Related papers: Geometry of whips and chains
We study the motion of an inextensible string (a whip) fixed at one point in the absence of gravity, satisfying the equations $$ \eta_{tt} = \partial_s(\sigma \eta_s), \qquad \sigma_{ss}-\lvert \eta_{ss}\rvert^2 = -\lvert \eta_{st}\rvert^2,…
In this work, we examine the whip dynamics in a freely falling chain. We consider an inextensible chain with free ends in the presence of gravity hanging from a fixed pulley. If the configuration is unbalanced, the chain begins to…
A loop of chain can move along its own tangents, maintaining a steady shape. An open-ended chain undergoing a nontrivial motion must change its shape. One consequence is that chains pulled around objects will fail to follow the contours of…
The geodesic properties of the extraordinary vacuum string solution in (4+1) dimensions are analyzed by using Hamilton-Jacobi method. The geodesic motions show distinct properties from those of the static one. Especially, any freely falling…
We develop a geometric approach to spin networks with Heisenberg or XX coupling. Geometry is acquired by defining a distance on the discrete set of spins. The key feature of the geometry of such networks is their Gauss curvature $\kappa$,…
In the first part of this work the classical and statistical aspects of the dynamics of an inextensible chain in three dimensions are investigated. In the second part the special case of a chain admitting only fixed angles with respect to…
It is shown that properties of a discrete space-time geometry distinguish from properties of the Riemannian space-time geometry. The discrete geometry is a physical geometry, which is described completely by the world function. The discrete…
We consider the motion of a two-dimensional body of arbitrary shape in a planar irrotational, incompressible fluid with a given amount of circulation around the body. We derive the equations of motion for this system by performing…
The higher-spin geometries of $W_\infty$-gravity and $W_N$-gravity are analysed and used to derive the complete non-linear structure of the coupling to matter and its symmetries. The symmetry group is a subgroup of the symplectic…
In this paper we study geometric aspects of the space of arcs parametrized by unit speed in the $L^2$ metric. Physically this corresponds to the motion of a whip, and it also arises in studying shape recognition. The geodesic equation is…
In this paper we study the dynamics of a small rigid body in a viscous incompressible fluid in dimension two and three. More precisely we investigate the trajectory of the rigid body in the limit when the its mass and its size tend to zero.…
With the help of a generalization of the Fermat principle in general relativity, we show that chains in CR geometry are geodesics of a certain Kropina metric constructed from the CR structure. We study the projective equivalence of Kropina…
The motion of weights attached to a chain or string moving on a frictionless pulley is a classic problem of introductory physics used to understand the relationship between force and acceleration. Here, we consider the dynamics of the chain…
I investigate two discrete models of random geometries, namely simplicial quantum gravity and quantum string theory. In four-dimensional simplicial quantum gravity, I show that the addition of matter gauge fields to the model is capable of…
The irrotational motion of a compressible inviscid fluid is studied in the field of analogue gravity, where its metric is compared to that in general relativity, a fluid analogue of an evaporating black hole has been realized…
The full non-linear structure of the action and transformation rules for $\W_N$-gravity coupled to matter are obtained from a non-linear truncation of those for $w_ \infty$ gravity. The geometry of the construction is discussed, and it is…
We analyze the motion of individual beads of a polymer chain using a discrete version of De Gennes' reptation model that describes the motion of a polymer through an ordered lattice of obstacles. The motion within the tube can be evaluated…
In this lecture I summarize recent developments on strings propagating in curved spacetime. Exact conformal field theories that describe gravitational backgrounds such as black holes and more intricate gravitational singularities have been…
In the paper, some concepts of modern differential geometry are used as a basis to develop an invariant theory of mechanical systems, including systems with gyroscopic forces. An interpretation of systems with gyroscopic forces in the form…
This thesis consists of two parts, connected by one central theme: the dynamics of the "shape of space". The first part of the thesis concerns the construction of a theory of gravity dynamically equivalent to general relativity (GR) in 3+1…