. The resulting suppression depends on the particle rapidity density dN/dy but weakly on the initial temperature. The jet energy loss treatment is also included in the calculation of high p{sub T} photons. Photons coming from primordial hard N-N scattering are the dominant contribution at RHIC for p{sub T}>5 GeV, whereas at the LHC, the range 8
14446171
Was the electroweak phase transition preceded by a color broken phase
It has been suggested, in connection with electroweak baryogenesis in the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM), that the right-handed top squark has a negative mass squared parameter, such that its field could condense prior to the electroweak phase transition (EWPT). Thus color and electric charge could have been broken just before the EWPT. Here we investigate whether the tunneling rate from the color-broken vacuum can ever be large enough for the EWPT to occur in this case. We find that, even when all parameters are adjusted to their most favorable values, the nucleation rate is many orders of magnitude too small. We conclude that, without additional physics beyond the MSSM, the answer to our title question is ``no.'' This gives constraints in the plane of the light top squark mass versus parameters related to top squark mixing. However it may be possible to get color breaking in extended models, such as those with R-parity violation.
14338184
The Sphaleron Rate: Bodeker's Leading Log
Bodeker has recently shown that the high temperature sphaleron rate, which measures baryon number violation in the hot standard model, receives logarithmic corrections to its leading parametric behavior; Γ=κ′[log(mD/g2T)+O(1)](g2T2/mD2)αW5T4. After discussing the physical origin of these corrections, I compute the leading log coefficient numerically: κ′=10.8±0.7. The log is fairly small relative to the O(1) “correction;” so non-logarithmic contributions dominate at realistic values of the coupling.
14264323
A nonperturbative measurement of the broken phase sphaleron rate
Abstract We develop a method to compute the sphaleron rate in the electroweak broken phase nonperturbatively. The rate is somewhat slower than a perturbative estimate. In SU(2)×U(1) Higgs theory at the physical value of Θ W , and assuming that the latent heat of the phase transition reheats the universe to the equilibrium temperature, baryon number erasure after the phase transition is prevented only when ( λ / g 2 )≤0.036.