title:
The LHC Pomeron and Unification of the Standard Model - a Bound-State
  S-Matrix Within a Fixed-Point Field Theory ?

abstract:
  The Critical Pomeron solution of high-energy unitarity leads to a unique
underlying massless field theory that might be the origin of the Standard
Model. A color sextet quark sector - producing both electroweak symmetry
breaking and dark matter - is added to QCD to saturate asymptotic freedom. The
sextet sector is then embedded uniquely in ``QUD'' - an anomaly free, just
asymptotically free, massless SU(5) theory with elementary lepton and triplet
quark sectors very close to the Standard Model. A multi-regge bound-state
S-Matrix is constructed using infra-red divergent scaling reggeon interactions
that couple via massless fermion chiral anomalies. Within the QCD sub-sector
there is an ``anomalous wee gluon'' critical phenomenon that produces a
spectrum with confinement and chiral symmetry breaking. The exponentiation of
left-handed gauge boson divergences implies that the full set of composite
interactions and the low-mass spectrum of QUD could be just those of the
Standard Model. All particles, including neutrinos, appear as massive,
Goldstone boson related, bound-states and there is no Higgs field. The
different coupling strengths, multiple mass scales, and multigenerational
structure should also appear. The Critical Pomeron may be the S-Matrix
manifestation of the underlying fixed-point field theory.
  If QUD underlies the Standard Model as described, the sextet sector should
produce new, unmistakeable, large cross-sections at the LHC, for which the
pomeron could be the main diagnostic!


title: Theoretical study of dark resonances in micro-metric thin cells

abstract:
  We investigate theoretically dark resonance spectroscopy for a dilute atomic
vapor confined in a thin (micro-metric) cell. We identify the physical
parameters characterizing the spectra and study their influence. We focus on a
Hanle-type situation, with an optical irradiation under normal incidence and
resonant with the atomic transition. The dark resonance spectrum is predicted
to combine broad wings with a sharp maximum at line-center, that can be singled
out when detecting a derivative of the dark resonance spectrum. This narrow
signal derivative, shown to broaden only sub-linearly with the cell length, is
a signature of the contribution of atoms slow enough to fly between the cell
windows in a time as long as the characteristic ground state optical pumping
time. We suggest that this dark resonance spectroscopy in micro-metric thin
cells could be a suitable tool for probing the effective velocity distribution
in the thin cell arising from the atomic desorption processes, and notably to
identify the limiting factors affecting desorption under a grazing incidence.


title: Universal Dephasing Control During Quantum Computation

abstract:
  Dephasing is a ubiquitous phenomenon that leads to the loss of coherence in
quantum systems and the corruption of quantum information. We present a
universal dynamical control approach to combat dephasing during all stages of
quantum computation, namely, storage, single- and two-qubit operators. We show
that (a) tailoring multi-frequency gate pulses to the dephasing dynamics can
increase fidelity; (b) cross-dephasing, introduced by entanglement, can be
eliminated by appropriate control fields; (c) counter-intuitively and contrary
to previous schemes, one can increase the gate duration, while simultaneously
increasing the total gate fidelity.


title:
Parametrization of the regular equivalences of the canonical controller
  and its applications

abstract:
  We study control problems for linear systems in the behavioral framework. Our
focus is a class of regular controllers that are equivalent to the canonical
controller. The canonical controller is a particular controller that is
guaranteed to be a solution whenever a solution exists. However, it has been
shown that in most cases, the canonical controller is not regular. The main
result of the paper is a parametrization of all regular controllers that are
equivalent to the canonical controller. The parametrization is then used to
solve two control problems. The first problem is related to designing a regular
controller that uses as few control channels as possible. The second problem is
to design a regular controller that satisfies a predefined input-output
partitioning constraint. In both problems, based on the parametrization, we
present algorithms that does the controller design.


title: Quantum Aspects of the Noncommutative Sine-Gordon Model

abstract:
  In this paper, we first use semi-classical methods to study quantum field
theoretical aspects of the integrable noncommutative sine-Gordon model proposed
in [hep-th/0406065]. In particular, we examine the fluctuations at quadratic
order around the static kink solution using the background field method. We
derive equations of motion for the fluctuations and argue that at O(theta^2)
the spectrum of fluctuations remains essentially the same as that of the
corresponding commutative theory. We compute the one-loop two-point functions
of the sine-Gordon field and the additional scalar field present in the model
and exhibit logarithmic divergences, only some of which lead to UV/IR mixing.
We briefly discuss the one-loop renormalization in Euclidean signature and
comment on the obstacles in determining the noncommutativity corrections to the
quantum mass of the kink.


title:
Measurement of the e+e- -> W+W- cross section and W decay branching
  fractions at LEP

abstract:
  From a total data sample of 701.1 pb^-1 recorded with e+e- centre-of-mass
energies of sqrt = 161-209 GeV with the OPAL detector at LEP, 11693 W-pair
candidate events are selected. These data are used to obtain measurements of
the W-pair production cross sections at 10 different centre-of-mass energies.
The ratio of the measured cross sections to the Standard Model expectation is
found to be: data/SM = 1.002 +- 0.011(stat.) +- 0.007(syst.) +- 0.005(theory),
where the uncertainties are statistical, experimental systematics and theory
systematics respectively. The data are used to determine the W boson branching
fractions, which are found to be consistent with lepton universality of the
charged current interaction. Assuming lepton universality, the branching ratio
to hadrons is determined to be 67.41 +- 0.37(stat.) +- 0.23(syst.)%, from which
the CKM matrix element Vcs is determined to be
0.96+-0.017(stat.)+-0.012(syst.).
  The differential cross section as a function of the W^- production angle is
measured for the qqev and qqmv final states. The results described in this
paper are consistent with the expectations from the Standard Model.


title: The Case of the 300 kpc Long X-ray Jet in PKS 1127-145 at z=1.18

abstract:
  The complex X-ray morphology of the 300 kpc long X-ray jet in PKS1127-145
(z=1.18 quasar) is clearly discerned in a ~100 ksec Chandra observation. The
jet X-ray surface brightness gradually decreases by an order of magnitude going
out from the core. The X-ray spectrum of the inner jet is relatively flat with
alpha_X=0.66+/-0.15 and steep in the outer jet with alpha_X=1.0+/-0.2. The
X-ray and radio jet intensity profiles are strikingly different, with the radio
emission peaking strongly at the two outer knots while the X-ray emission is
strongest in the inner jet region. We discuss the constraints implied by these
data on the X-ray emission models and conclude that ``one-zone'' models fail
and that at least a two-component model is needed to explain the jet's
broadband emission. We propose that the X-ray emission originates in the jet
proper while the bulk of the radio emission comes from a surrounding jet
sheath. We also consider intermittent jet activity as a possible cause of the
observed jet morphology.


title: Spin conductivity in almost integrable spin chains

abstract:
  The spin conductivity in the integrable spin-1/2 XXZ-chain is known to be
infinite at finite temperatures T for anisotropies -1 < Delta < 1.
Perturbations which break integrability, e.g. a next-nearest neighbor coupling
J', render the conductivity finite. We construct numerically a non-local
conserved operator J_parallel which is responsible for the finite spin Drude
weight of the integrable model and calculate its decay rate for small J'. This
allows us to obtain a lower bound for the spin conductivity sigma_s >= c(T) /
J'^2, where c(T) is finite for J' to 0. We discuss the implication of our
result for the general question how non-local conservation laws affect
transport properties.


title:
Periodic Modulation of Extraordinary Optical Transmission through
  Subwavelength Hole Arrays using Surrounding Bragg Mirrors

abstract:
  The enhanced light transmission through an array of subwavelength holes
surrounded by Bragg mirrors is studied, showing that the mirrors act to confine
the surface plasmons associated with the Extraordinary Optical Transmission
effect, forming a surface resonant cavity. The overall effect is increased
light transmission intensity by more than a factor of three beyond the already
enhanced transmission, independent of whether the Bragg mirrors are on the
input or the output side of the incident light. The geometry of the Bragg
mirror structures controls the enhancement, and can even reduce the
transmission in half. By varying these geometric parameters, we were able to
periodically modulate the transmission of light for specific wavelengths,
consistent with the propagation and interference of surface plasmon waves in a
resonant cavity. FDTD simulations and a wave propagation model verify this
effect.


title: Superfluidity of isotopically doped parahydrogen clusters

abstract:
  It is shown by computer simulations that superfluid {\it para}-hydrogen
clusters of more than 22 molecules can be turned insulating and "solidlike" by
the replacement of as few as one or two molecules, with ones of the heavier
{\it ortho}-deuterium isotope. A much smaller effect is observed with
substitutional {\it ortho}-hydrogen. Substitutional {\it ortho}-deuterium
molecules prevalently sit in the inner part of the cluster, whereas {\it
ortho}-hydrogen impurities reside primarily in the outer shell, near the
surface. Implications on the superfluidity of pure {\it para}-hydrogen clusters
are discussed.


title:
Intermittent millisecond X-ray pulsations from the neutron-star X-ray
  transient SAX J1748.9-2021 in the globular cluster NGC 6440

abstract:
  We report on intermittent X-ray pulsations with a frequency of 442.36 Hz from
the neutron-star X-ray binary SAX J1748.9--2021 in the globular cluster NGC
6440. The pulsations were seen during both 2001 and 2005 outbursts of the
source, but only intermittently, appearing and disappearing on timescales of
hundreds of seconds. We find a suggestive relation between the occurrence of
type-I X-ray bursts and the appearance of the pulsations but the relation is
not strict. This behavior is very similar to that of the intermittent accreting
millisecond X-ray pulsar HETE J1900.1--2455. The reason for the intermittence
of the pulsations remains unclear. However it is now evident that a strict
division between pulsating and non-pulsating does not exist. By studying the
Doppler shift of the pulsation frequency we determine an orbit with a period of
8.7 hrs and an projected semi major axis of 0.39 lightsec. The companion star
might be a main--sequence or a slightly evolved star with a mass of $\sim$1
$M_\odot$. Therefore, SAX J1748.9--2021 has a longer period and may have a more
massive companion star than all the other accreting millisecond X-ray pulsars
except for Aql X-1.


title:
Functional Renormalization Group Equations, Asymptotic Safety, and
  Quantum Einstein Gravity

abstract:
  These lecture notes provide a pedagogical introduction to a specific
continuum implementation of the Wilsonian renormalization group, the effective
average action. Its general properties and, in particular, its functional
renormalization group equation are explained in a simple scalar setting. The
approach is then applied to Quantum Einstein Gravity (QEG). The possibility of
constructing a fundamental theory of quantum gravity in the framework of
Asymptotic Safety is discussed and the supporting evidence is summarized.


title: Control of the Onset of Filamentation in Condensed Media

abstract:
  Propagation of intense, ultrashort laser pulses through condensed media like
crystals of BaF$_2$ and sapphire results in the formation of filaments. We
demonstrate that the onset of filamentation may be controlled by rotating the
plane of polarization of incident light. We directly visualize filamentation in
BaF_2 via six-photon absorption-induced fluorescence and, concomitantly, by
probing the spectral and spatial properties of white light that is generated.


title: Coordinate-space picture and $x \to 1$ singularities at fixed $k_\perp$

abstract:
  We discuss ongoing progress towards precise characterizations of parton
distributions at fixed transverse momentum, focusing on matrix elements in
coordinate space and the treatment of endpoint singularities.


title: Translocation of polymers with folded configurations across nanopores

abstract:
  The transport of polymers with folded configurations across membrane pores is
investigated theoretically by analyzing simple discrete stochastic models. The
translocation dynamics is viewed as a sequence of two events: motion of the
folded segment through the channel followed by the linear part of the polymer.
The transition rates vary for the folded and linear segments because of
different interactions between the polymer molecule and the pore. It is shown
that the translocation time depends non-monotonously on the length of the
folded segment for short polymers and weak external fields, while it becomes
monotonous for long molecules and large fields. Also, there is a critical
interaction between the polymers and the pore that separates two dynamic
regimes. For stronger interactions the folded polymer moves slower, while for
weaker interactions the linear chain translocation is the fastest. In addition,
our calculations show that the folding does not change the translocation
scaling properties of the polymer. These phenomena can be explained by the
interplay between the translocation distances and transition rates for the
folded and linear segments of the polymer. Theoretical results are applied for
analysis of experimental translocations through solid-state nanopores.


title:
Graphical methods for efficient likelihood inference in Gaussian
  covariance models

abstract:
  In graphical modelling, a bi-directed graph encodes marginal independences
among random variables that are identified with the vertices of the graph. We
show how to transform a bi-directed graph into a maximal ancestral graph that
(i) represents the same independence structure as the original bi-directed
graph, and (ii) minimizes the number of arrowheads among all ancestral graphs
satisfying (i). Here the number of arrowheads of an ancestral graph is the
number of directed edges plus twice the number of bi-directed edges. In
Gaussian models, this construction can be used for more efficient iterative
maximization of the likelihood function and to determine when maximum
likelihood estimates are equal to empirical counterparts.


title: Cold Nuclear Matter In Holographic QCD

abstract:
  We study the Sakai-Sugimoto model of holographic QCD at zero temperature and
finite chemical potential. We find that as the baryon chemical potential is
increased above a critical value, there is a phase transition to a nuclear
matter phase characterized by a condensate of instantons on the probe D-branes
in the string theory dual. As a result of electrostatic interactions between
the instantons, this condensate expands towards the UV when the chemical
potential is increased, giving a holographic version of the expansion of the
Fermi surface. We argue based on properties of instantons that the nuclear
matter phase is necessarily inhomogeneous to arbitrarily high density. This
suggests an explanation of the "chiral density wave" instability of the quark
Fermi surface in large N_c QCD at asymptotically large chemical potential. We
study properties of the nuclear matter phase as a function of chemical
potential beyond the transition and argue in particular that the model can be
used to make a semi-quantitative prediction of the binding energy per nucleon
for nuclear matter in ordinary QCD.


title:
A Large-Scale Survey of Neutron-Capture Element Abundances in Planetary
  Nebulae

abstract:
  We present results from the first large-scale survey of neutron(n)-capture
element abundances in planetary nebulae (PNe). This survey was motivated by the
fact that a PN may be enriched in n-capture elements if its progenitor star
experienced s-process nucleosynthesis during the asymptotic giant branch (AGB)
phase. [Kr III] 2.199 and/or [Se IV] 2.287 $\mu$m were detected in 81 PNe out
of 120 PNe, for a detection rate of nearly 70%. We derive Se and Kr abundances
or upper limits using ionization correction factors derived from
photoionization models. A significant range is found in the Se and Kr
abundances, from near solar (no enrichment), to enriched by a factor of ten.
Our survey has increased the number of PNe with known n-capture element
abundances by an order of magnitude, enabling us to explore correlations
between s-process enrichments and other nebular and central star properties. In
particular, the Se and Kr enrichments display a positive correlation with
nebular C/O ratios, as theoretically expected. Peimbert Type I PNe and bipolar
PNe, whose progenitors are believed to be intermediate-mass stars (>3-4 M_sun),
exhibit little or no s-process enrichment. Interestingly, PNe with H-deficient
[WC] central stars do not exhibit systematically larger s-process enrichments
than other PNe, despite the fact that their central stars are enriched in C and
probably n-capture elements. Finally, the few PNe in our sample with known or
probable binary central star systems exhibit little s-process enrichment, which
may be explained if binary interactions truncated their AGB phases. We also
briefly discuss a new observational program to detect optical emission lines of
n-capture elements, and new atomic data calculations that will greatly improve
the accuracy of n-capture element abundance determinations in PNe.


title: Thermalization and its mechanism for generic isolated quantum systems

abstract:
  Time dynamics of isolated many-body quantum systems has long been an elusive
subject. Very recently, however, meaningful experimental studies of the problem
have finally become possible, stimulating theoretical interest as well.
Progress in this field is perhaps most urgently needed in the foundations of
quantum statistical mechanics. This is so because in generic isolated systems,
one expects nonequilibrium dynamics on its own to result in thermalization: a
relaxation to states where the values of macroscopic quantities are stationary,
universal with respect to widely differing initial conditions, and predictable
through the time-tested recipe of statistical mechanics. However, it is not
obvious what feature of many-body quantum mechanics makes quantum
thermalization possible, in a sense analogous to that in which dynamical chaos
makes classical thermalization possible. For example, dynamical chaos itself
cannot occur in an isolated quantum system, where time evolution is linear and
the spectrum is discrete. Underscoring that new rules could apply in this case,
some recent studies even suggested that statistical mechanics may give wrong
predictions for the outcomes of relaxation in such systems. Here we demonstrate
that an isolated generic quantum many-body system does in fact relax to a state
well-described by the standard statistical mechanical prescription. Moreover,
we show that time evolution itself plays a merely auxiliary role in relaxation
and that thermalization happens instead at the level of individual eigenstates,
as first proposed by J.M. Deutsch and M. Srednicki. A striking consequence of
this eigenstate thermalization scenario is that the knowledge of a single
many-body eigenstate suffices to compute thermal averages-any eigenstate in the
microcanonical energy window will do, as they all give the same result.


title: High energy neutrinos from neutralino annihilations in the Sun

abstract:
  Neutralino annihilations in the Sun to weak boson and top quark pairs lead to
high-energy neutrinos that can be detected by the IceCube and KM3 experiments
in the search for neutralino dark matter. We calculate the neutrino signals
from real and virtual WW, ZZ, Zh, and $t \bar t$ production and decays,
accounting for the spin-dependences of the matrix elements, which can have
important influences on the neutrino energy spectra. We take into account
neutrino propagation including neutrino oscillations, matter-resonance,
absorption, and nu_tau regeneration effects in the Sun and evaluate the
neutrino flux at the Earth. We concentrate on the compelling Focus Point (FP)
region of the supergravity model that reproduces the observed dark matter relic
density. For the FP region, the lightest neutralino has a large bino-higgsino
mixture that leads to a high neutrino flux and the spin-dependent neutralino
capture rate in the Sun is enhanced by 10^3 over the spin-independent rate. For
the standard estimate of neutralino captures, the muon signal rates in IceCube
are identifiable over the atmospheric neutrino background for neutralino masses
above M_Z up to 400 GeV.


title: Investigation of the Contamination of the Gould (2003) Halo Sample

abstract:
  A recent astroph posting argued that the Gould (2003a) halo sample is
substantially contaminated with thick-disk stars, which would then ``wash out''
any signature of granularity in the halo velocity distribution due to streams.
If correct, this would imply that the limits placed by Gould (2003b) on streams
are not valid. Here I investigate such contamination using six different
indicators: (1) morphology of the underlying reduced proper motion diagram used
to select halo stars; (2) comparison of kinematic and parallax-based distance
scales; (3) comparison of derived halo parameters for the Gould (2003a) sample
with other determinations; (4) a precision color-color diagram for a random
subsample; (5) the 3-dimensional velocity distribution of a random subsample;
(6) metallicity distribution versus kinematic cuts on a random subsample. I
estimate that the contamination is of order 2%. Thus, the upper limits on the
density of nearby streams derived by Gould (2003b) remain valid. In particular,
at 95% confidence, no more than 5% of local halo stars (within about 300 pc)
are in any one coherent stream. Determining whether or not this local
measurement is consistent with CDM remains an outstanding question.


title:
The Velocity Dispersion Profile of the Remote Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy
  Leo I: A Tidal Hit and Run?

abstract:
  (abridged) We present kinematic results for a sample of 387 stars located
near Leo I based on spectra obtained with the MMT's Hectochelle spectrograph
near the MgI/Mgb lines. We estimate the mean velocity error of our sample to be
2.4 km/s, with a systematic error of < 1 km/s. We produce a final sample of 328
Leo I red giant members, from which we measure a mean heliocentric radial
velocity of 282.9 +/- 0.5 km/s, and a mean radial velocity dispersion of 9.2
+/- 0.4 km/s for Leo I. The dispersion profile of Leo I is flat out to beyond
its classical `tidal' radius. We fit the profile to a variety of equilibrium
dynamical models and can strongly rule out models where mass follows light.
Two-component Sersic+NFW models with tangentially anisotropic velocity
distributions fit the dispersion profile well, with isotropic models ruled out
at a 95% confidence level. The mass and V-band mass-to-light ratio of Leo I
estimated from equilibrium models are in the ranges 5-7 x 10^7 M_sun and 9-14
(solar units), respectively, out to 1 kpc from the galaxy center. Leo I members
located outside a `break radius' (about 400 arcsec = 500 pc) exhibit
significant velocity anisotropy, whereas stars interior appear to have
isotropic kinematics. We propose the break radius represents the location of
the tidal radius of Leo I at perigalacticon of a highly elliptical orbit. Our
scenario can account for the complex star formation history of Leo I, the
presence of population segregation within the galaxy, and Leo I's large outward
velocity from the Milky Way. The lack of extended tidal arms in Leo I suggests
the galaxy has experienced only one perigalactic passage with the Milky Way,
implying that Leo I may have been injected into its present orbit by a third
body a few Gyr before perigalacticon.


title: Limited scope adic transformations

abstract:
  We introduce a family of adic transformations on diagrams that are
nonstationary and nonsimple. This family includes some previously studied adic
transformations. We relate the dimension group of each these diagrams to the
dynamical system determined by the adic transformation on the infinite edge
paths, and we explicitly compute the dimension group for a subfamily. We also
determine the ergodic adic invariant probability measures for this subfamily,
and show that each system of the subfamily is loosely Bernoulli. We also give
examples of particular adic transformations with roots of unity as well as one
which is totally ergodic called the Euler adic. We also show that the Euler
adic is loosely Bernoulli.


title:
Explicit gradient estimates for minimal Lagrangian surfaces of dimension
  two

abstract:
  We derive explicit, uniform, a priori interior Hessian and gradient estimates
for special Lagrangian equations of all phases in dimension two.


title: Parameter Estimation with Mixed-State Quantum Computation

abstract:
  We present a quantum algorithm to estimate parameters at the quantum
metrology limit using deterministic quantum computation with one bit. When the
interactions occurring in a quantum system are described by a Hamiltonian $H=
\theta H_0$, we estimate $\theta$ by zooming in on previous estimations and by
implementing an adaptive Bayesian procedure. The final result of the algorithm
is an updated estimation of $\theta$ whose variance has been decreased in
proportion to the time of evolution under H. For the problem of estimating
several parameters, we implement dynamical-decoupling techniques and use the
results of single parameter estimation. The cases of discrete-time evolution
and reference-frame alignment are also discussed within the adaptive approach.


title: Are There Any Redshift >8 Gamma-Ray Bursts in the BATSE Catalog?

abstract:
  Several luminosity indicators have been found for Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs)
wherein measurable light curve and spectral properties are well-correlated with
the peak luminosity. Several papers have each applied one different luminosity
relation to find redshifts for BATSE GRBs and claim to identify specific bursts
with z>8. The existence of such high redshift events is not surprising, as
BATSE has enough sensitivity to see them and GRBs are expected out to the
redshift of the first star formation. To improve results we used five
luminosity relations with updated calibrations to determine redshifts with
error bars. Combining these relations, we calculated the redshifts of 36 BATSE
GRBs with claimed z>8. Our results include 13 bursts with our derived best
redshift z_best>8, which looks promising at first. But the calculated redshift
uncertainties are significantly large in these selected cases. With only one
exception, all of our bursts have z_1siglow<9. The one exception (BATSE trigger
2035) is likely a short duration burst at z>~4. Our best case for a very high
redshift event is BATSE trigger 3142 with z_best>20 and z_1siglow=8.9, however
we can only say z>4.1 at the two-sigma confidence level. In all, we cannot
point toward any one BATSE burst as confidently having z>8. One implication is
to greatly weaken prior claims that GRBs have a steeply rising rate-density out
to high redshifts.


title: Quantum Electric Circuits Analogous to Ballistic Conductors

abstract:
  The conductance steps in a constricted two-dimensional electron gas and the
minimum conductivity in graphene are related to a new uncertainty relation
between electric charge and conductance in a quantized electric circuit that
mimics the electric transport in mesoscopic systems. This uncertainty relation
makes specific use of the discreteness of electric charge. Quantum electric
circuits analogous to both constricted two-dimensional electron gas and
graphene are introduced. In the latter case a new insight into the origin of
minimum conductivity is obtained.


title:
The Highly Damped Quasinormal Modes of Extremal Reissner-Nordstr\"om and
  Reissner-Nordstr\"om-de Sitter Black Holes

abstract:
  We analyze in detail the highly damped quasinormal modes of $D$-dimensional
extremal Reissner-Nordstr$\ddot{\rm{o}}$m and
Reissner-Nordstr$\ddot{\rm{o}}$m-de Sitter black holes. We only consider the
extremal case where the event horizon and the Cauchy inner horizon coincide. We
show that, even though the topology of the Stokes/anti-Stokes lines in the
extremal case is different than the non-extremal case, the highly damped
quasinormal mode frequencies of extremal black holes match exactly with the
extremal limit of the non-extremal black hole quasinormal mode frequencies.


title: A Proof that Thompson's Groups have Infinitely Many Relative Ends

abstract:
  We show that each of Thompson's groups F, T, and V have infinitely many ends
relative to certain subgroups. We go on to show that T and V both have Serre's
property FA, i.e., any action of T or V on a tree will have a fixed point. (The
proof of the latter statement was originally due to Ken Brown, and our proof is
based on his notes.)


title:
Commissioning of the Dual-Beam Imaging Polarimeter for the UH 88-inch
  telescope

abstract:
  In this paper we present the design, calibration method, and initial results
of the Dual-Beam Imaging Polarimeter (DBIP). This new instrument is designed to
measure the optical polarization properties of point sources, in particular
Main Belt asteroids. This instrument interfaces between the Tek 2048x2048
camera and the University of Hawaii's 88-inch telescope, and is available for
facility use. Using DBIP we are able to measure linear polarization with a
1-sigma Poisson signal noise of 0.03% per measurement and a systematic error of
order 0.06% +/- 0.02%. Additionally, we discuss measurements of the
polarization of the asteroid 16 Psyche which were taken as part of the
instrument commissioning. We confirm Psyche's negative polarization of -1.037%
+/- 0.006% but find no significant modulation of the signal with rotation above
the 0.05% polarization level.


title:
Dependence of the energies of fusion on the intermembrane separation:
  optimal and constrained

abstract:
  We calculate the characteristic energies of fusion between planar bilayers as
afunction of the distance between them, measured from the
hydrophobic/hydrophilic interface of one of the two nearest, cis, leaves to the
other. The two leaves of each bilayer are of equal composition; 0.6 volume
fraction of a lamellar-forming amphiphile, such as dioleoylphosphatidylcholine,
and 0.4 volume fraction of a hexagonal-forming amphiphile, such as
dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine. Self-consistent field theory is employed to
solve the model. We find that the largest barrier to fusion is that to create
the metastable stalk. This barrier is the smallest, about 14.6 $k_BT$, when the
bilayers are at a distance about 20 percent greater than the thickness of a
single leaf, a distance which would correspond to between two and three
nanometers for typical bilayers. The very size of the protein machinery which
brings the membranes together can prevent them from reaching this optimum
separation. For even modestly larger separations, we find a linear rate of
increase of the free energy with distance between bilayers for the metastable
stalk itself and for the barrier to the creation of this stalk. We estimate
these rates for biological membranes to be about 7.1 $k_BT$/nm and 16.7
$k_BT$/nm respectively. The major contribution to this rate comes from the
increased packing energy associated with the hydrophobic tails. From this we
estimate, for the case of hemagglutinin, a free energy of 38 k_BT for the
metastable stalk itself, and a barrier to create it of 73 k_BT. Such a large
barrier would require that more than a single hemagglutinin molecule be
involved in the fusion process, as is observed.


title: Quantum Graphical Models and Belief Propagation

abstract:
  Belief Propagation algorithms acting on Graphical Models of classical
probability distributions, such as Markov Networks, Factor Graphs and Bayesian
Networks, are amongst the most powerful known methods for deriving
probabilistic inferences amongst large numbers of random variables. This paper
presents a generalization of these concepts and methods to the quantum case,
based on the idea that quantum theory can be thought of as a noncommutative,
operator-valued, generalization of classical probability theory. Some novel
characterizations of quantum conditional independence are derived, and
definitions of Quantum n-Bifactor Networks, Markov Networks, Factor Graphs and
Bayesian Networks are proposed. The structure of Quantum Markov Networks is
investigated and some partial characterization results are obtained, along the
lines of the Hammersely-Clifford theorem. A Quantum Belief Propagation
algorithm is presented and is shown to converge on 1-Bifactor Networks and
Markov Networks when the underlying graph is a tree. The use of Quantum Belief
Propagation as a heuristic algorithm in cases where it is not known to converge
is discussed. Applications to decoding quantum error correcting codes and to
the simulation of many-body quantum systems are described.


title:
The Variable X-ray Spectrum of Markarian 766 - II. Time-Resolved
  Spectroscopy

abstract:
  CONTEXT: The variable X-ray spectra of AGN systematically show steep
power-law high states and hard-spectrum low states. The hard low state has
previously been found to be a component with only weak variability. The origin
of this component and the relative importance of effects such as absorption and
relativistic blurring are currently not clear. AIMS: In a follow-up of previous
principal components analysis, we aim to determine the relative importance of
scattering and absorption effects on the time-varying X-ray spectrum of the
narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy Mrk~766. METHODS: Time-resolved spectroscopy,
slicing XMM and Suzaku data down to 25 ks elements, is used to investigate
whether absorption or scattering components dominate the spectral variations in
Mrk 766.Time-resolved spectroscopy confirms that spectral variability in Mrk
766 can be explained by either of two interpretations of principal components
analysis. Detailed investigation confirm rapid changes in the relative
strengths of scattered and direct emission or rapid changes in absorber
covering fraction provide good explanations of most of the spectral
variability. However, a strong correlation between the 6.97 keV absorption line
and the primary continuum together with rapid opacity changes show that
variations in a complex and multi-layered absorber, most likely a disk wind,
are the dominant source of spectral variability in Mrk 766


title:
Superconducting fluctuations in small grains - the Universal Hamiltonian
  and the reduced BCS model

abstract:
  Small superconducting grains are discussed in the frameworks of both the
reduced BCS Hamiltonian and the Universal Hamiltonian. It is shown that
fluctuations of electrons in levels far from the Fermi energy dominate
superconducting properties in small and ultrasmall grains. Experimental
consequences related to the spin susceptibility and persistent currents of
grains and rings with weak electron-electron interactions are discussed.


title: Reply to "Comment on `Minimal size of a barchan dune' "

abstract:
  We reply to the comment by Andreotti and Claudin (submitted to Phys. Rev. E,
arXiv:0705.3525) on our paper ``Minimal Size of a Barchan Dune'' [Phys. Rev. E
{\bf{75,}} 011301 (2007)]. We show that the equations of the dune model used in
our calculations are self-consistent and effectively lead to a dependence of
the minimal dune size on the wind speed through the saturation length.
Furthermore, we show that Meridiani Planum ripples are probably not a good
reference to estimate the grain size of Martian dune sands: the soil in the
ripple troughs at the landing site is covered with nonerodible elements
(``blueberries''), which increase the minimal threshold for saltation by a
factor of 2.0. We conclude that, in the absence of large fragments as the ones
found at the landing site, basaltic grains of diameter $d=500 \pm 100 {\mu}$m
that compose the large, typical dark Martian dunes [K. S. Edgett and P. R.
Christensen, J. Geophys. Res. {\bf{96,}} 22765 (1991)] probably saltate during
the strongest storms on Mars. We also show that the wind friction speed
$u_{\ast} \approx 3.0$ m/s that we found from the calculations of Martian dunes
is within the values of maximum wind speeds that occur during Martian storms a
few times a decade [R. E. Arvidson {\em{et al.}}, Science {\bf{222,}} 463
(1983); H. J. Moore, J. Geophys. Res. {\bf{90,}} 163 (1985); R. Sullivan
{\em{et al.}}, Nature {\bf{436,}} 58 (2005); D. J. Jerolmack {\em{et al.}}, J.
Geophys. Res. {\bf{111,}} E12S02 (2006)]. In this manner, the dune model
predicts that Martian dunes can be formed under present Martian conditions,
with no need to assume other conditions of wind and atmosphere that could have
prevailed in the past.


title:
An algorithm for detecting oscillatory behavior in discretized data: the
  damped-oscillator oscillator detector

abstract:
  We present a simple algorithm for detecting oscillatory behavior in discrete
data. The data is used as an input driving force acting on a set of simulated
damped oscillators. By monitoring the energy of the simulated oscillators, we
can detect oscillatory behavior in data. In application to in vivo deep brain
basal ganglia recordings, we found sharp peaks in the spectrum at 20 and 70 Hz.
The algorithm is also compared to the conventional fast Fourier transform and
circular statistics techniques using computer generated model data, and is
found to be comparable to or better than fast Fourier transform in test cases.
Circular statistics performed poorly in our tests.


title: The Bullough-Dodd model coupled to matter fields

abstract:
  The Bullough-Dodd model is an important two dimensional integrable field
theory which finds applications in physics and geometry. We consider a
conformally invariant extension of it, and study its integrability properties
using a zero curvature condition based on the twisted Kac-Moody algebra
A_2^{(2)}. The one and two-soliton solutions as well as the breathers are
constructed explicitly . We also consider integrable extensions of the
Bullough-Dodd model by the introduction of spinor (matter) fields. The
resulting theories are conformally invariant and present local internal
symmetries. All the one-soliton solutions, for two examples of those models,
are constructed using an hybrid of the dressing and Hirota methods. One model
is of particular interest because it presents a confinement mechanism for a
given conserved charge inside the solitons.


title: A Matrix Ring Description for Cyclic Convolutional Codes

abstract:
  In this paper, we study convolutional codes with a specific cyclic structure.
By definition, these codes are left ideals in a certain skew polynomial ring.
Using that the skew polynomial ring is isomorphic to a matrix ring we can
describe the algebraic parameters of the codes in a more accessible way. We
show that the existence of such codes with given algebraic parameters can be
reduced to the solvability of a modified rook problem. It is our strong belief
that the rook problem is always solvable, and we present solutions in
particular cases.


title: A Survey of Lepton Number Violation Via Effective Operators

abstract:
  We survey 129 lepton number violating effective operators, consistent with
the minimal Standard Model gauge group and particle content, of mass dimension
up to and including eleven. Upon requiring that each one radiatively generates
the observed neutrino masses, we extract an associated characteristic cutoff
energy scale which we use to calculate other observable manifestations of these
operators for a number of current and future experimental probes, concentrating
on lepton number violating phenomena. These include searches for neutrinoless
double-beta decay and rare meson, lepton, and gauge boson decays. We also
consider searches at hadron/lepton collider facilities in anticipation of the
LHC and the future ILC. We find that some operators are already disfavored by
current data, while more are ripe to be probed by next-generation experiments.
We also find that our current understanding of lepton mixing disfavors a subset
of higher dimensional operators. While neutrinoless double-beta decay is the
most promising signature of lepton number violation for the majority of
operators, a handful is best probed by other means. We argue that a combination
of constraints from various independent experimental sources will help to
pinpoint the ``correct'' model of neutrino mass, or at least aid in narrowing
down the set of possibilities.


title: Probing the Electronic Structure of Bilayer Graphene by Raman Scattering

abstract:
  The electronic structure of bilayer graphene is investigated from a resonant
Raman study using different laser excitation energies. The values of the
parameters of the Slonczewski-Weiss-McClure model for graphite are measured
experimentally and some of them differ significantly from those reported
previously for graphite, specially that associated with the difference of the
effective mass of electrons and holes. The splitting of the two TO phonon
branches in bilayer graphene is also obtained from the experimental data. Our
results have implications for bilayer graphene electronic devices.


title: Counting the Microstates of a Kerr Black Hole

abstract:
  We show that an extremal Kerr black hole, appropriately lifted to M-theory,
can be transformed to a Kaluza-Klein black hole in M-theory, or a D0-D6 charged
black hole in string theory. Since all the microstates of the latter have
recently been identified, one can exactly reproduce the entropy of an extremal
Kerr black hole. We also show that the topology of the event horizon is not
well defined in M-theory.


title: Quantized Non-Abelian Monopoles on S^3

abstract:
  A possible electric-magnetic duality suggests that the confinement of
non-Abelian electric charges manifests itself as a perturbative quantum effect
for the dual magnetic charges. Motivated by this possibility, we study vacuum
fluctuations around a non-Abelian monopole-antimonopole pair treated as point
objects with charges g=\pm n/2 (n=1,2,...), and placed on the antipodes of a
three sphere of radius R. We explicitly find all the fluctuation modes by
linearizing and solving the Yang-Mills equations about this background field on
a three sphere. We recover, generalize and extend earlier results, including
those on the stability analysis of non-Abelian magnetic monopoles. We find that
for g \ge 1 monopoles there is an unstable mode that tends to squeeze magnetic
flux in the angular directions. We sum the vacuum energy contributions of the
fluctuation modes for the g=1/2 case and find oscillatory dependence on the
cutoff scale. Subject to certain assumptions, we find that the contribution of
the fluctuation modes to the quantum zero point energy behaves as -R^{-2/3} and
hence decays more slowly than the classical -R^{-1} Coulomb potential for large
R. However, this correction to the zero point energy does not agree with the
linear growth expected if the monopoles are confined.


title:
On Gr-Functors between Gr-Categories: Obstruction theory for Gr-Functors
  of the type $(\varphi,f)$

abstract:
  Each Gr-functor of the type $(\varphi,f)$ of a Gr-category of the type
$(\Pi,\C)$ has the obstruction be an element $\overline{k}\in H^3(\Pi,\C).$
When this obstruction vanishes, there exists a bijection between congruence
classes of Gr-functors of the type $(\varphi,f)$ and the cohomology group
$H^2(\Pi,\C).$ Then the relation of Gr-category theory and the group extension
problem can be established and used to prove that each Gr-category is
Gr-equivalent to a strict one.


title:
On the formation and the stability of suspended transition metal
  monatomic chains

abstract:
  We present a Tight-Binding Molecular Dynamics investigation of the stability,
the geometrical and the electronic structure of suspended monatomic transition
metal chains. We show that linear and stable monatomic chains are formed at
temperature equal or smaller than 500 K for Au, 200 K for Ag and 4 K for Cu. We
also evidence that such stability is associated with the persisting sd orbital
hybridization along the chains. The study highlight fundamental limitations of
conductance measurement experiments to detect these chains in the breaking
process of nanowires.


title: The marginalization paradox and the formal Bayes' law

abstract:
  It has recently been shown that the marginalization paradox (MP) can be
resolved by interpreting improper inferences as probability limits. The key to
the resolution is that probability limits need not satisfy the formal Bayes'
law, which is used in the MP to deduce an inconsistency. In this paper, I
explore the differences between probability limits and the more familiar
pointwise limits, which do imply the formal Bayes' law, and show how these
differences underlie some key differences in the interpretation of the MP.


title:
Physical Properties of Young Stellar Populations in 24 Starburst
  Galaxies Observed with FUSE

abstract:
  We presents the main physical properties of very young stellar populations
seen with FUSE in 24 individual starbursts. These characteristics have been
obtained using the evolutionary spectral synthesis technique in the
far-ultraviolet range with the LavalSB code. For each starburst, quantitative
values for age, metallicity, initial mass function slope, stellar mass, and
internal extinction have been obtained and discussed in details. Limits of the
code have been tested. One main conclusion is that most starbursts (and
probably all of them) cannot be represented by any continuous star formation
burst in the far-ultraviolet. Also, quantitative values of various optical
diagnostics related to these stellar populations have been predicted.
Underlying stellar populations, dominated by B-type stars, have been detected
in NGC 1140, NGC 4449, and possibly NGC 3991. We characterized the young
stellar populations of less than 5 Myr in Seyfert 2 nuclei.


title:
The theory of the exponential differential equations of semiabelian
  varieties

abstract:
  The complete first order theories of the exponential differential equations
of semiabelian varieties are given. It is shown that these theories also arises
from an amalgamation-with-predimension construction in the style of Hrushovski.
The theory includes necessary and sufficient conditions for a system of
equations to have a solution. The necessary condition generalizes Ax's
differential fields version of Schanuel's conjecture to semiabelian varieties.
There is a purely algebraic corollary, the "Weak CIT" for semiabelian
varieties, which concerns the intersections of algebraic subgroups with
algebraic varieties.


title: Non-localities in nucleon-nucleus potentials

abstract:
  Two causes of non-locality inherent in nucleon-nucleus scattering are
considered. They are the results of two-nucleon antisymmetry of the projectile
with each nucleon in the nucleus and the dynamic polarization potential
representation of channel coupling. For energies $\sim 40 - 300$ MeV, a
g-folding model of the optical potential is used to show the influence of the
knock-out process that is a result of the two-nucleon antisymmetry. To explore
the dynamic polarization potential caused by channel coupling, a multichannel
algebraic scattering model has been used for low-energy scattering.


title:
Multi-channel algebraic scattering theory and the structure of exotic
  compound nuclei

abstract:
  A Multi-Channel Algebraic Scattering (MCAS) theory is presented with which
the properties of a compound nucleus are found from a coupled-channel problem.
The method defines both the bound states and resonances of the compound
nucleus, even if the compound nucleus is particle unstable. All resonances of
the system are found no matter how weak and/or narrow. Spectra of mass-7 nuclei
and of {}^{15}F, and MCAS results for a radiative capture cross section are
presented.


title:
Confronting the Hubble Diagram of Gamma-Ray Bursts with Cardassian
  Cosmology

abstract:
  We construct the Hubble diagram (HD) of Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) with
redshifts reaching up to $z \sim 6$, by using five luminosity vs. luminosity
indicator relations calibrated with the Cardassian cosmology. This model has a
major interesting feature: despite of being matter-dominated and flat, it can
explain the present accelerate expansion of the universe. This is the first
study of this class of models using high redshift GRBs. We have performed a
$\chi$-square statistical analysis of the GRBs calibrated with the Cardassian
model, and also combined them with both the current Cosmic Microwave Background
and Baryonic Acoustic Oscillation data. Our results show consistency between
the current observational data and the model predictions. In particular, the
best-fit parameters obtained from the $\chi^2$-analysis are in agreement with
those obtained from the Concordance Cosmology ($\Lambda$-CDM). We determine the
redshift at which the universe would start to follow the Cardassian expansion,
i. e., \zc, and both the redshift at which the universe had started to
accelerate, i. e., \zac, and the age-redshift relation $H_0t_0$. Our results
also show that the universe, from the point of view of GRBs, had undergo a
transition to acceleration at a redshift $z \approx 0.2-0.7$, which agrees with
the SNIa results. Hence, after confronting the Cardassian scenario with the
GRBs HD and proving its consistency with it, we conclude that GRBs should
indeed be considered a complementary tool to several other astronomical
observations for studies of high accuracy in cosmology.


title:
Characterization of the Critical Submanifolds in Quantum Ensemble
  Control Landscapes

abstract:
  A quantum control landscape is defined as the physical objective as a
function of the control variables to be optimized. Analyzing the topology of
these landscapes is important for understanding the origins of the increasing
number of laboratory successes in the optimal control of quantum processes.
This paper proposes a simple scheme to compute the characteristics of the
critical topology of the quantum ensemble control landscapes for observables,
showing that the set of disjoint critical submanifolds one-to-one corresponds
to a finite number of contingency tables that solely depend on the degeneracy
structure of the eigenvalues of the initial system density matrix and the
observable to be controlled. The landscape characteristics can be calculated as
functions of the table entries, including the dimensions and the numbers of
positive and negative eigenvalues of the Hessian quadratic form of each of the
connected components of the critical submanifolds. Typical examples are given
to illustrate the effectiveness of this method.


title: New equivalences for pattern avoiding involutions

abstract:
  We complete the Wilf classification of signed patterns of length 5 for both
signed permutations and signed involutions. New general equivalences of
patterns are given which prove Jaggard's conjectures concerning involutions in
the symmetric group avoiding certain patterns of length 5 and 6. In this way,
we also complete the Wilf classification of S_5, S_6, and S_7 for both
permutations and involutions.


title: Electron Removal Self Energy and its application to Ca2CuO2Cl2

abstract:
  We propose using the self energy defined for the electron removal Green's
function. Starting from the electron removal Green's function, we obtained
expressions for the removal self energy Sigma^ER (k,omega) that are applicable
for non-quasiparticle photoemission spectral functions from a single band
system. Our method does not assume momentum independence and produces the self
energy in the full k-omega space. The method is applied to the angle resolved
photoemission from Ca_2CuO_2Cl_2 and the result is found to be compatible with
the self energy value from the peak width of sharp features. The self energy is
found to be only weakly k-dependent. In addition, the Im Sigma shows a maximum
at around 1 eV where the high energy kink is located.


title: Dynamic Origin of Vortex Core Switching in Soft Magnetic Nanodots

abstract:
  The magnetic vortex with the in-plane curling magnetization and the
out-of-plane magnetization at the core is a unique ground state in nanoscale
magnetic elements. This kind of magnetic vortex can be used as a memory unit
for information storage, through its downward or upward core-orientation and,
thus, controllable core switching deserves some special attention. Our
analytical and micromagnetic calculations reveal that the origin of the vortex
core reversal is a gyrotropic field. This field is induced by vortex dynamic
motion and is proportional to the velocity of the moving vortex. Our
calculations elucidate the physical origin of the vortex core dynamic reversal
and offer a key to effective manipulation of the vortex-core orientation.


title: Hole Structures in Nonlocally Coupled Noisy Phase Oscillators

abstract:
  We demonstrate that a system of nonlocally coupled noisy phase oscillators
can collectively exhibit a hole structure, which manifests itself in the
spatial phase distribution of the oscillators. The phase model is described by
a nonlinear Fokker-Planck equation, which can be reduced to the complex
Ginzburg-Landau equation near the Hopf bifurcation point of the uniform
solution. By numerical simulations, we show that the hole structure clearly
appears in the space-dependent order parameter, which corresponds to the
Nozaki-Bekki hole solution of the complex Ginzburg-Landau equation.


title: Stationary photon-atom entanglement and flow equation

abstract:
  Stationary photon-atom entanglement is discussed by applying the method of
flow equation to the Jaynes-Cummings model. A nonlocal continuous unitary
transformation is explicitly constructed and the associated positive
operator-valued measures for the photons and atom are obtained. Then, flow of
the entanglement entropy is analyzed. A comment is also made on implementing
the unitary operation in the method of flow equation. This method may offer a
new strategy for quantum-state engineering.


title: Physical limits of inference

abstract:
  I show that physical devices that perform observation, prediction, or
recollection share an underlying mathematical structure. I call devices with
that structure "inference devices". I present a set of existence and
impossibility results concerning inference devices. These results hold
independent of the precise physical laws governing our universe. In a limited
sense, the impossibility results establish that Laplace was wrong to claim that
even in a classical, non-chaotic universe the future can be unerringly
predicted, given sufficient knowledge of the present. Alternatively, these
impossibility results can be viewed as a non-quantum mechanical "uncertainty
principle". Next I explore the close connections between the mathematics of
inference devices and of Turing Machines. In particular, the impossibility
results for inference devices are similar to the Halting theorem for TM's.
Furthermore, one can define an analog of Universal TM's (UTM's) for inference
devices. I call those analogs "strong inference devices". I use strong
inference devices to define the "inference complexity" of an inference task,
which is the analog of the Kolmogorov complexity of computing a string. However
no universe can contain more than one strong inference device. So whereas the
Kolmogorov complexity of a string is arbitrary up to specification of the UTM,
there is no such arbitrariness in the inference complexity of an inference
task. I end by discussing the philosophical implications of these results,
e.g., for whether the universe "is" a computer.

categories: cond-mat.stat-mech cs.CC cs.IT gr-qc math.IT


title:
On Rational Nilpotent Orbits of $SL_{n}$ and $Sp_{2n}$ over a Local
  Non-Archimedean Field

abstract:
  We relate the partition-type parametrization of rational (arithmetic)
nilpotent adjoint orbits of the split classical groups $SL_n$ and $Sp_{2n}$
over local non-Archimedean fields with a parametrization, introduced by
DeBacker in 2002, which uses the associated Bruhat-Tits building to relate the
question to one over the residue field.


title:
Towards More Precise Survey Photometry for PanSTARRS and LSST: Measuring
  Directly the Optical Transmission Spectrum of the Atmosphere

abstract:
  Motivated by the recognition that variation in the optical transmission of
the atmosphere is probably the main limitation to the precision of ground-based
CCD measurements of celestial fluxes, we review the physical processes that
attenuate the passage of light through the Earth's atmosphere. The next
generation of astronomical surveys, such as PanSTARRS and LSST, will greatly
benefit from dedicated apparatus to obtain atmospheric transmission data that
can be associated with each survey image. We review and compare various
approaches to this measurement problem, including photometry, spectroscopy, and
LIDAR. In conjunction with careful measurements of instrumental throughput,
atmospheric transmission measurements should allow next-generation imaging
surveys to produce photometry of unprecedented precision. Our primary concerns
are the real-time determination of aerosol scattering and absorption by water
along the line of sight, both of which can vary over the course of a night's
observations.


title:
Submillimeter arcsecond-resolution mapping of the highly collimated
  protostellar jet HH 211

abstract:
  We have mapped the protostellar jet HH 211 in 342 GHz continuum, SiO
($J=8-7$), and CO ($J=3-2$) emission at $\sim$ \arcs{1} resolution with the
Submillimeter Array (SMA). Thermal dust emission is seen in continuum at the
center of the jet, tracing an envelope and a possible optically thick compact
disk (with a size $<$ 130 AU) around the protostar. A knotty jet is seen in CO
and SiO as in \H2{}, but extending closer to the protostar. It consists of a
chain of knots on each side of the protostar, with an interknot spacing of
$\sim$ \arcs{2}$-$\arcs{3} or 600$-$900 AU and the innermost pair of knots at
only $\sim$ \arcsa{1}{7} or 535 AU from the protostar. These knots likely trace
unresolved internal (bow) shocks (i.e., working surfaces) in the jet, with a
velocity range up to $\sim$ 25 \vkm{}. The two-sided mass-loss rate of the jet
is estimated to be $\sim (0.7-2.8)\times 10^{-6}$ \solarmass{} yr$^{-1}$. The
jet is episodic, precessing, and bending. A velocity gradient is seen
consistently across two bright SiO knots (BK3 and RK2) perpendicular to the jet
axis, with $\sim$ 1.5$\pm$0.8 \vkm{} at $\sim$ 30$\pm$15 AU, suggesting a
presence of a jet rotation. The launching radius of the jet, derived from the
potential jet rotation, is $\sim$ 0.15$-$0.06 AU in the inner disk.


title: X-ray edge problem of graphene

abstract:
  The X-ray edge problem of graphene with the Dirac fermion spectrum is
studied. At half-filling the linear density of states suppresses the singular
response of the Fermi liquid, while away from half-filling the singular
features of the Fermi liquid reappear. The crossover behavior as a function of
the Fermi energy is examined in detail. The exponent of the power-law
absorption rate depends both on the intra- and inter-valley scattering, and it
changes as a function of the Fermi energy, which may be tested experimentally.


title: A Closure Theory for Non-linear Evolution of Cosmological Power Spectra

abstract:
  We apply a non-linear statistical method in turbulence to the cosmological
perturbation theory and derive a closed set of evolution equations for matter
power spectra. The resultant closure equations consistently recover the
one-loop results of standard perturbation theory and beyond that, it is still
capable of treating the non-linear evolution of matter power spectra. We find
the exact integral expressions for the solutions of closure equations. These
analytic expressions coincide with the renormalized one-loop results presented
by Crocce & Scoccimarro (2006,2007). By constructing the non-linear propagator,
we analytically evaluate the non-linear matter power spectra based on the
first-order Born approximation of the integral expressions and compare it with
those of the renormalized perturbation theory.


title:
Closed conformal Killing-Yano tensor and Kerr-NUT-de Sitter spacetime
  uniqueness

abstract:
  We study spacetimes with a closed conformal Killing-Yano tensor. It is shown
that the D-dimensional Kerr-NUT-de Sitter spacetime constructed by Chen-Lu-Pope
is the only spacetime admitting a rank-2 closed conformal Killing-Yano tensor
with a certain symmetry.


title: The effect of Fe atoms on the adsorption of a W atom on W(100) surface

abstract:
  We report a first-principles calculation that models the effect of iron (Fe)
atoms on the adsorption of a tungsten (W) atom on W(100) surfaces. The
adsorption of a W atom on a clean W(100) surface is compared with that of a W
atom on a W(100) surface covered with a monolayer of Fe atoms. The total energy
of the system is computed as the function of the height of the W adatom. Our
result shows that the W atom first adsorbs on top of the Fe monolayer. Then the
W atom can replace one of the Fe atoms through a path with a moderate energy
barrier and reduce its energy further. This intermediate site makes the
adsorption (and desorption) of W atoms a two-step process in the presence of Fe
atoms and lowers the overall adsorption energy by nearly 2.4 eV. The Fe atoms
also provide a surface for W atoms to adsorb facilitating the diffusion of W
atoms. The combination of these two effects result in a much more efficient
desorption and diffusion of W atoms in the presence of Fe atoms. Our result
provides a fundamental mechanism that can explain the activated sintering of
tungsten by Fe atoms.


title:
Closure Relations for Electron-Positron Pair-Signatures in Gamma-Ray
  Bursts

abstract:
  We present recipes to diagnose the fireball of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) by
combining observations of electron-positron pair-signatures (the
pair-annihilation line and the cutoff energy due to the pair-creation process).
Our recipes are largely model-independent and extract information even from the
non-detection of either pair-signature. We evaluate physical quantities such as
the Lorentz factor, optical depth and pair-to-baryon ratio, only from the
observable quantities. In particular, we can test whether the prompt emission
of GRBs comes from the pair/baryonic photosphere or not. The future-coming
Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) satellite will provide us with
good chances to use our recipes by detecting or non-detecting pair-signatures.


title:
Electronic structures of CeRu$_2X_2$ ($X$ = Si, Ge) in the paramagnetic
  phase studied by soft X-ray ARPES and hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

abstract:
  Soft and hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) has been performed for
one of the heavy fermion system CeRu$_2$Si$_2$ and a $4f$-localized ferromagnet
CeRu$_2$Ge$_2$ in the paramagnetic phase. The three-dimensional band structures
and Fermi surface (FS) shapes of CeRu$_2$Si$_2$ have been determined by soft
X-ray $h\nu$-dependent angle resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (ARPES). The
differences in the Fermi surface topology and the non-$4f$ electronic
structures between CeRu$_2$Si$_2$ and CeRu$_2$Ge$_2$ are qualitatively
explained by the band-structure calculation for both $4f$ itinerant and
localized models, respectively. The Ce valences in CeRu$_2X_2$ ($X$ = Si, Ge)
at 20 K are quantitatively estimated by the single impurity Anderson model
calculation, where the Ce 3d hard X-ray core-level PES and Ce 3d X-ray
absorption spectra have shown stronger hybridization and signature for the
partial $4f$ contribution to the conduction electrons in CeRu$_2$Si$_2$.


title: Homological algebra for affine Hecke algebras

abstract:
  In this paper we study homological properties of modules over an affine Hecke
algebra H. In particular we prove a comparison result for higher extensions of
tempered modules when passing to the Schwartz algebra S, a certain topological
completion of the affine Hecke algebra. The proof is self-contained and based
on a direct construction of a bounded contraction of certain standard
resolutions of H-modules.
  This construction applies for all positive parameters of the affine Hecke
algebra. This is an important feature since it is an ingredient to analyse how
the irreducible discrete series representations of H arise in generic families
over the parameter space of H. For irreducible non-simply laced affine Hecke
algebras this will enable us to give a complete classification of the discrete
series characters for all positive parameters (we will report on this
application in a separate article).


title:
A source of ultra-cold neutrons for the gravitational spectrometer
  GRANIT

abstract:
  We present the status of the development of a dedicated high density
ultra-cold neutron (UCN) source dedicated to the gravitational spectrometer
GRANIT. The source employs superthermal conversion of cold neutrons to UCN in
superfluid helium. Tests have shown that UCN produced inside the liquid can be
extracted into vacuum. Furthermore a dedicated neutron selection channel was
tested to maintain high initial density and extract only neutrons with a
vertical velocity component 20 cm/s for the spectrometer. This new source would
have a phase-space density of 0.18 cm-3(m/s)-3 for the spectrometer.


title: Isogonal Conjugacy and Fermat Problems

abstract:
  We consider three types of isogonal conjugacy of two points with respect to a
given triangle and characterize any of these types by a geometric equality. As
an application to the Fermat problem with positive weights, we prove that in
the general case the given weights determine uniquely a point X and the
solution to the Fermat problem is the point Y, which is isogonally conjugate of
type I to the point X. We obtain a similar characterization of the solution to
the Fermat problem in the case of mixed weights as well.


title: Luttinger Liquid State with Effective Attractive Hare-Core Interaction

abstract:
  An exact solvable 'zig-zag' ladder model of degenerated spinless fermions is
proposed and solved exactly by the means of the Bethe ansatz. An effective
attractive hard-core interaction and direct Coulomb repulsion of fermions on
the nearest-neighbor sites of different chains induce a new phase state of the
ladder. We give a detailed analysis of the exact phase diagram at zero
temperature, that is characterized by two phases at the filling exceeding 2/3:
itinerant and 'frozen' fermions, for which two different species reside in
spatially separate regions. The critical exponents describing asymptotic
behavior of the correlation functions are calculated using the Bethe ansatz and
conformal field theory. It is shown also, that the density of the magnetization
of the corresponding zig-zag spin-1/2 ladder has a jump equal to 1/3 at the
magnetic field equal to zero.


title: The statistical properties of LCDM halo formation

abstract:
  We present a comparison of the statistical properties of dark matter halo
merger trees extracted from the Millennium Simulation with Extended
Press-Schechter (EPS) formalism and the related GALFORM Monte-Carlo method for
generating ensembles of merger trees. The volume, mass resolution and output
frequency make the Millennium Simulation a unique resource for the study of the
hierarchical growth of structure. We construct the merger trees of present day
friends-of-friends groups and calculate a variety of statistics that quantify
the masses of their progenitors as a function of redshift; accretion rates; and
the redshift distribution of their most recent major merger. We also look in
the forward direction and quantify the present day mass distribution of halos
into which high redshift progenitors of a specific mass become incorporated. We
find that EPS formalism and its Monte-Carlo extension capture the qualitative
behaviour of all these statistics but, as redshift increases they
systematically underestimate the masses of the most massive progenitors. This
shortcoming is worst for the Monte-Carlo algorithm. We present a fitting
function to a scaled version of the progenitor mass distribution and show how
it can be used to make more accurate predictions of both progenitor and final
halo mass distributions.


title: Quark Mass dependence at Two Loops for Meson Properties

abstract:
  This talks contains a short introduction to Chiral Perturbation Theory and
the existing calculations to two-loop order in the mesonic sector. I include a
discussion on which quantities the expansion can be organized in. The present
best values of the Low-Energy-Constants as determined from continuum physics
are given as well as the assumptions underlying the fits to experimental data.
I present plots of masses, decay constants and $f_+(0)$ in $K_{\ell3}$ as a
function of quark or meson masses. The talk ends with a list of things for
which it would be extremely useful to have good results from lattice QCD
calculations.


title:
Report on the ESO Workshop "Obscured AGN Across Cosmic Time" held at
  Kloster Seeon, Bavaria, 5 to 8 June 2007

abstract:
  While the radio-loud, obscured quasars (the radio galaxies) have been known
and studied for decades, new and sensitive X-ray and mid-infrared surveys are
now beginning to reveal large numbers of their radio-quiet counterparts beyond
the local Universe. Consequently, we are approaching the compilation of a
relatively complete census of AGN of all types coving a large fraction of
cosmic time. This is revealing a remarkably intimate connection between the
supermassive black hole and its host galaxy. The workshop reported here was
designed to explore the results of these rapid observational developments and
the nature of the relationships between the stellar and AGN components.


title: S-Matrix on the Moyal Plane: Locality versus Lorentz Invariance

abstract:
  Twisted quantum field theories on the Groenewold-Moyal plane are known to be
non-local. Despite this non-locality, it is possible to define a generalized
notion of causality. We show that interacting quantum field theories that
involve only couplings between matter fields, or between matter fields and
minimally coupled U(1) gauge fields are causal in this sense. On the other
hand, interactions between matter fields and non-abelian gauge fields violate
this generalized causality. We derive the modified Feynman rules emergent from
these features. They imply that interactions of matter with non-abelian gauge
fields are not Lorentz- and CPT-invariant.

categories: hep-th gr-qc hep-ph math-ph math.MP math.QA


title: Measurement of the W + Jet Cross Section at CDF

abstract:
  A measurement of W->e nu + n-jet cross sections in ppbar collisions at
sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV using the Collider Detector at Fermilab in Run II is
presented. The measurement is based on an integrated luminosity of 320 pb-1,
and includes events with jet multiplicity from >= 1 to >= 4. In each jet
multiplicity sample the differential and cumulative cross sections with respect
to the transverse energy of the n^(th)-leading jet are measured. For W+>=2 jets
the differential cross section with respect to the 2-leading jets invariant
mass m_(j_(1)j_(2)) and angular separation Delta R_(j_(1)j_(2)) is also
reported. The data are compared to predictions from Monte Carlo simulations.


title:
Troubleshooting Time-Dependent Density-Functional Theory for
  Photochemical Applications: Oxirane

abstract:
  The development of analytic-gradient methodology for excited states within
conventional time-dependent density-functional theory (TDDFT) would seem to
offer a relatively inexpensive alternative to better established
quantum-chemical approaches for the modeling of photochemical reactions.
However, even though TDDFT is formally exact, practical calculations involve
the use of approximate functionals, in particular the TDDFT adiabatic
approximation, whose use in photochemical applications must be further
validated. Here, we investigate the prototypical case of the symmetric CC ring
opening of oxirane. We demonstrate by direct comparison with the results of
high-quality quantum Monte Carlo calculations that, far from being an
approximation on TDDFT, the Tamm-Dancoff approximation (TDA) is a practical
necessity for avoiding triplet instabilities and singlet near instabilities,
thus helping maintain energetically reasonable excited-state potential energy
surfaces during bond breaking. Other difficulties one would encounter in
modeling oxirane photodynamics are pointed out but none of these is likely to
prevent a qualitatively correct TDDFT/TDA description of photochemistry in this
prototypical molecule.


title: Generating Dark Matter Halo Merger Trees

abstract:
  We present a new Monte-Carlo algorithm to generate merger trees describing
the formation history of dark matter halos. The algorithm is a modification of
the algorithm of Cole et al (2000) used in the GALFORM semi-analytic galaxy
formation model. As such, it is based on the Extended Press-Schechter theory
and so should be applicable to hierarchical models with a wide range of power
spectra and cosmological models. It is tuned to be in accurate agreement with
the conditional mass functions found in the analysis of merger trees extracted
from the LCDM Millennium N-body simulation. We present a comparison of its
predictions not only with these conditional mass functions, but also with
additional statistics of the Millennium Simulation halo merger histories. In
all cases we find it to be in good agreement with the Millennium Simulation and
thus it should prove to be a very useful tool for semi-analytic models of
galaxy formation and for modelling hierarchical structure formation in general.
We have made our merger tree generation code and code to navigate the trees
available at http://star-www.dur.ac.uk/~cole/merger_trees .


title: GRB 070311: a direct link between the prompt emission and the afterglow

abstract:
  We present prompt gamma-ray, early NIR/optical, late optical and X-ray
observations of the peculiar GRB 070311 discovered by INTEGRAL, in order to
gain clues on the mechanisms responsible for the prompt gamma-ray pulse as well
as for the early and late multi-band afterglow of GRB 070311. We fitted with
empirical functions the gamma-ray and optical light curves and scaled the
result to the late time X-rays. The H-band light curve taken by REM shows two
pulses peaking 80 and 140 s after the peak of the gamma-ray burst and possibly
accompanied by a faint gamma-ray tail. Remarkably, the late optical and X-ray
afterglow underwent a major rebrightening between 3x10^4 and 2x10^5 s after the
burst with an X-ray fluence comparable with that of the prompt emission
extrapolated in the same band. Notably, the time profile of the late
rebrightening can be described as the combination of a time-rescaled version of
the prompt gamma-ray pulse and an underlying power law. This result supports a
common origin for both prompt and late X-ray/optical afterglow rebrightening of
GRB 070311 within the external shock scenario. The main fireball would be
responsible for the prompt emission, while a second shell would produce the
rebrightening when impacting the leading blastwave in a refreshed shock
(abridged).


title: H.E.S.S. observations of galaxy clusters

abstract:
  Clusters of galaxies, the largest gravitationally bound objects in the
universe, are expected to contain a significant population of hadronic and
leptonic cosmic rays. Potential sources for these particles are merger and
accretion shocks, starburst driven galactic winds and radio galaxies.
Furthermore, since galaxy clusters confine cosmic ray protons up to energies of
at least 1 PeV for a time longer than the Hubble time they act as storehouses
and accumulate all the hadronic particles which are accelerated within them.
Consequently clusters of galaxies are potential sources of VHE (> 100 GeV)
gamma rays. Motivated by these considerations, promising galaxy clusters are
observed with the H.E.S.S. experiment as part of an ongoing campaign. Here,
upper limits for the VHE gamma ray emission for the Abell 496 and Coma cluster
systems are reported.


title: Beating the Standard Quantum Limit with Four Entangled Photons

abstract:
  Precision measurements are important across all fields of science. In
particular, optical phase measurements can be used to measure distance,
position, displacement, acceleration and optical path length. Quantum
entanglement enables higher precision than would otherwise be possible. We
demonstrate an optical phase measurement with an entangled four photon
interference visibility greater than the threshold to beat the standard quantum
limit--the limit attainable without entanglement. These results open the way
for new high-precision measurement applications.


title: Quantum computing with collective ensembles of multi-level systems

abstract:
  We propose a new physical approach for encoding and processing of quantum
information in ensembles of multi-level quantum systems, where the different
bits are not carried by individual particles but associated with the collective
population of different internal levels. One- and two-bit gates are implemented
by collective internal state transitions taking place in the presence of an
excitation blockade mechanism which restricts the population of each internal
state to the values zero and unity. 10-20 bit quantum computers can be built
via this scheme in single trapped clouds of ground state atoms subject to the
Rydberg excitation blockade mechanism, and the linear dependence between
register size and the number of internal quantum states in atoms offers
realistic means to reach larger registers.


title:
In-situ photoemission study of Pr_{1-x}Ca_xMnO_3 epitaxial thin films
  with suppressed charge fluctuations

abstract:
  We have performed an {\it in-situ} photoemission study of Pr_{1-x}Ca_xMnO_3
(PCMO) thin films grown on LaAlO_3 (001) substrates and observed the effect of
epitaxial strain on the electronic structure. We found that the chemical
potential shifted monotonically with doping, unlike bulk PCMO, implying the
disappearance of incommensurate charge fluctuations of bulk PCMO. In the
valence-band spectra, we found a doping-induced energy shift toward the Fermi
level (E_F) but there was no spectral weight transfer, which was observed in
bulk PCMO. The gap at E_F was clearly seen in the experimental band dispersions
determined by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and could not be
explained by the metallic band structure of the C-type antiferromagnetic state,
probably due to localization of electrons along the ferromagnetic chain
direction or due to another type of spin-orbital ordering.


title:
Superconductivity on the border of weak itinerant ferromagnetism in
  UCoGe

abstract:
  We report the coexistence of ferromagnetic order and superconductivity in
UCoGe at ambient pressure. Magnetization measurements show that UCoGe is a weak
ferromagnet with a Curie temperature T_{C}= 3 K and a small ordered moment
$m_{0}$= 0.03 $\mu_B$. Superconductivity is observed with a resistive
transition temperature T_{s} = 0.8 K for the best sample. Thermal-expansion and
specific-heat measurements provide solid evidence for bulk magnetism and
superconductivity. The proximity to a ferromagnetic instability, the defect
sensitivity of T_{s}, and the absence of Pauli limiting, suggest triplet
superconductivity mediated by critical ferromagnetic fluctuations.


title: Microscopic origin of granular ratcheting

abstract:
  Numerical simulations of assemblies of grains under cyclic loading exhibit
``granular ratcheting'': a small net deformation occurs with each cycle,
leading to a linear accumulation of deformation with cycle number. We show that
this is due to a curious property of the most frequently used models of the
particle-particle interaction: namely, that the potential energy stored in
contacts is path-dependent. There exist closed paths that change the stored
energy, even if the particles remain in contact and do not slide. An
alternative method for calculating the tangential force removes granular
ratcheting.


title: Non-linear optics with two trapped atoms

abstract:
  We show theoretically that two atomic dipoles in a resonator constitute a
non-linear medium, whose properties can be controlled through the relative
position of the atoms inside the cavity and the detuning and intensity of the
driving laser. We identify the parameter regime where the system operates as a
parametric amplifier, based on the cascade emission of the collective dipole of
the atoms, and determine the corresponding spectrum of squeezing of the field
at the cavity output. This dynamics could be observed as a result of
self-organization of laser-cooled atoms in resonators.


title: Geometry and dynamics of higher-spin frame fields

abstract:
  We give a systematic account of unconstrained free bosonic higher-spin fields
on D-dimensional Minkowski and (Anti-)de Sitter spaces in the frame formalism.
The generalized spin connections are determined by solving a chain of
torsion-like constraints. Via a generalization of the vielbein postulate these
allow to determine higher-spin Christoffel symbols, whose relation to the de
Wit--Freedman connections is discussed. We prove that the generalized Einstein
equations, despite being of higher-derivative order, give rise to the AdS
Fronsdal equations in the compensator formulation. To this end we derive
Damour-Deser identities for arbitrary spin on AdS. Finally we discuss the
possibility of a geometrical and local action principle, which is manifestly
invariant under unconstrained higher-spin symmetries.


title: Chirality of wave functions for three coalescing levels

abstract:
  The coalescence of three levels has particular attractive features. Even
though it may be difficult to realise such event in the laboratory (three
additional real parameters must be adjusted), to take up the challenge seems
worthwhile. In the same way as the chiral behaviour of a usual EP can give a
direction on a line, the state vectors in the vicinity of an EP3 provide an
orientation in the plane. The distinction between left and right handedness
depends on the distribution of the widths of the three levels in the vicinity
of the point of coalescence.


title: Electric Dipole Moments of Dyon and `Electron'

abstract:
  The electric and magnetic dipole moments of dyon fermions are calculated
within N=2 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory including the theta-term. It is
found, in particular, that the gyroelectric ratio deviates from the canonical
value of 2 for the monopole fermion (n_m=1,n_e=0) in the case theta\not=0.
Then, applying the S-duality transformation to the result for the dyon
fermions, we obtain an explicit prediction for the electric dipole moment (EDM)
of the charged fermion (`electron'). It is thus seen that the approach
presented here provides a novel method for computing the EDM induced by the
theta-term.


title: Semiclassical description of the kinematically complete experiments

abstract:
  Based on the semiclassical, impact parameter method a theoretical model is
constructed to calculate totally differential cross sections for single
ionization of helium by impact with fast C$^{6+}$ ions. Good agreement with the
experiment is achieved in the scattering plane, while in the perpendicular
plane a similar structure to that observed experimentally is obtained. The
contribution of different partial waves to the cross section is also
investigated.


title:
Multiple copy distillation and purification of phase diffused squeezed
  states

abstract:
  We provide a detailed theoretical analysis of multiple copy purification and
distillation protocols for phase diffused squeezed states of light. The
standard iterative distillation protocol is generalized to a collective
purification of an arbitrary number of N copies. We also derive a
semi-analytical expression for the asymptotic limit of the iterative
distillation and purification protocol and discuss its properties.


title:
Oscillatory behavior of closed isotropic models in second order gravity
  theory

abstract:
  Homogeneous and isotropic models are studied in the Jordan frame of the
second order gravity theory. The late time evolution of the models is analysed
with the methods of the dynamical systems. The normal form of the dynamical
system has periodic solutions for a large set of initial conditions. This
implies that an initially expanding closed isotropic universe may exhibit
oscillatory behaviour.


title: Diffusion of a ring polymer in good solution via the Brownian dynamics

abstract:
  Diffusion constants D_{R} and D_{L} of ring and linear polymers of the same
molecular weight in a good solvent, respectively, have been evaluated through
the Brownian dynamics with hydrodynamic interaction. The ratio $C=D_{R}/D_{L}$,
which should be universal in the context of the renormalization group, has been
estimated as $C= 1.11 \pm 0.01$ for the large-N limit. It should be consistent
with that of synthetic polymers, while it is smaller than that of DNAs such as
$C \approx 1.3$. Furthermore, the probability of the ring polymer being a
nontrivial knot is found to be very small, while bond crossings may occur at
almost all time steps in the present simulation that realizes the good solvent
conditions.


title:
A covariant approach for perturbations of rotationally symmetric
  spacetimes

abstract:
  We present a covariant decomposition of Einstein's Field Equations which is
particularly suitable for perturbations of spherically symmetric -- and general
locally rotationally symmetric -- spacetimes. Based upon the utility of the 1+3
covariant approach to perturbation theory in cosmology, the semi-tetrad, 1+1+2
approach presented here should be useful for analysing perturbations of a
variety of systems in a covariant and gauge-invariant manner. Such applications
range from stellar objects to cosmological models such as the spherically
symmetric Lemaitre-Tolman-Bondi solutions or the class of locally rotationally
symmetric Bianchi models.


title:
Higher-Spin Gauge Fields Interacting with Scalars: The Lagrangian Cubic
  Vertex

abstract:
  We apply a recently presented BRST procedure to construct the Largangian
cubic vertex of higher-spin gauge field triplets interacting with massive free
scalars. In flat space, the spin-s triplet propagates the series of irreducible
spin-s, s-2,..,0/1 modes which couple independently to corresponding conserved
currents constructed from the scalars. The simple covariantization of the flat
space result is not enough in AdS, as new interaction vertices appear. We
present in detail the cases of spin-2 and spin-3 triplets coupled to scalars.
Restricting to a single irreducible spin-s mode we uncover previously obtained
results. We also present an alternative derivation of the lower spin results
based on the idea that higher-spin gauge fields arise from the gauging of
higher derivative symmetries of free matter Lagrangians. Our results can be
readily applied to holographic studies of higher-spin gauge theories.


title: Remarks on $\eta$-Einstein unit tangent bundles

abstract:
  We study the geometric properties of the base manifold for the unit tangent
bundle satisfying the $\eta$-Einstein condition with the standard contact
metric structure. One of the main theorems is that the unit tangent bundle of
4-dimensional Einstein manifold, equipped with the canonical contact metric
structure, is $\eta$-Einstein manifold if and only if base manifold is the
space of constant sectional curvature 1 or 2.


title: Data selection and confounding in the court case of Lucia de Berk

abstract:
  The nurse Lucia de Berk was convicted by the Dutch courts as a serial killer
with 7 murders and 3 attempts at murder in three hospitals where she worked.
The nurse however always professed her innocence and indeed was never observed
in such an act of murder. The courts based their decision on circumstantial
evidence and upon the use of statistics. In the appeal court, the use of
statistical calculations was repealed but the use of "data" and "statistical
insights" were not excluded. The trial hinged importantly on the role of
statistics and data gathering. It appears that data selection and confounding
feature strongly in this case. The notion of "nominal correlation" can be used
to highlight those two features. This suggests a mistrial with the conviction
of an innocent person.


title:
Evolution of Compact-Binary Populations in Globular Clusters: A
  Boltzmann Study. I. The Continuous Limit

abstract:
  We explore a Boltzmann scheme for studying the evolution of compact binary
populations of globular clusters. We include processes of compact-binary
formation by tidal capture and exchange encounters, binary destruction by
dissociation and other mechanisms, and binary hardening by encounters,
gravitational radiation and magnetic braking, as also the orbital evolution
during mass transfer, following Roche lobe contact. For the encounter processes
which are stochastic in nature, we study the probabilistic, continuous limit in
this introductory work, deferring the specific handling of the stochastic terms
to the next step. We focus on the evolution of (a) the number of X-ray sources
N_{XB} in globular clusters, and (b) the orbital-period distribution of the
X-ray binaries, as a result of the above processes. We investigate the
dependence of N_{XB} on two essential cluster properties, namely, the star-star
and star-binary encounter-rate parameters 'Gamma' and 'gamma', which we call
Verbunt parameters. We compare our model results with observation, showing that
the model values of N_{XB} and their expected scaling with the Verbunt
parameters are in good agreement with results from recent X-ray observations of
Galactic globular clusters, encouraging us to build more detailed models.


title:
Four-dimensional almost Hermitian manifolds with vanishing
  Tricerri-Vanhecke Bochner curvature tensor

abstract:
  We study curvature properties of four-dimensional almost Hermitian manifolds
with vanishing Bochner curvature tensor as defined by Tricerri and Vanhecke. We
give local structure theorems for such Kaehler manifolds, and find out several
examples related to the theorems.


title: Unparticle constraints from SN1987A

abstract:
  The existence of an unparticle sector, weakly coupled to the standard model,
would have a profound impact on supernova (SN) physics. Emission of energy into
the unparticle sector from the core of SN1987A would have significantly
shortened the observed neutrino burst. The unparticle interaction with
nucleons, neutrinos, electrons and muons is constrained to be so weak that it
is unlikely to provide any missing-energy signature at colliders. One important
exception are models where scale invariance in the hidden sector is broken by
the Higgs vacuum expectation value. In this case the SN emission is suppressed
by threshold effects.


title:
Determination of the magnetic susceptibility of the quark condensate
  using radiative heavy meson decays

abstract:
  We use a light-cone sum rule (LCSR) analysis of the branching ratios of
radiative meson decays to contrain the value of the magnetic susceptibility of
the quark condensate $\chi(\mu)$. For the first time, we use a complete set of
three-particle distribution amplitudes that enables us to give a consistent
prediction for the branching ratios. Furthermore we will make use of a very
recent update of several non-perturbative parameters. Our final result for
$\chi(\mu= 1 {\rm GeV})= 2.85 \pm 0.5 {\rm GeV}^{-2}$ (assuming asymptotic wave
functions) agrees with the currently used value of $3.15 \pm 0.3 {\rm
GeV}^{-2}$.


title:
Are the renormalized band widths in TTF-TCNQ of structural or electronic
  origin? - An angular dependent NEXAFS study

abstract:
  We have performed angle-dependent near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure
measurements in the Auger electron yield mode on the correlated
quasi-one-dimensional organic conductor TTF-TCNQ in order to determine the
orientation of the molecules in the topmost surface layer. We find that the
tilt angles of the molecules with respect to the one-dimensional axis are
essentially the same as in the bulk. Thus we can rule out surface relaxation as
the origin of the renormalized band widths which were inferred from the
analysis of photoemission data within the one-dimensional Hubbard model.
Thereby recent theoretical results are corroborated which invoke long-range
Coulomb repulsion as alternative explanation to understand the spectral
dispersions of TTF-TCNQ quantitatively within an extended Hubbard model.


title: Interplay between electron-phonon and Coulomb interactions in cuprates

abstract:
  Evidence for strong electron-phonon coupling in high-Tc cuprates is reviewed,
with emphasis on the electron and phonon spectral functions. Effects due to the
interplay between the Coulomb and electron-phonon interactions are studied. For
weakly doped cuprates, the phonon self-energy is strongly reduced due to
correlation effects, while there is no corresponding strong reduction for the
electron self-energy. Polaron formation is studied, focusing on effects of
Coulomb interaction and antiferromagnetic correlations. It is argued that
experimental indications of polaron formation in undoped cuprates are due to a
strong electron-phonon interaction for these systems.


title: Can black holes be torn up by phantom dark energy in cyclic cosmology?

abstract:
  Infinitely cyclic cosmology is often frustrated by the black hole problem. It
has been speculated that this obstacle in cyclic cosmology can be removed by
taking into account a peculiar cyclic model derived from loop quantum cosmology
or the braneworld scenario, in which phantom dark energy plays a crucial role.
In this peculiar cyclic model, the mechanism of solving the black hole problem
is through tearing up black holes by phantom. However, using the theory of
fluid accretion onto black holes, we show in this paper that there exists
another possibility: that black holes cannot be torn up by phantom in this
cyclic model. We discussed this possibility and showed that the masses of black
holes might first decrease and then increase, through phantom accretion onto
black holes in the expanding stage of the cyclic universe.


title: Diffusive spin transport

abstract:
  Information to be stored and transported requires physical carriers. The
quantum bit of information (qubit) can for instance be realised as the spin 1/2
degree of freedom of a massive particle like an electron or as the spin 1
polarisation of a massless photon. In this lecture, I first use irreducible
representations of the rotation group to characterise the spin dynamics in a
least redundant manner. Specifically, I describe the decoherence dynamics of an
arbitrary spin S coupled to a randomly fluctuating magnetic field in the
Liouville space formalism. Secondly, I discuss the diffusive dynamics of the
particle's position in space due to the presence of randomly placed impurities.
Combining these two dynamics yields a coherent, unified picture of diffusive
spin transport, as applicable to mesoscopic electronic devices or photons
propagating in cold atomic clouds.


title: Glueball operators and the microscopic approach to N=1 gauge theories

abstract:
  We explain how to generalize Nekrasov's microscopic approach to N=2 gauge
theories to the N=1 case, focusing on the typical example of the U(N) theory
with one adjoint chiral multiplet X and an arbitrary polynomial tree-level
superpotential Tr W(X). We provide a detailed analysis of the generalized
glueball operators and a non-perturbative discussion of the Dijkgraaf-Vafa
matrix model and of the generalized Konishi anomaly equations. We compute in
particular the non-trivial quantum corrections to the Virasoro operators and
algebra that generate these equations. We have performed explicit calculations
up to two instantons, that involve the next-to-leading order corrections in
Nekrasov's Omega-background.


title:
Achievable Outage Rates with Improved Decoding of Bicm Multiband Ofdm
  Under Channel Estimation Errors

abstract:
  We consider the decoding of bit interleaved coded modulation (BICM) applied
to multiband OFDM for practical scenarios where only a noisy (possibly very
bad) estimate of the channel is available at the receiver. First, a decoding
metric based on the channel it a posteriori probability density, conditioned on
the channel estimate is derived and used for decoding BICM multiband OFDM.
Then, we characterize the limits of reliable information rates in terms of the
maximal achievable outage rates associated to the proposed metric. We also
compare our results with the outage rates of a system using a theoretical
decoder. Our results are useful for designing a communication system where a
prescribed quality of service (QoS), in terms of achievable target rates with
small error probability, must be satisfied even in the presence of imperfect
channel estimation. Numerical results over both realistic UWB and theoretical
Rayleigh fading channels show that the proposed method provides significant
gain in terms of BER and outage rates compared to the classical mismatched
detector, without introducing any additional complexity.


title:
Which canonical algebras are derived equivalent to incidence algebras of
  posets?

abstract:
  We give a full description of all the canonical algebras over an
algebraically closed field that are derived equivalent to incidence algebras of
finite posets. These are the canonical algebras whose number of weights is
either 2 or 3.