BABAR Collaboration(del Amo Sanchez, P. et al), Lopez-March, N., Martinez-Vidal, F., Milanes, D. A., & Oyanguren, A. (2011). Measurement of the B -> D(bar)(*) D(*) K branching fractions. Phys. Rev. D, 83(3), 032004–16pp.
Abstract: We present a measurement of the branching fractions of the 22 decay channels of the B-0 and B+ mesons to (D) over bar (()*()) D-(*()) K, where the D-(*()) and (D) over bar (()*()) mesons are fully reconstructed. Summing the 10 neutral modes and the 12 charged modes, the branching fractions are found to be B(B-0 -> (D) over bar (()*()) D-(*()) K) = (3.68 +/- 0.10 +/- 0.24)% and B(B+ -> (D) over bar (()*()) D-(*()) K) = (4.05 +/- 0.11 +/- 0.28)%, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic. The results are based on 429 fb(-1) of data containing 471 X 10(6)B (B) over bar pairs collected at the Y(4S) resonance with the BABAR detector at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.
|
Perez-Ramos, R., Mathieu, V., & Sanchis-Lozano, M. A. (2011). Three-particle correlations in QCD parton showers. Phys. Rev. D, 84(3), 034015–7pp.
Abstract: Three-particle correlations in quark and gluon jets are computed for the first time in perturbative QCD. We give results in the double logarithmic approximation and the modified leading logarithmic approximation. In both resummation schemes, we use the formalism of the generating functional and solve the evolution equations analytically from the steepest descent evaluation of the one-particle distribution. We thus provide a further test of the local parton hadron duality and make predictions for the LHC.
|
Bridges, M., Cranmer, K., Feroz, F., Hobson, M., Ruiz de Austri, R., & Trotta, R. (2011). A coverage study of the CMSSM based on ATLAS sensitivity using fast neural networks techniques. J. High Energy Phys., 03(3), 012–23pp.
Abstract: We assess the coverage properties of confidence and credible intervals on the CMSSM parameter space inferred from a Bayesian posterior and the profile likelihood based on an ATLAS sensitivity study. In order to make those calculations feasible, we introduce a new method based on neural networks to approximate the mapping between CMSSM parameters and weak-scale particle masses. Our method reduces the computational effort needed to sample the CMSSM parameter space by a factor of similar to 10(4) with respect to conventional techniques. We find that both the Bayesian posterior and the profile likelihood intervals can significantly over-cover and identify the origin of this effect to physical boundaries in the parameter space. Finally, we point out that the effects intrinsic to the statistical procedure are conflated with simplifications to the likelihood functions from the experiments themselves.
|
Cederwall, B. et al, Algora, A., & Gadea, A. (2011). Evidence for a spin-aligned neutron-proton paired phase from the level structure of Pd-92. Nature, 469(7328), 68–71.
Abstract: Shell structure and magic numbers in atomic nuclei were generally explained by pioneering work(1) that introduced a strong spin-orbit interaction to the nuclear shell model potential. However, knowledge of nuclear forces and the mechanisms governing the structure of nuclei, in particular far from stability, is still incomplete. In nuclei with equal neutron and proton numbers (N = Z), enhanced correlations arise between neutrons and protons (two distinct types of fermions) that occupy orbitals with the same quantum numbers. Such correlations have been predicted to favour an unusual type of nuclear superfluidity, termed isoscalar neutron-proton pairing(2-6), in addition to normal isovector pairing. Despite many experimental efforts, these predictions have not been confirmed. Here we report the experimental observation of excited states in the N = Z = 46 nucleus Pd-92. Gamma rays emitted following the Ni-58(Ar-36,2n)Pd-92 fusion-evaporation reaction were identified using a combination of state-of-the-art high-resolution c-ray, charged-particle and neutron detector systems. Our results reveal evidence for a spin-aligned, isoscalar neutron-proton coupling scheme, different from the previous prediction(2-6). We suggest that this coupling scheme replaces normal superfluidity (characterized by seniority coupling(7,8)) in the ground and low-lying excited states of the heaviest N = Z nuclei. Such strong, isoscalar neutron-proton correlations would have a considerable impact on the nuclear level structure and possibly influence the dynamics of rapid proton capture in stellar nucleosynthesis.
|
ANTARES Collaboration(Aguilar, J. A. et al), Bigongiari, C., Dornic, D., Emanuele, U., Gomez-Gonzalez, J. P., Hernandez-Rey, J. J., et al. (2011). Time calibration of the ANTARES neutrino telescope. Astropart Phys., 34(7), 539–549.
Abstract: The ANTARES deep-sea neutrino telescope comprises a three-dimensional array of photomultipliers to detect the Cherenkov light induced by upgoing relativistic charged particles originating from neutrino interactions in the vicinity of the detector. The large scattering length of light in the deep sea facilitates an angular resolution of a few tenths of a degree for neutrino energies exceeding 10 TeV. In order to achieve this optimal performance, the time calibration procedures should ensure a relative time calibration between the photomultipliers at the level of similar to 1 ns. The methods developed to attain this level of precision are described.
|
Casas, J. A., Moreno, J. M., Rius, N., Ruiz de Austri, R., & Zaldivar, B. (2011). Fair scans of the seesaw. Consequences for predictions on LFV processes. J. High Energy Phys., 03(3), 034–22pp.
Abstract: We give a straightforward procedure to scan the seesaw parameter-space, using the common “R-parametrization”, in a complete way. This includes a very simple rule to incorporate the perturbativity requirement as a condition for the entries of the R-matrix. As a relevant application, we show that the somewhat propagated belief that BR(mu -> e, gamma) in supersymmetric seesaw models depends strongly on the value of theta(13) is an “optical effect” produced by incomplete scans, and does not hold after a careful analytical and numerical study. When the complete scan is done, BR(mu -> e, gamma) gets very insensitive to theta(13). This holds even if the right-handed neutrino masses are kept constant or under control (as is required for succesful leptogenesis). In most cases the values of BR(mu -> e, gamma) are larger than the experimental upper bound. Including (unflavoured) leptogenesis does not introduce any further dependence on theta(13), although decreases the typical value of BR(mu -> e, gamma).
|
ANTARES Collaboration(Aguilar, J. A. et al), Bigongiari, C., Dornic, D., Emanuele, U., Gomez-Gonzalez, J. P., Hernandez-Rey, J. J., et al. (2011). Search for a diffuse flux of high-energy nu(mu) with the ANTARES neutrino telescope. Phys. Lett. B, 696(1-2), 16–22.
Abstract: A search for a diffuse flux of astrophysical muon neutrinos, using data collected by the ANTARES neutrino telescope is presented. A (0.83 x 2 pi) sr sky was monitored for a total of 334 days of equivalent live time. The searched signal corresponds to an excess of events, produced by astrophysical sources, over the expected atmospheric neutrino background. The observed number of events is found compatible with the background expectation. Assuming an E-2 flux spectrum, a 90% c.l. upper limit on the diffuse nu(mu) flux of E-2 Phi(90%) = 5.3 x 10(-8) GeV cm(-2) s(-1) sr(-1) in the energy range 20 TeV-2.5 PeV is obtained. Other signal models with different energy spectra are also tested and some rejected.
|
Bartl, A., Eberl, H., Herrmann, B., Hidaka, K., Majerotto, W., & Porod, W. (2011). Impact of squark generation mixing on the search for squarks decaying into fermions at LHC. Phys. Lett. B, 698(5), 380–388.
Abstract: We study the effect of squark generation mixing on squark production and decays at LHC in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM). We show that the effect can be very large despite the very strong constraints on quark-flavour violation (QFV) from experimental data on B mesons. We find that the two lightest up-type squarks (u) over bar (1.2) can have large branching ratios for the decays into c (chi) over bar (0)(1) and t (chi) over bar (0)(1) at the same time due to squark generation mixing, leading to QFV signals 'pp -> c (t) over bar (t (c) over bar) + missing-E-T + X' with a significant rate. The observation of this remarkable signature would provide a powerful test of supersymmetric QFV at LHC. This could have a significant impact on the search for squarks and the determination of the underlying MSSM parameters.
|
Olmo, G. J., & Sanchis-Alepuz, H. (2011). Hamiltonian formulation of Palatini f(R) theories a la Brans-Dicke theory. Phys. Rev. D, 83(10), 104036–11pp.
Abstract: We study the Hamiltonian formulation of f(R) theories of gravity both in metric and in Palatini formalism using their classical equivalence with Brans-Dicke theories with a nontrivial potential. The Palatini case, which corresponds to the omega = -3/2 Brans-Dicke theory, requires special attention because of new constraints associated with the scalar field, which is nondynamical. We derive, compare, and discuss the constraints and evolution equations for the omega = -3/2 and omega not equal -3/2 cases. Based on the properties of the constraint and evolution equations, we find that, contrary to certain claims in the literature, the Cauchy problem for the omega = -3/2 case is well formulated and there is no reason to believe that it is not well posed in general.
|
BABAR Collaboration(del Amo Sanchez, P. et al), Lopez-March, N., Martinez-Vidal, F., & Oyanguren, A. (2011). Searches for the baryon- and lepton-number violating decays B0 -> Lambda_c+ l-, B- --> Lambda l-, and B- --> (Lambda)bar l-. Phys. Rev. D, 83(9), 091101–8pp.
Abstract: Searches for B mesons decaying to final states containing a baryon and a lepton are performed, where the baryon is either Lambda(c) or Lambda and the lepton is a muon or an electron. These decays violate both baryon and lepton number and would be a signature of physics beyond the standard model. No significant signal is observed in any of the decay modes, and upper limits in the range (3.2-520) x 10(-8) are set on the branching fractions at the 90% confidence level.
|