Abstract: A search for new interactions and resonances produced in LHC proton-proton (pp) collisions at a centre-of-mass energy root s = 7 TeV was performed with the ATLAS detector. Using a dataset with an integrated luminosity of 36 pb(-1), dijet mass and angular distributions were measured up to dijet masses of similar to 3.5 TeV and were found to be in good agreement with Standard Model predictions. This analysis sets limits at 95% CL on various models for new physics: an excited quark is excluded for mass between 0.60 and 2.64 TeV, an axigluon hypothesis is excluded for axigluon masses between 0.60 and 2.10 TeV and quantum black holes are excluded in models with six extra space-time dimensions for quantum gravity scales between 0.75 and 3.67 TeV. Production cross section limits as a function of dijet mass are set using a simplified Gaussian signal model to facilitate comparisons with other hypotheses. Analysis of the dijet angular distribution using a novel technique simultaneously employing the dijet mass excludes quark contact interactions with a compositeness scale 3 below 9.5 TeV.

Abstract: We have explored the question of whether the renormalization group running of the neutrino mixing parameters in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model is detectable with ultra-high energy neutrinos from active galactic nuclei (AGN). We use as observables the ratios of neutrino fluxes produced at the AGN, focusing on four different neutrino production models: (Phi(0)(v epsilon+(v) over bar epsilon) : Phi(0)(v mu+(v) over bar mu) : Phi(0)(v tau+(v) over bar tau)) = (1 : 2 : 0), (0 : 1 : 0), (1 : 0 : 0), and (1 : 1 : 0). The prospects for observing deviations experimentally are taken into consideration, and we find out that it is necessary to impose a cut-off on the transferred momentum of Q(2) >= 10(7) GeV(2). However, this condition, together with the expected low value of the diffuse AGN neutrino flux, yields a negligible event rate at a km-scale. Cerenkov detector such as IceCube.

Abstract: Gamow-Teller (GT) transitions are the most common weak interaction processes of spin-isospin (sigma tau) type in atomic nuclei. They are of interest not only in nuclear physics but also in astrophysics; they play an important role in supernovae explosions and nucleosynthesis. The direct study of weak decay processes, however, gives relatively limited information about GT transitions and the states excited via GT transitions (GT states); beta decay can only access states at excitation energies lower than the decay Q-value, and neutrino-induced reactions have very small cross-sections. However, one should note that beta decay has a direct access to the absolute GT transition strengths B(GT) from a study of half-lives, Q(beta)-values and branching ratios. They also provide information on GT transitions in nuclei far-from-stability. Studies of M1 gamma transitions provide similar information. In contrast, the complementary charge-exchange (CE) reactions, such as the (p, n) or ((3)He, t) reactions at intermediate beam energies and 0 degrees, can selectively excite GT states up to high excitation energies in the final nucleus. It has been found empirically that there is a close proportionality between the cross-sections at 0 degrees and the transition strengths B(GT) in these CE reactions. Therefore, CE reactions are useful tools to study the relative values of B(GT) strengths up to high excitation energies. In recent ((3)He, t) measurements, one order-of-magnitude improvement in the energy resolution has been achieved. This has made it possible to make one-to-one comparisons of GT transitions studied in CE reactions and beta decays. Thus GT strengths in ((3)He, t) reactions can be normalised by the beta-decay values. In addition, comparisons with closely related M1 transitions studied in gamma decay or electron inelastic scattering [(e, e')1, and furthermore with “spin” M I transitions that can be studied by proton inelastic scattering [(p, p')[ have now been made possible. In these comparisons, the isospin quantum number T and associated symmetry structure in the same mass A nuclei (isobars) play a key role. Isospin symmetry can extend our scope even to the structures of unstable nuclei that are far from reach at present unstable beam factories.

Abstract: A new technique for the pulse-shape characterization of gamma-ray position sensitive germanium detectors is presented. This method combines the pulse shape comparison scan (PSCS) principle with a gamma-ray imaging technique. The latter is provided by a supplementary, high performance, position sensitive gamma-ray scintillator detector. We describe the basic aspects of the method and we show measurements made for the study of pulse-shapes in a non-segmented planar HPGe detector. A preliminary application of the PSCS is carried out, although a more detailed investigation is being performed with highly segmented position sensitive detectors.

Abstract: The inclusive J/psi production cross-section and fraction of J/psi mesons produced in B-hadron decays are measured in proton proton collisions at root s = 7 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the LHC, as a function of the transverse momentum and rapidity of the J/psi, using 2.3 pb(-1) of integrated luminosity. The cross-section is measured from a minimum P(T) of 1 GeV to a maximum of 70 GeV and for rapidities within vertical bar y vertical bar < 2.4 giving the widest reach of any measurement of J/psi production to date. The differential production cross-sections of prompt and non-prompt J/psi are separately determined and are compared to Colour Singlet NNLO*, Colour Evaporation Model, and FONLL predictions.