Eigenvalue problem in two dimensions for an irregular boundary: Neumann condition
We formulate a systematic elegant perturbative scheme for determining the eigenvalues of the Helmholtz equation (∇2 + k2)$ \psi$ = 0 in two dimensions when the normal derivative of $ \psi$ vanishes on an irregular closed curve. The unique feature of this method, unlike other perturbation schemes, is that it does not require a separate formalism to treat degeneracies. Degenerate states are handled equally elegantly as the non-degenerate ones. A real parameter, extracted from the parameters defining the irregular boundary, serves as a perturbation parameter in this scheme as opposed to earlier schemes where the perturbation parameter is an artificial one. The efficacy of the proposed scheme is gauged by calculating the eigenvalues for elliptical and supercircular boundaries and comparing with the results obtained numerically. We also present a simple and interesting semi-empirical formula, determining the eigenspectrum of the 2D Helmholtz equation with the Dirichlet or the Neumann condition for a supercircular boundary. A comparison of the eigenspectrum for several low-lying modes obtained by employing the formula with the corresponding numerical estimates shows good agreement for a wide range of the supercircular exponent.

title: Holographic quark-antiquark potential in hot, anisotropic Yang-Mills plasma
abstract: Using the gauge/gravity duality we calculate the heavy quark–antiquark potential in a hot, anisotropic and strongly coupled Yang–Mills plasma in ( 3 + 1 )-dimensions. As the anisotropic medium we take a deformed version of N = 4 super Yang–Mills theory at finite temperature following a recent work where the dual type IIB supergravity solution is also proposed. We turn on a small value of the anisotropy parameter, for which the gravity dual is known analytically (perturbatively), and compute the velocity-dependent quark–antiquark interaction potential when the pair is moving through the plasma with a velocity v . By setting v = 0 we recover the static quark–antiquark potential. We numerically study how the potential is modified in the presence of anisotropy. We further show numerically how the quark–antiquark separation (both in the static and the velocity-dependent case) and hence, the screening length gets modified by anisotropy. We discuss various cases depending upon the direction of the dipole and the direction of its propagation and make a comparative study of these cases. We are also able to obtain an analytical expression for the screening length of the dipole moving in a hot, anisotropic plasma in a special case.

title: An eigenvalue problem in two dimensions for an irregular boundary
abstract: An analytical perturbative method is suggested for solving the Helmholtz equation (∇2 + k2)ψ = 0 in two dimensions where ψ vanishes on an irregular closed curve. We can thus find the energy levels of a quantum mechanical particle confined in an infinitely deep potential well in two dimensions having an irregular boundary or the vibration frequencies of a membrane whose edge is an irregular closed curve. The method is tested by calculating the energy levels for an elliptical and a supercircular boundary and comparing with the results obtained numerically. Further, the phenomenon of level crossing due to shape variation is also discussed.

title: Brownian motion in strongly coupled, anisotropic Yang-Mills plasma: A holographic approach
abstract: We employ methods of gauge/string duality to analyze the Brownian motion and the concomitant Langevin equation of a heavy quark in a strongly coupled, thermal, anisotropic Yang-Mills plasma. We consider fluctuations both along and perpendicular to the direction of anisotropy and study the effects of anisotropy on the drag coefficient, the diffusion constant and the Langevin coefficient for both the directions. We also verify the fluctuation-dissipation theorem for Brownian motion in an anisotropic medium.

title: Wilson loops in (p+1)-dimensional Yang–Mills theories using gravity/gauge theory correspondence
abstract: We compute the expectation values of both the time-like and the light-like Wilson loops in a strongly coupled plasma of ( p + 1 ) -dimensional Yang–Mills theories using gravity/gauge theory correspondence. From the time-like Wilson loop we obtain the velocity dependent quark–antiquark potential where the dipole is moving through the plasma with an arbitrary velocity 0 v 1 and also obtain expressions for the screening lengths. When the velocity v → 1 , the Wilson loop becomes light-like and we obtain the form of the jet quenching parameter in those strongly coupled plasma.

title: Quantum Cosmology with Hyperbolic Potential
abstract: For an FRW model with a minimally coupled scalar field having hyperbolic(exponential) potential we evaluate the wave function both by solving theWheeler-Dewitt (WD) equation and by evaluating the path integral. The WDequation is solved in configuration as well as in momentum space, while thepath integral is evaluated by dividing the lapse integral into a number of pieces.

title: Motion of test particles around monopoles
abstract: We present a detailed analysis of the motion of test particles around gauge and global monopoles using the Hamilton-Jacobi (HJ) formalism. We find that particles cannot be trapped by gauge monopoles while there may exist bound orbits for global monopoles under certain conditions.

title: The geometry of black hole thermodynamics in Gauss-Bonnet theory
abstract: In this work, the five-dimensional black hole solutions are presented in Einstein–Maxwell–Gauss–Bonnet theory. The geometry of the black hole thermodynamics has also been studied briefly.

title: Black hole thermodynamics in Hor̆ava Lifshitz gravity and the related geometry
abstract: Recently, Hor̆ava proposed a non-relativistic renormalizable theory of gravity which is essentially a field theoretic model for a UV complete theory of gravity and reduces to Einstein gravity with a non-vanishing cosmological constant in IR. Also the theory admits a Lifshitz scale-invariance in time and space with broken Lorentz symmetry at short scale. On the other hand, at large distances higher derivative terms do not contribute and the theory coincides with general relativity. Subsequently, Cai and his collaborators and then Catiuo et al. have obtained black hole solutions in this gravity theory and studied the thermodynamic properties of the black hole solution. In the present paper, we have investigated the black hole thermodynamic for two choices of the entropy function—a classical and a topological in nature. Finally, it is examined whether a phase transition is possible or not.

title: Matter in the Bulk and its Consequences on the Brane: A Possible Source of Dark Energy
abstract: The usual brane world scenario with anti de Sitter bulk has been generalized by considering a general form of energy momentum tensor in the bulk. The modified Einstein equation on the brane has been constructed. Two examples have been cited of which, the first one shows the usual brane equations when matter in the bulk is a negative cosmological constant. In the second example, the bulk matter is in the form of perfect fluid and as a result, an effective perfect fluid is obtained in the brane. Also it is noted that the effect of the dust bulk on the brane shows a dark energy behaviour and may be a possible explanation of the dark energy from the present day observational point of view.