No abstract uploaded!

We consider a pair of isoperimetric problems arising in physics. The first concerns a Schrdinger operator in L^2(\mathbb{R}^2) with an attractive interaction supported on a closed curve , formally given by (<i>x</i>); we ask which curve of a given length maximizes the ground state energy. In the second problem we have a loop-shaped thread in L^2(\mathbb{R}^2), homogeneously charged but not conducting, and we ask about the (renormalized) potential-energy minimizer. Both problems reduce to purely geometric questions about inequalities for mean values of chords of . We prove an isoperimetric theorem for <i>p</i>-means of chords of curves when <i>p</i> 2, which implies in particular that the global extrema for the physical problems are always attained when is a circle. The letter concludes with a discussion of the <i>p</i>-means of chords when <i>p</i> &gt; 2.

We consider an electron with an anomalous magnetic moment, <i>g</i> &gt; &gt; 2, confined to a plane and interacting with a nonhomogeneous magnetic field <i>B</i>, and investigate the corresponding Pauli Hamiltonian. We prove a lower bound on the number of bound states for the case when <i>B</i> is of a compact support and the related flux is <i>N</i> + <i></i>, <i></i>(0, 1]. In particular, there are at least <i>N</i> + 1 bound states if <i>B</i> does not change sign. We also consider the situation where the magnetic field is due to a localized rotationally symmetric electric current vortex in the plane. In this case the flux is zero; there is a pair of bound states for a weak coupling, and higher orbital-momentum spin-down states appearing as the current strength increases.

No abstract uploaded!

We consider an electron constrained to move on a surface with revolution symmetry in the presence of a constant magnetic field B parallel to the surface axis. Depending on B and the surface geometry the transverse part of the spectrum typically exhibits many crossings which change to avoided crossings if a weak symmetry breaking interaction is introduced. We study the effect of such perturbations on the quantum propagation. This problem admits a natural reformulation to which tools from molecular dynamics can be applied. In turn, this leads to the study of a perturbation theory for the time dependent BornOppenheimer approximation.