Abstract: We present results for five reactions, Lambda(b) -> J/psi K(-)p, Lambda(b) -> J/psi eta Lambda, Lambda(b) -> J/psi pi(-)p, Lambda(b) -> J/psi K-0 Lambda and Xi(-)(b) -> J/psi K-Lambda, where combining information from the meson baryon interaction, using the chiral unitary approach, and predictions made for molecular states of hidden charm, with or without strangeness, we can evaluate invariant mass distributions for the light meson baryon states, and for those of J/psi p or J/psi Lambda. We show that with the present available information, in all of these reactions one finds peaks where the pentaquark states show up. In the Lambda(b) -> J/psi K(-)p, and Lambda(b) -> J/psi pi(-)p reactions we show that the results obtained from our study are compatible with present experimental observations.

Abstract: The properties of strange (K, (K) over bar and (K) over bar*) and open-charm (D, (D) over bar and D*) mesons in dense matter are studied using a unitary approach in coupled channels for meson-baryon scattering. In the strangeness sector, the interaction with nucleons always comes through vector-meson exchange, which is evaluated by chiral and hidden gauge Lagrangians. For the interaction of charmed mesons with nucleons we extend the SU(3) Weinberg-Tomozawa Lagrangian to incorporate spin-flavor symmetry and implement a suitable flavor symmetry breaking. The in-medium solution for the scattering amplitude accounts for Pauli blocking effects and meson self-energies. On one hand, we obtain the K, (K) over bar and (K) over bar* spectral functions in the nuclear medium and study their behaviour at finite density, temperature and momentum. We also make an estimate of the transparency ratio of the gamma A -> K+ K*(-) A' reaction, which we propose as a tool to detect in-medium modifications of the (K) over bar* meson. On the other hand, in the charm sector, several resonances with negative parity are generated dynamically by the s-wave interaction between pseudoscalar and vector meson multiplets with 1/2(+) and 3/2(+) baryons. The properties of these states in matter are analyzed and their influence on the open-charm meson spectral functions is studied. We finally discuss the possible formation of D-mesic nuclei at FAIR energies.

Abstract: Starting from a recent model of the eta'N interaction, we evaluate the eta'-nucleus optical potential, including the contribution of lowest order in density, t rho/2m(eta'), together with the second-order terms accounting for eta' absorption by two nucleons. We also calculate the formation cross section of the eta' bound states from (pi(+), p) reactions on nuclei. The eta'-nucleus potential suffers from uncertainties tied to the poorly known eta'N interaction, which can be partially constrained by the experimental modulus of the eta'N scattering length and/or the recently measured transparency ratios in eta' nuclear photoproduction. Assuming an attractive interaction and taking the claimed experimental value vertical bar a(eta'N)vertical bar = 0.1 fm, we obtain an eta' optical potential in nuclear matter at saturation density of V eta' = -(8.7 + 1.8i) MeV, not attractive enough to produce eta' bound states in light nuclei. Larger values of the scattering length give rise to deeper optical potentials, with moderate enough imaginary parts. For a value vertical bar a(eta'N)vertical bar = 0.3 fm, which can still be considered to lie within the uncertainties of the experimental constraints, the spectra of light and medium nuclei show clear structures associated to eta'-nuclear bound states and to threshold enhancements in the unbound region.

Abstract: We study the weak decay of the Lambda(b) into J/psi K Xi. and J/psi eta Lambda states, and relate these processes to the Lambda(b) -> J/psi(K) over barN decay mode. The elementary weak transition at the quark level proceeds via the creation of a J/psi meson and an excited sud system with I = 0, which upon hadronization leads to (K) over barN or eta Lambda pairs. These states undergo final-state interaction in coupled channels and produce a final meson-baryon pair. The K. state only occurs via rescattering, hence making the Lambda(b) -> J/psi K Xi process very sensitive to the details of the meson-baryon interaction in strangeness S = -1 and isospin I = 0. We show that the corresponding invariant mass distribution is dominated by the next-to-leading-order terms of the chiral interaction. The I = 0 selectivity of this decay, and its large sensitivity to the higher-order terms, makes its measurement very useful and complementary to the K- p -> K Xi cross section data. The rates of the Lambda(b) -> J/psi K Xi and Lambda(b) -> J/psi eta Lambda invariant mass distributions are sizable compared to those of the Lambda(b) -> J/psi(K) over barN decay, which is measured experimentally, and thus, we provide arguments for an experimental determination of these decay modes that will help us understand better the chiral dynamics at higher energies.

Abstract: Quantum Chromodynamics, the theory of quarks and gluons, whose interactions can be described by a local SU(3) gauge symmetry with charges called “color quantum numbers”, is reviewed; the goal of this review is to provide advanced Ph.D. students a comprehensive handbook, helpful for their research. When QCD was “discovered” 50 years ago, the idea that quarks could exist, but not be observed, left most physicists unconvinced. Then, with the discovery of charmonium in 1974 and the explanation of its excited states using the Cornell potential, consisting of the sum of a Coulomb-like attraction and a long range linear confining potential, the theory was suddenly widely accepted. This paradigm shift is now referred to as the November revolution. It had been anticipated by the observation of scaling in deep inelastic scattering, and was followed by the discovery of gluons in three-jet events. The parameters of QCD include the running coupling constant, as (Q(2)), that varies with the energy scale Q(2) characterising the interaction, and six quark masses. QCD cannot be solved analytically, at least not yet, and the large value of alpha(s) at low momentum transfers limits perturbative calculations to the high-energy region where Q(2) >>Lambda(QCD) (2) similar or equal to (250 MeV)(2). Lattice QCD (LQCD), numerical calculations on a discretized space-time lattice, is discussed in detail, the dynamics of the QCD vacuum is visualized, and the expected spectra of mesons and baryons are displayed. Progress in lattice calculations of the structure of nucleons and of quantities related to the phase diagram of dense and hot (or cold) hadronic matter are reviewed. Methods and examples of how to calculate hadronic corrections to weak matrix elements on a lattice are outlined. The wide variety of analytical approximations currently in use, and the accuracy of these approximations, are reviewed. Thesemethods range from the Bethe-Salpeter, Dyson-Schwinger coupled relativistic equations, which are formulated in bothMinkowski or Euclidean spaces, to expansions of multi-quark states in a set of basis functions using light-front coordinates, to the AdS/QCD method that imbeds 4-dimensionalQCDin a 5-dimensional deSitter space, allowing confinement and spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking to be described in a novel way. Models that assume the number of colors is very large, i.e. make use of the large Nclimit, give unique insights. Many other techniques that are tailored to specific problems, such as perturbative expansions for high energy scattering or approximate calculations using the operator product expansion are discussed. The very powerful effective field theory techniques that are successful for low energy nuclear systems (chiral effective theory), or for non-relativistic systems involving heavy quarks, or the treatment of gluon exchanges between energetic, collinear partons encountered in jets, are discussed. The spectroscopy of mesons and baryons has played an important historical role in the development of QCD. The famous X,Y,Z states – and the discovery of pentaquarks – have revolutionized hadron spectroscopy; their status and interpretation are reviewed as well as recent progress in the identification of glueballs and hybrids in light-meson spectroscopy. These exotic states add to the spectrum of expected q ($) over barq mesons and qqq baryons. The progress in understanding excitations of light and heavy baryons is discussed. The nucleon as the lightest baryon is discussed extensively, its form factors, its partonic structure and the status of the attempt to determine a three-dimensional picture of the parton distribution. An experimental program to study the phase diagram of QCD at high temperature and density started with fixed target experiments in various laboratories in the second half of the 1980s, and then, in this century, with colliders. QCD thermodynamics at high temperature became accessible to LQCD, and numerical results on chiral and deconfinement transitions and properties of the deconfined and chirally restored form of strongly interacting matter, called the Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP), have become very precise by now. These results can now be confronted with experimental data that are sensitive to the nature of the phase transition. There is clear evidence that the QGP phase is created. This phase of QCD matter can already be characterized by some properties that indicate, within a temperature range of a few times the pseudocritical temperature, the medium behaves like a near ideal liquid. Experimental observables are presented that demonstrate deconfinement. High and ultrahigh density QCD matter at moderate and low temperatures shows interesting features and new phases that are of astrophysical relevance. They are reviewed here and some of the astrophysical implications are discussed. Perturbative QCD and methods to describe the different aspects of scattering processes are discussed. The primary partonparton scattering in a collision is calculated in perturbative QCD with increasing complexity. The radiation of soft gluons can spoil the perturbative convergence, this can be cured by resummation techniques, which are also described here. Realistic descriptions of QCD scattering events need to model the cascade of quark and gluon splittings until hadron formation sets in, which is done by parton showers. The full event simulation can be performed with Monte Carlo event