Abstract: Studies of the spin and parity quantum numbers of the Higgs boson are presented, based on protonproton collision data collected by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. The Standard Model spin-parity J(P) = 0(+) hypothesis is compared with alternative hypotheses using the Higgs boson decays H -> gamma gamma, H -> ZZ* -> 4l and H -> WW* -> l nu l nu, as well as the combination of these channels. The analysed dataset corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 20.7 fb(-1) collected at a centre-of-mass energy of root s = 8 TeV. For the H -> ZZ* -> 4l decay mode the dataset corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.6 fb(-1) collected at root s = 7 TeV is included. The data are compatible with the Standard Model J(P) = 0+ quantum numbers for the Higgs boson, whereas all alternative hypotheses studied in this Letter, namely some specific J(P) = 0(-), 1(+), 1(-), 2(+) models, are excluded at confidence levels above 97.8%. This exclusion holds independently of the assumptions on the coupling strengths to the Standard Model particles and in the case of the J(P) = 2(+) model, of the relative fractions of gluon-fusion and quark-antiquark production of the spin-2 particle. The data thus provide evidence for the spin-0 nature of the Higgs boson, with positive parity being strongly preferred.

Abstract: We study the isospin breaking in the reactions chi(c1) -> pi(0)pi(+)pi(-) and chi(c1) -> pi(0)pi(0)eta and its relation to the a(0)(980) – f(0)(980) mixing, which was measured by the BESIII Collaboration. We show that the same theoretical model previously developed to study the chi(c1) -> eta pi(+)pi(-) reaction (also measured by BESIII), and further explored in the predictions to the eta(c) -> eta pi(+)pi(-), can be successfully employed in the present study. We assume that the chi(c1) behaves as an SU(3) singlet to find the weight in which trios of pseudoscalars are created, followed by the final state interaction of pairs of mesons to describe how the a(0)(980) and f(0)(980) are dynamically generated, using the chiral unitary approach in coupled channels. The isospin violation is introduced through the use of different masses for the charged and neutral kaons, either in the propagators of pairs of mesons created in the chi(c1) decay, or in the propagators inside the T matrix, constructed through the unitarization of the scattering and transition amplitudes of pairs of pseudoscalar mesons. We find that violating isospin inside the T matrix makes the pi(0)eta -> pi(+)pi(-) amplitude nonzero, which gives an important contribution and also enhances the effect of the K (K) over bar term. We also find that the most important effect in the total amplitude is the isospin breaking inside the T matrix, due to the constructive sum of pi(0)eta -> pi(+)pi(-) and K (K) over bar -> pi(+)pi(-), which is essential to get a good agreement with the experimental measurement of the mixing.

Abstract: The nucleus Po-212 has been produced through the fragmentation of a U-238 primary beam at 1GeV/nucleon at GSI, separated with the FRagment Separator, FRS, and studied via isomer gamma-decay spectroscopy with the RISING setup. Two delayed previously unknown gamma rays have been observed. One has been attributed to the E3 decay of a 21(-) isomeric state feeding the alpha-emitting 45-s (18(+)) high-spin isomer. The other gamma-ray line has been assigned to the decay of a higher-lying 23(+) metastable state. These are the first observations of high-spin states above the Po-212 (18(+)) isomer, by virtue of the selectivity obtained via ion-by-ion identification of U-238 fragmentation products. Comparison with shell-model calculations points to shortfalls in the nuclear interactions involving high- jproton and neutron orbitals, to which the region around Z similar to 100 is sensitive.

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.