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ATLAS Collaboration(Aad, G. et al), Amoros, G., Cabrera Urban, S., Castillo Gimenez, V., Costa, M. J., Ferrer, A., et al. (2011). Search for the Higgs Boson in the H -> WW -> l nu jj Decay Channel in pp Collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV with the ATLAS Detector. Phys. Rev. Lett., 107(23), 231801–18pp.
Abstract: A search for a Higgs boson has been performed in the H -> WW -> l nu jj channel in 1.04 fb(-1) of pp collision data at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. No significant excess of events is observed over the expected background and limits on the Higgs boson production cross section are derived for a Higgs boson mass in the range 240 GeV < m(H) < 600 GeV. The best sensitivity is reached for m(H) = 400 GeV, where the 95% confidence level upper bound on the cross section for H -> WW production is 3.1 pb, or 2.7 times the standard model prediction.
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CDF Collaboration(Aaltonen, T. et al), & Cabrera, S. (2011). Search for a Heavy Toplike Quark in p p-bar Collisions at sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV. Phys. Rev. Lett., 107(26), 261801–8pp.
Abstract: We present the results of a search for pair production of a heavy toplike (t') quark decaying to Wq final states using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.6 fb(-1) collected by the CDF II detector in p (p) over bar collisions at root s = 1.96 TeV. We perform parallel searches for t' -> Wb and t' -> Wq (where q is a generic down-type quark) in events containing a lepton and four or more jets. By performing a fit to the two-dimensional distribution of total transverse energy versus reconstructed t' quark mass, we set upper limits on the t'(t) over bar' production cross section and exclude a standard model fourth-generation t' quark decaying to Wb (Wq) with mass below 358 (340) GeV/c(2) at 95% C. L.
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Fornengo, N., Lineros, R. A., Regis, M., & Taoso, M. (2011). Possibility of a Dark Matter Interpretation for the Excess in Isotropic Radio Emission Reported by ARCADE. Phys. Rev. Lett., 107(27), 271302–5pp.
Abstract: The ARCADE 2 Collaboration has recently measured an isotropic radio emission which is significantly brighter than the expected contributions from known extra-galactic sources. The simplest explanation of such excess involves a "new'' population of unresolved sources which become the most numerous at very low (observationally unreached) brightness. We investigate this scenario in terms of synchrotron radiation induced by weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) annihilations or decays in extra-galactic halos. Intriguingly, for light-mass WIMPs with a thermal annihilation cross section, the level of expected radio emission matches the ARCADE observations.
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ATLAS Collaboration(Aad, G. et al), Amoros, G., Cabrera Urban, S., Castillo Gimenez, V., Costa, M. J., Escobar, C., et al. (2011). Search for Dilepton Resonances in pp Collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV with the ATLAS Detector. Phys. Rev. Lett., 107(27), 272002–19pp.
Abstract: This Letter reports on a search for narrow high-mass resonances decaying into dilepton final states. The data were recorded by the ATLAS experiment in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV at the Large Hadron Collider and correspond to a total integrated luminosity of 1.08 (1.21) fb(-1) in the e(+)e(-) (mu(+)mu(-)) channel. No statistically significant excess above the standard model expectation is observed and upper limits are set at the 95% C. L. on the cross section times branching fraction of Z' resonances and Randall-Sundrum gravitons decaying into dileptons as a function of the resonance mass. A lower mass limit of 1.83 TeV on the sequential standard model Z' boson is set. A Randall-Sundrum graviton with coupling k/(M) over bar Pl = 0.1 is excluded at 95% C. L. for masses below 1.63 TeV.
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Ikeno, N., Kimura, R., Yamagata-Sekihara, J., Nagahiro, H., Jido, D., Itahashi, K., et al. (2011). Precision Spectroscopy of Deeply Bound Pionic Atoms and Partial Restoration of Chiral Symmetry in Medium. Prog. Theor. Phys., 126(3), 483–509.
Abstract: We study theoretically the formation spectra of deeply bound pionic atoms expected to be observed by experiments with high energy resolution at RIBF/RIKEN, and we discuss in detail the possibilities to extract new information on the pion properties at finite density from the observed spectra, which may provide information on partial restoration of chiral symmetry in medium. We find that the non-yrast pionic states such as 2s are expected to be seen in the (d,(3)He) spectra, which will be helpful to reduce uncertainties of the theoretical calculations in the neutron wave functions in nucleus. The observation of the 2s state with the ground is state is also helpful to reduce the experimental uncertainties associated in the calibration of the absolute excitation energy. We find that the nuclear densities probed by atomic pions are quite stable and almost constant for various atomic states and various nuclei. Effects of the pion wave function renormalization to the formation spectra are also evaluated.
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Granero, D., Vijande, J., Ballester, F., & Rivard, M. J. (2011). Dosimetry revisited for the HDR Ir-192 brachytherapy source model mHDR-v2. Med. Phys., 38(1), 487–494.
Abstract: Purpose: Recently, the manufacturer of the HDR Ir-192 mHDR-v2 brachytherapy source reported small design changes (referred to herein as mHDR-v2r) that are within the manufacturing tolerances but may alter the existing dosimetric data for this source. This study aimed to (1) check whether these changes affect the existing dosimetric data published for this source; (2) obtain new dosimetric data in close proximity to the source, including the contributions from 192Ir electrons and considering the absence of electronic equilibrium; and (3) obtain scatter dose components for collapsed cone treatment planning system implementation. Methods: Three different Monte Carlo (MC) radiation transport codes were used: MCNP5, PENELOPE2008, and GEANT4. The source was centrally positioned in a 40 cm radius water phantom. Absorbed dose and collision kerma were obtained using 0.1 mm (0.5 mm) thick voxels to provide high-resolution dosimetry near (far from) the source. Dose-rate distributions obtained with the three MC codes were compared. Results: Simulations of mHDR-v2 and mHDR-v2r designs performed with three radiation transport codes showed agreement typically within 0.2% for r >= 0.25 cm. Dosimetric contributions from source electrons were significant for r<0.25 cm. The dose-rate constant and radial dose function were similar to those from previous MC studies of the mHDR-v2 design. The 2D anisotropy function also coincided with that of the mHDR-v2 design for r >= 0.25 cm. Detailed results of dose distributions and scatter components are presented for the modified source design. Conclusions: Comparison of these results to prior MC studies showed agreement typically within 0.5% for r >= 0.25 cm. If dosimetric data for r<0.25 cm are not needed, dosimetric results from the prior MC studies will be adequate. c 2011 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.
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Fujita, Y., Rubio, B., & Gelletly, W. (2011). Spin-isospin excitations probed by strong, weak and electro-magnetic interactions. Prog. Part. Nucl. Phys., 66(3), 549–606.
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.
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Andricek, L. et al, Lacasta, C., Marinas, C., & Vos, M. (2011). Intrinsic resolutions of DEPFET detector prototypes measured at beam tests. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A, 638(1), 24–32.
Abstract: The paper is based on the data of the 2009 DEPFET beam test at CERN SPS. The beam test used beams of pions and electrons with energies between 40 and 120 GeV, and the sensors tested were prototypes with thickness of 450 μm and pixel pitch between 20 and 32 μm. Intrinsic resolutions of the detectors are calculated by disentangling the contributions of measurement errors and multiple scattering in tracking residuals. Properties of the intrinsic resolution estimates and factors that influence them are discussed. For the DEPFET detectors in the beam test, the calculation yields intrinsic resolutions of approximate to 1 μm, with a typical accuracy of 0.1 μm. Bias scan, angle scan, and energy scan are used as example studies to show that the intrinsic resolutions are a useful tool in studies of detector properties. With sufficiently precise telescopes, detailed resolution maps can be constructed and used to study and optimize detector performance.
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Abgrall, N. et al, Cervera-Villanueva, A., Escudero, L., Monfregola, L., & Stamoulis, P. (2011). Time projection chambers for the T2K near detectors. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A, 637(1), 25–46.
Abstract: The T2K experiment is designed to study neutrino oscillation properties by directing a high intensity neutrino beam produced at J-PARC in Tokai, Japan, towards the large Super-Kamiokande detector located 295 km away, in Kamioka, Japan. The experiment includes a sophisticated near detector complex, 280 m downstream of the neutrino production target in order to measure the properties of the neutrino beam and to better understand neutrino interactions at the energy scale below a few GeV. A key element of the near detectors is the ND280 tracker, consisting of two active scintillator-bar target systems surrounded by three large time projection chambers (TPCs) for charged particle tracking. The data collected with the tracker are used to study charged current neutrino interaction rates and kinematics prior to oscillation, in order to reduce uncertainties in the oscillation measurements by the far detector. The tracker is surrounded by the former UA1/NOMAD dipole magnet and the TPCs measure the charges, momenta, and particle types of charged particles passing through them. Novel features of the TPC design include its rectangular box layout constructed from composite panels, the use of bulk micromegas detectors for gas amplification, electronics readout based on a new ASIC, and a photoelectron calibration system. This paper describes the design and construction of the TPCs, the micromegas modules, the readout electronics, the gas handling system, and shows the performance of the TPCs as deduced from measurements with particle beams, cosmic rays, and the calibration system.
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NEMO-3 Collaboration(Argyriades, J. et al), Diaz, J., Martin-Albo, J., Monrabal, F., Novella, P., Serra, L., et al. (2011). Spectral modeling of scintillator for the NEMO-3 and SuperNEMO detectors. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A, 625(1), 20–28.
Abstract: We have constructed a GEANT4-based detailed software model of photon transport in plastic sontillator blocks and have used it to study the NEMO-3 and SuperNEMO calorimeters employed in experiments designed to search for neutnnoless double beta decay We compare our simulations to measurements using conversion electrons from a calibration source of (BI)-B-207 and show that the agreement is improved if wavelength-dependent properties of the calorimeter are taken into account In this article we briefly describe our modeling approach and results of our studies.
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