title:
Applications of an operator $H({\alpha ,\beta})$ to the Lauricella
  multivariable hypergeometric functions

abstract:
  By making use of some techniques based upon certain inverse new pairs of
symbolic operators, the author investigate several decomposition formulas
associated with Lauricella's hypergeometric functions $F_A^{(r)}, F_B^{(r)},
F_C^{(r)}$ and $F_D^{(r)}$ in $r$ variables. In the three-variable case some of
these operational representations are constructed and applied in order to
derive the corresponding decomposition formulas when $r = 3$ . With the help of
these new inverse pairs of symbolic operators, a total 20 decomposition
formulas and integral representations are found.


title:
Nonequilibrium properties of strongly correlated artificial atoms - a
  Green's functions approach

abstract:
  A nonequilibrium Green's functions (NEGF) approach for spatially
inhomogeneous, strongly correlated artificial atoms is presented and applied to
compute the time-dependent properties while starting from a (correlated)
initial few-electron state at finite temperatures. In the regime of moderate to
strong coupling, we consider the Kohn mode of a three-electron system in a
parabolic confinement excited by a short pulsed classical laser field treated
in dipole approximation. In particular, we numerically confirm that this mode
is preserved within a conserving (e.g. Hartree-Fock or second Born) theory.


title: An upper bound on the number of zeros of a piecewise polinomial function

abstract:
  A precise tie between a univariate spline's knots and its zeros abundance and
dissemination is formulated. As an application, a conjecture formulated by De
Concini and Procesi is shown to be true in the special univariate, unimodular
case. As a supplement, the same conjecture is shown, through computing a
counterexample, to be false when unimodularity hypothesis is dropped.


title:
Experimental asymmetric phase-covariant quantum cloning of polarization
  qubits

abstract:
  We report on two optical realizations of the $1 \to 2$ asymmetric
phase-covariant cloning machines for polarization states of single photons. The
experimental setups combine two-photon interference and tunable polarization
filtering that enables us to control the asymmetry of the cloners. The first
scheme involves a special unbalanced bulk beam splitter exhibiting different
splitting ratios for vertical and horizontal polarizations, respectively. The
second implemented scheme consists of a balanced fiber coupler where photon
bunching occurs, followed by a free-space part with polarization filters. With
this later approach we were able to demonstrate very high cloning fidelities
which are above the universal cloning limit.


title:
Some decomposition formulas of generalized hypergeometric functions and
  formulas of an analytic continuation of the Clausen function

abstract:
  In this paper, using similar symbolical method of Burchnall and Chaundy
formulas of expansion for the generalized hypergeometric function were
constructed. By means of the found formulas of expansion the formulas of an
analytic continuation for hypergeometric function of Clausen is defined. The
obtained formulas of an analytic continuation express known hypergeometric
Appell function $ F_2 ({a;b_1, b_2 ;c_1, c_2 ;x,y}) $ which theory is well
studied.


title: Classification of finite-growth general Kac-Moody superalgebras

abstract:
  A contragredient Lie superalgebra is a superalgebra defined by a Cartan
matrix. A contragredient Lie superalgebra has finite-growth if the dimensions
of the graded components (in the natural grading) depend polynomially on the
degree. In this paper we classify finite-growth contragredient Lie
superalgebras. Previously, such a classification was known only for the
symmetrizable case.


title: Accelerating Cosmologies with Extended Product Spaces

abstract:
  Accelerating cosmologies in extra dimensional spaces have been studied. These
extra dimensional spaces are products of many spaces. The physical behaviors of
accelerating cosmologies are investigated from Einstein's field equation in
higher dimensional Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) universe and superstring/M
theory points of view. It is found that if some assumptions of flatness are
made for sector of the FRW universe, the remaining sector needs to be
hyperbolic. These properties are in parallel with those found in the model of
superstring/M theory. The extended product made for the superstring model did
not show any more new features other than those already found. A similar
accelerating phase of this product space cosmology was found with difference in
numerical values of the accelerating period.


title: Micro force Measurement by an Optical Method

abstract:
  We discuss the application of stress-induced changes in the crystal of a
monolithic Nd:YAG laser as a possibility for microforce measurement. In fact,
application of an unknown force on the resonator-amplifier-crystal can lead to
a several gigahertz change, depending on the force intensity, of the laser
frequency. In addition, the changes rates of the two orthogonally polarizations
of the same mode with applied force are different. Hence, the strength of the
applied stress can be deduced from measurement of induced change in the beat
frequency between the two polarizations or between the fast mode (mode
polarized in the orthogonal direction of the stress) and a reference frequency.


title: Metal-rich T-dwarfs in the Hyades cluster

abstract:
  We present the results of a search for brown dwarfs (BDs) and very low mass
(VLM) stars in the 625 Myr-old, metal-rich ([Fe/H]=0.14) Hyades cluster. We
performed a deep (I=23, z=22.5) photometric survey over 16 deg$^2$ around the
cluster center. We report the discovery of the first 2 BDs in the Hyades
cluster, with a spectral type T1 and T2, respectively. Their optical and
near-IR photometry, as well as their proper motion, are consistent with them
being cluster members. According to models, their mass is about 50 Jupiter
masses at an age of 625 Myr. We also report the discovery of 3 new very low
mass stellar members and confirm the membership of 15 others.


title: Alexey Vasilyevich Pogorelov, the mathematician of an incredible power

abstract: Life and the mathematical legacy of the great mathematician A.V. Pogorelov.


title:
Quantum Memory for Photons in Case of Many Close Lying Exciton
  Resonances in Solids

abstract:
  The possibility of storage of quantum information with photons is studied in
the case of resonant transitions via many close lying exciton levels in a solid
with impurity Lambda-atoms. The upper levels of the impurity atom form resonant
Fano states, similar to the autoionization atomic states, due to the
configuration interaction with the continuum of the exciton band. In this case
slowing of light pulses is shown to be realistic, in the presence of the
control field, down to the group velocity much lower than that in vacuum. The
possibility of storage and reconstruction of a quantum pulse is studied in the
case of the instantaneous switching on/off of the control field. It is shown
that the signal quantum pulse cannot be stored undistorted for differing values
of Fano parameters and for non-zero two-photon detuning and decay rate between
the lower levels (decoherence). However, for small difference of the Fano
parameters and for small values of the two-photon detuning and the decoherence
there is no distortion in the case where the length of the pulse is much longer
than the linear absorption (amplification) length, so the shape and quantum
state of the light pulse can be restored.


title: Bayesian evidence for finite element model updating

abstract:
  This paper considers the problem of model selection within the context of
finite element model updating. Given that a number of FEM updating models, with
different updating parameters, can be designed, this paper proposes using the
Bayesian evidence statistic to assess the probability of each updating model.
This makes it possible then to evaluate the need for alternative updating
parameters in the updating of the initial FE model. The model evidences are
compared using the Bayes factor, which is the ratio of evidences. The Jeffrey
scale is used to determine the differences in the models. The Bayesian evidence
is calculated by integrating the likelihood of the data given the model and its
parameters over the a priori model parameter space using the new nested
sampling algorithm. The nested algorithm samples this likelihood distribution
by using a hard likelihood-value constraint on the sampling region while
providing the posterior samples of the updating model parameters as a
by-product. This method is used to calculate the evidence of a number of
plausible finite element models.


title: Open source FCI code for quantum dots and effective interactions

abstract:
  We describe OpenFCI, an open source implementation of the full
configuration-interaction method (FCI) for two-dimensional quantum dots with
optional use of effective renormalized interactions. The code is written in C++
and is available under the Gnu General Public License. The code and core
libraries are well documented and structured in a way such that customizations
and generalizations to other systems and numerical methods are easy tasks. As
examples we provide a matrix element tabulation program and an implementation
of a simple model from nuclear physics, in addition to the quantum dot
application itself.


title: Coulomb corrected eikonal description of the breakup of halo nuclei

abstract:
  The eikonal description of breakup reactions diverges because of the Coulomb
interaction between the projectile and the target. This divergence is due to
the adiabatic, or sudden, approximation usually made, which is incompatible
with the infinite range of the Coulomb interaction. A correction for this
divergence is analysed by comparison with the Dynamical Eikonal Approximation,
which is derived without the adiabatic approximation. The correction consists
in replacing the first-order term of the eikonal Coulomb phase by the
first-order of the perturbation theory. This allows taking into account both
nuclear and Coulomb interactions on the same footing within the computationally
efficient eikonal model. Excellent results are found for the dissociation of
11Be on lead at 69 MeV/nucleon. This Coulomb Corrected Eikonal approximation
provides a competitive alternative to more elaborate reaction models for
investigating breakup of three-body projectiles at intermediate and high
energies.


title:
An extended dust disk in a spiral galaxy; An occulting galaxy pair in
  ANGST

abstract:
  We present an analysis of an occulting galaxy pair, serendipitously
discovered in ACS Nearby Galaxy Survey Treasury (ANGST) observations of NGC 253
taken with Hubble Space Telescope's Advanced Camera for Survey in F475W, F606W$
and F814W (SDSS-g, broad V and I). The foreground disk system (at z < 0.06)
shows a dusty disk much more extended than the starlight, with spiral lanes
seen in extinction out to 1.5 R\_25, approximately six half-light radii. This
pair is the first where extinction can be mapped reliably out to this distance
from the center. The spiral arms of the extended dust disk show typical
extinction values of A\_F475W ~ 0.25, A\_F606W ~ 0.25, and A\_F814W ~ 0.15. The
extinction law inferred from these measures is similar to the local Milky Way
one, and we show that the smoothing effects of sampling at limited spatial
resolution (<57 pc, in these data) flattens the observed function through
mixing of regions with different extinction. This galaxy illustrates the
diversity of dust distributions in spirals, and the limitations of adopting a
single dust model for optically similar galaxies. The ideal geometry of this
pair of overlapping galaxies and the high sampling of HST data make this
dataset ideal to analyze this pair with three separate approaches to
overlapping galaxies: (A) a combined fit, rotating copies of both galaxies, (B)
a simple flip of the background image and (C) an estimate of the original
fluxes for the individual galaxies based on reconstructions of their proper
isophotes. We conclude that in the case of high quality data such as these,
isophotal models are to be preferred.


title: Ion traps with enhanced optical and physical access

abstract:
  Small, controllable, highly accessible quantum systems can serve as probes at
the single quantum level to study multiple physical effects, for example in
quantum optics or for electric and magnetic field sensing. The applicability of
trapped atomic ions as probes is highly dependent on the measurement situation
at hand and thus calls for specialized traps. Previous approaches for ion traps
with enhanced optical access included traps consisting of a single ring
electrode or two opposing endcap electrodes. Other possibilities are planar
trap geometries, which have been investigated for Penning traps and rf-trap
arrays. By not having the electrodes lie in a common plane the optical access
in the latter cases can be substantially increased. Here, we discuss the
fabrication and experimental characterization of a novel radio-frequency (rf)
ion trap geometry. It has a relatively simple structure and provides largely
unrestricted optical and physical access to the ion, of up to 96% of the total
4pi solid angle in one of the three traps tested. We also discuss potential
applications in quantum optics and field sensing. As a force sensor, we
estimate sensitivity to forces smaller than 1 yN Hz^(-1/2).


title: Tails for the Einstein-Yang-Mills system

abstract:
  We study numerically the late-time behaviour of the coupled Einstein
Yang-Mills system. We restrict ourselves to spherical symmetry and employ
Bondi-like coordinates with radial compactification. Numerical results exhibit
tails with exponents close to -4 at timelike infinity $i^+$ and -2 at future
null infinity \Scri.


title:
Real-time gauge theory simulations from stochastic quantization using
  optimized updating

abstract:
  Stochastic quantisation is applied to the problem of calculating real-time
evolution on a Minkowskian space-time lattice. We employ optimized updating
using reweighting, or gauge fixing, respectively. These procedures do not
affect the underlying theory, but strongly improve the stability properties of
the stochastic dynamics.


title: Regular Kac-Moody superalgebras and integrable highest weight modules

abstract:
  We define regular Kac-Moody superalgebras and classify them using integrable
modules. We give conditions for irreducible highest weight modules of regular
Kac-Moody superalgebras to be integrable. This paper is a major part of the
proof for the classification of finite-growth contragredient Lie superalgebras.


title: On Characters of F_4 Lie Algebra

abstract:
  In a previous work, we have given an explicit method to obtain irreducible
characters of finite Lie algebras without referring to Weyl character formula.
Irreducible characters of $G_2$ Lie algebra has been given as an example. The
work is now extended to somewhat more complicated case of $F_4$ Lie algebra, in
the same manner.


title:
Sensitivity of p modes for constraining velocities of microscopic
  diffusion of the elements

abstract:
  Conventional astrophysical observations have failed to provide stringent
constraints on physical processes operating in the interior of the stars.
However, satellite missions now promise a solution to these problems by
providing long-term high-quality continuous data which will allow the
application of seismic techniques. With this in mind, and using the Sun as our
astrophysical laboratory, our aim is to determine if Corot- and Kepler-like
asteroseismic data can constrain physical processes like microscopic diffusion.
We test to what extent can the observed atmospheric abundances coupled with
p-mode frequencies safely distinguish between stellar initial chemical
composition and diffusion of these elements. We present some preliminary
results of our analysis.


title: On combinations of local theory extensions

abstract:
  In this paper we study possibilities of efficient reasoning in combinations
of theories over possibly non-disjoint signatures. We first present a class of
theory extensions (called local extensions) in which hierarchical reasoning is
possible, and give several examples from computer science and mathematics in
which such extensions occur in a natural way. We then identify situations in
which combinations of local extensions of a theory are again local extensions
of that theory. We thus obtain criteria both for recognizing wider classes of
local theory extensions, and for modular reasoning in combinations of theories
over non-disjoint signatures.


title: A Concise Method for Kinetic Energy Quantisation

abstract:
  We present a straightforward method for obtaining exact classical and quantum
molecular Hamiltonians in terms of arbitrary coordinates. As compared to other
approaches the resulting expression are rather compact, the physical meaning of
each quantity is quite transparent, and in some cases the calculation effort
will be greatly reduced. We also investigate systems with constrains to find
the suggested method to be applicable in contrast to most conventional
approaches to kinetic energy operators which cannot directly be applied to
constrained systems. Two examples are discussed in detail, the monohydrated
hydroxide anion and the protonated ammonia dimer.


title: Boundary effects on quantum q-breathers in a Bose-Hubbard chain

abstract:
  We investigate the spectrum and eigenstates of a Bose-Hubbard chain
containing two bosons with fixed boundary conditions. In the noninteracting
case the eigenstates of the system define a two-dimensional normal-mode space.
For the interacting case weight functions of the eigenstates are computed by
perturbation theory and numerical diagonalization. We identify paths in the
two-dimensional normal-mode space which are rims for the weight functions. The
decay along and off the rims is algebraic. Intersection of two paths (rims)
leads to a local enhancement of the weight functions. We analyze
nonperturbative effects due to the degeneracies and the formation of two-boson
bound states.


title:
An efficient algorithm for computing the Baker-Campbell-Hausdorff series
  and some of its applications

abstract:
  We provide a new algorithm for generating the Baker--Campbell--Hausdorff
(BCH) series $Z = \log(\e^X \e^Y)$ in an arbitrary generalized Hall basis of
the free Lie algebra $\mathcal{L}(X,Y)$ generated by $X$ and $Y$. It is based
on the close relationship of $\mathcal{L}(X,Y)$ with a Lie algebraic structure
of labeled rooted trees. With this algorithm, the computation of the BCH series
up to degree 20 (111013 independent elements in $\mathcal{L}(X,Y)$) takes less
than 15 minutes on a personal computer and requires 1.5 GBytes of memory. We
also address the issue of the convergence of the series, providing an optimal
convergence domain when $X$ and $Y$ are real or complex matrices.


title: Everett and the Born Rule

abstract:
  During the last ten years or so, derivations of the Born rule based on
decision theory have been proposed and developed, and it is claimed that these
are valid in the context of the Everett interpretation. This claim is
critically assessed and it is shown that one of its key assumptions, although
natural in the context of the Copenhagen interpretation, is not consistent with
that of Everett. It is further argued that any interpretation that relates
outcome likelihood to the expansion coefficients connecting the wavefunction
with the eigenfunctions of the measurement operator must be inconsistent with
the Everett interpretation.


title: Congruent evolution of genetic and environmental robustness in microRNA

abstract:
  Genetic robustness, the preservation of an optimal phenotype in the face of
mutations, is critical to the understanding of evolution as phenotypically
expressed genetic variation is the fuel of natural selection. The origin of
genetic robustness, whether it evolves directly by natural selection or it is a
correlated byproduct of other phenotypic traits, is, however, unresolved.
Examining microRNA (miRNA) genes of several eukaryotic species, Borenstein and
Ruppin (Borenstein et al. 2006, PNAS 103: 6593), showed that the structure of
miRNA precursor stem-loops exhibits significantly increased mutational
robustness in comparison with a sample of random RNA sequences with the same
stem-loop structure. The observed robustness was found to be uncorrelated with
traditional measures of environmental robustness -- implying that miRNA
sequences show evidence of the direct evolution of genetic robustness. These
findings are surprising as theoretical results indicate that the direct
evolution of robustness requires high mutation rates and/or large effective
population sizes only found among RNA viruses, not multicellular eukaryotes.
Introducing a novel measure of environmental robustness based on the
equilibrium thermodynamic ensemble of secondary structures of the miRNA
precursor sequences we demonstrate that the biophysics of RNA folding, induces
a high level of correlation between genetic (mutational) and environmental
(thermodynamic) robustness, as expected from the theory of plastogenetic
congruence introduced by Ancel and Fontana (Ancel et al. 2000, J. Exp. Zool.
288: 242). In light of theoretical considerations we believe that this
correlation strongly suggests that genetic robustness observed in miRNA
sequences is the byproduct of selection for environmental robustness.

categories: q-bio.PE cond-mat.soft physics.bio-ph q-bio.BM q-bio.GN


title: DSTC Layering Protocols in Wireless Cooperative Networks

abstract:
  In a radio network with single source-destination pair and some relays, a
link between any two nodes is considered to have same or zero path loss.
However in practice some links may have considerably high path loss than others
but still being useful. In this report, we take into account signals received
from these links also. \indent Our system model consists of a
source-destination pair with two layers of relays in which weaker links between
source and second layer and between the first layer and destination are also
considered. We propose some protocols in this system model, run simulations
under optimum power allocation, and compare these protocols. We show that under
reasonable channel strength of these weaker links, the proposed protocols
perform ($ \approx 2$ dB) better than the existing basic protocol. As expected,
the degree of improvement increases with the strength of the weaker links. We
also show that with the receive channel knowledge in relays, the reliability
and data rate are improved.


title: Exact sampling of corrugated surfaces

abstract:
  We discuss an algorithm for the exact sampling of vectors v in [0,1]^N
satisfying a set of pairwise difference inequalities. Applications include the
exact sampling of skew Young Tableaux, of configurations in the Bead Model, and
of corrugated surfaces on a graph, that is random landscapes in which at each
vertex corresponds a local maximum or minimum. As an example, we numerically
evaluate with high-precision the number of corrugated surfaces on the square
lattice. After an extrapolation to the thermodynamic limit, controlled by an
exact formula, we put into evidence a discrepancy with previous numerical
results.


title:
Time evolution of the line emission from the inner circumstellar ring of
  SN 1987A and its hot spots

abstract:
  We present seven epochs between October 1999 and November 2007 of high
resolution VLT/UVES echelle spectra of the ejecta-ring collision of SN 1987A.
The fluxes of most of the narrow lines from the unshocked gas decreased by a
factor of 2-3 during this period, consistent with the decay from the initial
ionization by the shock break-out. However, [O III] in particular shows an
increase up to day ~6800. This agrees with radiative shock models where the
pre-shocked gas is heated by the soft X-rays from the shock. The line emission
from the shocked gas increases rapidly as the shock sweeps up more gas. We find
that the neutral and high ionization lines follow the evolution of the Balmer
lines roughly, while the intermediate ionization lines evolve less rapidly. Up
to day ~6800, the optical light curves have a similar evolution to that of the
soft X-rays. The break between day 6500 and day 7000 for [O III] and [Ne III]
is likely due to recombination to lower ionization levels. Nevertheless, the
evolution of the [Fe XIV] line, as well as the lines from the lowest ionization
stages, continue to follow that of the soft X-rays, as expected. There is a
clear difference in the line profiles between the low and intermediate
ionization lines, and those from the coronal lines at the earlier epochs. This
shows that these lines arise from regions with different physical conditions,
with at least a fraction of the coronal lines coming from adiabatic shocks. At
later epochs the line widths of the low ionization lines, however, increase and
approach those of the high ionization lines of [Fe X-XIV]. The H-alpha line
profile can be traced up to ~500 km/s at the latest epoch. This is consistent
with the cooling time of shocks propagating into a density of (1-4)x10^4 cm-3.


title: The magnetic field of solar prominences

abstract:
  In his famous monographs, Einar Tandberg-Hanssen writes that "the single,
physically most important parameter to study in prominences may be the magnetic
field. Shapes, motions, and in fact the very existence of prominences depend on
the nature of the magnetic field threading the prominence plasma". Hereafter we
sumarize recent contributions and advances in our knowledge about the magnetic
field of solar prominences. It mostly relies on high resolution and high
sensitivity spectropolarimetry made both in the visible and in the near
infrared.


title: Production of Double Hypernuclei with antiprotons at PANDA

abstract:
  One of the goals of hypernuclear physics is to study the properties of
baryon-baryon interaction including the strangeness contribution. Double
hypernuclei can provide information about the $\Lambda\Lambda$ interaction in
addition to the hyperon-hyperon and hyperon-nucleus one. A new technique for
producing double hypernuclei using antiprotons is foreseen in the PANDA
experiment at FAIR. Gamma ray spectroscopy is a way to measure the hyperon pair
binding energy and the HPGe detectors can achieve the necessary resolution.


title: OPERA: waiting for the tau

abstract:
  The OPERA experiment, whose aim is the direct observation of nu_mu ~> nu_tau
oscillations in appearance mode in the CNGS high-energy neutrino beam, consists
of a high-granularity modular target of nuclear emulsions-lead "bricks", richly
instrumented with electronic detectors necessary for the location of neutrino
interactions and kinematic analysis. After the first short runs of August 2006,
October 2006 and October 2007, the experiment started early this summer its
first long physics run (about 150 days). Operating at the final target mass of
1.35 kton, the 2008 run can realistically offer the first chance to observe a
tau originated from a flavour oscillated nu_mu. This contribution will discuss
the different aspects of the experiment, the challenges of the data handling
and the recent achievements. It will also outline the various steps required
for the analysis in nuclear emulsions from the "brick finding" to the vertex
reconstruction.


title:
Path Planner for Objects, Robots and Mannequins by Multi-Agents Systems
  or Motion Captures

abstract:
  In order to optimise the costs and time of design of the new products while
improving their quality, concurrent engineering is based on the digital model
of these products. However, in order to be able to avoid definitively physical
model without loss of information, new tools must be available. Especially, a
tool making it possible to check simply and quickly the maintainability of
complex mechanical sets using the numerical model is necessary. Since one
decade, the MCM team of IRCCyN works on the creation of tools for the
generation and the analysis of trajectories of virtual mannequins. The
simulation of human tasks can be carried out either by robot-like simulation or
by simulation by motion capture. This paper presents some results on the both
two methods. The first method is based on a multi-agent system and on a digital
mock-up technology, to assess an efficient path planner for a manikin or a
robot for access and visibility task taking into account ergonomic constraints
or joint limits. The human operator is integrated in the process optimisation
to contribute to a global perception of the environment. This operator
cooperates, in real-time, with several automatic local elementary agents. In
the second method, we worked with the CEA and EADS/CCR to solve the constraints
related to the evolution of human virtual in its environment on the basis of
data resulting from motion capture system. An approach using of the virtual
guides was developed to allow to the user the realization of precise trajectory
in absence of force feedback.


title: A Vision-based Computed Torque Control for Parallel Kinematic Machines

abstract:
  In this paper, a novel approach for parallel kinematic machine control
relying on a fast exteroceptive measure is implemented and validated on the
Orthoglide robot. This approach begins with rewriting the robot models as a
function of the only end-effector pose. It is shown that such an operation
reduces the model complexity. Then, this approach uses a classical Cartesian
space computed torque control with a fast exteroceptive measure, reducing the
control schemes complexity. Simulation results are given to show the expected
performance improvements and experiments prove the practical feasibility of the
approach.


title: Searching for vector bileptons in polarized Bhabha scattering

abstract:
  In this paper we analyze the effects of virtual vector bileptons in polarized
Bhabha scattering at the energies of the future linear colliders. In order to
make the calculations of the differential cross sections more realistic,
important beam effects such as initial state radiation, beamstrahlung, beam
energy and polarization spreads are accounted for. The finite resolution of a
typical electromagnetic calorimeter planned for the new linear colliders is
also considered in the simulation. The 95% confidence level limits for bilepton
masses in 331 models are evaluated.


title: Neutrino-2008: Where are we? Where are we going?

abstract:
  Our present knowledge of neutrinos can be summarized in terms of the
"standard neutrino scenario". Phenomenology of this scenario as well as
attempts to uncover physics behind neutrino mass and mixing are described.
Goals of future studies include complete reconstruction of the neutrino mass
and flavor spectrum, further test of the standard scenario and search for new
physics beyond it. Developments of new experimental techniques may lead to
construction of new neutrino detectors from table-top to multi-Megaton scales
which will open new horizons in the field. With detection of neutrino bursts
from the Galactic supernova and high energy cosmic neutrinos neutrino
astrophysics will enter qualitatively new phase. Neutrinos and LHC (and future
colliders), neutrino astronomy, neutrino structure of the Universe, and
probably, neutrino technologies will be among leading topics of research.


title: The Arcturus Moving Group: Its Place in the Galaxy

abstract:
  The Arcturus moving group is a well-populated example of phase space
substructure within the thick disk of our Galaxy. Traditionally regarded as the
remains of a dissolved open cluster, it has recently been suggested to be a
remnant of a satellite accreted by our Galaxy. To investigate the origin of the
group we undertook a high-resolution spectroscopic abundance study of Arcturus
group members and candidates. Examining abundance of Fe, Mg, Ca, Ti, Cr, Ni,
Zn, Ce, Nd, Sm and Gd for 134 stars we found that the group is chemically
similar to disk stars and does not exhibit a clear chemical homogeneity.
Furthermore, we confirm the existence of the Arcturus group using the
Nordstroem et al. (2004), Schuster et al. (2006) and RAdial Velocity Experiment
(RAVE) surveys (Steinmetz et al. 2006). The origin of the group still remains
unresolved: the chemical results are consistent with a dynamical origin but do
not entirely rule out a merger one. Certainly, the Arcturus group provides a
challenge to our understanding of the nature and origin of the Galaxy's thick
disk.


title: Markovian MC simulation of QCD evolution at NLO level with minimum k_T

abstract:
  We present two Monte Carlo algorithms of the Markovian type which solve the
modified QCD evolution equations at the NLO level. The modifications with
respect to the standard DGLAP evolution concern the argument of the strong
coupling constant alpha_S. We analyze the z - dependent argument and then the
k_T - dependent one. The evolution time variable is identified with the
rapidity. The two algorithms are tested to the 0.05% precision level. We find
that the NLO corrections in the evolution of parton momentum distributions with
k_T - dependent coupling constant are of the order of 10 to 20%, and in a small
x region even up to 30%, with respect to the LO contributions.


title: Dark polariton-solitons in semiconductor microcavities

abstract:
  We report the existence, symmetry breaking and other instabilities of dark
polariton-solitons in semiconductor microcavities operating in the strong
coupling regime. These half-light half-matter solitons are potential candidates
for applications in all-optical signal processing. Their excitation time and
required pump powers are a few orders of magnitude less than those of their
weakly coupled light-only counterparts.


title: Zero temperature dynamics in two dimensional ANNNI model

abstract:
  We investigate the dynamics of a two dimensional axial next nearest neighbour
Ising (ANNNI) model following a quench to zero temperature. The Hamiltonian is
given by $H = -J_0\sum_{i,j=1}^L S_{i,j}S_{i+1,j} - J_1\sum_{i,j=1} [S_{i,j}
S_{i,j+1} -\kappa S_{i,j} S_{i,j+2}]$. For $\kappa <1$, the system does not
reach the equilibrium ground state but slowly evolves to a metastable state.
For $\kappa > 1$, the system shows a behaviour similar to the two dimensional
ferromagnetic Ising model in the sense that it freezes to a striped state with
a finite probability. The persistence probability shows algebraic decay here
with an exponent $\theta = 0.235 \pm 0.001$ while the dynamical exponent of
growth $z=2.08\pm 0.01$. For $\kappa =1$, the system belongs to a completely
different dynamical class; it always evolves to the true ground state with the
persistence and dynamical exponent having unique values. Much of the dynamical
phenomena can be understood by studying the dynamics and distribution of the
number of domains walls. We also compare the dynamical behaviour to that of a
Ising model in which both the nearest and next nearest neighbour interactions
are ferromagnetic.


title: A Collection of Problems on Spectrally Bounded Operators

abstract:
  We discuss several open problems on spectrally bounded operators, some new,
some old, adding in a few new insights.


title:
Investigating the age and structure of the infrared old open clusters
  LK1, LK10, FSR1521 and FSR1555

abstract:
  (Abridged) - The combination of several mass-decreasing processes may
critically affect the structure of open clusters (OCs), to the point that most
dissolve into the field in a time-scale shorter than $\approx1$ Gyr. In this
paper we focus on 4 candidate old star clusters, namely, LK 1, LK 10, FSR 1521,
and FSR 1555. To analyse the target clusters we construct near infrared
colour-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) and derive stellar radial density profiles
(RDPs). The CMDs are constructed using 2MASS \jj, \hh, and \ks bands, and the
intrinsic morphologies of the target OCs within these diagrams are revealed by
applying a field-star decontamination algorithm. Fundamental parameters are
estimated with Padova isochrones built for the 2MASS filters. We derive
extinctions to the objects within the range $3.4\le\aV\le8.9$, which makes them
suitable for the near-infrared analysis, ages within $1.0 - 2.0$ Gyr, and
distances from the Sun within $1.4 - 4.5$ kpc. These distances, in conjunction
with the positions in the sky, place the present 4 OCs close to the solar
circle ($\la0.6$ kpc). For LK 10 our photometry reaches a depth $\approx3$ mags
below the main sequence turn off, from which we derive a relatively steep mass
function slope ($\chi=2.4\pm0.4$) when compared to the Salpeter value
($\chi=1.35$). LK 10 is a rather massive old OC, with a mass within $1360\le
m(\ms)\le4400$, for stars in the observed magnitude range and the extrapolation
to $0.08 \ms$, respectively. The mass estimated in the restricted magnitude
range for the remaining, more distant OCs is within $260\le m(\ms)\le380$.
However, similarity with the CMD morphology and red clump of LK 10 suggests
that they may be as massive as LK 10.


title: Electroweak Cross-sections and Widths

abstract:
  The status of W and Z cross-section and width measurements from the CDF and
D0 experiments is reviewed. Recent results that are discussed: the
cross-section for Z production times the branching ratio to tau pairs, the
rapidity and transverse momentum distributions of Z production in the electron
channel, and the direct measurements of the W width and the Z invisible width;
the latter from an analysis of events with large missing transverse energy and
one or more energetic jets.


title:
Dynamical simulations of polaron transport in conjugated polymers with
  the inclusion of electron-electron interactions

abstract:
  Dynamical simulations of polaron transport in conjugated polymers in the
presence of an external time-dependent electric field have been performed
within a combined extended Hubbard model (EHM) and Su-Schrieffer-Heeger (SSH)
model. Nearly all relevant electron-phonon and electron-electron interactions
are fully taken into account by solving the time-dependent Schr\"{o}dinger
equation for the $\pi$-electrons and the Newton's equation of motion for the
backbone monomer displacements by virtue of the combination of the adaptive
time-dependent density matrix renormalization group (TDDMRG) and classical
molecular dynamics (MD). We find that after a smooth turn-on of the external
electric field the polaron is accelerated at first and then moves with a nearly
constant velocity as one entity consisting of both the charge and the lattice
deformation. An ohmic region (3 mV/$\text{\AA}$ $\leq E_0\leq$ 9
mV/$\text{\AA}$) where the stationary velocity increases linearly with the
electric field strength is observed for the case of $U$=2.0 eV and $V$=1.0 eV.
The maximal velocity is well above the speed of sound. Below 3 mV/$\text{\AA}$
the polaron velocity increases nonlinearly and in high electric fields with
strength $E_0\geq$ 10.0 mV/$\text{\AA}$ the polaron will become unstable and
dissociate. The relationship between electron-electron interaction strengths
and polaron transport is also studied in detail. We find that the the on-site
Coulomb interactions $U$ will suppress the polaron transport and small
nearest-neighbor interactions $V$ values are also not beneficial to the
polaronic motion while large $V$ values favor the polaron transport.


title:
Double-Lepton Polarization Asymmetries in B->K_1 l^+ l^- Decay in
  Universal Extra Dimension Model

abstract:
  Double-lepton polarization asymmetries for the exclusive decay B->K_1 l^+ l^-
in the Universal Extra Dimension (UED) Model is studied. It is obtained that
double-lepton polarization asymmetries are very sensitive to the UED model
parameters. Experimental measurements of double lepton polarizations can give
valuable information on the physics beyond the Standard Model (SM).


title: Photoproduction of eta-mesons off nuclei for Eg < 2.2 GeV

abstract:
  Photoproduction of $\eta$ mesons off $^{12}$C, $^{40}$Ca, $^{93}$Nb, and
$^{nat}$Pb nuclei has been measured with a tagged photon beam with energies
between 0.6 and 2.2 GeV. The experiment was performed at the Bonn ELSA
accelerator with the combined setup of the Crystal Barrel and TAPS
calorimeters. It aimed at the in-medium properties of the S$_{11}$(1535)
nucleon resonance and the study of the absorption properties of nuclear matter
for $\eta$ mesons. Careful consideration was given to contributions from
$\eta\pi$ final states and secondary production mechanisms of $\eta$-mesons
e.g. from inelastic $\pi N$ reactions of intermediate pions. The analysis of
the mass number scaling shows that the nuclear absorption cross section
$\sigma_{N\eta}$ for $\eta$ mesons is constant over a wide range of the $\eta$
momentum. The comparison of the excitation functions to data off the deuteron
and to calculations in the framework of a BUU-model show no unexplained
in-medium modifications of the S$_{11}$(1535).


title: An accurate analytic description of neutrino oscillations in matter

abstract:
  A simple closed-form analytic expression for the probability of two-flavour
neutrino oscillations in a matter with an arbitrary density profile is derived.
Our formula is based on a perturbative expansion and allows an easy calculation
of higher order corrections. The expansion parameter is small when the density
changes relatively slowly along the neutrino path and/or neutrino energy is not
very close to the Mikheyev-Smirnov-Wolfenstein (MSW) resonance energy. Our
approximation is not equivalent to the adiabatic approximation and actually
goes beyond it. We demonstrate the validity of our results using a few model
density profiles, including the PREM density profile of the Earth. It is shown
that by combining the results obtained from the expansions valid below and
above the MSW resonance one can obtain a very good description of neutrino
oscillations in matter in the entire energy range, including the resonance
region.


title: Pion-nucleon charge-exchange amplitudes above 2 GeV

abstract:
  The amplitudes for the pion-nucleon charge exchange reaction of the
Karlsruhe-Helsinki and the George-Washington-University partial wave analyses
are compared with those of a Regge-cut model with the aim to explore the
possibility to provide high energy constraints for theoretical baryon resonance
analyses in the energy region above 2 GeV.


title: From random walks to rough paths

abstract:
  Donsker's invariance principle is shown to hold for random walks in rough
path topology. As application, we obtain Donsker-type weak limit theorems for
stochastic integrals and differential equations.


title:
Electronic Structure, Magnetism and Superconductivity of Layered Iron
  Compounds

abstract:
  The layered iron superconductors are discussed using electronic structure
calculations. The four families of compounds discovered so far, including
Fe(Se,Te) have closely related electronic structures. The Fermi surface
consists of disconnected hole and electron cylinders and additional hole
sections that depend on the specific material. This places the materials in
proximity to itinerant magnetism, both due to the high density of states and
due to nesting. Comparison of density functional results and experiment
provides strong evidence for itinerant spin fluctuations, which are discussed
in relation to superconductivity. It is proposed that the intermediate phase
between the structural transition and the SDW transition in the oxy-pnictides
is a nematic phase.


title: Methane T-Dwarf Candidates in the Star Forming Region IC 348

abstract:
  IC 348 is a young (t$\sim$3Myr) and nearby (d$\sim$340pc) star forming region
in the Perseus molecular cloud. We performed a deep imaging survey using the
MEGACAM (z-band) and WIRCAM (JHK and narrowband CH${_4}$ on/off) wide-field
cameras on the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope. From the analysis of the
narrowband CH${_4}$ on/off deep images, we report 4 T-dwarf candidates, of
which 3 clearly lie within the limits of the IC 348 cluster. An upper limit on
the extinction was estimated for each candidate from colour-magnitude diagrams,
and found consistent with extinction maps of the cloud. Initial comparisons
with T-dwarf spectral models suggest these candidates have a spectral type
between T3 and T5, and perhaps later, potentially making these among the lowest
mass isolated objects detected in a young star forming region so far.


title:
A versatile facility for the calibration of X-ray polarimeters with
  polarized and unpolarized controlled beams

abstract:
  We devised and built a versatile facility for the calibration of the next
generation X-ray polarimeters with unpolarized and polarized radiation. The
former is produced at 5.9 keV by means of a Fe55 radioactive source or by X-ray
tubes, while the latter is obtained by Bragg diffraction at nearly 45 degrees.
Crystals tuned with the emission lines of X-ray tubes with molybdenum, rhodium,
calcium and titanium anodes are employed for the efficient production of highly
polarized photons at 2.29, 2.69, 3.69 and 4.51 keV respectively. Moreover the
continuum emission is exploited for the production of polarized photons at 1.65
keV and 2.04 keV and at energies corresponding to the higher orders of
diffraction. The photons are collimated by means of interchangeable capillary
plates and diaphragms, allowing a trade-off between collimation and high
fluxes. The direction of the beam is accurately arranged by means of high
precision motorized stages, controlled via computer so that long and automatic
measurements can be done. Selecting the direction of polarization and the
incidence point we can map the response of imaging devices to both polarized
and unpolarized radiation. Changing the inclination of the beam we can study
the systematic effects due to the focusing of grazing incidence optics and the
feasibility of instruments with large field of view.


title: M-theory on Calabi-Yau Five-Folds

abstract:
  We study the compactification of M-theory on Calabi-Yau five-folds and the
resulting N=2 super-mechanics theories. By explicit reduction from 11
dimensions, including both bosonic and fermionic terms, we calculate the
one-dimensional effective action and show that it can be derived from an N=2
super-space action. We find that the Kahler and complex structure moduli of the
five-fold reside in 2a and 2b super-multiplets, respectively. Constrained 2a
super-multiplets arise from zero-modes of the M-theory three-form and lead to
cross-couplings between 2a and 2b multiplets. Fermionic zero modes which arise
from the (1,3) sector of the 11-dimensional gravitino do not have bosonic
super-partners and have to be described by purely fermionic super-multiplets in
one dimension. We also study the inclusion of flux and discuss the consistency
of the scalar potential with one-dimensional N=2 supersymmetry and how it can
be described in terms of a superpotential. This superpotential can also be
obtained from a Gukov-type formula which we present. Supersymmetric vacua,
obtained by solving the F-term equations, always have vanishing vacuum energy
due to the form of this scalar potential. We show that such supersymmetric
solutions exist for particular examples. Two substantial appendices develop the
topology and geometry of Calabi-Yau five-folds and the structure of
one-dimensional N=2 supersymmetry and supergravity to the level of generality
required for our purposes.


title: Unparticle & Higgs as Composites

abstract:
  We propose a generic framework in which the Higgs and the unparticle are both
composite. The underlying theories are four dimensional, asymptotically free,
nonsupersymmetric gauge theories with fermionic matter. We sketch a possible
uni- fication of these two sectors at a much higher scale resembling extended
technicolor models. By construction our extensions are natural, meaning that
there is no hierar- chy problem. The coupling of the unparticle sector to the
composite Higgs emerges as a four-fermion operator. The bilinear unparticle
operator near the electroweak scale has scaling dimension in the range 1 < dU <
3. We investigate, in various ways, the breaking of scale invariance induced by
the electroweak scale resulting in an unparticle condensate. The latter acts as
a natural infrared cut off or hadronic scale. We give the low-energy effective
theory valid near the electroweak scale. The unparticle Higgs mixing is found
to be suppressed within our framework.


title: On the Geometry of Principal Homogeneous Spaces

abstract:
  Let $B$ be a curve defined over an algebraically closed field $k$ and let
$X\to B$ be an elliptic surface with base curve $B$. We investigate the
geometry of everywhere locally trivial principal homogeneous spaces for $X$,
i.e. elements of the Tate-Shafarevich group. If $Y$ is such a principal
homogeneous space of order $n$, we find strong restrictions on the
$\mathbb{P}^{n-1}$ bundle over $B$ into which $Y$ embeds. Examples for small
values of $n$ show that, in at least some cases, these restrictions are sharp.
Finally, we determine these bundles in case $k$ has characteristic zero, $B =
\mathbb{P}^1$, and $X$ is generic in a suitable sense.


title:
Asymptotic behavior of maximum likelihood estimator for time
  inhomogeneous diffusion processes

abstract:
  We study asymptotic behavior of maximum likelihood estimator for a time
inhomogeneous diffusion process given by a SDE $dX_t=\alpha b(t)X_t dt +
\sigma(t) dB_t$, $t\in[0,T)$, with a parameter $\alpha\in R$, where
$T\in(0,\infty]$ and $(B_t)_{t\in[0,T)}$ is a standard Wiener process. We
formulate sufficient conditions under which the MLE of $\alpha$ normalized by
Fisher information converges to the limit distribution of Dickey-Fuller
statistics. Next we study a SDE $dY_t=\alpha b(t)a(Y_t) dt + \sigma(t) dB_t$,
$t\in[0,T)$, with a perturbed drift satisfying $a(x)=x+O(1+|x|^\gamma)$ with
some $\gamma\in[0,1)$. We give again sufficient conditions under which the MLE
of $\alpha$ normalized by Fisher information converges to the limit
distribution of Dickey-Fuller statistics.


title:
Discovery of gamma-ray emission from the shell-type supernova remnant
  RCW 86 with H.E.S.S

abstract:
  The shell-type supernova remnant (SNR) RCW 86, possibly associated with the
historical supernova SN 185, with its relatively large size (about 40' in
diameter) and the presence of non-thermal X-rays is a promising target for
gamma-ray observations. The high sensitivity, good angular resolution of a few
arc minutes and the large field of view of the High Energy Stereoscopic System
(H.E.S.S.) make it ideally suited for the study of the gamma-ray morphology of
such extended sources. H.E.S.S. observations have indeed led to the discovery
of the SNR RCW 86 in very high energy (VHE; E > 100 GeV) gamma-rays. With 31
hours of observation time, the source is detected with a statistical
significance of 8.5 sigma and is significantly more extended than the H.E.S.S.
point spread function. Morphological studies have been performed and show that
the gamma-ray flux does not correlate perfectly with the X-ray emission. The
flux from the remnant is ~10% of the flux from the Crab nebula, with a similar
photon index of about 2.5. Possible origins of the very high energy gamma-ray
emission, via either Inverse Compton scattering by electrons or the decay of
neutral pions produced by proton interactions, are discussed on the basis of
spectral features obtained both in the X-ray and gamma-ray regimes.


title: Hyper-accreting black holes

abstract:
  Hyper-accretion disks are short-lived, powerful sources of neutrinos and
magnetized jets. Such disks are plausible sources of gamma-ray bursts. This
review describes the disk structure, the neutrino conversion to
electron-positron plasma around the disk, and the post-burst evolution.


title:
Rotating and counterrotating relativistic thin disks as sources of
  stationary electrovacuum spacetimes

abstract:
  A detailed study is presented of the counterrotating model (CRM) for
electrovacuum stationary axially symmetric relativistic thin disks of infinite
extension without radial stress, in the case when the eigenvalues of the
energy-momentum tensor of the disk are real quantities, so that there is not
heat flow. We find a general constraint over the counterrotating tangential
velocities needed to cast the surface energy-momentum tensor of the disk as the
superposition of two counterrotating charged dust fluids. We then show that, in
some cases, this constraint can be satisfied if we take the two counterrotating
tangential velocities as equal and opposite or by taking the two
counterrotating streams as circulating along electro-geodesics. However, we
show that, in general, it is not possible to take the two counterrotating
fluids as circulating along electro-geodesics nor take the two counterrotating
tangential velocities as equal and opposite. A simple family of models of
counterrotating charged disks based on the Kerr-Newman solution are considered
where we obtain some disks with a CRM well behaved. We also show that the disks
constructed from the Kerr-Newman solution can be interpreted, for all the
values of parameters, as a matter distribution with currents and purely
azimuthal pressure without heat flow. The models are constructed using the
well-known "displace, cut and reflect" method extended to solutions of vacuum
Einstein-Maxwell equations. We obtain, in all the cases, counterrotating
Kerr-Newman disks that are in agreement with all the energy conditions.


title:
The microscopic study of a single hydrogen-like impurity in
  semi-insulating GaAs

abstract:
  The charge dynamics of hydrogen-like centers formed by the implantation of
energetic (4 MeV) muons in semi-insulating GaAs have been studied by muon spin
resonance in electric fields. The results point to the significant role of deep
hole traps in the compensation mechanism of GaAs. Electric-field-enhanced
neutralization of deep electron and hole traps by muon-track-induced hot
carriers results to an increase of the non-equilibrium carrier life-times. As a
consequence, the muonium ($\mu^+ + e^-$) center at the tetrahedral As site can
capture the track's holes and therefore behaves like a donor.


title:
The Gas Pixel Detector as an X-ray photoelectric polarimeter with a
  large field of view

abstract:
  The Gas Pixel Detector (GPD) is a new generation device which, thanks to its
50 um pixels, is capable of imaging the photoelectrons tracks produced by
photoelectric absorption in a gas. Since the direction of emission of the
photoelectrons is strongly correlated with the direction of polarization of the
absorbed photons, this device has been proposed as a polarimeter for the study
of astrophysical sources, with a sensitivity far higher than the instruments
flown to date. The GPD has been always regarded as a focal plane instrument and
then it has been proposed to be included on the next generation space-borne
missions together with a grazing incidence optics. Instead in this paper we
explore the feasibility of a new kind of application of the GPD and of the
photoelectric polarimeters in general, i.e. an instrument with a large field of
view. By means of an analytical treatment and measurements, we verify if it is
possible to preserve the sensitivity to the polarization for inclined beams,
opening the way for the measurement of X-ray polarization for transient
astrophysical sources. While severe systematic effects arise for inclination
greater than about 20 degrees, methods and algorithms to control them are
discussed.


title: A Large Iron Isotope Effect in SmFeAsO1-xFx and Ba1-xKxFe2As2

abstract:
  The recent discovery of superconductivity in oxypnictides with the critical
temperature (TC) higher than McMillan limit of 39 K (the theoretical maximum
predicted by Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) theory) has generated great
excitement. Theoretical calculations indicate that the electron-phonon
interaction is not strong enough to give rise to such high transition
temperatures, while strong ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic fluctuations have
been proposed to be responsible. However, superconductivity and magnetism in
pnictide superconductors show a strong sensitivity to the lattice, suggesting a
possibility of unconventional electron-phonon coupling. Here we report the
effect of oxygen and iron isotopic mass on Tc and the spin-density wave (SDW)
transition temperature (TSDW) in SmFeAsO1-xFx and Ba1-xKxFe2As2 systems. The
results show that oxygen isotope effect on TC and TSDW is very little, while
the iron isotope exponent alpha=-dlnTc/dlnM is about 0.35, being comparable to
0.5 for the full isotope effect. Surprisingly, the iron isotope exchange shows
the same effect on TSDW as TCc These results indicate that electron-phonon
interaction plays some role in the superconducting mechanism, but simple
electron-phonon coupling mechanism seems to be rather unlikely because a strong
magnon-phonon coupling is included. Sorting out the interplay between the
lattice and magnetic degrees of freedom is a key challenge for understanding
the mechanism of high-TC superconductivity.


title:
Canonical quantization of electromagnetic field in an anisotropic
  polarizable and magnetizable medium with spatial-temporal dispersion

abstract:
  Modeling an anisotropic spatially and temporarily dispersive
magnetodielectric medium by two independent collections of three dimensional
vector fields, we demonstrate a fully canonical quantization of electromagnetic
field in the presence of such a medium. Two tensor fields which couple the
electromagnetic field with the medium and have an important role in this
quantization method are introduced. The electric and magnetic polarization
fields of the medium naturally are concluded in terms of the coupling tensors
and the dynamical variables modeling the magnetodielectric medium. In
Heisenberg picture, the constitutive equations of the medium together with the
Maxwell laws are obtained as the equations of motion of the total system and
the susceptibility tensors of the medium are calculated in terms of the
coupling tensors. Following a perturbation method the Green function related to
the total system is found and the time dependence of electromagnetic field
operators is derived.


title:
Statistical mechanics of a Feshbach coupled Bose-Fermi gas in an optical
  lattice

abstract:
  We consider an atomic Fermi gas confined in a uniform optical lattice
potential, where the atoms can pair into molecules via a magnetic field
controlled narrow Feshbach resonance. The phase diagram of the resulting
atom-molecule mixture in chemical and thermal equilibrium is determined
numerically in the absence of interactions under the constraint of particle
conservation. In the limiting cases of vanishing or large lattice depth we
derive simple analytical results for important thermodynamic quantities. One
such quantity is the dissociation energy, defined as the detuning of the
molecular energy spectrum with respect to the atomic one for which half of the
atoms have been converted into dimers. Importantly we find that the
dissociation energy has a non-monotonic dependence on lattice depth.


title: On the cubicity of bipartite graphs

abstract:
  {\it A unit cube in $k$-dimension (or a $k$-cube) is defined as the cartesian
product $R_1 \times R_2 \times ... \times R_k$, where each $R_i$ is a closed
interval on the real line of the form $[a_i, a_i+1]$. The {\it cubicity} of
$G$, denoted as $cub(G)$, is the minimum $k$ such that $G$ is the intersection
graph of a collection of $k$-cubes. Many NP-complete graph problems can be
solved efficiently or have good approximation ratios in graphs of low cubicity.
In most of these cases the first step is to get a low dimensional cube
representation of the given graph.
  It is known that for a graph $G$, $cub(G) \leq \lfloor\frac{2n}{3}\rfloor$.
Recently it has been shown that for a graph $G$, $cub(G) \leq 4(\Delta + 1)\ln
n$, where $n$ and $\Delta$ are the number of vertices and maximum degree of
$G$, respectively. In this paper, we show that for a bipartite graph $G = (A
\cup B, E)$ with $|A| = n_1$, $|B| = n_2$, $n_1 \leq n_2$, and $\Delta' =
\min\{\Delta_A, \Delta_B\}$, where $\Delta_A = {max}_{a \in A}d(a)$ and
$\Delta_B = {max}_{b \in B}d(b)$, $d(a)$ and $d(b)$ being the degree of $a$ and
$b$ in $G$ respectively, $cub(G) \leq 2(\Delta'+2) \lceil \ln n_2 \rceil$. We
also give an efficient randomized algorithm to construct the cube
representation of $G$ in $3(\Delta'+2)\lceil \ln n_2 \rceil$ dimensions. The
reader may note that in general $\Delta'$ can be much smaller than $\Delta$.}


title: The CO line SED and atomic carbon in IRAS F10214+4724

abstract:
  Using the IRAM 30m telescope and the Plateau de Bure interferometer we have
detected the \ctwo and the CO 3$-$2, 4$-$3, 6$-$5, 7$-$6 transitions as well as
the dust continuum at 3 and 1.2 mm towards the distant luminous infrared galaxy
IRAS F10214+4724 at $z=2.286$. The \ctwo line is detected for the first time
towards this source and IRAS F10214+4724 now belongs to a sample of only 3
extragalactic sources at any redshift where both of the carbon fine structure
lines have been detected. The source is spatially resolved by our \ctwo\
observation and we detect a velocity gradient along the east-west direction.
The CI line ratio allows us to derive a carbon excitation temperature of
42$^{+12}_{-9}$ K. The carbon excitation in conjunction with the CO ladder and
the dust continuum constrain the gas density to $n(\hh)$ = $10^{3.6-4.0}$
cm$^{-3}$ and the kinetic temperature to $T\rm_{kin}$ = 45--80 K, similar to
the excitation conditions found in nearby starburst galaxies. The rest-frame
360 $\mu$m dust continuum morphology is more compact than the line emitting
region, which supports previous findings that the far infrared luminosity
arises from regions closer to the active galactic nucleus at the center of this
system.


title:
Magnetic Exchange Couplings from Noncollinear Spin Density Functional
  Perturbation Theory

abstract:
  We propose a method for the evaluation of magnetic exchange couplings based
on noncollinear spin-density functional calculations. The method employs the
second derivative of the total Kohn-Sham energy of a single reference state, in
contrast to approximations based on Kohn-Sham total energy differences. The
advantage of our approach is twofold: It provides a physically motivated
picture of the transition from a low-spin to a high-spin state, and it utilizes
a perturbation scheme for the evaluation of magnetic exchange couplings. The
latter simplifies the way these parameters are predicted using
first-principles: It avoids the non-trivial search for different spin-states
that needs to be carried out in energy difference methods and it opens the
possibility of "black-boxifying" the extraction of exchange couplings from
density functional theory calculations. We present proof of concept
calculations of magnetic exchange couplings in the H--He--H model system and in
an oxovanadium bimetallic complex where the results can be intuitively
rationalized.


title: XPOL: a photoelectric polarimeter onboard XEUS

abstract:
  The XEUS mission incorporates two satellites: the Mirror Spacecraft with 5 m2
of collecting area at 1 keV and 2 m2 at 7 keV, and an imaging resolution of 5"
HEW and the Payload Spacecraft which carries the focal plane instrumentation.
XEUS was submitted to ESA Cosmic Vision and was selected for an advanced study
as a large mission. The baseline design includes XPOL, a polarimeter based on
the photoelectric effect, that takes advantage of the large effective area
which permits the study of the faint sources and of the long focal length,
resulting in a very good spatial resolution, which allows the study of spatial
features in extended sources. We show how, with XEUS, Polarimetry becomes an
efficient tool at disposition of the Astronomical community.


title:
Evidence against the polarization rotation model of piezoelectric
  perovskites at the morphotropic phase boundary

abstract:
  The origin of the very large piezoelectric response observed in the vicinity
of the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) in perovskite lead zirconate titanate
and related systems has been under intensive studies. Polarization rotation
ideas are frequently invoked to explain the piezoelectric properties. It was
recently reported that lead titanate undergoes a phase transformation sequence
$P4mm\to Pm\to Cm\to R\bar{3}c$ at 10 K as a function of hydrostatic pressure
[M. Ahart et al. Nature Letters. \textbf{451}, 545 (2008)]. We demonstrate that
this interpretation is not correct by (i) simulating the reported diffraction
patterns, and (ii) by density-functional theory computations which show that
neither the $Pm$, $Cm$ nor $Pmm2$ phase is stable in the studied pressure
range, and further show that octahedral tilting is the key stabilization
mechanism under high pressure. Notes on a more general ground are given to
demonstrate that a continuous phase transition between rhombohedral and
tetragonal phases via intermediate monoclinic phase is not possible. Thus,
two-phase co-existence in the vicinity of the phase transition region is
probable and has an important role for electromechanical properties.


title:
The Detectability of Exo-Earths and Super-Earths Via Resonant Signatures
  in Exozodiacal Clouds

abstract:
  Directly imaging extrasolar terrestrial planets necessarily means contending
with the astrophysical noise of exozodiacal dust and the resonant structures
created by these planets in exozodiacal clouds. Using a custom tailored hybrid
symplectic integrator we have constructed 120 models of resonant structures
created by exo-Earths and super-Earths on circular orbits interacting with
collisionless steady-state dust clouds around a Sun-like star. Our models
include enough particles to overcome the limitations of previous simulations
that were often dominated by a handful of long-lived particles, allowing us to
quantitatively study the contrast of the resulting ring structures. We found
that in the case of a planet on a circular orbit, for a given star and dust
source distribution, the morphology and contrast of the resonant structures
depend on only two parameters: planet mass and $\sqrt{a_{\rm p}}/\beta$, where
$a_{\rm p}$ is the planet's semi-major axis and $\beta$ is the ratio of
radiation pressure force to gravitational force on a grain. We constructed
multiple-grain-size models of 25,000 particles each and showed that in a
collisionless cloud, a Dohnanyi crushing law yields a resonant ring whose
optical depth is dominated by the largest grains in the distribution, not the
smallest. We used these models to estimate the mass of the lowest-mass planet
that can be detected through observations of a resonant ring for a variety of
assumptions about the dust cloud and the planet's orbit. Our simulations
suggest that planets with mass as small as a few times Mar's mass may produce
detectable signatures in debris disks for semi-major axes greater than 10 AU.


title: Early measurements using W/Z in ATLAS

abstract:
  The LHC experiments are close to collecting collision data. An overview of
first physics measurements of the W and Z production cross-sections is
presented. The electron and muon decay channels are considered. Emphasis will
be given to data-driven approaches.


title: Exceptional del Pezzo hypersurfaces

abstract:
  We compute global log canonical thresholds of a large class of quasismooth
well-formed del Pezzo weighted hypersurfaces in
$\mathbb{P}(a_{1},a_{2},a_{3},a_{4})$. As a corollary we obtain the existence
of orbifold K\"ahler--Einstein metrics on many of them, and classify
exceptional and weakly exceptional quasismooth well-formed del Pezzo weighted
hypersurfaces in $\mathbb{P}(a_{1},a_{2},a_{3},a_{4})$.


title:
Simple scheme for expanding a polarization-entangled W state by adding
  one photon

abstract:
  We propose a simple scheme for expanding a polarization-entangled W state. By
mixing a single photon and one of the photons in an n-photon W state at a
polarization-dependent beam splitter (PDBS), we can obtain an (n+1)-photon W
state after post-selection. Our scheme also opens the door for generating
n-photon W states using single photons and linear optics.


title:
On the Measurement of the Unitarity Triangle Angle gamma from B^0 ->
  DK^{*0} Decays

abstract:
  The decay B^0 -> DK^{*0} is well-known to provide excellent potential for a
precise measurement of the Unitarity Triangle angle gamma in future
experiments. It is noted that the sensitivity can be significantly enhanced by
studying the amplitudes relative to those of the flavour-specific decay B^0 ->
D_2^{*-}K^+, which can be achieved by analyzing the B^0 -> D\pi^-K^+ Dalitz
plot.


title:
On the stability and spectrum of non-supersymmetric AdS(5) solutions of
  M-theory compactified on Kahler-Einstein spaces

abstract:
  Eleven-dimensional supergravity admits non-supersymmetric solutions of the
form AdS(5)xM(6) where M(6) is a positive Kahler-Einstein space. We show that
the necessary and sufficient condition for such solutions to be stable against
linearized bosonic supergravity perturbations can be expressed as a condition
on the spectrum of the Laplacian acting on (1,1)-forms on M(6). For M(6)=CP(3),
this condition is satisfied, although there are scalars saturating the
Breitenlohner-Freedman bound. If M(6) is a product S(2)xM(4) (where M(4) is
Kahler-Einstein) then there is an instability if M(4) has a continuous
isometry. We show that a potential non-perturbative instability due to 5-brane
nucleation does not occur. The bosonic Kaluza-Klein spectrum is determined in
terms of eigenvalues of operators on M(6).


title: X-ray polarimetry on-board HXMT

abstract:
  The development of micropixel gas detectors, capable to image tracks produced
in a gas by photoelectrons, makes possible to perform polarimetry of X-ray
celestial sources in the focus of grazing incidence X-ray telescopes. HXMT is a
mission by the Chinese Space Agency aimed to survey the Hard X-ray Sky with
Phoswich detectors, by exploitation of the direct demodulation technique. Since
a fraction of the HXMT time will be spent on dedicated pointing of particular
sources, it could host, with moderate additional resources a pair of X-ray
telescopes, each with a photoelectric X-ray polarimeter (EXP2, Efficient X-ray
Photoelectric Polarimeter) in the focal plane. We present the design of the
telescopes and the focal plane instrumentation and discuss the performance of
this instrument to detect the degree and angle of linear polarization of some
representative sources. Notwithstanding the limited resources, the proposed
instrument can represent a breakthrough in X-ray Polarimetry.


title: Structures of quantum 2D electron-hole plasmas

abstract:
  We investigate structures of 2D quantum electron-hole (e-h) plasmas by the
direct path integral Monte Carlo method (PIMC) in a wide range of temperature,
density and hole-to-electron mass ratio. Our simulation includes a region of
appearance and decay of the bound states (excitons and biexcitons), the Mott
transition from the neutral e-h plasma to metallic-like clusters, formation
from clusters the hexatic-like liquid and formation of the crystal-like
lattice.


title: Solution of the 5D Einstein equations in a dilaton background model

abstract:
  We obtain an explicit solution of the 5d Einstein equations in a dilaton
background model. We demonstrate that for each metric ansatz that only depends
on the extra coordinate, it is possible to uniquely determine the dilaton field
and its potential consistently with the 5d Einstein equation. In this
holographic dual model of QCD, conformal symmetry of the Anti-de-Sitter metric
near the 4d boundary is broken by a term that leads to an area law for the
Wilson loop. We verify that confinement of the string modes dual to mesons
follows from the metric background and the corresponding dilaton solution of
the gravity-dilaton coupled equations. In addition, we show that the meson
Regge trajectories constrain the metric and corresponding dilaton background
within the area law requirement. We can also incorporate asymptotic freedom in
the gravity background within the model.


title: Snowballs are Quasiballs

abstract:
  We introduce snowballs, which are compact sets in $\R^3$ homeomorphic to the
unit ball. They are 3-dimensional analogs of domains in the plane bounded by
snowflake curves. For each snowball $B$ a quasiconformal map $f\colon \R^3\to
\R^3$ is constructed that maps $B$ to the unit ball.


title:
Influence of global cosmological expansion on local dynamics and
  kinematics

abstract:
  We review attempts to estimate the influence of global cosmological expansion
on local systems. Here `local' is taken to mean that the sizes of the
considered systems are much smaller than cosmologically relevant scales. For
example, such influences can affect orbital motions as well as configurations
of compact objects, like black holes. We also discuss how measurements based on
the exchange of electromagnetic signals of distances, velocities, etc. of
moving objects are influenced. As an application we compare orders of
magnitudes of such effects with the scale set by the apparently anomalous
acceleration of the Pioneer 10 and 11 spacecrafts, which is 10^-9 m/s^2. We
find no reason to believe that the latter is of cosmological origin. However,
the general problem of gaining a qualitative and quantitative understanding of
how the cosmological dynamics influences local systems remains challenging,
with only partial clues being so far provided by exact solutions to the field
equations of General Relativity.


title: Semiclassical calculation of decay rates

abstract:
  Several relevant aspects of quantum-field processes can be well described by
semiclassical methods. In particular, the knowledge of non-trivial classical
solutions of the field equations, and the thermal and quantum fluctuations
around them, provide non-perturbative information about the theory. In this
work, we discuss the calculation of the one-loop effective action from the
semiclasssical viewpoint. We intend to use this formalism to obtain an accurate
expression for the decay rate of non-static metastable states.


title:
Discovery of two distinct polarimetric behaviours of trans-Neptunian
  objects

abstract:
  Trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) contain the most primitive and thermally
least-processed materials from the early accretional phase of the solar system.
They allow us to study interrelations between various classes of small bodies,
their origin and evolution.
  Using FORS1 of the ESO VLT, we have obtained linear-polarization measurements
in the Bessell R filter for five TNOs at different values of their phase angle
(i.e., the angle between the Sun, the object, and the Earth). Due to the large
distance of the targets (> 30 AU), the observed range of phase angles is
limited to about 0-2 deg. We have analyzed our new observations of five TNOs,
and those of another four TNOs obtained in previous works, and discovered that
there exist two classes of objects that exhibit different polarimetric
behaviour. Objects with a diameter > 1000 km, such as, e.g., Pluto and Eris,
show a small polarization in the scattering plane (~0.5%) which slowly changes
in the observed phase angle range. In smaller objects such as, e.g., Ixion and
Varuna, linear polarization changes rapidly with the phase angle, and reaches ~
1% (in the scattering plane) at phase angle 1 deg. The larger objects have a
higher albedo than the smaller ones, and have the capability of retaining
volatiles such as CO, N2 and CH4. Both of these facts can be linked to their
different polarimetric behaviour compared to smaller objects.
  In spite of the very limited range of observable phase angles, ground-based
polarimetric observations are a powerful tool to identify different properties
of the surfaces of TNOs. We suggest that a single polarimetric observation at
phase angle ~1 deg allows one to determine whether the target albedo is low or
high.


title:
Evolving Lorentzian wormholes supported by phantom matter with constant
  state parameters

abstract:
  In this paper we study the possibility of sustaining an evolving wormhole via
exotic matter made out of phantom energy. We show that this exotic source can
support the existence of evolving wormhole spacetimes. Explicitly, a family of
evolving Lorentzian wormholes conformally related to another family of
zero-tidal force static wormhole geometries is found in Einstein gravity.
Contrary to the standard wormhole approach, where first a convenient geometry
is fixed and then the matter distribution is derived, we follow the
conventional approach for finding solutions in theoretical cosmology. We derive
an analytical evolving wormhole geometry by supposing that the radial tension
(which is negative to the radial pressure) and the pressure measured in the
tangential directions have barotropic equations of state with constant state
parameters. At spatial infinity this evolving wormhole, supported by this
anisotropic matter, is asymptotically flat, and its slices $t=$ constant are
spaces of constant curvature. During its evolution the shape of the wormhole
expands with constant velocity, i.e without acceleration or deceleration, since
the scale factor has strictly a linear evolution.


title:
A Monte Carlo study of the three-dimensional XY universality
  class:Universal amplitude ratios

abstract:
  We simulate lattice models in the three-dimensional XY universality class in
the low and the high temperature phase. This allows us to compute a number of
universal amplitude ratios with unprecedented precision: R_{\Upsilon}=0.411(2),
R_B=2.83(1), R_{\xi}^+=0.3562(10) and R_{\xi}^-=0.850(5). These results can be
compared with those obtained from other theoretical methods, such as field
theoretic methods or the high temperature series expansion and also with
experimental results for the lambda-transition of $^4$He. In addition to the XY
model, we study the three-dimensional two-component $\phi^4$ model on the
simple cubic lattice. The parameter of the $\phi^4$ model is chosen such that
leading corrections to scaling are small.


title:
A Class of Graph-Geodetic Distances Generalizing the Shortest-Path and
  the Resistance Distances

abstract:
  A new class of distances for graph vertices is proposed. This class contains
parametric families of distances which reduce to the shortest-path, weighted
shortest-path, and the resistance distances at the limiting values of the
family parameters. The main property of the class is that all distances it
comprises are graph-geodetic: $d(i,j)+d(j,k)=d(i,k)$ if and only if every path
from $i$ to $k$ passes through $j$. The construction of the class is based on
the matrix forest theorem and the transition inequality.


title: Chasing electric flux in hot QCD

abstract:
  In this talk, I present the status of attempts to analyze the behavior of the
so-called spatial 't Hooft loop, which can be taken as an order parameter for
the deconfinement phase transition in pure SU(N) gauge theory. While lattice
data show a strikingly universal scaling of extracted k-string tensions for
various values of k and N, the analytic approach to these observables might
need some refinement.


title: Fisher Renormalization for Logarithmic Corrections

abstract:
  For continuous phase transitions characterized by power-law divergences,
Fisher renormalization prescribes how to obtain the critical exponents for a
system under constraint from their ideal counterparts. In statistical
mechanics, such ideal behaviour at phase transitions is frequently modified by
multiplicative logarithmic corrections. Here, Fisher renormalization for the
exponents of these logarithms is developed in a general manner. As for the
leading exponents, Fisher renormalization at the logarithmic level is seen to
be involutory and the renormalized exponents obey the same scaling relations as
their ideal analogs. The scheme is tested in lattice animals and the Yang-Lee
problem at their upper critical dimensions, where predictions for logarithmic
corrections are made.


title: Vacancy-induced magnetism in SnO$_{2}$: A density functional study

abstract:
  We study the magnetic and electronic properties of defects in SnO$_{2}$ using
pseudopotential and all electron methods. Our calculations show that bulk
SnO$_{2}$ is non-magnetic, but it shows magnetism with a magnetic moment around
4.00 $\mu_{B}$ due to Sn vacancy (V$_\mathrm{Sn}$). The magnetic moment comes
mainly from O atoms surrounding V$_\mathrm{Sn}$ and Sn atoms, which couple
antiferromagnetically with the O atoms in the presence of V$_\mathrm{Sn}$. The
coupling between different Sn vacancies is also studied and we find that these
defects not only couple ferromagnetically but also antiferromagnetically and
ferrimagnetically. Our calculations demonstrate that the experimentally
observed giant magnetic moment of transition metal doped SnO$_{2}$ can be
attributed to V$_\mathrm{Sn}$.


title: Contact projective structures and chains

abstract:
  Contact projective structures have been profoundly studied by D.J.F. Fox. He
associated to a contact projective structure a canonical projective structure
on the same manifold. We interpret Fox' construction in terms of the equivalent
parabolic (Cartan) geometries, showing that it is an analog of Fefferman's
construction of a conformal structure associated to a CR structure. We show
that, on the level of Cartan connections, this Fefferman--type construction is
compatible with normality if and only if the initial structure has vanishing
contact torsion. This leads to a geometric description of the paths that have
to be added to the contact geodesics of a contact projective structure in order
to obtain the subordinate projective structure. They are exactly the chains
associated to the contact projective structure, which are analogs of the
Chern-Moser chains in CR geometry. Finally, we analyze the consequences for the
geometry of chains and prove that a chain-preserving contactomorphism must be a
morphism of contact projective structures.


title: Measuring Solar Abundances with Seismology

abstract:
  The revision of the photospheric abundances proferred by Asplund et al has
rendered opacity theory inconsistent with the seismologically determined
opacity through the Sun. This highlights the need for a direct seismological
measurement of solar abundances. Here we describe the technique used to measure
abundances with seismology, examine our ability to detect differences between
solar models using this technique, and discuss its application in the Sun.


title: Star Formation Around Super-Massive Black Holes

abstract:
  The presence of young massive stars orbiting on eccentric rings within a few
tenths of a parsec of the supermassive black hole in the Galactic centre is
challenging for theories of star formation. The high tidal shear from the black
hole should tear apart the molecular clouds that form stars elsewhere in the
Galaxy, while transporting the stars to the Galactic centre also appears
unlikely during their stellar lifetimes. We present numerical simulations of
the infall of a giant molecular cloud that interacts with the black hole. The
transfer of energy during closest approach allows part of the cloud to become
bound to the black hole, forming an eccentric disc that quickly fragments to
form stars. Compressional heating due to the black hole raises the temperature
of the gas to 100-1000K, ensuring that the fragmentation produces relatively
high stellar masses. These stars retain the eccentricity of the disc and, for a
sufficiently massive initial cloud, produce an extremely top-heavy distribution
of stellar masses. This potentially repetitive process can therefore explain
the presence of multiple eccentric rings of young stars in the presence of a
supermassive black hole.


title: Gamma rays from star-forming regions

abstract:
  Star-forming regions have been tentatively associated with gamma-ray sources
since the early days of the COS B satellite. After the Compton Gamma-Ray
Observatory, the statistical evidence for such an association has became
overwhelming. Recent results from Cherenkov telescopes indicate that some
high-energy sources are produced in regions of active star formation like
Cygnus OB2 and Westerlund 2. In this paper I will briefly review what kind of
stellar objects can produce gamma-ray emission in star-forming regions and I
will suggest that the formation process of massive stars could in principle
result in the production of observable gamma rays.


title: Non-discrete Euclidean Buildings for the Ree and Suzuki groups

abstract:
  We call a non-discrete Euclidean building a Bruhat-Tits space if its
automorphism group contains a subgroup that induces the subgroup generated by
all the root groups of a root datum of the building at infinity. This is the
class of non-discrete Euclidean buildings introduced and studied by Bruhat and
Tits.
  We give the complete classification of Bruhat-Tits spaces whose building at
infinity is the fixed point set of a polarity of an ambient building of type
B_2, F_4 or G_2 associated with a Ree or Suzuki group endowed with the usual
root datum. (In the B_2 and G_2 cases, this fixed point set is a building of
rank one; in the F_4 case, it is a generalized octagon whose Weyl group is not
crystallographic.)
  We also show that each of these Bruhat-Tits spaces has a natural embedding in
the unique Bruhat-Tits space whose building at infinity is the corresponding
ambient building.


title: Resolved Properties of Extragalactic Giant Molecular Clouds

abstract:
  Giant molecular clouds (GMCs) are the major reservoirs of molecular gas in
galaxies, and the starting point for star formation. As such, their properties
play a key role in setting the initial conditions for the formation of stars.
We present a comprehensive combined inteferometric/single-dish study of the
resolved GMC properties in a number of extragalactic systems, including both
normal and dwarf galaxies. We find that the extragalactic GMC properties
measured across a wide range of environments, characterized by the Larson
relations, are to first order remarkably compatible with those in the Milky
Way. Using these data to investigate trends due to galaxy metallicity, we find
that: 1) these measurements do not accord with simple expectations from
photoionization-regulated star formation theory, 2) there is no trend in the
virial CO-to-H2 conversion factor on the spatial scales studied, and 3) there
are measurable departures from the Galactic Larson relations in the Small
Magellanic Cloud -- the object with the lowest metallicity in the sample --
where GMCs have velocity dispersions that are too small for their sizes. I will
discuss the stability of these clouds in the light of our recent far-infrared
analysis of this galaxy, and I will contrast the results of the virial and
far-infrared studies on the issue of the CO-to-H2 conversion factor and what
they tell us about the structure of molecular clouds in primitive galaxies.


title: Derangements and Euler's difference table for $C_\ell\wr S_n$

abstract:
  Euler's difference table associated to the sequence $\{n!\}$ leads naturally
to the counting formula for the derangements. In this paper we study Euler's
difference table associated to the sequence $\{\ell^n n!\}$ and the generalized
derangement problem. For the coefficients appearing in the later table we will
give the combinatorial interpretations in terms of two kinds of $k$-successions
of the group $C_\ell\wr S_n$. In particular for $\ell=1$ we recover the known
results for the symmetric groups while for $\ell=2$ we obtain the corresponding
results for the hyperoctahedral groups.


title: Shell Model in the Complex Energy Plane

abstract:
  This work reviews foundations and applications of the complex-energy
continuum shell model that provides a consistent many-body description of bound
states, resonances, and scattering states. The model can be considered a
quasi-stationary open quantum system extension of the standard configuration
interaction approach for well-bound (closed) systems.


title: Detection of C5N- and vibrationally excited C6H in IRC +10216

abstract:
  We report the detection in the envelope of the C-rich star IRC +10216 of four
series of lines with harmonically related frequencies: B1389, B1390, B1394 and
B1401. The four series must arise from linear molecules with mass and size
close to those of C6H and C5N. Three of the series have half-integer rotational
quantum numbers; we assign them to the 2Delta and 2Sigma vibronic states of C6H
in its lowest (v_11) bending mode. The fourth series, B1389, has integer J with
no evidence of fine or hyperfine structure; it has a rotational constant of
1388.860(2) MHz and a centrifugal distortion constant of 33(1) Hz; it is almost
certainly the C5N- anion.


title:
Effective interaction potential and superfluid-solid transition of
  spatially indirect excitons

abstract:
  Using an adiabatic approximation we derive an effective interaction
potentially for spatially indirect excitons. Using this potential and path
integral Monte Carlo simulations we study exciton crystllization and the
quantum melting phase transition in a macroscopic system of 2D excitons.
Furthermore, the superfluid fraction is calculated as a function of density and
shown to vanish upon crystallization. We show that the commonly used dipole
model fails to correctly describe indirect excitons in quantum well structures.


title: Fix-Euler-Mahonian statistics on wreath products

abstract:
  In 1997 Clarke et al. studied a $q$-analogue of Euler's difference table for
$n!$ using a key bijection $\Psi$ on symmetric groups. In this paper we extend
their results to the wreath product of a cyclic group with the symmetric group.
In particular we obtain a new mahonian statistic \emph{fmaf} on wreath
products. We also show that Foata and Han's two recent transformations on the
symmetric groups provide indeed a factorization of $\Psi$.


title: A Graph Bottleneck Inequality

abstract:
  For a weighted directed multigraph, let $f_{ij}$ be the total weight of
spanning converging forests that have vertex $i$ in a tree converging to $j$.
We prove that $f_{ij} f_{jk} = f_{ik} f_{jj}$ if and only if every directed
path from $i$ to $k$ contains $j$ (a graph bottleneck equality). Otherwise,
$f_{ij} f_{jk} < f_{ik} f_{jj}$ (a graph bottleneck inequality). In a companion
paper (P. Chebotarev, A new family of graph distances, arXiv preprint
arXiv:0810.2717}. Submitted), this inequality underlies, by ensuring the
triangle inequality, the construction of a new family of graph distances. This
stems from the fact that the graph bottleneck inequality is a multiplicative
counterpart of the triangle inequality for proximities.


title: All bounded type Siegel disks of rational maps are quasi-disks

abstract:
  We prove that every bounded type Siegel disk of a rational map must be a
quasi-disk with at least one critical point on its boundary. This verifies
Douady-Sullivan conjecture for bounded type Siegel disks.


title: Non-orientable surface-plus-one-relation groups

abstract:
  Recently Dicks-Linnell determined the $L^2$-Betti numbers of the orientable
surface-plus-one-relation groups, and their arguments involved some results
that were obtained topologically by Hempel and Howie. Using algebraic
arguments, we now extend all these results of Hempel and Howie to a larger
class of two-relator groups, and we then apply the extended results to
determine the $L^2$-Betti numbers of the non-orientable
surface-plus-one-relation groups.


title:
Temperature dependence and resonance effects in Raman scattering of
  phonons in NdFeAsO$_{x}$F$_{1-x}$ single crystals

abstract:
  We report plane-polarized Raman scattering spectra of iron oxypnictide
superconductor NdFeAsO$_{1-x}$F$_x$ single crystals with varying fluorine $x$
content. The spectra exhibit sharp and symmetrical phonon lines with a weak
dependence on fluorine doping $x$. The temperature dependence does not show any
phonon anomaly at the superconducting transition. The Fe related phonon
intensity shows a strong resonant enhancement below 2 eV. We associate the
resonant enhancement to the presence of an interband transition around 2 eV
observed in optical conductivity. Our results point to a rather weak coupling
between Raman-active phonons and electronic excitations in iron oxypnictides
superconductors.


title:
\eta_b and \eta_c radiative decays in the Salpeter model with the
  AdS/QCD inspired potential

abstract:
  The decay constants and the radiative decay widths of \eta_b(nS) and
\eta_c(nS) are computed within a semirelativistic quark model, using a
potential found through the AdS/QCD correspondence. For \eta_c, the results are
in agreement with experimental data, while in the case of \eta'_c a discrepancy
is found and the possible reasons are discussed.


title: Jordan gradings on exceptional simple Lie algebras

abstract:
  Models of all the gradings on the exceptional simple Lie algebras induced by
Jordan subgroups of their groups of automorphisms are provided.


title: Specific permutation polynomials over finite fields

abstract: We present new classes of permutation polynomials over finite fields.


title:
Second-order elliptic and parabolic equations with $B(\mathbb R^{2},
  VMO)$ coefficients

abstract:
  The solvability in Sobolev spaces $W^{1,2}_p$ is proved for nondivergence
form second order parabolic equations for $p>2$ close to 2. The leading
coefficients are assumed to be measurable in the time variable and two
coordinates of space variables, and almost VMO (vanishing mean oscillation)
with respect to the other coordinates. This implies the $W^{2}_p$-solvability
for the same $p$ of nondivergence form elliptic equations with leading
coefficients measurable in two coordinates and VMO in the others. Under
slightly different assumptions, we also obtain the solvability results when
$p=2$.


title: The PANDA Detector at FAIR

abstract:
  The PANDA detector is under design to be installed at the HESR storage ring
for antiproton of the future FAIR facility in Darmstadt, Germany. Fundamental
questions of hadron and nuclear physics interactions of antiprotons with
nucleons and nuclei will be pursued using a multipurpose set-up which includes
innovative detectors. Here, the FAIR facility and the PANDA detector are
described.


title:
Krein resolvent formulas for elliptic boundary problems in nonsmooth
  domains

abstract:
  The paper reports on a recent construction of M-functions and Krein resolvent
formulas for general closed extensions of an adjoint pair, and their
implementation to boundary value problems for second-order strongly elliptic
operators on smooth domains. The results are then extended to domains with
$C^{1,1}$ H\"older smoothness, by use of a recently developed calculus of
pseudodifferential boundary operators with nonsmooth symbols.


title: Mass and chemical asymmetry in QCD matter

abstract:
  We consider two-flavor asymmetric QCD combined with a low-energy effective
model inspired by chiral perturbation theory and lattice data to investigate
the effects of masses, isospin and baryon number on the pressure and the
deconfinement phase transition. Remarkable agreement with lattice results is
found for the critical temperature behavior. Further analyses of the cold,
dense case and the influence of quark mass asymmetry are also presented.


title: Quiver Presentations for Descent Algebras of Exceptional Type

abstract:
  The descent algebra of a finite Coxeter group $W$ is a basic algebra, and as
such it has a presentation as quiver with relations. In recent work, we have
developed a combinatorial framework which allows us to systematically compute
such a quiver presentation for a Coxeter group of a given type. In this
article, we use that framework to determine quiver presentations for the
descent algebras of the Coxeter groups of exceptional or non-crystallographic
type, i.e., of type $E_6$, $E_7$, $E_8$, $F_4$, $H_3$, $H_4$ or $I_2(m)$.


title: Chen-Ruan cohomology of M_{1,n} and \bar{M}_{1,n}

abstract:
  In this work we compute the Chen--Ruan cohomology and the stringy Chow ring
of the moduli spaces of smooth and stable $n$-pointed curves of genus 1. We
suggest a definition for an Orbifold Tautological Ring in genus 1, which is
both a subring of the Chen--Ruan cohomology and of the stringy Chow ring.


title:
Migration of a subsurface wavefield in reflection seismics: A
  mathematical study

abstract:
  In this pedagogically motivated work, the process of migration in reflection
seismics has been considered from a rigorously mathematical viewpoint. An
inclined subsurface reflector with a constant dipping angle has been shown to
cause a shift in the normal moveout equation, with the peak of the moveout
curve tracing an elliptic locus. Since any subsurface reflector actually has a
non-uniform spatial variation, the use of a more comprehensive principle of
migration, by adopting the wave equation, has been argued to be necessary. By
this approach an expression has been derived for both the amplitude and the
phase of a subsurface wavefield with vertical velocity variation. This
treatment has entailed the application of the WKB approximation, whose
self-consistency has been established by the fact that the logarithmic
variation of the velocity is very slow in the vertical direction, a feature
that is much more strongly upheld at increasingly greater subsurface depths.
Finally, it has been demonstrated that for a planar subsurface wavefield, there
is an equivalence between the constant velocity Stolt Migration algorithm and
the stationary phase approximation method (by which the origin of the reflected
subsurface signals is determined).


title:
Finite-SNR Diversity-Multiplexing Tradeoff and Optimum Power Allocation
  in Bidirectional Cooperative Networks

abstract:
  This paper focuses on analog network coding (ANC) and time division
broadcasting (TDBC) which are two major protocols used in bidirectional
cooperative networks. Lower bounds of the outage probabilities of those two
protocols are derived first. Those lower bounds are extremely tight in the
whole signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) range irrespective of the values of channel
variances. Based on those lower bounds, finite-SNR diversity-multiplexing
tradeoffs of the ANC and TDBC protocols are obtained. Secondly, we investigate
how to efficiently use channel state information (CSI) in those two protocols.
Specifically, an optimum power allocation scheme is proposed for the ANC
protocol. It simultaneously minimizes the outage probability and maximizes the
total mutual information of this protocol. For the TDBC protocol, an optimum
method to combine the received signals at the relay terminal is developed under
an equal power allocation assumption. This method minimizes the outage
probability and maximizes the total mutual information of the TDBC protocol at
the same time.