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Penalva, N., Hernandez, E., & Nieves, J. (2021). New physics and the tau polarization vector in b -> c tau barnutau decays. J. High Energy Phys., 06(6), 118–37pp.
Abstract: For a general H-b -> Hc tau nu <overbar></mml:mover>tau decay we analyze the role of the tau polarization vector P μin the context of lepton flavor universality violation studies. We use a general phenomenological approach that includes, in addition to the Standard Model (SM) contribution, vector, axial, scalar, pseudoscalar and tensor new physics (NP) terms which strength is governed by, complex in general, Wilson coefficients. We show that both in the laboratory frame, where the initial hadron is at rest, and in the center of mass of the two final leptons, a P -></mml:mover> component perpendicular to the plane defined by the three-momenta of the final hadron and the tau lepton is only possible for complex Wilson coefficients, being a clear signal for physics beyond the SM as well as time reversal (or CP-symmetry) violation. We make specific evaluations of the different polarization vector components for the Lambda (b) -> Lambda (c), <mml:mover accent=“true”>B<mml:mo stretchy=“true”><overbar></mml:mover>c -> eta (c), J/psi and <mml:mover accent=“true”>B<mml:mo stretchy=“true”><overbar></mml:mover> -> D-(*) semileptonic decays, and describe NP effects in the complete two-dimensional space associated with the independent kinematic variables on which the polarization vector depends. We find that the detailed study of P μhas great potential to discriminate between different NP scenarios for 0(-) -> 0(-) decays, but also for Lambda (b) -> Lambda (c) transitions. For this latter reaction, we pay special attention to corrections to the SM predictions derived from complex Wilson coefficients contributions.
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Ferreiro, A., Nadal-Gisbert, S., & Navarro-Salas, J. (2021). Renormalization, running couplings, and decoupling for the Yukawa model in a curved spacetime. Phys. Rev. D, 104(2), 025003–8pp.
Abstract: The decoupling of heavy fields as required by the Appelquist-Carazzone theorem plays a fundamental role in the construction of any effective field theory. However, it is not a trivial task to implement a renormalization prescription that produces the expected decoupling of massive fields, and it is even more difficult in curved spacetime. Focused on this idea, we consider the renormalization of the one-loop effective action for the Yukawa interaction with a background scalar field in curved space. We compute the beta functions within a generalized DeWitt-Schwinger subtraction procedure and discuss the decoupling in the running of the coupling constants. For the case of a quantized scalar field, all the beta function exhibit decoupling, including also the gravitational ones. For a quantized Dirac field, decoupling appears almost for all the beta functions. We obtain the anomalous result that the mass of the background scalar field does not decouple.
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Morales, A. I., & Tuzon, P. (2022). Misconceptions, Knowledge, and Attitudes Towards the Phenomenon of Radioactivity. Sci. Educ., 31, 405–426.
Abstract: The teaching of the phenomenon of radioactivity is considered a key ingredient in the path towards developing critical thinking skills in many secondary science education curricula. Despite being one of the basic concepts in general physics courses, the scientific teaching literature of the last 40 years reports a great deal of misconceptions and conceptual errors related to radioactivity that seemingly appear regardless of the educational level and context. This study reports the first cross-sectional diagnostic study in Spain to secondary education students and pre-service teachers. Data were collected in the year 2019 through a questionnaire adapted from a previously validated one to explore the main misconceptions, attitudes, and knowledge status on the topic on a sample of 191 secondary school students and 29 Physics-and-Chemistry trainee teachers in the Spanish region of Valencia. Open and closed questions were used to categorize the entity itself, its properties, and the main misconceptions related to radioactivity. The responses were analysed using conventional statistical methods. The results indicate an evolution from a widespread dissenting notion on the phenomenon, which is staunchly related to danger, hazard, and destruction in the lowest educational levels, towards a more rational, relative, and multidimensional perspective in the highest ones. On the other hand, the ideas, emotions, and attitudes of the inquired individuals are in good agreement with the main misconceptions reported in the literature.
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Gimenez-Alventosa, V., Gimenez, V., & Oliver, S. (2021). PenRed: An extensible and parallel Monte-Carlo framework for radiation transport based on PENELOPE. Comput. Phys. Commun., 267, 108065–12pp.
Abstract: Monte Carlo methods provide detailed and accurate results for radiation transport simulations. Unfortunately, the high computational cost of these methods limits its usage in real-time applications. Moreover, existing computer codes do not provide a methodology for adapting these kinds of simulations to specific problems without advanced knowledge of the corresponding code system, and this restricts their applicability. To help solve these current limitations, we present PenRed, a general-purpose, standalone, extensible and modular framework code based on PENELOPE for parallel Monte Carlo simulations of electron-photon transport through matter. It has been implemented in C++ programming language and takes advantage of modern object-oriented technologies. In addition, PenRed offers the capability to read and process DICOM images as well as to construct and simulate image-based voxelized geometries, so as to facilitate its usage in medical applications. Our framework has been successfully verified against the original PENELOPE Fortran code. Furthermore, the implemented parallelism has been tested showing a significant improvement in the simulation time without any loss in precision of results. Program summary Program title: PenRed: Parallel Engine for Radiation Energy Deposition. CPC Library link to program files: https://doi .org /10 .17632/rkw6tvtngy.1 Licensing provision: GNU Affero General Public License (AGPL). Programming language: C++ standard 2011. Nature of problem: Monte Carlo simulations usually require a huge amount of computation time to achieve low statistical uncertainties. In addition, many applications necessitate particular characteristics or the extraction of specific quantities from the simulation. However, most available Monte Carlo codes do not provide an efficient parallel and truly modular structure which allows users to easily customise their code to suit their needs without an in-depth knowledge of the code system. Solution method: PenRed is a fully parallel, modular and customizable framework for Monte Carlo simulations of the passage of radiation through matter. It is based on the PENELOPE [1] code system, from which inherits its unique physics models and tracking algorithms for charged particles. PenRed has been coded in C++ following an object-oriented programming paradigm restricted to the C++11 standard. Our engine implements parallelism via a double approach: on the one hand, by using standard C++ threads for shared memory, improving the access and usage of the memory, and, on the other hand, via the MPI standard for distributed memory infrastructures. Notice that both kinds of parallelism can be combined together in the same simulation. Moreover, both threads and MPI processes, can be balanced using the builtin load balance system (RUPER-LB [30]) to maximise the performance on heterogeneous infrastructures. In addition, PenRed provides a modular structure with methods designed to easily extend its functionality. Thus, users can create their own independent modules to adapt our engine to their needs without changing the original modules. Furthermore, user extensions will take advantage of the builtin parallelism without any extra effort or knowledge of parallel programming. Additional comments including restrictions and unusual features: PenRed has been compiled in linux systems withg++ of GCC versions 4.8.5, 7.3.1, 8.3.1 and 9; clang version 3.4.2 and intel C++ compiler (icc) version 19.0.5.281. Since it is a C++11-standard compliant code, PenRed should be able to compile with any compiler with C++11 support. In addition, if the code is compiled without MPI support, it does not require any non standard library. To enable MPI capabilities, the user needs to install whatever available MPI implementation, such as openMPI [24] or mpich [25], which can be found in the repositories of any linux distribution. Finally, to provide DICOM processing support, PenRed can be optionally compiled using the dicom toolkit (dcmtk) [32] library. Thus, PenRed has only two optional dependencies, an MPI implementation and the dcmtk library.
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Pich, A. (2021). Precision physics with inclusive QCD processes. Prog. Part. Nucl. Phys., 117, 103846–41pp.
Abstract: The inclusive production of hadrons through electroweak currents can be rigorously analysed with short-distance theoretical tools. The associated observables are insensitive to the involved infrared behaviour of the strong interaction, allowing for very precise tests of Quantum Chromodynamics. The theoretical predictions for sigma(e(+)e(-) -> hadrons) and the hadronic decay widths of the tau lepton and the Z, W and Higgs bosons have reached an impressive accuracy of O(alpha(4)(s)). Precise experimental measurements of the Z and tau hadronic widths have made possible the accurate determination of the strong coupling at two very different energy scales, providing a highly significant experimental verification of asymptotic freedom. A detailed discussion of the theoretical description of these processes and their current phenomenological status is presented. The most precise determinations of alpha(s) from other sources are also briefly reviewed and compared with the fully-inclusive results.
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