Abstract: The inclusive and dijet production cross-sections have been measured for jets containing b-hadrons (b-jets) in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of sqrt(s) = 7 TeV, using the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The measurements use data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 34 pb(-1). The b-jets are identified using either a lifetime-based method, where secondary decay vertices of b-hadrons in jets are reconstructed using information from the tracking detectors, or a muon-based method where the presence of a muon is used to identify semileptonic decays of b-hadrons inside jets. The inclusive b-jet cross-section is measured as a function of transverse momentum in the range 20 < p(T) < 400 GeV and rapidity in the range vertical bar y vertical bar < 2.1. The b<(b)over bar>-dijet cross-section is measured as a function of the dijet invariant mass in the range 110 < m(jj) < 760 GeV, the azimuthal angle difference between the two jets and the angular variable chi in two dijet mass regions. The results are compared with next-to-leading-order QCD predictions. Good agreement is observed between the measured cross-sections and the predictions obtained using POWHEG + Pythia. MC@NLO + Herwig shows good agreement with the measured b (b) over bar -dijet cross-section. However, it does not reproduce the measured inclusive cross-section well, particularly for central b-jets with large transverse momenta.

Abstract: The electrically charged Born-Infeld black holes in the Palatini formalism for f(R) theories are analyzed. Specifically we study those supported by a theory f(R) = R +/- R(2)/R(P), where R(P) is Planck's curvature. These black holes only differ from their General Relativity counterparts very close to the center but may give rise to different geometrical structures in terms of inner horizons. The nature and strength of the central singularities are also significantly affected. In particular, for the model f(R) = R – R(2)/R(P) the singularity is shifted to a finite radius, r(+), and the Kretschmann scalar diverges only as 1/(r-r(+))(2).

Abstract: A beta-gamma spectroscopy of the J(pi) = 1(+), 426 keV isomeric state of Al-24 ( Al-24m) has been carried out by using a Al-24 secondary beam with high purity and high isomeric ratio. From the absolute gamma-ray and beta-particle intensities observed in the decay of the isomeric state, the branching ratio R-B of the isomeric gamma-decay from Al-24m to the J(pi) = 4(+), ground state of Al-24 have been derived. The obtained R-B value of 69.6(7)% is much smaller than the previously accepted value of 82.5(30)%. The precise half-life for the isomer decay, T-1/2(m) = 130.9(13) ms, has been also determined in this experiment. Accordingly, the M3 gamma-decay strength B(M3) of the Al-24m decay becomes smaller and the total beta-decay branching ratio becomes larger. In particular, the beta-decay branching ratio to the ground state of Mg-24 becomes 24.3(9)%, which is 2.4 times larger than the previous value of 10.1(28)%. By combining the branching ratio and the half-life, the Gamow-Teller (GT) transition strength B(GT) of 0.0194(7) is deduced for the GT transition from Al-24m to the J(pi) = 0(+), ground state of Mg-24. This value is in good agreement with the values derived from charge-exchange reactions.