Conformal Fixed Points of Unidentified Gauge Theories

In this article we discuss gauge/strings correspondence based on the non-critical strings. With this goal we present several remarkable sigma models with the AdS target spaces. The models have kappa symmetry and are completely integrable. The radius of the AdS space is fixed and thus they describe isolated fixed points of gauge theories in various dimensionsComment: 14 page

On the dynamical generation of the Maxwell term and scale invariance

Gauge theories with no Maxwell term are investigated in various setups. The dynamical generation of the Maxwell term is correlated to the scale invariance properties of the system. This is discussed mainly in the cases where the gauge coupling carries dimensions. The term is generated when the theory contains a scale explicitly, when it is asymptotically free and in particular also when the scale invariance is spontaneously broken. The terms are not generated when the scale invariance is maintained. Examples studied include the large $N$ limit of the $CP^{N-1}$ model in $(2+\epsilon)$ dimensions, a 3D gauged $\phi^6$ vector model and its supersymmetric extension. In the latter case the generation of the Maxwell term at a fixed point is explored. The phase structure of the $d=3$ case is investigated in the presence of a Chern-Simons term as well. In the supersymmetric $\phi^6$ model the emergence of the Maxwell term is accompanied by the dynamical generation of the Chern-Simons term and its multiplet and dynamical breaking of the parity symmetry. In some of the phases long range forces emerge which may result in logarithmic confinement. These include a dilaton exchange which plays a role also in the case when the theory has no gauge symmetry. Gauged Lagrangian realizations of the 2D coset models do not lead to emergent Maxwell terms. We discuss a case where the gauge symmetry is anomalous.Comment: 38 pages, 4 figures; v2 slightly improved, typos fixed, references added, published versio

Scalar soliton quantization with generic moduli

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY 4.0), which permits any use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are credArticle funded by SCOAP3. CP is a Royal Society Research Fellow and partly supported by the U.S. Department of Energy under grants DOE-SC0010008, DOE-ARRA-SC0003883 and DOE-DE-SC0007897. ABR is supported by the Mitchell Family Foundation. We would like to thank the Mitchell Institute at Texas A&M and the NHETC at Rutgers University respectively for hospitality during the course of this work. We would also like to acknowledge the Aspen Center for Physics and NSF grant 1066293 for a stimulating research environment which led to questions addressed in this paper

String theory as a universal language

This article, based on the Klein lecture, contains some new results and new speculations on various topics. They include discussion of open strings in the AdS space, unusual features of D-branes, conformal gauge theories in higher dimensions. We also comment on the infrared screening of the cosmological constant and on the "brane worlds"Comment: 19 page

QCD and strongly coupled gauge theories : challenges and perspectives

We highlight the progress, current status, and open challenges of QCD-driven physics, in theory and in experiment. We discuss how the strong interaction is intimately connected to a broad sweep of physical problems, in settings ranging from astrophysics and cosmology to strongly coupled, complex systems in particle and condensed-matter physics, as well as to searches for physics beyond the Standard Model. We also discuss how success in describing the strong interaction impacts other fields, and, in turn, how such subjects can impact studies of the strong interaction. In the course of the work we offer a perspective on the many research streams which flow into and out of QCD, as well as a vision for future developments.Peer reviewe

Alignment of the ALICE Inner Tracking System with cosmic-ray tracks

37 pages, 15 figures, revised version, accepted by JINSTALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) is the LHC (Large Hadron Collider) experiment devoted to investigating the strongly interacting matter created in nucleus-nucleus collisions at the LHC energies. The ALICE ITS, Inner Tracking System, consists of six cylindrical layers of silicon detectors with three different technologies; in the outward direction: two layers of pixel detectors, two layers each of drift, and strip detectors. The number of parameters to be determined in the spatial alignment of the 2198 sensor modules of the ITS is about 13,000. The target alignment precision is well below 10 micron in some cases (pixels). The sources of alignment information include survey measurements, and the reconstructed tracks from cosmic rays and from proton-proton collisions. The main track-based alignment method uses the Millepede global approach. An iterative local method was developed and used as well. We present the results obtained for the ITS alignment using about 10^5 charged tracks from cosmic rays that have been collected during summer 2008, with the ALICE solenoidal magnet switched off.Peer reviewe