title: Perfect Symmetric Rings of Quotients

abstract:
  Perfect Gabriel filters of right ideals and their corresponding right rings
of quotients have the desirable feature that every module of quotients is
determined solely by the right ring of quotients. On the other hand, symmetric
rings of quotients have a symmetry that mimics the commutative case. In this
paper, we study rings of quotients that combine these two desirable properties.
  We define the symmetric versions of a right perfect ring of quotients and a
right perfect Gabriel filter -- the perfect symmetric ring of quotients and the
perfect symmetric Gabriel filter and study their properties. Then we prove that
the standard construction of the total right ring of quotients can be adapted
to the construction of the largest perfect symmetric ring of quotients -- the
total symmetric ring of quotients. We also demonstrate that Morita's
construction of the total right ring of quotients can be adapted to the
construction of the total symmetric ring of quotients.


title: Invariants and submanifolds in almost complex geometry

abstract:
  In this paper we describe the algebra of differential invariants for
GL(n,C)-structures. This leads to classification of almost complex structures
of general positions. The invariants are applied to the existence problem of
higher-dimensional pseudoholomorphic submanifolds.


title: Anomaly of linearization and auxiliary integrals

abstract:
  In this note we discuss some formal properties of universal linearization
operator, relate this to brackets of non-linear differential operators and
discuss application to the calculus of auxiliary integrals, used in
compatibility reductions of PDEs.


title:
Viscous evolution of the rapidity distribution of matter created in
  relativistic heavy-ion collisions

abstract:
  Longitudinal hydrodynamic expansion of the fluid created in relativistic
heavy-collisions is considered taking into account shear viscosity. Both a
on-vanishing viscosity and a soft equation of state make particle distributions
in rapidity narrower. The presence of viscosity has dramatic consequence on the
value of the initial energy density. The reduction of the longitudinal work and
dissipative processes due to the shear viscosity, increase the total entropy
and the particle multiplicity at central rapidities. The total energy in the
collision, dominated by the longitudinal motion, is conserved. Viscous
corrections make the longitudinal velocity of the fluid to stay close to the
Bjorken scaling v_z = z/t through the evolution. At the freeze-out viscous
corrections are the strongest for non-central rapidities.


title: Remnants of dark matter clumps

abstract:
  What happened to the central cores of tidally destructed dark matter clumps
in the Galactic halo? We calculate the probability of surviving of the remnants
of dark matter clumps in the Galaxy by modelling the tidal destruction of the
small-scale clumps. It is demonstrated that a substantial fraction of clump
remnants may survive through the tidal destruction during the lifetime of the
Galaxy if the radius of a core is rather small. The resulting mass spectrum of
survived clumps is extended down to the mass of the core of the cosmologically
produced clumps with a minimal mass. Since the annihilation signal is dominated
by the dense part of the core, destruction of the outer part of the clump
affects the annihilation rate relatively weakly and the survived dense remnants
of tidally destructed clumps provide a large contribution to the annihilation
signal in the Galaxy. The uncertainties in minimal clump mass resulting from
the uncertainties in neutralino models are discussed.


title: Differential invariants of the motion group actions

abstract:
  Differential invariants of a (pseudo)group action can vary when restricted to
invariant submanifolds (differential equations). The algebra is still governed
by the Lie-Tresse theorem, but may change a lot. We describe in details the
case of the motion group $O(n)\ltimes\R^n$ acting on the full (unconstraint)
jet-space as well as on some invariant equations.


title:
The Impact of Hard-Decision Detection on the Energy Efficiency of Phase
  and Frequency Modulation

abstract:
  The central design challenge in next generation wireless systems is to have
these systems operate at high bandwidths and provide high data rates while
being cognizant of the energy consumption levels especially in mobile
applications. Since communicating at very high data rates prohibits obtaining
high bit resolutions from the analog-to-digital (A/D) converters, analysis of
the energy efficiency under the assumption of hard-decision detection is called
for to accurately predict the performance levels. In this paper, transmission
over the additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel, and coherent and
noncoherent fading channels is considered, and the impact of hard-decision
detection on the energy efficiency of phase and frequency modulations is
investigated. Energy efficiency is analyzed by studying the capacity of these
modulation schemes and the energy required to send one bit of information
reliably in the low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) regime. The capacity of
hard-decision-detected phase and frequency modulations is characterized at low
SNR levels through closed-form expressions for the first and second derivatives
of the capacity at zero SNR. Subsequently, bit energy requirements in the
low-SNR regime are identified. The increases in the bit energy incurred by
hard-decision detection and channel fading are quantified. Moreover, practical
design guidelines for the selection of the constellation size are drawn from
the analysis of the spectral efficiency--bit energy tradeoff.


title:
The discovery of high-amplitude 10.9-minute oscillations in the cool
  magnetic Ap star HD 115226

abstract:
  We present the discovery of pulsational variations in the cool magnetic Ap
star HD 115226 -- the first high-amplitude rapidly oscillating Ap star
discovered with time-series spectroscopy. Using high-resolution spectra
obtained with the HARPS instrument at the ESO 3.6-m telescope, we detect radial
velocity variations with a period of 10.86 min in Pr III, Nd III, Dy III lines
and in the narrow cores of hydrogen lines. Pulsational amplitudes exceed 1 km/s
in individual lines of Nd III. The presence of running waves in the stellar
atmosphere is inferred from a phase shift between the radial velocity maxima of
rare-earth and hydrogen lines. Our abundance analysis demonstrates that HD
115226 exhibits typical roAp spectroscopic signature, notably ionization
anomaly of Pr, Nd and Dy. We discuss the discovery of pulsations in HD 115226
in the context of recent spectroscopic studies of roAp stars and point to the
existence of correlation between spectroscopic pulsational amplitude and the
stellar rotation rate.


title:
A Measurement of the Branching Fractions of exclusive Bbar ->
  D(*)(pi)l-nubar Decays in Events with a Fully Reconstructed B Meson

abstract:
  We report a measurement of the branching fractions for Bbar ->
D(*)(pi)l-nubar decays based on 341.1 fb-1 of data collected at the Upsilon(4S)
resonance with the babar detector at the PEP-II e+e- storage rings. Events are
tagged by fully reconstructing one of the B mesons in a hadronic decay mode. We
obtain B(B- -> D0l-nubar) = (2.33 +/- 0.09(stat.) +/- 0.09(syst.))%, B(B- ->
D*0l-nubar) = (5.83 +/- 0.15(stat.) +/- 0.30(syst.))%, B(B0bar -> D+l-nubar) =
(2.21 +/- 0.11(stat.) +/- 0.12(syst.))%, B(B0bar -> D*+l-nubar) = (5.49 +/-
0.16(stat.) +/- 0.25(syst.))%, B(B- -> D+pi-l-nubar) = (0.42 +/- 0.06(stat.)
+/- 0.03(syst.))%, B(B- -> D*+pi-l-nubar) = (0.59 +/- 0.05(stat.) +/-
0.04(syst.))%, B(B0bar -> D0pi+l-nubar) = (0.43 +/- 0.08(stat.) +/-
0.03(syst.))%, and B(B0bar -> D*0pi+l-nubar) = (0.48 +/- 0.08(stat.) +/-
0.04(syst.))%.


title: Transformations of L\'evy Processes

abstract:
  A L\'evy process on a *-bialgebra is given by its generator, a conditionally
positive hermitian linear functional vanishing at the unit element. A *-algebra
homomorphism k from a *-bialgebra C to a *-bialgebra B with the property that k
respects the counits maps generators on B to generators on C. A tranformation
between the corrresponding two L\'evy processes is given by forming
infinitesimal convolution products.
  This general result is applied to various situations, e.g., to a *-bialgebra
and its associated primitive tensor *-bialgebra (called "generator process") as
well as its associated group-like *-bialgebra (called Weyl-*-bialgebra). It
follows that a L\'evy process on a *-bialgebra can be realized on Bose Fock
space as the infinitesimal convolution product of its generator process such
that the vacuum vector is cyclic for the L\e'vy process. Moreover, we obtain
convolution approximations of the Az\'ema martingale by the Wiener process and
vice versa.


title:
Discrete gauge symmetries and proton stability in the U(1)'-extended
  MSSM

abstract:
  The Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) with conserved R-parity
suffers from several fine-tuning problems, e.g. the mu-problem and the problem
of proton decay through higher dimension operators. Both of these problems can
be avoided by replacing R-parity with a non-anomalous U(1)' gauge symmetry
which is broken at the TeV scale. The new gauge symmetry does not necessarily
forbid all renormalizable R-parity violating interactions among the MSSM
fields, and may allow for either lepton number or baryon number violation at
the renormalizable level. However, the proton decay problem resurfaces with the
introduction of new TeV-scale exotic fields which are required for gauge
anomaly cancellations. In this paper we investigate the issue of proton
stability in the presence of TeV-scale exotics. We show that there are large
classes of models in which TeV exotics do not destabilize the proton. We
classify the viable models according to the residual discrete symmetries after
U(1)' and electroweak symmetry breaking. In some of our examples the residual
U(1)' discrete gauge symmetry within the MSSM sector alone ensures that the
proton is absolutely stable, for any exotic representations. In other cases the
proton can be sufficiently long-lived, depending on the U(1)' and hypercharge
discrete charge assignments for the exotic fields. Our analysis outlines a
general scheme for ensuring proton stability in the presence of light exotics
with baryon and lepton number violating interactions.


title: Recent developments for multi-leg QCD amplitudes with massive particles

abstract:
  We review the extension of modern techniques for the calculation of helicity
amplitudes in QCD to massive particles. The focus is on the use of
supersymmetric Ward identites that relate amplitudes with massive quarks to
those with massive scalars, the application of on-shell recursion relations to
amplitudes with massive quarks and an extension of the CSW rules to massive
scalars.


title: Negative correlation and log-concavity

abstract:
  We give counterexamples and a few positive results related to several
conjectures of R. Pemantle and D. Wagner concerning negative correlation and
log-concavity properties for probability measures and relations between them.
Most of the negative results have also been obtained, independently but
somewhat earlier, by Borcea et al. We also give short proofs of a pair of
results due to Pemantle and Borcea et al.; prove that "almost exchangeable"
measures satisfy the "Feder-Mihail" property, thus providing a "non-obvious"
example of a class of measures for which this important property can be shown
to hold; and mention some further questions.


title: Relative motion correction to fission barriers

abstract:
  We discuss the effect of kinetic energy of the relative motion becoming
spurious for separate fragments on the selfconsistent mean-field fission
barriers. The treatment of the relative motion in the cluster model is
contrasted with the necessity of a simpler and approximate approach in the
mean-field theory. A scheme of the energy correction to the Hartree-Fock is
proposed. The results obtained with the effective Skyrme interaction SLy6 show
that the correction, previously estimated as $\sim$ 8 MeV in $A=70-100$ nuclei,
amounts to 4 MeV in the medium heavy nucleus $^{198}$Hg and to null in
$^{238}$U. However, the corrected barrier implies a shorter fission half-life
of the latter nucleus. The same effect is expected to lower barriers for
multipartition (i.e. ternary fission, etc) and make hyperdeformed minima less
stable.


title: 9 Divides no Odd Fibonacci

abstract:
  I discuss numbers that divide no odd Fibonacci. Number 9 plays a special role
among such numbers.


title: Reinstating the 'no-lose' theorem for NMSSM Higgs discovery at the LHC

abstract:
  The simplest supersymmetric model that solves the mu problem and in which the
GUT-scale parameters need not be finely tuned in order to predict the correct
value of the Z boson mass at low scales is the Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric
Standard Model (NMSSM). However, in order that fine tuning be absent, the
lightest CP-even Higgs boson h should have mass ~100 GeV and SM couplings to
gauge bosons and fermions. The only way that this can be consistent with LEP
limits is if h decays primarily via h->aa->4 tau or 4j but not 4b, where a is
the lighter of the two pseudo-scalar Higgses that are present in the NMSSM.
Interestingly, m_a < 2 m_b is natural in the NMSSM with m_a > 2 m_tau somewhat
preferred. Thus, h -> 4 tau becomes a key mode of interest. Meanwhile, all
other Higgs bosons of the NMSSM are typically quite heavy. Detection of any of
the NMSSM Higgs bosons at the LHC in this preferred scenario will be very
challenging using conventional channels. In this paper, we demonstrate that the
h -> aa -> 4 tau decay chain should be visible if the Higgs is produced in the
process pp -> p+h+p with the final state protons being measured using suitably
installed forward detectors. Moreover, we show that the mass of both the h and
the a can be determined on an event-by-event basis.


title: The Eccentric Frame Decomposition of Central Force Fields

abstract:
  The rosette-shaped motion of a particle in a central force field is known to
be classically solvable by quadratures. We present a new approach of describing
and characterizing such motion based on the eccentricity vector of the two body
problem. In general, this vector is not an integral of motion. However, the
orbital motion, when viewed from the nonuniformly rotating frame defined by the
orientation of the eccentricity vector, can be solved analytically and will
either be a closed periodic circulation or libration. The motion with respect
to inertial space is then given by integrating the argument of periapsis with
respect to time. Finally we will apply the decomposition to a modern central
potential, the spherical Hernquist-Newton potential, which models dark matter
halos of galaxies with central black holes.


title: Non-Abelian Strings and the Luscher Term

abstract:
  We calculate the Luscher term for recently suggested non-Abelian flux tubes
(strings). The main feature of the non-Abelian strings is the presence of
orientational zero modes associated with rotation of their color flux inside a
non-Abelian subgroup. The Luscher term is determined by the number of light
degrees of freedom on the string wordsheet. Unlike the standard \pi/12 we get
N\pi/12 for non-Abelian strings in the U(N) gauge theories. Thus, the Luscher
coefficient acquires a dependence on the rank of the gauge group. In the models
with non-Abelian strings discussed in the literature there are two distinct
scales: the string tension \xi (the string thickness \sim \xi^{-1/2}) and the
dynamical scale of strong interactions \Lambda. At weak coupling
\xi\gg\Lambda^2. The Luscher term for non-Abelian strings experiences a jump:
at \xi^{-1/2}\ll L\ll \Lambda^{-1} it is N\pi/12 while at at L\gg \Lambda^{-1}
the orientational moduli are frozen out and the Luscher coefficient approaches
its "Luscher" value \pi/12. We raise the question of possible extra (i.e.
non-translational) light moduli on the worldsheet of QCD strings at large N.


title: Boxing with Konishi

abstract:
  The spin chain formulation of the operator spectrum of the N=4 super
Yang-Mills theory is haunted by the problem of ``wrapping'', i.e. the
inapplicability of the formalism for short spin chain length at high
loop-order. The first instance of wrapping concerns the fourth anomalous
dimension of the Konishi operator. While we do not obtain this number yet, we
lay out an operational scheme for its calculation. The approach passes through
a five- and six-loop sector. We show that all but one of the Feynman integrals
from this sector are related to five master graphs which ought to be calculable
by the method of partial integration. The remaining supergraph is argued to be
vanishing or finite; a numerical treatment should be possible. The number of
numerator terms remains small even if a further four-loop sector is included.
There is no need for infrared rearrangements.


title: Bottom-up isotropization in classical-statistical lattice gauge theory

abstract:
  We compute nonequilibrium dynamics for classical-statistical SU(2) pure gauge
theory on a lattice. We consider anisotropic initial conditions with high
occupation numbers in the transverse plane on a characteristic scale ~ Q_s.
This is used to investigate the very early stages of the thermalization process
in the context of heavy-ion collisions. We find Weibel or "primary"
instabilities with growth rates similar to those obtained from previous
treatments employing anisotropic distributions of hard modes (particles) in the
weak coupling limit. We observe "secondary" growth rates for higher-momentum
modes reaching substantially larger values and we analyse them in terms of
resummed loop diagrams beyond the hard-loop approximation. We find that a
coarse grained pressure isotropizes "bottom-up" with a characteristic inverse
rate of gamma^{-1} ~ 1 - 2 fm/c for coarse graining momentum scales of p < 1
GeV choosing an initial energy density for RHIC of epsilon = 30 GeV/fm^3. The
nonequilibrium spatial Wilson loop is found to exhibit an area law and to
become isotropic on a similar time scale.


title: Hom-algebras and homology

abstract:
  Classes of $G$-Hom-associative algebras are constructed as deformations of
$G$-associative algebras along algebra endomorphisms. As special cases, we
obtain Hom-associative and Hom-Lie algebras as deformations of associative and
Lie algebras, respectively, along algebra endomorphisms. Chevalley-Eilenberg
type homology for Hom-Lie algebras are also constructed.


title: Revised statistics of radio halos and the re-acceleration model

abstract:
  Aims. The statistical properties of radio halos can be used to discriminate
among the possible models for their origin. Therefore an unbiased and
exhaustive investigation in this direction is crucial.
  Methods. With this goal in mind in this paper we revise the occurrence of
radio halos in the redshift range 0-0.4, combining the low redshift (z<0.2)
statistical study of XBACs clusters with the NVSS (by Giovannini et al. 1999)
with our recent results from the radio follow up of REFLEX and eBCS clusters,
the GMRT radio halo survey, at higher redshift (0.2<z<0.4).
  Results. We find a significant statistical evidence (at 3.7 sigma) of an
increase of the fraction of clusters with Radio Halos with the X-ray luminosity
(mass) of the parent clusters and show that this increase is in line with
statistical calculations based on the re-acceleration scenario. We argue that a
fundamental expectation of this scenario is that the probability to have radio
halos emitting at hundred MHz is larger than that at GHz frequencies and thus
that future radio interferometers operating at low frequencies, such as LOFAR
and LWA, should detect a larger number of radio halos with respect to that
caught by present GHz observations. We also show that the expected increase of
the fraction of clusters with radio halos with the cluster mass as measured
with future LOFAR and LWA surveys should be less strong than that in present
surveys.


title:
Constraints on the IR behavior of the gluon propagator in Yang-Mills
  theories

abstract:
  We present rigorous upper and lower bounds for the zero-momentum gluon
propagator D(0) of Yang-Mills theories in terms of the average value of the
gluon field. This allows us to perform a controlled extrapolation of lattice
data to infinite volume, showing that the infrared limit of the Landau-gauge
gluon propagator in SU(2) gauge theory is finite and nonzero in three and in
four space-time dimensions. In the two-dimensional case we find D(0) = 0, in
agreement with Ref. [1]. We suggest an explanation for these results. We note
that our discussion is general, although we only apply our analysis to pure
gauge theory in Landau gauge. Simulations have been performed on the IBM
supercomputer at the University of Sao Paulo.


title: The Higgs mechanism in Finsler spacetimes

abstract:
  Finsler geometry has been recently re-discovered as an interesting
possibility to describe spacetime geometry beyond Riemannian geometry. The most
evident effect of this class of models is the prediction of modified dispersion
relations for particles moving in such backgrounds. In this paper, we are going
to consider the effects of modified dispersion relations on a gauge field
theory with spontaneous symmetry breaking (SSB) associated to a Higgs field.
The percolation of higher dimensional, Lorentz violating operators to lower
dimensional ones is discussed. We also discuss the issue of SSB in a
mono-metric Finsler scenario like the one associated to the so-called very
special relativity.


title: Exact reconstruction with directional wavelets on the sphere

abstract:
  A new formalism is derived for the analysis and exact reconstruction of
band-limited signals on the sphere with directional wavelets. It represents an
evolution of the wavelet formalism developed by Antoine & Vandergheynst (1999)
and Wiaux et al. (2005). The translations of the wavelets at any point on the
sphere and their proper rotations are still defined through the continuous
three-dimensional rotations. The dilations of the wavelets are directly defined
in harmonic space through a new kernel dilation, which is a modification of an
existing harmonic dilation. A family of factorized steerable functions with
compact harmonic support which are suitable for this kernel dilation is firstly
identified. A scale discretized wavelet formalism is then derived, relying on
this dilation. The discrete nature of the analysis scales allows the exact
reconstruction of band-limited signals. A corresponding exact multi-resolution
algorithm is finally described and an implementation is tested. The formalism
is of interest notably for the denoising or the deconvolution of signals on the
sphere with a sparse expansion in wavelets. In astrophysics, it finds a
particular application for the identification of localized directional features
in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) data, such as the imprint of
topological defects, in particular cosmic strings, and for their reconstruction
after separation from the other signal components.


title:
Non-equilibrium Green s function based model for dephasing in quantum
  transport

abstract:
  The objective of this paper is to describe a simple phenomenological approach
for including incoherent dephasing processes in quantum transport models. The
presented illustrative numerical results show this model provides the
flexibility of adjusting the degree of phase and momentum relaxation
independently that is not currently available in mesoscopic physics and in
device simulations while retaining the simplicity of other phenomenological
models.


title: All-Optical Production of Chromium Bose-Einstein Condensates

abstract:
  We report on the production of ^52Cr Bose Einstein Condensates (BEC) with an
all-optical method. We first load 5.10^6 metastable chromium atoms in a 1D
far-off-resonance optical trap (FORT) from a Magneto Optical Trap (MOT), by
combining the use of Radio Frequency (RF) frequency sweeps and depumping
towards the ^5S_2 state. The atoms are then pumped to the absolute ground
state, and transferred into a crossed FORT in which they are evaporated. The
fast loading of the 1D FORT (35 ms 1/e time), and the use of relatively fast
evaporative ramps allow us to obtain in 20 s about 15000 atoms in an almost
pure condensate.


title: Wrapping at four loops in N=4 SYM

abstract:
  We present the planar four-loop anomalous dimension of the composite operator
tr(phi[Z,phi]Z) in the flavour SU(2) sector of the N=4 SYM theory. At this loop
order wrapping interactions are present: they give rise to contributions
proportional to zeta(5) increasing the level of transcendentality of the
anomalous dimension. In a sequel of this paper all the details of our
calculation will be reported.


title: Extending higher derivations to rings and modules of quotients

abstract:
  A torsion theory is called differential (higher differential) if a derivation
(higher derivation) can be extended from any module to the module of quotients
corresponding to the torsion theory. We study conditions equivalent to higher
differentiability of a torsion theory. It is known that the Lambek, Goldie and
any perfect torsion theories are differential. We show that these classes of
torsion theories are higher differential as well. Then, we study conditions
under which a higher derivation extended to a right module of quotients extends
also to a right module of quotients with respect to a larger torsion theory.
Lastly, we define and study the symmetric version of higher differential
torsion theories. We prove that the symmetric versions of the results on higher
differential (one-sided) torsion theories hold for higher derivations on
symmetric modules of quotients. In particular, we prove that the symmetric
Lambek, Goldie and any perfect torsion theories are higher differential.


title:
Contributions to The 10th International Conference on Topics in
  Astroparticle and Underground Physics (TAUP) 2007, Sendai, Japan, Sep. 11-15,
  2007

abstract:
  This is the collection of the proceedings presented by the IceCube
Collaboration at the TAUP2007 conference.


title: A status report of the QCDSF $N_f=2+1$ Project

abstract:
  We report about on-going simulations of $N_f=2+1$ lattice QCD. We use a
tadpole improved Symanzik gauge action and stout link smeared Wilson fermions
with a clover term. We employ the Hasenbusch trick for the degenerate u- and
d-quarks, and the RHMC algorithm for the simulation of the strange quark.


title:
Cubic interaction vertices for fermionic and bosonic arbitrary spin
  fields

abstract:
  Using the light-cone gauge approach to relativistic field dynamics, we study
arbitrary spin fermionic and bosonic fields propagating in flat space of
dimension greater than or equal to four. Generating functions of parity
invariant cubic interaction vertices for totally symmetric and mixed-symmetry
massive and massless fields are obtained. For the case of totally symmetric
fields, we derive restrictions on the allowed values of spins and the number of
derivatives. These restrictions provide a complete classification of parity
invariant cubic interaction vertices for totally symmetric fermionic and
bosonic fields. As an example of application of the light-cone formalism, we
obtain simple expressions for the Yang-Mills and gravitational interactions of
massive arbitrary spin fermionic fields. For some particular cases, using our
light-cone cubic vertices, we discuss the corresponding manifestly Lorentz
invariant and on-shell gauge invariant cubic vertices.


title:
Photoproduction in Ultra-Peripheral Relativistic Heavy Ion Collisions
  with STAR

abstract:
  We present a summary of recent photoproduction results in ultra peripheral
relativistic heavy ions collisions with STAR. These collisions have impact
parameters larger then twice the nuclear radius; the nuclei do not physically
collide, but interact via long-range electromagnetic fields. We observe
exclusive $\rho^0$ production as well as $AuAu\to Au^*Au^* \rho^0$ with
accompanying mutual nuclear excitation at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200$ GeV. We report
the $\rho^0$ production cross section for both coherent and incoherent coupling
accompanied by mutual nuclear excitation. We have studied the cross section as
a function of $p_T$, $y_{\rho^0}$ and $M_{\pi\pi}$ and compared it to
theoretical models. In addition, we measured the $\rho^0$ helicity matrix
elements. They are found to be consistent with s-channel helicity conservation.
The ratio of coherent $\rho^0$ and direct $\pi^+\pi^-$ pair photoproduction has
been measured and found to be consistent with earlier measurements. The 4-pion
final state $AuAu \to \pi^+\pi^-\pi^+\pi^-$ state has also been observed.


title: The vertical velocity dispersion profile of the Galactic thick disk

abstract:
  We present the results of radial velocity measurements of 770 thick disk red
giants toward the South Galactic Pole, vertically distributed from 0.5 kpc to 5
kpc with respect to the Galactic plane. We find a small gradient in the
vertical velocity dispersion (sigma_W) of 3.8+/-0.8 km/s kpc. Even more
noteworthy, our values of $\sigma_W$ are small compared to literature values:
in the middle of the vertical height range we find sigma_W(z=2kpc)=30 km/s. We
found no possible explanation for this small value of sigma_W in terms of
sample contamination by thin disk stars, nor by wrong assumptions regarding the
metallicity distribution and the derived distances.


title:
Surface modes and photonic modes in Casimir calculations for a compact
  cylinder

abstract:
  A rigorous formulation of the problem of calculating the electromagnetic
vacuum energy of an infinite dielectric cylinder is discussed. It is shown that
the physically relevant spectrum of electromagnetic excitations includes the
surface modes and photonic modes. The mathematical procedure of summing over
this spectrum is proposed, and the transition to imaginary frequencies is
accomplished. As a result, it is justified the imaginary-frequency
representation for the vacuum energy which has been used in previous Casimir
studies for this configuration.


title: Deep inelastic structure functions from supergravity at small x

abstract:
  Deep inelastic structure functions can be calculated from supergravity when
the Bjorken parameter $x$ satisfies $ x > 1/\sqrt{gN} $. We consider a gauge
theory with very large 't Hooft coupling $gN$ in order to investigate the
region $x << 1$. In this case the center of mass energy is large enough to
increase the number of hadronic constituents of the final state. We calculate
the structure functions in terms of the number of final hadronic constituents.
At small $x$ we find a scaling law similar to geometric scaling but with
$\gamma_s = 0.5 $ and $ \lambda = 1 $.


title:
The resistive state in a superconducting wire: Bifurcation from the
  normal state

abstract:
  We study formally and rigorously the bifurcation to steady and time-periodic
states in a model for a thin superconducting wire in the presence of an imposed
current. Exploiting the PT-symmetry of the equations at both the linearized and
nonlinear levels, and taking advantage of the collision of real eigenvalues
leading to complex spectrum, we obtain explicit asymptotic formulas for the
stationary solutions, for the amplitude and period of the bifurcating periodic
solutions and for the location of their zeros or "phase slip centers" as they
are known in the physics literature. In so doing, we construct a center
manifold for the flow and give a complete description of the associated
finite-dimensional dynamics.


title:
New Regulators for Quantum Field Theories with Compactified Extra
  Dimensions. I: Fundamentals

abstract:
  In this paper, we propose two new regulators for quantum field theories in
spacetimes with compactified extra dimensions. We refer to these regulators as
the ``extended hard cutoff'' (EHC) and ``extended dimensional regularization''
(EDR). Although based on traditional four-dimensional regulators, the key new
feature of these higher-dimensional regulators is that they are specifically
designed to handle mixed spacetimes in which some dimensions are infinitely
large and others are compactified. Moreover, unlike most other regulators which
have been used in the extra-dimension literature, these regulators are designed
to respect the original higher-dimensional Lorentz and gauge symmetries that
exist prior to compactification, and not merely the four-dimensional symmetries
which remain afterward. This distinction is particularly relevant for
calculations of the physics of the excited Kaluza-Klein modes themselves, and
not merely their radiative effects on zero modes. By respecting the full
higher-dimensional symmetries, our regulators avoid the introduction of
spurious terms which would not have been easy to disentangle from the physical
effects of compactification. As part of our work, we also derive a number of
ancillary results. For example, we demonstrate that in a gauge-invariant
theory, analogues of the Ward-Takahashi identity hold not only for the usual
zero-mode (four-dimensional) photons, but for all excited Kaluza-Klein photons
as well.


title: Dispersion representations for hard exclusive reactions

abstract:
  A number of hard exclusive scattering processes can be described in terms of
generalized parton distributions (GPDs) and perturbative hard-scattering
kernels. Both the physical amplitude and the hard-scattering kernels fulfill
dispersion relations. We show that their consistency at all orders in
perturbation theory is guaranteed if the GPDs satisfy certain integral
relations. These relations are fulfilled thanks to Lorentz invariance.


title: Synthesis of quantum-confined CdS nanotubes

abstract:
  CdS nanotubes with wall thickness comparable to excitonic diameter of the
bulk material are synthesized by a chemical route. A change in experimental
conditions result in formation of nanowires, and well-separated nanoparticles.
The diameter and wall thickness of nanotubes measured to be 14.4 $\pm$ 6.1 and
4.7 $\pm$ 2.2 nm, respectively. A large number of CdS nanocrystallites having
wurzite structure constitute these nanotubes. These nanotubes show high energy
shifting of optical absorption and photoluminescence peak positions, compared
to its bulk value, due to quantum confinement effect. It is proposed that
nucleation and growth of bubbles and particles in the chemical reaction, and
their kinetics and interactions are responsible for the formation of nanotubes.


title: The Non-thermal Radio Jet Toward the NGC 2264 Star Formation Region

abstract:
  We report sensitive VLA 3.6 cm radio observations toward the head of the Cone
nebula in NGC 2264, made in 2006. The purpose of these observations was to
study a non-thermal radio jet recently discovered, that appears to emanate from
the head of the Cone nebula. The jet is highly polarized, with well-defined
knots, and one-sided. The comparison of our images with 1995 archive data
indicates no evidence of proper motions nor polarization changes. We find
reliable flux density variations in only one knot, which we tentatively
identify as the core of a quasar or radio galaxy. An extragalactic location
seems to be the best explanation for this jet.


title: Improved model for the analysis of air fluorescence induced by electrons

abstract:
  A model recently proposed for the calculation of air-fluorescence yield
excited by electrons is revisited. Improved energy distributions of secondary
electrons and a more realistic Monte Carlo simulation including some additional
processes have allowed us to obtain more accurate results. The model is used to
study in detail the relationship between fluorescence intensity and deposited
energy in a wide range of primary energy (keVs - GeVs). In addition,
predictions on the absolute value of the fluorescence efficiency in the absence
of collisional quenching will be presented and compared with available
experimental data.


title: Arbitrage free cointegrated models in gas and oil future markets

abstract:
  In this article we present a continuous time model for natural gas and crude
oil future prices. Its main feature is the possibility to link both energies in
the long term and in the short term. For each energy, the future returns are
represented as the sum of volatility functions driven by motions. Under the
risk neutral probability, the motions of both energies are correlated Brownian
motions while under the historical probability, they are cointegrated by a
Vectorial Error Correction Model. Our approach is equivalent to defining the
market price of risk. This model is free of arbitrage: thus, it can be used for
risk management as well for option pricing issues. Calibration on European
market data and numerical simulations illustrate well its behavior.


title:
Comparing Suzaku and XMM-Newton Observations of the Soft X-ray
  Background: Evidence for Solar Wind Charge Exchange Emission

abstract:
  We present an analysis of a pair of Suzaku spectra of the soft X-ray
background (SXRB), obtained from pointings on and off a nearby shadowing
filament in the southern Galactic hemisphere. Because of the different Galactic
column densities in the two pointing directions, the observed emission from the
Galactic halo has a different shape in the two spectra. We make use of this
difference when modeling the spectra to separate the absorbed halo emission
from the unabsorbed foreground emission from the Local Bubble (LB). The
temperatures and emission measures we obtain are significantly different from
those determined from an earlier analysis of XMM-Newton spectra from the same
pointing directions. We attribute this difference to the presence of previously
unrecognized solar wind charge exchange (SWCX) contamination in the XMM-Newton
spectra, possibly due to a localized enhancement in the solar wind moving
across the line of sight. Contemporaneous solar wind data from ACE show nothing
unusual during the course of the XMM-Newton observations. Our results therefore
suggest that simply examining contemporaneous solar wind data might be
inadequate for determining if a spectrum of the SXRB is contaminated by SWCX
emission. If our Suzaku spectra are not badly contaminated by SWCX emission,
our best-fitting LB model gives a temperature of log T = 5.98 +0.03/-0.04 and a
pressure of p/k = 13,100-16,100 cm^-3 K. These values are lower than those
obtained from other recent observations of the LB, suggesting the LB may not be
isothermal and may not be in pressure equilibrium. Our halo modeling,
meanwhile, suggests that neon may be enhanced relative to oxygen and iron,
possibly because oxygen and iron are partly in dust.


title: Laser Ranging for Gravitational, Lunar, and Planetary Science

abstract:
  More precise lunar and Martian ranging will enable unprecedented tests of
Einstein's theory of General Relativity and well as lunar and planetary
science. NASA is currently planning several missions to return to the Moon, and
it is natural to consider if precision laser ranging instruments should be
included. New advanced retroreflector arrays at carefully chosen landing sites
would have an immediate positive impact on lunar and gravitational studies.
Laser transponders are currently being developed that may offer an advantage
over passive ranging, and could be adapted for use on Mars and other distant
objects. Precision ranging capability can also be combined with optical
communications for an extremely versatile instrument. In this paper we discuss
the science that can be gained by improved lunar and Martian ranging along with
several technologies that can be used for this purpose.


title:
Griffiths-McCoy singularities, Lee-Yang zeros and the cavity method in a
  solvable diluted ferromagnet

abstract:
  We study the diluted Ising ferromagnet on the Bethe lattice as a case study
for the application of the cavity method to problems with Griffiths-McCoy
singularities. Specifically, we are able to make much progress at infinite
coupling where we compute, from the cavity method, the density of Lee-Yang
zeroes in the paramagnetic Griffiths region as well as the properties of the
phase transition to the ferromagnet. This phase transition is itself of a
Griffiths-McCoy character albeit with a power law distribution of cluster
sizes.


title: On the final spin from the coalescence of two black holes

abstract:
  We provide a compact analytic formula to compute the spin of the black hole
produced by the coalescence of two black holes. The expression, which uses an
analytic fit of numerical-relativity data and relies on four assumptions, aims
at modelling generic initial spin configurations and mass ratios. A comparison
with numerical-relativity simulations already shows very accurate agreements
with all of the numerical data available to date, but we also suggest a number
of ways in which our predictions can be further improved.


title: Non-equilibrium thermodynamics for functionals of current and density

abstract:
  We study a stochastic many-body system maintained in an non-equilibrium
steady state. Probability distribution functional of the time-integrated
current and density is shown to attain a large-deviation form in the long-time
asymptotics. The corresponding Current-Density Cramer Functional (CDCF) is
explicitly derived for irreversible Langevin dynamics and discrete-space Markov
chains. We also show that the Cramer functionals of other linear functionals of
density and current, like work generated by a force, are related to CDCF in a
way reminiscent of variational relations between different thermodynamic
potentials. The general formalism is illustrated with a model example.


title:
Spin-orbit interaction in final state as possible reason for T-odd
  correlation in ternary fission

abstract:
  A model for ternary fission is discussed in which a third particle
(alpha-particle) is emitted due to non-adiabatic change of the nuclear
potential at neck rapture. An expression for energy and angular distribution of
alpha-particles is proposed. It is shown that an interaction between spin of
fissioning system and orbital momentum of alpha-particle (spin-orbit
interaction in the final state) results in recently observed asymmetry of
alpha-particle emission, which can be formally related to T-odd correlation. No
strong dependence of the asymmetry on the angle of alpha-particle emission with
respect to the fission axis is predicted by the model in accordance with the
experimental data.


title: QCD corrections to hadronic WWZ production with leptonic decays

abstract:
  Multi-lepton signatures appear in many new physics searches at the Large
Hadron Collider. We here consider WWZ production with subsequent leptonic decay
of the three vector bosons as a SM source of multi-lepton events. We have
calculated the next-to-leading order QCD corrections for the full $p p\to 6$
lepton production cross sections in hadronic collisions. Results have been
implemented in the form of a flexible parton-level Monte-Carlo program which
allows to calculate the QCD corrections for arbitrary distributions and
acceptance cuts.


title: The Higgs Phenomenon in Quantum Gravity

abstract:
  The Higgs phenomenon occurs in theories of gravity in which the connection is
an independent dynamical variable. The role of order parameters is played by
the soldering form and a fiber metric. The breaking of the original gauge
symmetry is linked to the appearance of geometrical structures on spacetime.
These facts suggest certain modifications and generalizations of the theory. We
propose a Higgs-like model which provides a dynamical explanation for the
nondegeneracy of the metric and a framework for the unification of gravity with
the other interactions.


title: Kerr-Gauss-Bonnet Black Holes: An Analytical Approximation

abstract:
  Gauss-Bonnet gravity provides one of the most promising frameworks to study
curvature corrections to the Einstein action in supersymmetric string theories,
while avoiding ghosts and keeping second order field equations. Although
Schwarzschild-type solutions for Gauss-Bonnet black holes have been known for
long, the Kerr-Gauss-Bonnet metric is missing. In this paper, a five
dimensional Gauss-Bonnet approximation is analytically derived for spinning
black holes and the related thermodynamical properties are briefly outlined.


title:
Invariant conserved currents in gravity theories: diffeomorphisms and
  local gauge symmetries

abstract:
  Previously, we have developed a general method to construct invariant
conserved currents and charges in gravitational theories with Lagrangians that
are invariant under spacetime diffeomorphisms and local Lorentz
transformations. This approach is now generalized to the case when the local
Lorentz group is replaced by an arbitrary local gauge group. The particular
examples include the Maxwell and Yang-Mills fields coupled to gravity with
Abelian and non-Abelian local internal symmetries, and the metric-affine
gravity in which the local Lorentz spacetime group is extended to the local
general linear group.


title:
The Thickness of High-Redshift Quasar Ionization Fronts as a Constraint
  on the Ionizing Spectral Energy Distribution

abstract:
  High-redshift quasars (z >~ 6) drive ionization fronts into the intergalactic
medium (IGM). If the thickness of the front can be measured, it can provide a
novel constraint on the ionizing spectral energy distribution (SED). Here we
follow the propagation of an I-front into a uniform IGM, and compute its
thickness for a range of possible quasar spectra and ages. We also explore the
effects of uniform and non-uniform ionizing backgrounds. We find that even for
hard spectra, the fronts are initially thin, with a thickness much smaller than
the mean free path of ionizing photons, but the thickness increases as the
front approaches equilibrium in 10^8 - 10^9 years, and can eventually
significantly exceed simple estimates based on the mean free path. With a high
intrinsic hydrogen column density obscuring the source (log(N_H/cm^-2) >~ 19.2)
or a hard power-law spectrum combined with some obscuration (e.g.
dlog(F_\nu)/dlog(\nu) >~ -1.2 at log(N_H/cm^-2) >~ 18.0), the thickness of the
front exceeds ~1 physical Mpc and may be measurable from the morphology of its
redshifted 21cm signal. We find that the highly ionized inner part of the
front, which may be probed by Lyman line absorption spectra, remains sharp for
bright quasars unless a large obscuring column (log(N_H/cm^-2) >~ 19.2) removes
most of their ionizing photons up to ~40 eV. For obscured sources with
log(N_H/cm^-2) >~ 19.8, embedded in a significantly neutral IGM, the black
Lyman-alpha trough (where the neutral fraction is ~10^-3) underestimates the
size of the HII region by a factor of >~4.


title: Boundary Spectra in Superspace Sigma-Models

abstract:
  In this note we compute exact boundary spectra for D-instantons in
sigma-models on the supergroup PSL(2|2). Our results are obtained through an
explicit summation of the perturbative expansion for conformal dimensions to
all orders in the curvature radius. The analysis exploits several remarkable
properties of the perturbation series that arises from rescalings of the metric
on PSL(2|2) relative to a fixed Wess-Zumino term. According to Berkovits, Vafa
and Witten, the models are relevant in the context of string theory on AdS3
with non-vanishing RR-flux. The note concludes with a number of comments on
various possible generalizations to other supergroups and higher dimensional
supercoset theories.


title:
Non-Perturbative Functional Renormalization Group for Random Field
  Models and Related Disordered Systems. I: Effective Average Action Formalism

abstract:
  We have developed a nonperturbative functional renormalization group approach
for random field models and related disordered systems for which, due to the
existence of many metastable states, conventional perturbation theory often
fails. The approach combines an exact renormalization group equation for the
effective average action with a nonperturbative approximation scheme based on a
description of the probability distribution of the renormalized disorder
through its cumulants. For the random field $O(N)$ model, the minimal
truncation within this scheme is shown to reproduce the known perturbative
results in the appropriate limits, near the upper and lower critical dimensions
and at large number $N$ of components, while providing a unified
nonperturbative description of the full $(N,d)$ plane, where $d$ is the spatial
dimension.


title: Invariant conserved currents for gravity

abstract:
  We develop a general approach, based on the Lagrange-Noether machinery, to
the definition of invariant conserved currents for gravity theories with
general coordinate and local Lorentz symmetries. In this framework, every
vector field \xi on spacetime generates, in any dimension n, for any Lagrangian
of gravitational plus matter fields and for any (minimal or nonminimal) type of
interaction, a current J[\xi] with the following properties: (1) the current
(n-1)-form J[\xi] is constructed from the Lagrangian and the generalized field
momenta, (2) it is conserved, d J[\xi] = 0, when the field equations are
satisfied, (3) J[\xi]= d\Pi[\xi] "on shell", (4) the current J[\xi], the
superpotential \Pi[\xi], and the charge Q[\xi] = \int J[\xi] are invariant
under diffeomorphisms and the local Lorentz group. We present a compact
derivation of the Noether currents associated with diffeomorphisms and apply
the general method to compute the total energy and angular momentum of exact
solutions in several physically interesting gravitational models.


title: Highly Nonlinear Solitary Waves in Heterogeneous Periodic Granular Media

abstract:
  We use experiments, numerical simulations, and theoretical analysis to
investigate the propagation of highly nonlinear solitary waves in periodic
arrangements of dimer (two-mass) and trimer (three-mass) cell structures in
one-dimensional granular lattices. To vary the composition of the fundamental
periodic units in the granular chains, we utilize beads of different materials
(stainless steel, bronze, glass, nylon, polytetrafluoroethylene, and rubber).
This selection allows us to tailor the response of the system based on the
masses, Poisson ratios, and elastic moduli of the components. For example, we
examine dimer configurations with two types of heavy particles, two types of
light particles, and alternating light and heavy particles. Employing a model
with Hertzian interactions between adjacent beads, we find very good agreement
between experiments and numerical simulations. We find equally good agreement
between these results and a theoretical analysis of the model in the
long-wavelength regime that we derive for heterogeneous environments (dimer
chains) and general bead interactions. Our analysis encompasses
previously-studied examples as special cases and also provides key insights on
the influence of heterogeneous lattices on the properties (width and
propagation speed) of the nonlinear wave solutions of this system.


title: The scar mechanism revisited

abstract:
  Unstable periodic orbits are known to originate scars on some eigenfunctions
of classically chaotic systems through recurrences causing that some part of an
initial distribution of quantum probability in its vicinity returns
periodically close to the initial point. In the energy domain, these
recurrences are seen to accumulate quantum density along the orbit by a
constructive interference mechanism when the appropriate quantization (on the
action of the scarring orbit) is fulfilled. Other quantized phase space
circuits, such as those defined by homoclinic tori, are also important in the
coherent transport of quantum density in chaotic systems. The relationship of
this secondary quantum transport mechanism with the standard mechanism for
scarring is here discussed and analyzed.


title: Unified Theory of Ghost Imaging with Gaussian-State Light

abstract:
  The theory of ghost imaging is developed in a Gaussian-state framework that
both encompasses prior work - on thermal-state and biphoton-state imagers - and
provides a complete understanding of the boundary between classical and quantum
behavior in such systems. The core of this analysis is the expression derived
for the photocurrent-correlation image obtained using a general Gaussian-state
source. This image is expressed in terms of the phase-insensitive and
phase-sensitive cross-correlations between the two detected fields, plus a
background. Because any pair of cross-correlations is obtainable with classical
Gaussian states, the image does not carry a quantum signature per se. However,
if the image characteristics of classical and nonclassical Gaussian-state
sources with identical auto-correlation functions are compared, the
nonclassical source provides resolution improvement in its near field and
field-of-view improvement in its far field.


title:
A Search for Extended Ultraviolet Disk (XUV-disk) Galaxies in the Local
  Universe

abstract:
  We have initiated a search for extended ultraviolet disk (XUV-disk) galaxies
in the local universe. Herein, we compare GALEX UV and visible--NIR images of
189 nearby (D$<$40 Mpc) S0--Sm galaxies included in the GALEX Atlas of Nearby
Galaxies and present the first catalogue of XUV-disk galaxies. We find that
XUV-disk galaxies are surprisingly common but have varied relative (UV/optical)
extent and morphology. Type~1 objects ($\ga$20% incidence) have structured,
UV-bright/optically-faint emission features in the outer disk, beyond the
traditional star formation threshold. Type~2 XUV-disk galaxies ($\sim$10%
incidence) exhibit an exceptionally large,
UV-bright/optically-low-surface-brightness (LSB) zone having blue $UV-K_s$
outside the effective extent of the inner, older stellar population, but not
reaching extreme galactocentric distance. If the activity occuring in XUV-disks
is episodic, a higher fraction of present-day spirals could be influenced by
such outer disk star formation. Type~1 disks are associated with spirals of all
types, whereas Type~2 XUV-disks are predominantly found in late-type spirals.
Type~2 XUV-disks are forming stars quickly enough to double their [presently
low] stellar mass in the next Gyr (assuming a constant SF rate). XUV-disk
galaxies of both types are systematically more gas-rich than the general galaxy
population. Minor external perturbation may stimulate XUV-disk incidence, at
least for Type~1 objects. XUV-disks are the most actively evolving galaxies
growing via inside-out disk formation in the current epoch, and may constitute
a segment of the galaxy population experiencing significant, continued gas
accretion from the intergalactic medium or neighboring objects.


title:
Non-Perturbative Functional Renormalization Group for Random Field
  Models and Related Disordered Systems. II: Results for the Random Field O(N)
  Model

abstract:
  We study the critical behavior and phase diagram of the $d$-dimensional
random field O(N) model by means of the nonperturbative functional
renormalization group approach presented in the preceding paper. We show that
the dimensional reduction predictions, obtained from conventional perturbation
theory, break down below a critical dimension $d_{DR}(N)$ and we provide a
description of criticality, ferromagnetic ordering and quasi-long range order
in the whole $(N,d)$ plane. Below $d_{DR}(N)$, our formalism gives access to
both the typical behavior of the system, controlled by zero-temperature fixed
points with a nonanalytic dimensionless effective action, and to the physics of
rare low-energy excitations ("droplets"), described at nonzero temperature by
the rounding of the nonanalyticity in a thermal boundary layer.


title: Cyclic Foam Topological Field Theories

abstract:
  This paper proposes an axiomatic for Cyclic Foam Topological Field theories.
That is Topological Field theories, corresponding to String theories, where
particles are arbitrary graphs. World surfaces in this case are two-manifolds
with one-dimensional singularities. We proved that Cyclic Foam Topological
Field theories one-to-one correspond to graph-Cardy-Frobenius algebras, that
are families $(A,B_\star,\phi)$, where $A=\{A^s|s\in S\}$ are families of
commutative associative Frobenius algebras, $B_\star =
\bigoplus_{\sigma\in\Sigma} B_\sigma$ is an graduated by graphes, associative
algebras of Frobenius type and $\phi=\{\phi_\sigma^s: A^s\to (B_\sigma)|s\in
S,\sigma\in \Sigma\}$ is a family of special representations. There are
constructed examples of Cyclic Foam Topological Field theories and its
graph-Cardy-Frobenius algebras


title: Mesolensing Explorations of Nearby Masses: From Planets to Black Holes

abstract:
  Nearby masses can have a high probability of lensing stars in a distant
background field. High-probability lensing, or mesolensing, can therefore be
used to dramatically increase our knowledge of dark and dim objects in the
solar neighborhood, where it can discover and study members of the local dark
population (free-floating planets, low-mass dwarfs, white dwarfs, neutron
stars, and stellar mass black holes). We can measure the mass and transverse
velocity of those objects discovered (or already known), and determine whether
or not they are in binaries with dim companions. We explore these and other
applications of mesolensing, including the study of forms of matter that have
been hypothesized but not discovered, such as intermediate-mass black holes,
dark matter objects free-streaming through the Galactic disk, and planets in
the outermost regions of the solar system. In each case we discuss the
feasibility of deriving results based on present-day monitoring systems, and
also consider the vistas that will open with the advent of all-sky monitoring
in the era of the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System
(Pan-STARRS), and the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST).


title: Light charged Higgs at the beginning of the LHC era

abstract:
  The terascale will be explored with the start of the LHC. One of the most
fundamental questions which we expect to be answered is the root of electroweak
symmetry breaking and whether the Higgs mechanism is realized in nature or not.
In this context we pose the question if existing experimental data still allow
for a light non-minimal Higgs sector. We tackle this question first in the
context of the two Higgs doublet model and then we concentrate in two
supersymmetric models, the constrained MSSM and the MSSM with non-universal
Higgs masses. In both supersymmetric scearios, light pseudoscalar and light
charged-Higgs bosons are still viable provided tan beta is large. In this
regime, we emphasize the importance of the constraints provided by the decay B
to tau nu mediated by the charged-Higgs at tree-level. In addition we comment
on generic predictions for hadronic colliders and indirect searches in such
scenarios.


title: D=5 SU(2)xU(1) Gauged Supergravity from D=11 Supergravity

abstract:
  We consider the most general class of supersymmetric solutions of D=11
supergravity consisting of a warped product of AdS_5 with a six-dimensional
internal manifold N_6, which are dual to N=2 super conformal field theories in
d=4. For any such N_6 we construct the full non-linear Kaluza-Klein ansatz for
the reduction of D=11 supergravity on N_6 down to D=5 SU(2)xU(1) gauged
supergravity, at the level of the bosonic fields. This allows one to uplift any
solution of the D=5 supergravity to obtain a solution of D=11 supergravity for
any given N_6. Using an explicit N_6, corresponding to M5-branes wrapping
holomorphic curves in a Calabi-Yau two-fold, we uplift some solutions and
comment upon their interpretation.


title: Localized basis sets for unbound electrons in nanoelectronics

abstract:
  It is shown how unbound electron wave functions can be expanded in a suitably
chosen localized basis sets for any desired range of energies. In particular,
we focus on the use of gaussian basis sets, commonly used in first-principles
codes. The possible usefulness of these basis sets in a first-principles
description of field emission or scanning tunneling microscopy at large bias is
illustrated by studying a simpler related phenomenon: The lifetime of an
electron in a H atom subjected to a strong electric field.


title: Triple coalescence singularity in a dynamical atomic process

abstract:
  We show that the high energy limit for the amplitude of the double electron
capture to the bound state of the Coulomb field of a nucleus with emission of a
single photon is determined by behavior of the wave function in the vicinity of
the singular triple coalescence point.


title: Calabi-Yau Metrics for Quotients and Complete Intersections

abstract:
  We extend previous computations of Calabi-Yau metrics on projective
hypersurfaces to free quotients, complete intersections, and free quotients of
complete intersections. In particular, we construct these metrics on generic
quintics, four-generation quotients of the quintic, Schoen Calabi-Yau complete
intersections and the quotient of a Schoen manifold with Z_3 x Z_3 fundamental
group that was previously used to construct a heterotic standard model. Various
numerical investigations into the dependence of Donaldson's algorithm on the
integration scheme, as well as on the Kahler and complex structure moduli, are
also performed.


title:
Asymptotic representations of the reduced C*-algebra of a free group: an
  example

abstract:
  We give an example of a non-trivial asymptotic representation of the reduced
C*-algebra of a free group. This example allows to evaluate the asymptotic
tensor C*-norm of some elements in tensor product C*-algebras and to show
semi-invertibility of the non-invertible extension of $C^*_r(\mathbb F_2)$
considered by Haagerup and Thorbjornsen.


title:
Performance evaluation of novel square-bordered position-sensitive
  silicon detectors with four-corner readout

abstract:
  We report on a recently developed novel type of large area (62 mm x 62 mm)
position sensitive silicon detector with four-corner readout. It consists of a
square-shaped ion-implanted resistive anode framed by additional
low-resistivity strips with resistances smaller than the anode surface
resistance by a factor of 2. The detector position linearity, position
resolution, and energy resolution were measured with alpha-particles and heavy
ions. In-beam experimental results reveal a position resolution below 1 mm
(FWHM) and a very good non-linearity of less than 1% (rms). The energy
resolution determined from 228Th alpha source measurements is around 2% (FWHM).


title:
Coherent oscillations in superconducting cold Fermi atoms and their
  applications

abstract:
  Recent achievements in experiments with cold fermionic atoms indicate the
potential for developing novel superconducting devices which may be operated in
a wide range of regimes, at a level of precision previously not available.
Unlike traditional, solid-state superconducting devices, the cold-atom systems
allow the fast switching on of the BCS phase, and the observation of
non-equilibrium, coherent oscillations of the order parameter. The integrable
and non-linear nature of the equations of motions makes this operating regime
particularly rich in potential applications, such as quantum modulation and
encoding, or nonlinear mixing of quantum coherent oscillations, to name only
two. From a mathematical point of view, such systems can be described using the
Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov-Bernard equation, or more generally, by the matrix
Kadomtsev-Petviashvilii integrable hierarchy. This identification is
particularly useful, since it allows a direct application of the known
non-linear phenomena described by particular solutions of these equations.
Other important features of this formulation, such as the relation to the spin
Calogero-Sutherland model, also have relevant physical interpretations. In this
work, a complete description of these relationships is presented, along with
their potential practical consequences.


title:
Random sequential adsorption model of damage and crack accumulation:
  Exact one-dimensional results

abstract:
  The random sequential adsorption (RSA) model is modified to describe damage
and crack accumulation. The exclusion for object deposition (for damaged region
formation) is not for the whole object, as in the standard RSA, but only for
the initial point (or higher-dimensional defect) from which the damaged region
or crack initiates. The one-dimensional variant of the model is solved exactly.


title: A Partition-Based Relaxation For Steiner Trees

abstract:
  The Steiner tree problem is a classical NP-hard optimization problem with a
wide range of practical applications. In an instance of this problem, we are
given an undirected graph G=(V,E), a set of terminals R, and non-negative costs
c_e for all edges e in E. Any tree that contains all terminals is called a
Steiner tree; the goal is to find a minimum-cost Steiner tree. The nodes V R
are called Steiner nodes.
  The best approximation algorithm known for the Steiner tree problem is due to
Robins and Zelikovsky (SIAM J. Discrete Math, 2005); their greedy algorithm
achieves a performance guarantee of 1+(ln 3)/2 ~ 1.55. The best known linear
(LP)-based algorithm, on the other hand, is due to Goemans and Bertsimas (Math.
Programming, 1993) and achieves an approximation ratio of 2-2/|R|. In this
paper we establish a link between greedy and LP-based approaches by showing
that Robins and Zelikovsky's algorithm has a natural primal-dual interpretation
with respect to a novel partition-based linear programming relaxation. We also
exhibit surprising connections between the new formulation and existing LPs and
we show that the new LP is stronger than the bidirected cut formulation.
  An instance is b-quasi-bipartite if each connected component of G R has at
most b vertices. We show that Robins' and Zelikovsky's algorithm has an
approximation ratio better than 1+(ln 3)/2 for such instances, and we prove
that the integrality gap of our LP is between 8/7 and (2b+1)/(b+1).


title: MicroRNA Systems Biology

abstract:
  Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as central posttranscriptional
regulators of gene expression. miRNAs regulate many key biological processes,
including cell growth, death, development and differentiation. This discovery
is challenging the central dogma of molecular biology. Genes are working
together by forming cellular networks. It has become an emerging concept that
miRNAs could intertwine with cellular networks to exert their function. Thus,
it is essential to understand how miRNAs take part in cellular processes at a
systems-level. In this review, I will first introduce basic knowledge of miRNAs
and their relations to heart disaeses and cancer, highlight recently dicovered
functions such as filtering out gene expression noise by miRNAs. I will aslo
introduce basic concepts of cellular networks and interpret their biological
meaning in such a way that the network concepts are digested in a biological
context and are understandable for biologists. Finally, I will summarize the
most recent progress in understanding of miRNA biology at a systems-level: the
principles of miRNA regulation of the major cellular networks including
signaling, metabolic, protein interaction and gene regulatory networks. A
common miRNA regulatory principle is emerging: miRNAs preferentially regulated
the genes that have high regulation complexity. In addition, miRNAs
preferentially regulate positive regulatory motifs, highly connected scaffolds
and the most network downstream components of cellular signaling networks,
while miRNAs selectively regulate the genes which have specific network
structural features on metabolic networks.


title: Environmental Effects on Real-Space and Redshift-Space Galaxy Clustering

abstract:
  Galaxy formation inside dark matter halos, as well as the halo formation
itself, can be affected by large-scale environments. Evaluating the imprints of
environmental effects on galaxy clustering is crucial for precise cosmological
constraints with data from galaxy redshift surveys. We investigate such an
environmental impact on both real-space and redshift-space galaxy clustering
statistics using a semi-analytic model derived from the Millennium Simulation.
We compare clustering statistics from original SAM galaxy samples and shuffled
ones with environmental influence on galaxy properties eliminated. Among the
luminosity-threshold samples examined, the one with the lowest threshold
luminosity (~0.2L_*) is affected by environmental effects the most, which has a
~10% decrease in the real-space two-point correlation function (2PCF) after
shuffling. By decomposing the 2PCF into five different components based on the
source of pairs, we show that the change in the 2PCF can be explained by the
age and richness dependence of halo clustering. The 2PCFs in redshift space are
found to change in a similar manner after shuffling. If the environmental
effects are neglected, halo occupation distribution modeling of the real-space
and redshift-space clustering may have a less than 6.5% systematic uncertainty
in constraining beta from the most affected SAM sample and have substantially
smaller uncertainties from the other, more luminous samples. We argue that the
effect could be even smaller in reality. In the Appendix, we present a method
to decompose the 2PCF, which can be applied to measure the two-point
auto-correlation functions of galaxy sub-samples in a volume-limited galaxy
sample and their two-point cross-correlation functions in a single run
utilizing only one random catalog.


title: Mapping photonic entanglement into and out of a quantum memory

abstract:
  Recent developments of quantum information science critically rely on
entanglement, an intriguing aspect of quantum mechanics where parts of a
composite system can exhibit correlations stronger than any classical
counterpart. In particular, scalable quantum networks require capabilities to
create, store, and distribute entanglement among distant matter nodes via
photonic channels. Atomic ensembles can play the role of such nodes. So far, in
the photon counting regime, heralded entanglement between atomic ensembles has
been successfully demonstrated via probabilistic protocols. However, an
inherent drawback of this approach is the compromise between the amount of
entanglement and its preparation probability, leading intrinsically to low
count rate for high entanglement. Here we report a protocol where entanglement
between two atomic ensembles is created by coherent mapping of an entangled
state of light. By splitting a single-photon and subsequent state transfer, we
separate the generation of entanglement and its storage. After a programmable
delay, the stored entanglement is mapped back into photonic modes with overall
efficiency of 17 %. Improvements of single-photon sources together with our
protocol will enable "on demand" entanglement of atomic ensembles, a powerful
resource for quantum networking.


title: A Quantitative Measure of Experimental Scientific Merit

abstract:
  Experimental program review in our field may benefit from a more quantitative
framework within which to quantitatively discuss the scientific merit of a
proposed program of research, and to assess the scientific merit of a
particular experimental result. This article proposes explicitly such a
quantitative framework. Examples of the use of this framework in assessing the
scientific merit of particular avenues of research at the energy frontier in
many cases provide results in stark contradiction to accepted wisdom. The
experimental scientific figure of merit proposed here has the potential for
informing future choices of research direction in our field, and in other
subfields of the physical sciences.

categories: physics.data-an hep-ex hep-ph hep-th physics.soc-ph


title:
Ultraviolet through Infrared Spectral Energy Distributions from 1000
  SDSS Galaxies: Dust Attenuation

abstract:
  The meaningful comparison of models of galaxy evolution to observations is
critically dependent on the accurate treatment of dust attenuation. To
investigate dust absorption and emission in galaxies we have assembled a sample
of ~1000 galaxies with ultraviolet (UV) through infrared (IR) photometry from
GALEX, SDSS, and Spitzer and optical spectroscopy from SDSS. The ratio of IR to
UV emission (IRX) is used to constrain the dust attenuation in galaxies. We use
the 4000A break as a robust and useful, although coarse, indicator of star
formation history (SFH). We examine the relationship between IRX and the UV
spectral slope (a common attenuation indicator at high-redshift) and find
little dependence of the scatter on 4000A break strength. We construct average
UV through far-IR spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for different ranges of
IRX, 4000A break strength, and stellar mass (M_*) to show the variation of the
entire SED with these parameters. When binned simultaneously by IRX, 4000A
break strength, and M_* these SEDs allow us to determine a low resolution
average attenuation curve for different ranges of M_*. The attenuation curves
thus derived are consistent with a lambda^{-0.7} attenuation law, and we find
no significant variations with M_*. Finally, we show the relationship between
IRX and the global stellar mass surface density and gas-phase-metallicity.
Among star forming galaxies we find a strong correlation between IRX and
stellar mass surface density, even at constant metallicity, a result that is
closely linked to the well-known correlation between IRX and star-formation
rate.


title: Scaling functions for the O(4)-model in d=3 dimensions

abstract:
  A non-perturbative Renormalization Group approach is used to calculate
scaling functions for an O(4) model in d=3 dimensions in the presence of an
external symmetry-breaking field. These scaling functions are important for the
analysis of critical behavior in the O(4) universality class. For example, the
finite-temperature phase transition in QCD with two flavors is expected to fall
into this class. Critical exponents are calculated in local potential
approximation. Parameterizations of the scaling functions for the order
parameter and for the longitudinal susceptibility are given. Relations from
universal scaling arguments between these scaling functions are investigated
and confirmed. The expected asymptotic behavior of the scaling functions
predicted by Griffiths is observed. Corrections to the scaling behavior at
large values of the external field are studied qualitatively. These scaling
corrections can become large, which might have implications for the scaling
analysis of lattice QCD results.


title: First Column Boundary Operator Product Expansion Coefficients

abstract:
  We calculate boundary operator product expansion coefficients for boundary
operators in the first column of the Kac table in conformal field theories. For
c=0 we give closed form expressions for all such coefficients. Then we
generalize to the augmented minimal models, giving explicit expressions for
coefficients valid when \phi_{1,2} mediates a change from fixed to free
boundary conditions. These quantities are determined by computing an arbitrary
four-point correlation function of first column operators. Our calculation
first determines the appropriate (non-logarithmic) conformal blocks by using
standard null-vector methods. The behavior of these blocks under crossing
symmetry then provides a general closed form expression for the desired
coefficients, as a product of ratios of gamma functions. This calculation was
inspired by the need for several of these coefficients in certain correlation
function formulas for critical two-dimensional percolation and the augmented
q=2 and q=3 state critical Potts models.


title: Protocols For Half-Duplex Multiple Relay Networks

abstract:
  In this paper we present several strategies for multiple relay networks which
are constrained by a half-duplex operation, i. e., each node either transmits
or receives on a particular resource. Using the discrete memoryless multiple
relay channel we present achievable rates for a multilevel partial
decode-and-forward approach which generalizes previous results presented by
Kramer and Khojastepour et al.. Furthermore, we derive a compress-and-forward
approach using a regular encoding scheme which simplifies the encoding and
decoding scheme and improves the achievable rates in general. Finally, we give
achievable rates for a mixed strategy used in a four-terminal network with
alternately transmitting relay nodes.


title:
Extraction of the species dependent dipole moment from high-order
  harmonic spectra in rare gas atoms

abstract:
  Based on high-order harmonic generation (HHG) spectra obtained from solving
the time-dependent Schrodinger equation for atoms, we established
quantitatively that the HHG yield can be expressed as the product of a
returning electron wave packet and the photo-recombination cross sections, and
the shape of the returning wave packet is shown to be largely independent of
the species. By comparing the HHG spectra generated from different targets
under identical laser pulses, accurate structural information, including the
phase of the recombination amplitude, can be retrieved. This result opens up
the possibility of studying the target structure of complex systems, including
their time evolution, from the HHG spectra generated by short laser pulses.


title: Seismic Halos Around Active Regions: An MHD Theory

abstract:
  Comprehending the manner in which magnetic fields affect propagating waves is
a first step toward constructing accurate helioseismic models of active region
sub-surface structure and dynamics. Here, we present a numerical method to
compute the linear interaction of waves with magnetic fields embedded in a
solar-like stratified background. The ideal Magneto-Hydrodynamic (MHD)
equations are solved in a 3-dimensional box that straddles the solar
photosphere, extending from 35 Mm within to 1.2 Mm into the atmosphere. One of
the challenges in performing these simulations involves generating a
Magneto-Hydro-Static (MHS) state wherein the stratification assumes horizontal
inhomogeneity in addition to the strong vertical stratification associated with
the near-surface layers. Keeping in mind that the aim of this effort is to
understand and characterize linear MHD interactions, we discuss a means of
computing statically consistent background states. Power maps computed from
simulations of waves interacting with thick flux tubes of peak photospheric
field strengths 600 G and 3000 G are presented. Strong modal power reduction in
the `umbral' regions of the flux tube enveloped by a halo of increased wave
power are seen in the simulations with the thick flux tubes. These enhancements
are also seen in Doppler velocity power maps of active regions observed in the
Sun, leading us to propose that the halo has MHD underpinnings.


title: Where Centaurus A gets its X-ray knottiness

abstract:
  We report an X-ray spectral study of the transverse structure of the
Centaurus A jet using new data from the Chandra Cen A Very Large Project. We
find that the spectrum steepens with increasing distance from the jet axis, and
that this steepening can be attributed to a change in the average spectrum of
the knotty emission. Such a trend is unexpected if the knots are predominantly
a surface feature residing in a shear layer between faster and slower flows. We
suggest that the spectral steepening of the knot emission as a function of
distance from the jet axis is due to knot migration, implying a component of
transverse motion of knots within the flow.


title:
A priori estimate of gradient of a solution to certain differential
  inequality and quasiconformal mappings

abstract:
  We will prove a global estimate for the gradient of the solution to the {\it
Poisson differential inequality} $|\Delta u(x)|\le a|\nabla u(x)|^2+b$, $x\in
B^{n}$, where $a,b<\infty$ and $u|_{S^{n-1}}\in C^{1,\alpha}(S^{n-1}, \Bbb
R^m)$. If $m=1$ and $a\le (n+1)/(|u|_\infty4n\sqrt n)$, then $|\nabla u| $ is a
priori bounded. This generalizes some similar results due to E. Heinz
(\cite{EH}) and Bernstein (\cite{BS}) for the plane. An application of these
results yields the theorem, which is the main result of the paper: A
quasiconformal mapping of the unit ball onto a domain with $C^2$ smooth
boundary, satisfying the Poisson differential inequality, is Lipschitz
continuous. This extends some results of the author, Mateljevi\'c and
Pavlovi\'c from the complex plane to the space.


title: Suppressing Charge Noise Decoherence in Superconducting Charge Qubits

abstract:
  We present an experimental realization of the transmon qubit, an improved
superconducting charge qubit derived from the Cooper pair box. We
experimentally verify the predicted exponential suppression of sensitivity to
1/f charge noise [J. Koch et al., Phys. Rev. A 76, 042319 (2007)]. This removes
the leading source of dephasing in charge qubits, resulting in homogenously
broadened transitions with relaxation and dephasing times in the microsecond
range. Our systematic characterization of the qubit spectrum, anharmonicity,
and charge dispersion shows excellent agreement with theory, rendering the
transmon a promising qubit for future steps towards solid-state quantum
information processing.


title: The LMXB Population of NGC 3379

abstract:
  Presented here are the highlights from the deep Chandra observation of the
elliptical galaxy NGC 3379. From the multi-epoch observation of this galaxy,
132 discrete X-ray sources have been detected within the region overlapped by
all observations, 98 of which lie within the D25 ellipse of the galaxy. Of
these 132 sources, 71 exhibit long-term variability, indicating that they are
accreting compact objects. 11 of these sources have been identified as
transient candidates, with a further 7 possible transients. In addition to
this, from the joint Hubble/Chandra field of view, nine globular clusters (GCs)
and 53 field low mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) have been detected in the galaxy.
Comparisons of these two populations reveals that, at higher luminosities the
field LMXBs and GC-LMXBs are similar. However, a significant lack of GC-LMXBs
has been found at lower luminosities, indicating that not all LMXBs can form in
GCs.


title:
Switching the Ferroelectric Polarization by External Magnetic Fields in
  the Spin = 1/2 Chain Cuprate LiCuVO4

abstract:
  We present a detailed study of complex dielectric constant and ferroelectric
polarization in multiferroic LiCuVO4 as function of temperature and external
magnetic field. In zero external magnetic field, spiral spin order with an ab
helix and a propagation vector along the crystallographic b direction is
established, which induces ferroelectric order with spontaneous polarization
parallel to a. The direction of the helix can be reoriented by an external
magnetic field and allows switching of the spontaneous polarization. We find a
strong dependence of the absolute value of the polarization for different
orientations of the spiral plane. Above 7.5 T, LiCuVO4 reveals collinear spin
order and remains paraelectric for all field directions. Thus this system is
ideally suited to check the symmetry relations for spiral magnets as predicted
theoretically. The strong coupling of ferroelectric and magnetic order is
documented and the complex (B,T) phase diagram is fully explored.


title:
Punctured plane partitions and the q-deformed Knizhnik--Zamolodchikov
  and Hirota equations

abstract:
  We consider partial sum rules for the homogeneous limit of the solution of
the q-deformed Knizhnik--Zamolodchikov equation with reflecting boundaries in
the Dyck path representation. We show that these partial sums arise in a
solution of the discrete Hirota equation, and prove that they are the
generating functions of $\tau^2$-weighted punctured cyclically symmetric
transpose complement plane partitions where $\tau=-(q+q^{-1})$. In the cases of
no or minimal punctures, we prove that these generating functions coincide with
$\tau^2$-enumerations of vertically symmetric alternating sign matrices and
modifications thereof.


title: GRB 070201: A possible Soft Gamma Ray Repeater in M31

abstract:
  The gamma-ray burst (GRB) 070201 was a bright short-duration hard-spectrum
GRB detected by the Inter-Planetary Network (IPN). Its error quadrilateral,
which has an area of 0.124 sq. deg, intersects some prominent spiral arms of
the nearby M31 (Andromeda) galaxy. Given the properties of this GRB, along with
the fact that LIGO data argues against a compact binary merger origin in M31,
this GRB is an excellent candidate for an extragalactic Soft Gamma-ray Repeater
(SGR) giant flare, with energy of 1.4x10^45 erg. Analysis of ROTSE-IIIb visible
light observations of M31, taken 10.6 hours after the burst and covering 42% of
the GRB error region, did not reveal any optical transient down to a limiting
magnitude of 17.1. We inspected archival and proprietary XMM-Newton X-ray
observations of the intersection of the GRB error quadrilateral and M31,
obtained about four weeks prior to the outburst, in order to look for periodic
variable X-ray sources. No SGR or Anomalous X-ray Pulsar (AXP) candidates
(periods in range 1 to 20 s) were detected. We discuss the possibility of
detecting extragalactic SGRs/AXPs by identifying their periodic X-ray light
curves. Our simulations suggest that the probability of detecting the periodic
X-ray signal of one of the known Galactic SGRs/AXPs, if placed in M31, is about
10% (50%), using 50 ks (2 Ms) XMM-Newton exposures.


title: Free energy fluctuations and chaos in the Sherrington-Kirkpatrick model

abstract:
  The sample-to-sample fluctuations Delta F_N of the free energy in the
Sherrington-Kirkpatrick model are shown rigorously to be related to bond chaos.
Via this connection, the fluctuations become analytically accessible by replica
methods. The replica calculation for bond chaos shows that the exponent mu
governing the growth of the fluctuations with system size N, i.e. Delta F_N
N^mu, is bounded by mu <= 1/4.


title:
Pattern Recognition System Design with Linear Encoding for Discrete
  Patterns

abstract:
  In this paper, designs and analyses of compressive recognition systems are
discussed, and also a method of establishing a dual connection between designs
of good communication codes and designs of recognition systems is presented.
Pattern recognition systems based on compressed patterns and compressed sensor
measurements can be designed using low-density matrices. We examine truncation
encoding where a subset of the patterns and measurements are stored perfectly
while the rest is discarded. We also examine the use of LDPC parity check
matrices for compressing measurements and patterns. We show how more general
ensembles of good linear codes can be used as the basis for pattern recognition
system design, yielding system design strategies for more general noise models.


title:
Special, conjugate and complete scale functions for spectrally negative
  L\'evy processes

abstract:
  Following from recent developments by Hubalek and Kyprianou, the objective of
this paper is to provide further methods for constructing new families of scale
functions for spectrally negative L\'evy processes which are completely
explicit. This is the result of an observation in the aforementioned paper
which permits feeding the theory of Bernstein functions directly into the
Wiener-Hopf factorization for spectrally negative L\'evy processes. Many new,
concrete examples of scale functions are offered although the methodology in
principle delivers still more explicit examples than those listed.


title: Stability Analysis of The Twisted Superconducting Semilocal Strings

abstract:
  We study the stability properties of the twisted vortex solutions in the
semilocal Abelian Higgs model with a global $\mathbf{SU}(2)$ invariance. This
model can be viewed as the Weinberg-Salam theory in the limit where the
non-Abelian gauge field decouples, or as a two component Ginzburg-Landau
theory. The twisted vortices are characterized by a constant global current
${\cal I}$, and for ${\cal I}\to 0$ they reduce to the semilocal strings, that
is to the Abrikosov-Nielsen-Olesen vortices embedded into the semilocal model.
Solutions with ${\cal I}\neq 0$ are more complex and, in particular, they are
{\it less energetic} than the semilocal strings, which makes one hope that they
could have better stability properties. We consider the generic field
fluctuations around the twisted vortex within the linear perturbation theory
and apply the Jacobi criterion to test the existence of the negative modes in
the spectrum of the fluctuation operator. We find that twisted vortices do not
have the homogeneous instability known for the semilocal strings, neither do
they have inhomogeneous instabilities whose wavelength is less than a certain
critical value. This implies that short enough vortex pieces are perturbatively
stable and suggests that small vortex loops could perhaps be stable as well.
For longer wavelength perturbations there is exactly one negative mode in the
spectrum whose growth entails a segmentation of the uniform vortex into a
non-uniform, `sausage like' structure. This instability is qualitatively
similar to the hydrodynamical Plateau-Rayleigh instability of a water jet or to
the Gregory-Laflamme instability of black strings in the theory of gravity in
higher dimensions.


title: Zitterbewegung of electrons in graphene in a magnetic field

abstract:
  Electric current and spacial displacement due to trembling motion
[Zitterbewegung (ZB)] of electrons in graphene in the presence of an external
magnetic field are described. Contributions of both inequivalent $K$ points in
the Brillouin zone of graphene are considered. It is shown that, when the
electrons are prepared in the form of wave packets, the presence of a
quantizing magnetic field $B$ has very important effects on ZB. (1) For $B\neq
0$ the ZB oscillations are permanent, for B=0 they are transient. (2) For
$B\neq 0$ many ZB frequencies appear, for B=0 only one frequency is at work.
(3) For $B\neq 0$ both interband and intraband (cyclotron) frequencies
contribute to ZB, for B=0 there are no intraband frequencies. (4) Magnetic
field intensity changes not only the ZB frequencies but the entire character of
ZB spectrum. An emission of electromagnetic dipole radiation by the trembling
electrons is proposed and described. It is argued that graphene in a magnetic
field is a promising system for an experimental observation of Zitterbewegung.


title:
Droplet traffic in microfluidic networks: A simple model for
  understanding and designing

abstract:
  We propose a simple model to analyze the traffic of droplets in microfluidic
``dual networks''. Such functional networks which consist of two types of
channels, namely those accessible or forbidden to droplets, often display a
complex behavior characteristic of dynamical systems. By focusing on three
recently proposed configurations, we offer an explanation for their remarkable
behavior. Additionally, the model allows us to predict the behavior in
different parameter regimes. A verification will clarify fundamental issues,
such as the network symmetry, the role of the driving conditions, and of the
occurrence of reversible behavior. The model lends itself to a fast numerical
implementation, thus can help designing devices, identifying parameter windows
where the behavior is sufficiently robust for a devices to be practically
useful, and exploring new functionalities.


title: Tunable-slip boundaries for coarse-grained simulations of fluid flow

abstract:
  On the micro- and nanoscale, classical hydrodynamic boundary conditions such
as the no-slip condition no longer apply. Instead, the flow profiles exhibit
``slip`` at the surface, which is characterized by a finite slip length
(partial slip). We present a new, systematic way of implementing partial-slip
boundary conditions with arbitrary slip length in coarse-grained computer
simulations. The main idea is to represent the complex microscopic interface
structure by a spatially varying effective viscous force. An analytical
equation for the resulting slip length can be derived for planar and for curved
surfaces. The comparison with computer simulations of a DPD (dissipative
particle dynamics) fluid shows that this expression is valid from full-slip to
no-slip.


title: Off-diagonal Ground State Properties of a 1D Gas of Fermi Hard Rods

abstract:
  A variational Monte Carlo calculation of the one-body density matrix and
momentum distribution of a system of Fermi hard rods (HR) is presented and
compared with the same quantities for its bosonic counterpart. The calculation
is exact within statistical errors since we sample the exact ground state wave
function, whose analytical expression is known. The numerical results are in
good agreement with known asymptotic expansions valid for Luttinger liquids. We
find that the difference between the absolute value of the bosonic and
fermionic density matrices becomes marginally small as the density increases.
In this same regime, the corresponding momentum distributions merge into a
common profile that is independent of the statistics. Non-analytical
contributions to the one--body density matrix are also discussed and found to
be less relevant with increasing density.


title: Extragalactic Point Source Search in WMAP 61 and 94 GHz Data

abstract:
  We report the results of an extragalactic point source search using the 61
and 94 GHz (V- and W-band) temperature maps from the Wilkinson Microwave
Anisotropy Probe (WMAP). Applying a method that cancels the ``noise'' due to
the CMB anisotropy signal, we find in the $|b| > 10\degr$ region 31 sources in
the first-year maps and 64 sources in the three-year co-added maps, at a
$5\sigma$ level. The 1$\sigma$ position uncertainties are 1.6' and 1.4' each.
The increased detections and improved positional accuracy are expected from the
higher signal-to-noise ratio of WMAP three-year data. All sources detected in
the first-year maps are repeatedly detected in the three-year maps, which is a
strong proof of the consistency and reliability of this method. Among all the
detections, 21 are new, i.e. not in the WMAP three-year point source catalog.
We associate all but two of them with known objects. The two unidentified
sources are likely to be variable or extended as observations through VLA,
CARMA and ATCA all show non-detection at the nominal locations. We derive the
source count distribution at WMAP V-band by combining our verified detections
with sources from the WMAP three-year catalog. Assuming the effect of source
clustering is negligible, the contribution to the power spectrum from faint
sources below 0.75 Jy is estimated to be $(2.4\pm0.8) \times 10^{-3} \mu K^2$
sr for V-band, which implies a source correction amplitude $A = 0.012\pm0.004
\mu K^2$ sr.


title:
Scalar Resonance Contributions to the Dipion Transition Rates of
  $\Upsilon(4S,5S)$ in the re-scattering model

abstract:
  In order to explain the observed unusually large dipion transition rates of
$\Upsilon(10870)$, the scalar resonance contributions in the re-scattering
model to the dipion transitions of $\Upsilon(4S)$ and $\Upsilon(5S)$ are
studied. Since the imaginary part of the re-scattering amplitude is expected to
be dominant, the large ratios of the transition rates of $\Upsilon(10870)$,
which is identified with $\Upsilon(5S)$, to that of $\Upsilon(4S)$ can be
understood as mainly coming from the difference between the $p$-values in their
decays into open bottom channels, and the ratios are estimated numerically to
be about 200-600 with reasonable choices of parameters. The absolute and
relative rates of $\Upsilon(5S)\to\Upsilon(1S,2S,3S)\pi^+\pi^-$ and
$\Upsilon(5S)\to\Upsilon(1S)K^+K^-$ are roughly consistent with data. We
emphasize that the dipion transitions observed for some of the newly discovered
$Y$ states associated with charmonia may have similar features to the dipion
transitions of $\Upsilon(5S)$. Measurements on the dipion transitions of
$\Upsilon(6S)$ could provide further test for this mechanism.


title: Molecular Motors Interacting with Their Own Tracks

abstract:
  Dynamics of molecular motors that move along linear lattices and interact
with them via reversible destruction of specific lattice bonds is investigated
theoretically by analyzing exactly solvable discrete-state ``burnt-bridge''
models. Molecular motors are viewed as diffusing particles that can
asymmetrically break or rebuild periodically distributed weak links when
passing over them. Our explicit calculations of dynamic properties show that
coupling the transport of the unbiased molecular motor with the bridge-burning
mechanism leads to a directed motion that lowers fluctuations and produces a
dynamic transition in the limit of low concentration of weak links. Interaction
between the backward biased molecular motor and the bridge-burning mechanism
yields a complex dynamic behavior. For the reversible dissociation the backward
motion of the molecular motor is slowed down. There is a change in the
direction of the molecular motor's motion for some range of parameters. The
molecular motor also experiences non-monotonic fluctuations due to the action
of two opposing mechanisms: the reduced activity after the burned sites and
locking of large fluctuations. Large spatial fluctuations are observed when two
mechanisms are comparable. The properties of the molecular motor are different
for the irreversible burning of bridges where the velocity and fluctuations are
suppressed for some concentration range, and the dynamic transition is also
observed. Dynamics of the system is discussed in terms of the effective driving
forces and transitions between different diffusional regimes.


title: Dilute Bose gases interacting via power-law potentials

abstract:
  Neutral atoms interact through a van der Waals potential which asymptotically
falls off as r^{-6}. In ultracold gases, this interaction can be described to a
good approximation by the atom-atom scattering length. However, corrections
arise that depend on the characteristic length of the van der Waals potential.
We parameterize these corrections by analyzing the energies of two- and
few-atom systems under external harmonic confinement, obtained by numerically
and analytically solving the Schrodinger equation. We generalize our results to
particles interacting through a longer-ranged potential which asymptotically
falls off as r^{-4}.


title:
Elliptic constructions of hyperkaehler metrics I: The Atiyah-Hitchin
  manifold

abstract:
  This is the first in a series of papers in which we develop a twistor-based
method of constructing hyperkaehler metrics from holomorphic functions and
elliptic curves. As an application, we revisit the Atiyah-Hitchin manifold and
derive in an explicit holomorphic coordinate basis closed-form formulas for,
among other things, the metric, the holomorphic symplectic form and all three
Kaehler potentials.