title: Transportation Cost Inequality on Path Spaces with Uniform Distance

abstract:
  Starting from a sequence of independent Wright-Fisher diffusion processes on
$[0,1]$, we construct a class of reversible infinite dimensional diffusion
processes on $\DD_\infty:= \{{\bf x}\in
  Let $M$ be a complete Riemnnian manifold and $\mu$ the distribution of the
diffusion process generated by $\ff 1 2\DD+Z$ where $Z$ is a $C^1$-vector
field. When $\Ric-\nn Z$ is bounded below and $Z$ has, for instance, linear
growth, the transportation-cost inequality with respect to the uniform distance
is established for $\mu$ on the path space over $M$. A simple example is given
to show the optimality of the condition.


title: Low Frequency Observations of Millisecond Pulsars with the WSRT

abstract:
  With LOFAR beginning operation in 2008 there is huge potential for studying
pulsars with high signal to noise at low frequencies. We present results of
observations made with the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope to revisit,
with modern technology, this frequency range. Coherently dedispersed profiles
of millisecond pulsars obtained simultaneously between 115-175 MHz are
presented. We consider the detections and non-detections of 14 MSPs in light of
previous observations and the fluxes, dispersion measures and spectral indices
of these pulsars. The excellent prospects for LOFAR finding new MSPs and
studying the existing systems are then discussed in light of these results.


title: The 2.3 GHz continuum survey of the GEM project

abstract:
  We present a partial-sky survey of the radio continuum at 2.3 GHz within the
scope of the Galactic Emission Mapping (GEM) project, an observational program
conceived and developed to reveal the large-scale properties of Galactic
synchrotron radiation through a set of self-consistent surveys of the radio
continuum between 408 MHz and 10 GHz. The GEM experiment uses a portable and
double-shielded 5.5-m radiotelescope in altazimuthal configuration to map
60-degree-wide declination bands from different observational sites by
circularly scanning the sky at zenithal angles of 30 deg from a constantly
rotating platform. The observations were accomplished with a total power
receiver, whose front-end High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) amplifier
was matched directly to a cylindrical horn at the prime focus of the parabolic
reflector. The Moon was used to calibrate the antenna temperature scale and the
preparation of the map required direct subtraction and destriping algorithms to
remove ground contamination as the most significant source of systematic error.
We used 484 hours of total intensity observations from two locations in
Colombia and Brazil to yield 66% sky coverage from DEC = -51.73 deg to DEC =
+34.78 deg. The zero-level uncertainty of the combined survey is 103 mK with a
temperature scale error of 5% after direct correlation with the Rhodes/HartRAO
survey at 2326 MHz on a T-T plot. The sky brightness distribution into regions
of low and high emission in the GEM survey is consistent with the appearance of
a transition region as seen in the Haslam 408 MHz and WMAP K-band surveys.
Preliminary results also show that the temperature spectral index between 408
MHz and the 2.3 GHz band of the GEM survey has a weak spatial correlation with
these regions; but it steepens significantly from high to low emission regions
with respect to the WMAP K-band survey.


title:
From Super Poincar\'e to Weighted Log-Sobolev and Entropy-Cost
  Inequalities

abstract:
  We derive weighted log-Sobolev inequalities from a class of super Poincar\'e
inequalities. As an application, the Talagrand inequality with larger distances
are obtained. In particular, on a complete connected Riemannian manifold, we
prove that the $\log^\dd$-Sobolev inequality with $\dd\in (1,2)$ implies the
$L^{2/(2-\dd)}$-transportation cost inequality
  $$W^\rr_{2/(2-\dd)}(f\mu,\mu)^{2/(2-\dd)}\le C\mu(f\log f), \mu(f)=1, f\ge
0$$ for some constant $C>0$, and they are equivalent if the curvature of the
corresponding generator is bounded below. Weighted log-Sobolev and entropy-cost
inequalities are also derived for a large class of probability measures on
$\R^d$.


title: Log-Sobolev inequalities: Different roles of Ric and Hess

abstract:
  Let $P_t$ be the diffusion semigroup generated by $L:=\Delta +\nabla V$ on a
complete connected Riemannian manifold with $\operatorname {Ric}\ge-(\sigma
^2\rho_o^2+c)$ for some constants $\sigma, c>0$ and $\rho_o$ the Riemannian
distance to a fixed point. It is shown that $P_t$ is hypercontractive, or the
log-Sobolev inequality holds for the associated Dirichlet form, provided
$-\operatorname {Hess}_V\ge\delta$ holds outside of a compact set for some
constant $\delta >(1+\sqrt{2})\sigma \sqrt{d-1}.$ This indicates, at least in
finite dimensions, that $\operatorname {Ric}$ and $-\operatorname {Hess}_V$
play quite different roles for the log-Sobolev inequality to hold. The
supercontractivity and the ultracontractivity are also studied.


title:
Intrinsic Ultracontractivity on Riemannian Manifolds with Infinite
  Volume Measures

abstract:
  By establishing the intrinsic super-Poincar\'e inequality, some explicit
conditions are presented for diffusion semigroups on a non-compact complete
Riemannian manifold to be intrinsically ultracontractive. These conditions, as
well as the resulting uniform upper bounds on the intrinsic heat kernels, are
sharp for some concrete examples.


title: New Quantum Limits in Plasmonic Devices

abstract:
  Surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) have recently been recognized as an
important future technique for microelectronics. Such SPPs have been studied
using classical theory. However, current state-of-the-art experiments are
rapidly approaching nanoscales, and quantum effects can then become important.
Here we study the properties of quantum SPPs at the interface between an
electron quantum plasma and a dielectric material. It is shown that the effect
of quantum broadening of the transition layer is most important. In particular,
the damping of SPPs does not vanish even in the absence of collisional
dissipation, thus posing a fundamental size limit for plasmonic devices.
Consequences and applications of our results are pointed out.


title: Dynamic Logic of Common Knowledge in a Proof Assistant

abstract:
  Common Knowledge Logic is meant to describe situations of the real world
where a group of agents is involved. These agents share knowledge and make
strong statements on the knowledge of the other agents (the so called
\emph{common knowledge}). But as we know, the real world changes and overall
information on what is known about the world changes as well. The changes are
described by dynamic logic. To describe knowledge changes, dynamic logic should
be combined with logic of common knowledge. In this paper we describe
experiments which we have made about the integration in a unique framework of
common knowledge logic and dynamic logic in the proof assistant \Coq. This
results in a set of fully checked proofs for readable statements. We describe
the framework and how a proof can be


title: Common knowledge logic in a higher order proof assistant?

abstract:
  This paper presents experiments on common knowledge logic, conducted with the
help of the proof assistant Coq. The main feature of common knowledge logic is
the eponymous modality that says that a group of agents shares a knowledge
about a certain proposition in a inductive way. This modality is specified by
using a fixpoint approach. Furthermore, from these experiments, we discuss and
compare the structure of theorems that can be proved in specific theories that
use common knowledge logic. Those structures manifests the interplay between
the theory (as implemented in the proof assistant Coq) and the metatheory.


title:
Towards proof of new identity for Green functions in N=1 supersymmetric
  electrodynamics

abstract:
  For the N=1 supersymmetric massless electrodynamics, regularized by higher
derivatives, we describe a method, by which one can try to prove the new
identity for the Green functions, which was proposed earlier. Using this method
we show that some contribution to the new identity are really 0.


title: Rashba effect in the graphene/Ni(111) system

abstract:
  Here, we report on angle-resolved photoemission studies of the electronic
$\pi$ states of high-quality epitaxial graphene layer on a Ni(111) surface. In
this system electron binding energy of the $\pi$ states shows a strong
dependence on the magnetization reversal of the Ni film. The observed
extraordinary large energy shift up to 225 meV of the graphene-derived
$\pi$-band peak position for opposite magnetization directions is attributed to
a manifestation of the Rashba interaction of spin-polarized electrons in the
$\pi$ band with the large effective electric field at graphene/Ni interface.
Our findings show that an electron spin in the graphene layer can be
manipulated in a controlled way and have important implications for
graphene-based spintronic devices.


title: Interval Colourings of Some Regular Graphs

abstract:
  A lower bound is obtained for the greatest possible number of colors in an
interval colourings of some regular graphs.


title:
Complementarity of Gamma-ray and LHC Searches for Neutralino Dark Matter
  in the Focus Point Region

abstract:
  We study the complementarity between the indirect detection of dark matter
with gamma-rays in H.E.S.S. and the supersymmetry searches with ATLAS at the
Large Hadron Collider in the Focus Point region within the mSUGRA framework.
The sensitivity of the central telescope of the H.E.S.S. II experiment with an
energy threshold of ~ 20 GeV is investigated. We show that the detection of
gamma-ray fluxes of O(10^-12) cm-2s-1 with H.E.S.S. II covers a substantial
part of the Focus Point region which may be more difficult for LHC experiments.
Despite the presence of multi-TeV scalars, we show that LHC will be sensitive
to a complementary part of this region through three body NLSP leptonic decays.
This interesting complementarity between H.E.S.S. II and LHC searches is
further highlighted in terms of the gluino mass and the two lightest neutralino
mass difference.


title:
The chiral and deconfinement crossover transitions: PNJL model beyond
  mean field

abstract:
  The Polyakov loop extended Nambu and Jona-Lasinio model (PNJL model) in a
mean field framework shows astonishingly good agreement with lattice QCD
calculations which needs to be better understood. The present work reports on
further developments concerning both Polyakov loop and mesonic fluctuations
beyond mean field approximation. Corrections beyond mean field are of special
interest for the thermal expectation values of the Polyakov loop $\Phi$ and its
conjugate $\Phi^*$, which differ once the quark chemical potential is non-zero.
Mesonic fluctuations are also considered with emphasis on the role of pionic
modes.


title: Non-Gaussian distributions under scrutiny

abstract:
  Comment of the very interesting paper by Hilhorst & Schehr, J. Stat. Mech.
P06003 (2007). The main point is that one should be extremely careful when
interpreting non-Gaussian data in terms of q-Gaussians.


title:
Quantum symmetry algebras of spin systems related to Temperley-Lieb
  R-matrices

abstract:
  A reducible representation of the Temperley-Lieb algebra is constructed on
the tensor product of n-dimensional spaces. One obtains as a centraliser of
this action a quantum algebra (a quasi-triangular Hopf algebra) U_q with a
representation ring equivalent to the representation ring of the sl_2 Lie
algebra. This algebra U_q is the symmetry algebra of the corresponding open
spin chain.


title: On Interval Colorings of Complete k-partite Graphs K_{n}^{k}

abstract:
  Problems of existence, construction and estimation of parameters of interval
colorings of complete k-partite graphs K_{n}^{k} are investigated.


title:
Enhanced Transmission of Light and Particle Waves through Subwavelength
  Nanoapertures by Far-Field Interference

abstract:
  Subwavelength aperture arrays in thin metal films can enable enhanced
transmission of light and matter (atom) waves. The phenomenon relies on
resonant excitation and interference of the plasmon or matter waves on the
metal surface. We show a new mechanism that could provide a great resonant and
nonresonant transmission enhancement of the light or de Broglie particle waves
passed through the apertures not by the surface waves, but by the constructive
interference of diffracted waves (beams generated by the apertures) at the
detector placed in the far-field zone. In contrast to other models, the
mechanism depends neither on the nature (light or matter) of the beams
(continuous waves or pulses) nor on material and shape of the multiple-beam
source (arrays of 1-D and 2-D subwavelength apertures, fibers, dipoles or
atoms). The Wood anomalies in transmission spectra of gratings, a long standing
problem in optics, follow naturally from the interference properties of our
model. The new point is the prediction of the Wood anomaly in a classical
Young-type two-source system. The new mechanism could be interpreted as a
non-quantum analog of the superradiance emission of a subwavelength ensemble of
atoms (the light power and energy scales as the number of light-sources
squared, regardless of periodicity) predicted by the well-known Dicke quantum
model.


title:
Dynamical instabilities in density-dependent hadronic relativistic
  models

abstract:
  Unstable modes in asymmetric nuclear matter (ANM) at subsaturation densities
are studied in the framework of relativistic mean-field density-dependent
hadron models. The size of the instabilities that drive the system are
calculated and a comparison with results obtained within the non-linear Walecka
model is presented. The distillation and anti-distillation effects are
discussed.


title: Recent developments in radiative B decays

abstract:
  We report on recent theoretical progress in radiative B decays. We focus on a
calculation of logarithmically enhanced QED corrections to the branching ratio
and forward-backward asymmetry in the inclusive rare decay anti-B --> X(s) l+
l-, and present the results of a detailed phenomenological analysis. We also
report on the calculation of NNLO QCD corrections to the inclusive decay anti-B
--> X(s) gamma. As far as exclusive modes are concerned we consider
transversity amplitudes and the impact of right-handed currents in the
exclusive anti-B --> K^* l+ l- decay. Finally, we state results for exclusive B
--> V gamma decays, notably the time-dependent CP-asymmetry in the exclusive B
--> K^* gamma decay and its potential to serve as a so-called ``null test'' of
the Standard Model, and the extraction of CKM and unitarity triangle parameters
from B --> (rho,omega) gamma and B --> K^* gamma decays.


title:
Exciton spectra in vertical stacks of triple and quadruple quantum dots
  in an electric field

abstract:
  We study an electron-hole pair in a stack of multiple quantum dots in the
presence of an external electric field using the configuration interaction
approach. We find that the bright energy levels can be grouped into families
which are associated with the hole localized in a specific dot of the stack.
The exciton energy levels undergo avoided crossings as function of the external
electric field with different pattern for each family. We show that the
variation of the depths of the dots along the stack can be deduced from the
exciton spectrum. In the strong confinement limit the families are mixed by a
weak electric field due to hole tunneling. This results in a characteristic
multiple avoided crossing of energy levels belonging to different families with
an accompanying modulation of the recombination probabilities and an appearance
of a single particularly bright state. We discuss the modification of the
spectrum when dots are added to the stack.


title: A new explanation for the SFXTs outbursts

abstract:
  The physical mechanism responsible for the short outbursts in a recently
recognized class of High Mass X-ray Binaries, the Supergiant Fast X-ray
Transients (SFXTs), is still unknown. Recent observations performed with
Swift/XRT, XMM-Newton and INTEGRAL of the 2007 outburst from IGRJ11215-5952,
the only SFXT known to exhibit periodic outbursts, suggest a new explanation
for the outburst mechanism in this class of transients, linked to the possible
presence of a second wind component in the supergiant companion, in the form of
an equatorial wind. The applicability of the model to the short outburst
durations of all other SFXTs, where a clear periodicity in the outbursts has
not been found yet, is discussed. The scenario we are proposing also includes
the persistently accreting supergiant High Mass X-ray Binaries.


title: Thermoelectric Power in the Double Exchange Model

abstract:
  Employing the Monte-Carlo method and the exact diagonalization, we have
investigated the temperature dependence of the thermoelectric power (TEP) for
the double exchange model in the dilute carrier concentration limit. We have
found that the TEP follows the Heikes formula in the high temperature regime,
whereas, in the intermediate temperature regime, the TEP is suppressed by the
exchange coupling between itinerant electrons and local spins. In the low
temperature regime, the TEP exhibits an anomalous peak and dip feature near the
magnetic transition temperature $T_C$ which can be understood based on the
magnetic polaron state. We have also found that the TEP, in the presence of the
magnetic field, shows the positive magnetothermoelectric power near $T_C$.


title:
Metrics of constant curvature on a Riemann surface with two corners on
  the boundary

abstract:
  We use PDE methods as developed for the Liouville equation to study the
existence of conformal metrics with prescribed singularities on surfaces with
boundary, the boundary condition being constant geodesic curvature. Our first
result shows that a disk with two corners admits a conformal metric with
constant Gauss curvature and constant geodesic curvature on its boundary if and
only if the two corners have the same angle. In fact, we can classify all the
solutions in a more general situation, that of the 2-sphere cut by two planes.


title: NLO QCD corrections to pp->WW+jet+X

abstract:
  We report on the calculation of the next-to-leading order QCD corrections to
the production of W-boson pairs in association with a hard jet at hadron
colliders, which is an important source of background for Higgs and new-physics
searches. If a veto against the emission of a second hard jet is applied, the
corrections stabilize the leading-order prediction for the cross section
considerably.


title: Liouville Theorems for Dirac-Harmonic Maps

abstract:
  We prove Liouville theorems for Dirac-harmonic maps from the Euclidean space
$\R^n$, the hyperbolic space $\H^n$ and a Riemannian manifold $\mathfrak{S^n}$
($n\geq 3$) with the Schwarzschild metric to any Riemannian manifold $N$.


title: Polarized NIR and X-ray Flares from SgrA*

abstract:
  Stellar dynamics indicate the presence of a super massive 3-4x10^6 Msun solm
black hole at the Galactic Center. It is associated with the variable radio,
near-infrared, and X-ray counterpart Sagittarius A* (SgrA*). The goal is the
investigation and understanding of the physical processes responsible for the
variable emission from SgrA*. The observations have been carried out using the
NACO adaptive optics (AO) instrument at the European Southern Observatory's
Very Large Telescope (July 2005, May 2007) and the ACIS-I instrument aboard the
Chandra X-ray Observatory (July 2005). We find that for the July 2005 flare the
variable and polarized NIR emission of SgrA* occurred synchronous with a
moderately bright flare event in the X-ray domain with an excess 2 - 8 keV
luminosity of about 8x10^33erg/s. We find no time lag between the flare events
in the two wavelength bands with a lower limit of less than 10 minutes. The May
2007 flare shows the highest sub-flare to flare contrast observed until now. It
provides evidence for a variation in the profile of consecutive sub-flares. We
confirm that highly variable and NIR polarized flare emission is non-thermal
and that there exists a class of synchronous NIR/X-ray flares. We find that the
flaring state can be explained via the synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) process
involving up-scattered sub-millimeter photons from a compact source component.
The observations can be interpreted in a model involving a temporary disk with
a short jet. In the disk component the flux density variations can be explained
due to spots on relativistic orbits around the central super massive black hole
(SMBH). The profile variations for the May 2007 flare are interpreted as a
variation of the spot structure due to differential rotation within the disk.


title: The M5-brane on K3 x T^2

abstract:
  We discuss the low energy effective theory of an M5-brane wrapped on a smooth
holomorphic four-cycle of K3 x T^2, including the special case of T^6. In
particular we give the lowest order equations of motion and resolve a puzzle
concerning the counting of massless modes that was reported in hep-th/9906094.
In order to find agreement with black hole entropy and anomaly inflow arguments
we propose that some of the moduli become massive.


title:
On Mass Spectrum in SQCD, and Problems with the Seiberg Duality. Equal
  quark masses

abstract:
  The dynamical scenario is considered for N=1 SQCD, with N_c colors and
N_c<N_F<3N_c flavors with small but nonzero current quark masses m_Q\neq 0, in
which quarks form the diquark-condensate phase. This means that colorless
chiral quark pairs condense coherently in the vacuum, <{\bar Q}Q>\neq 0, while
quarks alone don't condense, <Q>=<\bar Q>=0, so that the color is confined.
Such condensation of quarks results in formation of dynamical constituent
masses \mu_C \gg m_Q of quarks and appearance of light "pions" (similarly to
QCD). The mass spectrum of SQCD in this phase is described and comparison with
the Seiberg dual description is performed. It is shown that the direct and dual
theories are different (except, possibly, for the perturbative strictly
superconformal regime).


title:
A 3-D sunspot model derived from an inversion of spectropolarimetric
  observations and its implications for the penumbral heating

abstract:
  I deduced a 3-D sunspot model that is in agreement with spectropolarimetric
observations, to address the question of penumbral heating by the repetitive
rise of flow channels. I performed inversions of data taken simultaneously in
infrared and visible spectral lines. I used two independent magnetic components
to reproduce the irregular Stokes profiles in the penumbra. I studied the
averaged and individual properties of the two components. By integrating the
field inclination to the surface, I developed a 3-D model of the spot from
inversion results without intrinsic height information. I find that the
Evershed flow is harbored by the weaker of the two field components. This
component forms flow channels that show upstreams in the inner and mid
penumbra, continue horizontally as slightly elevated loops throughout the
penumbra, and finally bend down in the outer penumbra. I find several examples,
where two or more flow channels are found along a radial cut from the umbra to
the outer boundary of the spot. I find that a model of horizontal flow channels
in a static background field is in good agreement with the observed spectra.
The properties of the flow channels correspond very well to the simulations of
Schlichenmaier et al. (1998). From the temporal evolution in intensity images
and the properties of the flow channels in the inversion, I conclude that
interchange convection of rising hot flux tubes in a thick penumbra still seems
a possible mechanism for maintaining the penumbral energy balance.


title: The parabolic-parabolic Keller-Segel model in $\mathbb{R}^2$

abstract:
  This paper is devoted mainly to the global existence problem for the
two-dimensional parabolic-parabolic Keller-Segel in the full space. We derive a
critical mass threshold below which global existence is ensured. Using
carefully energy methods and ad hoc functional inequalities we improve and
extend previous results in this direction. The given threshold is supposed to
be the optimal criterion, but this question is still open. This global
existence result is accompanied by a detailed discussion on the duality between
the Onofri and the logarithmic Hardy-Littlewood-Sobolev inequalities that
underlie the following approach.


title: Strong CP Problem with 10^{32} Standard Model Copies

abstract:
  We show that a recently proposed solution to the Hierarchy Problem
simultaneously solves the Strong CP Problem, without requiring an axion or any
further new physics. Consistency of black hole physics implies a non-trivial
relation between the number of particle species and particle masses, so that
with ~10^{32} copies of the standard model, the TeV scale is naturally
explained. At the same time, as shown here, this setup predicts a typical
expected value of the strong-CP parameter in QCD of theta ~ 10^{-9}. This
strongly motivates a more sensitive measurement of the neutron electric dipole
moment.


title: Hyperon bulk viscosity in the presence of antikaon condensate

abstract:
  We investigate the hyperon bulk viscosity due to the non-leptonic process $n
+ p \rightleftharpoons p + \Lambda $ in $K^-$ condensed matter and its effect
on the r-mode instability in neutron stars. We find that the hyperon bulk
viscosity coefficient in the presence of antikaon condensate is suppressed
compared with the case without the condensate. The suppressed hyperon bulk
viscosity in the superconducting phase is still an efficient mechanism to damp
the r-mode instability in neutron stars.


title:
General Dirichlet series, arithmetic convolution equations and Laplace
  transforms

abstract:
  In an earlier paper, we studied solutions g to convolution equations of the
form a_d*g^{*d}+a_{d-1}*g^{*(d-1)}+...+a_1*g+a_0=0, where a_0, ..., a_d are
given arithmetic functions associated with Dirichlet series which converge on
some right half plane, and also g is required to be such a function. In this
article, we extend our previous results to multidimensional general Dirichlet
series of the form \sum_{x\in X} f(x) e^{-sx} (s in C^k), where X is an
additive subsemigroup of [0,\infty)^k. If X is discrete and a certain
solvability criterion is satisfied, we determine solutions by an elementary
recursive approach, adapting an idea of Feckan. The solution of the general
case leads us to a more comprehensive question: Let X be an additive
subsemigroup of a pointed, closed convex cone C in R^k. Can we find a complex
Radon measure on X whose Laplace transform satisfies a given polynomial
equation whose coefficients are Laplace transforms of such measures?


title:
Enlarging mSUGRA parameter space by decreasing pre-BBN Hubble rate in
  Scalar-Tensor Cosmologies

abstract:
  We determine under what conditions Scalar Tensor cosmologies predict an
expansion rate which is reduced as compared to the standard General Relativity
case. We show that ST theories with a single matter sector typically predict an
enchanced Hubble rate in the past, as a consequence of the requirement of an
attractive fixed point towards General Relativity at late times. Instead, when
additional matter sectors with different conformal factors are added, the late
time convergence to General Relativity is mantained and at the same time a
reduced expansion rate in the past can be driven. For suitable choices of the
parameters which govern the scalar field evolution, a sizeable reduction (up to
about 2 orders of magnitude) of the Hubble rate prior to Big Bang
Nucleosynthesis can be obtained. We then discuss the impact of these
cosmological models on the relic abundance of dark matter is minimal
Supergravity models: we show that the cosmologically allowed regions in
parameter space are significantly enlarged, implying a change in the potential
reach of LHC on the neutralino phenomenology.


title:
Application of afxy-code for parameterization of ionization yield
  function Y in the atmosphere for primary cosmic ray protons

abstract:
  In this work is obtained new approximation for the yield function Y for
cosmic ray induced ionization in the Earth atmosphere on the basis of simulated
data. The parameterization is obtained using inverse nonlinear problem solution
with afxy(analyze fx=y)-code. Short description of the methods is given. The
found approximation is for primary proton nuclei, inclined up to 70 degrees
zenith angle. This permits to estimate the direct ionization by primary cosmic
rays explicitly. The parameterization is applicable to the entire atmosphere,
from ground level to upper atmosphere. Several implications of the found
parameterization are discussed.


title: Symmetric units in integral group rings

abstract:
  In this paper, we study the question of when the symmetric units in an
integral group ring ZG form a multiplicative group. When G is periodic,
necessary and sufficient conditions are given for this to occur.


title:
Decomposition and Oxidation of the N-Extended Supersymmetric Quantum
  Mechanics Multiplets

abstract:
  We furnish an algebraic understanding of the inequivalent connectivities
(computed up to $N\leq 10$) of the graphs associated to the irreducible
supermultiplets of the N-extended Supersymmetric Quantum Mechanics. We prove
that the inequivalent connectivities of the N=5 and N=9 irreducible
supermultiplets are due to inequivalent decompositions into two sets of N=4
(respectively, N=8) supermultiplets. "Oxido-reduction" diagrams linking the
irreducible supermultiplets of the N=5,6,7,8 supersymmetries are presented. We
briefly discuss these results and their possible applications.


title: An open string analogue of Viterbo functoriality

abstract:
  Liouville domains are a special type of symplectic manifolds with boundary
(they have an everywhere defined Liouville flow, pointing outwards along the
boundary). Symplectic cohomology for Liouville domains was introduced by
Cieliebak-Floer-Hofer-Wysocki and Vitero. The latter constructed a restriction
(or transfer) map associated to an embedding of one Liouville domain into
another.
  In this preprint, we look at exact Lagrangian submanifolds with Legendrian
boundary inside a Liouville domain. The analogue of symplectic cohomology for
such submanifolds is called "wrapped Floer cohomology". We construct an
A_\infty-structure on the underlying wrapped Floer complex, and (under suitable
assumptions) an A_\infty-homomorphism realizing the restriction to a Liouville
subdomain. The construction of the A_\infty-structure relies on an
implementation of homotopy direct limits, and involves some new moduli spaces
which are solutions of generalized continuation map equations.


title: Transversity signals at COMPASS

abstract:
  COMPASS is a fixed target experiment at the CERN SPS, with a rich physics
program focused on nucleon spin structure and on hadron spectroscopy. One of
the main goals of the spin program is the measurement of the transverse spin
distribution function $\Delta_T q(x)$ in semi-inclusive DIS off transversely
polarized nucleons. For this purpose approximately 20% of the running time in
the years 2002 to 2004 with the longitudinally polarized muon beam of 160 GeV
and with $^6$LiD polarized target was used to collect data with the target
polarized transversely with respect to the beam direction. The 2002 data have
been already analysed and published. We present here the preliminary results
from the full statistics for the Collins and Sivers single hadron asymmetries
and for the transverse spin asymmetry in hadron pair production.


title: Surface solitons in two-dimensional chirped photonic lattices

abstract:
  We study surface modes in semi-infinite chirped two-dimensional photonic
lattices in the frame- work of an effective discrete nonlinear model. We
demonstrate that the lattice chirp can change dramatically the conditions for
the mode localization near the surface, and we find numerically the families of
surface modes, in linear lattices, and discrete surface solitons, in nonlinear
lattices. We demonstrate that, in a sharp contrast to one-dimensional discrete
surface solitons, in two-dimensional lattices the mode threshold power is
lowered by the action of both the surface and lattice chirp. By manipulating
with the lattice chirp, we can control the mode position and its localization.


title: Dark Energy and the Hubble Constant

abstract:
  Dark energy is inferred from a Hubble expansion which is slower at epochs
which are earlier than ours. But evidence reviewed here shows $H_0$ for nearby
galaxies is actually less than currently adopted and would instead require {\it
deceleration} to reach the current value.
  Distances of Cepheid variables in galaxies in the Local Supercluster have
been measured by the Hubble Space Telescope and it is argued here that they
require a low value of $H_0$ along with redshifts which are at least partly
intrinsic. The intrinsic component is hypothesized to be a result of the
particle masses increasing with time.
  The same considerations apply to Dark Matter. But with particle masses
growing with time, the condensation from plasmoid to proto galaxy not only does
away with the need for unseen ``dark matter'' but also explains the intrinsic
(non-velocity) redshifts of younger matter.


title: Critical behavior of magnetic thin films as a function of thickness

abstract:
  We study the critical behavior of magnetic thin films as a function of the
film thickness. We use the ferromagnetic Ising model with the high-resolution
multiple histogram Monte Carlo (MC) simulation. We show that though the 2D
behavior remains dominant at small thicknesses, there is a systematic
continuous deviation of the critical exponents from their 2D values. We observe
that in the same range of varying thickness the deviation of the exponent $\nu$
is rather small, while exponent $\beta$ suffers a larger deviation. We explain
these deviations using the concept of "effective" exponents suggested by
Capehart and Fisher in a finite-size analysis. The shift of the critical
temperature with the film thickness obtained here by MC simulation is in an
excellent agreement with their prediction.


title: Quantum computation with quantum-dot spin qubits inside a cavity

abstract:
  Universal set of quantum gates are realized from the conduction-band electron
spin qubits of quantum dots embedded in a microcavity via two-channel Raman
interaction. All of the gate operations are independent of the cavity mode
states, \emph{i.e.}, insensitive to the thermal cavity field. Individual
addressing and effective switch of the cavity mediated interaction are directly
possible here. Meanwhile, gate operations also can be carried out in parallel.
The simple realization of needed interaction for selective qubits makes current
scenario more suitable for scalable quantum computation.


title: Double ccbar production in e+e- annihilations at high energy

abstract:
  We review the current state of experimental knowledge on double ccbar
production in e+e- annihilation. The large cross-sections (O(20 fb)) for e+e-
-> gamma* -> psi(') ccbar_{res} processes have been confirmed by detailed tests
and reproduced by a second group: they should now be considered
well-established. The latest experimental results concern the case where the
second ccbar system is above open-charm threshold: hidden-charm states continue
to play a prominent role in the mass spectrum. Some ``loose ends'' in the field
are also briefly discussed.


title: Diamagnetic expansions for perfect quantum gases II: uniform bounds

abstract:
  Consider a charged, perfect quantum gas, in the effective mass approximation,
and in the grand-canonical ensemble. We prove in this paper that the
generalized magnetic susceptibilities admit the thermodynamic limit for all
admissible fugacities, uniformly on compacts included in the analyticity domain
of the grand-canonical pressure.
  The problem and the proof strategy were outlined in \cite{3}. In \cite{4} we
proved in detail the pointwise thermodynamic limit near $z=0$. The present
paper is the last one of this series, and contains the proof of the uniform
bounds on compacts needed in order to apply Vitali's Convergence Theorem.


title: Fermions out of Dipolar Bosons in the lowest Landau level

abstract:
  In the limit of very fast rotation atomic Bose-Einstein condensates may
reside entirely in the lowest two-dimensional Landau level (LLL). For small
enough filling factor of the LLL, one may have formation of fractional quantum
Hall states. We investigate the case of bosons with dipolar interactions as may
be realized with Chromium-52 atoms. We show that at filling factor equal to
unity the ground state is a Moore-Read (a.k.a Pfaffian) paired state as is the
case of bosons with purely s-wave scattering interactions. This Pfaffian state
is destabilized when the interaction in the s-wave channel is small enough and
the ground state is a stripe phase with unidimensional density modulation. For
filling factor 1/3, we show that there is formation of a Fermi sea of
``composite fermions''. These composites are made of one boson bound with three
vortices. This phase has a wide range of stability and the effective mass of
the fermions depends essentially only of the scattering amplitude in momentum
channels larger or equal to 2. The formation of such a Fermi sea opens up a new
possible route to detection of the quantum Hall correlations.


title: Global division of cohomology classes via injectivity

abstract:
  We note that the vanishing and injectivity theorems of Koll\'ar and
Esnault-Viehweg can be used to give a quick algebraic proof of a strengthening
of the Ein-Lazarsfeld Skoda-type division theorem for global sections of
adjoint line bundles vanishing along suitable multiplier ideal sheaves, and to
extend it to higher cohomology classes as well. For global sections, this is
also a slightly more general statement of the algebraic translation of an
analytic result of Siu. Along the way we write down an injectivity statement
for multiplier ideals, and its standard consequences.


title: On the Korteweg-de Vries approximation for uneven bottoms

abstract:
  In this paper we focus on the water waves problem for uneven bottoms on a
two-dimensionnal domain. Starting from the symmetric Boussinesq systems derived
in [Chazel, Influence of topography on long water waves, 2007], we recover the
uncoupled Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) approximation justified by Schneider and
Wayne for flat bottoms, and by Iguchi in the context of bottoms tending to zero
at infinity at a substantial rate. The goal of this paper is to investigate the
validity of this approximation for more general bathymetries. We exhibit two
kinds of topography for which this approximation diverges from the Boussinesq
solutions. A topographically modified KdV approximation is then proposed to
deal with such bathymetries. Finally, all the models involved are numerically
computed and compared.


title:
Vacuum Energy Problem, Fundamental Length and Deformed Quantum Field
  Theory

abstract:
  The cosmological constant (vacuum energy) problem is analyzed within the
scope of quantum theories with UV-cut-off or fundamental length. Various cases
associated with the appearance of the latter are considered both using the
Generalized Uncertainty Relations and the deformed density matrix,previously
introduced in the author's works. The use of the deformed density matrix is
examined in detail. It is demonstrated that, provided the Fischler-Susskind
cosmic holographic conjecture is valid, the Vacuum Energy Density takes a value
close to the experimental one. The arguments supporting the validity of this
conjecture are given on the basis of the recently obtained results on
Gravitational Holography.


title:
Energy spectrum of bound-spinons in the quantum Ising spin-chain
  ferromagnet

abstract:
  We study the excitation energy spectrum in the S=1/2 ferromagnetic Ising spin
chain with the easy axis z in a magnetic field h={h_x,0,h_z}. According to Wu
and McCoy's scenario of weak confinement, the fermionic spinon excitations
(kinks), being free at h_z = 0 in the ordered phase, are coupled into bosonic
bound states at arbitrary small h_z. We calculate the energy spectrum of such
excitations in the leading order in small h_z, using different perturbative
methods developed for the similar problem in the Ising field theory.


title: Interferometric detections of GOODS 850-5 at 1 mm and 1.4 GHz

abstract:
  We have obtained a position (at sub-arcsecond accuracy) of the submillimeter
bright source GOODS 850-5 (also known as GN10) in the GOODS North field using
the IRAM Plateau de Bure interferometer at 1.25 mm wavelengths (MM
J123633+6214.1, flux density: S(1.25 mm)=5.0+-1.0 mJy). This source has no
optical counterpart in deep ACS imaging down to a limiting magnitude of
i(775)=28.4 mag and its position is coincident with the position found in
recent sub-millimeter mapping obtained at the SMA (Wang et al. 2007). Using
deep VLA imaging at 20 cm, we find a radio source (S(20 cm)=32.7+-4.3 microJy)
at the same position that is significantly brighter than reported in Wang et
al. The source is detected by Spitzer in IRAC as well as at 24 microns. We
apply different photometric redshift estimators using measurements of the
dusty, mid/far-infrared part of the SED and derive a redshift z~4. Given our
detection in the millimeter and radio we consider a significantly higher
redshift (e.g., z~6 Wang et al. 2007) unlikely. MM J123633+6214.1 alias GOODS
850-5 nevertheless constitutes a bright representative of the high-redshift
tail of the submillimeter galaxy population that may contribute a significant
fraction to the (sub)millimeter background.


title: Intermittency in two dimensions

abstract:
  We introduce a family of area-preserving maps representing a (non-trivial)
two-dimensional extension of the Pomeau-Manneville family in one dimension. We
analyze the long-time behavior of recurrence time distributions and
correlations, providing analytical and numerical estimates. We study the
transport properties of a suitable lift and use a probabilistic argument to
derive the full spectrum of transport moments. Finally the dynamical effects of
a stochastic perturbation are considered.


title:
Generalized theta linear series on moduli spaces of vector bundles on
  curves

abstract:
  This article is based on lecture notes prepared for the August 2006 Cologne
Summer School. The first part contains background material and references for
beginners. The second (and main) part is a survey of the current status in the
theory of pluri-theta linear series and generalized theta divisors on moduli
spaces of vector bundles on curves. It emphasizes relatively new techniques
employed in the analysis of linear series on these moduli spaces, namely the
use of moduli spaces of stable maps for understanding Quot schemes, and the
Fourier-Mukai functor in the study of coherent sheaves on abelian varieties. In
addition, it briefly describes recent important developments, most significant
of which is the proof of the Strange Duality conjecture due to Belkale and
Marian-Oprea.


title: Exclusive vector meson electroproduction

abstract:
  We discuss exclusive vector meson electroproduction within the QCD collinear
factorization framework. In Bjorken kinematics the amplitude factorizes in a
convolution of the nonperturbative meson distribution amplitude and the
generalized parton densities with the perturbatively calculable hard-scattering
amplitudes, which are presently known to next-to-leading order (NLO). At small
$x_{\rm B}$ NLO corrections are very large. It is related to appearance of BFKL
type logarithms in the hard-scattering amplitudes, that calls for a resummation
of these effects at higher orders. Here we report the first results of such
resummation.


title: Emergent 4D Gravity from Matrix Models

abstract:
  Recent progress in the understanding of gravity on noncommutative spaces is
discussed. A gravity theory naturally emerges from matrix models of
noncommutative gauge theory. The effective metric depends on the dynamical
Poisson structure, absorbing the degrees of freedom of the would-be U(1) gauge
field. The gravity action is induced upon quantization.


title: Hydrodynamic modeling of granular flows in a modified Couette cell

abstract:
  We present simulations of granular flows in a modified Couette cell, using a
continuum model recently proposed for dense granular flows. Based on a friction
coefficient, which depends on an inertial number, the model captures the
positions of the wide shear bands. We show that a smooth transition in
velocity-profile shape occurs when increasing the height of the granular
material, leading to a differential rotation of the central part close to the
surface. The numerical predictions are in qualitative agreement with previous
experimental results. The model provides predictions for the increase of the
shear bands width when increasing the rotation rate.


title: Mechanical detection of carbon nanotube resonator vibrations

abstract:
  Bending-mode vibrations of carbon nanotube resonator devices were
mechanically detected in air at atmospheric pressure by means of a novel
scanning force microscopy method. The fundamental and higher order bending
eigenmodes were imaged at up to 3.1GHz with sub-nanometer resolution in
vibration amplitude. The resonance frequency and the eigenmode shape of
multi-wall nanotubes are consistent with the elastic beam theory for a doubly
clamped beam. For single-wall nanotubes, however, resonance frequencies are
significantly shifted, which is attributed to fabrication generating, for
example, slack. The effect of slack is studied by pulling down the tube with
the tip, which drastically reduces the resonance frequency.


title:
An Upper Bound to the Number of Gates on Single Qubit within One
  Error-Correction Period of Quantum Computation

abstract:
  Based on the amplitude behavior of quantum Rabi oscillation driven by a
coherent field we show that there exists an upper bound to the number of
logical operation performed on any single qubit within one error-correction
period of a quantum computation. We introduce a parameter to depict the maximum
of this number and estimate its decoherence limit. The analysis shows that a
generally accepted error-rate threshold of quantum logic gates limits the
parameter to so small a number that even a double of fault-tolerant Toffoli
gates can hardly be implemented reliably within one error-correction period.
This result suggests that the design of feasible fault-tolerant quantum
circuits is still an arduous task.


title: Lie Algebroids and Classification Problems in Geometry

abstract:
  We show how one can associate to a given class of finite type G-structures a
classifying Lie algebroid. The corresponding Lie groupoid gives models for the
different geometries that one can find in the class, and encodes also the
different types of symmetry groups.


title:
Gravitational waves from compact binaries inspiralling along
  post-Newtonian accurate eccentric orbits: Data analysis implications

abstract:
  Compact binaries inspiralling along eccentric orbits are plausible
gravitational wave (GW) sources for the ground-based laser interferometers. We
explore the losses in the event rates incurred when searching for GWs from
compact binaries inspiralling along post-Newtonian accurate eccentric orbits
with certain obvious non-optimal search templates. For the present analysis, GW
signals having 2.5 post-Newtonian accurate orbital evolution are modeled
following the phasing formalism, presented in [T. Damour, A. Gopakumar, and B.
R. Iyer, Phys. Rev. D \textbf{70}, 064028 (2004)]. We demonstrate that the
search templates that model in a gauge-invariant manner GWs from compact
binaries inspiralling under qudrupolar radiation reaction along 2PN accurate
circular orbits are very efficient in capturing our somewhat realistic GW
signals. However, three types of search templates based on the adiabatic,
complete adiabatic and gauge-dependent complete non-adiabatic approximants,
detailed in [P. Ajith, B. R. Iyer, C. A. K. Robinson and B. S. Sathyaprakash,
%``A new class of post-Newtonian approximants to the dynamics of inspiralling
%compact binaries: Test-mass in the Schwarzschild spacetime,'' Phys. Rev. D
{\bf 71}, 044029 (2005)], relevant for the circular inspiral under the
qudrupolar radiation reaction were found to be inefficient in capturing the
above mentioned eccentric signal. We conclude that further investigations will
be required to probe the ability of various types of PN accurate circular
templates, employed to analyze the LIGO/VIRGO data, to capture GWs from compact
binaries having tiny orbital eccentricities.


title: On the role of meridional flows in flux transport dynamo models

abstract:
  The Sun is a magnetic star whose magnetism and cyclic activity is linked to
the existence of an internal dynamo. We aim to understand the establishment of
the solar magnetic 22-yr cycle, its associated butterfly diagram and field
parity selection through numerical simulations of the solar global dynamo.
Inspired by recent observations and 3D simulations that both exhibit
multicellular flows in the solar convection zone, we seek to characterise the
influence of various profiles of circulation on the behaviour of solar
mean-field dynamo models. We are using 2-D mean field flux transport
Babcock-Leighton numerical models in which we test several types of meridional
flows: 1 large single cell, 2 cells in radius and 4 cells per hemisphere. We
confirm that adding cells in latitude tends to speed up the dynamo cycle
whereas adding cells in radius more than triples the period. We find that the
cycle period in the four cells model is less sensitive to the flow speed than
in the other simpler meridional circulation profiles studied. Moreover, our
studies show that adding cells in radius or in latitude seems to favour the
parity switching to a quadrupolar solution. According to our numerical models,
the observed 22-yr cycle and dipolar parity is easily reproduced by models
including multicellular meridional flows. On the contrary, the resulting
butterfly diagram and phase relationship between the toroidal and poloidal
fields are affected to a point where it is unlikely that such multicellular
meridional flows persist for a long period of time inside the Sun, without
having to reconsider the model itself.


title: Four-fermion production near the W-pair production threshold

abstract:
  I report on recent results for the total production cross section of the
process e- e+ -> mu- nubar_mu u dbar X near the W-pair production threshold up
to next-to-leading order in GammaW/MW alpha v^2 obtained in the framework of
unstable-particle effective field theory. Remaining theoretical uncertainties
and their impact on the experimental determination of the W mass are discussed.


title: Kirwan surjectivity in K-theory for Hamiltonian loop group quotients

abstract:
  Let G be a compact Lie group and LG its associated loop group. The main
result of this manuscript is a surjectivity theorem from the equivariant
K-theory of a Hamiltonian LG-space onto the integral K-theory of its
Hamiltonian LG-quotient. Our result is a K-theoretic analogue of previous work
in rational Borel-equivariant cohomology of Bott, Tolman, and Weitsman. Our
proof techniques differ from that of Bott, Tolman, and Weitsman in that they
explicitly use the Borel construction, which we do not have at our disposal in
equivariant K-theory; we instead directly construct G-equivariant homotopy
equivalences to obtain the necessary isomorphisms in equivariant K-theory. The
main theorem should also be viewed as a first step toward a similar theorem in
K-theory for quasi-Hamiltonian G-spaces and their associated quasi-Hamiltonian
quotients.


title:
Solving Medium-Density Subset Sum Problems in Expected Polynomial Time:
  An Enumeration Approach

abstract:
  The subset sum problem (SSP) can be briefly stated as: given a target integer
$E$ and a set $A$ containing $n$ positive integer $a_j$, find a subset of $A$
summing to $E$. The \textit{density} $d$ of an SSP instance is defined by the
ratio of $n$ to $m$, where $m$ is the logarithm of the largest integer within
$A$. Based on the structural and statistical properties of subset sums, we
present an improved enumeration scheme for SSP, and implement it as a complete
and exact algorithm (EnumPlus). The algorithm always equivalently reduces an
instance to be low-density, and then solve it by enumeration. Through this
approach, we show the possibility to design a sole algorithm that can
efficiently solve arbitrary density instance in a uniform way. Furthermore, our
algorithm has considerable performance advantage over previous algorithms.
Firstly, it extends the density scope, in which SSP can be solved in expected
polynomial time. Specifically, It solves SSP in expected $O(n\log{n})$ time
when density $d \geq c\cdot \sqrt{n}/\log{n}$, while the previously best
density scope is $d \geq c\cdot n/(\log{n})^{2}$. In addition, the overall
expected time and space requirement in the average case are proven to be
$O(n^5\log n)$ and $O(n^5)$ respectively. Secondly, in the worst case, it
slightly improves the previously best time complexity of exact algorithms for
SSP. Specifically, the worst-case time complexity of our algorithm is proved to
be $O((n-6)2^{n/2}+n)$, while the previously best result is $O(n2^{n/2})$.


title:
Influence of photon-assisted tunneling on heat flow in a normal metal -
  superconductor tunnel junction

abstract:
  We have investigated theoretically the influence of an AC drive on heat
transport in a hybrid normal metal - superconductor tunnel junction in the
photon-assisted tunneling regime. We find that the useful heat flux out from
the normal metal is always reduced as compared to its magnitude under the
static and quasi-static drive conditions. Our results are useful to predict the
operative conditions of AC driven superconducting electron refrigerators.


title: Tropical theta characteristics

abstract:
  This note is a follow up of math.AG/0612267v2 and it is largely inspired by a
beautiful description of Baker-Norine of non-effective degree (g-1) divisors
via chip-firing game. We consider the set of all theta characteristics on a
tropical curve and identify the Riemann constant as a unique non-effective one
among them.


title:
Wald's entropy is equal to a quarter of the horizon area in units of the
  effective gravitational coupling

abstract:
  The Bekenstein-Hawking entropy of black holes in Einstein's theory of gravity
is equal to a quarter of the horizon area in units of Newton's constant. Wald
has proposed that in general theories of gravity the entropy of stationary
black holes with bifurcate Killing horizons is a Noether charge which is in
general different from the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy. We show that the Noether
charge entropy is equal to a quarter of the horizon area in units of the
effective gravitational coupling on the horizon defined by the coefficient of
the kinetic term of specific graviton polarizations on the horizon. We present
several explicit examples of static spherically symmetric black holes.


title:
Constraining the nature of High Frequency Peakers. II. Polarization
  properties

abstract:
  Aims: The ``bright'' High Frequency Peakers (HFPs) sample is a mixture of
blazars and intrinsically small and young radio sources. We investigate the
polarimetric characteristics of 45 High Frequency Peakers, from the ``bright''
HFP sample, in order to have a deeper knowledge of the nature of each object,
and to construct a sample made of genuine young radio sources only. Methods:
Simultaneous VLA observations carried out at 22.2, 15.3, 8.4 and 5.0 GHz,
together with the information at 1.4 GHz provided by the NVSS at an earlier
epoch, have been used to study the linearly polarized emission. Results: From
the analysis of the polarimetric properties of the 45 sources we find that 26
(58%) are polarized at least at one frequency, while 17 (38%) are completely
unpolarized at all frequencies. We find a correlation between fractional
polarization and the total intensity variability. We confirm that there is a
clear distinction between the polarization properties of galaxies and quasars:
17 (66%) quasars are highly polarized, while all the 9 galaxies are either
unpolarized (<0.2%) or marginally polarized with fractional polarization below
1%. This suggests that most HFP candidates identified with quasars are likely
to represent a radio source population different from young radio objects.


title: X-ray Emitting Ejecta in Puppis A Observed with Suzaku

abstract:
  We report the detection and localization of X-ray emitting ejecta in the
middle-aged Galactic supernova remnant Puppis A using five observations with
the Suzaku X-ray Imaging Spectrometer to survey the eastern and middle portions
of the remnant. A roughly 3' by 5', double-peaked region in the north center is
found to be highly enriched in Si and other elements relative to the rest of
the remnant. The X-ray fitted abundances are otherwise well below the solar
values. While the ejecta-enhanced regions show some variation of relative
element abundances, there is little evidence for a very strong enhancement of
one element over the others in the imaged portion of the remnant, except
possibly for a region of O and Ne enhancement in the remnant's south center.
There is no spatial correlation between the compact [O III] emitting ejecta
knots seen optically and the abundance enhancements seen in X-rays, although
they are located in the same vicinity. The map of fitted column density shows
strong variations across the remnant that echo earlier X-ray spectral hardness
maps. The ionization age (as fitted for single temperature models) is sharply
higher in a ridge behind the northeast-east boundary of the remnant, and is
probably related to the strong molecular cloud interaction along that boundary.
The temperature map, by comparison, shows relatively weak variations.


title: Toward an effective centrality trigger in pp collisions at LHC

abstract:
  We investigate the impact of very strong small x gluon fields in colliding
nucleons at LHC energies on the interaction of valence quarks. We find that in
the range of small impact parameters, which contribute significantly to the
production of heavy new particles, several of the valence quarks receive large
transverse momenta, exceeding 1 GeV/c. This results in a suppression of leading
baryon production and consequently in an additional energy flow to smaller
rapidities. We suggest several triggers for centrality in pp collisions which
allow one to study the propagation of partons through gluon fields of a
strength comparable to the ones encountered in heavy ion collisions at the LHC.


title: Simulation of a Local Time Fractional Stable Motion

abstract:
  In this paper, we simulate sample paths of a class of symmetric
$\alpha$-stable processes using their series expression. We will develop a
result in the approximation of shot-noise series. And finally, we will get a
convergence rate for the approximation.


title:
Bloch gain in dc-ac-driven semiconductor superlattices in the absence of
  electric domains

abstract:
  We study theoretically the feasibility of amplification and generation of
terahertz radiation in dc-ac-driven semiconductor superlattices in the absence
of electric domains. We find that if in addition to dc bias a strong THz pump
field is applied, Bloch gain profile for a small THz signal can be achieved
under conditions of positive static differential conductivity. Here the
positive differential conductivity arises, similarly to the case of
large-signal amplification scheme [H. Kroemer, cond-mat/0009311)], due to
modifications of dc current density caused by the application of high-frequency
ac field [K. Unterrainer \textit{et al.}, Phys. Rev. Lett. \textbf{76}, 2973
(1996)]. Whereas the sign of absorption at low and zero frequencies is
sensitive to the ac fields, the gain profile in the vicinity of gain maximum is
robust. We suggest to use this ac-induced effect in a starter for THz Bloch
oscillator. Our analysis demonstrates that the application of a short THz pulse
to a superlattice allows to suppress the undesirable formation of electric
domains and reach a sustained large-amplitude operation of the dc-biased Bloch
scillator.


title: Timing the Nearby Isolated Neutron Star RX J1856.5-3754

abstract:
  RX J1856.5-3754 is the X-ray brightest among the nearby isolated neutron
stars. Its X-ray spectrum is thermal, and is reproduced remarkably well by a
black-body, but its interpretation has remained puzzling. One reason is that
the source did not exhibit pulsations, and hence a magnetic field
strength--vital input to atmosphere models--could not be estimated. Recently,
however, very weak pulsations were discovered. Here, we analyze these in
detail, using all available data from the XMM-Newton and Chandra X-ray
observatories. From frequency measurements, we set a 2-sigma upper limit to the
frequency derivative of \dot\nu<1.3e-14 Hz/s. Trying possible phase-connected
timing solutions, we find that one solution is far more likely than the others,
and we infer a most probable value of \dot\nu=(-5.98+/-0.14)e-16 Hz/s. The
inferred magnetic field strength is 1.5e13 G, comparable to what was found for
similar neutron stars. From models, the field seems too strong to be consistent
with the absence of spectral features for non-condensed atmospheres. It is
sufficiently strong, however, that the surface could be condensed, but only if
it is consists of heavy elements like iron. Our measurements imply a
characteristic age of about 4 Myr. This is longer than the cooling and
kinematic ages, as was found for similar objects, but at almost a factor ten,
the discrepancy is more extreme. A puzzle raised by our measurement is that the
implied rotational energy loss rate of about 3e30 erg/s is orders of magnitude
smaller than what was inferred from the H-alpha nebula surrounding the source.


title: The number of lattice paths below a cyclically shifting boundary

abstract:
  We count the number of lattice paths lying under a cyclically shifting
piecewise linear boundary of varying slope. Our main result extends well known
enumerative formulae concerning lattice paths, and its derivation involves a
classical reflection argument. A refinement allows for the counting of paths
with a specified number of corners. We also apply the result to examine paths
dominated by periodic boundaries.


title: Symmetry Breaking Study with Random Matrix Ensembles

abstract:
  A random matrix model to describe the coupling of $m$-fold symmetry is
constructed. The particular threefold case is used to analyze data on
eigenfrequencies of elastomechanical vibration of an anisotropic quartz block.
It is suggested that such experimental/theoretical study may supply a powerful
means to discern intrinsic symmetry of physical systems.


title:
L'accessibilit\'e des E-services aux personnes non-voyantes :
  difficult\'es d'usage et recommandations

abstract:
  While taking into account handicapped people in the design of technologies
represents a social and political stake that becomes important (in particular
with the recent law on equal rights for all the citizens, March 2004), this
paper aims at evaluating the level of accessibility of two sites of E-services
thanks to tests of use and proposing a set of recommendations in order to
increase usability for the largest amount of people.


title:
Energy Dependence of Multiplicity Fluctuations in Heavy Ion Collisions
  at the CERN SPS

abstract:
  Multiplicity fluctuations of positively, negatively and all charged hadrons
in the forward hemisphere were studied in central Pb+Pb collisions at 20A, 30A,
40A, 80A and 158A GeV. The multiplicity distributions and their scaled
variances are presented in dependence of collision energy as well as of
rapidity and transverse momentum. The distributions have bell-like shape and
their scaled variances are in the range from 0.8 to 1.2 without any significant
structure in their energy dependence. No indication of the critical point in
fluctuations are observed. The string-hadronic model UrQMD significantly
overpredicts the mean, but approximately reproduces the scaled variance of the
multiplicity distributions. The predictions of the statistical hadron-resonance
gas model obtained within the grand-canonical and canonical ensembles disagree
with the measured scaled variances. The narrower than Poissonian multiplicity
fluctuations measured in numerous cases may be explained by the impact of
conservation laws on fluctuations in relativistic systems.


title: Probabilistic analysis of the upwind scheme for transport

abstract:
  We provide a probabilistic analysis of the upwind scheme for
multi-dimensional transport equations. We associate a Markov chain with the
numerical scheme and then obtain a backward representation formula of
Kolmogorov type for the numerical solution. We then understand that the error
induced by the scheme is governed by the fluctuations of the Markov chain
around the characteristics of the flow. We show, in various situations, that
the fluctuations are of diffusive type. As a by-product, we prove that the
scheme is of order 1/2 for an initial datum in BV and of order 1/2-a, for all
a>0, for a Lipschitz continuous initial datum. Our analysis provides a new
interpretation of the numerical diffusion phenomenon.


title: Gravitational Lensing and f(R) theories in the Palatini approach

abstract:
  We investigate gravitational lensing in the Palatini approach to the f(R)
extended theories of gravity. Starting from an exact solution of the f(R) field
equations, which corresponds to the Schwarzschild-de Sitter metric and, on the
basis of recent studies on this metric, we focus on some lensing observables,
in order to evaluate the effects of the non linearity of the gravity
Lagrangian. We give estimates for some astrophysical events, and show that
these effects are tiny for galactic lenses, but become interesting for
extragalactic ones.


title: Habitability of Super-Earths: Gliese 581c and 581d

abstract:
  The unexpected diversity of exoplanets includes a growing number of
super-Earth planets, i.e., exoplanets with masses smaller than 10 Earth masses.
Unlike the larger exoplanets previously found, these smaller planets are more
likely to have a similar chemical and mineralogical composition to the Earth.
We present a thermal evolution model for super-Earth planets to identify the
sources and sinks of atmospheric carbon dioxide. The photosynthesis-sustaining
habitable zone (pHZ) is determined by the limits of biological productivity on
the planetary surface. We apply our model to calculate the habitability of the
two super-Earths in the Gliese 581 system. The super-Earth Gl 581c is clearly
outside the pHZ, while Gl 581d is at the outer edge of the pHZ. Therefore it
could at least harbor some primitive forms of life.


title: What is Community Informatics (and Why Does It Matter)?

abstract:
  Community Informatics (CI) is the application of information and
communications technologies (ICTs) to enable community processes and the
achievement of community objectives. CI goes beyond the "Digital Divide" to
making ICT access usable and useful to excluded populations and communities for
local economic development, social justice, and political empowerment. CI
approaches ICTs from a "community" perspective and develops strategies and
techniques for managing their use by communities both virtual and physical
including the variety of Community Networking applications. CI assumes that
both communities have characteristics, requirements, and opportunities that
require different strategies for ICT intervention and development from
individual access and use. Also, CI addresses ICT use in Developing Countries
as well as among the poor, the marginalized, the elderly, or those living in
remote locations in Developed Countries. CI is of interest both to ICT
practitioners and academic researchers and addresses the connections between
the policy and pragmatic issues arising from the tens of thousands of Community
Networks, Community Technology Centres, Telecentres, Community Communications
Centres, and Telecottages globally along with the rapidly emerging field of
electronically based virtual "communities".
  Michael Gurstein, Ph.D. is Executive Director of the Centre for Community
Informatics Research, Development and Training (Vancouver BC), a Director of
The Information Society Institute, Cape Peninsula University of Technology,
Cape Town South Africa; and Research Professor in the School of Computer and
Information Systems at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark.


title:
An optimal extension of Perelman's comparison theorem for quadrangles
  and its applications

abstract:
  In this paper we discuss an extension of Perelman's comparison for
quadrangles. Among applications of this new comparison theorem, we study the
equidistance evolution of hypersurfaces in Alexandrov spaces with non-negative
curvature. We show that, in certain cases, the equidistance evolution of
hypersurfaces become totally convex relative to a bigger sub-domain. An optimal
extension of 2nd variational formula for geodesics by Petrunin will be derived
for the case of non-negative curvature.
  In addition, we also introduced the generalized second fundament forms for
subsets in Alexandrov spaces. Using this new notion, we will propose an
approach to study two open problems in Alexandrov geometry.


title: A Pan-Spectral Method of Abundance Determination

abstract:
  We propose a new method for determination of element abundances in stellar
atmospheres aimed for the automatic processing of high-quality stellar spectra.
The pan-spectral method is based on weighted cumulative line-widths Q of
studied element. Difference in quantities Q found from synthetic and observed
spectra gives a correction to the initial abundance. Final abundances are then
found by rapidly converging iterations. Calculations can be made for many
elements simultaneously and do not demand supercomputers.


title: Simple fault-tolerant encoding over q-ary CSS quantum codes

abstract:
  CSS codes are a subfamily of stabilizer codes especially appropriate for
fault-tolerant quantum computations. A very simple method is proposed to encode
a general qudit when a Calderbank-Shor-Steane quantum code, defined over a
q-ary alphabet, is used.


title: Cosmic String Dynamics and Evolution in Warped Spacetime

abstract:
  We study the dynamics and evolution of Nambu-Goto strings in a warped
spacetime, where the warp factor is a function of the internal coordinates
giving rise to a `throat' region. The microscopic equations of motion for
strings in this background include potential and friction terms, which attract
the strings towards the bottom of the warping throat. However, by considering
the resulting macroscopic equations for the velocities of strings in the
vicinity of the throat, we note the absence of enough classical damping to
guarantee that the strings actually reach the warped minimum and stabilise
there. Instead, our classical analysis supports a picture in which the strings
experience mere deflections and bounces around the tip, rather than strongly
damped oscillations. Indeed, 4D Hubble friction is inefficient in the internal
dimensions and there is no other classical mechanism known, which could provide
efficient damping. These results have potentially important implications for
the intercommuting probabilities of cosmic superstrings.


title: Fishing for Eavesdroppers

abstract:
  A method is given to detect the presence of eavesdroppers when a noisy
message is sent to a privileged receiver. A proof of the effectiveness if this
method is demonstrated, and a comparison is made to other quantum cryptographic
tasks.


title: Counting the microstates of a vacuum black ring

abstract:
  The Bekenstein-Hawking entropy of an extremal vacuum black ring is derived
from a microscopic counting of states. The entropy of extremal Kaluza-Klein
black holes with ergospheres is also derived.


title:
Quantum CISC Compilation by Optimal Control and Scalable Assembly of
  Complex Instruction Sets beyond Two-Qubit Gates

abstract:
  We present a quantum CISC compiler and show how to assemble complex
instruction sets in a scalable way. Enlarging the toolbox of universal gates by
optimised complex multi-qubit instruction sets thus paves the way to fight
decoherence for realistic settings.
  Compiling a quantum module into the machine code for steering a concrete
quantum hardware device lends itself to be tackled by means of optimal quantum
control. To this end, there are two opposite approaches: (i) one may use a
decomposition into the restricted instruction set (RISC) of universal one- and
two-qubit gates, which in turn have prefabricated translations into the machine
code or (ii) one may prefer to generate the entire target module directly by a
complex instruction set (CISC) of available controls. Here we advocate direct
compilation up to the limit of system size a classical high-performance
parallel computer cluster can reasonably handle. For going beyond these limits,
i.e. for large systems we propose a combined way, namely (iii) to make
recursive use of medium-sized building blocks generated by optimal control in
the sense of a quantum CISC compiler.
  The advantage of the method over standard RISC compilations into one- and
two-qubit universal gates is explored on the parallel cluster HLRB-II (with a
total LINPACK performance of 63.3 TFlops/s) for the quantum Fourier transform,
the indirect SWAP gate as well as for multiply-controlled CNOT gates.
Implications for upper limits to time complexities are also derived.


title:
CS22964-161: A Double-Lined Carbon- and s-Process-Enhanced Metal-Poor
  Binary Star

abstract:
  A detailed high-resolution spectroscopic analysis is presented for the
carbon-rich low metallicity Galactic halo object CS 22964-161. We have
discovered that CS 22964-161 is a double-lined spectroscopic binary, and have
derived accurate orbital components for the system. From a model atmosphere
analysis we show that both components are near the metal-poor main-sequence
turnoff. Both stars are very enriched in carbon and in neutron-capture elements
that can be created in the s-process, including lead. The primary star also
possesses an abundance of lithium close to the value of the ``Spite-Plateau''.
The simplest interpretation is that the binary members seen today were the
recipients of these anomalous abundances from a third star that was losing mass
as part of its AGB evolution. We compare the observed CS 22964-161 abundance
set with nucleosynthesis predictions of AGB stars, and discuss issues of
envelope stability in the observed stars under mass transfer conditions, and
consider the dynamical stability of the alleged original triple star. Finally,
we consider the circumstances that permit survival of lithium, whatever its
origin, in the spectrum of this extraordinary system.


title:
Long time behaviour for a class of low-regularity solutions of the
  Camassa-Holm equation

abstract:
  In this paper, we investigate the long time behaviour for a class of
low-regularity solutions of the Camassa-Holm equation given by the
superposition of infinitely many interacting traveling waves with corners at
their peaks.


title: On the ideals of equivariant tree models

abstract:
  We introduce equivariant tree models in algebraic statistics, which unify and
generalise existing tree models such as the general Markov model, the strand
symmetric model, and group based models. We focus on the ideals of such models.
We show how the ideals for general trees can be determined from the ideals for
stars. The main novelty is our proof that this procedure yields the entire
ideal, not just an ideal defining the model set-theoretically. A corollary of
theoretical importance is that the ideal for a general tree is generated by the
ideals of its flattenings at vertices.


title: Weakly dependent chains with infinite memory

abstract:
  We prove the existence of a weakly dependent strictly stationary solution of
the equation $ X_t=F(X_{t-1},X_{t-2},X_{t-3},...;\xi_t)$ called {\em chain with
infinite memory}. Here the {\em innovations} $\xi_t$ constitute an independent
and identically distributed sequence of random variables. The function $F$
takes values in some Banach space and satisfies a Lipschitz-type condition. We
also study the interplay between the existence of moments and the rate of decay
of the Lipschitz coefficients of the function $F$. With the help of the weak
dependence properties, we derive Strong Laws of Large Number, a Central Limit
Theorem and a Strong Invariance Principle.


title: String-Like BTZ on Codimension-2 Braneworlds in the Thin Brane Limit

abstract:
  We consider five-dimensional gravity with a Gauss-Bonnet term in the bulk and
an induced gravity term on a 2-brane of codimension-2. We show that this system
admits BTZ black holes on the 2-brane which are extended into the bulk with
regular horizons.


title: Theory of the valley-valve effect in graphene nanoribbons

abstract:
  A potential step in a graphene nanoribbon with zigzag edges is shown to be an
intrinsic source of intervalley scattering -- no matter how smooth the step is
on the scale of the lattice constant a. The valleys are coupled by a pair of
localized states at the opposite edges, which act as an attractor/repellor for
edge states propagating in valley K/K'. The relative displacement Delta along
the ribbon of the localized states determines the conductance G. Our result
G=(e^{2}/h)[1-\cos(N\pi+2\pi\Delta/3a)] explains why the ``valley-valve''
effect (the blocking of the current by a p-n junction) depends on the parity of
the number N of carbon atoms across the ribbon.


title: An essentially saturated surface not of Kaehler-type

abstract:
  It is shown that if $X$ is an Inoue surface of type $S_M$ then the
irreducible components of the Douady space of $X^n$ are compact, for all $n>0$.
This gives an example of an essentially saturated compact complex manifold (in
the sense of model theory) that is not of Kaehler-type. Among the known compact
complex surfaces without curves, it is shown that these are the only examples.


title: Topological BPS charges in 10 and 11-dimensional supergravity

abstract:
  We consider the supersymmetry algebras of the 10 and 11 dimensional maximal
supergravities. We construct expressions from which the topological charge
structure of the algebras can be determined in supersymmetric curved
backgrounds. These are interpreted as the topological charges of the 1/2-BPS
states that are found in the theories. We consider charges for all the M-, NS-
and D-branes as well as the Kaluza Klein monopoles. We also show that the
dimensional reduction relations between the 11-d and IIA charges, and T-duality
relations of the IIA and IIB charges match those found for the branes
themselves. Finally we consider the massive versions of the IIA and 11-d
theories and find that the expressions for the charges, with a slight
modification, are still valid in those instances.


title:
New Class of Gravitational Wave Templates for Inspiralling Compact
  Binaries

abstract:
  Compact binaries inspiralling along quasi-circular orbits are the most
plausible gravitational wave (GW) sources for the operational, planned and
proposed laser interferometers. We provide new class of restricted
post-Newtonian accurate GW templates for non-spinning compact binaries
inspiralling along PN accurate quasi-circular orbits. Arguments based on data
analysis, theoretical and astrophysical considerations are invoked to show why
these time-domain Taylor approximants should be interesting to various GW data
analysis communities.


title: Local smoothing for scattering manifolds with hyperbolic trapped sets

abstract:
  We prove a resolvent estimate for the Laplace-Beltrami operator on a
scattering manifold with a hyperbolic trapped set, and as a corollary deduce
local smoothing. We use a result of Nonnenmacher-Zworski to provide an estimate
near the trapped region, a result of Burq and Cardoso-Vodev to provide an
estimate near infinity, and the microlocal calculus on scattering manifolds to
combine the two.


title: The Schr\"odinger operator with Morse potential on the right half line

abstract:
  This paper studies the Schr\"odinger operator with Morse potential on a right
half line [u, \infty) and determines the Weyl asymptotics of eigenvalues for
constant boundary conditions. It obtains information on zeros of the Whittaker
function $W_{\kappa, \mu}(x)$ for fixed real parameters $\kappa, x$, with x
positive, viewed as an entire function of the complex variable $\mu$. In this
case all zeros lie on the imaginary axis, with the exception, if $k<0$, of a
finite number of real zeros. We obtain an asymptotic formula for the number of
zeros of modulus at most T of form $N(T) = (2/\pi) T \log T + f(u) T + O(1)$.
Some parallels are noted with zeros of the Riemann zeta function.


title:
Orbital Stability of Planets in Binary Systems: A New Look at Old
  Results

abstract:
  About half of all known stellar systems with Sun-like stars consist of two or
more stars, significantly affecting the orbital stability of any planet in
these systems. This observational evidence has prompted a large array of
theoretical research, including the derivation of mathematically stringent
criteria for the orbital stability of planets in stellar binary systems, valid
for the "coplanar circular restricted three-body problem". In the following, we
use these criteria to explore the validity of results from previous theoretical
studies.


title:
Adaptive mutation of biochemical reaction constants: Fisher's
  geometrical model without pleiotropy

abstract:
  The distribution of fitness effects of adaptive mutations remains poorly
understood, both empirically and theoretically. We study this distribution
using a version of Fisher's geometrical model without pleiotropy, such that
each mutation affects only a single trait. We are motivated by the notion of an
organism's chemotype, the set of biochemical reaction constants that govern its
molecular constituents. From physical considerations, we expect the chemotype
to be of high dimension and to exhibit very little pleiotropy. Our model
generically predicts striking cusps in the distribution of the fitness effects
of arising and fixed mutations. It further predicts that a single element of
the chemotype should comprise all mutations at the high-fitness ends of these
distributions. Using extreme value theory, we show that the two cusps with the
highest fitnesses are typically well-separated, even when the chemotype
possesses thousands of elements; this suggests a means to observe these cusps
experimentally. More broadly, our work demonstrates that new insights into
evolution can arise from the chemotype perspective, a perspective between the
genotype and the phenotype.


title: Resistivity of Inhomogeneous Superconducting Wires

abstract:
  We study the contribution of quantum phase fluctuations in the
superconducting order parameter to the low--temperature resistivity $\rho(T)$
of a dirty and inhomogeneous superconducting wire. In particular, we account
for random spatial fluctuations of arbitrary size in the wire thickness. For a
typical wire thickness above the critical value for superconductor--insulator
transition, phase--slips processes can be treated perturbatively. We use a
memory formalism approach, which underlines the role played by weak violation
of conservation laws in the mechanism for generating finite resistivity. Our
calculations yield an expression for $\rho(T)$ which exhibits a smooth
crossover from a homogeneous to a ``granular'' limit upon increase of $T$,
controlled by a ``granularity parameter'' $D$ characterizing the size of
thickness fluctuations. For extremely small $D$, we recover the power--law
dependence $\rho(T)\sim T^\alpha$ obtained by unbinding of quantum
phase--slips. However in the strongly inhomogeneous limit, the exponent
$\alpha$ is modified and the prefactor is {\em exponentially enhanced}. We
examine the dependence of the exponent $\alpha$ on an external magnetic field
applied parallel to the wire. Finally, we show that the power--law dependence
at low $T$ is consistent with a series of experimental data obtained in a
variety of long and narrow samples. The values of $\alpha$ extracted from the
data, and the corresponding field dependence, are consistent with known
parameters of the corresponding samples.


title: Unspeakables and the Epistemological path towards Quantum Gravity

abstract:
  We offer a critical assessment of some generic features of various of the
current approaches towards the construction of a Theory of Quantum Gravity. We
will argue that there is a need for further conceptual clarifications before
such an enterprise can be launched on a truly well grounded setting, and that
one of the guiding principles that can be viewed as part of the reasons for
successes of the past theoretical developments is the identification of
Unspeakables: Concepts that should not only play no role in the formulation of
the theories, but ones that the formalism of the theory itself should prevent
from ever been spoken about.


title:
Increasing the number of fibered faces of arithmetic hyperbolic
  3-manifolds

abstract:
  We exhibit a closed hyperbolic 3-manifold which satisfies a very strong form
of Thurston's Virtual Fibration Conjecture. In particular, this manifold has
finite covers which fiber over the circle in arbitrarily many ways. More
precisely, it has a tower of finite covers where the number of fibered faces of
the Thurston norm ball goes to infinity, in fact faster than any power of the
logarithm of the degree of the cover, and we give a more precise quantitative
lower bound. The example manifold M is arithmetic, and the proof uses detailed
number-theoretic information, at the level of the Hecke eigenvalues, to drive a
geometric argument based on Fried's dynamical characterization of the fibered
faces. The origin of the basic fibration of M over the circle is the modular
elliptic curve E=X_0(49), which admits multiplication by the ring of integers
of Q[sqrt(-7)]. We first base change the holomorphic differential on E to a
cusp form on GL(2) over K=Q[sqrt(-3)], and then transfer over to a quaternion
algebra D/K ramified only at the primes above 7; the fundamental group of M is
a quotient of the principal congruence subgroup of level 7 of the
multiplicative group of a maximal order of D. To analyze the topological
properties of M, we use a new practical method for computing the Thurston norm,
which is of independent interest. We also give a non-compact finite-volume
hyperbolic 3-manifold with the same properties by using a direct topological
argument.


title:
Half Metallicity in Pr$_{0.75}$Sr$_{0.25}$MnO$_3$: A first Principle
  study

abstract:
  In this communication we present a first principle study of
Pr$_{1-x}$Sr$_{x}$MnO$_3$ with $x = 0.25$. While the parent compounds of this
system are antiferromagnetic insulators with different structural and magnetic
ground states, the $x = 0.25$ is in the colossal magnetoresistance regime of
the Pr$_{1-x}$Sr$_{x}$MnO$_3$ phase diagram [C. Martin, A. Maignan, M. Hervieu,
B. Raveau, Phys. Rev. B 60 (1999) 12191]. Our band structure calculations for
the end-point compounds matches well with the existing theoretical and
experimental results [C. Martin, A. Maignan, M. Hervieu, B. Raveau, Phys. Rev.
B 60 (1999) 12191; Rune Sondena, P. Ravindran, Svein Stolen, Tor Grande,
Michael Hanfland, Phys. Rev. B 74 (2006) 144102]. Interestingly, our
calculations show that the Pr$_{0.75}$Sr$_{0.25}$MnO$_3$ has a half-metallic
character with a huge band gap of 2.8 eV in the minority band. We believe this
result would fuel further interest in some of these special compositions of
colossal magnetoresistive manganites as they could be potential candidates for
spintronic devices. We discuss the half-metallicity of the
Pr$_{0.75}$Sr$_{0.25}$MnO$_3$ in the light of changes in the orbital
hybridization as a result of Sr doping in PrMnO$_3$. Further, we highlight the
importance of half-metallicity for a consolidated understanding of colossal
magnetoresistance effect.


title:
Singular asymptotic expansions for Dirichlet eigenvalues and
  eigenfunctions of the Laplacian on thin planar domains

abstract:
  We consider the Laplace operator with Dirichlet boundary conditions on a
planar domain and study the effect that performing a scaling in one direction
has on the spectrum. We derive the asymptotic expansion for the eigenvalues and
corresponding eigenfunctions as a function of the scaling parameter around
zero. This method allows us, for instance, to obtain an approximation for the
first Dirichlet eigenvalue for a large class of planar domains, under very mild
assumptions.


title:
Extracting the Cosmological Constant from the Wheeler DeWitt Equation in
  a Modified Gravity Theory

abstract:
  We discuss how to extract information about the cosmological constant from
the Wheeler-DeWitt equation, considered as an eigenvalue of a Sturm-Liouville
problem. A generalization to a f(R)theory is taken under examination. The
equation is approximated to one loop with the help of a variational approach
with Gaussian trial wave functionals. We use a zeta function regularization to
handle with divergences. A renormalization procedure is introduced to remove
the infinities together with a renormalization group equation.


title: Spin-transfer physics and the model of ferromagnetism in (Ga,Mn)As

abstract:
  We describe recent progress and open questions in the physics of
current-induced domain-wall displacement and creep in (Ga,Mn)As. Furthermore,
the reasons are recalled why, despite strong disorder and localization, the p-d
Zener model is suitable for the description of this system.


title: The cohomological crepant resolution conjecture for P(1,3,4,4)

abstract:
  We prove the cohomological crepant resolution conjecture of Ruan for the
weighted projective space P(1,3,4,4). To compute the quantum corrected
cohomology ring we combine the results of Coates-Corti-Iritani-Tseng on
P(1,1,1,3) and our previous results.


title:
Sideband cooling and coherent dynamics in a microchip multi-segmented
  ion trap

abstract:
  Miniaturized ion trap arrays with many trap segments present a promising
architecture for scalable quantum information processing. The miniaturization
of segmented linear Paul traps allows partitioning the microtrap in different
storage and processing zones. The individual position control of many ions -
each of them carrying qubit information in its long-lived electronic levels -
by the external trap control voltages is important for the implementation of
next generation large-scale quantum algorithms.
  We present a novel scalable microchip multi-segmented ion trap with two
different adjacent zones, one for the storage and another dedicated for the
processing of quantum information using single ions and linear ion crystals: A
pair of radio-frequency driven electrodes and 62 independently controlled DC
electrodes allows shuttling of single ions or linear ion crystals with
numerically designed axial potentials at axial and radial trap frequencies of a
few MHz. We characterize and optimize the microtrap using sideband spectroscopy
on the narrow S1/2 <-> D5/2 qubit transition of the 40Ca+ ion, demonstrate
coherent single qubit Rabi rotations and optical cooling methods. We determine
the heating rate using sideband cooling measurements to the vibrational ground
state which is necessary for subsequent two-qubit quantum logic operations. The
applicability for scalable quantum information processing is proven.


title: Jupiter and Super-Earth embedded in a gaseous disc

abstract:
  In this paper we investigate the evolution of a pair of interacting planets -
a Jupiter mass planet and a Super-Earth with the 5.5 Earth masses - orbiting a
Solar type star and embedded in a gaseous protoplanetary disc. We focus on the
effects of type I and II orbital migrations, caused by the planet-disc
interaction, leading to the Super-Earth capture in first order mean motion
resonances by the Jupiter. The stability of the resulting resonant system in
which the Super-Earth is on the internal orbit relatively to the Jupiter has
been studied numerically by means of full 2D hydrodynamical simulations. Our
main motivation is to determine the Super-Earth behaviour in the presence of
the gas giant in the system. It has been found that the Jupiter captures the
Super-Earth into the interior 3:2 or 4:3 mean motion resonances and the
stability of such configurations depends on the initial planet positions and
eccentricity evolution. If the initial separation of planet orbits is larger or
close to that required for the exact resonance than the final outcome is the
migration of the pair of planets with the rate similar to that of the gas giant
at least for time of our simulations. Otherwise we observe a scattering of the
Super-Earth from the disc. The evolution of planets immersed in the gaseous
disc has been compared with their behaviour in the case of the classical
three-body problem when the disc is absent.


title: Remarks on the Friedman equations

abstract: We give some heuristic results for FRW situations with Ricci flow.


title: Comments on "Solar System constraints to general f(R) gravity"

abstract:
  We comment on, and complete, the analysis of the weak field limit of metric
f(R) gravity in T. Chiba, T.L. Smith, and A.L. Erickcek, Phys. Rev. D 75,
124014 (2007).


title:
Destruction and Resurrection of Atomic Giant resonances in Endohedral
  Atoms A@C60

abstract:
  It is demonstrated that in photoabsorption by endohedral atoms some atomic
Giant resonances are almost completely destroyed while the others are totally
preserved due to different action on it of the fullerenes shell. As the first
example we discuss the 4d10 Giant resonance in Xe@C60 whereas as the second
serves the Giant autoionization resonance in Eu@C60. The qualitative difference
comes from the fact that photoelectrons from the 4d Giant resonance has small
energies (tens of eV) and are strongly reflected by the C60 fullerenes shell.
As to the Eu@C60, Giant autoionization leads to fast photoelectrons (about
hundred eV) that go out almost untouched by the C60 shell. As a result of the
outgoing electrons energy difference the atomic Giant resonances will be
largely destroyed in A@C60 while the Giant autoionization resonance will be
almost completely preserved. Thus, on the way from Xe@C60 Giant resonance to
Eu@C60 Giant autoionization resonance the oscillation structure should
disappear. Similar will be the decrease of oscillations on the way from pure
Giant to pure Giant autoionization resonances for the angular anisotropy
parameters. At Giant resonance frequencies the role of polarization of the
fullerenes shell by the incoming photon beam is inessential. Quite different is
the situation for the outer electrons in Eu@C60, the photoionization of which
will be also considered.


title:
Pygmy dipole response of proton rich argon beyond the random phase
  approximation

abstract:
  The occurrence of a pygmy dipole resonance in proton rich Ar-32 and Ar-34 is
studied using the unitary correlator operator method interaction Vucom, based
on Argonne V18. Predictions from the random phase approximation (RPA) and the
shell model in a no-core basis are compared.
  It is found that the inclusion of configuration mixing up to
two-particle--two-holes broadens the pygmy strength slightly and reduces
sensibly its strength, as compared to the RPA predictions. For Ar-32 a clear
peak associated with a pygmy resonance is found. For Ar-34, the pygmy states
are obtained close to the giant dipole resonance and mix with it.


title: Clustering of 2PIGG galaxy groups with 2dFGRS galaxies

abstract:
  Prompted by indications from QSO lensing that there may be more mass
associated with galaxy groups than expected, we have made new dynamical infall
estimates of the masses associated with 2PIGG groups and clusters. We have
analysed the redshift distortions in the cluster-galaxy cross-correlation
function as a function of cluster membership, cross-correlating z<0.12 2PIGG
clusters and groups with the full 2dF galaxy catalogue. We have made estimates
of the dynamical infall parameter beta and new estimates of the group velocity
dispersions. We first find that the amplitude of the full 3-D redshift space
cross-correlation function, xi_{cg}, rises monotonically with group membership.
We use a simple linear-theory infall model to fit xi(sigma, pi) in the range
5<s<40h^{-1}Mpc. We find that the beta versus membership relation for the data
shows a minimum at intermediate group membership n~20 or L~2x10^11h^-2Lsun,
implying that the bias and hence M/L ratios rise by a significant factor (~5x)
both for small groups and rich clusters. However, the mocks show a systematic
shift between the location of the beta minimum and the M/L minimum at
L~10^10h^-2Lsun given by direct calculation using the known DM distribution.
Our overall conclusion is that bias estimates from dynamical infall appear to
support the minimum in star-formation efficiency at intermediate halo masses.
Nevertheless, there may still be significant systematic problems arising from
measuring beta~1/b using large-scale infall rather than M/L using small-scale
velocity dispersions.


title: Schramm-Loewner Evolution

abstract:
  This is the first expository set of notes on SLE I have written since
publishing a book two years ago [45]. That book covers material from a
year-long class, so I cannot cover everything there. However, these notes are
not just a subset of those notes, because there is a slight change of
perspective. The main differences are:
  o I have defined SLE as a finite measure on paths that is not necessarily a
probability measure. This seems more natural from the perspective of limits of
lattice systems and seems to be more useful when extending SLE to non-simply
connected domains. (However, I do not discuss non-simply connected domains in
these notes.)
  o I have made more use of the Girsanov theorem in studying corresponding
martingales and local martingales.
  As in [45], I will focus these notes on the continuous process SLE and will
not prove any results about convergence of discrete processes to SLE. However,
my first lecture will be about discrete processes -- it is very hard to
appreciate SLE if one does not understand what it is trying to model.