MANY-SKYRMION WAVE-FUNCTIONS AND SKYRMION STATISTICS IN QUANTUM HALL FERROMAGNETS

We determine the charge and statistical angle of Skyrmions in quantum Hall ferromagnets by performing Berry-phase calculations based on the microscopic variational wave functions for many-Skyrmion states. We fi nd, in contradiction to a recent claim by Dziarmaga, that both the cha rge and the statistical angle of a Skyrmion are independent of its spi n (size), and are identical to those of Laughlin quasiparticles at the same filling factor. We discuss some subtleties in the use of these v ariational wave functions.