Generalized hydrodynamics of a (1+1)-dimensional integrable scattering theory with roaming trajectories

The emergence of hydrodynamic features in off-equilibrium (1 + 1)-dimensional integrable quantum systems has been the object of increasing attention in recent years. In this Master Thesis, we combine Thermodynamic Bethe Ansatz (TBA) techniques for finite-temperature quantum field theories with the Generalized Hydrodynamics (GHD) picture to provide a theoretical and numerical analysis of Zamolodchikov’s staircase model both at thermal equilibrium and in inhomogeneous generalized Gibbs ensembles. The staircase model is a diagonal (1 + 1)-dimensional integrable scattering theory with the remarkable property of roaming between infinitely many critical points when moving along a renormalization group trajectory. Namely, the finite-temperature dimensionless ground-state energy of the system approaches the central charges of all the minimal unitary conformal field theories (CFTs) M_p as the temperature varies. Within the GHD framework we develop a detailed study of the staircase model’s hydrodynamics and compare its quite surprising features to those displayed by a class of non-diagonal massless models flowing between adjacent points in the M_p series. Finally, employing both TBA and GHD techniques, we generalize to higher-spin local and quasi-local conserved charges the results obtained by B. Doyon and D. Bernard [1] for the steady-state energy current in off-equilibrium conformal field theories.

Nuclear surface properties in relativistic effective field theory

We perform Hartree calculations of symmetric and asymmetric semi-infinite nuclear matter in the framework of relativistic models based on effective hadronic field theories as recently proposed in the literature. In addition to the conventional cubic and quartic scalar self-interactions, the extended models incorporate a quartic vector self-interaction, scalar-vector non-linearities and tensor couplings of the vector mesons. We investigate the implications of these terms on nuclear surface properties such as the surface energy coefficient, surface thickness, surface stiffness coefficient, neutron skin thickness and the spin-orbit force.

Studies in quantum field theory at finite temperature

The thesis deals with certain quantum field systems exhibiting spontaneous symmetry breaking and their response to temperature. These models find application in diverse branches such as particle physics, solid state physics and non~linear optics. The nature of phase transition that these systems may undergo is also investigated. The thesis contains seven chapters. The first chapter is introductory and gives a brief account of the various phenomena associated with spontaneous symmetry breaking. The chapter closes with anote on the effect of temperature on quantum field systems. In chapter 2, the spontaneous symmetry breaking phenomena are reviewed in more detail. Chapter 3, deals with the formulation of ordinary and generalised sine-Gordon field theories on a lattice and the study of the nature of phase transition occurring in these systems. In chapter 4, the effect of temperature on these models is studied, using the effective potential method. Chapter 5 is a continuation of this study for another model, viz, the m6 model. The nature of phase transition is also studied. Chapters 5 and 6 constitute a report of the investigations on the behaviour of coupling constants under thermal excitation D1 $4 theory, scalar electrodynamics, abelian and non-abelian gauge theories

A conformal invariant growth model

We present a one-parameter extension of the raise and peel one-dimensional growth model. The model is defined in the configuration space of Dyck (RSOS) paths. Tiles from a rarefied gas hit the interface and change its shape. The adsorption rates are local but the desorption rates are non-local; they depend not only on the cluster hit by the tile but also on the total number of peaks (local maxima) belonging to all the clusters of the configuration. The domain of the parameter is determined by the condition that the rates are non-negative. In the finite-size scaling limit, the model is conformal invariant in the whole open domain. The parameter appears in the sound velocity only. At the boundary of the domain, the stationary state is an adsorbing state and conformal invariance is lost. The model allows us to check the universality of non-local observables in the raise and peel model. An example is given.

The tachyon potential in open Neveu-Schwarz string field theory

A classical action for open superstring field theory has been proposed which does not suffer from contact term problems. After generalizing this action to include the non-GSO projected states of the Neveu-Schwarz string, the pure tachyon contribution to the tachyon potential is explicitly computed. The potential has a minimum of V = 1/32g(2) which is 60% of the predicted exact minimum of V = 1/2 pi(2)g(2) from D-brane arguments.

Duality in noncommutative topologically massive gauge field theory revisited

We introduce a master action in non-commutative space, out of which we obtain the action of the non-commutative Maxwell-Chern-Simons theory. Then, we look for the corresponding dual theory at both first and second order in the non-commutative parameter. At the first order, the dual theory happens to be, precisely, the action obtained from the usual commutative self-dual model by generalizing the Chern-Simons term to its non-commutative version, including a cubic term. Since this resulting theory is also equivalent to the non-commutative massive Thirring model in the large fermion mass limit, we remove, as a byproduct, the obstacles arising in the generalization to non-commutative space, and to the first non-trivial order in the non-commutative parameter, of the bosonization in three dimensions. Then, performing calculations at the second order in the non-commutative parameter, we explicitly compute a new dual theory which differs from the non-commutative self-dual model and, further, differs also from other previous results and involves a very simple expression in terms of ordinary fields. In addition, a remarkable feature of our results is that the dual theory is local, unlike what happens in the non-Abelian, but commutative case. We also conclude that the generalization to non-commutative space of bosonization in three dimensions is possible only when considering the first non-trivial corrections over ordinary space.

Generating Erler-Schnabl-type solution for the tachyon vacuum in cubic superstring field theory

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Regularizing cubic open Neveu-Schwarz string field theory

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

alpha alpha scattering in halo effective field theory

We study the two-alpha-particle (alpha alpha) system in an Effective Field Theory (EFT) for halo-like systems. We propose a power Counting that incorporates the subtle interplay of strong and electromagnetic forces leading to a narrow resonance at an energy of about 0.1 MeV. We investigate the EFT expansion in detail, and compare its results with existing low-energy aa phase shifts and previously determined effective-range parameters. Good description of the data is obtained with a surprising amount of fine-tuning. This scenario can be viewed as an expansion around the limit where, when electromagnetic interactions are turned off, the (8)Be ground state is at threshold and exhibits conformal invariance. We also discuss possible extensions to systems with more than two alpha particles. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Stochastic quantization of real-time thermal field theory

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Tachyon condensation in superstring field theory

It has been conjectured that at the stationary point of the tachyon potential for the D-brane-anti-D-brane pair or for the non-BPS D-brane of superstring theories, the negative energy density cancels the brane tensions. We study this conjecture using a Wess-Zumino-Witten-like open superstring field theory free of contact term divergences and recently shown to give 60% of the vacuum energy by condensation of the tachyon field alone. While the action is non-polynomial, the multiscalar tachyon potential to any fixed level involves only a finite number of interactions. We compute this potential to level three, obtaining 85% of the expected vacuum energy, a result consistent with convergence that can also be viewed as a successful test of the string field theory. The resulting effective tachyon potential is bounded below and has two degenerate global minima. We calculate the energy density of the kink solution interpolating between these minima finding good agreement with the tension of the D-brane of one lower dimension. © 2000 Elsevier Science B.V.

Perturbative coherence in field theory

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Quantum field theory of (p,0)-forms on kaehler manifolds

In questa tesi abbiamo studiato la quantizzazione di una teoria di gauge di forme differenziali su spazi complessi dotati di una metrica di Kaehler. La particolarità di queste teorie risiede nel fatto che esse presentano invarianze di gauge riducibili, in altre parole non indipendenti tra loro. L'invarianza sotto trasformazioni di gauge rappresenta uno dei pilastri della moderna comprensione del mondo fisico. La caratteristica principale di tali teorie è che non tutte le variabili sono effettivamente presenti nella dinamica e alcune risultano essere ausiliarie. Il motivo per cui si preferisce adottare questo punto di vista è spesso il fatto che tali teorie risultano essere manifestamente covarianti sotto importanti gruppi di simmetria come il gruppo di Lorentz. Uno dei metodi più usati nella quantizzazione delle teorie di campo con simmetrie di gauge, richiede l'introduzione di campi non fisici detti ghosts e di una simmetria globale e fermionica che sostituisce l'iniziale invarianza locale di gauge, la simmetria BRST. Nella presente tesi abbiamo scelto di utilizzare uno dei più moderni formalismi per il trattamento delle teorie di gauge: il formalismo BRST Lagrangiano di Batalin-Vilkovisky. Questo metodo prevede l'introduzione di ghosts per ogni grado di riducibilità delle trasformazioni di gauge e di opportuni “antifields" associati a ogni campo precedentemente introdotto. Questo formalismo ci ha permesso di arrivare direttamente a una completa formulazione in termini di path integral della teoria quantistica delle (p,0)-forme. In particolare esso permette di dedurre correttamente la struttura dei ghost della teoria e la simmetria BRST associata. Per ottenere questa struttura è richiesta necessariamente una procedura di gauge fixing per eliminare completamente l'invarianza sotto trasformazioni di gauge. Tale procedura prevede l'eliminazione degli antifields in favore dei campi originali e dei ghosts e permette di implementare, direttamente nel path integral condizioni di gauge fixing covarianti necessari per definire correttamente i propagatori della teoria. Nell'ultima parte abbiamo presentato un’espansione dell’azione efficace (euclidea) che permette di studiare le divergenze della teoria. In particolare abbiamo calcolato i primi coefficienti di tale espansione (coefficienti di Seeley-DeWitt) tramite la tecnica dell'heat kernel. Questo calcolo ha tenuto conto dell'eventuale accoppiamento a una metrica di background cosi come di un possibile ulteriore accoppiamento alla traccia della connessione associata alla metrica.

On the renormalization flow representation of field theory and some applications

In this thesis we discuss a representation of quantum mechanics and quantum and statistical field theory based on a functional renormalization flow equation for the one-particle-irreducible average effective action, and we employ it to get information on some specific systems.

Exploring double field theory

We consider a flux formulation of Double Field Theory in which fluxes are dynamical and field-dependent. Gauge consistency imposes a set of quadratic constraints on the dynamical fluxes, which can be solved by truly double configurations. The constraints are related to generalized Bianchi Identities for (non-)geometric fluxes in the double space, sourced by (exotic) branes. Following previous constructions, we then obtain generalized connections, torsion and curvatures compatible with the consistency conditions. The strong constraint-violating terms needed to make contact with gauged supergravities containing duality orbits of non-geometric fluxes, systematically arise in this formulation.