118829966
Group theory of non-abelian vortices
We investigate the structure of the moduli space of multiple BPS non-Abelian vortices in U(N) gauge theory with N fundamental Higgs fields, focusing our attention on the action of the exact global (color-flavor diagonal) SU(N) symmetry on it. The moduli space of a single non-Abelian vortex, $ \mathbb{C}{P^{N - 1}} $, is spanned by a vector in the fundamental representation of the global SU(N) symmetry. The moduli space of winding-number k vortices is instead spanned by vectors in the direct-product representation: they decompose into the sum of irreducible representations each of which is associated with a Young tableau made of k boxes, in a way somewhat similar to the standard group composition rule of SU(N) multiplets. The Kähler potential is exactly determined in each moduli subspace, corresponding to an irreducible SU(N) orbit of the highest-weight configuration.
16105331
Nonabelian superconductors: vortices and confinement in N=2 SQCD
We study nonabelian vortices (flux tubes) in SU(N) gauge theories, which are 
responsible for the confinement of (nonabelian) magnetic monopoles. In 
particular a detailed analysis is given of ${\cal N}=2$ SQCD with gauge group 
SU(3) deformed by a small adjoint chiral multiplet mass. Tuning the bare quark 
masses (which we take to be large) to a common value $m$, we consider a 
particular vacuum of this theory in which an SU(2) subgroup of the gauge group 
remains unbroken. We consider $5 \ge N_f \ge 4$ flavors so that the SU(2) 
sub-sector remains non asymptotically free: the vortices carrying nonabelian 
fluxes may be reliably studied in a semi-classical regime. We show that the 
vortices indeed acquire exact zero modes which generate global rotations of the 
flux in an $SU(2)_{C+F}$ group. We study an effective world-sheet theory of 
these orientational zero modes which reduces to an ${\cal N}=2$ O(3) sigma 
model in (1+1) dimensions. Mirror symmetry then teaches us that the dual SU(2) 
group is not dynamically broken.
1333458
Non-Abelian confinement near nontrivial conformal vacua
Abstract We discuss some aspects of confinement and dynamical symmetry breaking in the so-called non-Abelian Argyres–Douglas vacua, which occur very generally in supersymmetric theories. These systems are characterized by strongly-coupled non-Abelian monopoles and dyons; confinement and dynamical symmetry breaking are caused by the condensation of monopole composites, rather than by condensation of single weakly-coupled monopoles. In general, there are strong constraints on which kind of monopoles can appear as the infrared degrees of freedom, related to the proper realization of the global symmetry of the theory. Drawing analogies to some of the phenomena found here, we make a speculation on the ground state of the standard QCD.
126281417
QCD Jet calculus
123003167
Generation of mass hierarchies and gravitational instanton-induced supersymmetry breaking
Consequences of supersymmetry breaking by gravitational instantons are studied in the context of N = 1 supergravity models. In particular, models containing an additional term, proportional to the Euler characteristics density of the spacetime manifold, are shown to lead to a large hierarchy of masses, with the supersymmetry breaking mass scale much smaller than the Planck mass. Possible mechanisms of mass generation for gauge fermions, matter scalars and matter fermions are discussed. Models of this type can arise as a low-energy approximation to superstring models. Our analysis suggests the existence and importance of those nonperturbative effects in the underlying string theories that correspond to the Yang-Mills and gravitational instantons of low-energy effective field theories.
122228895
On the short distance behavior of string theories
Short distance behavior of string theories is investigated by the use of the discretized path-integral formulation. In particular, the minimum physical length and the generalized uncertainty relation are re-derived from a set of Ward–Takahashi identities. Several issues related to the form of the generalized uncertainty relation and to its implications are discussed. A consistent qualitative picture of short distance behavior of string theory seems to emerge from such a study.
7368712
SDSS J1029+2623: A Gravitationally Lensed Quasar with an Image Separation of 22.5 Arcseconds
The authors report the discovery of a cluster-scale lensed quasar, SDSS J1029+2623, selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The lens system exhibits two lensed images of a quasar at z{sub s} = 2.197. The image separation of 22.5 makes it the largest separation lensed quasar discovered to date. The similarity of the optical spectra and the radio loudnesses of the two components support the lensing hypothesis. Images of the field show a cluster of galaxies at z{sub l} {approx} 0.55 that is responsible for the large image separation. The lensed images and the cluster light center are not collinear, which implies that the lensing cluster has a complex structure.
119248886
Subaru Spectroscopy of SDSS-II Supernovae
The Sloan Digital Sky Survey II (SDSS-II) Supernova Survey discovered Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) in an almost unexplored intermediate redshift range of $0.05 < z < 0.4$ and provided densely sampled multi-color light curves for SN candidates. Followup spectroscopy of this survey was carried out with the Subaru telescope and spectra of 71 SN Ia candidates were obtained. One spectrum was observed per candidate except for a peculiar variable. This paper presents the method for processing these spectra. The observed wavelength ranges of our spectra are 4000 to 9000 {\AA} for Year 2005 and 3600 to 9000 {\AA} for Year 2006. Most SN Ia spectra have signal to noise ratios (S/N) between 4 and 10 per 2 {\AA} averaged over the entire wavelength region. We developed a new code to extract the SN spectral component from spectra contaminated by the host galaxy. Of 71 SN Ia candidates, 59 are identified as normal SNe Ia and 3 are peculiar SNe Ia. The range of spectral phases varies from -7 days to +30 days from maximum brightness. There are also 7 SNe II, 1 possible hypernova and 1 AGN.
118626595
A MISMATCH IN THE ULTRAVIOLET SPECTRA BETWEEN LOW-REDSHIFT AND INTERMEDIATE-REDSHIFT TYPE Ia SUPERNOVAE AS A POSSIBLE SYSTEMATIC UNCERTAINTY FOR SUPERNOVA COSMOLOGY
We present Keck high-quality rest-frame ultraviolet (UV) through optical spectra of 21 Type Ia supernovae (SNe?Ia) in the redshift range 0.11 ? z ? 0.37 and a mean redshift of 0.22 that were discovered during the Sloan Digital Sky Survey-II (SDSS-II) SN Survey. Using the broadband photometry of the SDSS survey, we are able to reconstruct the SN host-galaxy spectral energy distributions (SEDs), allowing for a correction for the host-galaxy contamination in the SN Ia spectra. Comparison of composite spectra constructed from a subsample of 17 high-quality spectra to those created from a low-redshift sample with otherwise similar properties shows that the Keck/SDSS SNe?Ia have, on average, extremely similar rest-frame optical spectra but show a UV flux excess. This observation is confirmed by comparing synthesized broadband colors of the individual spectra, showing a difference in mean colors at the 2.4?-4.4? level for various UV colors. We further see a slight difference in the UV spectral shape between SNe with low-mass and high-mass host galaxies. Additionally, we detect a relationship between the flux ratio at 2770 and 2900 ? and peak luminosity that differs from that observed at low redshift. We find that changing the UV SED of an SN Ia within the observed dispersion can change the inferred distance moduli by ~0.1?mag. This effect only occurs when the data probe the rest-frame UV. We suggest that this discrepancy could be due to differences in the host-galaxy population of the two SN samples or to small-sample statistics.
10089918
THE SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY-II SUPERNOVA SURVEY: SEARCH ALGORITHM AND FOLLOW-UP OBSERVATIONS
The Sloan Digital Sky Survey-II Supernova Survey has identified a large number of new transient sources in a 300 deg2 region along the celestial equator during its first two seasons of a three-season campaign. Multi-band (ugriz) light curves were measured for most of the sources, which include solar system objects, galactic variable stars, active galactic nuclei, supernovae (SNe), and other astronomical transients. The imaging survey is augmented by an extensive spectroscopic follow-up program to identify SNe, measure their redshifts, and study the physical conditions of the explosions and their environment through spectroscopic diagnostics. During the survey, light curves are rapidly evaluated to provide an initial photometric type of the SNe, and a selected sample of sources are targeted for spectroscopic observations. In the first two seasons, 476 sources were selected for spectroscopic observations, of which 403 were identified as SNe. For the type Ia SNe, the main driver for the survey, our photometric typing and targeting efficiency is 90%. Only 6% of the photometric SN Ia candidates were spectroscopically classified as non-SN Ia instead, and the remaining 4% resulted in low signal-to-noise, unclassified spectra. This paper describes the search algorithm and the software, and the real-time processing of the SDSS imaging data. We also present the details of the supernova candidate selection procedures and strategies for follow-up spectroscopic and imaging observations of the discovered sources.
119204401
First-year Sloan Digital Sky Survey-II supernova results: consistency and constraints with other intermediate-redshift data sets
ABSTRACT We present an analysis of the luminosity distances of Type Ia Supernovae (SNe) from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey-II (SDSS-II) SN Survey in conjunction with other intermediate-redshift (z 97 per cent level from this single data set. We find good agreement between the SN and BAO distance measurements, both consistent with a Λ-dominated cold dark matter cosmology, as demonstrated through an analysis of the distance duality relationship between the luminosity (dL) and angular diameter (dA) distance measures. We then use these data to estimate w within this restricted redshift range (z < 0.4). Our most stringent result comes from the combination of all our intermediate-redshift data (SDSS-II SNe, BAO, ISW and redshift-space distortions), giving w = -0.81+0.16-0.18 (stat) +/- 0.15 (sys) and ΩM = 0.22+0.09-0.08 assuming a flat universe. This value of w and associated errors only change slightly if curvature is allowed to vary, consistent with constraints from the cosmic microwave background. We also consider more limited combinations of the geometrical (SN, BAO) and dynamical (ISW, redshift-space distortions) probes.