Abstract: Correlations of same-sign charged pions are analysed using proton-lead collision data collected by the LHCb experiment at a nucleon-nucleon centre-of-mass energy of 5.02TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.06 nb(-1). Bose-Einstein correlations are observed in the form of an enhancement of pair production for same-sign charged pions with a small four-momentum difference. The dependence of the correlation radius and the intercept parameter on the reconstructed charged-particle multiplicity is investigated. The measured correlation radii scale linearly with the cube root of the reconstructed charged-particle multiplicity, being compatible with predictions of hydrodynamic models on the collision system evolution.

Abstract: The kinematic dependences of the relative production rates, f(Lambda b)(0)/f(d), of Lambda(0)(b) baryons and B-0 mesons are measured using Lambda(0)(b) -> Lambda(+)(c)pi(-) and (B) over bar (0) -> D+pi(-) decays. The measurements use proton-proton collision data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1 fb(-1) at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV, recorded in the forward region with the LHCb experiment. The relative production rates are observed to depend on the transverse momentum, pT, and pseudorapidity, eta, of the beauty hadron, in the studied kinematic region 1.5 < pT < 40 GeV/c and 2 < eta < 5. Using a previous LHCb measurement of f(Lambda b)(0)/f(d) in semileptonic decays, the branching fraction B (Lambda(0)(b) -> Lambda(+)(c)pi(-)) = (4.30 +/- 0.03(-0.11)(+0.12)+/- 0.26 +/- 0.21) x 10(-3) is obtained, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic, the third is from the previous LHCb measurement of f(Lambda b)(0)/f(d) and the fourth is due to the (B) over bar (0) -> D+pi(-) branching fraction. This is the most precise measurement of a Lambda(0)(b) branching fraction to date.

Abstract: We study SO(10). SU(5) and flipped SU(5) GUT models with non-universal soft supersynrimetry-breaking scalar masses, exploring how they are constrained by LIIC super-synrimetry searches and cold dark matter experiments, and how they can be probed and distinguished in future experiments. We find characteristic differences between the-various GUT scenarios, particularly in the coannihilation region, which is very sensitive to changes of parameters. For example, the flipped SU(5) GUT predicts the possibility of (t) over tilde (1-chi) coannihilation, which is absent in the regions of the SO(10) and SU(5) GUT parameter spaces that we study. We use the relic density predictions in different models to determine upper bounds for the neutralino masses, and we find large differences between different GUT models in the sparticle spectra for the same LSP mass, leading to direct connections of distinctive possible experimental measurements with the structure of the GUT group. We find that future LHC searches for generic missing E-T, charginos and stops will be able to constrain the different GUT models in complementary ways, as will the Xenon 1 ton and Darwin dark matter scattering experiments and future FERMI or CIA gamma-ray searches.

Abstract: The (P) over bar ANDA (anti-Proton ANnihiliation at DArmstadt) experiment will be one of the four flagship experiments at the new international accelerator complex FAIR (Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research) in Darmstadt, Germany. (P) over bar ANDA will address fundamental questions of hadron physics and quantum chromodynamics using high-intensity cooled antiproton beams with momenta between 1.5 and 15 GeV/c and a design luminosity of up to 2 x 10(32) cm(-2) S-1. Excellent particle identification (PID) is crucial to the success of the (P) over bar ANDA physics program. Hadronic PID in the barrel region of the target spectrometer will be performed by a fast and compact Cherenkov counter using the detection of internally reflected Cherenkov light (DIRC) technology. It is designed to cover the polar angle range from 22 degrees to 140 degrees and will provide at least 3 standard deviations (s.d.) pi/K separation up to 3.5 GeV/c, matching the expected upper limit of the final state kaon momentum distribution from simulation. This documents describes the technical design and the expected performance of the (P) over bar ANDA Barrel DIRC detector. The design is based on the successful BaBar DIRC with several key improvements. The performance and system cost were optimized in detailed detector simulations and validated with full system prototypes using particle beams at GSI and CERN. The final design meets or exceeds the PID goal of clean pi/K separation with at least 3 s.d. over the entire phase space of charged kaons in the Barrel DIRC.

Abstract: The Pierre Auger Observatory in Malargue, Argentina, is designed to study the properties of ultra-high energy cosmic rays with energies above 10(18) eV. It is a hybrid facility that employs a Fluorescence Detector to perform nearly calorimetric measurements of Extensive Air Shower energies. To obtain reliable calorimetric information from the FD, the atmospheric conditions at the observatory need to be continuously monitored during data acquisition. In particular, light attenuation due to aerosols is an important atmospheric correction. The aerosol concentration is highly variable, so that the aerosol attenuation needs to be evaluated hourly. We use light from the Central Laser Facility, located near the center of the observatory site, having an optical signature comparable to that of the highest energy showers detected by the FD. This paper presents two procedures developed to retrieve the aerosol attenuation of fluorescence light from CLF laser shots. Cross checks between the two methods demonstrate that results from both analyses are compatible, and that the uncertainties are well understood. The measurements of the aerosol attenuation provided by the two procedures are currently used at the Pierre Auger Observatory to reconstruct air shower data.