Upon dimensional reduction, certain supergravity theories exhibit symmetries otherwise undetected, called hidden symmetries. Not only do these symmetries teach us about the structure of the corresponding theories but moreover they provide methods to construct black hole solutions. <p><p>In this thesis, we study the hidden symmetries of supergravity theories of particular interest and how these help constructing black hole solutions in dimensions D>4. We focus on three representative cases that are the symmetries appearing upon dimensional reduction to three, two and one dimensions. They are respectively described by finite, affine and hyperbolic algebras. In the first two cases, we develop and apply solution generating techniques.<p><p>The first part of this thesis introduces the background concepts. We start with an introduction to black holes and other black objects in dimensions D>4. We present their subtleties, the known solutions and the conjectured ones. We insist on stationary axisymmetric solutions of vacuum and to the corresponding solution generating technique.<p><p>The next chapter gives an introduction to Kac-Moody algebras. These indeed play a central role in this thesis as the symmetries appearing in three, two and one dimensions are described by three types of Kac-Moody algebras called respectively finite, affine and hyperbolic.<p><p>In the second part, we first review the notion of dimensional reductions and how the hidden symmetries can be uncovered. The rest of the thesis contains three applications of these hidden symmetries.<p><p>The first two concern five-dimensional minimal supergravity. Upon dimensional reduction to three dimensions, this theory exhibits a symmetry under the exceptional finite Kac-Moody algebra g2. This 14-dimensional algebra is the smallest exceptional finite Kac-Moody algebra. We use this duality to generate solutions while focussing mainly on black strings. <p><p>After reduction to two dimensions, the symmetry becomes infinite-dimensional and is described by the affine extension of g2. Moreover, the two-dimensional theory is integrable, which allows us to develop another type of solution generating technique, hitherto applied only to vacuum gravity. In this work we generalize it to a case with matter fields.<p><p>Finally, the notion of dimensional reduction to one dimension provides the necessary intuition for the conjecture of an algebraic formulation of M-theory, candidate to the unification of all interactions, based on the hyperbolic Kac-Moody algebra e10. In the last chapter of this thesis, we study an aspect of this correspondence, namely the e10 symmetry of massive type IIA supergravity in ten dimensions.<p><p>/<p><p>On sait depuis longtemps que par un processus appelé réduction dimensionnelle, on peut faire apparaître dans certaines théories de gravitation des symétries autrement indétectées. On les appelle des symétries cachées. La mise en évidence de ces symétries non seulement nous informe sur la structure de ces théories, mais de plus elle permet d'élaborer des méthodes de construction de solutions de trous noirs. <p><p>Dans cette thèse, nous étudions les symétries cachées de certaines théories de supergravité en dimensions supérieures à quatre. Nous nous concentrons sur trois cas représentatifs que sont les symétries apparaissant après réduction à trois, deux et une dimensions. Dans les cas des symétries apparaissant à trois et à deux dimensions nous développons et appliquons des méthodes de construction de solutions. <p><p>La première partie introduit les concepts préliminaires. Nous commençons par une introduction aux trous noirs et autres objets noirs en dimensions supérieures à quatre. Nous en présentons les subtilités, les solutions connues à ce jour et celles qui ne sont encore que conjecturées. Nous insistons particulièrement sur les solutions stationnaires à symétrie axiale dans le vide et à la méthode de construction de solutions correspondante.<p><p>Le chapitre suivant présente une introduction aux algèbres de Kac-Moody. Celles-ci jouent en effet un rôle central dans cette thèse puisque les symétries apparaissant à trois, deux et une dimensions sont décrites par trois types d'algèbres de Kac-Moody appelées respectivement finies, affines et hyperboliques. <p><p>Dans la deuxième partie, nous rentrons dans le vif du sujet, en commençant par rappeler le principe des réductions dimensionnelles et la mise en évidence des différents types de symétries cachées. Les trois derniers chapitres contiennent ensuite trois applications de ces symétries cachées. <p><p>Dans deux d'entre eux, nous nous concentrons sur la théorie de supergravité minimale à cinq dimensions. Après réduction à trois dimensions, cette théorie présente un symétrie cachée sous le groupe G2 qui, avec quatorze dimensions, est le plus petit des groupes de Lie exceptionnels. Nous utilisons cette dualité pour engendrer des solutions, en nous focalisant essentiellement sur les solutions de cordes noires. <p><p>A deux dimensions, la symétrie est décrite par l'extension affine de G2. De plus, la théorie est alors complètement intégrable. Cela conduit à un autre type de méthode de construction de solutions, jusqu'alors uniquement appliquée à des théories dans le vide. Dans ce travail, nous la généralisons donc à un cas avec champs de matière. <p><p>Enfin, la notion de réduction à une dimension fournit l'intuition d'une conjecture selon laquelle la théorie M, candidate à l'unification de toutes les interactions, pourrait être reformulée en une théorie basée sur l'algèbre de Kac-Moody hyperbolique e10. Dans le dernier chapitre de cette thèse, nous étudions un aspect de cette correspondance, à savoir, la symétrie sous e10 de la supergravité massive de type IIA à dix dimensions. / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

A lot of developments made during the last years show that Kac-Moody algebras play an important role in the algebraic structure of some supergravity theories. These algebras would generate infinite-dimensional symmetry groups. The possible existence of such symmetries have motivated the reformulation of these theories as non-linear sigma-models based on the Kac-Moody symmetry groups. Such models are constructed in terms of an infinite number of fields parametrizing the generators of the corresponding algebra. If these conjectured symmetries are indeed actual symmetries of certain supergravity theories, a meaningful question to elucidate will be the interpretation of this infinite tower of fields. Another substantial problem is to find the correspondence between the sigma-models, which are explicitly invariant under the conjectured symmetries, and these corresponding space-time theories. The subject of this thesis is to address these questions in certain cases. <p> <p> This dissertation is divided in three parts.<p> <p> In Part I, we first review the mathematical background on Kac-Moody algebras required to understand the results of this thesis. We then describe the investigations of the underlying symmetry structure of supergravity theories.<p> <p> In Part II, we focus on the bosonic sector of eleven-dimensional supergravity which would be invariant under the extended symmetry E_{11}. We study its subalgebra E_{10} and more precisely the real roots of its affine subalgebra E_9. For each positive real roots of E_9 we obtain a BPS solution of eleven-dimensional supergravity or of its exotic counterparts. All these solutions are related by U-dualities which are realized via E_9 Weyl transformations.<p> <p> In Part III, we study the symmetries of pure N=2 supergravity in D=4. As is known, the dimensional reduction of this model with one Killing vector is characterized by a non-linearly realized symmetry SU(2,1). We consider the BPS brane solutions of this theory preserving half of the supersymmetry and the action of SU(2,1) on them. Infinite-dimensional symmetries are also studied and we provide evidence that the theory exhibits an underlying algebraic structure described by the Lorentzian Kac-Mody group SU(2,1)^{+++}. This evidence arises from the correspondence between the bosonic space-time fields of N=2 supergravity in D=4 and a one-parameter sigma-model based on the hyperbolic group SU(2,1)^{++}. It also follows from the structure of BPS brane solutions which is neatly encoded in SU(2,1)^{+++}. As a worthy by-product of our analysis, we obtain a regular embedding of su(2,1)^{+++} in E_{11} based on brane physics./<p><p> Nombreuses sont les recherches récentes indiquant que différentes théories de gravité couplée à un certain type de champs de matière pourraient être caractérisées par des algèbres de Kac-Moody. Celles-ci généreraient des symétries infinies-dimensionnelles. L'existence possible de ces symétries a motivé la reformulation de ces théories par des actions explicitement invariantes sous les transformations du groupe de Kac-Moody. Ces actions sont construites en termes d'une infinité de champs associés à l'infinité de générateurs de l'algèbre correspondante. Si la conjecture de ces symétries est exacte, qu'en est-il de l'interprétation de l'infinité de champs? Qu'en est-il d'autre part de la correspondance entre ces actions explicitement invariantes sous les groupes de Kac-Moody et les théories d'espace-temps correspondantes? C'est autour de ces questions que gravite cette thèse.<p><p><p>Nous nous sommes d'abord focalisés sur le secteur bosonique de la supergravité à 11 dimensions qui possèderait selon diverses études une symétrie étendue E_{11}. Nous avons étudié la sous-algèbre E_{10} et plus particulièrement les racines réelles de sa sous-algèbre affine E_9. Pour chacune de ces racines, nous avons obtenu une solution BPS de la supergravité à 11 dimensions dépendant de deux dimensions d'espace non-compactes. Cette infinité de solutions résulte de transformations de Weyl successives sur des champs dont l'interprétation physique d'espace-temps était connue. <p><p>Nous avons ensuite analysé les symétries de la supergravité N=2 à 4 dimensions dont le secteur bosonique contient la gravité couplée à un champ de Maxwell. Cette théorie réduite sur un vecteur de Killing est caractérisée par la symétrie SU(2,1). Nous avons considéré les solutions de brane BPS qui préservent la moitié des supersymétries ainsi que l'action du groupe SU(2,1) sur ces solutions. Les symétries infinies-dimensionnelles ont également été étudiées. D'une part, la correspondance entre les champs d'espace-temps de la théorie N=2 et le modèle sigma basé sur le groupe hyperbolique SU(2,1)^{++} est établie. D'autre part, on montre que la structure des solutions de brane BPS est bien encodée dans SU(2,1)^{+++}. Ces considérations argumentent le fait que la supergravité N=2 possèderait une structure algébrique décrite par le groupe de Kac-Moody Lorentzien SU(2,1)^{+++}.<p> / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

The present thesis is divided into three parts. In Part I we address a problem within Higher-Spin Gauge Theory in dimension three: namely, that of computing the asymptotic symmetry algebra of supersymmetric models, describing an infinite spectrum of integer and half-integer higher-spin fields. In Part II we investigate higher-spin theories in dimension four or greater, where we classify the consistent cross interactions between free gauge fermions of arbitrary spin and a photon or a graviton. A third part supplements the bulk of the manuscript with technical appendices. <p><p>Part I is concerned with the Higher-Spin Theory extending the anti-de Sitter orthosymplectic Supergravity in three dimensions. After recalling the construction of the latter we exhibit the structure of the former, and then explain how to generalize the boundary conditions for Supergravity to the higher-spin case. Following the usual procedure, we compute the form of the residual gauge parameter and then identify the Poisson-bracket algebra governing the asymptotic dynamics. It is found to be a nonlinear, supersymmetric algebra of the W-infinity type with same central charge as pure Gravity in the Virasoro sector, which is a subalgebra thereof. The simply supersymmetric case is treated explicitly whereas the details of the extended cases are relegated to the appendices. <p><p>Part II deals with the interaction problem for gauge fermions coupled to Electromagnetism and Gravity in flat spacetime of arbitrary dimension. First we recall the so-called BRST-Antifield techniques, which reformulate the deformation problem as a cohomological one, recasting the familiar Noether procedure for finding out interactions in a mathematically systematic way. We then use these methods to classify and obtain expressions for the gauge-invariant cubic couplings between a symmetric tensor-spinor and a spin-1 and spin-2 gauge field. With no input from previous works, we find the complete list of interaction terms with minimal assumptions and in particular shed light on the quartic obstructions to full consistency. / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

In a preamble, a quick summary of the line of thought from Noether's theorems to modern views on conserved charges in gauge theories is attempted. Most of the background material needed for the thesis is set out through a small survey of the literature. Emphasis is put on the concepts more than on the formalism, which is relegated to the appendices.<p><p>The treatment of exact conservation laws in Lagrangian gauge theories constitutes the main axis of the first part of the thesis. The formalism is developed as a self-consistent theory but is inspired by earlier works, mainly by cohomological results, covariant phase space methods and by the Hamiltonian formalism.<p>The thermodynamical properties of black holes, especially the first law, are studied in a general geometrical setting and are worked out for several black objects: black holes, strings and rings. Also, the geometrical and thermodynamical properties of a new family of black holes with closed timelike curves in three dimensions are described.<p><p><p>The second part of the thesis is the natural generalization of the first part to asymptotic analyses. We start with a general construction of covariant phase spaces admitting asymptotically conserved charges. The representation of the asymptotic symmetry algebra by a covariant Poisson bracket among the conserved charges is then defined and is shown to admit generically central extensions. The asymptotic structures of three three-dimensional spacetimes are then studied in detail and the consequences for quantum gravity in three dimensions are discussed. / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / More than a decade ago, it was shown that non-Hermitian Hamiltonians with combined parity (P) and time-reversal (T ) symmetry exhibit real eigenvalues over a range of parameters. Since then, the field of PT symmetry has seen rapid progress on both the theoretical and experimental fronts. These effective Hamiltonians are excellent candidates for describing open quantum systems with balanced gain and loss. Nature seems to be replete with examples of PT -symmetric systems; in fact, recent experimental investigations have observed the effects of PT symmetry breaking in systems as diverse as coupled mechanical pendula, coupled optical waveguides, and coupled electrical circuits. Recently, PT -symmetric Hamiltonians for tight-binding lattice models have been extensively investigated. Lattice models, in general, have been widely used in physics due to their analytical and numerical tractability. Perhaps one of the best systems for experimentally observing the effects of PT symmetry breaking in a one-dimensional lattice with tunable hopping is an array of evanescently-coupled optical waveguides. The tunneling between adjacent waveguides is tuned by adjusting the width of the barrier between them, and the imaginary part of the local refractive index provides the loss or gain in the respective waveguide. Calculating the time evolution of a wave packet on a lattice is relatively straightforward in the tight-binding model, allowing us to make predictions about the behavior of light propagating down an array of PT -symmetric waveguides. In this thesis, I investigate the the strength of the PT -symmetric phase (the region over which the eigenvalues are purely real) in lattices with a variety of PT - symmetric potentials. In Chapter 1, I begin with a brief review of the postulates of quantum mechanics, followed by an outline of the fundamental principles of PT - symmetric systems. Chapter 2 focuses on one-dimensional uniform lattices with a pair of PT -symmetric impurities in the case of open boundary conditions. I find that the PT phase is algebraically fragile except in the case of closest impurities, where the PT phase remains nonzero. In Chapter 3, I examine the case of periodic boundary conditions in uniform lattices, finding that the PT phase is not only nonzero, but also independent of the impurity spacing on the lattice. In addition, I explore the time evolution of a single-particle wave packet initially localized at a site. I find that in the case of periodic boundary conditions, the wave packet undergoes a preferential clockwise or counterclockwise motion around the ring. This behavior is quantified by a discrete momentum operator which assumes a maximum value at the PT -symmetry- breaking threshold. In Chapter 4, I investigate nonuniform lattices where the parity-symmetric hop- ping between neighboring sites can be tuned. I find that the PT phase remains strong in the case of closest impurities and fragile elsewhere. Chapter 5 explores the effects of the competition between localized and extended PT potentials on a lattice. I show that when the short-range impurities are maximally separated on the lattice, the PT phase is strengthened by adding short-range loss in the broad-loss region. Consequently, I predict that a broken PT symmetry can be restored by increasing the strength of the short-range impurities. Lastly, Chapter 6 summarizes my salient results and discusses areas which can be further developed in future research.

A study of the local structure of the Eu3+ ion with high symmetry in crystals was carried out using the crystal field theory by the method of nearest neighbours (MENN). The crystals studied were: M2O3, SnO2, BaliF3 and XMgF3 doped with very low concentrations of Eu3+ ion. From equations of the crystal field parameters, the maximum splitting of 7F1 multiplet and the electrostatic equilibrium of luminescent site was possible to predict the interatomic distance Eu-O ions in the luminescent site. For the M2O3 crystal, the overlap between the 4f orbitals and 2p in the range 0.07. Ïj.0.1 and the charge factor between 0.55.gj.0.9 gave better predictions for the indication of the local structure of luminescent site. The electrical neutrality of the luminescent site was satisfied. The Batista-Longo Improved Model (BLIM) was used to show that the Eu3+ ion charge may be greater than its own valence. The predictions give an indication of a point symmetry S6 or D3d. For the SnO2 oxide two sets of charge factors were used. Both were related by the equation of the electrostatic equilibrium of luminescent site. A P = 1.0029 proportionality constant related non equivalent interatomic distances. The overlap between the 4f orbitals and 2p in the range 0.05. Ïj.0.1 and the charge factor 0.5.gj.0.75 gave better predictions for the indication of the local structure of luminescent site. The predictions indicate that the Eu3+ ion replaces the Sn4+ ion in a point symmetry C2h or D2h. For the BaliF3 and XMgF3 crystals is suggested that the Eu3+ ion occupies a lowest symmetry D4d with coordination number eight. The experimental splitting was reproduced with gj = 0.402 and Ïj = 0.05. The signal of the B2 0 was reproduced. This study was done based on the emission spectrum of Eu3+ ion and structure calculations based on molecular dynamics. The predictions of the Eu-PV interatomic distance and local symmetry of the luminescent site is in good agreement with experimental data. / Um estudo da estrutura local do sitio luminescente do ion Eu3+ com alta simetria em cristais foi realizado utilizando a teoria de campo cristalino atraves do metodo dos vizinhos equivalentes (MENN). Os cristais estudados foram: M2O3, SnO2, BaLiF3 e XMgF3 dopados com baixissimas concentracoes do ion Eu3+. A partir das equacoes dos parametros de campo cristalino, do desdobramento maximo do multipleto 7F1 e do equilibrio eletrostatico do sitio luminescente foi possivel fazer previsoes da distancia interatomica entre os ions Eu-O no sitio luminescente do ion Eu3+. Para o cristal M2O3, o recobrimento entre os orbitais 4f e 2p no intervalo entre 0.07. Ïj.0.1 e o fator de carga entre 0.55.gj.0.9 apresentaram as melhores previsoes para a indicacao da estrutura local do sitio luminescente. A neutralidade eletrostatica do sitio luminescente foi satisfeita com o MENN. O Batista-Longo Improved Model (BLIM) foi utilizado como comparativo para mostrar que a carga do ion Eu3+ pode ser maior que sua propria valencia. As previsoes dao indicacao de uma simetria pontual S6 ou D3d. Para o oxido SnO2 dois conjuntos de fatores de cargas foram utilizados. Ambos foram relacionados pela equacao do equilibrio eletrostatico do sitio luminescente. Uma constante de proporcionalidade P=1.0029 relacionou as distancias interatomicas nao equivalentes. O recobrimento entre os orbitais 4f e 2p no intervalo entre 0.05. Ïj.0.1 e o fator de carga entre 0.5.gj.0.75 apresentaram as melhores previsoes para a indicacao da estrutura local do sitio luminescente. As previsoes indicam que o ion Eu3+ substitui o ion Sn4+ em uma simetria pontual C2h ou D2h. Para os cristais BaLiF3 e XMgF3 e sugerido que o ion Eu3+ ocupe uma simetria mais baixa D4d com numero de coordenacao 8. O desdobramento experimental foi reproduzido com gj = 0.402 e Ïj = 0.05. O sinal do B2 0 foi reproduzido. Este estudo foi feito baseado no espectro de emissao do ion Eu3+ e de calculos de estrutura local baseado em dinamica molecular. As previsoes da distancia interatomica Eu-PV e simetria local do sitio luminescente estao em trostatico do sitio uminescente foi possivel fazer previsoes da distancia interatomica entre os ions Eu-O no sitio luminescente do ion Eu3+. Para o cristal M2O3, o recobrimento entre os orbitais 4f e 2p no intervalo entre 0.07. Ïj.0.1 e o fator de carga entre 0.55.gj.0.9 apresentaram as melhores previsoes para a indicacao da estrutura local do sitio luminescente. A neutralidade eletrostatica do sitio luminescente foi satisfeita com o MENN. O Batista-Longo Improved Model (BLIM) foi utilizado como comparativo para mostrar que a carga do ion Eu3+ pode ser maior que sua propria valencia. As previsoes dao indicacao de uma simetria pontual S6 ou D3d. Para o oxido SnO2 dois conjuntos de fatores de cargas foram utilizados. Ambos foram relacionados pela equacao do equilibrio eletrostatico do sitio luminescente. Uma constante de proporcionalidade P=1.0029 relacionou as distancias interatomicas nao equivalentes. O recobrimento entre os orbitais 4f e 2p no intervalo entre 0.05. Ïj.0.1 e o fator de carga entre 0.5.gj.0.75 apresentaram as melhores previsoes para a indicacao da estrutura local do sitio luminescente. As previsoes indicam que o ion Eu3+ substitui o ion Sn4+ em uma simetria pontual C2h ou D2h. Para os cristais BaLiF3 e XMgF3 e sugerido que o ion Eu3+ ocupe uma simetria mais baixa D4d com numero de coordenacao 8. O desdobramento experimental foi reproduzido com gj = 0.402 e Ïj = 0.05. O sinal do B2 0 foi reproduzido. Este estudo foi feito baseado no espectro de emissao do ion Eu3+ e de calculos de estrutura local baseado em dinamica molecular. As previsoes da distancia interatomica Eu-PV e simetria local do sitio luminescente estao em bom acordo com dados experimentais.