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We study the magnetic flux landscape in YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-x}$ thin films as a two dimensional rough surface. The vortex density in the superconductor forms a self-affine structure in both space and time. This is characterized by a roughness exponent $\alpha = 0.76(3)$ and a growth exponent $\beta = 0.57(6)$. This is due to the structure and distribution of flux avalanches in the self-organized critical state, which is formed in the superconductor. We also discuss our results in the context of other roughening systems in the presence of quenched disorder., Comment: 13 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in Physica A

We present an experimental study of the influence of quenched disorder on the distribution of flux avalanches in type-II superconductors. In the presence of much quenched disorder, the avalanche sizes are power-law distributed and show finite size scaling, as expected from self-organized criticality (SOC). Furthermore, the shape of the avalanches is observed to be fractal. In the absence of quenched disorder, a preferred size of avalanches is observed and avalanches are smooth. These observations indicate that a certain minimum amount of disorder is necessary for SOC behavior. We relate these findings to the appearance or non-appearance of SOC in other experimental systems, particularly piles of sand., Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures

The penetration of magnetic flux into a thin film of YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-x}$ is studied when the external field is ramped slowly. In this case the flux penetrates in bursts or avalanches. The size of these avalanches is distributed according to a power law with an exponent of $\tau$ = 1.29(2). The additional observation of finite-size scaling of the avalanche distributions, with an avalanche dimension D = 1.89(3), gives strong indications towards self-organized criticality in this system. Furthermore we determine exponents governing the roughening dynamics of the flux surface using some universal scaling relations. These exponents are compared to those obtained from a standard roughening analysis., Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, submitted to PRL

In this paper we consider space-times containing matter expanding or contracting according to a time-dependent scale factor. Cosmologies with vanishing, positive or negative cosmological constant are considered. In the case of vanishing or negative cosmological constant open and closed spatial surfaces are solutions while in the case of positive cosmological constant only closed surfaces exist. The gravitational field is solved explicitly in the case of 1 or 2 particles, 1 black-hole, and 1 black-hole vacuum state., Comment: 17 pages Latex, 4 eps figures

Using a PASCAL program to follow the evolution of two gravitating particles in 2+1 dimensions we find solutions in which the particles wind around one another indefinitely. As their center of mass moves `tachyonic' they form a Gott-pair. To avoid unphysical boundary conditions we consider a large but closed universe. After the particles have evolved for some time their momenta have grown very large. In this limit we quantize the model and find that both the relevant configuration variable and its conjugate momentum become discrete., Comment: 15 pages Latex, 4 eps figures

After a review of multi particle solutions in classical 2+1 dimensional gravity we will construct a one particle Hilbert space. As we will use a curved momentum space, the coordinates $x^\mu$ are represented as non commuting Hermitian operators on this Hilbertspace. Finally we will indicate how to construct a Schrodinger equation., Comment: 4 pages Latex, 2 eps figures, uses espcr.sty; Talk given at the Second Meeting on Constrained Dynamics and Quantum Gravity, Santa Margherita Ligure, Italy, 17-21 september 1996

We find that the momentum conjugate to the relative distance between two gravitating particles in their center of mass frame is a hyperbolic angle. This fact strongly suggests that momentum space should be taken to be a hyperboloid. We investigate the effect of quantization on this curved momentum space. The coordinates are represented by non commuting, Hermitian operators on this hyperboloid. We also find that there is a smallest distance between the two particles of one half times the Planck length., Comment: 18 pages Latex, 2 eps figures

In this paper we describe the matter-free toroidal spacetime in 't Hooft's polygon approach to 2+1-dimensional gravity (i.e. we consider the case without any particles present). Contrary to earlier results in the literature we find that it is not possible to describe the torus by just one polygon but we need at least two polygons. We also show that the constraint algebra of the polygons closes., Comment: 18 pages Latex, 13 eps-figures

In this paper we derive an expression for the conserved Pauli-Lubanski scalar in 't Hooft's polygon approach to 2+1-dimensional gravity coupled to point particles. We find that it is represented by an extra spatial shift $\Delta$ in addition to the usual identification rule (being a rotation over the cut). For two particles this invariant is expressed in terms of 't Hooft's phase-space variables and we check its classical limit., Comment: Some errors are corrected and a new introduction and discussion are added. 6 pages Latex, 4 eps-figures