title:
Demazure crystals of generalized Verma modules and a flagged RSK
  correspondence

abstract:
  We prove that the Robinson-Schensted-Knuth correspondence is a
$\gl_{\infty}$-crystal isomorphism between two realizations of the crystal
graph of a generalized Verma module with respect to a maximal parabolic
subalgebra of $\gl_{\infty}$. %This extends the previously known result that
%the RSK correspondence is an isomorphism of bicrystals or double %crystals. A
flagged version of the RSK correspondence is derived in a natural way by
computing a Demazure crystal graph of a generalized Verma module. As an
application, we discuss a relation between a Demazure crystal and plane
partitions with a bounded condition.


title:
Structural and electronic properties of grain boundaries in graphite:
  Planes of periodically distributed point defects

abstract:
  We report on scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy of grain
boundaries in highly oriented pyrolytic graphite. Grain boundaries showed a
periodic structure and an enhanced charge density compared to the bare graphite
surface. Two possible periodic structures have been observed along grain
boundaries. A geometrical model producing periodically distributed point
defects on the basal plane of graphite has been proposed to explain the
structure of grain boundaries. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy on grain
boundaries revealed two strong localized states at -0.3 V and 0.4 V.


title:
Lagrangian Floer theory on compact toric manifolds II : Bulk
  deformations

abstract:
  This is a continuation of part I in the series of the papers on Lagrangian
Floer theory on toric manifolds. Using the deformations of Floer cohomology by
the ambient cycles, which we call bulk deformations, we find a continuum of
non-displaceable Lagrangian fibers on some compact toric manifolds. We also
provide a method of finding all fibers with non-vanishing Floer cohomology with
bulk deformations in arbitrary compact toric manifolds, which we call
bulk-balanced Lagrangian fibers.


title:
Gibbs posterior for variable selection in high-dimensional
  classification and data mining

abstract:
  In the popular approach of "Bayesian variable selection" (BVS), one uses
prior and posterior distributions to select a subset of candidate variables to
enter the model. A completely new direction will be considered here to study
BVS with a Gibbs posterior originating in statistical mechanics. The Gibbs
posterior is constructed from a risk function of practical interest (such as
the classification error) and aims at minimizing a risk function without
modeling the data probabilistically. This can improve the performance over the
usual Bayesian approach, which depends on a probability model which may be
misspecified. Conditions will be provided to achieve good risk performance,
even in the presence of high dimensionality, when the number of candidate
variables "$K$" can be much larger than the sample size "$n$." In addition, we
develop a convenient Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm to implement BVS with
the Gibbs posterior.


title: The BSW Impact Picture 30 Years After

abstract:
  Thirty years ago Bourrely-Soffer-Wu (BSW) investigated an impact picture
description of $p-p$ and $\bar p -p$ elastic scattering with success. For this
anniversary, a short review of the main features of this picture will be
presented with its evolution over the years. The future experiments at the LHC
collider will provide decisive tests for the impact picture at high energy.


title: Defect-induced ferromagnetism in graphite

abstract:
  We demonstrate direct evidence for ferromagnetic order at defect structures
in highly oriented pyrolytic graphite with magnetic force microscopy at room
temperature. Magnetic impurities have been excluded as the origin of the
magnetic signal after careful analysis supporting an intrinsic magnetic
behavior of carbon-based materials. The observed ferromagnetism has been
attributed to originate from unpaired electron spins localized at grain
boundaries. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy of grain boundaries showed intense
localized states and enhanced charge density compared to bare graphite.


title:
Stationary Precession Topological Solitons with Nonzero Hopf Invariant
  in a Uniaxial Ferromagnet

abstract:
  Three-dimensional stationary precession solitons with nonzero Hopf indices
are found numerically by solving the Landau-Lifshitz equation. The structure
and existence domain of the solitons are found.


title:
Density matrix of the Universe reloaded: origin of inflation and
  cosmological acceleration

abstract:
  We present an overview of a recently suggested new model of quantum initial
conditions for the Universe in the form of a cosmological density matrix. This
density matrix originally suggested in the Euclidean quantum gravity framework
turns out to describe the microcanonical ensemble in the Lorentzian quantum
gravity of spatially closed cosmological models. This ensemble represents an
equipartition in the physical phase space of the theory (sum over everything),
but in terms of the observable spacetime geometry it is peaked about a set of
cosmologies limited to a bounded range of the cosmological constant. This
suggests a mechanism to constrain the landscape of string vacua and a possible
solution to the dark energy problem in the form of the quasi-equilibrium decay
of the microcanonical state of the Universe. The effective Friedmann equation
governing this decay incorporates the effect of the conformal anomaly of
quantum fields and features a new mechanism for a cosmological acceleration
stage -- big boost scenario. We also briefly discuss the relation between our
model, the AdS/CFT correspondence and RS and DGP braneworlds.


title: Towards Realistic String Vacua From Branes At Singularities

abstract:
  We report on progress towards constructing string models incorporating both
realistic D-brane matter content and moduli stabilisation with dynamical
low-scale supersymmetry breaking. The general framework is that of local
D-brane models embedded into the LARGE volume approach to moduli stabilisation.
We review quiver theories on del Pezzo $n$ ($dP_n$) singularities including
both D3 and D7 branes. We provide supersymmetric examples with three
quark/lepton families and the gauge symmetries of the Standard, Left-Right
Symmetric, Pati-Salam and Trinification models, without unwanted chiral
exotics. We describe how the singularity structure leads to family symmetries
governing the Yukawa couplings which may give mass hierarchies among the
different generations. We outline how these models can be embedded into compact
Calabi-Yau compactifications with LARGE volume moduli stabilisation, and state
the minimal conditions for this to be possible. We study the general structure
of soft supersymmetry breaking. At the singularity all leading order
contributions to the soft terms (both gravity- and anomaly-mediation) vanish.
We enumerate subleading contributions and estimate their magnitude. We also
describe model-independent physical implications of this scenario. These
include the masses of anomalous and non-anomalous U(1)'s and the generic
existence of a new hyperweak force under which leptons and/or quarks could be
charged. We propose that such a gauge boson could be responsible for the ghost
muon anomaly recently found at the Tevatron's CDF detector.


title:
Explosive Nucleosynthesis of Weak r-Process Elements in Extremely
  Metal-Poor Core-Collapse Supernovae

abstract:
  There have been attempts to fit the abundance patterns of extremely
metal-poor stars with supernova nucleosynthesis models for the lighter elements
than Zn. On the other hand, observations have revealed that the presence of EMP
stars with peculiarly high ratio of "weak r-process elements" Sr, Y and Zr.
Although several possible processes were suggested for the origin of these
elements, the complete solution for reproducing those ratios is not found yet.
In order to reproduce the abundance patterns of such stars, we investigate a
model with neutron rich matter ejection from the inner region of the
conventional mass-cut. We find that explosive nucleosynthesis in a high energy
supernova (or "hypernova") can reproduce the high abundances of Sr, Y and Zr
but that the enhancements of Sr, Y and Zr are not achieved by nucleosynthesis
in a normal supernova. Our results imply that, if these elements are ejected
from a normal supernova, nucleosynthesis in higher entropy flow than that of
the supernova shock is required.


title: A pathwise approach to relativistic diffusions

abstract:
  A new class of relativistic diffusions encompassing all the previously
studied examples has recently been introduced by C. Chevalier and F. Debbasch,
both in a heuristic and analytic way. A pathwise approach of these processes is
proposed here, in the general framework of Lorentzian geometry. In considering
the dynamics of the random motion in strongly causal spacetimes, we are able to
give a simple definition of the one-particle distribution function associated
with each process of the class and prove its fundamental property. This result
not only provides a dynamical justification of the analytical approach
developped up to now (enabling us to recover many of the results obtained so
far), but it provides a new general H-theorem. It also sheds some light on the
importance of the large scale structure of the manifold in the asymptotic
behaviour of the Franchi-Le Jan process. This pathwise approach is also the
source of many interesting questions that have no analytical counterparts.


title: Effective Complexity and its Relation to Logical Depth

abstract:
  Effective complexity measures the information content of the regularities of
an object. It has been introduced by M. Gell-Mann and S. Lloyd to avoid some of
the disadvantages of Kolmogorov complexity, also known as algorithmic
information content. In this paper, we give a precise formal definition of
effective complexity and rigorous proofs of its basic properties. In
particular, we show that incompressible binary strings are effectively simple,
and we prove the existence of strings that have effective complexity close to
their lengths. Furthermore, we show that effective complexity is related to
Bennett's logical depth: If the effective complexity of a string $x$ exceeds a
certain explicit threshold then that string must have astronomically large
depth; otherwise, the depth can be arbitrarily small.


title:
Can higher curvature corrections cure the singularity problem in f(R)
  gravity?

abstract:
  Although $f(R)$ modified gravity models can be made to satisfy solar system
and cosmological constraints, it has been shown that they have the serious
drawback of the nonexistence of stars with strong gravitational fields. In this
paper, we discuss whether or not higher curvature corrections can remedy the
nonexistence consistently. The following problems are shown to arise as the
costs one must pay for the $f(R)$ models that allow for neutrons stars: (i) the
leading correction must be fine-tuned to have the typical energy scale $\mu
\lesssim 10^{-19}$ GeV, which essentially comes from the free fall time of a
relativistic star; (ii) the leading correction must be further fine-tuned so
that it is not given by the quadratic curvature term. The second problem is
caused because there appears an intermediate curvature scale and laboratory
experiments of gravity will be under the influence of higher curvature
corrections. Our analysis thus implies that it is a challenge to construct
viable $f(R)$ models without very careful and unnatural fine-tuning.


title: Search for supersolid 4He in neutron scattering experiments at ISIS

abstract:
  The observation of a non-classical rotation inertia (NCRI) fraction in bulk
solid 4He by M. Chan and E. Kim attracted significant interest as a possible
manifestation of supersolid state of matter. Despite numerous experimental and
theoretical studies inspired by this observation, an explicit explanation for
this phenomenon is still missing. Neutron scattering experiments on solid elium
may help to shed light on the physical grounds of NCRI and answer the question
on whether this phenomenon could be caused by Bose-Einstein Condensation. In
this paper we are going to discuss the results obtained in experiments
involving neutron scattering on solid 4He. Microscopic quantitative data such
as mean kinetic energy, mean square momentum and mean square displacement of
helium atoms as well as the lattice parameter have been obtained for the first
time for solid 4He in temperature range 70 mK - 500 mK. No change was seen in
the single atom kinetic energy within statistical error better than 1per cent
as well as change in the lattice parameter within 0.03 per cent. The mean
square displacement did not change in the region of expected supersolid
transition either. All these results suggest that the NCRI transition is quite
different from the superfluid transition in liquid 4He.


title: I-odd sector of the Klebanov-Strassler theory

abstract:
  The Klebanov-Strassler background is invariant under the Z_2 symmetry I,
which acts by exchanging the bi-fundamental fields A and B, accompanied by the
charge conjugation. We study the background perturbations in the I-odd sector
and find an exhaustive list of bosonic states invariant under the global
SU(2)*SU(2) symmetry. In addition to the scalars identified in an earlier
publication arXiv:0712.4404 we find 7 families of massive states of spin 1.
Together with the spin 0 states they form 3 families of massive vector
multiplets and 2 families of massive gravitino multiplets, containing a vector,
a pseudovector and fermions of spin 3/2 and 1/2. In the conformal
Klebanov-Witten case these I-odd particles belong to the N=1 superconformal
Vector Multiplet I and Gravitino Multiplets II and IV. The operators dual to
the I-odd singlet sector include those without bi-fundamental fields making an
interesting connection with the pure N=1 SYM theory. We calculate the mass
spectrum of the corresponding glueballs numerically and discuss possible
applications of our results.


title:
QCD plasma equilibration, elliptic flow and jet-quenching - phenomena of
  common origin

abstract:
  Fast thermalization, a subsequent strong buildup of elliptic flow of QCD
matter and jet-quenching as found at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC)
are understood as the consequence of perturbative QCD (pQCD) interactions
within the 3+1 dimensional parton cascade BAMPS. The main contributions stem
from pQCD inspired bremsstrahlung. Comparisons to Au+Au data of the flow
parameter v_2 as a function of participation number as well as the gluonic
contribution to the nuclear modification factor R_AA for most central
collisions are given. Also the shear viscosity to entropy ratio is dynamically
extracted, which lies in the range of 0.08-0.15, depending on the chosen
coupling constant.


title:
A novel generalization of Clifford's classical point-circle
  configuration. Geometric interpretation of the quaternionic discrete
  Schwarzian KP equation

abstract:
  The algebraic and geometric properties of a novel generalization of
Clifford's classical C4 point-circle configuration are analysed. A connection
with the integrable quaternionic discrete Schwarzian Kadomtsev-Petviashvili
equation is revealed.


title:
Guiding molecules with electrostatic forces in Surface Enhanced Raman
  Spectroscopy (SERS)

abstract:
  In Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) the problem of drawing molecules
to the places where surface plasmon resonance enhancements will produce signals
is one of the most basic ones, and the initial obstacle to every application of
the effect. We explore the possibility of using electrostatic forces as a means
to "guide" charged molecules in solution toward SERS active substrates. We also
show explicitly the possibility of selectively enhancing different types of
dyes according to their charge, and we discuss briefly possible extensions for
other applications where "electrostatic guiding" could be an option.


title: Review of the "Bottom-Up" scenario

abstract:
  Thermalization of a longitudinally expanding color glass condensate with
Bjorken boost invariant geometry is investigated within parton cascade BAMPS.
Our main focus lies on the detailed comparison of thermalization, observed in
BAMPS with that suggested in the Bottom-Up scenario. We demonstrate that the
tremendous production of soft gluons via $gg \to ggg$, which is shown in the
Bottom-Up picture as the dominant process during the early preequilibration,
will not occur in heavy ion collisions at RHIC and LHC energies, because the
back reaction $ggg\to gg$ hinders the absolute particle multiplication.
Moreover, contrary to the Bottom-Up scenario, soft and hard gluons thermalize
at the same time. The time scale of thermal equilibration in BAMPS calculations
is of order $\as^{-2} (\ln \as)^{-2} Q_s^{-1}$. After this time the gluon
system exhibits nearly hydrodynamic behavior. The shear viscosity to entropy
density ratio has a weak dependence on $Q_s$ and lies close to the lower bound
of the AdS/CFT conjecture.


title:
On the homogenization of orthotropic elastic composites by the
  strong-property-fluctuation theory

abstract:
  The strong-property-fluctuation theory (SPFT) provides a general framework
for estimating the constitutive parameters of a homogenized composite material
(HCM). We developed the elastodynamic SPFT for orthotropic HCMs, in order to
undertake numerical studies. A specific choice of two-point covariance function
- which characterizes the distributional statistics of the generally
ellipsoidal particles that constitute the component materials - was
implemented. Representative numerical examples revealed that the lowest-order
SPFT estimate of the HCM stiffness tensor is qualitatively similar to the
estimate provided by the Mori-Tanaka mean-field formalism, but the differences
between the two estimates vary as the orthotropic nature of the HCM is
accentuated. The second-order SPFT provides a correction to the lowest-order
estimate of the HCM stiffness tensor and density. The correction, indicating
effective dissipation due to scattering loss, increases as the HCM becomes less
orthotropic but decreases as the correlation length becomes smaller.


title:
Low temperature Rosseland opacities with varied abundances of carbon and
  nitrogen

abstract:
  We attempt to produce low temperature opacity data incorporating the effects
of varied abundances of the elements carbon and nitrogen. For our temperature
range of interest, molecules represent the dominant opacity source. Our dataset
covers a wide metallicity range and is meant to provide important input data
for stellar evolution models and other applications. We conduct chemical
equilibrium calculations to evaluate the partial pressures of neutral atoms,
ions, and molecules. Based on a large dataset containing atomic line and
continuum data and, most importantly, a plethora of molecular lines, we
calculate Rosseland mean opacity coefficients not only for a number of
different metallicities, but also for varied abundances of the isotopes ^{12}C
and ^{14}N at each metallicity. The molecular data comprise the main opacity
sources for either an oxygen-rich or carbon-rich chemistry. We tabulate the
opacity coefficients as a function of temperature and, basically, density. Due
to the special role of the CO molecule, within a certain chemistry regime an
alteration to the carbon abundance causes considerable changes in the Rosseland
opacity. The transition from a scaled solar (i. e. oxygen-rich) mixture to a
carbon-rich regime results in opacities that can, at low temperatures, differ
by orders of magnitude from to the initial situation. The reason is that the
mean opacity in either case is due to different molecular absorbers. Variations
in the abundance of nitrogen have less pronounced effects but, nevertheless,
cannot be neglected. [abridged]


title: The Packing Measure of the Range of Super-Brownian Motion

abstract:
  We prove that the total range of Super-Brownian motion with quadratic
branching mechanism has an exact packing measure with respect to the gauge
function $g(r)=r^4 (\log \log1/r)^{-3}$ in super-critical dimensions $d\geq 5$.
More precisely, we prove that the total occupation measure of Super-Brownian
motion is equal to the $g$-packing measure restricted to its range, up to a
deterministic multiplicative constant that only depends on space dimension $d$.


title:
Interaction of antiprotons with Rb atoms and a comparison of antiproton
  stopping powers of the atoms H, Li, Na, K, and Rb

abstract:
  Ionization and excitation cross sections as well as electron-energy spectra
and stopping powers of the alkali metal atoms Li, Na, K, and Rb colliding with
antiprotons were calculated using a time-dependent channel-coupling approach.
An impact-energy range from 0.25 keV to 4000 keV was considered. The target
atoms are treated as effective one-electron systems using a model potential.
The results are compared with calculated cross sections for antiproton-hydrogen
atom collisions.


title:
The origin of the infrared emission in radio galaxies II: analysis of
  mid- to far-infrared Spitzer observations of the 2Jy sample

abstract:
  We present an analysis of deep mid- to far-infrared (MFIR) Spitzer
photometric observations of the southern 2Jy sample of powerful radio sources
(0.05 < z < 0.7), conducting a statistical investigation of the links between
radio jet, AGN, starburst activity and MFIR properties. This is part of an
ongoing extensive study of powerful radio galaxies that benefits from both
complete optical emission line information and a uniquely high detection rate
in the far-infrared (far-IR). We find tight correlations between the MFIR and
[OIII] emission luminosities, which are significantly better than those between
MFIR and extended radio luminosities, or between radio and [OIII] luminosities.
Since [OIII] is a known indicator of intrinsic AGN power, these correlations
confirm AGN illumination of the circum-nuclear dust as the primary heating
mechanism for the dust producing thermal MFIR emission at both 24 and 70
microns. We demonstrate that AGN heating is energetically feasible, and
identify the narrow line region clouds as the most likely location of the cool,
far-IR emitting dust. Starbursts make a major contribution to the heating of
the cool dust in only 15-28% of our targets.
  We also investigate the orientation dependence of the continuum properties,
finding that the broad- and narrow-line objects in our sample with strong
emission lines have similar distributions of MFIR luminosities and colours.
Therefore our results are entirely consistent with the orientation-based
unified schemes for powerful radio galaxies. However, the weak line radio
galaxies (WLRG) form a separate class of objects with intrinsically low
luminosity AGN in which both the optical emission lines and the MFIR continuum
are weak.


title:
Natural recovery of genetic diversity by gene flow in reforested areas
  of the endemic Canary Island pine, Pinus canariensis

abstract:
  The endemic pine, Pinus canariensis, forms one of the main forest ecosystems
in the Canary Islands. In this archipelago, pine forest is a mosaic of natural
stands (remnants of past forest overexploitation) and artificial stands planted
from the 1940's. The genetic makeup of the artificially regenerated forest is
of some concern. The use of reproductive material with uncontrolled origin or
from a reduced number of parental trees may produce stands ill adapted to local
conditions or unable to adapt in response to environmental change. The genetic
diversity within a transect of reforested stands connecting two natural forest
fragments has been studied with nuclear and chloroplast microsatellites. Little
genetic differentiation and similar levels of genetic diversity to the
surrounding natural stands were found for nuclear markers. However, chloroplast
microsatellites presented lower haplotype diversity in reforested stands, and
this may be a consequence of the lower effective population size of the
chloroplast genome, meaning chloroplast markers have a higher sensitivity to
bottlenecks. Understory natural regeneration within the reforestation was also
analysed to study gene flow from natural forest into artificial stands.
Estimates of immigration rate into artificially regenerated forest were high
(0.68-0.75), producing a significant increase of genetic diversity (both in
chloroplast and nuclear microsatellites), which indicates the capacity for
genetic recovery for P. canariensis reforestations surrounded by larger natural
stands.


title: Isospin mixing effects in low-energy $\bar{K}N - \pi \Sigma$ interaction

abstract:
  New strong coupled-channel $\bar{K}N - \pi \Sigma$ potential, reproducing all
existing experimental data and suitable for using in an accurate few-body
calculations, is constructed. Isospin breaking effects of direct inclusion of
the Coulomb interaction and using of physical masses in calculations are
investigated. The $1 s$ level shift and width of kaonic hydrogen, consistent
with the scattering data, was obtained and the corresponding exact strong $K^-
p$ scattering length was calculated. One- and two-pole form of $\Lambda(1405)$
resonance was considered.


title:
Design, analysis and test of a microdots apodizer for the Apodized Pupil
  Lyot Coronagraph

abstract:
  Coronagraphic techniques are required to detect exoplanets with future
Extremely Large Telescopes. One concept, the Apodized Pupil Lyot Coronagraph
(APLC), is combining an apodizer in the entrance aperture and a Lyot opaque
mask in the focal plane. This paper presents the manufacturing and tests of a
microdots apodizer optimized for the near IR.
  The intent of this work is to demonstrate the feasibility and performance of
binary apodizers for the APLC. This study is also relevant for any coronagraph
using amplitude pupil apodization.
  A binary apodizer has been designed using a halftone dot process, where the
binary array of pixels with either 0% or 100% transmission is calculated to fit
the required continuous transmission, i.e. local transmission control is
obtained by varying the relative density of the opaque and transparent pixels.
An error diffusion algorithm was used to optimize the distribution of pixels
that best approximates the required field transmission. The prototype was
tested with a coronagraphic setup in the near IR.
  The transmission profile of the prototype agrees with the theoretical shape
within 3% and is achromatic. The observed apodized and coronagraphic images are
consistent with theory. However, binary apodizers introduce high frequency
noise that is a function of the pixel size. Numerical simulations were used to
specify pixel size in order to minimize this effect, and validated by
experiment.
  This paper demonstrates that binary apodizers are well suited for being used
in high contrast imaging coronagraphs. The correct choice of pixel size is
important and must be adressed considering the scientific field of view.


title: On the Stability of Non-Abelian Semi-local Vortices

abstract:
  We study the stability of non-Abelian semi-local vortices based on an N=2
supersymmetric H = [SU(Nc) x U(1)]/Z_Nc = U(Nc) gauge theory with an arbitrary
number of flavors (Nf > Nc) in the fundamental representation, when certain N=1
mass terms are present, making the vortex solutions no longer BPS-saturated.
Local (ANO-like) vortices are found to be stable against fluctuations in the
transverse directions. Strong evidence is found that the ANO-like vortices are
actually the true minima. In other words, the semi-local moduli, which are
present in the BPS limit, disappear in our non-BPS system, leaving the vortex
with the orientational moduli CP(Nc-1) only. We discuss the implications of
this fact on the system in which the U(Nc) model arises as the low-energy
approximation of an underlying e.g. G = SU(Nc+1) gauge theory.


title:
Renormalization group evolution of neutrino mixing parameters near
  $\theta_{13} = 0$ and models with vanishing $\theta_{13}$ at the high scale

abstract:
  Renormalization group (RG) evolution of the neutrino mass matrix may take the
value of the mixing angle $\theta_{13}$ very close to zero, or make it vanish.
On the other hand, starting from $\theta_{13}=0$ at the high scale it may be
possible to generate a non-zero $\theta_{13}$ radiatively. In the most general
scenario with non-vanishing CP violating Dirac and Majorana phases, we explore
the evolution in the vicinity of $\theta_{13}=0$, in terms of its structure in
the complex ${\cal U}_{e3}$ plane. This allows us to explain the apparent
singularity in the evolution of the Dirac CP phase $\delta$ at $\theta_{13}=0$.
We also introduce a formalism for calculating the RG evolution of neutrino
parameters that uses the Jarlskog invariant and naturally avoids this singular
behaviour. We find that the parameters need to be extremely fine-tuned in order
to get exactly vanishing $\theta_{13}$ during evolution. For the class of
neutrino mass models with $\theta_{13}=0$ at the high scale, we calculate the
extent to which RG evolution can generate a nonzero $\theta_{13}$, when the low
energy effective theory is the standard model or its minimal supersymmetric
extension. We find correlated constraints on $\theta_{13}$, the lightest
neutrino mass $m_0$, the effective Majorana mass $m_{ee}$ measured in the
neutrinoless double beta decay, and the supersymmetric parameter $\tan\beta$.


title: G-Structures defined on pseudo-Riemannian manifolds

abstract:
  Concepts and techniques from the theory of G-structures of higher order are
applied to the study of certain structures (volume forms, conformal structures,
linear connections and projective structures) defined on a pseudo-Riemanniann
manifold. Several relationships between the structures involved have been
investigated. The operations allowed on G-structures, such as intersection,
inclusion, reduction, extension and prolongation, were used for it.


title:
Collisions of low-energy antiprotons with molecular hydrogen:
  ionization, excitation and stopping power

abstract:
  A time-dependent coupled-channel approach was used to calculate ionization,
excitation, and energy-loss cross sections as well as energy spectra for
antiproton and proton collisions with molecular hydrogen for impact energies 8
keV < E < 4000 keV.


title: Hawking Radiation, Covariant Boundary Conditions and Vacuum States

abstract:
  The basic characteristics of the covariant chiral current $<J_{\mu}>$ and the
covariant chiral energy-momentum tensor $<T_{\mu\nu}>$ are obtained from a
chiral effective action. These results are used to justify the covariant
boundary condition used in recent approaches
\cite{Isowilczek,Isoumtwilczek,shailesh,shailesh2,Banerjee} of computing the
Hawking flux from chiral gauge and gravitational anomalies. We also discuss a
connection of our results with the conventional calculation of nonchiral
currents and stress tensors in different (Unruh, Hartle-Hawking and Boulware)
states.


title: Locally well generated homotopy categories of complexes

abstract:
  We show that the homotopy category of complexes K(B) over any finitely
accessible additive category B is locally well generated. That is, any
localizing subcategory L in K(B) which is generated by a set is well generated
in the sense of Neeman. We also show that K(B) itself being well generated is
equivalent to B being pure semisimple, a concept which naturally generalizes
right pure semisimplicity of a ring R for B = Mod-R.


title: Interpolation of Shifted-Lacunary Polynomials

abstract:
  Given a "black box" function to evaluate an unknown rational polynomial f in
Q[x] at points modulo a prime p, we exhibit algorithms to compute the
representation of the polynomial in the sparsest shifted power basis. That is,
we determine the sparsity t, the shift s (a rational), the exponents 0 <= e1 <
e2 < ... < et, and the coefficients c1,...,ct in Q\{0} such that f(x) =
c1(x-s)^e1+c2(x-s)^e2+...+ct(x-s)^et. The computed sparsity t is absolutely
minimal over any shifted power basis. The novelty of our algorithm is that the
complexity is polynomial in the (sparse) representation size, and in particular
is logarithmic in deg(f). Our method combines previous celebrated results on
sparse interpolation and computing sparsest shifts, and provides a way to
handle polynomials with extremely high degree which are, in some sense, sparse
in information.


title: Stochastic Inflation and Replica Field Theory

abstract:
  We adopt methods from statistical field theory to stochastic inflation. For
the example of a free test field in de Sitter and power-law inflation, the
power spectrum of long-wavelength fluctuations is computed. We study its
dependence on the shape of the filter that separates long from short wavelength
modes. While for filters with infinite support the phenomenon of dimensional
reductions is found on large super-horizon scales, filters with compact support
return a scale-invariant power spectrum in the infra-red. Features of the power
spectrum, induced by the filter, decay within a few e-foldings. Thus the
late-time power spectrum is independent of the filter details.


title:
Incoherence of Bose-Einstein condensates at supersonic speeds due to
  quantum noise

abstract:
  We calculate the effect of quantum noise in supersonic transport of
Bose-Einstein condensates. When an obstacle obstructs the flow of atoms,
quantum fluctuations cause atoms to be scattered incoherently into random
directions. This suppresses the propagation of Cherenkov radiation, creating
quantum turbulence and a crescent of incoherent atoms around the obstacle. We
observe similar dynamics if the BEC is stirred by a laser beam: crescents of
incoherent atoms are emitted from the laser's turning-points. Finally, we
investigate supersonic flow through a disordered potential, and find that the
quantum fluctuations generate an accumulation of incoherent atoms as the
condensate enters the disorder.


title:
Liaison invariants and the Hilbert scheme of codimension 2 subschemes in
  P^{n+2}

abstract:
  In this paper we study the Hilbert scheme, Hilb(P), of equidimensional
locally Cohen-Macaulay codimension 2 subschemes, with a special look to
surfaces in P^4 and 3-folds in P^5, and the Hilbert scheme stratification H_{c}
of constant cohomology. For every (X) in Hilb(P) we define a number \delta_X in
terms of the graded Betti numbers of the homogeneous ideal of X and we prove
that 1 + \delta_X - \dim_{(X)} H_{c} and 1 + \delta_X - \dim T_{c} are
CI-biliaison invariants where T_{c} is the tangent space of H_{c} at (X). As a
corollary we get a formula for the dimension of any generically smooth
component of Hilb(P) in terms of \delta_X and the CI-biliaison invariant. Both
invariants are equal in this case.
  Recall that, for space curves C, Martin-Deschamps and Perrin have proved the
smoothness of the ``morphism'', H_{c} -> E = isomorphism classes of graded
artinian modules, given by sending C onto its Rao-module. For surfaces X in P^4
we have two Rao-modules M_i and an induced extension b in Ext^2(M_2,M_1) and a
result of Horrocks and Rao saying that a triple D := (M_1,M_2,b) of modules M_i
of finite length and an extension b as above determine a surface X up to
biliaison. We prove that the corresponding ``morphism'', H_{c} -> V =
isomorphism classes of graded artinian modules M_i commuting with b, is smooth,
and we get a smoothness criterion for H_{c}. Moreover we get some smoothness
results for Hilb(P), valid also for 3-folds, and we give examples of obstructed
surfaces and 3-folds. The linkage result we prove in this paper turns out to be
useful in determining the structure and dimension of H_{c}, and for proving the
main biliaison theorem above.


title: Optical pulse propagation with minimal approximations

abstract:
  Propagation equations for optical pulses are needed to assist in describing
applications in ever more extreme situations -- including those in
metamaterials with linear and nonlinear magnetic responses. Here I show how to
derive a single first order propagation equation using a minimum of
approximations and a straightforward "factorization" mathematical scheme. The
approach generates exact coupled bi-directional equations, after which it is
clear that the description can be reduced to a single uni-directional first
order wave equation by means of a simple "slow evolution" approximation, where
the optical pulse changes little over the distance of one wavelength. It also
also allows a direct term-to-term comparison of an exact bi-directional theory
with the approximate uni-directional theory.


title:
Rayleigh superradiance and dynamic Bragg gratings in an end-pumped
  Bose-Einstein condensate

abstract:
  We study experimentally superradiant Rayleigh scattering from a Bose-Einstein
condensate (BEC) in a new parameter regime where pump depletion and the
exchange of photons between the endfire modes are important. Through
experiments and simulations we show that collective atom light coupling leads
to the self-organized formation of dynamic Bragg gratings within the sample.
These gratings lead to an efficient back-scattering of pump photons and optical
resonator structures within the BEC.


title: Niceness theorems

abstract:
  Many things in mathematics seem lamost unreasonably nice. This includes
objects, counterexamples, proofs. In this preprint I discuss many examples of
this phenomenon with emphasis on the ring of polynomials in a countably
infinite number of variables in its many incarnations such as the representing
object of the Witt vectors, the direct sum of the rings of representations of
the symmetric groups, the free lambda ring on one generator, the homology and
cohomology of the classifying space BU, ... . In addition attention is paid to
the phenomenon that solutions to universal problems (adjoint functors) tend to
pick up extra structure.


title:
Pressure-energy correlations and thermodynamic scaling in viscous
  Lennard-Jones liquids

abstract:
  We use molecular dynamics simulation results on viscous binary Lennard-Jones
mixtures to examine the correlation between the potential energy and the
virial. In accord with a recent proposal [U. R. Pedersen et. al. Phys. Rev.
Lett. 100, 015701 (2008)], the fluctuations in the two quantities are found to
be strongly correlated, exhibiting a proportionality constant, Gamma,
numerically equal to one-third the slope of an inverse power law approximation
to the intermolecular potential function. The correlation is stronger at higher
densities, where interatomic separations are in the range where the inverse
power law approximation is more accurate. These same liquids conform to
thermodynamic scaling of their dynamics, with the scaling exponent equal to
Gamma. Thus, the properties of strong correlation between energy and pressure
and thermodynamic scaling both reflect the ability of an inverse power law
representation of the potential to capture interesting features of the dynamics
of dense, highly viscous liquids.


title: Semiclassical framework for the calculation of transport anisotropies

abstract:
  We present a procedure for finding the exact solution to the linear-response
Boltzmann equation for two-dimensional anisotropic systems and demonstrate it
on examples of non-crystalline anisotropic magnetoresistance in a system with
spin-orbit interaction. We show that two decoupled integral equations must be
solved in order to find the non-equilibrium distribution function up to linear
order in the applied electric field. The examples are all based on the Rashba
system with charged magnetic scatterers, a system where the non-equilibrium
distribution function and anisotropic magnetoresistance can be evaluated
analytically. Exact results are compared to earlier widely-used approximative
approaches. We find circumstances under which approximative approaches may
become unreliable even on a qualitative level.


title: Khinchin theorem and anomalous diffusion

abstract:
  A recent paper [M. H. Lee, Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 190601 (2007)] has called
attention to the fact that irreversibility is a broader concept than
ergodicity, and that therefore the Khinchin theorem [A. I. Khinchin,
Mathematical Foundations of Statistical Mechanics (Dover, New York) 1949] may
fail in some systems. In this Letter we show that for all ranges of normal and
anomalous diffusion described by a Generalized Langevin Equation the Khinchin
theorem holds.


title:
NNLO corrections to inclusive semileptonic B decays in the
  shape-function region

abstract:
  We compute 2-loop QCD corrections to the hard coefficient functions which
arise in the factorization formula for B -> X_u l nu decays in the
shape-function region. Our calculation provides the last missing piece required
for a NNLO analysis of inclusive semileptonic B decays, which may significantly
reduce the theoretical uncertainty in the extraction of the CKM matrix element
|V_ub|. Among the technical aspects, we find that the 2-loop hard coefficient
functions are free of infrared singularities as predicted by the factorization
framework. We perform a brief numerical analysis of the NNLO corrections and
include a discussion on charm mass effects.


title:
Discovery of a 30 day period in the supergiant fast X-ray transient SAX
  J1818.6-1703

abstract:
  SAX J1818.6-1703 has been characterised as a Supergiant Fast X-ray Transient
system on the basis of several INTEGRAL/IBIS detections since the original
BeppoSAX Wide Field Camera detection. Using IBIS/ISGRI, Swift/BAT and archival
observations, we show that in fact SAX J1818.6-1703 exhibits emission on a
period of 30 +/- 0.1 days, with a high degree of recurrence. SAX J1818.6-1703
is therefore the second SFXT shown to exhibit periodic outbursts, but with a
considerably shorter period than the other known system, IGR J11215-5952.


title: Detecting orbits along subvarieties via the moment map

abstract:
  Let G be a (real or complex) linear reductive algebraic group acting on an
affine variety V. Let W be a subvariety. In this work we study how the G-orbits
intersect W.
  We develop a criterion to determine when the intersection can be described as
a finite union of orbits of a reductive subgroup. The conditions of the
criterion are easily verified in practice and are used to construct continuous
families of (non-isomorphic) nilpotent Lie groups which do not admit
left-invariant Ricci soliton metrics. Other applications to the left-invariant
geometry of Lie groups are also given.
  The note finishes by applying our techniques to the adjoint representation.
The classical result of finiteness of nilpotent orbits is reproven and it is
shown that each of these orbits contains a critical point of the norm squared
of the moment map.


title:
The Continuous Time Nonzero-sum Dynkin Game Problem and Application in
  Game Options

abstract:
  In this paper we study the nonzero-sum Dynkin game in continuous time which
is a two player non-cooperative game on stopping times. We show that it has a
Nash equilibrium point for general stochastic processes. As an application, we
consider the problem of pricing American game contingent claims by the utility
maximization approach.


title:
Injected Power Fluctuations in 1D dissipative systems : role of
  ballistic transport

abstract:
  This paper is a generalization of the models considered in [J. Stat. Phys.
128,1365 (2007)]. Using an analogy with free fermions, we compute exactly the
large deviation function (ldf) of the energy injected up to time $t$ in a
one-dimensional dissipative system of classical spins, where a drift is
allowed. The dynamics are T=0 asymmetric Glauber dynamics driven out of rest by
an injection mechanism, namely a Poissonian flipping of one spin. The drift
induces anisotropy in the system, making the model more comparable to
experimental systems with dissipative structures. We discuss the physical
content of the results, specifically the influence of the rate of the Poisson
injection process and the magnitude of the drift on the properties of the ldf.
We also compare the results of this spin model to simple phenomenological
models of energy injection (Poisson or Bernoulli processes of domain wall
injection). We show that many qualitative results of the spin model can be
understood within this simplified framework.


title:
Inhomogeneity, Dynamical Symmetry, and Complexity in High-Temperature
  Superconductors: Reconciling a Universal Phase Diagram with Rich Local
  Disorder

abstract:
  A model for high-temperature superconductors incorporating
antiferromagnetism, d-wave superconductivity, and no double lattice-site
occupancy can give energy surfaces exquisitely balanced between
antiferromagnetic and superconducting order for specific ranges of doping and
temperature. The resulting properties can reconcile a universal cuprate phase
diagram with rich inhomogeneity, relate that inhomogeneity to pseudogaps, give
a fundamental rationale for giant proximity effects and other emergent
behavior, and provide an objective framework for separating essential from
peripheral in the superconducting mechanism.


title: Transverse limits on the uni-directional pulse propagation approximation

abstract:
  I calculate the limitations on the widely-used forward-only (uni-directional)
propagation assumption by considering the effects of transverse effects (e.g.
diffraction). The starting point is the scalar second order wave equation, and
simple predictions are made which aim to clarify the forward-backward coupling
limits on diffraction strength. The result is unsurprising, being based on the
ratio of transverse and total wave vectors, but the intent is to present a
derivation directly comparable to a recently published \emph{nonlinearity}
constrained limits on the uni-directional approximation [Kinsler, J. Opt. Soc.
Am. B (2007)].


title: Energy losses in a hot plasma revisited

abstract:
  We present a mini-review of the problem of evaluating the energy loss of a
ultrarelativistic charged particle crossing a thermally equilibrated high
temperature e+e- or quark-gluon plasma.


title:
Stimulating the production of deeply bound RbCs molecules with laser
  pulses: the role of spin-orbit coupling in forming ultracold molecules

abstract:
  We investigate the possibility of forming deeply bound ultracold RbCs
molecules by a two-color photoassociation experiment. We compare the results
with those for Rb_2 in order to understand the characteristic differences
between heteronuclear and homonuclear molecules. The major differences arise
from the different long-range potential for excited states. Ultracold 85Rb and
133Cs atoms colliding on the X^1Sigma+ potential curve are initially
photoassociated to form excited RbCs molecules in the region below the Rb(5S) +
Cs(6P_1/2) asymptote. We explore the nature of the Omega=0^+ levels in this
region, which have mixed A^1Sigma^+ and b^3Pi character. We then study the
quantum dynamics of RbCs by a time-dependent wavepacket (TDWP) approach. A
wavepacket is formed by exciting a few vibronic levels and is allowed to
propagate on the coupled electronic potential energy curves. For a detuning of
7.5 cm-1, the wavepacket for RbCs reaches the short-range region in about 13
ps, which is significantly faster than for the homonuclear Rb_2 system; this is
mostly because of the absence of an R^-3 long-range tail in the excited-state
potential curves for heteronuclear systems. We give a simple semiclassical
formula that relates the time taken to the long-range potential parameters. For
RbCs, in contrast to Rb_2, the excited-state wavepacket shows a substantial
peak in singlet density near the inner turning point, and this produces a
significant probability of deexcitation to form ground-state molecules bound by
up to 1500 cm-1. Our analysis of the role of spin-orbit coupling concerns the
character of the mixed states in general and is important for both
photoassociation and stimulated Raman deexcitation.


title: The Spectral Energy Distributions of Red 2MASS AGN

abstract:
  We present infrared (IR) to X-ray spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for 44
red AGN selected from the 2MASS survey on the basis of their red J-K$_S$ color
(>2 mag) and later observed by Chandra. In comparison with optically-, radio-,
and X-ray selected AGN, their median SEDs are red in the optical and near-IR
with little/no blue bump. It thus seems that near-IR color selection isolates
the reddest subset of AGN that can be classified optically. The shape of the
SEDs is generally consistent with modest absorption by gas (in the X-ray) and
dust (in the optical-IR). The levels of obscuration, estimated from X-rays,
far-IR and our detailed optical/near-IR color modeling are all consistent
implying N_H < few*10^{22} cm^{-2}. We present SED models that show how the AGN
optical/near-IR colors change due to differing amounts of reddening, AGN to
host galaxy ratio, redshift and scattered light emission and apply them to the
sources in the sample. We find that the 2MASS AGN optical color, B-R, and to a
lesser extent the near-IR color, J-K$_S$, are strongly affected by reddening,
host galaxy emission, redshift, and in few, highly polarized objects, also by
scattered AGN light. The obscuration/inclination of the AGN allows us to see
weaker emission components which are generally swamped by the AGN.


title: Remarks on the non-commutative Khintchine inequalities for $0<p<2$

abstract:
  We show that the validity of the non-commutative Khintchine inequality for
some $q$ with $1<q<2$ implies its validity (with another constant) for all
$1\le p<q$. We prove this for the inequality involving the Rademacher
functions, but also for more general "lacunary" sequences, or even
non-commutative analogues of the Rademacher functions. For instance, we may
apply it to the "Z(2)-sequences" previously considered by Harcharras. The
result appears to be new in that case. It implies that the space $\ell^n_1$
contains (as an operator space) a large subspace uniformly isomorphic (as an
operator space) to $R_k+C_k$ with $k\sim n^{\frac12}$. This naturally raises
several interesting questions concerning the best possible such $k$.
Unfortunately we cannot settle the validity of the non-commutative Khintchine
inequality for $0<p<1$ but we can prove several would be corollaries. For
instance, given an infinite scalar matrix $[x_{ij}]$, we give a necessary and
sufficient condition for $[\pm x_{ij}]$ to be in the Schatten class $S_p$ for
almost all (independent) choices of signs $\pm 1$. We also characterize the
bounded Schur multipliers from $S_2$ to $S_p$. The latter two characterizations
extend to $0<p<1$ results already known for $1\le p\le2$. In addition, we
observe that the hypercontractive inequalities, proved by Carlen and Lieb for
the Fermionic case, remain valid for operator space valued functions, and hence
the Kahane inequalities are valid in this setting.


title: Conditional Limits of W_p scale Mixture Distributions

abstract:
  In this paper we introduce the class of W_p scale mixture random vectors with
a particular radial decomposition and a independent splitting property
specified by some random variable W_p, and a positive constant p. We derive
several conditional limit results assuming that the distribution of the random
radius is in the max-domain of attraction of a univariate extreme value
distribution and W_p has a certain tail asymptotic behaviour. As an application
we obtain the joint asymptotic distribution of concomitants of order statics
considering certain bivariate W_p scale miture samples.


title:
Rotating stellar core-collapse waveform decompositon: a Principal
  Component Analysis approach

abstract:
  This paper introduces the use of Principal Component Analysis as a method to
decompose the waveform catalogues to produce a set of orthonormal basis
vectors. We apply this method to a set of supernova waveforms and compare the
basis vectors obtained with those obtained through Gram-Schmidt decomposition.
We observe that, for the chosen set of waveforms, the performance of the two
methods are comparable for minimal match requirements up to 0.9, with 14
Gram-Schmidt basis vectors and 12 principal components required for a minimal
match of 0.9. This implies that there are many common features in the chosen
waveforms. Additionally, we observe the chosen waveforms have very similar
features and a minimal match of 0.7 can be obtained by decomposing only one
third of the entire set of waveforms in the chosen catalogue. We discuss the
implications of this observation and the advantages of eigen-decomposing
waveform catalogues with Principal Component Analysis.


title: Stochastic resonance for exploration geophysics

abstract:
  Stochastic resonance (SR) is a phenomenon in which signal to noise (SN) ratio
gets improved by noise addition rather than removal as envisaged classically.
SR was first claimed in climatology a few decades ago and then in other
disciplines as well. The same as it is observed in natural systems, SR is used
also for allowable SN enhancements at will. Here I report a proof of principle
that SR can be useful in exploration geophysics. For this I perform high
frequency GaussVanicek variance spectral analyses (GVSA) of model traces
characterized by varying levels of complexity, completeness and pollution. This
demonstration justifies all further research on SR in applied geophysics, as
energy demands and depletion of reachable supplies potentially make SR vital in
a near future.


title:
Convergence rate for numerical computation of the lattice Green's
  function

abstract:
  Flexible boundary condition methods couple an isolated defect to bulk through
the bulk lattice Green's function. The inversion of the force-constant matrix
for the lattice Green's function requires Fourier techniques to project out the
singular subspace, corresponding to uniform displacements and forces for the
infinite lattice. Three different techniques--relative displacement, elastic
Green's function, and discontinuity correction--have different computational
complexity for a specified numerical error. We calculate the convergence rates
for elastically isotropic and anisotropic cases and compare them to analytic
results. Our results confirm that the discontinuity correction is the most
computationally efficient method to compute the lattice Green's function.


title:
A kg-mass prototype demonstrator for DUAL gravitational wave detector:
  opto-mechanical excitation and cooling

abstract:
  The next generation of gravitational wave (gw) detectors is expected to fully
enter into the quantum regime of force and displacement detection. With this
aim, it is important to scale up the experiments on opto-mechanical effects
from the microscopic regime to large mass systems and test the schemes that
should be applied to reach the quantum regime of detection. In this work we
present the experimental characterization of a prototype of massive gw
detector, composed of two oscillators with a mass of the order of the kg, whose
distance is read by a high finesse optical cavity. The mechanical response
function is measured by exciting the oscillators though modulated radiation
pressure. We demonstrate two effects crucial for the next generation of
massive, cryogenic gw detectors (DUAL detectors): a) the reduction of the
contribution of 'local' susceptibility thanks to an average over a large
interrogation area. Such effect is measured on the photo-thermal response
thanks to the first implementation of a folded-Fabry-Perot cavity; b) the
'back-action reduction' due to negative interference between acoustic modes.
Moreover, we obtain the active cooling of an oscillation mode through radiation
pressure, on the described mechanical device which is several orders of
magnitude heavier than previously demonstrated radiation-pressure cooled
systems.


title: The observation of Extensive Air Showers from Space

abstract:
  We summarise some basic issues relevant to the optimisation and design of
space-based experiments for the observation of the Extensive Air Showers
produced by Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Particles interacting with the atmosphere.
A number of basic relations is derived and discussed with a twofold goal:
defining requirements for the experimental apparatus and estimating the
exptected performance.


title: Construction of cosmologically viable f(G) gravity models

abstract:
  We derive conditions under which f(G) gravity models, whose Lagrangian
densities f are written in terms of a Gauss-Bonnet term G, are cosmologically
viable. The most crucial condition to be satisfied is that f_GG, the second
derivative of f with respect to G, must be positive, which is required to
ensure the stability of a late-time de-Sitter solution as well as the existence
of standard radiation/matter dominated epochs. We present a number of explicit
f(G) models in which a cosmic acceleration is followed by the matter era. We
find that the equation of state of dark energy can cross the phantom divide
before reaching the present Universe. The viable models have asymptotic
behavior f_GG goes to +0 when |G| goes to infinity, in which case a rapid
oscillation of perturbations occurs unless such an oscillating degree of
freedom is suppressed relative to a homogeneous mode in the early universe. We
also introduce an iterative method to avoid numerical instabilities associated
with a large mass of the oscillating mode.


title: A few things I learnt from Jurgen Moser

abstract:
  A few remarks on integrable dynamical systems inspired by discussions with
Jurgen Moser and by his work.


title:
PCA of the spectral energy distribution and emission line properties of
  red 2MASS AGN

abstract:
  We analyze the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) and emission line
properties of the red (J-K$_S$ > 2) 2MASS AGN observed by Chandra using
principle component analysis. The sample includes 44 low redshift AGN with low
or moderate obscuration (N_H < 10^{23} cm^{-2}) as indicated by X-rays and SED
modeling. The obscuration of the AGN allows us to see weaker emission
components (host galaxy emission, AGN scattered light) which are usually
outshone by the AGN. The first four eigenvectors explain 70% of the variance in
the sample. The dominant cause of variance in the sample (eigenvector 1) is the
L/Ledd ratio strengthened by intrinsic absorption. Eigenvector 2 is related to
host galaxy (relative to the observed AGN) emission and eigenvectors 3 and 4
distinguish between two sources of obscuration: host galaxy absorption and
circumnuclear absorption. Although our analysis is consistent with unification
schemes where inclination dependent obscuration is important in determining the
AGN SEDs, the L/Ledd ratio is the most important factor, followed by host
galaxy emission.


title: A statistical mechanics framework for static granular matter

abstract:
  The physical properties of granular materials have been extensively studied
in recent years. So far, however, there exists no theoretical framework which
can explain the observations in a unified manner beyond the phenomenological
jamming diagram [1]. This work focuses on the case of static granular matter,
where we have constructed a statistical ensemble [2] which mirrors equilibrium
statistical mechanics. This ensemble, which is based on the conservation
properties of the stress tensor, is distinct from the original Edwards ensemble
and applies to packings of deformable grains. We combine it with a field
theoretical analysis of the packings, where the field is the Airy stress
function derived from the force and torque balance conditions. In this
framework, Point J characterized by a diverging stiffness of the pressure
fluctuations. Separately, we present a phenomenological mean-field theory of
the jamming transition, which incorporates the mean contact number as a
variable. We link both approaches in the context of the marginal rigidity
picture proposed by [3, 4].


title: Semiclassical model for a memory dephasing channel

abstract:
  We study a dephasing channel with memory, described by a Hamiltonian model in
which the system-environment interaction is described by a stochastic process.
We propose a useful way to describe the channel uses correlations. Moreover, we
give a general expression for the coherences decay factors as a function of the
number of channel uses and of the stochastic process power spectrum. We also
study the impact of memory on the three qubit code, showing that correlations
among channel uses affect very little the code performance.


title:
On the Conditional Independence Implication Problem: A Lattice-Theoretic
  Approach

abstract:
  A lattice-theoretic framework is introduced that permits the study of the
conditional independence (CI) implication problem relative to the class of
discrete probability measures. Semi-lattices are associated with CI statements
and a finite, sound and complete inference system relative to semi-lattice
inclusions is presented. This system is shown to be (1) sound and complete for
saturated CI statements, (2) complete for general CI statements, and (3) sound
and complete for stable CI statements. These results yield a criterion that can
be used to falsify instances of the implication problem and several heuristics
are derived that approximate this "lattice-exclusion" criterion in polynomial
time. Finally, we provide experimental results that relate our work to results
obtained from other existing inference algorithms.


title:
Transport properties of a superconducting single-electron transistor
  coupled to a nanomechanical oscillator

abstract:
  We investigate a superconducting single-electron transistor capacitively
coupled to a nanomechanical oscillator and focus on the double Josephson
quasiparticle resonance. The existence of two coherent Cooper pair tunneling
events is shown to lead to pronounced backaction effects. Measuring the current
and the shot noise provides a direct way of gaining information on the state of
the oscillator. In addition to an analytical discussion of the linear-response
regime, we discuss and compare results of higher-order approximation schemes
and a fully numerical solution. We find that cooling of the mechanical
resonator is possible, and that there are driven and bistable oscillator states
at low couplings. Finally, we also discuss the frequency dependence of the
charge noise and the current noise of the superconducting single electron
transistor.


title: Magnetoresistance in Spin-Polarized Transport through a Carbon Nanotube

abstract:
  We report on our theoretical study of the magnetoresistance in spin polarized
transport through a finite carbon nanotube (CNT). Varying the Fermi energy of a
CNT and the relative strength of couplings to two ferromagnetic (FM)
electrodes, we studied the conductance as well as the magnetoresistance (MR).
Due to resonant transport through discrete energy levels in a finite CNT, the
conductance and MR are oscillating as a function of the CNT Fermi energy. The
MR is peaked at the conductance valleys and dipped close to the conductance
peaks. When couplings to two FM electrodes are asymmetric, the MR dips become
negative under a rather strong asymmetry. When couplings are more or less
symmetric, the MR dips remain positive except for a very strong coupling case.
Under strong coupling case, the line broadening is significant and transport
channels through neighboring energy levels in a CNT interfere with each other,
leading to the negative MR.


title:
BeppoSAX Observations of the Power and Energy Spectral Evolution in the
  Black Hole Candidate XTE J1650-500

abstract:
  We study the time variability and spectral evolution of the Black Hole
Candidate source XTE J1650-500 using the BeppoSax wide energy range (0.12-200
keV) observations performed during the 2001 X-ray outburst. The source evolves
from a low/hard state (LHS) toward a high/soft state (HSS). In all states the
emergent photon spectrum is described by the sum of Comptonization and soft
(disk) blackbody components. In the LHS, the Comptonization component dominates
in the resulting spectrum. On the other hand, during the HSS the soft (disk)
component is already dominant. In this state the Comptonization part of the
spectrum is much softer than that in the LHS (photon index is ~ 2.4 in the HSS
vs. that is ~1.7 in the LHS). In the BeppoSAX data we find a strong signature
of the index saturation with the mass accretion rate which can be considered as
an observational evidence of the converging flow (black hole) in XTE J1650-500.
We derive power spectra (PS) of the source time variability in different
spectral states as a function of energy band. When the source undergoes a
transition to softer states, the PS as a whole is shifted to higher frequencies
which can be interpreted as a contraction of the Compton cloud during hard-soft
spectral evolution. It is worthwhile to emphasize a detection of a strong
low-frequency red noise component in the HSS PS which can be considered a
signature of the presence of the strong extended disk in the HSS. Also as a
result of our data analysis, we find a very weak sign of K_alpha line
appearance in these BeppoSAX data. This finding does not confirm previous
claims by Miniutti et al. on the presence of a broad and strongly relativistic
iron emission line in this particular set of the BeppoSAX data.


title: Status of CMS and preparations for first physics

abstract:
  The status of the CMS experiment is described. After a brief review of the
detector design and a short overview of the first 5 years of assembly, the
focus of this presentation will be the parallel activities of completing and
commissioning over the last 2 years and the readiness of CMS for the exciting
prospect of first LHC operation.


title: CTA simulations with CORSIKA/sim_telarray

abstract:
  While current atmospheric Cherenkov installations consist of only a few
telescopes each, future installations will be far more complex. Monte Carlo
simulations have become an essential tool for the design and optimisation of
such installations. The CORSIKA air-shower simulation code and the sim_telarray
code for simulation of arrays of Cherenkov telescopes have been used to
simulate several candidate configurations of the future Cherenkov Telescope
Array (CTA) in detail. Together with other detailed and simplified simulations
the resulting data provide the basis for the ongoing optimisation of CTA over a
wide energy range. In this paper, the simulation methods are outlined and
preliminary results on a number of configurations are presented. It is
demonstrated that the initial goals of the CTA project can be achieved with
available technology, at least in the medium and high energy range (about 100
GeV to 100 TeV).


title:
Solar surface emerging flux regions: a comparative study of radiative
  MHD modeling and Hinode SOT observations

abstract:
  We present results from numerical modeling of emerging flux regions on the
solar surface. The modeling was carried out by means of 3D radiative MHD
simulations of the rise of buoyant magnetic flux tubes through the convection
zone and into the photosphere. Due to the strong stratification of the
convection zone, the rise results in a lateral expansion of the tube into a
magnetic sheet, which acts as a reservoir for small-scale flux emergence events
at the scale of granulation. The interaction of the convective downflows and
the rising magnetic flux undulates it to form serpentine field lines emerging
into the photosphere. Observational characteristics including the pattern of
emerging flux regions, the cancellation of surface flux and associated high
speed downflows, the convective collapse of photospheric flux tubes, the
appearance of anomalous darkenings, the formation of bright points and the
possible existence of transient kilogauss horizontal fields are discussed in
the context of new observations from the Hinode Solar Optical Telescope.
Implications for the local helioseismology of emerging flux regions are also
discussed.


title: Spherical Foams in Flat Space

abstract:
  Regular tesselations of space are characterized through their Schlafli
symbols {p,q,r}, where each cell has regular p-gonal sides, q meeting at each
vertex, and r meeting on each edge. Regular tesselations with symbols {p,3,3}
all satisfy Plateau's laws for equilibrium foams. For general p, however, these
regular tesselations do not embed in Euclidean space, but require a uniform
background curvature. We study a class of regular foams on S^3 which, through
conformal, stereographic projection to R^3 define irregular cells consistent
with Plateau's laws. We analytically characterize a broad classes of bulk foam
bubbles, and extend and explain recent observations on foam structure and shape
distribution. Our approach also allows us to comment on foam stability by
identifying a weak local maximum of A^(3/2)/V at the maximally symmetric
tetrahedral bubble that participates in T2 rearrangements.


title:
A triangle-based logic for affine-invariant querying of spatial and
  spatio-temporal data

abstract:
  In spatial databases, incompatibilities often arise due to different choices
of origin or unit of measurement (e.g., centimeters versus inches). By
representing and querying the data in an affine-invariant manner, we can avoid
these incompatibilities.
  In practice, spatial (resp., spatio-temporal) data is often represented as a
finite union of triangles (resp., moving triangles). As two arbitrary triangles
are equal up to a unique affinity of the plane, they seem perfect candidates as
basic units for an affine-invariant query language.
  We propose a so-called "triangle logic", a query language that is
affine-generic and has triangles as basic elements. We show that this language
has the same expressive power as the affine-generic fragment of first-order
logic over the reals on triangle databases. We illustrate that the proposed
language is simple and intuitive. It can also serve as a first step towards a
"moving-triangle logic" for spatio-temporal data.


title:
Control of the persistent currents in two interacting quantum rings
  through the Coulomb interaction and inter-ring tunneling

abstract:
  The persistent current in two vertically coupled quantum rings containing few
electrons is studied. We find that the Coulomb interaction between the rings in
the absence of tunneling affects the persistent current in each ring and the
ground state configurations. Quantum tunneling between the rings alters
significantly the ground state and the persistent current in the system.


title: LISA as a dark energy probe

abstract:
  Recently it was shown that the inclusion of higher signal harmonics in the
inspiral signals of binary supermassive black holes (SMBH) leads to dramatic
improvements in parameter estimation with the Laser Interferometer Space
Antenna (LISA). In particular, the angular resolution becomes good enough to
identify the host galaxy or galaxy cluster, in which case the redshift can be
determined by electromagnetic means. The gravitational wave signal also
provides the luminosity distance with high accuracy, and the relationship
between this and the redshift depends sensitively on the cosmological
parameters, such as the equation-of-state parameter $w=p_{\rm DE}/\rho_{\rm
DE}$ of dark energy. With a single binary SMBH event at $z < 1$ having
appropriate masses and orientation, one would be able to constrain $w$ to
within a few percent. We show that, if the measured sky location is folded into
the error analysis, the uncertainty on $w$ goes down by an additional factor of
2-3, leaving weak lensing as the only limiting factor in using LISA as a dark
energy probe.


title: Multi-Objective Model Checking of Markov Decision Processes

abstract:
  We study and provide efficient algorithms for multi-objective model checking
problems for Markov Decision Processes (MDPs). Given an MDP, M, and given
multiple linear-time (\omega -regular or LTL) properties \varphi\_i, and
probabilities r\_i \epsilon [0,1], i=1,...,k, we ask whether there exists a
strategy \sigma for the controller such that, for all i, the probability that a
trajectory of M controlled by \sigma satisfies \varphi\_i is at least r\_i. We
provide an algorithm that decides whether there exists such a strategy and if
so produces it, and which runs in time polynomial in the size of the MDP. Such
a strategy may require the use of both randomization and memory. We also
consider more general multi-objective \omega -regular queries, which we
motivate with an application to assume-guarantee compositional reasoning for
probabilistic systems.
  Note that there can be trade-offs between different properties: satisfying
property \varphi\_1 with high probability may necessitate satisfying \varphi\_2
with low probability. Viewing this as a multi-objective optimization problem,
we want information about the "trade-off curve" or Pareto curve for maximizing
the probabilities of different properties. We show that one can compute an
approximate Pareto curve with respect to a set of \omega -regular properties in
time polynomial in the size of the MDP.
  Our quantitative upper bounds use LP methods. We also study qualitative
multi-objective model checking problems, and we show that these can be analysed
by purely graph-theoretic methods, even though the strategies may still require
both randomization and memory.


title: UV-divergences of Wilson Loops for Gauge/Gravity Duality

abstract:
  We analyze the structure of the UV divergences of the Wilson loop for a
general gauge/gravity duality. We find that, due to the presence of a
nontrivial NSNS B-field and metric, new divergences that cannot be subtracted
out by the conventional Legendre transform may arise. We also derive conditions
on the B-field and the metric, which when satisfied, the leading UV divergence
will become linear, and can be cancelled out by choosing the boundary condition
of the string appropriately. Our results, together with the recent result of
arXiv:0807.5127, where the effect of a nontrivial dilaton on the structure of
UV divergences in Wilson loop is analysed, allow us to conclude that Legendre
transform is at best capable of cancelling the linear UV divergences arising
from the area of the worldsheet, but is incapable to handle the divergences
associated with the dilaton or the B-field in general. We also solve the
conditions for the cancellation of the leading linear divergences generally and
find that many well-known supergravity backgrounds are of these kinds,
including examples such as the Sakai-Sugimoto QCD model or N=1 duality with
Sasaki-Einstein spaces. We also point out that Wilson loop in the
Klebanov-Strassler background have a divergence associated with the B-field
which cannot be cancelled away with the Legendre transform. Finally we end with
some comments on the form of the Wilson loop operator in the ABJM
superconformal Chern-Simons theory.


title:
Phenomenological interpretation of the multi-muon events reported by the
  CDF collaboration

abstract:
  We present a phenomenological conjecture of new physics that is suggested by
the topology and kinematic properties of the multi-muon events recently
reported by the CDF collaboration. We show that the salient features of the
data can be accounted for by postulating the pair production of three new
states h1, h2, and h3 with masses in the range of 15, 7.3 and 3.6 GeV/c^2,
respectively. The heavier states cascade-decay into the lighter ones, whereas
the lightest state decays into a tau pair with a lifetime of the order of 20
ps.


title:
Transit infrared spectroscopy of the hot neptune around GJ 436 with the
  Hubble Space Telescope

abstract:
  The nearby transiting system GJ 436b offers a unique opportunity to probe the
structure and atmosphere of an extra-solar "hot Neptune". In this Letter, we
present the main results of observations covering two transit events with the
NICMOS camera on the Hubble Space Telescope. The data consist in high-cadence
time series of grism spectra covering the 1.1-1.9 micron spectral range. We
find Rpl=4.04 +- 0.10 R_earth and Rstar= 0.446 +- 0.011 Rsun for the planet and
star radius, confirming and improving earlier measurements with ground-based
photometry and a Spitzer lightcurve at 8 microns, as opposed to a much higher
value obtained with the Fine Guidance Sensor on the Hubble Space Telescope. We
measure no departure from strict periodicity in the transits to the level of ~7
seconds. This strongly disfavours the proposed explanation of the orbital
eccentricity of GJ 436b in terms of the perturbation by another close-by
planet. We measure a flat transmission spectrum at the level of a few parts per
10 000 in flux, with no significant signal in the 1.4-micron water band to a
level comparable to the maximum amplitude of the effect predicted by planetary
atmosphere models.


title: Practical language based on systems of definitions

abstract:
  The article suggests a description of a system of tables with a set of
special lists absorbing a semantics of data and reflects a fullness of data. It
shows how their parallel processing can be constructed based on the
descriptions. The approach also might be used for definition intermediate
targets for data mining and unstructured data processing.


title:
Quasiparticle random phase approximation uncertainties and their
  correlations in the analysis of neutrinoless double beta decay

abstract:
  The variances and covariances associated to the nuclear matrix elements (NME)
of neutrinoless double beta decay are estimated within the quasiparticle random
phase approximation (QRPA). It is shown that correlated NME uncertainties play
an important role in the comparison of neutrinoless double beta decay rates for
different nuclei, and that they are degenerate with the uncertainty in the
reconstructed Majorana neutrino mass.


title: Simple Compact Quantum Groups I

abstract:
  The notion of simple compact quantum group is introduced. As non-trivial
(noncommutative and noncocommutative) examples, the following families of
compact quantum groups are shown to be simple: (a) The universal quantum groups
$B_u(Q)$ for $Q \in GL(n, {\mathbb C})$ satisfying $Q \bar{Q} = \pm I_n$, $n
\geq 2$; (b) The quantum automorphism groups $A_{aut}(B, \tau)$ of finite
dimensional $C^*$-algebras $B$ endowed with the canonical trace $\tau$ %endowed
with a tracial functional $tr$ when $\dim(B) \geq 4$, including the quantum
permutation groups $A_{aut}(X_n)$ on $n$ points ($n \geq 4$); (c) The standard
deformations $K_q$ of simple compact Lie groups $K$ and their twists $K_q^u$,
as well as Rieffel's deformation $K_J$.


title: Realization of Dirac Point with Double Cones in Optics

abstract:
  The Dirac point with a double-cone structure for optical fields, an optical
analogy Dirac fermions in graphene, can be realized in optically homogenous
metamaterials. The condition for the realization of Dirac point in optical
systems is the varying of refractive index from negative to zero and then to
positive. Our analytical and numerical analysis have verified that, similar to
electrons in graphene, the light field near the Dirac point possesses of the
pseudodiffusive property, obeying the 1/L scaling law, where L is the
propagating distance of light inside the media.


title:
Magnetic switching and phase competition in the multiferroic
  antiferromagnet $\rm Mn_{1-x}Fe_xWO_4$

abstract:
  Elastic neutron scattering is used to study the spin correlations in the
multiferroic $\rm Mn_{1-x}Fe_{x}WO_4$ with $x=0.035, 0.05$ and 0.10. The
noncollinear, incommensurate (ICM) magnetic structure associated with the
ferroelectric (FE) phase in pure $\rm MnWO_4$ is suppressed at $x=0.035$ and
completely absent at $x=0.10$. The ICM spin order and FE phase can be restored
by applying a magnetic field along the spin easy-axis. The low-$T$ commensurate
magnetic structure extends in both H/T with increasing Fe concentration. The
systematic evolution of the magnetic and electric properties indicates that the
noncollinear ICM spin order results from competing magnetic interactions and
its stabilization can be tuned by the internal ($x$) or external (magnetic
field) perturbations.


title: Application prospects of MgB$_2$ in view of its basic properties

abstract:
  Seven years after the discovery of superconductivity in magnesium diboride,
the fundamental superconducting properties of this compound are well known and
the peculiar current transport in polycrystalline materials is essentially
understood. Based on this knowledge the ultimate performance of wires or tapes
at high magnetic fields will be predicted and compared to state-of-the-art
materials and to other superconductors. The key parameter for high field
applications is the upper critical field, which can be strongly enhanced by
impurity scattering. This fundamental property might be further optimized in
bulk materials, since higher values were reported for thin films. The MgB$_2$
grains are usually very small, if prepared by the in-situ technique. The
resulting high density of grain boundaries leads to strong pinning, close to
the theoretical limit. On the other hand, the connectivity between the grains
is still rather poor and strongly reduces the achievable critical currents,
thus leaving room for further improvements.


title: Two-photon coherent control of femtosecond photoassociation

abstract:
  Photoassociation with short laser pulses has been proposed as a technique to
create ultracold ground state molecules. A broad-band excitation seems the
natural choice to drive the series of excitation and deexcitation steps
required to form a molecule in its vibronic ground state from two scattering
atoms. First attempts at femtosecond photoassociation were, however, hampered
by the requirement to eliminate the atomic excitation leading to trap
depletion. On the other hand, molecular levels very close to the atomic
transition are to be excited. The broad bandwidth of a femtosecond laser then
appears to be rather an obstacle. To overcome the ostensible conflict of
driving a narrow transition by a broad-band laser, we suggest a two-photon
photoassociation scheme. In the weak-field regime, a spectral phase pattern can
be employed to eliminate the atomic line. When the excitation is carried out by
more than one photon, different pathways in the field can be interfered
constructively or destructively. In the strong-field regime, a temporal phase
can be applied to control dynamic Stark shifts. The atomic transition is
suppressed by choosing a phase which keeps the levels out of resonance. We
derive analytical solutions for atomic two-photon dark states in both the
weak-field and strong-field regime. Two-photon excitation may thus pave the way
toward coherent control of photoassociation. Ultimately, the success of such a
scheme will depend on the details of the excited electronic states and
transition dipole moments. We explore the possibility of two-photon femtosecond
photoassociation for alkali and alkaline-earth metal dimers and present a
detailed study for the example of calcium.


title: Universality of Sudden Death of Entanglement

abstract:
  We present a constructive argument to demonstrate the universality of the
sudden death of entanglement in the case of two non-interacting qubits, each of
which generically coupled to independent Markovian environments at zero
temperature. Conditions for the occurrence of the abrupt disappearance of
entanglement are determined and, most importantly, rigorously shown to be
almost always satisfied: Dynamical models for which the sudden death of
entanglement does not occur are seen to form a highly idealized zero-measure
subset within the set of all possible quantum dynamics.


title: Scaling laws in the quantum to classical transition in chaotic systems

abstract:
  We study the quantum to classical transition in a chaotic system surrounded
by a diffusive environment. The emergence of classicality is monitored by the
Renyi entropy, a measure of the entanglement of a system with its environment.
We show that the Renyi entropy has a transition from quantum to classical
behavior that scales with $\hbar^2_{\rm eff}/D$, where $\hbar_{\rm eff}$ is the
effective Planck constant and $D$ is the strength of the noise. However, it was
recently shown that a different scaling law controls the quantum to classical
transition when it is measured comparing the corresponding phase space
distributions. We discuss here the meaning of both scalings in the precise
definition of a frontier between the classical and quantum behavior. We also
show that there are quantum coherences that the Renyi entropy is unable to
detect which questions its use in the studies of decoherence.


title: Nonequilibrium electron cooling by NIS tunnel junctions

abstract:
  We discuss the theoretical framework to describe quasiparticle electric and
heat currents in NIS tunnel junctions in the dirty limit. The approach is based
on quasiclassical Keldysh-Usadel equations. We apply this theory to diffusive
NIS'S tunnel junctions. Here N and S are respectively normal metal and
superconductor reservoirs, I is an insulator layer and S' is a nonequilibrium
superconducting lead. We calculate the quasiparticle electric and heat currents
in such structures and consider the effect of inelastic relaxation in the S'
lead. We find that in the absence of strong relaxation the electric current and
the cooling power for voltages $eV < \Delta$ are suppressed. The value of this
suppression scales with the diffusive transparency parameter. We ascribe this
suppression to the effect of backtunneling of nonequilibrium quasiparticles
into the normal metal.


title: Trans-Planckian relics in the scalar to tensor ratio

abstract:
  The physical properties of our universe at energy scales above the expansion
rate during inflation can affect predictions for the ratio between the
amplitudes of the primordial scalar and tensor fluctuations. In particular, we
study here the effects of a breakdown of a locally Lorentz invariant
description of nature at tiny space-time intervals. In some instances, these
effects shift the amplitudes by a constant amount, altering the standard
relation between this ratio and the slow-roll parameters. More generally,
"trans-Planckian" effects introduce a modulation in the primordial power
spectra which grows at shorter scales, making the value of the ratio sensitive
to the scale at which it is defined. We also present a model where symmetries
are broken at horizon scales during inflation. In this case, the power at large
scales today could then be suppressed, relative to that at smaller scales.


title:
A Rigidity Condition for Holomorphic Generator in Strongly Convex
  Domains

abstract:
  In this paper I give a condition, in terms of boundary behaviour, that forces
the infinitesimal generator of a one-parameter semigroup of holomorphic maps to
vanish.


title: Dark state experiments with ultracold, deeply-bound triplet molecules

abstract:
  We examine dark quantum superposition states of weakly bound Rb2 Feshbach
molecules and tightly bound triplet Rb2 molecules in the rovibrational ground
state, created by subjecting a pure sample of Feshbach molecules in an optical
lattice to a bichromatic Raman laser field. We analyze both experimentally and
theoretically the creation and dynamics of these dark states. Coherent
wavepacket oscillations of deeply bound molecules in lattice sites, as observed
in one of our previous experiments, are suppressed due to laser-induced phase
locking of molecular levels. This can be understood as the appearance of a
novel multilevel dark state. In addition, the experimental methods developed
help to determine important properties of our coupled atom / laser system.


title:
Observation of the Nuclear Magnetic Octupole Moment of 87Rb from
  Spectroscopic Measurements of Hyperfine Intervals

abstract:
  The magnetic octupole moment of 87Rb is determined from hyperfine intervals
in the 5p 2P[3/2] state measured by Ye et al. [Opt. Lett. 21, 1280 (1996)].
Hyperfine constants A = 84.7189(22) MHz, B = 12.4942(43) MHz, and C = -0.12(09)
kHz are obtained from the published measurements. The existence of a
significant value for C indicates the presence of a nuclear magnetic octupole
moment Omega. Combining the hyperfine constants with atomic structure
calculations, we obtain Omega = -0.58(39) (b muN). Second-order corrections
arising from interaction with the nearby 5p 2P[1/2] state are found to be
insignificant.


title: Lattice super-Yang-Mills using domain wall fermions in the chiral limit

abstract:
  Lattice N=1 super-Yang-Mills theory formulated using Ginsparg-Wilson fermions
provides a rigorous non-perturbative definition of the continuum theory that
requires no fine-tuning as the lattice spacing is reduced to zero. Domain wall
fermions are one explicit scheme for achieving this and using them we have
performed large-scale Monte Carlo simulations of the theory for gauge group
SU(2). We have measured the gaugino condensate, static potential, Creutz ratios
and residual mass for several values of the domain wall separation L_s,
four-dimensional lattice volume, and two values of the gauge coupling. With
this data we are able to extrapolate the gaugino condensate to the chiral
limit, to express it in physical units, and to establish important benchmarks
for future studies of super-Yang-Mills on the lattice.


title:
Comparison of Birefringent Metamaterials and Meanderline Structure as
  Quarter-Wave Plates at Terahertz Frequencies

abstract:
  We have fabricated a quarter-wave plate from a single layer birefringent
metamaterial. For comparison, an appropriately scaled double layer meanderline
structure was fabricated. At the design frequency of 639 GHz, the metamaterial
structure achieves 99.9% circular polarization while the meanderline achieves
99.6%. The meanderline displays a larger bandwidth of operation, attaining over
99% circular polarization from 615 - 743 GHz, while the metamaterial achieves
99% from 626 - 660 GHz. However, both are broad enough for use with CW sources
making metamaterials a more attractive choice due to the ease of fabrication.
Both samples are free standing with a total thickness of 70um for the
meanderline structure and a mere 20um for the metamaterial highlighting the
large degree of birefringence exhibited with metamaterial structures.


title:
Diffusion-limited exciton-exciton annihilation in single-walled carbon
  nanotubes: A time-dependent analysis

abstract:
  To provide physical insight into the recently observed photoluminescence
saturation behaviors in single-walled carbon nanotubes implying the existence
of an upper limit of exciton densities, we have performed a time-dependent
theoretical study of diffusion-limited exciton-exciton annihilation in the
general context of reaction-diffusion processes, for which exact treatments
exist. By including the radiative recombination decay as a Poissonian process
in the exactly-solvable problem of one-dimensional diffusion-driven
two-particle annihilation, we were able to correctly model the dynamics of
excitons as a function of time with different initial densities, which in turn
allowed us to reproduce the experimentally observed photoluminescence
saturation behavior at high exciton densities. We also performed Monte Carlo
simulations of the purely stochastic, Brownian diffusive motion of
one-dimensional excitons, which validated our analytical results. Finally, we
consider the temperature-dependence of this diffusion-limited exciton-exciton
annihilation and point out that high excitonic densities in SWNTs could be
achieved at low temperature in an external magnetic field.


title: Nonlinear dynamics of surface steps

abstract:
  This is a review of recent theoretical work on complex dynamical behavior of
steps on crystal surfaces. The first part of the article is devoted to the
electromigration-driven motion of islands and voids, and the second part
addresses step bunching on vicinal surfaces.


title: Can Kinematic Diffraction Distinguish Order from Disorder?

abstract:
  Diffraction methods are at the heart of structure determination of solids.
While Bragg-like scattering (pure point diffraction) is a characteristic
feature of crystals and quasicrystals, it is not straightforward to interpret
continuous diffraction intensities, which are generally linked to the presence
of disorder. However, based on simple model systems, we demonstrate that it may
be impossible to draw conclusions on the degree of order in the system from its
diffraction image. In particular, we construct a family of one-dimensional
binary systems which cover the entire entropy range but still share the same
purely diffuse diffraction spectrum.


title: Radio Interferometric Calibration Using The SAGE Algorithm

abstract:
  Radio Interferometry is an essential method for astronomical observations.
Self-calibration techniques have increased the quality of the radio
astronomical observations (and hence the science) by orders of magnitude.
Recently, there is a drive towards sensor arrays built using inexpensive
hardware and distributed over a wide area acting as radio interferometers.
Calibration of such arrays poses new problems in terms of computational cost as
well as in performance of existing calibration algorithms. We consider the
application of the Space Alternating Generalized Expectation Maximization
(SAGE) \cite{Fess94} algorithm for calibration of radio interferometric arrays.
Application to real data shows that this is an improvement over existing
calibration algorithms that are based on direct, deterministic non linear
optimization. As presented in this paper, we can improve the computational cost
as well as the quality of the calibration using this algorithm.


title: Non-equilibrium mean-field theories on scale-free networks

abstract:
  Many non-equilibrium processes on scale-free networks present anomalous
critical behavior that is not explained by standard mean-field theories. We
propose a systematic method to derive stochastic equations for mean-field order
parameters that implicitly account for the degree heterogeneity. The method is
used to correctly predict the dynamical critical behavior of some binary spin
models and reaction-diffusion processes. The validity of our non-equilibrium
theory is furtherly supported by showing its relation with the generalized
Landau theory of equilibrium critical phenomena on networks.


title: GalICS II: the [alpha/Fe]-mass relation in elliptical galaxies

abstract:
  We aim at reproducing the mass- and sigma-[alpha/Fe] relations in the stellar
populations of early-type galaxies by means of a cosmologically motivated
assembly history for the spheroids. We implement a detailed treatment for the
chemical evolution of H, He, O and Fe in GalICS, a semi-analytical model for
galaxy formation which successfully reproduces basic low- and high-redshift
galaxy properties. The contribution of supernovae (both type Ia and II) as well
as low- and intermediate-mass stars to chemical feedback are taken into
account. We find that this chemically improved GalICS does not produce the
observed mass- and sigma-[alpha/Fe] relations. The slope is too shallow and
scatter too large, in particular in the low and intermediate mass range. The
model shows significant improvement at the highest masses and velocity
dispersions, where the predicted [alpha/Fe] ratios are now marginally
consistent with observed values. We show that this result comes from the
implementation of AGN (plus halo) quenching of the star formation in massive
haloes. A thorough exploration of the parameter space shows that the failure of
reproducing the mass- and sigma-[alpha/Fe] relations can partly be attributed
to the way in which star formation and feedback are currently modelled. The
merger process is responsible for a part of the scatter. We suggest that the
next generation of semi-analytical model should feature feedback (either
stellar of from AGN) mechanisms linked to single galaxies and not only to the
halo, especially in the low and intermediate mass range. The integral star
formation history of a single galaxy determines its final stellar [alpha/Fe] as
it might be expected from the results of closed box chemical evolution models.
(abridged)


title:
Quantum electric dipole glass and frustrated magnetism near a critical
  point in Li2ZrCuO4

abstract:
  We report a new peculiar effect of the interaction between a sublattice of
frustrated quantum spin-1/2 chains and a sublattice of pseudospin-1/2 centers
(quantum electric dipoles) uniquely co-existing in the complex oxide Li2ZrCuO4.
7Li nuclear magnetic-, Cu2+ electron spin resonance and a complex dielectric
constant data reveal that the sublattice of Li+-derived electric dipoles orders
glass like at Tg ~ 70 K yielding a spin site nonequivalency in the CuO2 chains.
We suggest that such a remarkable interplay between electrical and spin degrees
of freedom might strongly influence the properties of the spiral spin state in
Li2ZrCuO4 that is close to a quantum ferromagnetic critical point. In
particular that strong quantum fluctuations and/or the glassy behavior of
electric dipoles might renormalize the exchange integrals affecting this way
the pitch angle of the spiral as well as be responsible for the missing
multiferroicity present in other helicoidal magnets.


title: Non-Invasive Glucose Monitoring Techniques: A review and current trends

abstract:
  Diabetes mellitus is a complex group of syndromes that have in common a
disturbance in the body's use of glucose, resulting in an elevated blood sugar.
Once detected, sugar diabetes can be controlled by an appropriate regimen that
should include diet therapy, a weight reduction program for those persons who
are overweight, a program of exercise and insulin injections or oral drugs to
lower blood glucose. Blood glucose monitoring by the patient and the physician
is an important aspect in the control of the devastating complications (heart
disease, blindness, kidney failure or amputations) due to the disease.
Intensive therapy and frequent glucose testing has numerous benefits. With ever
improving advances in diagnostic technology, the race for the next generation
of bloodless, painless, accurate glucose instruments has begun. In this paper,
we reviewed various methods, techniques and approaches successfully
demonstrated for measuring or monitoring blood glucose. Invasive, minimally
invasive and noninvasive techniques available in literature are summarised.


title: Symmetry of anomalous dimension matrices explained

abstract:
  In a previous paper, one of us pointed out that the anomalous dimension
matrices for all physical processes that have been calculated to date are
complex symmetric, if stated in an orthonormal basis. In this paper we prove
this fact and show that it is only true in a subset of all possible orthonormal
bases, but that this subset is the natural one to use for physical
calculations.