Abstract: We derive the effects of a nonzero cosmological constant Lambda on gravitational wave propagation in the linearized approximation of general relativity. In this approximation, we consider the situation where the metric can be written as g(mu nu) = eta(mu nu) + h(mu nu)(Lambda) + h(mu nu)(W), h(mu nu)(Lambda,W) << 1, where h(mu nu)(Lambda) is the background perturbation and h(mu nu)(W) is a modification interpretable as a gravitational wave. For Lambda not equal 0, this linearization of Einstein equations is self-consistent only in certain coordinate systems. The cosmological Friedmann-Robertson-Walker coordinates do not belong to this class and the derived linearized solutions have to be reinterpreted in a coordinate system that is homogeneous and isotropic to make contact with observations. Plane waves in the linear theory acquire modifications of order root Lambda, both in the amplitude and the phase, when considered in Friedmann-Robertson-Walker coordinates. In the linearization process for h(mu nu), we have also included terms of order O(Lambda h(mu nu)). For the background perturbation h(mu nu)(Lambda), the difference is very small, but when the term h(mu nu)(W)Lambda is retained the equations of motion can be interpreted as describing massive spin-2 particles. However, the extra degrees of freedom can be approximately gauged away, coupling to matter sources with a strength proportional to the cosmological constant itself. Finally, we discuss the viability of detecting the modifications caused by the cosmological constant on the amplitude and phase of gravitational waves. In some cases, the distortion with respect to gravitational waves propagating in Minkowski space-time is considerable. The effect of Lambda could have a detectable impact on pulsar timing arrays.

Abstract: A measurement of the cross-section for gamma(1S) -> mu(+)mu(-) production in proton-proton collisions at centre of mass energy of 7 TeV is presented. The cross-section is measured as a function of the gamma(1S) transverse momentum in two bins of rapidity, vertical bar y(gamma(1S))vertical bar < 1.2 and 1.2 < vertical bar y(gamma(1S))vertical bar < 2.4. The measurement requires that both muons have transverse momentum p(T)(mu) > 4 GeV and pseuclorapidity vertical bar eta(mu)vertical bar < 2.5 in order to reduce theoretical uncertainties on the acceptance, which depend on the poorly known polarisation. The results are based on an integrated luminosity of 1.13 pb(-1), collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The cross-section measurement is compared to theoretical predictions: it agrees to within a factor of two with a prediction based on the NRQCD model including colour-singlet and colour-octet matrix elements as implemented in PYTHIA while it disagrees by up to a factor of ten with the next-to-leading order prediction based on the colour-singlet model.

Abstract: The rho rho N and rho rho Delta three-body systems have been studied within the framework of the fixed center approximation of Faddeev equation. The rho rho interaction in isospin I = 0, spin S = 2 is strongly attractive, and so are the N rho, Delta rho interactions. This leads to bound states of both rho rho N and rho rho Delta. We find peaks of the modulus squared of the scattering matrix around 2227 MeV for rho rho N, and 2372 MeV for rho rho Delta. Yet, the strength of the peak for the rho rho N amplitude is much smaller than for rho rho Delta, weakening the case for a rho rho N bound state, or a dominant rho rho N component. A discussion is made on how these states can be searched for in present programs looking for multimeson final states in different reactions.

Abstract: Recently T2K experiment gives hint in favor of large reactor angle theta(13). Most of the models, with tribimaximal mixing at the leading order, can not reproduce such a large mixing angle since they predict typically corrections for the reactor angle of the order theta(13) similar to lambda(2)(C), where lambda(C) similar to 0.2. In this paper, we discuss the possibility to achieve large theta(13) within the T2K region with maximal atmosphericmixing angle, sin(2)theta(23) = 1/2, and trimaximal solar mixing angle, sin(2)theta(12) = 1/3, through the deviation from the exact tribimaximal mixing. We derive the structure of neutrino mass matrix that leads to the large theta(13) leaving maximal theta(23) and trimaximal theta(12). It is shown that such a structure of neutrino mass matrix can arise in a model with S(4) flavor symmetry.

Abstract: We construct pi pi amplitudes that fulfill exact elastic unitarity, account for one-loop chiral perturbation theory contributions and include all 1/N(C) leading terms, with the only limitation of considering just the lowest-lying nonet of exchanged resonances. Within such a scheme, the N(C) dependence of sigma and rho masses and widths is discussed. Robust conclusions are drawn in the case of the rho resonance, confirming that it is a stable meson in the limit of a large number of QCD colors, N(C). Less definitive conclusions are reached in the scalar-isoscalar sector. With the present quality of data, we cannot firmly conclude whether or not the N(C) = 3 f(0)(600) resonance completely disappears at large N(C) or if it has a subdominant component in its structure, which would become dominant for a number of quark colors sufficiently large.