Abstract: Proton-activation reactions on natural and enriched palladium samples were investigated via the activation technique in the energy range of E(p) = 2.75-9 MeV, close to the upper end of the respective Gamow window of the. process. We have determined cross sections for (102)Pd(p,gamma)(103)Ag, (104)Pd(p,gamma)(105)Ag, and (105)Pd(p,n)(105)Ag, as well as partial cross sections of (104)Pd(p,n)(104)Ag(g), (105)Pd(p,gamma)(106)Ag(m), (106)Pd(p,n)(106)Ag(m), and (110)Pd(p,n)(110)Ag(m) with uncertainties between 3% and 15% for constraining theoretical Hauser-Feshbach rates and for direct use in gamma-process calculations.

Abstract: The neutron capture cross sections of (186)Os and (187)Os are of key importance for defining the 8-process abundance of (187)Os at the formation of the solar system. This quantity can be used to determine the radiogenic abundance component of (187)Os from the decay of (187)Re (t(1/2) = 41.2 Gyr) and to infer the time-duration of the nucleosynthesis in our galaxy (Re/Os cosmochronometer). The neutron capture cross sections of (186)Os, (187)Os, and (188)Os have been measured at the CERN nTOF facility from 1 eV to 1 MeV, covering the entire energy range of astrophysical interest. From these data Maxwellian averaged capture cross sections have been calculated with uncertainties between 3.3 and 4.7%. Additional information was obtained by measuring the inelastic scattering cross section of (187)Os at the Karlsruhe 3.7 MV Van de Graaff accelerator and by neutron resonance analyses of the nTOF capture data to establish a comprehensive experimental basis for the Hauser-Feshbach statistical model. Consistent I-IF calculations for the capture and inelastic reaction channels were performed to determine the stellar enhancement factors, which are required to correct the Maxwellian averaged cross sections for the effect of thermally populated excited states. The consequences of this analysis for the s-process component of the (187)Os abundance and the related impact on the evaluation of the time-duration of Galactic nucleosynthesis via the Re/Os cosmo-chronometer are discussed.

Abstract: Building on the legacy of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-I and II), SDSS-III is a program of four spectroscopic surveys on three scientific themes: dark energy and cosmological parameters, the history and structure of the Milky Way, and the population of giant planets around other stars. In keeping with SDSS tradition, SDSS-III will provide regular public releases of all its data, beginning with SDSS Data Release 8 (DR8), which was made public in 2011 January and includes SDSS-I and SDSS-II images and spectra reprocessed with the latest pipelines and calibrations produced for the SDSS-III investigations. This paper presents an overview of the four surveys that comprise SDSS-III. The Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey will measure redshifts of 1.5 million massive galaxies and Ly alpha forest spectra of 150,000 quasars, using the baryon acoustic oscillation feature of large-scale structure to obtain percent-level determinations of the distance scale and Hubble expansion rate at z < 0.7 and at z approximate to 2.5. SEGUE-2, an already completed SDSS-III survey that is the continuation of the SDSS-II Sloan Extension for Galactic Understanding and Exploration (SEGUE), measured medium-resolution (R = lambda/lambda Delta approximate to 1800) optical spectra of 118,000 stars in a variety of target categories, probing chemical evolution, stellar kinematics and substructure, and the mass profile of the dark matter halo from the solar neighborhood to distances of 100 kpc. APOGEE, the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment, will obtain high-resolution (R approximate to 30,000), high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N >= 100 per resolution element), H-band (1.51 μm < lambda < 1.70 μm) spectra of 105 evolved, late-type stars, measuring separate abundances for similar to 15 elements per star and creating the first high-precision spectroscopic survey of all Galactic stellar populations (bulge, bar, disks, halo) with a uniform set of stellar tracers and spectral diagnostics. The Multi-object APO Radial Velocity Exoplanet Large-area Survey (MARVELS) will monitor radial velocities of more than 8000 FGK stars with the sensitivity and cadence (10-40 ms(-1), similar to 24 visits per star) needed to detect giant planets with periods up to two years, providing an unprecedented data set for understanding the formation and dynamical evolution of giant planet systems. As of 2011 January, SDSS-III has obtained spectra of more than 240,000 galaxies, 29,000 z >= 2.2 quasars, and 140,000 stars, including 74,000 velocity measurements of 2580 stars for MARVELS.

Abstract: Statistical inference of the fundamental parameters of supersymmetric theories is a challenging and active endeavor. Several sophisticated algorithms have been employed to this end. While Markov-Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) and nested sampling techniques are geared towards Bayesian inference, they have also been used to estimate frequentist confidence intervals based on the profile likelihood ratio. We investigate the performance and appropriate configuration of MULTINEST, a nested sampling based algorithm, when used for profile likelihood-based analyses both on toy models and on the parameter space of the Constrained MSSM. We find that while the standard configuration previously used in the literarture is appropriate for an accurate reconstruction of the Bayesian posterior, the profile likelihood is poorly approximated. We identify a more appropriate MULTINEST configuration for profile likelihood analyses, which gives an excellent exploration of the profile likelihood (albeit at a larger computational cost), including the identification of the global maximum likelihood value. We conclude that with the appropriate configuration MULTINEST is a suitable tool for profile likelihood studies, indicating previous claims to the contrary are not well founded.

Abstract: This work aims to present the current state of simulations of electroluminescence (EL) produced in gas-based detectors with special interest for NEXT – Neutrino Experiment with a Xenon TPC. NEXT is a neutrinoless double beta decay experiment, thus needs outstanding energy resolution which can be achieved by using electroluminescence. The process of light production is reviewed and properties such as EL yield and associated fluctuations, excitation and electroluminescence efficiencies, and energy resolution, are calculated. An EL production region with a 5 mm width gap between two infinite parallel planes is considered, where a uniform electric field is produced. The pressure and temperature considered are 10 bar and 293 K, respectively. The results show that, even for low values of VUV photon detection efficiency, good energy resolution can be achieved: below 0.4% (FWHM) at Q(beta beta) = 2.458 MeV.