Duality Covariant Formulation of Extended Supergravity: Central Charges,BPS States and Black-Hole Entropy

In these lectures we give a geometrical formulation of N-extrended supergravities which generalizes N = 2 special geometry of N = 2 theories. In all these theories duality symmetries are related to the notion of “flat symplectic bundles” and central charges may be defined as “sections” over these bundles. Attractor points giving rise to “fixed scalars” of the horizon geometry and Bekenstein-Hawking entropy formula for extremal black-holes are discussed in some details.     

Long-period incommensurate superstructures in Cu-Au alloys: Relation with short-period ordering

The nature of the stability of incommensurate long-period structures in alloys of the system Cu-Au is investigated on the basis of first-principles calculations of the electronic structure. It is shown that many structural properties of such formations can be explained only if the latter are treated as superstructures with respect to ordinary superstructures (L1₂ or L1₀): the electron spectrum of the superstructure and not that of the initial disordered alloy must serve as the initial spectrum. The observed dependence of the long period N on the degree η ?of the “short” long-range order is explained. The reasons why two-dimensional long-period superstructures from in the alloy Au₃Cu are found. Arguments supporting the fact that among quasicrystalline substances long-period superstructures fall between incommensurate systems and quasicrystals are presented.     

Discrete symmetry and GUT breaking

We study the supersymmetric GUT models in which the supersymmetry and GUT gauge symmetry can be broken by a discrete symmetry. First, with the ansatz that there exist discrete symmetries in the branes' neighborhoods, we discuss the general reflection symmetries and GUT breaking on and . In those models, the extra dimensions can be large and the KK states can be set arbitrarily heavy. Second, considering that the extra space manifold is the annulus or the disc , we can define any symmetry and break any 6-dimensional N=2 supersymmetric SU(M) models down to the 4-dimensional N=1 supersymmetric models for the zero modes. In particular, there might exist the interesting scenario on where just a few KK states are light, while the others are relatively heavy. Third, we discuss the complete global discrete symmetries on and study the GUT breaking. Received: 12 February 2002 / Published online: 14 June 2002     

Symmetry and integrability for stochastic differential equations

We discuss the interrelations between symmetry of an Ito stochastic differential equations (or systems thereof) and its integrability, extending in party results by R. Kozlov [J. Phys. A 43 (2010) & 44 (2011)]. Together with integrability, we also consider the relations between symmetries and reducibility of a system of SDEs to a lower dimensional one. We consider both “deterministic” symmetries and “random” ones, in the sense introduced recently by Gaeta and Spadaro [J. Math. Phys. 58 (2017)].     

Spin density wave magnetism in copper—manganese alloys

The incommensurate magnetization waves (IMW) occuring at the wave vector $\text{Q = (1, 0.5 ? δ, 0)}\text{2π}\text{a}$ and equivalent positions in reciprocal space in Cu_1?xMn_x have been studied as a function of temperature, wavevector, frequency and composition, using high-resolution, unpolarized neutron scattering techniques. We find that the elastic component of the scattering cross section at these incommensurate wavevectors approaches zero in the vicinity of the “spin glass” freezing temperature, T_f, closely resembling that expected for an order parameter on approach to the critical point. We suggest that the interaction between Mn atoms is long-range and intimately connected to a spin density wave instability.     

Lagrangian mechanics and the geometry of configuration spacetime

Holonomic rheonomic systems having a finite number of degrees of freedom are considered in classical nonrelativistic mechanics. It is shown that the configuration spacetime manifold $\text{M}$ of such a system can be furnished with a linear symmetric connection (called the “dynamical connection”) in such a way that the worldline of the system is a geodesic on $\text{M}$. The connection is based upon a degenerate metric structure (called a “generalized Galilei structure”) which in turn is uniquely determined by the system and the forces acting on it. The connection is compatible with the generalized Galilei structure in the sense that the covariant derivatives of the latter vanish. Systems which can be described in terms of a Lagrangian give rise to a particularly interesting class of dynamical connections, called “Lagrange connections,” whose geometry is studied in some detail. Within the class of generalized Galilei connections they are characterized by a geometrical condition imposed on the affine curvature tensor. Noether symmetries of the dynamical system turn out to be equivalent to “isometries” of the generalized Galilei structure together with collineations of the Lagrange connection. They form a Lie group. Spacelike generators of Noether symmetries are linked to the existence of “conservors” (i.e., covectors with vanishing symmetrized covariant derivatives). Timelike generators of Noether symmetries give rise to (second rank) Killing tensors.     

Structure and orientational ordering of nitrogen molecules physisorbed on graphite

The structure and orientational ordering of nitrogen molecules physisorbed on graphite have been studied by low-energy diffraction (LEED). A two-sublattice in-plane herringbone structure with glide lines along two perpendicular directions is inferred from LEED patterns at T < 30 K from the monolayer where the molecular centers have the commensurate $\text{(}\text{3}\text{×}\text{3}\text{)}$ 30° structure. The orientational order-disorder transition of this commensurate phase was examined by superlattice spot intensity and angular profile measurements for 20 < T < 38 K. A rapid drop in superlattice intensity is observed near 27 K. The persistence of some intensity to 38 K. is suggestive of residual short-range orientational ordering and perhaps finite size or heterogeneity effects. For increasing coverage at T = 15 K, there is first a transition to a previously unobserved uniaxial incommensurate phase and then a transition to an apparently triangular incommensurate phase. The orientational superlattice spots are clearly present in the uniaxial phase, but are much weaker in the triangular incommensurate phase. At 31 < T < 35 K, an apparently triangular incommensurate phase with no detectable orientational superlattice spots is observed. The lattice constant versus equilibrium vapor pressure curve has been determined in the latter case assuming a continuous transition. The lattice constants of the incommensurate phases are used to place limits on the extent of possible phase-coexistence regions between the commensurate, uniaxial incommensurate, and triangular incommensurate phases. The LEED patterns from the bilayer at T = 15 K indicate a double-period superlattice structure of the triangular incommensurate phase which does not have the glide line symmetries of the commensurate monolayer. Some effects of heterogeneity on these phase transitions are discussed. A phase diagram for 10 < T < 40 K is proposed.     

Stripe orders driven by long-range Coulomb forces in the 2D-Hubbard model

Within the single band 2D-Hubbard model treated by means of a strong-coupling approach based on a cumulant expansion and a nonstandard diagrammatic technique, we discuss the existence of critical charge fluctuations that could give rise to an instability towards a phase separation (PS). It turns out that such instability exists and evolves into an incommensurate charge density wave (ICDW) when long-range Coulomb forces are taken into account. We find a stripe phase with a crossover from diagonal to vertical stripes at increasing doping in the range 0.01 ?δ? 0.2 and increasing Coulomb potential U, similarly to recent NMR experiments on La _{2 - x} Sr _x CuO ₄. Received 20 November 2000     

EPR lineshape study of the incommensurate phase in γ-irradiated K2SeO4

The temperature dependence of the SeO^4-₄ EPR frequencies and the asymmetric broadening of the EPR lines in the incommensurate phase of K₂SeO₄ can be explained by an incommensurate spatial modulation of the g tensors which corresponds to the “broad” phase soliton limit. A comparison between the experimental and calculated lineshape shows a ≈1% volume fraction of commensurate regions in the middle of the incommensurate phase at 110 K.     

Incommensurate cooperative tilting modes of MnF6 octahedra relatedto the structural phasetransitions in BaMnF4

The structural phase transitions of the layer compound BaMnF₄ were studied by high-resolution X-ray diffraction using synchrotron radiation. The intensities and profiles of two kinds of superlattice reflections having incommensurate reduced wave vectors q ₁= (～ ± 1/5,0,0) _p and q ₂ =(～ ± 2/5,1/2,1/2)_p, respectively, were measured as a function of temperature from 25 K to 280 K. These temperature dependencies show that incommensurate structural phase transitions of second order occur at 234 K and 244 K. These structural phase transitions are interpreted as successive condensations of a folding-screen-like incommensurate plane-distortion mode and a commensurate anti-ferro-distortive tilting mode of the MnF₆ octahedra around the primitive a₀ - and b₀ -axes, when cooled down. It is also found that there is another structural phase transition at about 45 K related to a precursor structural distortion for the antiferromagnetic transition occurring at about 26 K.     

Electronic structure of spin-chain compounds: common features

The incommensurate composite systems M₁₄Cu₂₄O₄₁ (M = Ca, Sr, La) are based on two fundamental structural units: CuO₂ chains and Cu₂O₃ ladders. We present electronic structure calculations within density functional theory in order to address the interrelations between chains and ladders. The calculations account for the details of the crystal structure by means of a unit cell comprising 10 chain and 7 ladder units. It turns out that chains and ladders can be treated independently, which allows us to introduce a model system based on a reduced unit cell. For the CuO₂ chains, we find two characteristic bands at the Fermi energy. Tight binding fits yield nearest and next-nearest neighbour interactions of the same order of magnitude.     

Symmetry Analysis of Nonlinear PDE with A “Mathematica” Program SYMMAN

Abstract

Computer-aided symbolic and graphic computation allows to make significantly easier both theoretical and applied symmetry analysis of PDE. This idea is illustrated by applying a special “Mathematica” package for obtaining conditional symmetries of the nonlinear wave equation u _t = (u u _x)_x invariant or partially invariant under its classical Lie symmetries.     

Theory of chirped photonic crystals

In chirped photonic crystals, the structural parameters describing a unit cell are progressively varied from a unit cell to the nearest ones. Geometric and dielectric response functions can be affected by this modulation, but here we only investigate the effect of a long-range, slowly varying, modulation of the refractive index. The Bloch modes are modified by essentially being modulated by an envelope function which adapts to the long-range dielectric function perturbation. It is shown that this envelope function obeys a simple linear Schrödinger equation of classical (non-quantum) origin. Close to a band extremum, at a gap edge, the envelope functions can be interpreted as wave functions of particles, called “energy carriers”. These carriers have a mass and come as two species, referred to as “effective photons” (for positive band curvatures) or “photonic holes” (for negative band curvatures). The energy transfer through the chirped structure can be viewed as resulting from the migration of these particles under forces implied by the long-range dielectric function modulation.     

Exact statements about many-particle systems with higher symmetries

A new method of calculating the energy spectrum of a system of A identical Fermi particles with translationally invariant interaction is developed under the assumption that there exists a high symmetry in the 3A-dimensional space of particle coordinates. For a special class of symmetries the many-body problem is split exactly into two sets of equations: one containing only totally symmetric combinations of the particle coordinates which are called “collective variables” and the other equation taking essentially into account the requirements of the Pauli principle and connected symmetry properties. In several cases it is possible to obtain the excitation spectra exactly showing qualitatively new features. They depend on “many-particle quantum numbers” varying independently of each other in an interval which sometimes depends on A. For special high symmetries the collective variables obey equations which are very similar to one-particle equations providing a new explanation of the “Independent-Particle Model” for arbitrary strength and form of the interaction potential. A manifold of unknown up to now excitation spectra of many-particle systems is obtained and discussed.     

Statics and dynamics of the modulation in incommensurate Rb2ZnBr4 as detected by NMR

The dynamics of the incommensurate modulation of Rb₂ZnBr₄ is investigated near the transition to the normal high-temperature phase using first-order quadrupole effects in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR).⁸⁷Rb NMR spectra and two-dimensional⁸⁷Rb NMR exchange spectra are reported. All results can be described consistently in terms of a static modulation in the incommensurate phase without any indication for “floating” or large-scale fluctuations of the modulation wave. The spectra taken about 135 K below T_i in the lower incommensurate phase well above the soliton regime show no indication for the existence of a higher-order commensurate modulation in Rb₂ZnBr₄.     

INFLUENCE OF PROCESSING CONDITIONS ON THE STRUCTURAL AND FRACTURE BEHAVIOR OF PP PIPE GRADES

Polypropylene (PP) is being used increasingly as a material for pressure pipes for distribution of hot and cold water. In these applications, the long-term performance and reliability are critical, key properties. The lifetime of PP is influenced by a large number of structural and morphological parameters. The structural changes due to processing conditions were studied by “rapid” SIS/DSC method (stepwise isothermal segregation). The full notch creep test (FNCT) was used to estimate the pipe lifetime. The application of both structural and fracture methods allows to describe these changes. A correlation between time to failure and structural parameters (MFR—melt mass-flow rate, drift molecular parameter τ, and kinetic parameter k) was found.     

Solvable and/or Integrable and/or Linearizable N-Body Problems in Ordinary (Three-Dimensional) Space. I

Abstract

Several N -body problems in ordinary (3-dimensional) space are introduced which are characterized by Newtonian equations of motion (“acceleration equal force;” in most cases, the forces are velocity-dependent) and are amenable to exact treatment (“solvable” and/or “integrable” and/or “linearizable”). These equations of motion are always rotation-invariant, and sometimes translation-invariant as well. In many cases they are Hamiltonian, but the discussion of this aspect is postponed to a subsequent paper. We consider “few-body problems” (with, say, N =1,2,3,4,6,8,12,16,...) as well as “many-body problems” (N an arbitrary positive integer). The main focus of this paper is on various techniques to uncover such N -body problems. We do not discuss the detailed behavior of the solutions of all these problems, but we do identify several models whose motions are completely periodic or multiply periodic, and we exhibit in rather explicit form the solutions in some cases.