title:
Uncovering the Near-IR Dwarf Galaxy Population of the Coma Cluster with
  Spitzer IRAC

abstract:
  We present the first results of a Spitzer IRAC (Infrared Array Camera)
wide-field survey of the Coma cluster. The observations cover two fields of
different galaxy densities; the first is a 0.733 deg^2 region in the core of
the cluster (Coma 1), the second a 0.555 deg^2 off-center region located ~57
arcmin (1.7 Mpc) south-west from the core (Coma 3). The observations, although
short 70-90 s exposures, are very sensitive; we detect ~29,200 sources at 3.6
micron over the total ~1.3 deg^2 survey area. We construct 3.6 micron galaxy
luminosity functions (LFs) for each field using selection functions based on
spectroscopic redshifts. At the bright end, the LFs are well modeled by a
traditional Schechter function; [M^star (3.6 micron), alpha_1] = [-25.17,
-1.18] and [-24.69, -1.30] for Coma 1 and Coma 3 respectively. However, at the
faint end (M(3.6 micron) > -20.5), there is a steep increase in the LF slope in
both fields indicative of large numbers of red dwarf galaxies. The reality of
this population is examined using optical counterparts in SDSS data with
optical color filtering (g-r<1.3). The steep increase can be modeled with a
power-law function, with slopes of alpha_2 = -2.18 (Coma 1) and alpha_2 = -2.60
(Coma 3). A qualitative comparison with optical (B- and R-band) LFs shows that
we are likely to be observing a larger population of dwarf galaxies in the
near-IR, which may be a low-surface-brightness (LSB) population that IRAC is
particularly sensitive to, or a population too red to be detected in existing
optical surveys down to R~20.


title:
Can the Baryon Number Density and the Cosmological Constant be
  interrelated?

abstract:
  A toy model is proposed in which the cosmological constant and the baryon
number density of the universe are interrelated. The model combines the
mechanism of Dimopoulos and Susskind in which the baryon number density of the
universe is generated by the time-dependence of the phase of a complex scalar
field, i.e. its `angular momentum' in the two-dimensinal complex field space,
with that of Yoshimura in which the `centrifugal force' due the `angular
momentum' pushes the vacuum expectation value of the scalar field out of a
negative potential minimum and provides a small but positive cosmological
constant. Unfortunately, our model fails to relate the smallness of the two
numbers directly, requiring a fine-tuning of the negative potential minimum.


title:
Power-Efficient Direct-Voting Assurance for Data Fusion in Wireless
  Sensor Networks

abstract:
  Wireless sensor networks place sensors into an area to collect data and send
them back to a base station. Data fusion, which fuses the collected data before
they are sent to the base station, is usually implemented over the network.
Since the sensor is typically placed in locations accessible to malicious
attackers, information assurance of the data fusion process is very important.
A witness-based approach has been proposed to validate the fusion data. In this
approach, the base station receives the fusion data and "votes" on the data
from a randomly chosen sensor node. The vote comes from other sensor nodes,
called "witnesses," to verify the correctness of the fusion data. Because the
base station obtains the vote through the chosen node, the chosen node could
forge the vote if it is compromised. Thus, the witness node must encrypt the
vote to prevent this forgery. Compared with the vote, the encryption requires
more bits, increasing transmission burden from the chosen node to the base
station. The chosen node consumes more power. This work improves the
witness-based approach using direct voting mechanism such that the proposed
scheme has better performance in terms of assurance, overhead, and delay. The
witness node transmits the vote directly to the base station. Forgery is not a
problem in this scheme. Moreover, fewer bits are necessary to represent the
vote, significantly reducing the power consumption. Performance analysis and
simulation results indicate that the proposed approach can achieve a 40 times
better overhead than the witness-based approach.


title: Faint HI 21-cm Emission Line Wings at Forbidden-Velocities

abstract:
  We present the results of a search for faint HI 21-cm emission line wings at
velocities forbidden by Galactic rotation in the Galactic plane using the
Leiden/Dwingeloo HI Survey data and the HI Southern Galactic Plane Survey data.
These ``forbidden-velocity wings (FVWs)'' appear as protruding excessive
emission in comparison with their surroundings in limited (< 2 deg) spatial
regions over velocity extent more than ~20 km/s in large-scale (l-v) diagrams.
Their high-velocities imply that there should be some dynamical phenomena
associated. We have identified 87 FVWs. We present their catalog, and discuss
their distribution and statistical properties. We found that 85% of FVWs are
not coincident with known supernova remnants (SNRs), galaxies, or high-velocity
clouds. Their natures are currently unknown. We suspect that many of them are
fast-moving HI shells and filaments associated with the oldest SNRs that are
essentially invisible except via their HI line emission. We discuss other
possible origins.


title: Dirichlet problems for stationary von Neumann-Landau wave equations

abstract:
  It is known that von Neumann-Landau wave equation can present a mathematical
formalism of motion of quantum mechanics, that is an extension of
Schr\"{o}dinger's wave equation. In this paper, we concern with the Dirichlet
problem of the stationary von Neumann-Landau wave equation:
  {(- \triangle_x + \triangle_y) \Phi (x, y) = 0, x, y \in \Omega,
  \Phi|_{\partial \Omega \times \partial \Omega} = f, where $\Omega$ is a
bounded domain in $\mathbf{R}^n.$ By introducing anti-inner product spaces, we
show the existence and uniqueness of the generalized solution for the above
Dirichlet problem by functional-analytic methods.


title: Sweet Spot Supersymmetry

abstract:
  We find that there is no supersymmetric flavor/CP problem, mu-problem,
cosmological moduli/gravitino problem or dimension four/five proton decay
problem in a class of supersymmetric theories with O(1) GeV gravitino mass. The
cosmic abundance of the non-thermally produced gravitinos naturally explains
the dark matter component of the universe. A mild hierarchy between the mass
scale of supersymmetric particles and electroweak scale is predicted,
consistent with the null result of a search for the Higgs boson at the LEP-II
experiments. A relation to the strong CP problem is addressed. We propose a
parametrization of the model for the purpose of collider studies. The scalar
tau lepton is the next to lightest supersymmetric particle in a theoretically
favored region of the parameter space. The lifetime of the scalar tau is of
O(1000) seconds with which it is regarded as a charged stable particle in
collider experiments. We discuss characteristic signatures and a strategy for
confirmation of this class of theories at the LHC experiments.


title:
SIM PlanetQuest Key Project Precursor Observations to Detect Gas Giant
  Planets Around Young Stars

abstract:
  We present a review of precursor observing programs for the SIM PlanetQuest
Key project devoted to detecting Jupiter mass planets around young stars. In
order to ensure that the stars in the sample are free of various sources of
astrometric noise that might impede the detection of planets, we have initiated
programs to collect photometry, high contrast images, interferometric data and
radial velocities for stars in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. We
have completed a high contrast imaging survey of target stars in Taurus and the
Pleiades and found no definitive common proper motion companions within one
arcsecond (140 AU) of the SIM targets. Our radial velocity surveys have shown
that many of the target stars in Sco-Cen are fast rotators and a few stars in
Taurus and the Pleiades may have sub-stellar companions. Interferometric data
of a few stars in Taurus show no signs of stellar or sub-stellar companions
with separations of <5 mas. The photometric survey suggests that approximately
half of the stars initially selected for this program are variable to a degree
(1 sigma>0.1 mag) that would degrade the astrometric accuracy achievable for
that star. While the precursor programs are still a work in progress, we
provide a comprehensive list of all targets ranked according to their viability
as a result of the observations taken to date. By far, the observable that
moves the most targets from the SIM-YSO program is photometric variability.


title:
Quantum computation in a Ising spin chain taking into account second
  neighbor couplings

abstract:
  We consider the realization of a quantum computer in a chain of nuclear spins
coupled by an Ising interaction. Quantum algorithms can be performed with the
help of appropriate radio-frequency pulses. In addition to the standard
nearest-neighbor Ising coupling, we also allow for a second neighbor coupling.
It is shown, how to apply the 2\pi k method in this more general setting, where
the additional coupling eventually allows to save a few pulses. We illustrate
our results with two numerical simulations: the Shor prime factorization of the
number 4 and the teleportation of a qubit along a chain of 3 qubits. In both
cases, the optimal Rabi frequency (to suppress non-resonant effects) depends
primarily on the strength of the second neighbor interaction.


title:
The geometry of systems of third order differential equations induced by
  second order Lagrangians

abstract:
  A dynamical system on the total space of the fibre bundle of second order
accelerations, $T^2M$, is defined as a third order vector field $S$ on $T^2M$,
called semispray, which is mapped by the second order tangent structure into
one of the Liouville vector field. For a regular Lagrangian of second order we
prove that this semispray is uniquely determined by two associated
Cartan-Poincar\'e one-forms. To study the geometry of this semispray we
construct a nonlinear connection, which is a Lagrangian subbundle for the
presymplectic structure. Using this semispray and the associated nonlinear
connection we define covariant derivatives of first and second order. With
respect to this, the second order dynamical derivative of the Lagrangian metric
tensor vanishes.


title:
A mathematical analysis of the effects of Hebbian learning rules on the
  dynamics and structure of discrete-time random recurrent neural networks

abstract:
  We present a mathematical analysis of the effects of Hebbian learning in
random recurrent neural networks, with a generic Hebbian learning rule
including passive forgetting and different time scales for neuronal activity
and learning dynamics. Previous numerical works have reported that Hebbian
learning drives the system from chaos to a steady state through a sequence of
bifurcations. Here, we interpret these results mathematically and show that
these effects, involving a complex coupling between neuronal dynamics and
synaptic graph structure, can be analyzed using Jacobian matrices, which
introduce both a structural and a dynamical point of view on the neural network
evolution. Furthermore, we show that the sensitivity to a learned pattern is
maximal when the largest Lyapunov exponent is close to 0. We discuss how neural
networks may take advantage of this regime of high functional interest.


title:
A simple spontaneously active Hebbian learning model: homeostasis of
  activity and connectivity, and consequences for learning and epileptogenesis

abstract:
  A spontaneously active neural system that is capable of continual learning
should also be capable of homeostasis of both firing rate and connectivity.
Experimental evidence suggests that both types of homeostasis exist, and that
connectivity is maintained at a state that is optimal for information
transmission and storage. This state is referred to as the critical state. We
present a simple stochastic computational Hebbian learning model that
incorporates both firing rate and critical homeostasis, and we explore its
stability and connectivity properties. We also examine the behavior of our
model with a simulated seizure and with simulated acute deafferentation. We
argue that a neural system that is more highly connected than the critical
state (i.e., one that is "supercritical") is epileptogenic. Based on our
simulations, we predict that the post-seizural and post-deafferentation states
should be supercritical and epileptogenic. Furthermore, interventions that
boost spontaneous activity should be protective against epileptogenesis.


title: The discrete spectrum of the D=11 bosonic M5-brane

abstract:
  We prove that the spectrum of the regularized M5-brane in D=11 target space
is discrete with eigenvalues extending to infinity. The proof includes the same
result for the spectra of regularized bosonic p-branes in general.


title: Morphing Ensemble Kalman Filters

abstract:
  A new type of ensemble filter is proposed, which combines an ensemble Kalman
filter (EnKF) with the ideas of morphing and registration from image
processing. This results in filters suitable for nonlinear problems whose
solutions exhibit moving coherent features, such as thin interfaces in wildfire
modeling. The ensemble members are represented as the composition of one common
state with a spatial transformation, called registration mapping, plus a
residual. A fully automatic registration method is used that requires only
gridded data, so the features in the model state do not need to be identified
by the user. The morphing EnKF operates on a transformed state consisting of
the registration mapping and the residual. Essentially, the morphing EnKF uses
intermediate states obtained by morphing instead of linear combinations of the
states.

categories: math.DS cs.CV math.ST physics.ao-ph stat.ME stat.TH


title:
Calculation of The Lifetimes of Thin Stripper Targets Under Bombardment
  of Intense Pulsed Ions

abstract:
  The problems of stripper target behavior in the nonstationary intense
particle beams are considered. The historical sketch of studying of radiation
damage failure of carbon targets under ion bombardment is presented. The simple
model of evaporation of a target by an intensive pulsing beam is supposed.
Stripper foils lifetimes in the nonstationary intense particle can be described
by two failure mechanisms: radiation damage accumulation and evaporation of
target. At the maximal temperatures less than 2500K the radiation damage are
dominated; at temperatures above 2500K the mechanism of evaporation of a foil
prevails. The proposed approach has been applied to the discription of
behaviour of stripper foils in the BNL linac and SNS conditions.


title:
Momentum Dependent Charge Excitations of Two-Leg Ladder: Resonant
  Inelastic X-ray Scattering of (La,Sr,Ca)14Cu24O41

abstract:
  Momentum dependent charge excitations of a two-leg ladder are investigated by
resonant inelastic x-ray scattering of (La,Sr,Ca)14Cu24O41. In contrast to the
case of a square lattice, momentum dependence of the Mott gap excitation of the
ladder exhibits little change upon hole-doping, indicating the formation of
hole pairs. Theoretical calculation based on a Hubbard model qualitatively
explains this feature. In addition, experimental data shows intraband
excitation as continuum intensity below the Mott gap and it appears at all the
momentum transfers simultaneously. The intensity of the intraband excitation is
proportional to the hole concentration of the ladder, which is consistent with
optical conductivity measurements.


title:
Tuning phase transition between quantum spin Hall and ordinary
  insulating phases

abstract:
  An effective theory is constructed for analyzing a generic phase transition
between the quantum spin Hall and the insulator phases. Occurrence of
degeneracies due to closing of the gap at the transition are carefully
elucidated. For systems without inversion symmetry the gap-closing occurs at
\pm k_0(\neq G/2) while for systems with inversion symmetry, the gap can close
only at wave-numbers k=G/2, where G is a reciprocal lattice vector. In both
cases, following a unitary transformation which mixes spins, the system is
represented by two decoupled effective theories of massive two-component
fermions having masses of opposite signs. Existence of gapless helical modes at
a domain wall between the two phases directly follows from this formalism. This
theory provides an elementary and comprehensive phenomenology of the quantum
spin Hall system.


title: First Law of Black Saturn Thermodynamics

abstract:
  The physical version and equilibrium state version of the first law of
thermodynamics for a black object consisting of n-dimensional charged
stationary axisymmetric black hole surrounded by $a$ black rings, the so-called
black Saturn was derived. The general setting for our derivation is
n-dimensional dilaton gravity with p + 1 strength form fields.


title: Confining properties of QCD at finite temperature and density

abstract:
  A disorder parameter detecting dual superconductivty of the vacuum is used as
a probe to characterize the confining properties of the phase diagram of two
color QCD at finite temperature and density. We obtain evidence for the
disappearing of dual superconductivity (deconfinement) induced by a finite
density of baryonic matter, as well as for a coincidence of this phenomenon
with the restoration of chiral symmetry both at zero and finite density. The
saturation transition induced by Pauli blocking is studied as well, and a
general warning is given about the possible effects that this unphysical
transition could have on the study of the QCD phase diagram at strong values of
the gauge coupling.


title:
The Cascades Proposal for the Deep Underground Science and Engineering
  Laboratory

abstract:
  One of the options for creating a Deep Underground Science and Engineering
Laboratory (DUSEL) is a site in the Mt. Stuart batholith, a granodiorite and
tonalite rock mass in the Cascade mountain range in Washington State. The
batholith's 100-year history in hard-rock tunneling includes the construction
of the longest and deepest tunnels in the U.S., the parallel Cascade and
Pioneer tunnels. The laboratory plan would utilize these two tunnels to produce
a laboratory that has many desirable features, including dedicated, clean,
horizontal access, container-module transport, and low operations costs.
Various aspects of the site help to reduce geotechnical, environmental, and
safety risks.


title: Survival Probabilities in Coherent Exciton Transfer with Trapping

abstract:
  In the quest for signatures of coherent transport we consider exciton
trapping in the continuous-time quantum walk framework. The survival
probability displays different decay domains, related to distinct regions of
the spectrum of the Hamiltonian. For linear systems and at intermediate times
the decay obeys a power-law, in contrast to the corresponding exponential decay
found in incoherent continuous-time random walk situations. To differentiate
between the coherent and incoherent mechanisms, we present an experimental
protocol based on a frozen Rydberg gas structured by optical dipole traps.


title:
Probing polarization states of primordial gravitational waves with CMB
  anisotropies

abstract:
  We discuss the polarization signature of primordial gravitational waves
imprinted in cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropies. The high-energy
physics motivated by superstring theory or M-theory generically yield parity
violating terms, which may produce a circularly polarized gravitational wave
background (GWB) during inflation. In contrast to the standard prediction of
inflation with un-polarized GWB, circularly polarized GWB generates
non-vanishing TB and EB-mode power spectra of CMB anisotropies. We evaluate the
TB and EB-mode power spectra taking into account the secondary effects and
investigate the dependence of cosmological parameters. We then discuss current
constraints on the circularly polarized GWB from large angular scales (l < 16)
of the three year WMAP data. Prospects for future CMB experiments are also
investigated based on a Monte Carlo analysis of parameter estimation, showing
that the circular polarization degree, varepsilon, which is the asymmetry of
the tensor power spectra between right- and left-handed modes normalized by the
total amplitude, can be measured down to |varepsilon| 0.35(r/0.05)^{-0.6}.


title: Logarithmic knot invariants arising from restricted quantum groups

abstract:
  We construct knot invariants from the radical part of projective modules of
restricted quantum groups. We also show a relation between these invariants and
the colored Alexander invariants.


title: Branching Transport Model of Alkali-Halide Scintillators

abstract:
  We measure the time dependence of the scintillator light-emission pulses in
NaI(Tl) crystals at different temperatures, after activation by gamma rays. We
confirm that there are two main nonexponential components to the time decay and
find that their amplitude ratio shows Arrhenius temperature dependence. We
explain these nonexponential components as arising from two competing
mechanisms of carrier transport to the Tl activation levels. The total light
output of the NaI(Tl) detectors shows a linear temperature dependence explained
by our model.


title: Variation of fundamental constants: theory and observations

abstract:
  Review of recent works devoted to the variation of the fundamental constants
is presented including atomic clocks, quasar absorption spectra, and Oklo
natural nuclear reactor data. Assuming linear variation with time we can
compare different results. From the quasar absorption spectra:
  $\dot{\mu}/\mu=(1 \pm 3) \times 10^{-16}$ yr$^{-1}$. A combination of this
result and the atomic clock results gives the best limt on variation of
$\alpha$: $\dot{\alpha}/\alpha=(-0.8 \pm 0.8) \times 10^{-16}$ yr$^{-1}$. The
Oklo natural reactor gives the best limit on the variation of
$m_s/\Lambda_{QCD}$ where $m_s$ is the strange quark mass.
  Huge enhancement of the relative variation effects happens in transitions
between close atomic, molecular and nuclear energy levels. We suggest several
new cases where the levels are very narrow. Large enhancement of the variation
effects is also possible in cold atomic and molecular collisions near Feshbach
resonance. Massive bodies (stars or galaxies) can also affect physical
constants. They have large scalar charge $S$ proportional to number of
particles which produces a Coulomb-like scalar field $U=S/r$. This leads to a
variation of the fundamental constants proportional to the gravitational
potential, e.g. $\delta \alpha/ \alpha = k_\alpha \delta (GM/ r c^2)$. We
compare different manifestations of this effect.The strongest limit
  $k_\alpha +0.17 k_e= (-3.5\pm 6) \times 10^{-7}$.


title: Symmetry Breaking in Few Layer Graphene Films

abstract:
  Recently, it was demonstrated that the quasiparticle dynamics, the
layer-dependent charge and potential, and the c-axis screening coefficient
could be extracted from measurements of the spectral function of few layer
graphene films grown epitaxially on SiC using angle-resolved photoemission
spectroscopy (ARPES). In this article we review these findings, and present
detailed methodology for extracting such parameters from ARPES. We also present
detailed arguments against the possibility of an energy gap at the Dirac
crossing ED.


title: Algebraic Polymorphisms

abstract:
  In this paper we consider a special class of polymorphisms with invariant
measure, - (cf.[1])- the algebraic polymorphisms of compact groups. A general
polymorphism is -- by definition -- a many-valued map with invariant measure,
and the conjugate operator of a polymorphism is a Markov operator (i.e., a
positive operator on $L^2$ of norm 1 which preserves the constants). In the
algebraic case a polymorphism is a correspondence in the sense of algebraic
geometry, but here we investigate it from a dynamical point of view. The most
important examples are the algebraic polymorphisms of torus, where we introduce
a parametrization of the semigroup of toral polymorphisms in terms of rational
matrices and describe the spectra of the corresponding Markov operators.


title:
Characterization of the Soluble Nanoparticles Formed through Coulombic
  Interaction of Bovine Serum Albumin with Anionic Graft Copolymers at Low pH

abstract:
  A static light scattering (SLS) study of bovine serum albumin (BSA) mixtures
with two anionic graft copolymers of poly (sodium acrylate-co-sodium
2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulphonate)-graft-poly (N,
N-dimethylacrylamide), with a high composition in poly (N,
N-dimethylacrylamide) (PDMAM) side chains, revealed the formation of oppositely
charged complexes, at pH lower than 4.9, the isoelectric point of BSA. The
core-corona nanoparticles formed at pH = 3.00, were characterized. Their
molecular weight and radius of gyration were determined by SLS, while their
hydrodynamic radius was determined by dynamic light scattering. Small angle
neutron scattering measurements were used to determine the radius of the
insoluble complexes, comprising the core of the particles. The values obtained
indicated that their size and aggregation number of the nanoparticles, were
smaller when the content of the graft copolymers in neutral PDMAM side chains
was higher. Such particles should be interesting drug delivery candidates, if
the gastrointestinal tract was to be used.


title: Electronic structure of the molecule based magnet Cu PM(NO3)2 (H2O)2

abstract:
  We present density functional calculations on the molecule based S=1/2
antiferromagnetic chain compound Cu PM(NO3)2 (H2O)2; PM = pyrimidine. The
properties of the ferro- and antiferromagnetic state are investigated at the
level of the local density approximation and with the hybrid functional B3LYP.
Spin density maps illustrate the exchange path via the pyrimidine molecule
which mediates the magnetism in the one-dimensional chain. The computed
exchange coupling is antiferromagnetic and in reasonable agreement with the
experiment. It is suggested that the antiferromagnetic coupling is due to the
possibility of stronger delocalization of the charges on the nitrogen atoms,
compared to the ferromagnetic case. In addition, computed isotropic and
anisotropic hyperfine interaction parameters are compared with recent NMR
experiments.


title: On Brane-Antibrane Forces

abstract:
  In this note, we will discuss two aspects of brane-antibrane forces. In one
aspect, we generalize the force calculation of D0-${\bar {\rm D}}$0 of Banks
and Susskind to Dp-${\bar {\rm D}}p$ for $1\le p \leq 8$. In particular, we
find that the force is also divergent for p = 1 while for the other cases ($p
\ge 2$) the forces are in general finite when $Z \to 0^+$, where $Z =
\frac{Y^2}{2\pi^2\alpha'} - 1$ with Y, the brane-antibrane separation. However,
the forces are divergent for all cases when Z < 0, signalling the occurrence of
open string tachyon condensation in this regime. The other deals with the
puzzling static nature of the supergravity brane-antibrane configurations. We
will show that the force on a brane probe due to a brane-antibrane background
vanishes when the probe is placed at the location of the coincident
brane-antibranes, thereby providing a direct evidence for the existence of
general static brane-antibrane configuration in the supergravity approximation.


title:
Spitzer Observations of Transient, Extended Dust in Two Elliptical
  Galaxies: New Evidence of Recent Feedback Energy Release in Galactic Cores

abstract:
  Spitzer observations of extended dust in two optically normal elliptical
galaxies provide a new confirmation of buoyant feedback outflow in the hot gas
atmospheres around these galaxies. AGN feedback energy is required to prevent
wholesale cooling and star formation in these group-centered galaxies. In NGC
5044 we observe interstellar (presumably PAH) emission at 8 microns out to
about 5 kpc. Both NGC 5044 and 4636 have extended 70 microns emission from cold
dust exceeding that expected from stellar mass loss. The sputtering lifetime of
this extended dust in the ~1keV interstellar gas, ~10^7 yrs, establishes the
time when the dust first entered the hot gas. Evidently the extended dust
originated in dusty disks or clouds, commonly observed in elliptical galaxy
cores, that were disrupted, heated and buoyantly transported outward. The
surviving central dust in NGC 5044 and 4636 has been disrupted into many small
filaments. It is remarkable that the asymmetrically extended 8 micron emission
in NGC 5044 is spatially coincident with Halpha+[NII] emission from warm gas. A
calculation shows that dust-assisted cooling in buoyant hot gas moving out from
the galactic core can cool within a few kpc in about ~10^7 yrs, explaining the
optical line emission observed. The X-ray images of both galaxies are
disturbed. All timescales for transient activity - restoration of equilibrium
and buoyant transport in the hot gas, dynamics of surviving dust fragments, and
dust sputtering - are consistent with a central release of feedback energy in
both galaxies about 10^7 yrs ago.


title:
Left-Right Asymmetry of Weak Interaction Mass of Polarized Fermions in
  Flight

abstract:
  The left-right polarization-dependent asymmetry of the weak interaction mass
is investigated. Based on the Standard Model, the calculation shows that the
weak interaction mass of left-handed polarized fermions is always greater than
that of right-handed polarized fermions in flight with the same velocity in any
inertial frame. The asymmetry of the weak interaction mass might be very
important to the investigation of neutrino mass and would have an important
significance for understanding the parity nonconservation in weak interactions.


title: Stable functions and common stabilizations of Heegaard splittings

abstract:
  We present a new proof of Reidemeister and Singer's Theorem that any two
Heegaard splittings of the same 3-manifold have a common stabilization. The
proof leads to an upper bound on the minimal genus of a common stabilization in
terms of the number of negative slope inflection points and type-two cusps in a
Rubinstein-Scharlemann graphic for the two splittings.


title:
The Magnetar Nature and the Outburst Mechanism of a Transient Anomalous
  X-ray Pulsar

abstract:
  Anomalous X-ray Pulsars (AXPs) belong to a class of neutron stars believed to
harbor the strongest magnetic fields in the universe, as indicated by their
energetic bursts and their rapid spindowns. However, an unambiguous measurement
of their surface field strengths has not been made to date. It is also not
known whether AXP outbursts result from changes in the neutron star magnetic
field or crust properties. Here we report a spectroscopic measurement of the
surface magnetic field strength of an AXP, XTE J1810$-$197, and solidify its
magnetar nature. The field strength obtained from detailed spectral analysis
and modeling, B = (2.72$\pm$0.03)$\times10^{14}$ G, is remarkably close to the
value inferred from the rate of spindown of this source and remains nearly
constant during numerous observations spanning over an order of magnitude in
source flux. The surface temperature, on the other hand, declines steadily and
dramatically following the 2003 outburst of this source. Our findings
demonstrate that heating occurs in the upper neutron star crust during an
outburst and sheds light on the transient behaviour of AXPs.


title: Higher-spin Chern-Simons theories in odd dimensions

abstract:
  We construct consistent bosonic higher-spin gauge theories in odd dimensions
D>3 based on Chern-Simons forms. The gauge groups are infinite-dimensional
higher-spin extensions of the Anti-de Sitter groups SO(D-1,2). We propose an
invariant tensor on these algebras, which is required for the definition of the
Chern-Simons action. The latter contains the purely gravitational Chern-Simons
theories constructed by Chamseddine, and so the entire theory describes a
consistent coupling of higher-spin fields to a particular form of Lovelock
gravity. It contains topological as well as non-topological phases. Focusing on
D=5 we consider as an example for the latter an AdS_4 x S^1 Kaluza-Klein
background. By solving the higher-spin torsion constraints in the case of a
spin-3 field, we verify explicitly that the equations of motion reduce in the
linearization to the compensator form of the Fronsdal equations on AdS_4.


title: Hyperbolic knots with three toroidal Dehn surgeries

abstract:
  It is conjectured that a hyperbolic knot admits at most three Dehn surgeries
which yield closed three manifolds containing incompressible tori. We show that
there exist infinitely many hyperbolic knots which attain the conjectural
maximum number. Interestingly, those surgeries correspond to consecutive
integers.


title: New Resonances and Meson Spectroscopy at BaBar and Belle

abstract:
  We present a short review on the recent progresses that have been made in
meson spectroscopy. We discuss the experimental discoveries made at the BaBar
and Belle experiments, as well as the possible interpretations of the new
resonances.


title:
Accurate X-ray position and multiwavelength observations of the isolated
  neutron star RBS 1774

abstract:
  We report on X-ray, optical, infrared and radio observations of the X-ray dim
isolated neutron star (XDINS) 1RXS J214303.7+065419 (also known as RBS 1774).
The X-ray observation was performed with the High Resolution Camera on board of
the Chandra X-ray Observatory, allowing us to derive the most accurate position
for this source (alpha = 21h43m3.38s, delta= +6deg54'17".53; 90% uncertainty of
0."6). Furthermore, we confirmed with a higher spatial accuracy the point-like
nature of this X-ray source. Optical and infrared observations were taken in B,
V, r', i', J, H and Ks filters using the Keck, VLT, Blanco and Magellan
telescopes, while radio observations were obtained from the ATNF Parkes single
dish at 2.9GHz and 708MHz. No plausible optical and/or infrared counterpart for
RBS 1774 was detected within the refined sub-arsecond Chandra X-ray error
circle. Present upper limits to the optical and infrared magnitudes are r'>25.7
and J>22.6 (5 sigma confidence level). Radio observations did not show evidence
for radio pulsations down to a luminosity at 1.4 GHz of L < 0.02 mJy kpc^2, the
deepest limit up to date for any XDINS, and lower than what expected for the
majority of radio pulsars. We can hence conclude that, if RBS 1774 is active as
radio pulsar, its non detection is more probably due to a geometrical bias
rather than to a luminosity bias. Furthermore, no convincing evidence for
RRAT-like radio bursts have been found. Our results on RBS 1774 are discussed
and compared with the known properties of other thermally emitting neutron
stars and of the radio pulsar population.


title: Anomalous escape governed by thermal 1/f noise

abstract:
  We present an analytic study for subdiffusive escape of overdamped particles
out of a cusp-shaped parabolic potential well which are driven by thermal,
fractional Gaussian noise with a $1/\omega^{1-\alpha}$ power spectrum. This
long-standing challenge becomes mathematically tractable by use of a
generalized Langevin dynamics via its corresponding non-Markovian,
time-convolutionless master equation: We find that the escape is governed
asymptotically by a power law whose exponent depends exponentially on the ratio
of barrier height and temperature. This result is in distinct contrast to a
description with a corresponding subdiffusive fractional Fokker-Planck
approach; thus providing experimentalists an amenable testbed to differentiate
between the two escape scenarios.


title: Deformation Theory (lecture notes)

abstract:
  First three sections of this overview paper cover classical topics of
deformation theory of associative algebras and necessary background material.
We then analyze algebraic structures of the Hochschild cohomology and describe
the relation between deformations and solutions of the corresponding
Maurer-Cartan equation. In Section 6 we generalize the Maurer-Cartan equation
to strongly homotopy Lie algebras and prove the homotopy invariance of the
moduli space of solutions of this equation. In the last section we indicate the
main ideas of Kontsevich's proof of the existence of deformation quantization
of Poisson manifolds.


title: Analysis of the vertices $DDV$ and $D^*DV$ with light-cone QCD sum rules

abstract:
  In this article, we study the vertices $DDV$ and $D^*DV$ with the light-cone
QCD sum rules. The strong coupling constants $g_{DDV}$ and $f_{D^*DV}$ play an
important role in understanding the final-state re-scattering effects in the
hadronic B decays. They are related to the basic parameters $\beta$ and
$\lambda$ respectively in the heavy quark effective Lagrangian, our numerical
values are smaller than the existing estimations.


title: A General Search for New Phenomena in e-p Scattering at HERA

abstract:
  A model-independent search for deviations from the Standard Model prediction
is performed in e-p collisions at HERA II using H1 data recorded during the
years 2005 and 2006, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 159 inv.pb.
All event topologies involving isolated electrons, photons, muons, neutrinos
and jets with high transverse momenta are investigated in a single analysis.
Events are assigned to exclusive classes according to their final state. A
statistical algorithm is used to search for deviations from the Standard Model
in the distributions of the scalar sum of transverse momenta or invariant mass
of final state particles and to quantify their significance. A good agreement
with the Standard Model prediction is observed in most of the event classes. No
significant deviation is found in the phase-space and event topologies covered
by this analysis.


title: Zero-point radiation and the Big Bang

abstract:
  This paper develops a cosmological hypothesis based on the following
propositions:
  1. Zero-point radiation derives from quantic fluctuations in space, and the
wavelength of its photons with the greatest energy is inversely proportional to
the curvature of space.
  2. The Universe began as the breaking in of photons of extremely high energy
contained in the 3-dimensional surface: $w^2+x^2+y^2+z^2=R^2_i$, whose radius
has continued to expand at the speed of ligth since its origin at $t=0$.
  3. The wavelength of the photons is quantized and the quantum of wavelength
is invariable.
  These propositions imply that the value of the total energy of the zero-point
radiation in the Universe remains constant and the condition $w^2 + x^2 + y^2 +
z^2 = (R_i + ct)^2 = R_u^2$ determines that every point in our space is subject
to a tension whose intensity $i$ is proportional to the curvature $1/R_u$. Any
increase of $R_u$ implies a decrease in $i$ and consequently an energy flow
which translates into an expansive force. Therefore, the Universe will expand
indefinitely: no Big Crunch is possible. If the initial radius of the Universe
$R_i$ has been smaller than the Schwarzschild radius, $R_s$, which corresponds
to the total mass of the Universe, $M_u$, the generation of matter would have
lasted for thousands of millions of years. Generation of matter over short
periods would have required values for $R_i$ of thousands of millions of light
years.


title:
Kinetic approaches to particle acceleration at cosmic ray modified
  shocks

abstract:
  Kinetic approaches provide an effective description of the process of
particle acceleration at shock fronts and allow to take into account the
dynamical reaction of the accelerated particles as well as the amplification of
the turbulent magnetic field as due to streaming instability. The latter does
in turn affect the maximum achievable momentum and thereby the acceleration
process itself, in a chain of causality which is typical of non-linear systems.
Here we provide a technical description of two of these kinetic approaches and
show that they basically lead to the same conclusions. In particular we discuss
the effects of shock modification on the spectral shape of the accelerated
particles, on the maximum momentum, on the thermodynamic properties of the
background fluid and on the escaping and advected fluxes of accelerated
particles.


title:
Resonance and frequency-locking phenomena in spatially extended
  phytoplankton-zooplankton system with additive noise and periodic forces

abstract:
  In this paper, we present a spatial version of phytoplankton-zooplankton
model that includes some important factors such as external periodic forces,
noise, and diffusion processes. The spatially extended
phytoplankton-zooplankton system is from the original study by Scheffer [M
Scheffer, Fish and nutrients interplay determines algal biomass: a minimal
model, Oikos \textbf{62} (1991) 271-282]. Our results show that the spatially
extended system exhibit a resonant patterns and frequency-locking phenomena.
The system also shows that the noise and the external periodic forces play a
constructive role in the Scheffer's model: first, the noise can enhance the
oscillation of phytoplankton species' density and format a large clusters in
the space when the noise intensity is within certain interval. Second, the
external periodic forces can induce 4:1 and 1:1 frequency-locking and spatially
homogeneous oscillation phenomena to appear. Finally, the resonant patterns are
observed in the system when the spatial noises and external periodic forces are
both turned on. Moreover, we found that the 4:1 frequency-locking transform
into 1:1 frequency-locking when the noise intensity increased. In addition to
elucidating our results outside the domain of Turing instability, we provide
further analysis of Turing linear stability with the help of the numerical
calculation by using the Maple software. Significantly, oscillations are
enhanced in the system when the noise term presents. These results indicate
that the oceanic plankton bloom may partly due to interplay between the
stochastic factors and external forces instead of deterministic factors. These
results also may help us to understand the effects arising from undeniable
subject to random fluctuations in oceanic plankton bloom.

categories: q-bio.PE cond-mat.stat-mech nlin.PS q-bio.OT


title:
High angular resolution imaging of the circumstellar material around
  intermediate mass (IM) stars

abstract:
  In this Paper we present high angular resolution imaging of 3
intermediate-mass (IM) stars using the Plateau de Bure Interferometer (PdBI).
In particular we present the chemical study we have carried out towards the IM
hot core NGC 7129--FIRS 2. This is the first chemical study in an IM hot core
and provides important hints to understand the dependence of the hot core
chemistry on the stellar luminosity. We also present our high angular
resolution (0.3") images of the borderline Class 0-Class I object IC1396 N.
These images trace the warm region of this IM protostar with unprecedent detail
(0.3"\sim200 AU at the distance of IC1396 N) and provide the first detection of
a cluster of IM hot cores. Finally, we present our interferometric continuum
and spectroscopic images of the disk around the Herbig Be star R Mon. We have
determined the kinematics and physical structure of the disk associated with
this B0 star. The low spectral index derived from the dust emission as well as
the flat geometry of the disk suggest a more rapid evolution of the disks
associated with massive stars. In the Discussion, we dare to propose a possible
evolutionary sequence for the warm circumstellar material around IM stars.


title: Shear bands in granular flow through a mixing length model

abstract:
  We discuss the advantages and results of using a mixing-length, compressible
model to account for shear banding behaviour in granular flow. We formulate a
general approach based on two function of the solid fraction to be determined.
Studying the vertical chute flow, we show that shear band thickness is always
independent from flowrate in the quasistatic limit, for Coulomb wall boundary
conditions. The effect of bin width is addressed using the functions developed
by Pouliquen and coworkers, predicting a linear dependence of shear band
thickness by channel width, while literature reports contrasting data. We also
discuss the influence of wall roughness on shear bands. Through a Coulomb wall
friction criterion we show that our model correctly predicts the effect of
increasing wall roughness on the thickness of shear bands. Then a simple
mixing-length approach to steady granular flows can be useful and
representative of a number of original features of granular flow.


title:
Eight new T4.5-T7.5 dwarfs discovered in the UKIDSS Large Area Survey
  Data Release 1

abstract:
  We present eight new T4.5-T7.5 dwarfs identified in the UKIRT Infrared Deep
Sky Survey (UKIDSS) Large Area Survey (LAS) Data Release 1 (DR1). In addition
we have recovered the T4.5 dwarf SDSS J020742.91+000056.2 and the T8.5 dwarf
ULAS J003402.77-005206.7. Photometric candidates were picked up in two-colour
diagrams over 190 square degrees (DR1) and selected in at least two filters.
All candidates exhibit near-infrared spectra with strong methane and water
absorption bands characteristic of T dwarfs and the derived spectral types
follow the unified scheme of Burgasser et al. (2006). We have found 6 new
T4.5-T5.5 dwarfs, one T7 dwarf, one T7.5 dwarf, and recovered a T4.5 dwarf and
a T8.5 dwarf. We provide distance estimates which lie in the 15-85 pc range;
the T7.5 and T8.5 dwarfs are probably within 25 pc of the Sun. We conclude with
a discussion of the number of T dwarfs expected after completion of the LAS,
comparing these initial results to theoretical simulations.


title:
Topological quantum phase transition and the Berry phase near the Fermi
  surface in hole-doped quantum wells

abstract:
  We propose a topological quantum phase transition for quantum states with
different Berry phases in hole-doped III-V semiconductor quantum wells with
bulk and structure inversion asymmetry. The Berry phase of the occupied Bloch
states can be characteristic of topological metallic states. It is found that
the adjustment of thickness of the quantum well may cause a transition of Berry
phase in two-dimensional hole gas. Correspondingly, the jump of spin Hall
conductivity accompanies the change of the Berry phase. This property is robust
against the impurity potentials in the system. Experimental detection of this
topological quantum phase transition is discussed.


title:
Determination of the spectral gap in the Kac model for physical momentum
  and energy conserving collisions

abstract:
  The Kac model describes the local evolution of a gas of $N$ particles with
three dimensional velocities by a random walk in which the steps correspond to
binary collisions that conserve momentum as well as energy. The state space of
this walk is a sphere of dimension $3N - 4$. The Kac conjecture concerns the
spectral gap in the one step transition operator $Q$ for this walk. In this
paper, we compute the exact spectral gap.
  As in previous work by Carlen, Carvalho and Loss where a lower bound on the
spectral gap was proved, we use a method that relates the spectral properties
of $Q$ to the spectral properties of a simpler operator $P$, which is simply an
average of certain non commuting projections. The new feature is that we show
how to use a knowledge of certain eigenfunctions and eigenvalues of $P$ to
determine spectral properties of $Q$, instead of simply using the spectral gap
for $P$ to bound the spectral gap for $Q$, inductively in $N$, as in previous
work. The methods developed here can be applied to many other high--dimensional
stochastic process, as we shall explain.
  We also use some deep results on Jacobi polynomials to obtain the required
spectral information on $P$, and we show how the identity through which Jacobi
polynomials enter our problem may be used to obtain new bounds on Jacobi
polynomials.


title: Two-Dimensional Island Shape Determined by Detachment

abstract:
  Effect of an anisotropic detachment on a heteroepitaxial island shape is
studied by means of a kinetic Monte Carlo simulation of a square lattice gas
model. Only with molecular deposition followed by surface diffusion, islands
grow in a ramified dendritic shape, similar to DLA. Introduction of molecular
detachment from edges makes islands compact. To understand an anisotropic
island shape observed in the experiment of pentacene growth on a
hydrogen-terminated Si(111) vicinal surface, asymmetry in detachment around the
substrate step is assumed. Edge molecules detach more to the higher terrace
than to the lower terrace. The island edge from which molecules are easy to
detach is smooth and the one hard to detach is dendritic. If islands are close
to each other, islands tend to align in a line, since detached molecules from
the smooth edge of the right island are fed to the dendritic and fast growing
edge of the left island.


title: Ferrimagnetism and antiferromagnetism in half-metallic Heusler alloys

abstract:
  Half-metallic Heusler alloys are among the most promising materials for
future applications in spintronic devices. Although most Heusler alloys are
ferromagnets, ferrimagnetic or antiferromagnetic (also called fully-compensated
ferrimagnetic) alloys would be more desirable for applications due to the lower
external fields. Ferrimagnetism can be either found in perfect Heusler
compounds or achieved through the creation of defects in ferromagnetic Heusler
alloys.


title: Vogel-Fulcher freezing in relaxor ferroelectrics

abstract:
  A physical mechanism for the freezing of polar nanoregions (PNRs) in relaxor
ferroelectrics is presented. Assuming that the activation energy for the
reorientation of a cluster of PNRs scales with the mean volume of the cluster,
the characteristic relaxation time $\tau$ is found to diverge as the cluster
volume reaches the percolation limit. Applying the mean field theory of
continuum percolation, the familiar Vogel-Fulcher equation for the temperature
dependence of $\tau$ is derived.


title: Searches for New Physics with leptons in the final state at the LHC

abstract:
  Final states including leptons are most promising to detect early signs of
new physics processes when the Large Hadron Collider will start proton-proton
collisions at the centre of mass energy of 14\TeV. The reach for Supersymmetry
and Extra Dimension models for integrated luminosities ranging from 1 to 10/fb
is reported. Preliminary results indicate that already with 1/fb of data new
phenomena can be detected.


title: An analogue of the space of conformal blocks in (4k+2)-dimensions

abstract:
  Based on projective representations of smooth Deligne cohomology groups, we
introduce an analogue of the space of conformal blocks to compact oriented
(4k+2)-dimensional Riemannian manifolds with boundary. For the standard
(4k+2)-dimensional disk, we compute the space concretely to prove that its
dimension is finite.


title: Symplectic quasi-states and semi-simplicity of quantum homology

abstract:
  We review and streamline our previous results and the results of Y.Ostrover
on the existence of Calabi quasi-morphisms and symplectic quasi-states on
symplectic manifolds with semi-simple quantum homology. As an illustration, we
discuss the case of symplectic toric Fano 4-manifolds. We present also new
results due to D.McDuff: she observed that for the existence of
quasi-morphisms/quasi-states it suffices to assume that the quantum homology
contains a field as a direct summand, and she showed that this weaker condition
holds true for one point blow-ups of non-uniruled symplectic manifolds.


title: Dirac Neutrinos, Dark Energy and Baryon Asymmetry

abstract:
  We explore a new origin of neutrino dark energy and baryon asymmetry in the
universe. The neutrinos acquire small masses through the Dirac seesaw
mechanism. The pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone boson associated with neutrino
mass-generation provides a candidate for dark energy. The puzzle of
cosmological baryon asymmetry is resolved via neutrinogenesis.


title: When can Fokker-Planck Equation describe anomalous or chaotic transport?

abstract:
  The Fokker-Planck Equation, applied to transport processes in fusion plasmas,
can model several anomalous features, including uphill transport, scaling of
confinement time with system size, and convective propagation of externally
induced perturbations. It can be justified for generic particle transport
provided that there is enough randomness in the Hamiltonian describing the
dynamics. Then, except for 1 degree-of-freedom, the two transport coefficients
are largely independent. Depending on the statistics of interest, the same
dynamical system may be found diffusive or dominated by its L\'{e}vy flights.


title: Delayed neutrons measurement at the MEGAPIE target

abstract:
  In the framework of the Neutronic and Nuclear Assessment Task Group of the
MEGAPIE experiment we measured the delayed neutron (DN) flux at the top of the
target. The measurement was proposed mainly for radioprotection purposes since
the DN flux at the top of the target has been estimated to be of the same order
of magnitude as the prompt neutron flux. Given the strong model-dependence of
DN predictions, the measurement of DN contribution to the total neutron
activity at the top of the target was thus desired. Moreover, this measurement
is complementary to the DN experiments performed at PNPI (Gatchina) on solid
lead and bismuth targets. The DN measurement at MEGAPIE was performed during
the start-up phase of the target. In this paper we present a detailed
description of the experimental setup and some preliminary results on decay
spectra.


title: Towards a Hamilton-Jacobi Theory for Nonholonomic Mechanical Systems

abstract:
  In this paper we obtain a Hamilton-Jacobi theory for nonholonomic mechanical
systems. The results are applied to a large class of nonholonomic mechanical
systems, the so-called \v{C}aplygin systems.


title: Optimal Iris Fuzzy Sketches

abstract:
  Fuzzy sketches, introduced as a link between biometry and cryptography, are a
way of handling biometric data matching as an error correction issue. We focus
here on iris biometrics and look for the best error-correcting code in that
respect. We show that two-dimensional iterative min-sum decoding leads to
results near the theoretical limits. In particular, we experiment our
techniques on the Iris Challenge Evaluation (ICE) database and validate our
findings.


title: Black hole state counting in loop quantum gravity

abstract:
  Counting of microscopic states of black holes is discussed within the
framework of loop quantum gravity. There are two different ways, one allowing
for all spin states and the other involving only pure horizon states. The
number of states with a definite value of the total spin is also found.


title:
Very large stochastic resonance gains in finite sets of interacting
  identical subsystems driven by subthreshold rectangular pulses

abstract:
  We study the phenomenon of nonlinear stochastic resonance (SR) in a complex
noisy system formed by a finite number of interacting subunits driven by
rectangular pulsed time periodic forces. We find that very large SR gains are
obtained for subthreshold driving forces with frequencies much larger than the
values observed in simpler one-dimensional systems. These effects are explained
using simple considerations.


title: Extended Gibbs ensembles with flow

abstract:
  A statistical treatment of finite unbound systems in the presence of
collective motions is presented and applied to a classical Lennard-Jones
Hamiltonian, numerically simulated through molecular dynamics. In the ideal gas
limit, the flow dynamics can be exactly re-casted into effective time-dependent
Lagrange parameters acting on a standard Gibbs ensemble with an extra total
energy conservation constraint. Using this same ansatz for the low density
freeze-out configurations of an interacting expanding system, we show that the
presence of flow can have a sizeable effect on the microstate distribution.


title: Constant Angle Surfaces in $\H^2\times \R$

abstract:
  In this paper we classify constant angle surfaces in $\H^2\times\R$, where
$\H^2$ is the hyperbolic plane.


title: Center vortices as rigid strings

abstract:
  It is shown that the action associated with center vortices in SU(2) lattice
gauge theory is strongly correlated with extrinsic and internal curvatures of
the vortex surface and that this correlation persists in the continuum limit.
Thus a good approximation for the effective vortex action is the action of
rigid strings, which can reproduce some of the observed geometric properties of
center vortices. It is conjectured that rigidity may be induced by some fields
localized on vortices, and a model-independent test of localization is
performed. Monopoles detected in the Abelian projection are discussed as
natural candidates for such two-dimensional fields.


title: Ramsey interferometry with a two-level Tonks-Girardeau gas

abstract:
  We propose a generalization of the Tonks-Girardeau model that describes a
coherent gas of cold two-level Bosons which interact with two external fields
in a Ramsey interferometer. They also interact among themselves by contact
collisions with interchange of momentum and internal state. We study the
corresponding Ramsey fringes and the quantum projection noise which,
essentially unaffected by the interactions, remains that for ideal Bosons. The
dual system of this gas, an ideal gas of two-level Fermions coupled by the
interaction with the separated fields, produces the same fringes and noise
fluctuations. The cases of time-separated and spatially-separated fields are
studied. For spatially separated fields the fringes may be broadened slightly
by increasing the number of particles, but only for large particle numbers far
from present experiments with Tonks-Girardeau gases. The uncertainty in the
determination of the atomic transition frequency diminishes, essentially with
the inverse root of the particle number.


title: On compressive radial tidal forces

abstract:
  Radial tidal forces can be compressive instead of disruptive, a possibility
that is frequently overlooked in high level physics courses. For example,
radial tidal compression can emerge in extended stellar systems containing a
smaller stellar cluster. For particular conditions the tidal field produced by
this extended mass distribution can exert on the cluster it contains
compressive effects instead of the common disruptive forces. This interesting
aspect of gravity can be derived from standard relations given in many
textbooks and introductory courses in astronomy and can serve as an opportunity
to look closer at some aspects of gravitational physics, stellar dynamics, and
differential geometry. The existence of compressive tides at the center of huge
stellar systems might suggest new evolutionary scenarios for the formation of
stars and primordial galactic formation processes.


title: On the Obfuscation Complexity of Planar Graphs

abstract:
  Being motivated by John Tantalo's Planarity Game, we consider straight line
plane drawings of a planar graph $G$ with edge crossings and wonder how
obfuscated such drawings can be. We define $obf(G)$, the obfuscation complexity
of $G$, to be the maximum number of edge crossings in a drawing of $G$.
Relating $obf(G)$ to the distribution of vertex degrees in $G$, we show an
efficient way of constructing a drawing of $G$ with at least $obf(G)/3$ edge
crossings. We prove bounds $(\delta(G)^2/24-o(1))n^2 < \obf G <3 n^2$ for an
$n$-vertex planar graph $G$ with minimum vertex degree $\delta(G)\ge 2$.
  The shift complexity of $G$, denoted by $shift(G)$, is the minimum number of
vertex shifts sufficient to eliminate all edge crossings in an arbitrarily
obfuscated drawing of $G$ (after shifting a vertex, all incident edges are
supposed to be redrawn correspondingly). If $\delta(G)\ge 3$, then $shift(G)$
is linear in the number of vertices due to the known fact that the matching
number of $G$ is linear. However, in the case $\delta(G)\ge2$ we notice that
$shift(G)$ can be linear even if the matching number is bounded. As for
computational complexity, we show that, given a drawing $D$ of a planar graph,
it is NP-hard to find an optimum sequence of shifts making $D$ crossing-free.


title: Difference sets and shifted primes

abstract:
  We show that if A is a subset of {1, ..., n} such that it has no pairs of
elements whose difference is equal to p-1 with p a prime number, then the size
of A is O(n(loglog n)^(-clogloglogloglog n)) for some positive constant c.


title:
Excitation of self-localized spin-wave "bullets" by spin-polarized
  current in in-plane magnetized magnetic nano-contacts: a micromagnetic study

abstract:
  It was shown by micromagnetic simulation that a current-driven in-plane
magnetized magnetic nano-contact, besides a quasi-linear propagating
("Slonczewski") spin wave mode, can also support a nonlinear self-localized
spin wave "bullet" mode that exists in a much wider range of bias currents. The
frequency of the "bullet" mode lies below the spectrum of linear propagating
spin waves, which makes this mode evanescent and determines its spatial
localization. The threshold current for the excitation of the self-localized
"bullet" is substantially lower than for the linear propagating mode, but
finite-amplitude initial perturbations of magnetization are necessary to
generate a "bullet" in our numerical simulations, where thermal fluctuations
are neglected. Consequently, in these simulations the hysteretic switching
between the propagating and localized spin wave modes is found when the bias
current is varied.


title:
On the expressive power of planar perfect matching and permanents of
  bounded treewidth matrices

abstract:
  Valiant introduced some 25 years ago an algebraic model of computation along
with the complexity classes VP and VNP, which can be viewed as analogues of the
classical classes P and NP. They are defined using non-uniform sequences of
arithmetic circuits and provides a framework to study the complexity for
sequences of polynomials. Prominent examples of difficult (that is,
VNP-complete) problems in this model includes the permanent and hamiltonian
polynomials. While the permanent and hamiltonian polynomials in general are
difficult to evaluate, there have been research on which special cases of these
polynomials admits efficient evaluation. For instance, Barvinok has shown that
if the underlying matrix has bounded rank, both the permanent and the
hamiltonian polynomials can be evaluated in polynomial time, and thus are in
VP. Courcelle, Makowsky and Rotics have shown that for matrices of bounded
treewidth several difficult problems (including evaluating the permanent and
hamiltonian polynomials) can be solved efficiently. An earlier result of this
flavour is Kasteleyn's theorem which states that the sum of weights of perfect
matchings of a planar graph can be computed in polynomial time, and thus is in
VP also. For general graphs this problem is VNP-complete. In this paper we
investigate the expressive power of the above results. We show that the
permanent and hamiltonian polynomials for matrices of bounded treewidth both
are equivalent to arithmetic formulas. Also, arithmetic weakly skew circuits
are shown to be equivalent to the sum of weights of perfect matchings of planar
graphs.


title: Inducing stability conditions

abstract:
  We study stability conditions induced by functors between triangulated
categories. Given a finite group acting on a smooth projective variety we prove
that the subset of invariant stability conditions embeds as a closed
submanifold into the stability manifold of the equivariant derived category. As
an application we examine stability conditions on Kummer and Enriques surfaces
and we improve the derived version of the Torelli Theorem for the latter
surfaces already present in the litterature. We also study the relationship
between stability conditions on projective spaces and those on their canonical
bundles.


title:
Strangeness S=-2 baryon-baryon interactions using chiral effective field
  theory

abstract:
  We derive the leading order strangeness S=-2 baryon-baryon interactions in
chiral effective field theory. The potential consists of contact terms without
derivatives and of one-pseudoscalar-meson exchanges. The contact terms and the
couplings of the pseudoscalar mesons to the baryons are related via SU(3)
flavor symmetry to the S=-1 hyperon-nucleon channels. We show that the chiral
effective field theory predictions with natural values for the low-energy
constants agree with the experimental information in the S=-2 sector.


title:
Resonant Feshbach scattering of fermions in one-dimensional optical
  lattices

abstract:
  We consider Feshbach scattering of fermions in a one-dimensional optical
lattice. By formulating the scattering theory in the crystal momentum basis,
one can exploit the lattice symmetry and factorize the scattering problem in
terms of center-of-mass and relative momentum in the reduced Brillouin zone
scheme. Within a single band approximation, we can tune the position of a
Feshbach resonance with the center-of-mass momentum due to the non-parabolic
form of the energy band.


title: Analogue of cosmological particle creation in an ion trap

abstract:
  We study phonons in a dynamical chain of ions confined by a trap with a
time-dependent (axial) potential strength and demonstrate that they behave in
the same way as quantum fields in an expanding/contracting universe. Based on
this analogy, we present a scheme for the detection of the analogue of
cosmological particle creation which should be feasible with present-day
technology. In order to test the quantum nature of the particle creation
mechanism and to distinguish it from classical effects such as heating, we
propose to measure the two-phonon amplitude via the $2^{\rm nd}$ red side-band
and to compare it with the one-phonon amplitude ($1^{\rm st}$ red side-band).
PACS: 04.62.+v, 98.80.-k, 42.50.Vk, 32.80.Pj.


title: On the Lenstra constant associated to the Rosen continued fractions

abstract:
  The purpose of this paper is to describe the relation between the Legendre
and the Lenstra constants. Indeed we show that they are equal whenever the
Legendre constant exists; in particular, this holds for both Rosen continued
fractions and $\alpha$-continued fractions. We also give the explicit value of
the entropy of the Rosen map with respect to the absolutely continuous
invariant probability measure.


title: Forward-Backward Charge Asymmetry in Z Production at the LHC

abstract:
  We present here a study on the determination of the effective weak mixing
angle, $\sin^{2}\theta^{lept}_{eff}$ from the measurement of the
Forward-Backward Asymmetry with a high a statistical precision, 10$^{-4}$. To
reach such a precision it is necessary to identify the electrons in the forward
regions of the ATLAS detector. It is demonstrated that one can reach an
electron-jet rejection of more than 100 with an efficiency on electron
reconstruction better than 50%, by using a multivariate analysis.


title: The habitability of super-Earths in Gliese 581

abstract:
  Aims: The planetary system around the M star Gliese 581 consists of a hot
Neptune (Gl 581b) and two super-Earths (Gl 581c and Gl 581d). The habitability
of this system with respect to the super-Earths is investigated following a
concept that studies the long-term possibility of photosynthetic biomass
production on a dynamically active planet. Methods: A thermal evolution model
for a super-Earth is used to calculate the sources and sinks of atmospheric
carbon dioxide. The habitable zone is determined by the limits of biological
productivity on the planetary surface. Models with different ratios of land /
ocean coverage are investigated. Results: The super-Earth Gl 581c is clearly
outside the habitable zone, since it is too close to the star. In contrast, Gl
581d is a tidally locked habitable super-Earth near the outer edge of the
habitable zone. Despite the adverse conditions on this planet, at least some
primitive forms of life may be able to exist on its surface.Therefore, Gl 581d
is an interesting target for the planned TPF/Darwin missions to search for
biomarkers in planetary atmospheres.


title:
A modified cable formalism for modeling neuronal membranes at high
  frequencies

abstract:
  Intracellular recordings of cortical neurons in vivo display intense
subthreshold membrane potential (Vm) activity. The power spectral density (PSD)
of the Vm displays a power-law structure at high frequencies (>50 Hz) with a
slope of about -2.5. This type of frequency scaling cannot be accounted for by
traditional models, as either single-compartment models or models based on
reconstructed cell morphologies display a frequency scaling with a slope close
to -4. This slope is due to the fact that the membrane resistance is
"short-circuited" by the capacitance for high frequencies, a situation which
may not be realistic. Here, we integrate non-ideal capacitors in cable
equations to reflect the fact that the capacitance cannot be charged
instantaneously. We show that the resulting "non-ideal" cable model can be
solved analytically using Fourier transforms. Numerical simulations using a
ball-and-stick model yield membrane potential activity with similar frequency
scaling as in the experiments. We also discuss the consequences of using
non-ideal capacitors on other cellular properties such as the transmission of
high frequencies, which is boosted in non-ideal cables, or voltage attenuation
in dendrites. These results suggest that cable equations based on non-ideal
capacitors should be used to capture the behavior of neuronal membranes at high
frequencies.


title: Optimal cross hedging for insurance derivatives

abstract:
  We consider insurance derivatives depending on an external physical risk
process, for example a temperature in a low dimensional climate model. We
assume that this process is correlated with a tradable financial asset. We
derive optimal strategies for exponential utility from terminal wealth,
determine the indifference prices of the derivatives, and interpret them in
terms of diversification pressure. Moreover we check the optimal investment
strategies for standard admissibility criteria. Finally we compare the static
risk connected with an insurance derivative to the reduced risk due to a
dynamic investment into the correlated asset. We show that dynamic hedging
reduces the risk aversion in terms of entropic risk measures by a factor
related to the correlation.


title: Exact Activation Energy of Magnetic Single Domain Particles

abstract:
  I present the exact analytical expression for the activation energy as a
function of externally applied magnetic fields for a single--domain magnetic
particle with uniaxial anisotropy (Stoner--Wohlfahrt model), and investigate
the scaling behavior of the activation energy close to the switching boundary.


title:
Distillable entanglement and area laws in spin and harmonic-oscillator
  systems

abstract:
  We address the presence of non-distillable (bound) entanglement in natural
many-body systems. In particular, we consider standard harmonic and spin-1/2
chains, at thermal equilibrium and characterized by few interaction parameters.
The existence of bound entanglement is addressed by calculating explicitly the
negativity of entanglement for different partitions. This allows to individuate
a range of temperatures for which no entanglement can be distilled by means of
local operations, despite the system being globally entangled. We discuss how
the appearance of bound entanglement can be linked to entanglement-area laws,
typical of these systems. Various types of interactions and topologies are
explored, showing that the presence of bound entanglement is an intrinsic
feature of these systems. In the harmonic case, we analytically prove that
thermal bound entanglement persists for systems composed by an arbitrary number
of particles. Our results strongly suggest the existence of bound entangled
states in the macroscopic limit also for spin-1/2 systems.


title:
Valley-isospin dependence of the quantum Hall effect in a graphene p-n
  junction

abstract:
  We calculate the conductance G of a bipolar junction in a graphene
nanoribbon, in the high-magnetic field regime where the Hall conductance in the
p-doped and n-doped regions is 2e^2/h. In the absence of intervalley
scattering, the result G=(e^2/h)(1-cos Phi) depends only on the angle Phi
between the valley isospins (= Bloch vectors representing the spinor of the
valley polarization) at the two opposite edges. This plateau in the conductance
versus Fermi energy is insensitive to electrostatic disorder, while it is
destabilized by the dispersionless edge state which may exist at a zigzag
boundary. A strain-induced vector potential shifts the conductance plateau up
or down by rotating the valley isospin.


title: Semiclassical Approximations to Cosmological Perturbations

abstract:
  We apply several methods related to the WKB approximation to study
cosmological perturbations during inflation, obtaining the full power spectra
of scalar and tensor perturbations to first and to second order in the
slow-roll parameters. We compare our results with those derived by means of
other methods, in particular the Green's function method, and find agreement
for the slow-roll structure. Scalar wave propagation on the Schwarzschild
background is also considered.


title: Cold Dark Clouds: The Initial Conditions for Star Formation

abstract:
  Cold dark clouds are nearby members of the densest and coldest phase in the
galactic interstellar medium, and represent the most accessible sites where
stars like our Sun are currently being born. In this review we discuss recent
progress in their study, including the newly discovered infrared dark clouds
that are likely precursors to stellar clusters. At large scales, dark clouds
present filamentary mass distributions with motions dominated by supersonic
turbulence. At small, sub-parsec scales, a population of subsonic starless
cores provides a unique glimpse of the conditions prior to stellar birth.
Recent studies of starless cores reveal a combination of simple physical
properties together with a complex chemical structure dominated by the
freeze-out of molecules onto cold dust grains. Elucidating this combined
structure is both an observational and theoretical challenge whose solution
will bring us closer to understanding how molecular gas condenses to form
stars.


title: On complexity of optimized crossover for binary representations

abstract:
  We consider the computational complexity of producing the best possible
offspring in a crossover, given two solutions of the parents. The crossover
operators are studied on the class of Boolean linear programming problems,
where the Boolean vector of variables is used as the solution representation.
By means of efficient reductions of the optimized gene transmitting crossover
problems (OGTC) we show the polynomial solvability of the OGTC for the maximum
weight set packing problem, the minimum weight set partition problem and for
one of the versions of the simple plant location problem. We study a connection
between the OGTC for linear Boolean programming problem and the maximum weight
independent set problem on 2-colorable hypergraph and prove the NP-hardness of
several special cases of the OGTC problem in Boolean linear programming.


title: Contracted ideals and the Groebner fan of the rational normal curve

abstract:
  The paper has two goals: the study the associated graded ring of contracted
homogeneous ideals in $K[x,y]$ and the study of the Groebner fan of the ideal
$P$ of the rational normal curve in ${\bf P}^d$. These two problems are, quite
surprisingly, very tightly related. We completely classify the contracted
ideals with a Cohen-Macaulay associated graded rings in terms of the numerical
invariants arising from Zariski's factorization. We determine explicitly all
the initial ideals (monomial or not) of $P$ that are Cohen-Macaulay.


title: Bose-Einstein-condensed gases in arbitrarily strong random potentials

abstract:
  Bose-Einstein-condensed gases in external spatially random potentials are
considered in the frame of a stochastic self-consistent mean-field approach.
This method permits the treatment of the system properties for the whole range
of the interaction strength, from zero to infinity, as well as for arbitrarily
strong disorder. Besides a condensate and superfluid density, a glassy number
density due to a spatially inhomogeneous component of the condensate occurs.
For very weak interactions and sufficiently strong disorder, the superfluid
fraction can become smaller than the condensate fraction, while at relatively
strong interactions, the superfluid fraction is larger than the condensate
fraction for any strength of disorder. The condensate and superfluid fractions,
and the glassy fraction always coexist, being together either nonzero or zero.
In the presence of disorder, the condensate fraction becomes a nonmonotonic
function of the interaction strength, displaying an antidepletion effect caused
by the competition between the stabilizing role of the atomic interaction and
the destabilizing role of the disorder. With increasing disorder, the
condensate and superfluid fractions jump to zero at a critical value of the
disorder parameter by a first-order phase transition.


title: Precision Measurements in Neutron Decay

abstract:
  We present new precision measurements of angular correlation coefficients in
polarized neutron decay. We have obtained values for the electron asymmetry
coefficient A, the neutrino asymmetry coefficient B, and for the proton
asymmetry coefficient C. In combination with other results, the new
measurements are used to derive limits on "Physics beyond the Standard Model".


title: Measurement of (anti)deuteron and (anti)proton production in DIS at HERA

abstract:
  The first observation of (anti)deuterons in deep inelastic scattering at HERA
has been made with the ZEUS detector at a centre-of-mass energy of 300--318 GeV
using an integrated luminosity of 120 pb-1. The measurement was performed in
the central rapidity region for transverse momentum per unit of mass in the
range 0.3<p_T/M<0.7. The particle rates have been extracted and interpreted in
terms of the coalescence model. The (anti)deuteron production yield is smaller
than the (anti)proton yield by approximately three orders of magnitude,
consistent with the world measurements.


title:
Orbital magnetization and Chern number in a supercell framework: Single
  k-point formula

abstract:
  The key formula for computing the orbital magnetization of a crystalline
system has been recently found [D. Ceresoli, T. Thonhauser, D. Vanderbilt, R.
Resta, Phys. Rev. B {\bf 74}, 024408 (2006)]: it is given in terms of a
Brillouin-zone integral, which is discretized on a reciprocal-space mesh for
numerical implementation. We find here the single ${\bf k}$-point limit, useful
for large enough supercells, and particularly in the framework of
Car-Parrinello simulations for noncrystalline systems. We validate our formula
on the test case of a crystalline system, where the supercell is chosen as a
large multiple of the elementary cell. We also show that--somewhat
counterintuitively--even the Chern number (in 2d) can be evaluated using a
single Hamiltonian diagonalization.


title: On the spectrum of the normalized graph Laplacian

abstract:
  The spectrum of the normalized graph Laplacian yields a very comprehensive
set of invariants of a graph. In order to understand the information contained
in those invariants better, we systematically investigate the behavior of this
spectrum under local and global operations like motif doubling, graph joining
or splitting. The eigenvalue 1 plays a particular role, and we therefore
emphasize those constructions that change its multiplicity in a controlled
manner, like the iterated duplication of nodes.


title: Circular law, Extreme Singular values and Potential theory

abstract:
  Consider the empirical spectral distribution of complex random $n\times n$
matrix whose entries are independent and identically distributed random
variables with mean zero and variance $1/n$. In this paper, via applying
potential theory in the complex plane and analyzing extreme singular values, we
prove that this distribution converges, with probability one, to the uniform
distribution over the unit disk in the complex plane, i.e. the well known
circular law, under the finite fourth moment assumption on matrix elements.


title: Blow-up in the Parabolic Scalar Curvature Equation

abstract:
  The \textit{parabolic scalar curvature equation} is a reaction-diffusion type
equation on an $(n-1)$-manifold $\Sigma$, the time variable of which shall be
denoted by $r$. Given a function $R$ on $[r_0,r_1)\times\Sigma$ and a family of
metrics $\gamma(r)$ on $\Sigma$, when the coefficients of this equation are
appropriately defined in terms of $\gamma$ and $R$, positive solutions give
metrics of prescribed scalar curvature $R$ on $[r_0,r_1)\times\Sigma$ in the
form \[ g=u^2dr^2+r^2\gamma.\] If the area element of $r^2\gamma$ is expanding
for increasing $r$, then the equation is parabolic, and the basic existence
problem is to take positive initial data at some $r=r_0$ and solve for $u$ on
the maximal interval of existence, which above was implicitly assumed to be
$I=[r_0,r_1)$; one often hopes that $r_1=\infty$. However, the case of greatest
physical interest, $R>0$, often leads to blow-up in finite time so that
$r_1<\infty$. It is the purpose of the present work to investigate the
situation in which the blow-up nonetheless occurs in such a way that $g$ is
continuously extendible to $\bar M=[r_0,r_1]\times\Sigma$ as a manifold with
totally geodesic outer boundary at $r=r_1$.


title:
Probing superconductivity in MgB2 confined to magnetic field tuned
  cylinders by means of critical fluctuations

abstract:
  We report and analyze reversible magnetization measurements on a high quality
MgB2 single crystal in the vicinity of the zero field transition temperature,
T_c=38.83 K, at several magnetic fields up to 300 Oe, applied along the c-axis.
Though MgB2 is a two gap superconductor our scaling analysis uncovers
remarkable consistency with 3D-xy critical behavior, revealing that close to
criticality the order parameter is a single complex scalar as in 4He. This
opens up the window onto the exploration of the magnetic field induced finite
size effect, whereupon the correlation length transverse to the applied
magnetic field H_i applied along the i-axis cannot grow beyond the limiting
magnetic length L_Hi, related to the average distance between vortex lines. We
find unambiguous evidence for this finite size effect. It implies that in type
II superconductors, such as MgB2, there is the 3D to 1D crossover line H_pi and
xi denotes the critical amplitudes of the correlation lengths above and below
T_c along the respective axis. Consequently, above H_pi(T) and T<T_c
superconductivity is confined to cylinders with diameter L_Hi (1D). In
contrast, above T_c the uncondensed pairs are confined to cylinders.
Accordingly, there is no continuous phase transition in the (H,T)-plane along
the H_c2-lines as predicted by the mean-field treatment.


title: The photospheric environment of a solar pore with light bridge

abstract:
  Pores are one of the various features forming in the photosphere by the
emergence of magnetic field onto the solar surface. They lie at the border
between tiny magnetic elements and larger sunspots. Light bridges, in such
structures, are bright features separating umbral areas in two or more
irregular regions. Commonly, light bridges indicate that a the merging of
magnetic regions or, conversely, the breakup of the area is underway. We
investigate the velocity structure of a solar pore (AR10812) with light bridge,
and of the quiet solar photosphere nearby, analyzing high spatial and spectral
resolution images. The pore area has been observed with the Interferometric
BI-dimensional Spectrometer (IBIS) at the Dunn Solar Telescope, acquiring
monochromatic images in the Ca II 854.2 nm line and in the Fe I 709.0 nm line
as well as G-band and broad-band images. We also computed the Line of Sight
(LoS) velocity field associated to the Fe I and Fe II photospheric lines. The
amplitude of the LoS velocity fluctuations, inside the pore, is smaller than
that observed in the quiet granulation near the active region. We computed the
azimuthal average LoS velocity and derived its radial profile. The whole pore
is characterized by a downward velocity -200 m/s and by an annular downflow
structure with an average velocity of -350 m/s with respect to the nearby quiet
sun. The light bridge inside the pore, when observed in the broad-band channel
of IBIS and in the red wing of Ca II 854.2 nm line, shows an elongated dark
structure running along its axis, that we explain with a semi-analytical model.
In the highest resolution LoS velocity images the light bridge shows a profile
consistent with a convective roll: a weak upflow, 50-100m/s, in correspondence
of the dark lane, flanked by a downflow, -(200-300) m/s.


title: Role of interference in quantum state transfer through spin chains

abstract:
  We examine the role that interference plays in quantum state transfer through
several types of finite spin chains, including chains with isotropic Heisenberg
interaction between nearest neighbors, chains with reduced coupling constants
to the spins at the end of the chain, and chains with anisotropic coupling
constants. We evaluate quantitatively both the interference corresponding to
the propagation of the entire chain, and the interference in the effective
propagation of the first and last spins only, treating the rest of the chain as
black box. We show that perfect quantum state transfer is possible without
quantum interference, and provide evidence that the spin chains examined
realize interference-free quantum state transfer to a good approximation.


title: BL Lac Contribution to the Extragalactic Gamma-Ray Background

abstract:
  Very high energy gamma-rays from blazars traversing cosmological distances
through the metagalactic radiation field can convert into electron-positron
pairs in photon-photon collisions. The converted gamma-rays initiate
electromagnetic cascades driven by inverse-Compton scattering off the microwave
background photons. Using a model for the time-dependent metagalactic radiation
field consistent with all currently available far-infrared-to-optical data, we
calculate the cascade contribution from faint, unresolved high- and low-peaked
blazars to the extragalactic gamma-ray background as measured by EGRET. For
low-peaked blazars, we adopt a spectral index consistent with the mean spectral
index of EGRET detected blazars, and the luminosity function determined by
Chiang and Mukherjee (1998). For high-peaked blazars, we adopt template spectra
matching prototype sources observed with air-Cherenkov telescopes up to 30 TeV,
and a luminosity function based on X-ray measurements. The low number of about
20 for nearby high-peaked blazars with a flux exceeding 10^-11 cm^-2 s^-1 above
300 GeV inferred from the luminosity function is consistent with the results
from air-Cherenkov telescope observations. Including the cascade emission from
higher redshifts, the total high-peaked blazar contribution to the observed
gamma-ray background at GeV energies can account up to about 30.


title:
Polarized Variation of Hodge Structures of Calabi-Yau Type and
  Characteristic Subvarieties Over Bounded Symmetric Domains

abstract:
  In this paper we extend the construction of the canonical polarized variation
of Hodge structures over tube domain considered by B. Gross in \cite{G} to
bounded symmetric domain and introduce a series of invariants of infinitesimal
variation of Hodge structures, which we call characteristic subvarieties. We
prove that the characteristic subvariety of the canonical polarized variations
of Hodge structures over irreducible bounded symmetric domains are identified
with the characteristic bundles defined by N. Mok in \cite{M}. We verified the
generating property of B. Gross for all irreducible bounded symmetric domains,
which was predicted in \cite{G}.


title:
Star Product and Invariant Integration for Lie type Noncommutative
  Spacetimes

abstract:
  We present a star product for noncommutative spaces of Lie type, including
the so called ``canonical'' case by introducing a central generator, which is
compatible with translations and admits a simple, manageable definition of an
invariant integral. A quasi-cyclicity property for the latter is shown to hold,
which reduces to exact cyclicity when the adjoint representation of the
underlying Lie algebra is traceless. Several explicit examples illuminate the
formalism, dealing with kappa-Minkowski spacetime and the Heisenberg algebra
(``canonical'' noncommutative 2-plane).


title: Poisson approximation for large clusters in the supercritical FK model

abstract:
  Using the Chen-Stein method, we show that the spatial distribution of large
finite clusters in the supercritical FK model approximates a Poisson process
when the ratio weak mixing property holds.


title: Long-lived Staus from Cosmic Rays

abstract:
  The collision of a high energy cosmic ray with a nucleon in the upper
atmosphere could produce long-lived heavy particles. Such particles would be
very penetrating, since the energy loss in matter scales as the inverse mass,
and could reach a neutrino telescope like IceCube from large zenith angles.
Here we study this possibility and focus on the long-lived stau of SUSY models
with a gravitino LSP. The signal would be a pair of muon-like parallel tracks
separated by 50 meters along the detector. We evaluate the background of muon
pairs and show that any events from zenith angles above 80 degrees could be
explained by the production of these heavy particles by cosmic rays.


title: Magneto-optical conductivity in Graphene

abstract:
  Landau level quantization in graphene reflects the Dirac nature of its
quasiparticles and has been found to exhibit an unusual integer quantum Hall
effect. In particular the lowest Landau level can be thought as shared equally
by electrons and holes and this leads to characteristic behaviour of the
magneto-optical conductivity as a function of frequency $\Omega$ for various
values of the chemical potential $\mu$. Particular attention is paid to the
optical spectral weight under various absorption peaks and its redistribution
as $\mu$ is varied. We also provide results for magnetic field $B$ as well as
chemical potential sweeps at selected fixed frequencies which can be
particularly useful for possible measurements in graphene. Both diagonal and
Hall conductivity are considered.


title: Generalized Stern-Gerlach Effect for Chiral Molecules

abstract:
  The Stern-Gerlach effect is well-known as spin-dependent splitting of a beam
of atoms with magnetic moments by a magnetic-field gradient. Here, we show that
an induced gauge potential may lead to a similar effect for chiral molecules.
In the presence of three inhomogeneous light fields, the center-of-mass of a
three-level chiral molecule is subject to an optically induced gauge potential,
and the internal dynamics of the molecules can be described as an adiabatic
evolution in the reduced pseudo-spin subspace of the two lowest energy levels.
We demonstrate numerically that such an induced gauge potential can lead to
observable pseudo-spin dependent and chirality-dependent generalized
Stern-Gerlach effects for mixed left- and right-handed chiral molecules under
realistic conditions.


title:
Yukawa potentials in systems with partial periodic boundary conditions I
  : Ewald sums for quasi-two dimensional systems

abstract:
  Yukawa potentials are often used as effective potentials for systems as
colloids, plasmas, etc. When the Debye screening length is large, the Yukawa
potential tends to the non-screened Coulomb potential ; in this small screening
limit, or Coulomb limit, the potential is long ranged. As it is well known in
computer simulation, a simple truncation of the long ranged potential and the
minimum image convention are insufficient to obtain accurate numerical data on
systems. The Ewald method for bulk systems, i.e. with periodic boundary
conditions in all three directions of the space, has already been derived for
Yukawa potential [cf. Y., Rosenfeld, {\it Mol. Phys.}, \bm{88}, 1357, (1996)
and G., Salin and J.-M., Caillol, {\it J. Chem. Phys.}, \bm{113}, 10459,
(2000)], but for systems with partial periodic boundary conditions, the Ewald
sums have only recently been obtained [M., Mazars, {\it J. Chem. Phys.}, {\bf
126}, 056101 (2007)]. In this paper, we provide a closed derivation of the
Ewald sums for Yukawa potentials in systems with periodic boundary conditions
in only two directions and for any value of the Debye length. A special
attention is paid to the Coulomb limit and its relation with the
electroneutrality of systems.


title: New smooth hybrid inflation

abstract:
  We consider the extension of the supersymmetric Pati-Salam model which solves
the b-quark mass problem of supersymmetric grand unified models with exact
Yukawa unification and universal boundary conditions and leads to the so-called
new shifted hybrid inflationary scenario. We show that this model can also lead
to a new version of smooth hybrid inflation based only on renormalizable
interactions provided that a particular parameter of its superpotential is
somewhat small. The potential possesses valleys of minima with classical
inclination, which can be used as inflationary paths. The model is consistent
with the fitting of the three-year Wilkinson microwave anisotropy probe data by
the standard power-law cosmological model with cold dark matter and a
cosmological constant. In particular, the spectral index turns out to be
adequately small so that it is compatible with the data. Moreover, the
Pati-Salam gauge group is broken to the standard model gauge group during
inflation and, thus, no monopoles are formed at the end of inflation.
Supergravity corrections based on a non-minimal Kaehler potential with a
convenient choice of a sign keep the spectral index comfortably within the
allowed range without generating maxima and minima of the potential on the
inflationary path. So, unnatural restrictions on the initial conditions for
inflation can be avoided.


title:
Equation of state for hybrid compact stars with a nonlocal chiral quark
  model

abstract:
  We study the thermodynamics of two flavor color superconducting (2SC) quark
matter within a nonlocal chiral quark model, using both instantaneous and
covariant nonlocal interactions. For applications to compact stars, we impose
conditions of electric and color charge neutrality as well as beta equilibrium
and construct a phase transition to the hadronic matter phase described within
the Dirac-Brueckner-Hartree-Fock (DBHF) approach. We obtain mass-radius
relations for hybrid star configurations which fulfill modern observational
constraints, including compact star masses above 2 M_sun.


title: On measure solutions of backward stochastic differential equations

abstract:
  We consider backward stochastic differential equations (BSDE) with nonlinear
generators typically of quadratic growth in the control variable. A measure
solution of such a BSDE will be understood as a probability measure under which
the generator is seen as vanishing, so that the classical solution can be
reconstructed by a combination of the operations of conditioning and using
martingale representations. In case the terminal condition is bounded and the
generator fulfills the usual continuity and boundedness conditions, we show
that measure solutions with equivalent measures just reinterpret classical
ones. In case of terminal conditions that have only exponentially bounded
moments, we discuss a series of examples which show that in case of
non-uniqueness classical solutions that fail to be measure solutions can
coexists with different measure solutions.


title: Cosmology with Twisted Tori

abstract:
  We consider the cosmological role of the scalar fields generated by the
compactification of 11-dimensional Einstein gravity on a 7D elliptic twisted
torus, which has the attractive features of giving rise to a positive
semi-definite potential, and partially fixing the moduli. This compactification
is therefore relevant for low energy M-theory, 11D supergravity. We find that
slow-roll inflation with the moduli is not possible, but that there is a novel
scaling solution in Friedmann cosmologies in which the massive moduli oscillate
but maintain a constant energy density relative to the background barotropic
fluid.


title: On the foundations of thermodynamics

abstract:
  On the basis of new, concise foundations, this paper establishes the four
laws of thermodynamics, the Maxwell relations, and the stability requirements
for response functions, in a form applicable to global (homogeneous), local
(hydrodynamic) and microlocal (kinetic) equilibrium.
  The present, self-contained treatment needs very little formal machinery and
stays very close to the formulas as they are applied by the practicing
physicist, chemist, or engineer. From a few basic assumptions, the full
structure of phenomenological thermodynamics and of classical and quantum
statistical mechanics is recovered.
  Care has been taken to keep the foundations free of subjective aspects (which
traditionally creep in through information or probability). One might describe
the paper as a uniform treatment of the nondynamical part of classical and
quantum statistical mechanics ``without statistics'' (i.e., suitable for the
definite descriptions of single objects) and ``without mechanics'' (i.e.,
independent of microscopic assumptions). When enriched by the traditional
examples and applications, this paper may serve as the basis for a course on
thermal physics.