Topological sigma models

A variant of the usual supersymmetric nonlinear sigma model is described, governing maps from a Riemann surface to an arbitrary almost complex manifoldM. It possesses a fermionic BRST-like symmetry, conserved for arbitrary, and obeyingQ ²=0. In a suitable version, the quantum ground states are the 1+1 dimensional Floer groups. The correlation functions of the BRST-invariant operators are invariants (depending only on the homotopy type of the almost complex structure ofM) similar to those that have entered in recent work of Gromov on symplectic geometry. The model can be coupled to dynamical gravitational or gauge fields while preserving the fermionic symmetry; some observations by Atiyah suggest that the latter coupling may be related to the Jones polynomial of knot theory. From the point of view of string theory, the main novelty of this type of sigma model is that the graviton vertex operator is a BRST commutator. Thus, models of this type may correspond to a realization at the level of string theory of an unbroken phase of quantum gravity.On leave from Department of Physics, Princeton University. Supported in part by NSF Grants No. 80-19754, 86-16129, 86-20266     

Hyper-Kähler geometry and invariants of three-manifolds

We study a 3-dimensional topological sigma-model, whose target space is a hyper-Kähler manifold X. A Feynman diagram calculation of its partition function demonstrates that it is a finite type invariant of 3-manifolds which is similar in structure to those appearing in the perturbative calculation of the Chern-Simons partition function. The sigma-model suggests a new system of weights for finite type invariants of 3-manifolds, described by trivalent graphs. The Riemann curvature of X plays the role of Lie algebra structure constants in Chern-Simons theory, and the Bianchi identity plays the role of the Jacobi identity in guaranteeing the so-called IHX relation among the weights. We argue that, for special choices of X, the partition function of the sigma-model yields the Casson-Walker invariant and its generalizations. We also derive Walker's surgery formula from the SL(2, Z) action on the finite-dimensional Hilbert space obtained by quantizing the sigma-model on a two-dimensional torus.     

Fission fragment angular distributions in 16O+181Ta

Time of flight and energy of fission fragments were measured using pulsed beam. Fission fragment mass and energy integrated angular distributions were extracted. Fission fragment anisotropy was explained in the framework of saddle point model.     

Crumpling a thin sheet

Crumpled sheets have a surprisingly large resistance to further compression. We have studied the crumpling of thin sheets of Mylar under different loading conditions. When placed under a fixed compressive force, the size of a crumpled material decreases logarithmically in time for periods up to three weeks. We also find hysteretic behavior when measuring the compression as a function of applied force. By using a pretreating protocol, we control this hysteresis and find reproducible scaling behavior for the size of the crumpled material as a function of the applied force.     

Instability of the Kaluza-Klein vacuum

It is argued that the ground state of the Kaluza-Klein unified theory is unstable against a process of semiclassical barrier penetration. This is related to the fact that the positive energy conjecture does not hold for the Kaluza-Klein theory; an explicit counter-example is given. The reasoning presented here assumes that in general relativity one should include manifolds of non-vacuum topology. It is argued that the existence of elementary fermions (not present in the original Kaluza-Klein theory) would stabilize the Kaluza-Klein vacuum.     

Chiral symmetry,the 1/N expansion and the SU(N) thirring model

In the two-dimensional SU(N) Thirring model, the 1/N expansion seems to predict spontaneous breaking of the continuous chiral symmetry. This is impossible in two-dimensions. Reasoning along the lines of Berezinski, Kosterlitz and Thouless for the two-dimensional XY model, we argue that, in fact, rather than showing long-range order, $\text{〈}\text{ψ}\text{ψ(x)}\text{ψ}\text{ψ(0)〉}$ vanishes in this model as |x|^?1/N at large |x|. The 1/N expansion is, in fact, a rather good guide to the properties of this model.