Critical Casimir amplitudes for nn-component ϕ4\phi^4 models with O(n)-symmetry breaking quadratic boundary terms

Euclidean $n$-component $\phi^4$ theories whose Hamiltonians are O(n) symmetric except for quadratic symmetry breaking boundary terms are studied in films of thickness $L$. The boundary terms imply the Robin boundary conditions $\partial_n\phi_\alpha =\mathring{c}^{(j)}_\alpha \phi_\alpha$ at the boundary planes $\mathfrak{B}_{j=1,2}$ at $z=0$ and $z=L$. Particular attention is paid to the cases in which $m_j$ of the $n$ variables $\mathring{c}^{(j)}_\alpha$ take the special value $\mathring{c}_{m_j\text{-sp}}$ corresponding to critical enhancement while the remaining ones are subcritically enhanced. Under these conditions, the semi-infinite system bounded by $\mathfrak{B}_j$ has a multicritical point, called $m_j$-special, at which an $O(m_j)$ symmetric critical surface phase coexists with the O(n) symmetric bulk phase, provided $d$ is sufficiently large. The $L$-dependent part of the reduced free energy per area behaves as $\Delta_C/L^{d-1}$ as $L\to\infty$ at the bulk critical point. The Casimir amplitudes $\Delta_C$ are determined for small $\epsilon=4-d$ in the general case where $m_{c,c}$ components $\phi_\alpha$ are critically enhanced at both boundary planes, $m_{c,D} + m_{D,c}$ components are enhanced at one plane but satisfy asymptotic Dirichlet boundary conditions at the respective other, and the remaining $m_{D,D}$ components satisfy asymptotic Dirichlet boundary conditions at both $\mathfrak{B}_j$. Whenever $m_{c,c}>0$, these expansions involve integer and fractional powers $\epsilon^{k/2}$ with $k\ge 3$ (mod logarithms). Results to $O(\epsilon^{3/2})$ for general values of $m_{c,c}$, $m_{c,D}+m_{D,c}$, and $m_{D,D}$ are used to estimate the $\Delta_C$ of 3D Heisenberg systems with surface spin anisotropies when $(m_{c,c}, m_{c,D}+ m_{D,c}) = (1,0)$, $(0,1)$, and $(1,1)$.Comment: Latex source file with 5 eps files; version with minor amendments and corrected typo

Energy Momentum Tensor in Conformal Field Theories Near a Boundary

The requirements of conformal invariance for the two point function of the energy momentum tensor in the neighbourhood of a plane boundary are investigated, restricting the conformal group to those transformations leaving the boundary invariant. It is shown that the general solution may contain an arbitrary function of a single conformally invariant variable $v$, except in dimension 2. The functional dependence on $v$ is determined for free scalar and fermion fields in arbitrary dimension $d$ and also to leading order in the \vep expansion about $d=4$ for the non Gaussian fixed point in $\phi^4$ theory. The two point correlation function of the energy momentum tensor and a scalar field is also shown to have a unique expression in terms of $v$ and the overall coefficient is determined by the operator product expansion. The energy momentum tensor on a general curved manifold is further discussed by considering variations of the metric. In the presence of a boundary this procedure naturally defines extra boundary operators. By considering diffeomorphisms these are related to components of the energy momentum tensor on the boundary. The implications of Weyl invariance in this framework are also derived.Comment: 22 pages, TeX with epsf.tex, DAMTP/93-1. (original uuencoded file was corrupted enroute - resubmitted version has uuencoded figures pasted to the ended of the Plain TeX file

Generalized parton distributions: recent results

I review progress on selected issues connected with generalized parton distributions. Topics range from the description of hard exclusive reactions to the spatial distribution of quarks in the nucleon and the contribution of their orbital angular momentum to the nucleon spin.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures. To appear in the proceedings of the Particles and Nuclei International Conference (PANIC 05), Santa Fe, NM, USA, 24-28 Oct 200

Gamma-ray line measurements from supernova explosions

Gamma ray lines are expected to be emitted as part of the afterglow of supernova explosions, because radioactive decay of freshly synthesised nuclei occurs. Significant radioactive gamma ray line emission is expected from 56Ni and 44Ti decay on time scales of the initial explosion (56Ni, tau~days) and the young supernova remnant (44Ti,tau~90 years). Less specific, and rather informative for the supernova population as a whole, are lessons from longer lived isotopes such as 26Al and 60Fe. From isotopes of elements heavier than iron group elements, any interesting gamma-ray line emission is too faint to be observable. Measurements with space-based gamma-ray telescopes have obtained interesting gamma ray line emissions from two core collapse events, Cas A and SN1987A, and one thermonuclear event, SN2014J. We discuss INTEGRAL data from all above isotopes, including all line and continuum signatures from these two objects, and the surveys for more supernovae, that have been performed by gamma ray spectrometry. Our objective here is to illustrate what can be learned from gamma-ray line emission properties about the explosions and their astrophysics.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures. IAU Symposium 331 "SN1987A 30 years after", La Reunion, Feb. 2017. Accepted for publication in IAU Conf Pro

GRIPS and the Perspective of Next-generation Gamma-ray Surveys

GRIPS is one example of next generation telescopes proposed for astronomy the energy range between hard X-ray mirror instruments such as NuStar and the Fermi telescope. The Compton telescope principle is an advantageous concept in view of background suppression, imaging sensitivity within a large field of view and energy range, and capability to measure polarization. The diversity of astrophysical sources at high energies (diffuse emission from cosmic-ray interactions, nuclear lines from point-like and diffuse sources, accreting binaries, cosmic-ray acceleration sites, novae and supernovae, GRBs) presents a challenge, and in particular emphasizes the need for large fields of view and surveys. We discuss the astrophysical challenges which are expected to remain after the extended INTEGRAL mission, and how such a next-generation survey at low-energy gamma-rays would impact on these. We argue that qualitatively new and more direct insights could be obtained on cosmic high-energy phenomena and their underlying physical processes.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures. INTEGRAL Science Worlshop "The Restless Gamma-Ray Universe", Dublin (IRL) Oct 201

Elastic meson production and Compton scattering

I discuss recent progress in the theory of exclusive meson production and Compton scattering, focusing on hard-scattering factorization and on the dipole formalism.Comment: 15 pages. Talk given at the Ringberg Workshop on New Trends in HERA Physics 2001. v2: References adde

Hard exclusive and semi-exclusive meson production

I review recent theory developments for hard exclusive and semi-exclusive production of mesons, emphasising the variety of physics issues that can be studied in these processes.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures. Talk given at `Nucleon 99', Frascati, Italy, 7-9 June 199

Nucleosynthesis and Gamma-Ray Line Spectroscopy with INTEGRAL

Cosmic nucleosynthesis co-produces unstable isotopes, which emit characteristic gamma-ray emission lines upon their radioactive decay that can be measured with SPI on INTEGRAL. High spectral resolution allows to derive velocity constraints on nucleosynthesis ejecta down to ~100 km/s. Core-collapse supernovae apparently do not always produce significant amounts of 44Ti, as in the Galaxy fewer sources than expected from the supernova rate have been found. INTEGRAL's 44Ti data on the well-observed Cas A and SN1987A events are evidence that non-spherical explosions and 44Ti production may be correlated. Characteristic gamma-ray lines from radioactive decays of long-lived 26Al and 60Fe isotopes have been exploited to obtain information on the structure and dynamics of massive stars in their late evolution and supernovae, as their yields are sensitive to those details. The extended INTEGRAL mission establishes a database of sufficiently-deep observations of several specific regions of massive star groups, such as Cygnus, Carina, and Sco-Cen. In the inner Galaxy, 26Al nucleosynthesis gamma-rays help to unravel the Galaxy's structure and the role of a central bar, as the kinematically-shifted 26Al gamma-ray line energy records the longitude-velocity behavior of hot interstellar gas. Thus, INTEGRAL has consolidated the feasibility of constraining cosmic nucleosynthesis through gamma-ray line observations. Due to its extended mission INTEGRAL maintains its chance to also see rare sufficiently-nearby events, such as a nova to provide first nova nucleosynthesis measurements of 7Be and 22Na production.Comment: Conference "The extreme and variable high-energy sky", Italy Sep 2011. 10 pages, 4 figure