Questions tagged [physics]
For questions about mathematical problems arising from physics, the natural science studying general properties of matter, radiation and energy.
194 questions
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Is there any connection between Lagrange points and the icosahedron?
Given the Newtonian two-body problem, one can ask if there are any orbits that allow a test particle to maintain a fixed configuration relative to the two bodies. In other words, in a frame that ...
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$S$-matrix in QED in 2d space-time
I am not completely sure that this question is appropriate for this site, but I have asked a similar question here https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/271372/s-matrix-in-qed-in-2d-space-time ...
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1
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Boundary conditions for Klein-Gordon equation
Let us consider the Klein-Gordon equation
$$(\Box +m^2)u=0,$$
where $u$ is a scalar valued function, $m\geq 0$, $\Box=\frac{\partial^2}{\partial x_0^2}-\sum_{i=1}^d\frac{\partial^2}{\partial x_i^2}$.
...
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Digital physics and "Gandy-like" machines
Various physicists, famously John Wheeler, have asserted that physical information is the central object of study in physics, in the sense that an object or concept is "physically meaningful" if it ...
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Why do we care about simplicity of the spectrum in Oseledets' theorem?
Oseledets' theorem is a fundamental result in Ergodic theory (see for example here, or Chapter 4 of Lectures on Lyapunov Exponents by Marcelo Viana).
The simplicity of the spectrum has been studied ...
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Two point function of a free scalar field in Euclidean space-time
This question was previously asked here
https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/251927/two-point-function-of-a-free-massless-scalar-field-in-euclidean-space-time
though I did not get there an ...
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origin of analogy "primes as the atoms of number theory/ arithmetic"
a math student recently challenged me on the old comparison/ analogy of prime numbers to "the atoms of number theory or arithmetic" and then was wondering the origin of the phrase.
where does this ...
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Conserved quantities for the Cauchy momentum equation
I apologize if this question is too elementary for mathoverflow; I asked it (unsuccessfully) on MATH.SE first.
As a bit of background: one way to study the mechanics of deformation of a continuous ...
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Number theory and physics
I was following some lectures by Edward Frenkel about Langlands correspondence. He was describing some analogies between number theory and theoretical physics (Mirror symmetry). At some point ( my ...
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Mathematics of Chiral Rings
Let $A$ be a graded vector space, and suppose that two commuting differentials $d_1$ and $d_2$ of degree +1 act on $A$, such that $A$ equipped with either is a chain complex.
We now construct $C(A)$, ...
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Generating Functional for the Dirac Field, equivalence of expressions
As with the Klein-Gordon field, we can alternatively derive the Feynman rules with the free Dirac theory by means of a generating functional. In analogy with the scalar field theory where $Z[J]$ is ...
user78817
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Computational Physics or Pure Math Modules for Theoretical Physics [closed]
I'm beginning my university course in Theoretical Physics next week and we have been asked to choose our modules.
We have compulsory modules in Physics, Vector Algebra and Dynamics. But we also have ...
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Unusual generalization of the law of large numbers
I have seen in physical literature
an example of application of a very unusual form of the law of large numbers. I would like to understand how legitimate is the use of it, whether there are ...
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Applications of set theory in physics
In the introduction of the paper "Links between physics and set theory", the following quote of Eris Chric is stated:
"Set theory perhaps is too important to be left just to ...
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Approximation of the effective resistance on Cayley graph
Let $\Gamma$ be a finitely generated group, and denote by $G$ the Cayley graph of $\Gamma$. Denote by $d_R$ the resistance distance metric on this graph. The resistance distance metric between the ...
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reference for higher spin - not gravitational nor stringy
Other than the papers of Berends, Burgers and van Dam, are there any papers that study the general case of deforming a free field theory with higher spin fields to be interactive?
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Companion to theoretical physics for working mathematicians
In the Princeton Companion to Mathematics one reads that even pure mathematicians should know some theoretical physics and applied mathematics. What are some well-organized comprehensive companions to ...
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What is the BRST-anti-BRST formalism?
What is the BRST-anti-BRST formalism?
Is the Sp(2) doublet the ghost, antighost pair?
Introductory accounts of this subject seem to be hard to find. I would appreciate a reference for someone who ...
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Interpretation for a condition in fluid dynamics
I have been working with some mathematical models in biology and fluid mechanics. My problem is about
the interpretation of a condition that I found for a vector
representing the velocity of a fluid. ...
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When exactly and why did matrix multiplication become a part of the undergraduate curriculum?
The story about Heisenberg inventing matrices and matrix multiplication in 1925 is very well known and well documented. A few weeks later, Born and Jordan read this work and recognized matrix ...
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A hyperbolic partial differential equation (wave-like) with variable-dependent coefficient and possibly singular in one variable
First, I beg your pardon since the title of the question is a bit confusing I guess. I'm working on a physical equation of the wave-like form. Explicitly, it reads
$$\left[\left(\cos\phi\partial_{z}+\...
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What are the formula of representation of quasicrystals and the law or mechanism of the formation [closed]
I vaguely recall that formula of representation of quasicrystals is relevant to tiling plane,and tiling plane without period is relevant to recursiveness, and do not know the mechanism or physics ...
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Sites for seeking possible collaborations [closed]
As a material scientist, I have recently constructed algorithms for solving ground state of arbitrary cluster interactions models and prepared publications in the field of physics and material science....
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Gauge-theoretic formulation of Maxwell equations [duplicate]
Does any one know how to write the Maxwell equations as an equation on a principal $U(1)$-bundle?
In Freed & Uhlenbeck's Instantons and Four manifolds, the authors claim that the Maxwell ...
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1
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Helmholtz equation Poynting vector integral
The Maxwell's equation for harmonic time dependent field in vacuum is
\begin{align}
\nabla \times B + i\omega E &= 0\\
\nabla \times E - i\omega B &= 0 \\
\nabla \cdot B &= 0 \\
\nabla \...
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5
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Optical methods for number theory?
I found a paper: 'A New Method of Finding the Distribution of Prime Number', saying
We stack discs and annuluses with certain rules then turn on the light to illuminate. The projection of ...
5
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2
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Analytic solution of a system of linear, hyperbolic, first order, partial differential equations
In a try to solve a physical problem, I've faced a system of first-order partial differential equations of the form
$$\cos\left(t\right)\partial_{x}\mathbf{u}+\sin\left(t\right)\partial_{y}\mathbf{u}+...
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127
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Geometric interpretation of table with permutations and inversions
Let $T(n,k)$ is the number of permutations of numbers $1, ..., n$ and each of the permutations has $k$ inversions. We can consider a table for $T(n,k)$ for some $n$ and $k$. For eg.
$n=1,...,6$, $k=1,....
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Diffusion equation on mixing of diffusing particles
I am trying to study mixing of diffusing particles like it was done by E. Ben-Naim On the Mixing of Diffusing Particles.
The picture below shows the idea how permutations and inversion numbers reflect ...
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2
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Perfectly centered break of a perfectly aligned pool ball rack
Imagine the beginning of a game of pool, you have 16 balls, 15 of them in a triangle <| and 1 of them being the cue ball off to the left of that triangle. Imagine that the rack (the 15 balls in a ...
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On mathematical studies of the Mpemba effect
Since the days of Aristotle and Descartes, it has been known that under certain circumstances warm water freezes faster than cold water. This effect is now commonly known as the Mpemba effect, named ...
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Can the equation of motion with friction be written as Euler-Lagrange equation, and does it have a quantum version?
My (non-expert) impression is that many physically important equations of motion can be obtained as Euler-Lagrange equations. For example in quantum fields theories and in quantum mechanics quantum ...
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A particular contour integral
Mathoverflow,
I'd like to carry out the following integral,
$$f(t) = \int_{- \infty}^{\infty}\frac{-i\Omega e^{i \Omega t}}{1-\sqrt{-i\Omega}\coth(\sqrt{-i\Omega})} d\Omega.$$
Here's what I've ...
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1
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Path integrals for stochastic equations
Does there exist a rigorous mathematical proof for path integral representations given in the physics literature? See for example
http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-ph/9912209v1
For imaginary time rigorous ...
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The condition of maximality in branching rules of $SO$ group representations
Let the highest weight of a $SO(2n+1)$ representation be given as $(m_1,m_2,...,m_n)$ ($m_1\geq m_2 \geq .. \geq m_n \geq 0$) and the highest weight of a $SO(2n)$ representation be $(s_1,s_2,...,s_n)$ ...
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About using the character formula for $SO(2n)$
I have known of the following equation for characters of a $SO(2n)$ representation with highest weights $(h_1,...,h_n)$ and for $(t_1,t_2,..,t_n,t_1^{-1},t_2^{-1},..,t_n^{-1})$ being the eigenvalues ...
- 1,893
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In the topos-theoretic interpretation of Physics by Isham & Doering what role does intuitionistic logic play? [closed]
I've asked this question on Physics.SE but was advised to ask it here.
Isham & Doering have written a series of papers exploring how to ground physics in topoi. Now the internal logic of topoi is ...
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1
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514
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A question on chiral rings and geometry of the vacuum bundle
I am reading "Mirror Symmetry" by Hori et al, and have a question on Chap.17 (Chiral rings and geometry of the vacuum bundle). On p.425 the authors say
Consider the path-integral on the hemisphere. ...
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An algebraic approach to the thermodynamic limit $N\rightarrow\infty$?
In physics one studies quite often the thermodynamic limit or what we call the $N\rightarrow \infty$ behavior of a system of $N\rightarrow\infty$ particles. This is of particular relevance in the ...
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What is the relationship between complex time singularities and UV fixed points?
In this paper it is described how the turbulent kinetic energy spectrum and the flatness (a measure for intermittency) are governed by the position of the (dominant) singularities of the solutions of ...
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Explanations for mathematicians, about the falsifiability (or not) of string theory [closed]
Like many other mathematicians, I think string theory very attractive. This theory has wonderfully influenced many new topics in mathematics (I myself have worked on one of them), but it's not the ...
2
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1
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Derivation of Bessel functions
I am writing a summary on a work on Fluid Dynamics that develops irrotational flow states that appear to interact amongst each other according to the equations of Electromagnetism http://arxiv.org/abs/...
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What is the "fundamental theorem of invariant theory" ?
The basic question I guess can be formulated as - given two integers $N_f$ and $N_c$ what are the ways in which the fundamental and the anti-fundamental representations of $U(N_f)$ be combined to get ...
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1
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Three body problem with point interactions
I've studied the HVZ theorem for the three body problem interacting with regular potentials. I'd like to extend this result to the three body problem with point interactions (delta potentials).
Is ...
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2
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2k
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Deriving the Mercator projection algorithm
The standard model of Mercator projection shows a cylinder wrapped around a spherical earth eg Wiki.
Many sites describe the resulting square map like this:
"...spherical Mercator maps use an extent ...
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3
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2
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389
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Translation of an article
I need to read this article
"On the spectrum of an energy operator for atoms with fixed nuclei in subspaces corresponding to irriducible representations of permutation groups"
authors:G.Zhislin, A. ...
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Solvable models in quantum mechanics
Is there anyone who studied on the book "Solvable Models In Quantum Mechanics" by Albeverio? I don't succed in understanding the proof of page 116 about the eigenvalues of the Hamiltonian with point ...
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1
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489
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Proof of generalized Cauchy formula
I would like to know if there is a proof for the identity used in the superconformal index of 4d ${\cal N}=2$ gauge theory. In the paper by Rastelli el al, it was discovered that Eq. (10) is equal to ...
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What do correlation functions compute in CFT?
I would like to understand what correlation functions compute in Conformal Field Theory in mathematics. Let me begin with basic definitions. We define a free boson field $\phi(z)$ as a formal power ...
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2
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892
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Permuting Racked Pool Balls with a Single Break
Given reasonable physical assumptions (on friction, collisions, etc.), would it be possible to "break" in a pool game such that when all the balls come to rest, the only difference is that the racked ...
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