title: On Low Complexity Maximum Likelihood Decoding of Convolutional Codes

abstract:
  This paper considers the average complexity of maximum likelihood (ML)
decoding of convolutional codes. ML decoding can be modeled as finding the most
probable path taken through a Markov graph. Integrated with the Viterbi
algorithm (VA), complexity reduction methods such as the sphere decoder often
use the sum log likelihood (SLL) of a Markov path as a bound to disprove the
optimality of other Markov path sets and to consequently avoid exhaustive path
search. In this paper, it is shown that SLL-based optimality tests are
inefficient if one fixes the coding memory and takes the codeword length to
infinity. Alternatively, optimality of a source symbol at a given time index
can be testified using bounds derived from log likelihoods of the neighboring
symbols. It is demonstrated that such neighboring log likelihood (NLL)-based
optimality tests, whose efficiency does not depend on the codeword length, can
bring significant complexity reduction to ML decoding of convolutional codes.
The results are generalized to ML sequence detection in a class of
discrete-time hidden Markov systems.


title:
Magnetic-field-induced enhancement of the vortex pinning in the
  overdoped regime of La$_{2-x}$Sr$_x$CuO$_4$ : Relation to the microscopic
  phase separation

abstract:
  In order to investigate the inhomogeneity of the superconducting (SC) state
in the overdoped high-$T_{\rm c}$ cuprates, we have measured the magnetic
susceptibility, $\chi$, of La$_{2-x}$Sr$_x$CuO$_4$ (LSCO) single crystals in
the overdoped regime in magnetic fields parallel to the c-axis up to 7 T on
warming after zero-field cooling. It has been found for $x$ = 0.198 and 0.219
that the temperature dependence of $\chi$ in 1 T shows a plateau, that is,
$\chi$ is almost independent of temperature in a moderate temperature-range in
the SC state. Moreover, a so-called second peak in the magnetization curve has
markedly appeared in these crystals. These results indicate an anomalous
enhancement of the vortex pinning and strongly suggest the occurrence of a
$microscopic$ phase separation into SC and normal-state regions in the
overdoped high-$T_{\rm c}$ cuprates.


title:
The effect of massive binaries on stellar populations and supernova
  progenitors

abstract:
  We compare our latest single and binary stellar model results from the
Cambridge STARS code to several sets of observations. We examine four stellar
population ratios, the number of blue to red supergiants, the number of
Wolf-Rayet stars to O supergiants, the number of red supergiants to Wolf-Rayet
stars and the relative number of Wolf-Rayet subtypes, WC to WN stars. These
four ratios provide a quantitative measure of nuclear burning lifetimes and the
importance of mass loss during various stages of the stars' lifetimes. In
addition we compare our models to the relative rate of type Ib/c to type II
supernovae to measure the amount of mass lost over the entire lives of all
stars. We find reasonable agreement between the observationally inferred values
and our predicted values by mixing single and binary star populations. However
there is evidence that extra mass loss is required to improve the agreement
further, to reduce the number of red supergiants and increase the number of
Wolf-Rayet stars.


title: Complex Action, Prearrangement for Future and Higgs Broadening

abstract:
  We develop some formalism which is very general Feynman path integral in the
case of the action which is allowed to be complex. The major point is that the
effect of the imaginary part of the action (mainly) is to determine which
solution to the equations of motion gets realized. We can therefore look at the
model as a unification of the equations of motion and the ``initial
conditions". We have already earlier argued for some features matching well
with cosmology coming out of the model. A Hamiltonian formalism is put forward,
but it still has to have an extra factor in the probability of a certain
measurement result involving the time after the measurement time. A special
effect to be discussed is a broadening of the width of the Higgs particle. We
reach crudely a changed Breit-Wigner formula that is a normalized square root
of the originally expected one


title: Width of l^p balls

abstract:
  We say a map f:X \to Y is an \epsilon-embedding if it is continuous and the
diameter of the fibres is less than \epsilon. This type of maps is used in the
notion of Urysohn width (sometimes referred to as Alexandrov width), a_n(X). It
is the smallest real number such that there exists an \epsilon-embedding from X
to a n-dimensional polyhedron. Surprisingly few estimations of these numbers
can be found, and one of the aims of this paper is to present some. Following
Gromov, we take the slightly different point of view by looking at the smallest
dimension n for which there exists a \epsilon-embedding to a polyhedron of
dimension n. While bounds are obtained using Hadamard matrices, the Borsuk-Ulam
theorem, the filling radius of spheres, and lower bounds for the diameter of
sets of n+1 points not contained in a hemisphere (obtained by methods very
close to those of Ivanov and Pichugov). We are also able to give a complete
description in dimension 3 for 1 \leq p \leq 2.


title:
Control Lyapunov Functions and Stabilization by Means of Continuous
  Time-Varying Feedback

abstract:
  For a general time-varying system, we prove that existence of an "Output
Robust Control Lyapunov Function" implies existence of continuous time-varying
feedback stabilizer, which guarantees output asymptotic stability with respect
to the resulting closed-loop system. The main results of the present work
constitute generalizations of a well-known result towards feedback
stabilization due to J. M. Coron and L. Rosier concerning stabilization of
autonomous systems by means of time-varying periodic feedback.


title: Cosmological implications of supersymmetric axion models

abstract:
  We derive general constraints on supersymmetric extension of axion models, in
particular paying careful attention to the cosmological effects of saxion. It
is found that for every mass range of the saxion from keV to TeV, severe
constraints on the energy density of the saxion are imposed. Together with
constraints from axino we obtain stringent upper bounds on the reheating
temperature.


title:
Studies of the Lambda(1405) in Proton-Proton Collisions with ANKE at
  COSY-Juelich

abstract:
  The lineshape of the Lambda(1405) was studied in the pp -> pK+ Y0 reaction at
a beam momentum of 3.65 GeV/c at COSY-Juelich. The ANKE spectrometer was used
to identify two protons, one positively charged kaon, and one negatively
charged pion in the final state. Invariant-mass and missing-mass techniques
were applied to separate two neighbouring neutral excited hyperon resonances,
the Sigma0(1385) and Lambda(1405). Both the shape and the position of the
Lambda(1405) distribution are similar to those measured in other reactions and
this information contributes to the ongoing debate regarding the structure of
this resonance.


title: A rotating hollow cone anisotropy of TeV emission from binary systems

abstract:
  We show that TeV gamma-ray emission produced via interactions of high-energy
particles with anisotropic radiation field of a massive star in binary systems
should have a characteristic rotating hollow cone anisotropy pattern. The
hollow cone, whose axis is directed away from the massive star, rotates with
the period equal to the orbital period of the system. We note that the two
maxima pattern of the TeV energy band lightcurve of the gamma-ray loud binary
LS 5039 can be interpreted in terms of this rotating hollow cone model.
Adopting such an interpretation, we are able to constrain the geometry of the
system - either the inclination angle of the binary orbit, or the elevation of
the gamma-ray emission region above the orbital plane.


title:
Pseudoscalar and Scalar Operators of Higgs-Penguins in the MSSM and B to
  phi K^*, K eta(') Decays

abstract:
  We study the effect of b to s sbar s scalar/pseudoscalar operators in B to K
eta('), phi K^* decays. In the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM),
such scalar/pseudoscalar operators can be induced by the penguin diagrams of
neutral Higgs bosons. These operators can be Fierz-transformed into tensor
operators, and the resultant tensor operators could affect the transverse
polarization amplitudes in B to phi K^* decays. A combined analysis of the
decays B to phi K^* and B to K eta('), including b to s sbar s
scalar/pseudoscalar operators and their Fierz-transformed tensor operators
originated from the MSSM, is performed. Our study is based on the followings:
(1) Assuming that weak annihilations in B to phi K^* is negligible and the
polarization puzzle is resolved by Fierz-transformed tensor operators, it
results in too large coefficients of scalar/pseudoscalar operators, such that
the resulting B to K eta(') branching fractions are much larger than
observations. (2) When we take the weak annihilations in B to phi K^* into
account, the polarization puzzle can be resolved. In this case, new physics
effects are strongly suppressed and no more relevant to the enhancement of the
transverse modes in B to phi K^* decays.


title: Quantum Fluctuations and Rate of Convergence towards Mean Field Dynamics

abstract:
  The nonlinear Hartree equation describes the macroscopic dynamics of
initially factorized N-boson states, in the limit of large N. In this paper we
provide estimates on the rate of convergence of the microscopic quantum
mechanical evolution towards the limiting Hartree dynamics. More precisely, we
prove bounds on the difference between the one-particle density associated with
the solution of the N-body Schroedinger equation and the orthogonal projection
onto the solution of the Hartree equation.


title: Quantifying the transmission potential of pandemic influenza

abstract:
  This article reviews quantitative methods to estimate the basic reproduction
number of pandemic influenza, a key threshold quantity to help determine the
intensity of interventions required to control the disease. Although it is
difficult to assess the transmission potential of a probable future pandemic,
historical epidemiologic data is readily available from previous pandemics, and
as a reference quantity for future pandemic planning, mathematical and
statistical analyses of historical data are crucial. In particular, because
many historical records tend to document only the temporal distribution of
cases or deaths (i.e. epidemic curve), our review focuses on methods to
maximize the utility of time-evolution data and to clarify the detailed
mechanisms of the spread of influenza. First, we highlight structured epidemic
models and their parameter estimation method which can quantify the detailed
disease dynamics including those we cannot observe directly.
Duration-structured epidemic systems are subsequently presented, offering firm
understanding of the definition of the basic and effective reproduction
numbers. When the initial growth phase of an epidemic is investigated, the
distribution of the generation time is key statistical information to
appropriately estimate the transmission potential using the intrinsic growth
rate. Applications of stochastic processes are also highlighted to estimate the
transmission potential using the similar data. Critically important
characteristics of influenza data are subsequently summarized, followed by our
conclusions to suggest potential future methodological improvements.


title: Discrete quantum model of the harmonic oscillator

abstract:
  We construct a new model of the quantum oscillator, whose energy spectrum is
equally-spaced and lower-bounded, whereas the spectra of position and momentum
are a denumerable non-degenerate set of points in [-1,1] that depends on the
deformation parameter q from (0,1). We provide its explicit wavefunctions, both
in position and momentum representations, in terms of the discrete q-Hermite
polynomials. We build a Hilbert space with a unique measure, where an analogue
of the fractional Fourier transform is defined in order to govern the time
evolution of this discrete oscillator. In the limit q to 1, one recovers the
ordinary quantum harmonic oscillator.


title:
Spatial signal amplification in cell biology: a lattice-gas model for
  self-tuned phase ordering

abstract:
  Experiments show that the movement of eukaryotic cells is regulated by a
process of phase separation of two competing enzymes on the cell membrane, that
effectively amplifies shallow external gradients of chemical attractant.
Notably, the cell is able to self-tune the final enzyme concentrations to an
equilibrium state of phase coexistence, for a wide range of the average
attractant concentration. We propose a simple lattice model in which, together
with a short-range attraction between enzymes, a long-range repulsion naturally
arises from physical considerations, that easily explains such observed
behavior.


title: The Hadron Spectrum from Lattice QCD

abstract:
  Determining the hadron spectrum and hadron properties beyond the ground
states is a challenge in lattice QCD. Most of these results have been in the
quenched approximation but now we are entering the dynamical era. I review some
of the ideas and methods of the lattice approach, concentrating on a few
examples and on results obtained for Chirally Improved (CI) fermions.


title:
Frisch, Muller and Belot on an Inconsistency in Classical
  Electrodynamics

abstract:
  This paper follows up a recent debate as to whether classical electrodynamics
is inconsistent. I suggest that disagreements can be managed by disambiguating
'theory' in two different ways.


title:
Comment on `On the Luttinger theorem concerning the number of particles
  in the ground states of systems of interacting fermions', arXiv:0711.0952v1,
  by B. Farid

abstract:
  In his preprint, arXiv:0711.0952v1, Behnam Farid argues that the Luttinger
theorem is valid not only for a metal but also for a Mott insulator if the
chemical potential is calculated by taking the limit of vanishing temperature
at fixed particle density. In contrast, we have found in our recent paper (Eur.
Phys. J. B 59, 495 (2007) or arXiv:cond-mat/0602656) on the basis of a
controlled strong coupling expansion that the Luttinger theorem is violated in
this limit for a particle-hole asymmetric two-band Mott insulator. In an
extensive discussion of our result Farid argues that an arbitrarily weak
breaking of particle-hole symmetry leads to a destruction of the Mott
insulating state at half filling. In this comment we point out that this is not
correct.


title:
Three distinctive temperatures of normal-to-superconductive phase
  transition detected by the unique SFCO method: their crucial role for proper
  identification of the nature of superconductivity

abstract:
  A low-power stable tunnel diode oscillator with non-traditional single-layer
flat pick-up coil is an excellent MHz-range instrument with which one may study
weakly expressed peculiarities of the superconductive (SC) state in tiny
plate-like high-Tc superconductive (HTSC) materials. It enables to detect
changes about 1 pH of the HTSC film's magnetic inductance (changes about 1
Angstrom of the SC-magnetic penetration depth, lambda) with about 6 orders
relative resolution. Due to detecting coil's flat design, relatively low
operation frequency, so high relative resolution and an ability of this
technique to operate also in high magnetic fields the method has advantages
over others. They become crucial at non-destructive studies in thin flat HTSC
materials with small signals - especially near the normal-to-superconductive
(N/S) phase transition (at start of formation of electron-pairs). Just due to
such advantages a fine 'paramagnetic' peculiarity of the SC-transition was
detected by this method in YBaCuO film recently, which precedes well-known
Meissner expel. The method enabled to detect also a little absorption of a
power by the HTSC film upon its SC transition, with a peak located after the
onset of Meissner push-out - close to its center. Extracted from so complicated
fluctuation region these subtle effects (1-st is precursor, whereas the 2-nd -
posterior to the Meissner expel) indicate an existence of 3 distinctive
temperatures at N/S transition. Crucial role of these specific temperatures for
understanding of a real nature of the whole SC-phenomenon is discussed.
Possible relation between these temperatures and the 'singlet'/'triplet'
behavior of electron-pairs is pointed out and argued.


title: Cooper Pair Shape in Normal-metal/Superconductor Junctions

abstract:
  In s-wave superconductors the Cooper pair wave function is isotropic in
momentum space. This property may also be expected for Cooper pairs entering a
normal metal from a superconductor due to the proximity effect. We show,
however, that such a deduction is incorrect and the pairing function in a
normal metal is surprisingly anisotropic because of quasiparticle interference.
We calculate angle resolved quasiparticle density of states in NS bilayers
which reflects such anisotropic shape of the pairing function. We also propose
a magneto-tunneling spectroscopy experiment which could confirm our
predictions.


title: Krammer representations for complex braid groups

abstract:
  Let B be the generalized braid group associated to some finite complex
reflection group. We define a representation of B of dimension the number of
reflections of the corresponding reflection group, which generalizes the
Krammer representation of the classical braid groups, and is thus a good
candidate in view of proving the linearity of these groups. We decompose this
representation in irreducible components and compute its Zariski closure, as
well as its restriction to parabolic subgroups. We prove that it is faithful
when W is a Coxeter group of type ADE and odd dihedral types, and conjecture
its faithfulness when W has a single class of reflections. If true, this
conjecture would imply various group-theoretic properties for these groups,
that we prove separately to be true for the other groups.


title:
Directive Emission from Defect-Free Dodecagonal Photonic Quasicrystals:
  A Leaky-Wave Characterization

abstract:
  In this paper, we study the radiation from embedded sources in
two-dimensional finite-size "photonic-quasicrystal" (PQC) slabs made of
dielectric rods arranged according to a 12-fold symmetric aperiodic tiling. The
results from our investigation, based on rigorous full-wave simulations, show
the possibility of achieving broadside radiation at multiple frequencies, with
high-directivity (e.g., 15 dB) and low-sidelobes (e.g., -12 dB). We also show
that leaky waves are supported by a PQC slab, and that the beamwidth is
directly proportional to the leaky-wave attenuation constant, which provides a
physically-incisive interpretation of the observed radiation characteristics.


title: Quark-model hadron structure

abstract:
  We review some selected recent results on hadron spectroscopy and related
theoretical studies based on constituent quark models.


title: Augmented Tree-based Routing Protocol for Scalable Ad Hoc Networks

abstract:
  In ad hoc networks scalability is a critical requirement if these
technologies have to reach their full potential. Most of the proposed routing
protocols do not operate efficiently with networks of more than a few hundred
nodes. In this paper, we propose an augmented tree-based address space
structure and a hierarchical multi-path routing protocol, referred to as
Augmented Tree-based Routing (ATR), which utilizes such a structure in order to
solve the scalability problem and to gain good resilience against node
failure/mobility and link congestion/instability. Simulation results and
performance comparisons with existing protocols substantiate the effectiveness
of the ATR.


title:
Long range scattering for the Maxwell-Schr"odinger system with
  arbitrarily large asymptotic data

abstract:
  We review the proof of existence and uniqueness of solutions of the
Maxwell-Schr"odinger system in a neighborhood of infinity in time, with
prescribed asymptotic behaviour defined in terms of asymptotic data, without
any restriction on the size of those data. That result is the basic step in the
construction of modified wave operators for the Maxwell-Schr"odinger system.


title:
Collective Atomic Recoil Lasing and Superradiant Rayleigh Scattering in
  a high-Q ring cavity

abstract:
  Cold atoms in optical high-Q cavities are an ideal model system for
long-range interacting particles. The position of two arbitrary atoms is,
independent on their distance, coupled by the back-scattering of photons within
the cavity. This mutual coupling can lead to collective instability and
self-organization of a cloud of cold atoms interacting with the cavity fields.
This phenomenon (CARL, i.e. Collective Atomic Recoil Lasing) has been discussed
theoretically for years, but was observed only recently in our lab. The
CARL-effect is closely linked to superradiant Rayleigh Scattering, which has
been intensely studied with Bose-Einstein condensates in free space. By adding
a resonator the coherence time of the system, in which the instability occurs,
can be strongly enhanced. This enables us to observe cavity-enhanced
superradiance with both Bose-Eisntein condensed and thermal clouds and allows
us to close the discussion about the role of quantum statistics in superradiant
scattering.


title: Atom laser dynamics in a tight-waveguide

abstract:
  We study the transient dynamics that arise during the formation of an atom
laser beam in a tight waveguide. During the time evolution the density profile
develops a series of wiggles which are related to the diffraction in time
phenomenon. The apodization of matter waves, which relies on the use of smooth
aperture functions, allows to suppress such oscillations in a time interval,
after which there is a revival of the diffraction in time. The revival time
scale is directly related to the inverse of the harmonic trap frequency for the
atom reservoir.


title: Phase diagram and edge effects in the ASEP with bottlenecks

abstract:
  We investigate the totally asymmetric simple exclusion process (TASEP) in the
presence of a bottleneck, i.e. a sequence of consecutive defect sites with
reduced hopping rate. The influence of such a bottleneck on the phase diagram
is studied by computer simulations and a novel analytical approach. We find a
clear dependence of the current and the properties of the phase diagram not
only on the length of the bottleneck, but also on its position. For bottlenecks
near the boundaries, this motivates the concept of effective boundary rates.
Furthermore the inclusion of a second, smaller bottleneck far from the first
one has no influence on the transport capacity. These results will form the
basis of an effective description of the disordered TASEP and are relevant for
the modelling of protein synthesis or intracellular transport systems where the
motion of molecular motors is hindered by immobile blocking molecules.


title:
Evolutionary studies of the Young Star Clusters: \\NGC 1960, NGC 2453
  and NGC 2384

abstract:
  We report the analysis of the young star clusters NGC 1960, NGC 2453 and NGC
2384 observed in the $J$ (1.12 $\mu$m), $H$ (1.65 $\mu$m) and $K^{'}$ (2.2
$\mu$m) bands. Estimates of reddening, distance and age as $E(B-V)=0.25$, $d=
1380$ pc and $t=31.6$ to 125 Myr for NGC 1960, $E(B-V)=0.47$, $d=3311$ pc and
$t=40$ to 200 Myr for NGC 2453 and $E(B-V)=0.25$, $d=3162$ pc and $t=55$ to 125
Myr for NGC 2384 have been obtained. Also, we have extended the
color--magnitude diagrams of these clusters to the fainter end and thus
extended the luminosity functions to fainter magnitudes. The evolution of the
main sequence and luminosity functions of these clusters have been compared
with themselves as well as Lyng\aa 2 and NGC 1582.


title:
Optical properties of atomic Mott insulators: from slow light to
  dynamical Casimir effects

abstract:
  We theoretically study the optical properties of a gas of ultracold,
coherently dressed three-level atoms in a Mott insulator phase of an optical
lattice. The vacuum state, the band dispersion and the absorption spectrum of
the polariton field can be controlled in real time by varying the amplitude and
the frequency of the dressing beam. In the weak dressing regime, the system
shows unique ultra-slow light propagation properties without absorption. In the
presence of a fast time modulation of the dressing amplitude, we predict a
significant emission of photon pairs by parametric amplification of the
polaritonic zero-point fluctuations. Quantitative considerations on the
experimental observability of such a dynamical Casimir effect are presented for
the most promising atomic species and level schemes.


title: A threshold model of financial markets

abstract:
  We proposed a model of interacting market agents based on the Ising spin
model. The agents can take three actions: "buy," "sell," or "stay inactive." We
defined a price evolution in terms of the system magnetization. The model
reproduces main stylized facts of real markets such as: fat-tailed distribution
of returns and volatility clustering.


title:
The theta parameter in loop quantum gravity: effects on quantum geometry
  and black hole entropy

abstract:
  The precise analog of the theta-quantization ambiguity of Yang-Mills theory
exists for the real SU(2) connection formulation of general relativity. As in
the former case theta labels representations of large gauge transformations,
which are super-selection sectors in loop quantum gravity. We show that unless
theta=0, the (kinematical) geometric operators such as area and volume are not
well defined on spin network states. More precisely the intersection of their
domain with the dense set Cyl in the kinematical Hilbert space H of loop
quantum gravity is empty. The absence of a well defined notion of area operator
acting on spin network states seems at first in conflict with the expected
finite black hole entropy. However, we show that the black hole (isolated)
horizon area--which in contrast to kinematical area is a (Dirac) physical
observable--is indeed well defined, and quantized so that the black hole
entropy is proportional to the area. The effect of theta is negligible in the
semiclassical limit where proportionality to area holds.


title:
A Uniqueness and Periodicity Result for Solutions of Elliptic Equations
  in Unbounded Domains

abstract:
  We proof a uniqueness and periodicity theorem for bounded solutions of
uniformly elliptic equations in certain unbounded domains.


title: Monitoring derivation of the quantum linear Boltzmann equation

abstract:
  We show how the effective equation of motion for a distinguished quantum
particle in an ideal gas environment can be obtained by means of the monitoring
approach introduced in [EPL 77, 50007 (2007)]. The resulting Lindblad master
equation accounts for the quantum effects of the scattering dynamics in a
non-perturbative fashion and it describes decoherence and dissipation in a
unified framework. It incorporates various established equations as limiting
cases and reduces to the classical linear Boltzmann equation once the state is
diagonal in momentum.


title: Covariance and meaning

abstract:
  Several other factors, besides the intrinsic local geometry, contribute to
give a meaning to a space-time model. The simplest example comes from comparing
Minkowski's and Milne's model, that both have a null Riemann tensor. We add to
these two models a third one which describes a time-dependent
locally-Minkowskian spherically symmetric space-time on which every
test-particle at rest with respect to the center of symmetry sustains a
constant force. Although the model is globally grossly un-realistic we think
that it can be helpful to describe a local perturbation of an homogeneous
cosmological model. Or as a substitute to the very far away asymptotic
Minkowskian behavior usually assumed to describe the gravitational field of
compact spherical bodies.


title: Quantum Secret Sharing with Multi-level Mutually (Un-)Biased Bases

abstract:
  We construct general schemes for multi-partite quantum secret sharing using
multi-level systems, and find that the consistent conditions for valid
measurements can be summarized in two simple algebraic conditions. The scheme
using the very high dimensional mutually unbiased bases can in principle
achieve perfect security against intercept-resend attack; and for the scheme
using mutually biased bases, it reaches the optimal but non-perfect security at
4-level system. We also address the security issue against the general attacks
in the context of our multi-level schemes. Especially, we propose new protocol
to enhance both the efficiency and the security against the
entanglement-assisted participant's attack by incorporating
quantum-key-distribution and measurement-basis-encrypted schemes so that its
security is as robust as quantum-key-distribution.


title:
Large-scale horizontal flows in the solar photosphere III: Effects on
  filament destabilization

abstract:
  We study the influence of large-scale photospheric motions on the
estabilization of an eruptive filament, observed on October 6, 7, and 8, 2004,
as part of an international observing campaign (JOP 178). Large-scale
horizontal flows were invetigated from a series of MDI full-disc Dopplergrams
and magnetograms. From the Dopplergrams, we tracked supergranular flow patterns
using the local correlation tracking (LCT) technique. We used both LCT and
manual tracking of isolated magnetic elements to obtain horizontal velocities
from magnetograms. We find that the measured flow fields obtained by the
different methods are well-correlated on large scales. The topology of the flow
field changed significantly during the filament eruptive phase, suggesting a
possible coupling between the surface flow field and the coronal magnetic
field. We measured an increase in the shear below the point where the eruption
starts and a decrease in shear after the eruption. We find a pattern in the
large-scale horizontal flows at the solar surface that interact with
differential rotation. We conclude that there is probably a link between
changes in surface flow and the disappearance of the eruptive filament.


title: Screening and impurity ionization energy in semiconductors

abstract:
  Usually microscopic electrostatic field around charged impurity ions is
neglected when the ionization energy is concerned. The ionization energy is
considered to be equal to that of a lonely impurity atom. Here the energy of
the electrostatic field around charged impurity ions in semiconductor is taken
into account. It is shown that the energy of this field contributes to decrease
in the effective ionization energy. At high enough current carriers
concentration the effective ionization energy becomes zero.


title: Charm Physics: Hints for a Mature Description of Hadrons

abstract:
  The physics of charm has become one of the best laboratories exposing the
limitations of the naive constituent quark model and also giving hints into a
more mature description of hadron spectroscopy. Recent discoveries are a
challenge that have revolutionized our understanding of the hadron spectra. In
this talk we address the study of many-quark components in charmonium spectra.
To make the physics clear we also discuss exotic many-quark systems.


title: Does the Chapman--Enskog expansion for sheared granular gases converge?

abstract:
  The fundamental question addressed in this paper is whether the partial
Chapman--Enskog expansion $P_{xy}=-\sum_{k=0}^\infty \eta_k ({\partial
u_x}/{\partial y})^{2k+1}$ of the shear stress converges or not for a gas of
inelastic hard spheres. By using a simple kinetic model it is shown that, in
contrast to the elastic case, the above series does converge, the radius of
convergence increasing with inelasticity. It is argued that this paradoxical
conclusion is not an artifact of the kinetic model and can be understood in
terms of the time evolution of the scaled shear rate in the uniform shear flow.


title:
Seeking better times: atomic clocks in the generalized Tonks-Girardeau
  regime

abstract:
  This article is based on the talk with the same title at the Blaubeuren
meeting. First we discuss briefly the importance of time and time keeping,
explaining the basic functioning of clocks in general and atomic clocks in
particular, which rely on Ramsey interferometry. The usefulness of cold atoms
is discussed as well as their limits in Bose-Einstein condensates. An
alternative that we study is a different cold-atom regime: the Tonks-Girardeau
(TG) gas of tightly confined and strongly interacting bosons. The TG gas is
reviewed and then generalized for two-level atoms. Finally, we explore the
combination of Ramsey interferometry and TG gases.


title: Two particles on a star graph II

abstract:
  We consider a two particle system on a star graph with delta-function
interaction. A complete description of the eigensolutions with real momenta is
given; specifically it is shown that all eigensolutions can be written as
integrals in the momentum plane of sums of products of appropriate one particle
solutions.


title: On the existence of exotic and non-exotic multiquark meson states

abstract:
  To obtain an exact solution of a four-body system containing two quarks and
two antiquarks interacting through two-body terms is a cumbersome task that has
been tackled with more or less success during the last decades. We present an
exact method for the study of four-quark systems based on the hyperspherical
harmonics formalism that allows us to solve it without resorting to further
approximations, like for instance the existence of diquark components. We apply
it to systems containing two heavy and two light quarks using different
quark-quark potentials. While $QQ\bar n \bar n$ states may be stable in nature,
the stability of $Q\bar Qn \bar n$ states would imply the existence of quark
correlations not taken into account by simple quark dynamical models.


title: Chiral symmetry breaking and Lorentz nature of confinement

abstract:
  The Lorentz nature of confinement in a heavy-light quarkonium is
investigated. It is demonstrated that an effective scalar interaction is
generated selfconsistently as a result of chiral symmetry breaking, and this
effective scalar interaction is responsible for the QCD string formation
between the quark and the antiquark.


title: AMI limits on 15 GHz excess emission in northern HII regions

abstract:
  We present observations between 14.2 and 17.9 GHz of sixteen Galactic HII
regions made with the Arcminute Microkelvin Imager (AMI). In conjunction with
data from the literature at lower radio frequencies we investigate the
possibility of a spinning dust component in the spectra of these objects. We
conclude that there is no significant evidence for spinning dust towards these
sources and measure an average spectral index of 0.15+/-0.07 between 1.4 and
17.9 GHz for the sample.


title:
Evidence of triple collision dynamics in partial photo-ionisation cross
  sections of helium

abstract:
  Experimental results on partial photo-ionisation cross sections of helium are
analysed in the light of recent advances in the semiclassical theory of
two-electron atoms. Byun et al (arXiv:physics/0701086) predict that the total
photo-ionisation cross section below the double-ionisation threshold can,
semiclassically, be described in terms of contributions associated with
classical orbits starting and ending in the triple collision. The necessary
modifications of the semiclassical theory for partial cross sections is
developed here. It is argued that partial cross sections are also dominated by
the triple collision dynamics. The expected semiclassical contributions can be
identified in the Fourier transformation of the experimental data. This clearly
demonstrates for the first time the validity of the basic assumptions made in
Byun et al. Our findings explain furthermore in a natural way the self-similar
structures observed in cross section signals for different channel numbers.


title:
Conflict between the identification of cosmic neutrino source and the
  sensitivity to mixing angles in neutrino telescope

abstract:
  Neutrino fluxes at telescopes depend on both initial fluxes out of
astronomical bursts and flavor mixing during their travel to the earth.
However, since the information on the initial composition requires better
precision in mixing angles and vice versa, the neutrino detection at telescopes
for itself cannot provide solutions to the both problems. Thus, a probability
to be measured at long baseline oscillation is considered as a complement to
the telescope, and problems like source identification and parameter degeneracy
are examined under a few assumptions.


title: $nd$ scattering lengths from a quark-model based $NN$ interaction

abstract:
  We calculate the doublet and quartet neutron-deuteron scattering lengths
using a nonlocal nucleon-nucleon interaction fully derived from quark-quark
interactions. We use as input the $NN$ $^1S_0$ and $^3S_1$-${}^3 D_1$ partial
waves. Our result for the quartet scattering length agrees well with the
experimental value while the result for the doublet scattering length does not.
However, if we take the result for the doublet scattering length together with
the one for the triton binding energy they agree well with the so-called
Phillips line.


title:
Dark Energy and Structure Formation: Connecting the Galactic and
  Cosmological Length Scales

abstract:
  On the cosmological length scale, recent measurements by WMAP have validated
$\Lambda$CDM to a precision not see before in cosmology. Such is not the case
on galactic length scales, however, where the `cuspy-core' problem has
demonstrated our lack of understanding of structure formation. Here, we propose
a solution to the 'cuspy-core' problem based on the observation that with the
discovery of Dark Energy, $\Lambda_{DE}$, there is now a universal length
scale, $\lambda_{DE}=c/(\Lambda_{DE} G)^{1/2}$, associated with the universe.
This length scale allows for an extension of the geodesic equations of motion
that affects only the motion of massive test particles; the motion of massless
test particles are not affected, and such phenomenon as gravitational lensing
remain unchanged. An evolution equation for the density profile is derived, and
an effective free energy density functional for it is constructed. We
conjecture that the pseudoisothermal profile is preferred over the cusp-like
profile because it has a lower effective free energy. A cosmological check of
the theory is made using the observed rotational velocities and core sizes of
1393 spiral galaxies. We calculate $\sigma_8$ to be $0.68_{\pm0.11}$; this is
within experimental error of the WMAP value $0.761_{-0.048}^{+0.049}$. We then
calculate $R_{200}=270_{\pm 130}$ kpc, which is in agreement with observations.
We estimate the fractional density of matter that cannot be determined through
gravity to be $0.197_{\pm 0.017}$; this is nearly equal to the WMAP value for
the fractional density of nonbaryonic matter $0.196^{+0.025}_{-0.026}$. The
fractional density of matter that can be determined through gravity is then
calculated to be $0.041_{-0.031}^{+0.030}$; this is nearly equal to
$\Omega_B=0.0416_{-0.0039}^{+0.0038}$.


title: Sources of SEP Acceleration during a Flare-CME Event

abstract:
  A high-speed halo-type coronal mass ejection (CME), associated with a GOES
M4.6 soft X-ray flare in NOAA AR 0180 at S12W29 and an EIT wave and dimming,
occurred on 9 November 2002. A complex radio event was observed during the same
period. It included narrow-band fluctuations and frequency-drifting features in
the metric wavelength range, type III burst groups at metric--hectometric
wavelengths, and an interplanetary type II radio burst, which was visible in
the dynamic radio spectrum below 14 MHz. To study the association of the
recorded solar energetic particle (SEP) populations with the propagating CME
and flaring, we perform a multi-wavelength analysis using radio spectral and
imaging observations combined with white-light, EUV, hard X-ray, and
magnetogram data. Velocity dispersion analysis of the particle distributions
(SOHO and Wind in situ observations) provides estimates for the release times
of electrons and protons. Our analysis indicates that proton acceleration was
delayed compared to the electrons. The dynamics of the interplanetary type II
burst identify the burst source as a bow shock created by the fast CME. The
type III burst groups, with start times close to the estimated electron release
times, trace electron beams travelling along open field lines into the
interplanetary space. The type III bursts seem to encounter a steep density
gradient as they overtake the type II shock front, resulting in an abrupt
change in the frequency drift rate of the type III burst emission. Our study
presents evidence in support of a scenario in which electrons are accelerated
low in the corona behind the CME shock front, while protons are accelerated
later, possibly at the CME bow shock high in the corona.


title: Light scalars as tetraquarks: decays and mixing with quarkonia

abstract:
  The tetraquark assignement for light scalar states below 1 GeV is discussed
on the light of strong decays. The next-to-leading order in the large-N
expansion for the strong decays is considered. Mixing with quarkonia states
above 1 GeV is investigated within a chiral approach and the inclusion of
finite-width effects is taken into account.


title:
On the study of local stress rearrangements during quasistatic plastic
  shear of a model glass: do local stress components contain enough
  information?

abstract:
  We present a numerical study of the mechanical response of a 2D Lennard-Jones
amorphous solid under steady quasistatic and athermal shear. We focus here on
the evolution of local stress components. While the local stress is usually
taken as an order parameter in the description of the rheological behaviour of
complex fluids, and for plasticity in glasses, we show here that the knowledge
of local stresses is not sufficient for a complete description of the plastic
behaviour of our system. The distribution of local stresses can be
approximately described as resulting from the sum of localized quadrupolar
events with an exponential distribution of amplitudes. However, we show that
the position of the center of the quadrupoles is not related to any special
evolution of the local stress, but must be described by another variable.


title: Entity Ranking in Wikipedia

abstract:
  The traditional entity extraction problem lies in the ability of extracting
named entities from plain text using natural language processing techniques and
intensive training from large document collections. Examples of named entities
include organisations, people, locations, or dates. There are many research
activities involving named entities; we are interested in entity ranking in the
field of information retrieval. In this paper, we describe our approach to
identifying and ranking entities from the INEX Wikipedia document collection.
Wikipedia offers a number of interesting features for entity identification and
ranking that we first introduce. We then describe the principles and the
architecture of our entity ranking system, and introduce our methodology for
evaluation. Our preliminary results show that the use of categories and the
link structure of Wikipedia, together with entity examples, can significantly
improve retrieval effectiveness.


title: Spherical collapse in modified gravity with the Birkhoff-theorem

abstract:
  We study structure formation in a phenomenological model of modified gravity
which interpolates between LambdaCDM and phenomenological DGP-gravity.
Generalisation of spherical collapse by using the Birkhoff-theorem along with
the modified growth equation shows that the overdensity for spherical collapse
delta_c in these models is significantly lowered compared to LambdaCDM, leading
to enhanced number densities of massive clusters and enhanced cluster merging
rates. We find that delta_c(z) is well fitted by a function of the form
delta_c(z) = a - b\exp(-cz). We examine the sensitivity of PLANCK's and SPT's
Sunyaev-Zel'dovich survey to constrain the modified gravity parameterisation
and find that these experiments can easily distinguish between models with a
cosmological constant and modified gravity, if prior constraints from CMB
temperature and polarisation anisotropies are included.


title: There is no axiomatic system for the quantum theory

abstract:
  Recently, [arXiv:0810.3134] is accepted and published. We derive an
inequality with two settings as tests for the existence of the Bloch sphere in
a spin-1/2 system. The probability theory of measurement outcome within the
formalism of von Neumann projective measurement violates the inequality.
Namely, we have to give up the existence of the Bloch sphere. Or, we have to
give up the probability theory of measurement outcome within the formalism of
von Neumann projective measurement. Hence it turns out that there is a
contradiction in the Hilbert space formalism of the quantum theory, viz., there
is no axiomatic system for the theory.


abstract:
  It is shown that instability of stringy matter near the event horizon of a
black hole (the spreading effect) can be characterized by the Lyapunov
exponents. The Kolmogorov-Sinai entropy is the sum of all the positive Lyapunov
exponents and equals to the inverse gravitational radius. Due to a replacement
of the configuration space of a string by its phase space at distance of order
of the string scale, the relation between the Kolmogorov-Sinai and
Bekenstein-Hawking entropies is established. The KS entropy of a black hole
measures the rate at which information about the state of a string collapsing
into the black hole is lost with time as it spreads over the horizon.


title: A 2D nanosphere array for atomic spectroscopy

abstract:
  We are interested in the spectroscopic behaviour of a gas confined in a
micrometric or even nanometric volume. Such a situation could be encountered by
the filling-up of a porous medium, such as a photonic crystal, with an atomic
gas. Here, we discuss the first step of this program, with the generation and
characterization of a self-organized 2D film of nanospheres of silica. We show
that an optical characterization by laser light diffraction permits to extract
some information on the array structure and represents an interesting
complement to electron microscopy.


title: The role of the star formation on the nitrogen abundance evolution

abstract:
  We analyze the evolution of nitrogen resulting from a set of spiral and
irregular galaxy models computed for a large number of input mass radial
distributions and with various star formation efficiencies. We show that our
models produce a nitrogen abundance evolution in good agreement with the
observational data. Differences in the star formation histories of the regions
and galaxies modeled are essential to reproduce the observational data in the
N/O-O/H plane and the corresponding dispersion.


title:
Poles of the topological zeta function associated to an ideal in
  dimension two

abstract:
  To an ideal in $\mathbb{C}[x,y]$ one can associate a topological zeta
function. This is an extension of the topological zeta function associated to
one polynomial. But in this case we use a principalization of the ideal instead
of an embedded resolution of the curve.
  In this paper we will study two questions about the poles of this zeta
function. First, we will give a criterion to determine whether or not a
candidate pole is a pole. It turns out that we can know this immediately by
looking at the intersection diagram of the principalization, together with the
numerical data of the exceptional curves. Afterwards we will completely
describe the set of rational numbers that can occur as poles of a topological
zeta function associated to an ideal in dimension two. The same results are
valid for related zeta functions, as for instance the motivic zeta function.


title:
Cluster geometry and survival probability in systems driven by
  reaction-diffusion dynamics

abstract:
  We consider a reaction-diffusion model incorporating the reactions A -> 0, A
-> 2A and 2A -> 3A. Depending on the relative rates for sexual and asexual
reproduction of the quantity A, the model exhibits either a continuous or
first-order absorbing phase transition to an extinct state. A tricritical point
separates the two phase lines. As well as briefly examining this critical
behavior in 2+1 dimensions, we pay particular attention to the cluster
geometry. We observe the different cluster structures that form at criticality
for the three different types of critical behavior and show that there exists a
linear relationship for the probability of survival against initial cluster
size at the tricritical point only.


title: Positive association in the fractional fuzzy Potts model

abstract:
  A fractional fuzzy Potts measure is a probability distribution on spin
configurations of a finite graph $G$ obtained in two steps: first a subgraph of
$G$ is chosen according to a random cluster measure $\phi_{p,q}$, and then a
spin ($\pm1$) is chosen independently for each component of the subgraph and
assigned to all vertices of that component. We show that whenever $q\geq1$,
such a measure is positively associated, meaning that any two increasing events
are positively correlated. This generalizes earlier results of
H\"{a}ggstr\"{o}m [Ann. Appl. Probab. 9 (1999) 1149--1159] and
H\"{a}ggstr\"{o}m and Schramm [Stochastic Process. Appl. 96 (2001) 213--242].


title: Herwig++ 2.1 Release Note

abstract:
  A new release of the Monte Carlo program Herwig++ (version 2.1) is now
available. This version includes a number of significant improvements
including: an eikonal multiple parton-parton scattering model of the underlying
event; the inclusion of Beyond the Standard Model physics; and a new hadronic
decay model tuned to LEP data. This version of the program is now fully ready
for the simulation of events in hadron-hadron collisions.


title:
Non-Markovian decoherence and disentanglement scenarios in quantum
  Brownian motion

abstract:
  We study the non-Markovian decoherence and disentanglement dynamics of
dissipative quantum systems with special emphasis on non-Gaussian continuous
variable systems. The dynamics are described by the Hu-Paz-Zhang master
equation of quantum Brownian motion. The time evolution of the decoherence
function of a single-mode superposition is compared to the concurrence of a
two-mode entangled state. It is verified that moderate non-Markovian influences
slow down the decay of interference fringes and quantum correlations, while
strong non-Markovian effects resulting from an out-of-resonance bath can even
accelerate the loss of coherence, compared to predictions of Markovian
approximations. Qualitatively different scenarios including exponential,
Gaussian or algebraic decay of the decoherence function are analyzed. It is
shown that partial revivals of coherence can occur in case of non-Lindblad-type
dynamics.


title: Nuclear Astrophysics Before 1957

abstract:
  I discuss especially my summer with Willy Fowler at Kellogg Radiation in
1951, where I did my "triple-alpha" work. I also go back even earlier to Arthur
Eddington and Hans Bethe. I also mention the 1953 summer school in Ann Arbor.


title: X-Ray Emitting Ejecta of Supernova Remnant N132D

abstract:
  The brightest supernova remnant in the Magellanic Clouds, N132D, belongs to
the rare class of oxygen-rich remnants, about a dozen objects that show optical
emission from pure heavy-element ejecta. They originate in explosions of
massive stars that produce large amounts of O, although only a tiny fraction of
that O is found to emit at optical wavelengths. We report the detection of
substantial amounts of O at X-ray wavelengths in a recent 100 ks Chandra ACIS
observation of N132D. A comparison between subarcsecond-resolution Chandra and
Hubble images reveals a good match between clumpy X-ray and optically emitting
ejecta on large (but not small) scales. Ejecta spectra are dominated by strong
lines of He- and H-like O; they exhibit substantial spatial variations
partially caused by patchy absorption within the LMC. Because optical ejecta
are concentrated in a 5 pc radius elliptical expanding shell, the detected
ejecta X-ray emission also originates in this shell.


title: A new grid of evolutionary synthesis models

abstract:
  We present new evolutionary synthesis models for Single Stellar Populations
covering a wide range in age and metallicity. The most important difference
with existing models is the use of NLTE atmosphere models for the hot stars (O,
B, WR, post-AGB stars, and planetary nebulae) that have an important impact in
the stellar cluster's ionizing spectra.


title: On pointed Hopf algebras associated with the Mathieu simple groups

abstract:
  Let G be a Mathieu simple group, s in G, O_s the conjugacy class of s and
\rho an irreducible representation of the centralizer of s. We prove that
either the Nichols algebra B(O_s,\rho) is infinite-dimensional or the braiding
of the Yetter-Drinfeld module M(O_s, \rho) is negative. We also show that if
G=M22 or M24, then the group algebra of G is the only (up to isomorphisms)
finite-dimensional complex pointed Hopf algebra with group-likes isomorphic to
G.


title: Covariant Helicity-Coupling Amplitudes: A New Formulation

abstract:
  We have worked out covariant amplitudes for any two-body decay of a resonance
with an arbitrary non-zero mass, which involves arbitrary integer spins in the
initial and the final states. One key new ingredient for this work is the
application of the total intrinsic spin operator $\vec S$ which is given
directly in terms of the generators of the Poincar\'e group.
  Using the results of this study, we show how to explore the Lorentz factors
which appear naturally, if the momentum-space wave functions are used to form
the covariant decay amplitudes. We have devised a method of constructing our
covariant decay amplitudes, such that they lead to the Zemach amplitudes when
the Lorentz factors are set one.


title: Interacting Jets from Binary Protostars

abstract:
  We investigate potential models that could explain why multiple proto-stellar
systems predominantly show single jets. During their formation, stars most
frequently produce energetic outflows and jets. However, binary jets have only
been observed in a very small number of systems. We model numerically 3D binary
jets for various outflow parameters. We also model the propagation of jets from
a specific source, namely L1551 IRS 5, known to have two jets, using recent
observations as constraints for simulations with a new MHD code. We examine
their morphology and dynamics, and produce synthetic emission maps. We find
that the two jets interfere up to the stage where one of them is almost
destroyed or engulfed into the second one. We are able to reproduce some of the
observational features of L1551 such as the bending of the secondary jet. While
the effects of orbital motion are negligible over the jets dynamical timeline,
their interaction has significant impact on their morphology. If the jets are
not strictly parallel, as in most observed cases, we show that the magnetic
field can help the collimation and refocusing of both of the two jets.


title:
The physical interpretation of the spectrum of black hole quasinormal
  modes

abstract:
  When a classical black hole is perturbed, its relaxation is governed by a set
of quasinormal modes with complex frequencies \omega= \omega_R+i\omega_I. We
show that this behavior is the same as that of a collection of damped harmonic
oscillators whose real frequencies are (\omega_R^2+\omega_I^2)^{1/2}, rather
than simply \omega_R. Since, for highly excited modes, \omega_I >> \omega_R,
this observation changes drastically the physical understanding of the black
hole spectrum, and forces a reexamination of various results in the literature.
In particular, adapting a derivation by Hod, we find that the area of the
horizon of a Schwarzschild black hole is quantized in units \Delta
A=8\pi\lpl^2, where \lpl is the Planck length (in contrast with the original
result \Delta A=4\log(3) \lpl^2). The resulting area quantization does not
suffer from a number of difficulties of the original proposal; in particular,
it is an intrinsic property of the black hole, independent of the spin of the
perturbation.


title: Quantum model of microcavity intersubband electroluminescent devices

abstract:
  We present a quantum theoretical analysis of the electroluminescence from an
intersubband transition of a quantum well structure embedded in a planar
microcavity. By using a cluster factorization method, we have derived a closed
set of dynamical equations for the quantum well carrier and cavity photon
occupation numbers, the correlation between the cavity field and the
intersubband polarization, as well as polarization-polarization contributions.
In order to model the electrical excitation, we have considered electron
population tunneling from an injector and into an extractor contact. The
tunneling rates have been obtained by considering the bare electronic states in
the quantum well and the limit of validity of this approximation (broad-band
injection) are discussed in detail. We apply the present quantum model to
provide a comprehensive description of the electronic transport and optical
properties of an intersubband microcavity light emitting diode, accounting for
non-radiative carrier relaxation and Pauli blocking. We study the enhancement
of the electroluminescence quantum efficiency passing from the weak to the
strong polariton coupling regime.


title: Object oriented data analysis: Sets of trees

abstract:
  Object oriented data analysis is the statistical analysis of populations of
complex objects. In the special case of functional data analysis, these data
objects are curves, where standard Euclidean approaches, such as principal
component analysis, have been very successful. Recent developments in medical
image analysis motivate the statistical analysis of populations of more complex
data objects which are elements of mildly non-Euclidean spaces, such as Lie
groups and symmetric spaces, or of strongly non-Euclidean spaces, such as
spaces of tree-structured data objects. These new contexts for object oriented
data analysis create several potentially large new interfaces between
mathematics and statistics. This point is illustrated through the careful
development of a novel mathematical framework for statistical analysis of
populations of tree-structured objects.


title: Black Holes as Dark Matter Annihilation Boosters

abstract:
  We review the consequences of the growth and evolution of Black Holes on the
distribution of stars and Dark Matter (DM) around them. We focus in particular
on Supermassive and Intermediate Mass Black Holes, and discuss under what
circumstances they can lead to significant overdensities in the surrounding
distribution of DM, thus effectively acting as DM annihilation boosters.


title: Approche polyedrale pour le probleme du separateur (VSP)

abstract:
  In an undirected connected graph G=(V,E), the vertex separator problem (VSP)
asks for a partition of V into nonempty subsets A, B, C such that |C| is
minimized such that there is no edge between A and B, and sizes of A and B are
similar. This paper presents a polyhedral approach of the (VSP), introducing
new efficient valid inequalities and providing computational tests and results.


title:
Hadron multiplicity in e+e- events induced by top quark pairs at the ILC
  energy

abstract:
  The average charged hadron multiplicity in the $e^+e^-$ events with the
primary $t\bar{t}$-pair at the collision energy 500 GeV, as well as the average
multiplicity of charged hadrons from the top quark are calculated in QCD to be
$86.7 \pm 1.11$ and $41.0 \pm 0.54$, respectively.


title: Dynamically generated open and hidden charm mesons

abstract:
  In this presentation I explain our framework for dynamically generating
resonances from the meson meson interaction. Our model generates many poles in
the T-matrix which are associated with known states, while at the same time new
states are predicted.


title: Multipath Channels of Bounded Capacity

abstract:
  The capacity of discrete-time, non-coherent, multipath fading channels is
considered. It is shown that if the delay spread is large in the sense that the
variances of the path gains do not decay faster than geometrically, then
capacity is bounded in the signal-to-noise ratio.


title: Induction of nuclear fission by high-voltage application

abstract:
  In nuclear power generation, fissile materials are mainly used. For example,
$U^{235}$ is fissile and therefore quite essential for use of nuclear energy.
However, the material $U^{235}$ has very small natural abundance less than 1 %.
We should seek possibility of utilizing fissionable materials such as $U^{238}$
because natural abundance of such fissionable materials is generally much
larger than fissile ones. In this paper, we show that thermal neutrons with
vanishing kinetic energy can induce nuclear fission when high voltage is
applied to fissionable materials. To obtain this result, we use the liquid-drop
model for nuclei. Finally, we propose how fissionable materials can be
utilized.


title: In-medium chiral condensate beyond linear density approximation

abstract:
  In-medium chiral perturbation theory is used to calculate the density
dependence of the quark condensate $<\bar qq>$. The corrections beyond the
linear density approximation are obtained by differentiating the interaction
contributions to the energy per particle of isospin-symmetric nuclear matter
with respect to the pion mass. Our calculation treats systematically the
effects from one-pion exchange (with $m_\pi$-dependent vertex corrections),
iterated $1\pi$-exchange, and irreducible $2\pi$-exchange including
intermediate $\Delta(1232)$-isobar excitations, with Pauli-blocking corrections
up to three-loop order. We find a strong and non-linear dependence of the
``dropping'' in-medium condensate on the actual value of the pion (or light
quark) mass. In the chiral limit, $m_\pi=0$, chiral restoration appears to be
reached already at about 1.5 times normal nuclear matter density. By contrast,
for the physical pion mass, $m_\pi = 135 $MeV, the in-medium condensate
stabilizes at about 60% of its vacuum value above that same density. Effects
from $2\pi$-exchange with virtual $\Delta(1232)$-isobar excitations turn out to
be crucial in generating such pronounced deviations from the linear density
approximation above $\rho_0$. The hindered tendency towards chiral symmetry
restoration provides a justification for using pions and nucleons as effective
low-energy degrees of freedom at least up to twice nuclear matter density.


title:
Klein paradox and Scattering theory for the semi-classical Dirac
  equation

abstract:
  We study the Klein paradox for the semi-classical Dirac operator on $\R$ with
potentials having constant limits, not necessarily the same at infinity. Using
the complex WKB method, the time-independent scattering theory in terms of
incoming and outgoing plane wave solutions is established. The corresponding
scattering matrix is unitary. We obtain an asymptotic expansion, with respect
to the semi-classical parameter $h$, of the scattering matrix in the cases of
the Klein paradox, the total transmission and the total reflection. Finally, we
treat the scattering problem in the zero mass case.


title:
Three-Dimensional Ising-Like System in an External Field: Microscopic
  Calculation of the Free Energy in the Higher Non-Gaussian Approximation

abstract:
  An analytic method for deriving the free energy of a three-dimensional
Ising-like system near the critical point in a homogeneous external field is
developed in the $\rho^6$ model approximation. The mathematical description
proposed for temperatures $T>T_c$ ($T_c$ is the phase-transition temperature in
the absence of an external field) is valid for fields near $\tilde h_c$, where
the scaling variable is of the order of unity and power series in this variable
are not effective. At the limiting field $\tilde h_c$, the temperature and
field effects on the system in the vicinity of the critical point are
equivalent. The total free energy is obtained as a function of temperature,
field and microscopic parameters of the system without using series expansions
in the scaling variable. In addition to leading terms, the expression for the
free energy includes the terms determining the temperature and field confluent
corrections.


title: On Quarks and Flavour Symmetry

abstract:
  Hadronic spectroscopy can be introduced to students and developed rather far
without requiring SU(N) flavour symmetry. In such a "minimalist" presentation,
we are naturally led to comment and clarify the concept of the "generalized"
Pauli principle.


title: Algorithm for muon electromagnetic shower reconstruction

abstract:
  The ANTARES neutrino telescope is presently being built in the Mediterranean
Sea at a depth of 2500 m. The primary aim of the experiment is the detection of
high energy cosmic muon neutrinos, which are identified by the muons that are
produced in charged current interactions. These muons are detected by measuring
the Cerenkov light which they emit traversing the detector. Sometimes a high
momentum muon produces electromagnetic showers. The subject of this paper is a
method to reconstruct these showers which includes several steps: an algorithm
for the fit of the muon track parameters, preselection of detected photons
belonging to a shower, and a final fit with the preselected detected photons to
calculate the electromagnetic shower position. Finally a comparison between
data obtained with that part of the detector that is currently in operation and
simulations is presented.


title: Powers of sequences and recurrence

abstract:
  We study recurrence, and multiple recurrence, properties along the $k$-th
powers of a given set of integers. We show that the property of recurrence for
some given values of $k$ does not give any constraint on the recurrence for the
other powers. This is motivated by similar results in number theory concerning
additive basis of natural numbers. Moreover, motivated by a result of Kamae and
Mend\`es-France, that links single recurrence with uniform distribution
properties of sequences, we look for an analogous result dealing with higher
order recurrence and make a related conjecture.


title: Standard Model parameters and heavy quarks on the lattice

abstract:
  I review recent progresses in heavy quarks physics on the lattice. I focus on
decay constants and form factors relevant for the extraction of CKM matrix
elements from experimental data. B-\bar{B} mixing is also discussed. In the
last part of the paper I describe phenomenological applications of Heavy Quark
Effective Theory (HQET) on the lattice, presenting in some detail the recent
non-perturbative determination of the b-quark mass including O(1/m_b)
corrections.


title:
Search for chargino-neutralino production in p-pbar collisions at 1.96
  TeV with high pT leptons

abstract:
  We present a search for the associated production of charginos and
neutralinos in p-pbar collisions at 1.96 TeV. The data were collected at the
Collider Detector at Fermilab (CDF II) and correspond to integrated
luminosities between 0.7 and 1.0 fb-1. We look for final states with one high
pT electron or muon, and two additional leptons. Our results are consistent
with the standard model expectations, and we set limits on the cross section as
a function of the chargino mass in three different supersymmetric scenarios.
For a specific MSSM scenario with no slepton mixing we set a 95 % C.L. limit at
151 GeV/c^2.


title:
Investigation of unoccupied electronic states of LaCoO$_3$ and PrCoO$_3$
  using inverse photoemission spectroscopy and GGA + $U$ calculations

abstract:
  The unoccupied electronic states of LaCoO$_3$ and PrCoO$_3$ are studied using
room temperature inverse photoemission spectroscopy and \emph{ab initio}
GGA+$\emph{U}$ band structure calculations. A fairly good agreement between
experiment and theory is obtained. The intensity of the peak just above the
Fermi-level is found to be very much sensitive to the hybridization of Co 3$d$
and O 2$p$ orbitals. Moreover, the band just above the Fermi-level is of Co
3$d$ character with little contribution from O 2$p$ states.


title: Invariant functions in Denjoy-Carleman classes

abstract:
  Let $V$ be a real finite dimensional representation of a compact Lie group
$G$. It is well-known that the algebra $\mathbb R[V]^G$ of $G$-invariant
polynomials on $V$ is finitely generated, say by $\sigma_1,...,\sigma_p$.
Schwarz proved that each $G$-invariant $C^\infty$-function $f$ on $V$ has the
form $f=F(\sigma_1,...,\sigma_p)$ for a $C^\infty$-function $F$ on $\mathbb
R^p$. We investigate this representation within the framework of
Denjoy-Carleman classes. One can in general not expect that $f$ and $F$ lie in
the same Denjoy-Carleman class $C_M$ (with $M=(M_k)$). For finite groups $G$
and (more generally) for polar representations $V$ we show that for each
$G$-invariant $f$ of class $C_M$ there is an $F$ of class $C_N$ such that
$f=F(\sigma_1,...,\sigma_p)$, if $N$ is strongly regular and satisfies $N_k \ge
M_{km} \ep^{k+1}$, for all $k$, with $m$ an (explicitly known) integer
depending only on the representation and $\epsilon>0$ independent of $k$. In
particular, each $G$-invariant $(1+\delta)$-Gevrey function $f$ has the form
$f=F(\sigma_1,...,\sigma_p)$ for a $(1+\delta m)$-Gevrey function $F$.
Applications to equivariant functions and basic differential forms are given.


title: Power-law corrections to black-hole entropy via entanglement

abstract:
  We consider the entanglement between quantum field degrees of freedom inside
and outside the horizon as a plausible source of black-hole entropy. We examine
possible deviations of black hole entropy from area proportionality. We show
that while the area law holds when the field is in its ground state, a
correction term proportional to a fractional power of area results when the
field is in a superposition of ground and excited states. We compare our
results with the other approaches in the literature.


title: CFT Interpretation of Merging Multiple SLE Traces

abstract:
  In this paper we give a physical interpretation of the probability of a
Stochastic Loewner Evolution (SLE) trace approaching a marked point in the
upper half plane, e.g. on another trace. Our approach is based on the concept
of fusion of boundary with bulk or other boundary fields in Conformal Field
Theory (CFT). In this context we also state a proposal how the results can be
extended to situations that happen not sufficiently far away from the boundary.


title: Walls and chains of planar skyrmions

abstract:
  In planar (baby) Skyrme systems, there may be extended linear structures
which resemble either domain walls or chains of skyrmions, depending on the
choice of potential and boundary conditions. We show that systems with a single
vacuum, for example with potential V=1-phi_3, admit chain solutions, whereas
walls are ruled out by the uniqueness of the vacuum. On the other hand, in
double-vacuum systems such as V=1/2*(1-phi_3^2), one has stable wall solutions,
but there are no stable chains; the walls may be viewed as the primary objects
in such systems, with skyrmions being made out of them.


title: The string string theorists forgot to notice

abstract:
  A conjecture formulated by Henri Poincare in 1912 suggests that Max Planck's
elementary quantum of action constitutes an authentic "atom of motion". When
the conjecture is implemented, the resulting entity, the xon, becomes "the
string string theorists forgot to notice". If a string exists in Nature, then
string theoretical research should be pursued.


title: CME Propagation Characteristics from Radio Observations

abstract:
  We explore the relationship among three coronal mass ejections (CMEs),
observed on 28 October 2003, 7 November 2004, and 20 January 2005, the type II
burst-associated shock waves in the corona and solar wind, as well as the
arrival of their related shock waves and magnetic clouds at 1 AU. Using six
different coronal/interplanetary density models, we calculate the speeds of
shocks from the frequency drifts observed in metric and decametric radio wave
data. We compare these speeds with the velocity of the CMEs as observed in the
plane-of-the-sky white-light observations and calculated with a cone model for
the 7 November 2004 event. We then follow the propagation of the ejecta using
Interplanetary Scintillation (IPS) measurements, which were available for the 7
November 2004 and 20 January 2005 events. Finally, we calculate the travel time
of the interplanetary (IP) shocks between the Sun and Earth and discuss the
velocities obtained from the different data. This study highlights the
difficulties in making velocity estimates that cover the full CME propagation
time.


title: Exactly Solvable Model for the QCD Tricritcal Endpoint

abstract:
  An inclusion of temperature and chemical potential dependent surface tension
into the gas of quark-gluon bags model resolves a long standing problem of a
unified description of the first and second order phase transition with the
cross-over. The suggested model has an exact analytical solution and allows one
to rigorously study the vicinity of the critical endpoint of the deconfinement
phase transition. It is found that at the curve of a zero surface tension
coefficient there must exist the surface induced phase tranition of the 2-nd or
higher order. The present model predicts that the critical endpoint (CEP) of
quantum chromodynamics is the tricritical endpoint.


title: Self-tuning vacuum variable and cosmological constant

abstract:
  A spacetime-independent variable is introduced which characterizes a
Lorentz-invariant self-sustained quantum vacuum. For a perfect
(Lorentz-invariant) quantum vacuum, the self-tuning of this variable nullifies
the effective energy density which enters the low-energy gravitational field
equations. The observed small but nonzero value of the cosmological constant
may then be explained as corresponding to the effective energy density of an
imperfect quantum vacuum (perturbed by, e.g., the presence of thermal matter).


title:
Deformation or spherical symmetry in 10Be and the inversion of 1/2- -
  1/2+ states in 11Be

abstract:
  For a core plus one neutron system like 11Be we have calculated the energies
of the 1/2- and 1/2+ states assuming a deformation of the core deduced from the
low energy 2+ state properties or taking into account the coupling of the
neutron with this 2+ state interpreted as a spherical one-phonon state. We have
shown that the two derivations yield identical results if the phonon energy is
neglected in the second derivation and close results in the general case.


title: Assessing non-Markovian dynamics

abstract:
  We investigate what a snapshot of a quantum evolution - a quantum channel
reflecting open system dynamics - reveals about the underlying continuous time
evolution. Remarkably, from such a snapshot, and without imposing additional
assumptions, it can be decided whether or not a channel is consistent with a
time (in)dependent Markovian evolution, for which we provide computable
necessary and sufficient criteria. Based on these, a computable measure of
`Markovianity' is introduced. We discuss how the consistency with Markovian
dynamics can be checked in quantum process tomography. The results also clarify
the geometry of the set of quantum channels with respect to being solutions of
time (in)dependent master equations.


title: T=0 effective interaction in 14N and 10B

abstract:
  We have calculated the 1+ and 3+, T=0 states in 14N and 10B. In a
neutron-proton RPA model these two nuclei are described by the same set of
equations. We first show that a bare Minnesota interaction leads to too weak
binding in bothnuclei. Furthermore it does not produce a 3+ ground state in 10B
as it should. Including medium effects as an exchange of phonons between the
neutron-proton pair cures the desagreement in 14N but still gives a 1+ ground
state in 10B with the 3+ as an excited state. The same study with a Gogny
effective interaction reproduces nicely the properties of both nuclei: same
agreement in 14N as previously when medium effeccts were introduced but now the
3+ in 10B becomes the ground state. This success suggests that through its
density dependent term the Gogny interaction takes account of the presence of a
three-body force which, in a shell model calculation, has been shown to be
essential to give a 3+ ground state in 10B.


title: Seminar on Records Theory

abstract:
  In quantum gravity, one seeks to combine quantum mechanics and general
relativity. In attempting to do so, one comes across the `problem of time'
impasse: the notion of time is conceptually different in each of these
theories. In this seminar, I consider the timeless records approach toward
resolving this. Records are localized, information-containing subconfigurations
of a single instant. Records theory is the study of these and of how science
(or history) is to be abstracted from correlations between them. I explain how
to motivate this approach, provide a ground-level structure for it and discuss
what kind of further tools are needed. For a more comprehensive account with
many more references, see [1].


title: Search for RS gravitons via $W_L W_L$ decays

abstract:
  The original Randall-Sundrum (RS) model with a warped extra dimension along
with extensions provides the possibility for a simultaneous solution to
Planck-weak hierarchy problem as well as the flavor puzzle in the Standard
Model (SM). The most distinctive feature of this scenario is the existence of
Kaluza-Klein (KK) gravitons whose masses and couplings to the SM fields are set
by the TeV scale. In some realistic versions of this framework, the largest
coupling of the gravitons to the observed particles is to the top quark and
unphysical Higgses ($W^{\pm}_L$ and $Z_L$) with the KK graviton (G) masses
predicted to be $\gsim$ 4 TeV. We extend earlier works on the KK graviton
decays to the $t\bar{t}$ final state and to the ``gold-plated'' $Z_L Z_L$ modes
(with each Z decaying to $e^+ e^-$ or to $\mu^+ \mu^-$) by studying the
resonant production of the gravitons and their subsequent decay to $W_L W_L$
pair. We find that with 300 $fb^{-1}$ integrated luminosity of data the
semileptonic $G \to W (\to l \nu_l) W(\to 2 jets)$ mode offers a good
opportunity to search for the RS KK graviton mode with mass lighter than $\sim$
3-3.5 TeV at the CERN LHC. Efficient WW mass reconstruction in the semileptonic
mode combined with an analysis of dilepton mass distribution in the purely
leptonic channel, $pp \to W (\to l \nu_l) W(\to l^\prime \nu_{l^\prime})$ may
help to observe KK $Z^\prime$ and KK graviton separately. Suitably defined
average energy of the charged lepton in the semileptonic mode may be used to
distinguish decays from longitudinal versus transverse W-bosons.


title: To Decode the Interference or To Consider it as Noise

abstract:
  We address single-user data transmission over a channel where the received
signal incurs interference from a finite number of users (interfering users)
that use single codebooks for transmitting their own messages. The receiver,
however, is allowed to decode interfering users' messages. This means the
signal transmitted from any interfering user is either decoded or considered as
noise at the receiver side. We propose the following method to obtain an
achievable rate for this channel. Assuming its own data is decoded
successfully, the receiver partitions the set of interfering users into two
disjoint subsets, namely the set of decodable users and the set of
non-decodable users. Then the transmitter's rate is chosen such that the
intended signal can be jointly decoded with the set of decodable users. To show
the strength of this method, we prove that for the additive Gaussian channel
with Gaussian interfering users, the Gaussian distribution is optimal and the
achievable rate is the capacity of this channel. To obtain the maximum
achievable rate, one needs to find the maximum decodable subset of interfering
users. Due to the large number of possible choices, having efficient algorithms
that find the set of decodable users with maximum cardinality is desired. To
this end, we propose an algorithm that enables the receiver to accomplish this
task in polynomial time.


title: Hopf algebroids and secondary characteristic classes

abstract:
  We study a Hopf algebroid, $\calh$, naturally associated to the groupoid
$U_n^\delta\ltimes U_n$. We show that classes in the Hopf cyclic cohomology of
$\calh$ can be used to define secondary characteristic classes of trivialized
flat $U_n$-bundles. For example, there is a cyclic class which corresponds to
the universal transgressed Chern character and which gives rise to the
continuous part of the $\rho$-invariant of Atiyah-Patodi-Singer. Moreover,
these cyclic classes are shown to extend to the K-theory of the associated
$C^{*}$-algebra. This point of view gives leads to homotopy invariance results
for certain characteristic numbers. In particular, we define a subgroup of the
cohomology of a group analogous to the Gelfand-Fuchs classes described by
Connes, \cite{connes:transverse}, and show that the higher signatures
associated to them are homotopy invariant.


title:
Theory of resonance energy transfer involving nanocrystals: the role of
  high multipoles

abstract:
  A theory for the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between a pair
of semiconducting nanocrystal quantum dots is developed. Two types of
donor-acceptor couplings for the FRET rate are described: dipole-dipole (d-d)
and the dipole-quadrupole (d-q) coupling. The theory builds on a simple
effective mass model which is used to relate the FRET rate to measureable
quantities such as the nanocrystal size, fundamental gap, effective mass,
exciton radius and dielectric constant. We discuss the relative contribution to
the FRET rate of the different multipole terms, the role of strong to weak
confinement limits, and the effects of nanocrystal siz-es.


title:
Beta Cephei stars in the ASAS-3 data. I. Long-term variations of periods
  and amplitudes

abstract:
  We analysed V-filter ASAS-3 photometry of 41 known Beta Cephei-type stars.
The ASAS-3 photometry was combined with the archival data, if available, to
determine long-term stability of periods and amplitudes of excited modes. We
detected amplitude changes in three Beta Cephei stars, BW Cru, V836 Cen, and
V348 Nor. Period changes were found in KK Vel and V836 Cen. Our analysis shows
that intrinsic period changes are more common among multiperiodic stars,
apparently because they are caused by some kind of mode interaction. In
addition, we found new modes for seven stars, and for ten others we provide new
solutions or remove ambiguities in the detected frequencies. One candidate
hybrid Beta Cephei/SPB star, HD133823, is discovered.


title: How strong is the evidence for accelerated expansion?

abstract:
  We test the present expansion of the universe using supernova type Ia data
without making any assumptions about the matter and energy content of the
universe or about the parameterization of the deceleration parameter. We assume
the cosmological principle to apply in a strict sense. The result strongly
depends on the data set, the light-curve fitting method and the calibration of
the absolute magnitude used for the test, indicating strong systematic errors.
Nevertheless, in a spatially flat universe there is at least a 5 sigma evidence
for acceleration which drops to 1.8 sigma in an open universe.


title: Neutron Stars in Globular Clusters

abstract:
  Dynamical interactions that occur between objects in dense stellar systems
are particularly important for the question of formation of X-ray binaries. We
present results of numerical simulations of 70 globular clusters with different
dynamical properties and a total stellar mass of 2*10^7 Msun. We find that in
order to retain enough neutron stars to match observations we must assume that
NSs can be formed via electron-capture supernovae. Our simulations explain the
observed dependence of the number of LMXBs on ``collision number'' as well as
the large scatter observed between different globular clusters. For millisecond
pulsars, we obtain good agreement between our models and the numbers and
characteristics of observed pulsars in the clusters Terzan 5 and 47 Tuc


title:
XMM-Newton observations of the diffuse X-ray emission in the starburst
  galaxy NGC 253

abstract:
  Aims: We present a study of the diffuse X-ray emission in the halo and the
disc of the starburst galaxy NGC 253. Methods: After removing point-like
sources, we analysed XMM-Newton images, hardness ratio maps and spectra from
several regions in the halo and the disc. We introduce a method to produce
vignetting corrected images from the EPIC pn data, and we developed a procedure
that allows a correct background treatment for low surface brightness spectra,
using a local background, together with closed filter observations. Results:
Most of the emission from the halo is at energies below 1 keV. In the disc,
also emission at higher energies is present. The extent of the diffuse emission
along the major axis of the disc is 13.6 kpc. The halo resembles a horn
structure and reaches out to ~9 kpc perpendicular to the disc. Disc regions
that cover star forming regions, like spiral arms, show harder spectra than
regions with lower star forming activity. Models for spectral fits of the disc
regions need at least three components: two thermal plasmas with solar
abundances plus a power law and galactic foreground absorption. Temperatures
are between 0.1 and 0.3 keV and between 0.3 and 0.9 keV for the soft and the
hard component, respectively. The power law component may indicate an
unresolved contribution from X-ray binaries in the disc. The halo emission is
not uniform, neither spatially nor spectrally. The southeastern halo is softer
than the northwestern halo. To model the spectra in the halo, we needed two
thermal plasmas with solar abundances plus galactic foreground absorption.
Temperatures are around 0.1 and 0.3 keV. A comparison between X-ray and UV
emission shows that both originate from the same regions.


title: Detecting palindromes, patterns, and borders in regular languages

abstract:
  Given a language L and a nondeterministic finite automaton M, we consider
whether we can determine efficiently (in the size of M) if M accepts at least
one word in L, or infinitely many words. Given that M accepts at least one word
in L, we consider how long a shortest word can be. The languages L that we
examine include the palindromes, the non-palindromes, the k-powers, the
non-k-powers, the powers, the non-powers (also called primitive words), the
words matching a general pattern, the bordered words, and the unbordered words.


title: Weak decays of H-like 140Pr58+ and He-like 140Pr57+ ions

abstract:
  The nuclear K-shell electron-capture (EC)and positron (beta+) decay
constants, lambda_(EC) and lambda_(beta^+) of H-like 140Pr58+ and He-like
140Pr57+ ions, measured recently in the ESR ion storage ring at GSI, were
calculated using standard weak interaction theory. The calculated ratios R =
lambda_(EC)/lambda_(beta^+) of the decay constants agree with the experimental
values within an accuracy better than 3 %.


title: Chiral Dynamics and Single-Spin Asymmetries

abstract:
  Parity-conserving single-spin asymmetries provide a specific measure of
coherent spin-orbit dynamics in quantum chromodynamics. The origin of these
effects can be traced to the interplay of chiral dynamics and confinement in
the theory. The most elegant display of the relevant mechanisms occurs in the
Collins functions and the polarizing fragmentation functions and fracture
functions for particles with spin. In the nucleon, these same dynamical
mechanisms generate virtual quantum structures leading to the Boer-Mulders
functions and orbital distributions. Two complementary formalisms for these
distributions appear. The familiar gauge-link formalism incorporates oll
nonperturbative dynamics into nonlocal correlators. The constructive formalism
introduced by the author describes distributions normalized to an intrinsic
property of the nucleon, namely, the currents specified in the
Bakker-Leader-Trueman sum rule. The connection between these two approaches can
be explored in the process dependence of single-spin asymmetries in various
hard-scattering processes. The study of the SU(2) Weyl-Dirac equation in
spherical coordinates allows typical Wilson operators that determine this
process dependence to be evaluated in the coordinate gauge.


title:
Beyond 1D: spectral line formation with 3D hydrodynamical model
  atmospheres of red giants

abstract:
  We present the results of realistic, 3D, hydrodynamical, simulations of
surface convection in red giant stars with varying effective temperatures and
metallicities. We use the convection simulations as time-dependent,
hydrodynamical, model atmospheres to compute spectral line profiles for a
number of ions and molecules under the assumption of local thermodynamic
equilibrium (LTE). We compare the results with the predictions of line
formation calculations based on 1D, hydrostatic, model stellar atmospheres in
order to estimate the impact of 3D models on the derivation of elemental
abundances. We find large negative 3D-1D LTE abundance corrections (typically
-0.5 to -1 dex) for weak low-excitation lines from molecules and neutral
species in the very low metallicity cases. Finally, we discuss the extent of
departures from LTE in the case of neutral iron spectral line formation.


title: In defense of local textures (and other Higgs gradients)

abstract:
  Cruz et al. recently showed that the CMB cold spot can be explained by a
GUT-scale texture. But following Turok's argument that gauged configurations
always relax quickly, they posit a global symmetry, without obvious relation to
GUTs. An observation by Nambu invalidates Turok's argument when the broken
symmetry group has commuting generators. This is demonstrated explicitly in the
standard model of electroweak interactions and holds generally for intermediate
SSB stages in GUTs. The cold spot could therefore be due to a GUT texture, and
electroweak Higgs gradients may evolve indefinitely.


title:
Local-gated single-walled carbon nanotube field effect transistors
  assembled by AC dielectrophoresis

abstract:
  We present a simple and scalable technique for the fabrication of solution
processed & local gated carbon nanotube field effect transistors (CNT-FETs).
The approach is based on directed assembly of individual single wall carbon
nanotube from dichloroethane via AC dielectrophoresis (DEP) onto pre-patterned
source and drain electrodes with a local aluminum gate in the middle.
Local-gated CNT-FET devices display superior performance compared to global
back gate with on-off ratios 10^4 and maximum subthreshold swings of 170
mV/dec. The local bottom-gated DEP assembled CNT-FETs will facilitate large
scale fabrication of complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) compatible
nanoelectronic devices.


title: Hindrance of ^{16}O+^{208}Pb fusion at extreme sub-barrier energies

abstract:
  We analyze the fusion data for $^{16}$O+$^{208}$Pb using coupled-channels
calculations. We include couplings to the low-lying surface excitations of the
projectile and target and study the effect of the ($^{16}$O,$^{17}$O)
one-neutron pickup. The hindrance of the fusion data that is observed at
energies far below the Coulomb barrier cannot be explained by a conventional
ion-ion potential and defining the fusion in terms of ingoing-wave boundary
conditions (IWBC). We show that the hindrance can be explained fairly well by
applying the M3Y double-folding potential which has been corrected with a
calibrated, repulsive term that simulates the effect of nuclear
incompressibility.
  We show that the coupling to one-neutron transfer channels plays a crucial
role in improving the fit to the data. The best fit is achieved by increasing
the transfer strength by 25% relative to the strength that is required to
reproduce the one-neutron transfer data. The larger strength is not unrealistic
because the calculated inelastic plus transfer cross section is in good
agreement with the measured quasielastic cross section. We finally discuss the
problem of reproducing the fusion data at energies far above the Coulomb
barrier. Here we do not account for the data when we apply the IWBC but the
discrepancy is essentially eliminated by applying the M3Y+repulsion potential
and a weak, short-ranged imaginary potential.


title:
Three-dimensional dielectric photonic crystal structures for
  laser-driven acceleration

abstract:
  We present the design and simulation of a three-dimensional photonic crystal
waveguide for linear laser-driven acceleration in vacuum. The structure
confines a synchronous speed-of-light accelerating mode in both transverse
dimensions. We report the properties of this mode, including sustainable
gradient and optical-to-beam efficiency. We present a novel method for
confining a particle beam using optical fields as focusing elements. This
technique, combined with careful structure design, is shown to have a large
dynamic aperture and minimal emittance growth, even over millions of optical
wavelengths.


title:
The distribution of polynomials over finite fields, with applications to
  the Gowers norms

abstract:
  In this paper we investigate the uniform distribution properties of
polynomials in many variables and bounded degree over a fixed finite field F of
prime order. Our main result is that a polynomial P : F^n -> F is
poorly-distributed only if P is determined by the values of a few polynomials
of lower degree, in which case we say that P has small rank.
  We give several applications of this result, paying particular attention to
consequences for the theory of the so-called Gowers norms. We establish an
inverse result for the Gowers U^{d+1}-norm of functions of the form f(x)=
e_F(P(x)), where P : F^n -> F is a polynomial of degree less than F, showing
that this norm can only be large if f correlates with e_F(Q(x)) for some
polynomial Q : F^n -> F of degree at most d.
  The requirement deg(P) < |F| cannot be dropped entirely. Indeed, we show the
above claim fails in characteristic 2 when d = 3 and deg(P)=4, showing that the
quartic symmetric polynomial S_4 in F_2^n has large Gowers U^4-norm but does
not correlate strongly with any cubic polynomial. This shows that the theory of
Gowers norms in low characteristic is not as simple as previously supposed.
This counterexample has also been discovered independently by Lovett, Meshulam,
and Samorodnitsky.
  We conclude with sundry other applications of our main result, including a
recurrence result and a certain type of nullstellensatz.


title: Sum rule for the double virtual Compton scattering

abstract:
  The two photon exchange amplitude is investigated in frame of analytic
properties of the virtual Compton scattering amplitude as a function of the
invariant mass squared of the intermediate hadronic state. A sum rule is built,
based on arguments from analyticity. It relates the differential cross section
of elastic electron-proton scattering including form factors, and the cross
section of inelastic scattering channel, with a contribution of nucleon
anti-nucleon pair production arising from the Fermi statistics. The last term
is calculated in frame of a simple model of nucleon-pion interaction.


title: Models and Phenomenology of Maximal Flavor Violation

abstract:
  We consider models of maximal flavor violation (MxFV), in which a new scalar
mediates large q_3 <-> q_1 or q_3 <-> q_2 flavor changing transitions (q_i is
an i'th generation quark), while q_3 <-> q_3 transitions are suppressed, e.g.,
\xi_{31}, \xi_{13} ~ V_{tb} and \xi_{33} ~ V_{td}, where \xi_{ij} are the new
scalar couplings to quarks and V is the CKM matrix. We show that, contrary to
the conventional viewpoint, such models are not ruled out by the existing low
energy data on K^0, B^0 and D^0 oscillations and rare K and B-decays. We also
show that these models of MxFV can have surprising new signatures at the LHC
and the Tevatron.


title:
Negative specific heat for quasi-2D vortex structures in electron
  plasmas: an explicit, closed-form derivation

abstract:
  Negative specific heat is a dramatic phenomenon where processes decrease in
temperature when adding energy. It has been observed in gravo-thermal collapse
of globular clusters. We now report finding this phenomenon in bundles of
nearly parallel, periodic, single-sign generalized vortex filaments in the
electron magnetohydrodynamic (EMH) model for the unbounded plane under strong
magnetic confinement. We derive the specific heat using a steepest descent
method and a mean field property. Our derivations show that as temperature
increases, the overall size of the system increases exponentially and the
energy drops. The implication of negative specific heat is a runaway reaction,
resulting in a collapsing inner core surrounded by an expanding halo of
filaments.


title:
Reply to ``Comment on `On the Luttinger theorem concerning number of
  particles in the ground states of systems of interacting fermions',''
  arXiv:0711.3093v1, by A. Rosch

abstract:
  We reply to the Comment by Achim Rosch [1] (arXiv:0711.3093v1) who challenges
our finding in Ref. [2] (arXiv:0711.0952v1) with regard to the validity of the
Luttinger theorem in the cases of Mott insulating N-particle ground states
(even) when the chemical potential used in applying this theorem coincides with
the zero-temperature limit of the chemical potential satisfying the equation of
state corresponding to N particles. Rosch further argues that the
strong-coupling expression for the single-particle Green function presented in
Ref. [3] (arXiv:cond-mat/0602656v2) and analyzed in Ref. [2] does not imply
destruction of the Mott insulating state at half-filling as a result of an
arbitrary weak hopping contribution that breaks particle-hole symmetry and
therefore suggests that our conclusion in Ref. [2] to the contrary were
incorrect. Here we show the shortcomings of Rosch's arguments.