BPS Domain Walls in Models with Flat Directions

We consider BPS domain walls in the four dimensional N=1 supersymmetric models with continuous global symmetry. Since the BPS equation is covariant under the global transformation, the solutions of the BPS walls also have the global symmetry. The moduli space of the supersymmetric vacua in such models have non-compact flat directions, and the complex BPS walls interpolating between two disjoint flat directions can exist. We examine this possibility in two models with global O(2) symmetry, and construct the solution of such BPS walls.Comment: LaTeX file, 19 pages, 8 eps figures, published versio

An Exact Solution of BPS Domain Wall Junction

An exact solution of domain wall junction is obtained in a four-dimensional N=1 supersymmetric U(1) X U(1)' gauge theory with three pairs of chiral superfields which is motivated by the N=2 SU(2) gauge theory with one flavor perturbed by an adjoint scalar mass. The solution allows us to evaluate various quantities including a new central charge Y_k associated with the junction besides Z_k which appears already in domain walls. We find that the new central charge Y_k gives a negative contribution to the mass of the domain wall junction whereas the central charge Z_k gives a dominant positive contribution. One has to be cautious to identify the central charge Y_k alone as the mass of the junction.Comment: LaTeX file, 13 page, 1 ps figur

Electricity powering combustion: hydrogen engines

Hydrogen is ameans to chemically store energy. It can be used to buffer energy in a society increasingly relying on renewable but intermittent energy or as an energy vector for sustainable transportation. It is also attractive for its potential to power vehicles with (near-) zero tailpipe emissions. The use of hydrogen as an energy carrier for transport applications is mostly associated with fuel cells. However, hydrogen can also be used in an internal combustion engine (ICE). When converted to or designed for hydrogen operation, an ICE can attain high power output, high efficiency and ultra low emissions. Also, because of the possibility of bi-fuel operation, the hydrogen engine can act as an accelerator for building up a hydrogen infrastructure. The properties of hydrogen are quite different from the presently used hydrocarbon fuels, which is reflected in the design and operation of a hydrogen fueled ICE (H2ICE). These characteristics also result in more flexibility in engine control strategies and thus more routes for engine optimization. This article describes the most characteristic features of H2ICEs, the current state of H2ICE research and demonstration, and the future prospects

Superfield Description of Effective Theories on BPS Domain Walls

We derive the low-energy effective theory on the BPS domain wall in 4D N=1 global SUSY theories in terms of the 3D superfields. Our derivation makes the preserved SUSY by the wall manifest and the procedure for integrating out the massive modes easier. Our procedure clarifies how the 3D superfields are embedded into the 4D chiral and vector superfields. We also point out a shortcoming of the conventional procedure for deriving the effective theory on the wall.Comment: LaTeX file, 33 pages, 1 eps figure, some corrections made in Sec.5.