Abstract: We present a fast method for producing mock galaxy catalogues that can be used to compute the covariance of large-scale clustering measurements and test analysis techniques. Our method populates a second-order Lagrangian perturbation theory (2LPT) matter field, where we calibrate masses of dark matter haloes by detailed comparisons with N-body simulations. We demonstrate that the clustering of haloes is recovered at similar to 10 per cent accuracy. We populate haloes with mock galaxies using a halo occupation distribution (HOD) prescription, which has been calibrated to reproduce the clustering measurements on scales between 30 and 80 h(-1) Mpc. We compare the sample covariance matrix from our mocks with analytic estimates, and discuss differences. We have used this method to make catalogues corresponding to Data Release 9 of the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS), producing 600 mock catalogues of the 'CMASS' galaxy sample. These mocks have enabled detailed tests of methods and errors, and have formed an integral part of companion analyses of these galaxy data.

Abstract: We study the interaction between two B = 1 states in the Chiral Dilaton Model where baryons are described as nontopological solitons arising from the interaction of chiral mesons and quarks. By using the hedgehog solution for B = 1 states we construct, via a product ansatz, three possible B = 2 configurations to analyse the role of the relative orientation of the hedgehog quills in the dynamics of the soliton-soliton interaction and investigate the behavior of these solutions in the range of long/intermediate distance. One of the solutions is quite binding due to the dynamics of the pi and sigma fields at intermediate distance and should be used for nuclear matter studies. Since the product ansatz break down as the two solitons get close, we explore the short range distance regime with a model that describes the interaction via a six-quark bag ansatz. We calculate the interaction energy as a function of the inter-soliton distance and show that for small separations the six quarks bag, assuming a hedgehog structure, provides a stable bound state that at large separations connects with a special configuration coming from the product ansatz.

Abstract: We study the process J/Psi -> gamma phi omega, measured by the BES experiment, where a neat peak close to the phi omega threshold is observed and is associated to a scalar meson resonance around 1800 MeV. We make the observation that a scalar resonance coupling to phi omega unavoidably couples strongly to K (K) over bar, but no trace of a peak is seen in the K (K) over bar spectrum of the J/Psi -> gamma K (K) over bar at this energy. This serves us to rule out the interpretation of the observed peak as a signal of a new resonance. After this is done, a thorough study is performed on the production of a pair of vector mesons and how its interaction leads necessarily to a peak in the J/Psi -> gamma phi omega reaction close to the phi omega threshold, due to the dynamical generation of the f(0)(1710) resonance by the vector-vector interaction. We then show that both the shape obtained for the phi omega mass distribution, as well as the strength are naturally reproduced by this mechanism. The work also explains why the phi omega peak is observed in the BES experiment and not in other reactions, like B-+/- -> K-+/-phi omega of Belle.

Abstract: After the successful determination of the reactor neutrino mixing angle theta(13) not equal 0.16 not equal 0, a new feature suggested by the current neutrino oscillation data is a sizeable deviation of the atmospheric neutrino mixing angle theta(23) from pi/4. Using the fact that the neutrino mixing matrix U = (UeU nu)-U-dagger, where U-e and U-nu result from the diagonalisation of the charged lepton and neutrino mass matrices, and assuming that U-nu has a i) bimaximal (BM), H) tri-bimaximal (TBM) form, or else Hi) corresponds to the conservation of the lepton charge L' = L-e – L μ- L-tau (LC), we investigate quantitatively what are the minimal forms of U-e, in terms of angles and phases it contains, that can provide the requisite corrections to U-nu so that theta(13), theta(23) and the solar neutrino mixing angle theta(12) have values compatible with the current data. Two possible orderings of the 12 and the 23 rotations in U-e, “standard” and “inverse”, are considered. The results we obtain depend strongly on the type of ordering. In the case of “standard” ordering, in particular, the Dirac CP violation phase delta, present in U, is predicted to have a value in a narrow interval around i) delta similar or equal to pi in the BM (or LC) case, H) delta congruent to 3 pi/2 or pi/2 in the TBM case, the CP conserving values delta = 0, pi, 2 pi being excluded in the TBM case at more than 4 sigma.

Abstract: Kohn-Sham density functional calculations are reported for the structures of clusters consisting of a carbonyl sulfide (OCS) molecule with N = 1, 8, 18, and 40 attached He-3 atoms. The N = 1 cluster ground state is highly localized at the molecular waist (donut ring position), but for higher levels of excitation becomes increasingly delocalized. The first magic cluster with 8 atoms has a significant density at both ends of the molecule in addition to the donut ring. With N = 18 He-3 atoms the molecule is enclosed by a magic number closed shell. Another magic stable structure consisting of two nearly isotropically spherical closed shells is found at N = 40. A comparison with calculations for the same sized He-4 clusters show some important similarities, e. g., pile up at the donut ring position but altogether a more diffuse, less anisotropic structure. These results are discussed in the light of the recently analyzed infrared spectra measured in large pure He-3 droplets (N approximate to 1.2 x 10(4)) [B. Sartakov, J. P. Toennies, and A. F. Vilesov, J. Chem. Phys. 136, 134316 (2012)]. The moments of inertia of the 11 atom spherical shell structure, which is consistent with the experimental spectrum, lies between the predicted moments of inertia for N = 8 and N = 18 clusters. Overall the calculations reveal that the structures and energies of small doped He-3 are only slightly more diffuse and less energetic than the same He-4 clusters.