arXiv subjects

Marios Petropoulos

Publications and source records attributed to Marios Petropoulos.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Quantum Mechanics on Lie Groups: II. Path Integrals

We continue our study of quantum dynamics on a Lie group $G$, initiated in arXiv:2512.19840, by building the path integral that governs transition amplitudes in the Hilbert space $L^2(G)$. This relies on the proper handling of both a noncommutative momentum space and the presence of compact directions in $G$. We show that compactness can be handled through a sum over winding numbers in maximal tori of $G$, generalizing the similar sum commonly encountered for path integrals on a circle. As applications, we compute semiclassical approximations of propagators and partition functions of Euler-Arnold systems, up to (and including) two-loop order.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

Dressed States Call for Logarithmic Asymptotic Symmetries

Inspired by Wigner's classification of elementary particles as irreducible unitary representations of a spacetime symmetry group, we ask what group can give rise in this way to the quantum states of a particle dressed with clouds of infrared gauge bosons. We show that the answer is given by standard asymptotic symmetries (such as BMS in the gravitational case), supplemented by the logarithmic symmetries identified in arXiv:2305.05436. A corollary is the factorization of the Hilbert space of a dressed particle as a tensor product of the space of `naked' one-particle states with a Hilbert space of soft gauge bosons. The latter cannot be obtained without logarithmic transformations, which are ultimately responsible for the presence of a crucial Heisenberg central extension.

hep-th↗

arXiv2026

Quantum Mechanics on Lie Groups: I. Noncommutative Fourier Transforms

Starting from square-integrable wave functions on a Lie group, we build an invertible Fourier transform mapping them on wave functions on the dual of the Lie algebra. This is a group-theoretic version of the map from position space to momentum space, with generally noncommuting momenta owing to the group structure. As a result, the multiplication of momentum-dependent functions involves star products, which makes the construction of noncommutative Fourier series much more involved than that of their commutative cousin. This is especially true when compact subgroups are present, in which case we carefully take into account quotients of the operator algebra, and the resulting normalization issues. We show that our formalism provides an isometry of Hilbert spaces, and use it to derive a noncommutative Poisson summation formula for any compact Lie group. This is a key preliminary for the computation of Wigner functions and path integrals for quantum systems on group manifolds.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Berry Phases in the Bosonization of Nonlinear Edge Modes

We consider chiral, generally nonlinear density waves in one dimension, modelling the bosonized edge modes of a two-dimensional fermionic topological insulator. Using the coincidence between bosonization and Lie-Poisson dynamics on an affine U(1) group, we show that wave profiles which are periodic in time produce Berry phases accumulated by the underlying fermionic field. These phases can be evaluated in closed form for any Hamiltonian, and they serve as a diagnostic of nonlinearity. As an explicit example, we discuss the Korteweg-de Vries equation, viewed as a model of nonlinear quantum Hall edge modes.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2011

Comment on superluminality in general relativity

General relativity provides an appropriate framework for addressing the issue of sub- or superluminality as an apparent effect. Even though a massless particle travels on the light cone, its average velocity over a finite path measured by different observers is not necessarily equal to the velocity of light, as a consequence of the time dilation or contraction in gravitational fields. This phenomenon occurs in either direction (increase or depletion) irrespectively of the details and strength of the gravitational interaction. Hence, it does not intrinsically guarantee superluminality, even when the gravitational field is reinforced.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2011

Geometric flows in Horava-Lifshitz gravity

We consider instanton solutions of Euclidean Horava-Lifshitz gravity in four dimensions satisfying the detailed balance condition. They are described by geometric flows in three dimensions driven by certain combinations of the Cotton and Ricci tensors as well as the cosmological-constant term. The deformation curvature terms can have competing behavior leading to a variety of fixed points. The instantons interpolate between any two fixed points, which are vacua of topologically massive gravity with Lambda > 0, and their action is finite. Special emphasis is placed on configurations with SU(2) isometry associated with homogeneous but generally non-isotropic Bianchi IX model geometries. In this case, the combined Ricci-Cotton flow reduces to an autonomous system of ordinary differential equations whose properties are studied in detail for different couplings. The occurrence and stability of isotropic and anisotropic fixed points are investigated analytically and some exact solutions are obtained. The corresponding instantons are classified and they are all globally R x S^3 and complete spaces. Generalizations to higher-dimensional gravities are also briefly discussed.

hep-th↗

arXiv2010

Geometric flows and applications

I present some applications of geometric flows in string theory and gravity. In some circumstances time evolution in string theory can be approximately identified with Ricci-flow parametric evolution of spatial sections. In four dimensions, homogeneous, self-dual, gravitational instantons of general relativity evolve in time exactly as geometric flows of homogeneous three-manifolds. For non-relativistic versions of gravity, this property persists in any dimension, under the assumption of detailed-balance condition.

hep-th↗

arXiv2009

Mixmaster universe in Horava-Lifshitz gravity

We consider spatially homogeneous (but generally non-isotropic) cosmologies in the recently proposed Horava-Lifshitz gravity and compare them to those of general relativity using Hamiltonian methods. In all cases, the problem is described by an effective point particle moving in a potential well with exponentially steep walls. Focusing on the closed-space cosmological model (Bianchi type IX), the mixmaster dynamics is now completely dominated by the quadratic Cotton tensor potential term for very small volume of the universe. Unlike general relativity, where the evolution towards the initial singularity always exhibits chaotic behavior with alternating Kasner epochs, the anisotropic universe in Horava-Lifshitz gravity (with parameter lambda > 1/3) is described by a particle moving in a frozen potential well with fixed (but arbitrary) energy E. Alternating Kasner epochs still provide a good description of the early universe for very large E, but the evolution appears to be non-ergodic. For very small E there are harmonic oscillations around the fully isotropic model. The question of chaos remains open for intermediate energy levels.

hep-th↗

arXiv2009

Double-Scaling Limit of Heterotic Bundles and Dynamical Deformation in CFT

We consider heterotic string theory on Eguchi-Hanson space, as a local model of a resolved A_1 singularity in a six-dimensional flux compactification, with an Abelian gauge bundle turned on and non-zero torsion. We show that in a suitable double scaling limit, that isolates the physics near the non-vanishing two-cycle, a worldsheet conformal field theory description can be found. It contains a heterotic coset whose target space is conformal to Eguchi-Hanson. Starting from the blow-down limit of the singularity, it can be viewed as a dynamical deformation of the near-horizon fivebrane background. We analyze in detail the spectrum of the theory in particular examples, as well as the important role of worldsheet non-perturbative effects.

hep-th↗

arXiv1992

Topological Models on the Lattice and a Remark on String Theory Cloning

The addition of a topological model to the matter content of a conventional closed-string theory leads to the appearance of many perturbatively-decoupled space-time worlds. We illustrate this by classifying topological vertex models on a triangulated surface. We comment on how such worlds could have been coupled in the Planck era.

hep-th↗