title: Recent Results from 2 pi-zero Photoproduction off the Proton

abstract:
  The reaction $\gamma p \to \pi^0 \pi^0 p$ has been measured using the TAPS
BaF$_2$ calorimeter at the tagged photon facility of the Mainz Microtron
accelerator in the beam energy range from threshold up to 820 MeV. Close to
threshold, chiral perturbation theory (ChPT) predicts that this channel is
significantly enhanced compared to double pion final states with charged pions.
The strength is attributed dominantly to pion loops in the 2\Piz{} channel - a
finding that opens new prospects for the test of ChPT. Our measurement is the
first which is sensitive enough for a conclusive comparison with the ChPT
calculation and is in agreement with its prediction. The data are also in
agreement with a calculation in the unitary chiral approach.
  In the second resonance region, a recent model interpretation of new GRAAL
data claimed a dominance of the $\Roper \to \sigma N$ reaction process. We
present very accurate invariant mass distributions of ${\Piz \Piz}$ and ${\Piz
p}$ systems, which are in contrast to the $\sigma N$ intermediate state and
which show a dominance of the $\Delta \pi$ intermediate state.


title: Isospin Diffusion in Heavy Ion Reactions

abstract:
  Using symmetric 112Sn+112Sn, 124Sn+124Sn collisions as references, we probe
isospin diffusion in peripheral asymmetric 112Sn+124Sn, 124Sn+112Sn systems at
incident energy of E/A=50 MeV. Isoscaling analyses imply that the
quasi-projectile and quasi-target in these collisions do not achieve isospin
equilibrium, permitting an assessment of the isospin transport rates. We find
that comparisons between isospin sensitive experimental and theoretical
observables, using suitably chosen scaled ratios, permit investigation of the
density dependence of the asymmetry term of the nuclear equation of state.


title:
New determinations of gamma-ray line intensities of the Ep = 550 keV and
  Ep = 1747 keV resonances of the 13-C(p,gamma)14-N reaction

abstract:
  Gamma-ray angular distributions for the resonances at Ep = 550 keV and 1747
keV of the radiative capture reaction 13-C(p,g)14-N have been measured, using
intense proton beams on isotopically pure 13-C targets. Relative intensities
for the strongest transitions were extracted with an accuracy of typically five
per cent, making these resonances new useful gamma-ray standards for efficiency
calibration in the energy range Egamma = 1.6 to 9 MeV.


title: Associated strangeness production in pp collisions near threshold

abstract:
  Motivated by the ongoing discussion concerning the nature of the scalar
resonances f0(980) and a0(980), the COSY-11 collaboration has taken exclusive
data on the pp->ppK+K- reaction near the production threshold. A first total
cross section sigma=(1.80+-0.27+0.28-0.35)nb for the excess energy Q=17 MeV has
been determined. In contrary to the eta, omega and eta' single meson production
studies which clearly show the strong pp final state interaction (FSI), the
cross section values obtained at COSY-11 and DISTO can be both described by a
fit with a four-body phase space including the proton-proton final state
interaction as well as with one-meson exchange calculations neglecting FSI
effects. Therefore, one might think about a compensation of the strong pp
interaction through a pK- FSI effect or an additional degree of freedom caused
by the four-body final state. In the latter case, strong FSI effects can be
expected at Q-values very close to the K+K- production threshold. Such a
motivation triggered -- in combination with the investigation of the
kaon-Antikaon interaction being relevant to the structure of the f0(980) --
further measurements at the excess energies Q=10 and Q=28 MeV at COSY-11.


title: Experimental studies of unbound neutron-rich nuclei

abstract:
  The three-body description of two-neutron halo nuclei relies on the two-body
interactions between the constituents. In order to provide constraints on
calculations devoted to $^{14}$Be and $^{17}$B, neutron unbound states of
$^{13}$Be and $^{16}$B have been investigated by one-proton knockout. The
experimental techniques and results are discussed here.


title: Quasi-free $\pi^0$ Photoproduction from the Bound Nucleon

abstract:
  Differential cross-sections for quasi-free $\pi^0$ photoproduction from the
proton and neutron bound in the deuteron have been measured for $E_\gamma= 200
- 400$ MeV at $\theta^{\rm lab}_\gamma = 136.2^\circ$ usind the Glasgow photon
tagger at MAMI, the Mainz 48 cm $\varnothing$ $\times$ 64 cm NaI(Tl) photon
detector and the G\"ottingen SENECA recoil detector. For the proton
measurements made with both liquid deuterium and liquid hydrogen targets allow
direct comparison of "free" $\pi^0$ photoproduction cross-sections as extracted
from the bound proton data with experimental free cross sections which are
found to be in reasonable agreement below 320 MeV. At higher energies the
"free" cross sections extracted from quasifree data are significantly smaller
than the experimental free cross sections and theoretical predictions based on
multipole analysis. For the first time, "free" neutron cross sections have been
extracted in the $\Delta$-region. They are also in agreement with the
predictions from multipole analysis up to 320 MeV and significantly smaller at
higher photon energies.


title: Azimuthal anisotropy at RHIC: the first and fourth harmonics

abstract:
  We report the first observations of the first harmonic (directed flow, v_1),
and the fourth harmonic (v_4), in the azimuthal distribution of particles with
respect to the reaction plane in Au+Au collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion
Collider (RHIC). Both measurements were done taking advantage of the large
elliptic flow (v_2) generated at RHIC. From the correlation of v_2 with v_1 it
is determined that v_2 is positive, or {\it in-plane}. The integrated v_4 is
about a factor of 10 smaller than v_2. For the sixth (v_6) and eighth (v_8)
harmonics upper limits on the magnitudes are reported.


title: High-precision measurement of the half-life of $^{62}$Ga

abstract:
  The beta-decay half-life of 62Ga has been studied with high precision using
on-line mass separated samples. The decay of 62Ga which is dominated by a 0+ to
0+ transition to the ground state of 62Zn yields a half-life of T_{1/2} =
116.19(4) ms. This result is more precise than any previous measurement by
about a factor of four or more. The present value is in agreement with older
literature values, but slightly disagrees with a recent measurement. We
determine an error weighted average value of all experimental half-lives of
116.18(4) ms.


title: Double $\pi^0$ Photoproduction off the Proton at Threshold

abstract:
  The reaction $\gamma p \to \pi^0 \pi^0 p$ has been measured using the TAPS
BaF$_2$ calorimeter at the tagged photon facility of the Mainz Microtron
accelerator. Chiral perturbation theory (ChPT) predicts that close to threshold
this channel is significantly enhanced compared to double pion final states
with charged pions. In contrast to other reaction channels, the lower order
tree terms are strongly suppressed in 2$\pi^0$ photoproduction. The consequence
is the dominance of pion loops in the 2$\pi^0$ channel close to threshold - a
result that opens new prospects for the test of ChPT and in particular its
inherent loop terms. The present measurement is the first which is sensitive
enough for a conclusive comparison with the ChPT calculation and is in
agreement with its prediction. The data also show good agreement with a
calculation in the unitary chiral approach.


title:
Space-Time Properties of Hadronization from Nuclear Deep Inelastic
  Scattering

abstract:
  Hadronization, the process by which energetic quarks evolve into hadrons, has
been studied phenomenologically for decades. However, little experimental
insight has been gained into the space-time features of this fundamentally
non-perturbative process. New experiments at Jefferson Lab, in combination with
HERMES data, will provide significant new insights into the phenomena connected
with hadron formation in deep inelastic scattering, such as quark energy loss
in-medium, gluon emission, and color field restoration.


title:
Production cross-sections and momentum distributions of fragments from
  neutron-deficient 36Ar at 1.05 A.GeV

abstract:
  We have measured production cross sections and longitudinal momentum
distributions of fragments from neutron-deficient 36Ar at 1.05 A.GeV. The
production cross-sections show excellent agreement with the predictions of the
semiempirical formula EPAX. We have compared these results, involving extremly
neutron deficient nuclei, with model calculations to extract informa tion about
the response of these models close to the driplines. The longitudinal momentum
distributions have also been extracted and are compared with the Goldhaber and
Morrissey systematics.


title: Isospin Effects in Nuclear Multifragmentation

abstract:
  We develop an improved Statistical Multifragmentation Model that provides the
capability to calculate calorimetric and isotopic observables with precision.
With this new model we examine the influence of nuclear isospin on the fragment
elemental and isotopic distributions. We show that the proposed improvements on
the model are essential for studying isospin effects in nuclear
multifragmentation. In particular, these calculations show that accurate
comparisons to experimental data require that the nuclear masses, free energies
and secondary decay must be handled with higher precision than many current
models accord.


title: A multi-detector array for high energy nuclear e+e- pair spectrosocopy

abstract:
  A multi-detector array has been constructed for the simultaneous measurement
of energy- and angular correlation of electron-positron pairs produced in
internal pair conversion (IPC) of nuclear transitions up to 18 MeV. The
response functions of the individual detectors have been measured with
mono-energetic beams of electrons. Experimental results obtained with 1.6 MeV
protons on targets containing $^{11}$B and $^{19}$F show clear IPC over a wide
angular range. A comparison with GEANT simulations demonstrates that angular
correlations of $e^+e^-$ pairs of transitions in the energy range between 6 and
18 MeV can be determined with sufficient resolution and efficiency to search
for deviations from IPC due to the creation and subsequent decay into $e^+e^-$
of a hypothetical short-lived neutral boson.


title:
Production of eta and eta-prime mesons via the quasi-free proton-neutron
  interaction

abstract:
  A comparison of the close-to-threshold total cross sections for the eta-prime
meson production in both the pp --> pp eta-prime and pn --> pn eta-prime
reactions should provide insight into the flavour-singlet (perhaps also into
gluonium) content of the eta-prime meson and the relevance of quark-gluon or
hadronic degrees of freedom in the creation process. The excitation function
for the reaction pp --> pp eta-prime has been already established. At present,
experimental investigations of the quasi-free pn --> pn X reactions are carried
out at the COSY-11 facility using a beam of stochastically cooled protons and
the deuteron cluster target. A method of measurement and preliminary results
from the test experiments of the pn --> pn eta reaction are presented in this
report.


title:
Charm production and in-medium QCD energy loss in nucleus-nucleus
  collisions with ALICE. A performance study

abstract:
  This work is aimed at studying the performance of the ALICE detector for
measuring charm production in heavy ion collisions at the LHC and for
investigating the properties of the deconfined quark-gluon medium formed in
central nucleus-nucleus reactions by a comparison of its `opacities' to massive
(charm) quarks and massless partons.
  The topics discussed in the thesis can be summarized as follows.
  Definition of a baseline for heavy quarks production cross sections and
kinematical distributions at LHC energies, using (and comparing) pQCD tools
(HVQMNR program) and the PYTHIA event generator.
  Study of the experimental issues related to the identification of the
displaced decay vertices of charm mesons: track impact parameter resolution and
primary vertex reconstruction.
  Definition of a strategy for the exclusive reconstruction of D^0 \to K\pi
decays with ALICE in Pb-Pb and pp collisions and evaluation of the performance
in terms of momentum range, precision and accuracy of the measurement.
  Study and simulation of the predicted parton energy loss effect, including a
realistic description of the collision geometry and an algorithm to take into
account the expected lower loss for heavy quarks (dead cone effect). Assessment
of a strategy to carry out comparative measurements of the quenching of charm
quarks and massless partons and evaluation of the attainable sensitivity.


title:
Hadronic Multi-Particle Final State Measurements with CLAS at Jefferson
  Lab

abstract:
  Precision measurements in the neutrino sector are becoming increasingly
feasible due to the development of relatively high-rate experimental
capabilities. These important developments command renewed attention to the
systematic corrections needed to interpret the data. Hadronic multi-particle
final state measurements made using CLAS at Jefferson Lab, together with a
broad theoretical effort that links electro-nucleus and neutrino-nucleus data,
will address this problem, and will elucidate long-standing problems in
intermediate energy nuclear physics. This new work will ultimately enable
precision determinations of fundamental quantities such as the neutrino mixing
matrix elements in detailed studies of neutrino oscillations.


title: Measurement of the Neutron Lifetime Using a Proton Trap

abstract:
  We report a new measurement of the neutron decay lifetime by the absolute
counting of in-beam neutrons and their decay protons. Protons were confined in
a quasi-Penning trap and counted with a silicon detector. The neutron beam
fluence was measured by capture in a thin 6LiF foil detector with known
absolute efficiency. The combination of these simultaneous measurements gives
the neutron lifetime: tau_n = 886.8 +/- 1.2[stat] +/- 3.2[sys] seconds. The
systematic uncertainty is dominated by uncertainties in the mass of the 6LiF
deposit and the 6Li(n,t) cross section. This is the most precise measurement of
the neutron lifetime to date using an in-beam method.


title:
Elliptic flow contribution to two-particle correlations at different
  orientations to the reaction plane

abstract:
  Collective anisotropic particle flow, a general phenomenon present in
relativistic heavy-ion collisions, can be separated from direct
particle-particle correlations of different physics origin by virtue of its
specific azimuthal pattern. We provide expressions for flow-induced
two-particle azimuthal correlations, if one of the particles is detected under
fixed directions with respect to the reaction plane. We consider an ideal case
when the reaction plane angle is exactly known, as well as present the general
expressions in case of finite event-plane resolution. We foresee applications
for the study of generic two-particle correlations at large transverse momentum
originating from jet fragmentation.


title:
Evidence of Final-State Suppression of High-p_T Hadrons in Au + Au
  Collisions Using d + Au Measurements at RHIC

abstract:
  Transverse momentum spectra of charged hadrons with ${p_{T} <}$ 6 GeV/c have
been measured near mid-rapidity (0.2 $< \eta <$ 1.4) by the PHOBOS experiment
at RHIC in Au + Au and d + Au collisions at ${\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}} = \rm {200
GeV}}$. The spectra for different collision centralities are compared to ${p +
\bar{p}}$ collisions at the same energy. The resulting nuclear modification
factor for central Au + Au collisions shows evidence of strong suppression of
charged hadrons in the high-$p_{T}$ region (${>2}$ GeV/c). In contrast, the d +
Au nuclear modification factor exhibits no suppression of the high-$p_{T}$
yields. These measurements suggest a large energy loss of the high-$p_{T}$
particles in the highly interacting medium created in the central Au + Au
collisions. The lack of suppression in d + Au collisions suggests that it is
unlikely that initial state effects can explain the suppression in the central
Au + Au collisions.


title:
Pseudorapidity Distribution of Charged Particles in d + Au Collisions at
  $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV

abstract:
  The measured pseudorapidity distribution of primary charged particles in
minimum-bias d + Au collisions at ${\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}} = \rm {200 GeV}}$ is
presented for the first time. This distribution falls off less rapidly in the
gold direction as compared to the deuteron direction. The average value of the
charged particle pseudorapidity density at midrapidity is ${\rm < dN_{ch}/d\eta
>_{\mid \eta \mid \le 0.6} = 9.4 \pm 0.7(syst)}$ and the integrated primary
charged particle multiplicity in the measured region is 82 $\pm$ 6(syst).
Estimates of the total charged particle production, based on extrapolations
outside the measured pseudorapidity region, are also presented. The
pseudorapidity distribution, normalized to the number of participants in d + Au
collisions, is compared to those of Au + Au and ${\rm p}+\bar{\rm p}$ systems
at the same energy. The d + Au distribution is also compared to the predictions
of the parton saturation model, as well as microscopic models.


title: The Nuclear Liquid-Gas Phase Transition: Q.E.D

abstract:
  For the past decade, intense experimental effort has been devoted to the
search for a liquid-gas phase transition in highly excited nuclei. Now,
synthesis of the large body of existing multifragmentation data provides a
strong case for identification of this phenomenon. In this presentation we
discuss several salient features of the data that support their interpretation
in terms of a spinodal liquid-gas phase transition.


title: Threshold Perspectives on Meson Production

abstract:
  Studies of meson production in nucleon-nucleon collisions at threshold are
characterised by few degrees of freedom in a configuration of well defined
initial and final states with a transition governed by short range dynamics.
Effects from low-energy scattering in the exit channel are inherent to the data
and probe the interaction in baryon-meson and meson-meson systems otherwise
difficult to access.
  From dedicated experiments at the present generation of cooler rings precise
data are becoming available on differential and eventually spin observables
allowing detailed comparisons between complementary final states. To discuss
physics implications of generic and specific properties, recent experimental
results on meson production in proton-proton scattering obtained at CELSIUS and
COSY serve as a guideline.


title:
Comment on "Electromagnetic dissociation of ^8B and the astrophysical
  S-factor for ^7Be(p,gamma)^8B"

abstract:
  Recently, Davids and Typel recommended a "low" value of S_{17}(0) based on
fits to published direct and Coulomb dissociation data, in which they excluded
the precise result of Junghans et al. We show that their statistical analysis
is incorrect, due to a substantial underestimate of the experimental
uncertainties, and leads to conclusions that are not supported by a proper
analysis.


title: White Paper on the Majorana Zero-Neutrino Double-Beta Decay Experiment

abstract:
  The objective of the Majorana Experiment is to study neutrinoless double beta
decay (0nbb) with an effective Majorana-neutrino mass sensitivity below 50 meV
in order to characterize the Majorana nature of the neutrino, the Majorana mass
spectrum, and the absolute mass scale. An experimental study of the neutrino
mass scale implied by neutrino oscillation results is now technically within
our grasp. This exciting physics goal is best pursued using the
well-established technique of searching for 0nbb of 76Ge, augmented with recent
advances in signal processing and detector design. The Majorana Experiment will
consist of a large mass of 76Ge in the form of high-resolution intrinsic
germanium detectors located deep underground within a low-background shielding
environment. Observation of a sharp peak at the bb endpoint will quantify the
0nbb half-life and thus the effective Majorana mass of the electron neutrino.
In addition to the modest R&D program, we present here an overview of the
entire project in order to help put in perspective the scope, the low level of
technical risk, and the readiness of the Collaboration to immediately begin the
undertaking.


title:
Study of Multiparticle Azimuthal Correlations in Central Nucleus-Nucleus
  Collisions at Energy of 3.7 GeV per Nucleon

abstract:
  The multiparticle azimuthal correlations between protons and between pions in
central C-Ne, Mg-Mg, C-Cu and O-Pb collisions at energy of 3.7 GeV/nucleon
(Streamer Chamber experiment of JINR) have been studied. The dependence of the
azimuthal correlations function on the angle between the transverse momentum
vectors sums of particles emitted in forward and backward hemispheres have been
studied;
  A detailed study of pion production in central Mg-Mg collisions have been
performed by use of the Lorentz invariant variables;
  Comparison of the obtained experimental results with predictions of
intranuclear cascade model (CASIMIR) and Quark Gluon String Model (QGSM) have
been carried out.


title: Supersymmetry and Identical Bands

abstract:
  Supersymmetry as applied to identical bands is discussed. A review of the
work of the Koeln-Dubna group on this topic is given and examples in 171,172Yb,
173,174Hf, and 195,194Pt are discussed. The role of pseudo-spin in the
supersymmetry is investigated. A recent precision lifetime measurement for
identical bands in 171,172Yb is discussed.


title: Liquid-gas phase transition in hot nuclei studied with INDRA

abstract:
  Thanks to the high detection quality of the INDRA array, signatures related
to the dynamics (spinodal decomposition) and thermodynamics (negative
microcanonical heat capacity) of a liquid-gas phase transition have been
simultaneously studied in multifragmentation events in the Fermi energy domain.
The correlation between both types of signals strongly supports the existence
of a first order phase transition for hot nuclei.


title:
Production of Charged Pions and Hadrons in Au+Au Collisions at
  sqrt(s_NN)=130GeV

abstract:
  The STAR experiment has measured the production of charged hadrons and
identified charged pions as a function of transverse momentum,
(pseudo-)rapidity, and centrality in Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN)=130GeV. The
mean transverse momentum of charged hadrons(pions) increases by roughly
22%(15%) from peripheral to central collisions. As a function of
(pseudo-)rapidity, the measured yields and spectral shapes are consistent with
a Lorentz-boost invariant mid-rapidity region at least within |y|<0.5 for all
collision centralities. We compare our measurements of the integrated charged
particle (pseudo)-rapidity density per participating nucleon-pair with two
models representing different phenomenological concepts of particle production
and featuring opposing parameterizations of the centrality dependence of the
rapidity density. We furthermore explore the discriminating power of our
measurement against the theoretical calculations in the light of uncertainties
originating from the determination of the average number of participating
nucleons <Npart>.


title:
First Results on K+ Production in pp and pD Interactions from ANKE and
  Planned Experiments on the Light Scalar Resonances a0/f0(980) at COSY

abstract:
  ANKE is a magnetic spectrometer and detection system at an internal target
position of COSY-Juelich optimized for charged kaon detection. Recent results
from ANKE on kaon production in pp and pD interactions are reported. From the
pp data first absolutely normalized angular and invariant-mass spectra for the
reaction pp -> dK+ K0-bar have been obtained. A partial-wave decomposition
reveals a strong contribution of S-wave KK-bar pairs with low relative energy,
suggesting dominance of resonant kaon production via the a0+(980). This
indicates that systematic studies of the light scalar resonances a0/f0(980) are
possible at COSY. Final goal of these measurements -- requiring a
neutral-particle detector which is not yet available -- is to obtain
information about the charge-symmetry breaking a0-f0 mixing. From the analysis
of the pD data it is concluded that the K+ production cross section on the
neutron is significantly larger as compared to the proton. A cross-section
ratio of sigma(n)/sigma(p) ~ 4 is deduced.


title:
Evidence for two-photon exchange contributions in electron-proton and
  positron-proton elastic scattering

abstract:
  The comparison of positron-proton and electron-proton elastic scattering
cross sections is a sensitive test for the presence of two-photon exchange
contributions. Thirty years ago, positron data were considered adequate to set
tight limits on the size of two-photon corrections. More recently, these
radiative corrections have again become a matter of great interest as a
possible explanation for the discrepancy between Rosenbluth and polarization
transfer measurements of the proton electromagnetic form factors. We have
reexamined the electron and positron scattering data to see if they can
accommodate two-photon effects of the size necessary to account for the
Rosenbluth-polarization transfer discrepancy. The data are consistent with
simple estimates of the two-photon contributions necessary to explain the
discrepancy. In fact, they strongly favor a large epsilon-dependent correction
to the positron to electron ratio, providing the first direct experimental
evidence for a two-photon contribution to unpolarized lepton-proton scattering.


title: Recent Investigations of Cascaded GEM and MHSP detectors

abstract:
  We present results from our recent investigations on detectors comprising
cascaded gas electron multipliers (GEM) and cascaded GEMs with micro-hole and
strip (MHSP) electrodes. We discuss the factors governing the operation of
these fast radiation imaging detectors, that have single-charge sensitivity.
The issue of ion-backflow and ion-induced secondary effects is discussed in
some detail, presenting ways for its reduction and suppression. Applications
are presented in the fields of photon imaging in the UV-to-visible spectral
range as well as x-ray and neutron imaging.


title:
Transverse mass distributions of strange particles produced in Pb-Pb
  collisions at 158 A GeV/c

abstract:
  Experiment NA57 has collected high statistics, high purity samples of
$K^0_s$, $\Lambda$, $\Xi$ and $\Omega$ produced in Pb-Pb collisions at 158 $A$
GeV/$c$. In this paper we present a study of the transverse mass spectra of
these particles for a sample of events corresponding to about the most central
55% of the inelastic Pb-Pb cross section. We analyse the transverse mass
distributions in the framework of the blast-wave model for the full sample
under consideration and, for the first time at the SPS, as a function of the
event centrality.


title:
Study of neutron response and n-gamma discrimination by charge
  comparison method for small liquid scintillation detector

abstract:
  The study of the neutron response and n-gamma discrimination for small
(18x26x8) mm3 liquid scintillator BC501A (Bicron) detector was carried out by
digital charge comparison method. Three ranges of neutron energies were used:
uniform distribution from 0.95 MeV to 1.23 MeV, continuous spectra of AmBe
source and monoenergetic 16.2 MeV neutrons. The obtained results are compared
with those for cylindrical liquid scintillation detector (40 mm diameter, 60 mm
length) at the same energies of neutrons. A dramatic fall of the neutron
response function at 400 keVee for small detector at 16.2 MeV neutron energy
was measured. For (0.95 - 1.23) MeV neutron energy range such fall takes place
at 260 keVee. The greater slope of neutron locus at (0.95 - 1.23) MeV neutron
energy comparing to 16.2 MeV for both detectors is explained by longer tail of
pulse from proton recoils within (0.1-1.23) MeV energy range.


title:
Resonance Production in Au+Au and p+p Collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}} = $
  200 GeV

abstract:
  The $\rho^0(770)$, $K^{*0}(892)$, $f_{0}(980)$, $\phi(1020)$, and
$\Lambda(1520)$ production in Au+Au and p+p collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}} = $
200 GeV are presented. These resonances are used as a sensitive tool to examine
the collision dynamics in the hadronic medium through their decay and
regeneration. The modification of resonance mass, width, and shape due to phase
space and dynamical effects are also discussed.


title:
$\Lambda$ and $\bar{\Lambda}$ Production in Central Pb-Pb Collisions at
  40, 80, and 158 A$\cdot$GeV

abstract:
  Production of Lambda and Antilambda hyperons was measured in central Pb-Pb
collisions at 40, 80, and 158 A$\cdot$GeV beam energy on a fixed target.
Transverse mass spectra and rapidity distributions are given for all three
energies. The $\Lambda/\pi$ ratio at mid-rapidity and in full phase space shows
a pronounced maximum between the highest AGS and 40 A$\cdot$GeV SPS energies,
whereas the $\bar{\Lambda}/\pi$ ratio exhibits a monotonic increase.


title:
Solving the Solar Neutrino Problem 2 km Underground -- the Sudbury
  Neutrino Observatory

abstract:
  The Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) is capable of measuring simultaneously
the flux of electron-type neutrinos and the total flux of all active flavours
of neutrinos originating from the Sun. A model-independent test of neutrino
flavour transformation was performed by comparing these two measurements.
Assuming an undistorted neutrino energy spectrum, this transformation has been
definitively demonstrated in the pure D2O phase of the SNO experiment. In the
second phase with dissolved NaCl in the D2O, the total active solar neutrino
flux was measured without any assumption on the energy dependence of flavour
transformation. In this talk, results from these measurements, their physics
implications and the current status of the SNO experiment are presented.


title:
Complex nuclear-structure phenomena revealed from the nuclide production
  in fragmentation reactions

abstract:
  Complex structural effects in the nuclide production from the projectile
fragmentation of 1 A GeV 238U nuclei in a titanium target are reported. The
structure seems to be insensitive to the excitation energy induced in the
reaction. This is in contrast to the prominent structural features found in
nuclear fission and in transfer reactions, which gradually disappear with
increasing excitation energy. Using the statistical model of nuclear reactions,
relations to structural effects in nuclear binding and in the nuclear level
density are demonstrated.


title: How Accurately Do We Know the Formation of Solar 8B?

abstract:
  The large value of \S17 = 22.1 \xpm 0.6 eV-b, reported by the Seattle group,
suggests a larger total \b8 solar neutrino flux. Together with the two high
precision values quoted for \s34 it is either 20% or 9% larger than measured by
SNO. While the accuracy of the Standard Solar Model has recently been
revisited, precise nuclear inputs are still relevant, but a detailed
examination of current data on \xs17 (as opposed to an examination of \S17
only) excludes quoting \S17 with sufficiently small uncertainty. In contrast to
suggestions that \S17 is now known with the (impressive) accuracy of \xpm 3%,
the exact value of \S17 is dependent on the choice of the data and the choice
of theory used for extrapolation. In addition recent high precision results
(including the Seattle data) on \xs17 which are in good agreement, still differ
on the measured slopes, as does the theory, precluding an accurate
extrapolation to zero energy of the consistent data. Using a common
extrapolation of only the consistent high precision data, suggests a value of
\S17 = 21.2 \xpm 0.5 eV-b, but a value equal to or smaller than 19.0 eV-b can
not be excluded due to the uncertainty in the extrapolation, leading to an
additional error of $^{+0.0}_{-3.0}$ eV-b. A proposal to remedy this situation
is discussed.


title:
Search for pairing-vibration states of even Ca isotopes in
  $^{40}$Ca+$^{208}$Pb transfer reactions

abstract:
  Multi-nucleon transfer reactions in $^{40}$Ca+$^{208}$Pb have been studied at
several bombarding energies close to the Coulomb barrier. Light reaction
products have been identified in mass and charge with a time-of-flight
spectrometer. The energy spectra of the inclusive two neutron pick-up channel
show a population in a narrow region of excitation energies which corresponds
to the predicted energy of pairing vibration states in $^{42}$Ca.


title:
Perspectives for the study of charm in-medium quenching at the LHC with
  ALICE

abstract:
  Charm mesons produced in nucleus-nucleus collisions are expected to be less
attenuated (quenched) by the medium than hadrons containing only light quarks,
since radiative energy loss of heavy quarks should be reduced by the
`dead-cone' effect. We start from a published energy-loss model to derive the
quenching for D mesons at the LHC, introducing an approximation of the
dead-cone effect and employing a Glauber-based description of the geometry of
central Pb-Pb collisions to estimate the in-medium path lengths of c quarks. We
show that the exclusive reconstruction of D^0 \to K\pi decays in ALICE allows
to measure the nuclear modification factor of the D mesons transverse momentum
distribution and the D/(charged hadrons) ratio and, thus, to investigate the
energy loss of c quarks.


title:
Analysis of the eta meson production mechanism via the p(pol)p-->ppeta
  reaction

abstract:
  Polarisation observables constitute a powerful tool for establishing the
production mechanism of the eta meson and for infering the presence of higher
partial waves in the final system. Measurements of the proton analysing power
for the p(pol)p-->ppeta reaction have been performed by the COSY-11 group at
three different excess energies: Q=10, 37 and 40 MeV. Data at Q=40 MeV indicate
that the eta meson is probably produced in partial waves higher than s wave.


title: Production of Neutron-Rich Hypernuclei at Dafne2

abstract:
  The search for neutron-rich Hypernuclei is connected to many aspects of
hypernuclear physics and of astrophysics. The discovery of these exotic
Hypernuclei is possible by the Finuda experiment coupled to a DaFne upgrade to
a luminosity of L = 10^34 cm-2s-1, a condition at which their production rates
are here evaluated considering the possible mechanisms.


title:
Eccentricity fluctuations and its possible effect on elliptic flow
  measurements

abstract:
  The elliptic flow measured at RHIC has been interpreted as a signature for
strong partonic interactions early in the collision and as an indication of a
well developed quark-gluon plasma phase. The measured values of elliptic flow,
using methods based on multi-particle correlations, are affected by
fluctuations in the magnitude of the elliptic flow. In this Letter, using a
Monte Carlo Glauber calculation, we estimate what the possible effect of
spatial eccentricity fluctuations is on the determination of elliptic flow.


title:
Azimuthally sensitive Hanbury Brown-Twiss interferometry in Au+Au
  collisions at sqrt(s_{NN}) = 200 GeV

abstract:
  We present the results of a systematic study of the shape of the pion
distribution in coordinate space at freeze-out in Au+Au collisions at RHIC
using two-pion Hanbury Brown-Twiss (HBT) interferometry. Oscillations of the
extracted HBT radii vs. emission angle indicate sources elongated perpendicular
to the reaction plane. The results indicate that the pressure and expansion
time of the collision system are not sufficient to completely quench its
initial shape.


title:
A precise method for the detection of the two photons from the neutral
  pion decay in hypernuclear spectroscopy

abstract:
  An experimental technique for the light lambda-hypernuclei structure studies
by using (negative kaon, neutral pion) reaction and Neutral Meson Spectrometer
(NMS) developed at the BNL has been described. Position dependence calibration
of the BGO conversion planes of the NMS was invented as the solution to the
crucial constraint of the high resolution in single-lambda spectroscopy.
Position parameters of the BGO crystal rods were fitted out from the
out-of-kaon beam measured data as obtained by the original small highly
collimated Co-60 source method, based on the coincidences between top and
bottom signals of each BGO rod.


title: Photoproduction of eta-mesic 3He

abstract:
  The photoproduction of eta-mesic 3He has been investigated using the TAPS
calorimeter at the Mainz Microtron accelerator facility MAMI. The total
inclusive cross section for the reaction gamma+3He->eta+X has been measured for
photon energies from threshold to 820 MeV. The total and angular differential
coherent eta cross sections have been extracted up to energies of 745 MeV. A
resonance-like structure just above the eta production threshold with an
isotropic angular distribution suggests the existence of a resonant quasi-bound
state. This is supported by studies of a competing decay channel of such a
quasi-bound eta-mesic nucleus into pi^0+p+X. A binding energy of (-4.4+-4.2)
MeV and a width of (25.6+-6.1) MeV is deduced for the quasi-bound eta-mesic
state in 3He.


title: Azimuthally-sensitive interferometry and the source lifetime at RHIC

abstract:
  Pion interferometry ("HBT") measurements relative to the reaction plane
provide an estimate of the transverse source anisotropy at freeze-out, which
probes the system dynamics and evolution duration. Measurements by the STAR
Collaboration indicate that the source is extended increasingly out-of-plane
with increasing impact parameter, suggesting a short evolution duration roughly
consistent with estimates based on azimuthally-integrated HBT measurements.


title: Neutrino Mass Patterns and Future Double-Beta Decay Experiments

abstract:
  The next generation of double-beta decay experiments have an excellent chance
of providing data on the neutrino mass pattern. This presentation is a summary
of what is currently known about the mass pattern and expectations from
experiment. Uncertainties due to the precision in the oscillation parameters
are not critical to the interpretation of a zero-neutrino, double-beta decay
measurement in terms of the mass pattern. Even though there is reason for
optimism, the matrix element uncertainty is still a concern. A selected,
representative group of the future experiments is discussed.


title: Effect of Shell Structure on Fission Isoscaling

abstract:
  Recently, the fragment yield ratios were investigated in the fission of
238,233U targets induced by 14 MeV neutrons [1]. The effect of the deformed
shell structure around N=64 on the dynamics of scission was suggested as an
explanation of the observed breakdown of the isoscaling behavior. As an
alternative explanation, the effect of binding energy of final fragments, in
particular the neutron shell closure of the complementary fragment around N=82,
was suggested by Friedman [2]. When applying that concept consistently, the
observed two breakdowns of the isoscaling behavior around N=62 and N=80 signal
the effect of two shell closures (N=82 and N=64) on the dynamics of scission.
To separate the two effects, we examine the isoscaling plots obtained using
fission fragment yield data from the spontaneous fission of the heavier nuclei
248,244Cm and find that the breakdown of isoscaling around N=64 persists even
if it can not be related to shell closure of the complementary fragment and
thus it manifests the effect of the deformed shell structure in the scission
configuration.


title: Astrophysical S-factor of 14N(p,g)15O

abstract:
  We report on a new measurement of the 14N(p,g)15O capture cross section at
E_p = 140 to 400 keV using the 400 kV LUNA accelerator facility. The
uncertainties have been reduced with respect to previous measurements and their
analysis. We have analyzed the data using the R-matrix method and we find that
the ground state transition accounts for about 15 % of the total S-factor. The
main contribution to the S-factor is given by the transition to the 6.79 MeV
state. We find a total S(0) = 1.7+/-0.2 keV b.


title: The Strange Quark Contribution to the Proton's Magnetic Moment

abstract:
  We report a new determination of the strange quark contribution to the
proton's magnetic form factor at a four-momentum transfer Q2 = 0.1 (GeV/c)^2
from parity-violating e-p elastic scattering. The result uses a revised
analysis of data from the SAMPLE experiment which was carried out at the
MIT-Bates Laboratory. The data are combined with a calculation of the proton's
axial form factor GAe to determine the strange form factor GMs(Q2=0.1)=0.37 +-
0.20 +- 0.26 +- 0.07. The extrapolation of GMs to its Q2=0 limit and comparison
with calculations is also discussed.


title: New measurement of G_E/G_M for the proton

abstract:
  Recent polarization transfer measurements of the proton form factors disagree
with previous Rosenbluth extractions. In addition to providing insight into the
proton structure, the form factors also provide crucial input for the analysis
of quasielastic experiments, and this discrepancy could have a significant
impact on such experiments at moderate-to-large Q^2 values. In 2002, a new
``SuperRosenbluth'' measurement was performed to help understand this origin of
this discrepancy, as well its implications on other experiments. Preliminary
results agree with previous Rosenbluth extractions, indicating that the
discrepancy must be related to some fundamental flaw in either the Rosenbluth
or polarization transfer technique.


title:
Experimental study of $\mu$--atomic and $\mu$--molecular processes in
  pure helium and deuterium--helium mixtures

abstract:
  We present experimental results of $\mu$--atomic and $\mu$--molecular
processes induced by negative muons in pure helium and helium--deuterium
mixtures. The experiment was performed at the Paul Scherrer Institute
(Switzerland). We measured muonic x--ray $K$ series transitions relative
intensities in $(\mu{}^{3,4}\mathrm{He})^*$ atoms in pure helium as well as in
helium--deuterium mixture. The muon stopping powers ratio between helium and
deuterium atoms and the $d \mu{}^3 \mathrm{He}$ radiative decay probability of
for two different helium densities in $\mathrm{D}_2 + {}^3\mathrm{He}$ mixture
were also determined. Finally, the $\mathrm{q}_{1s}^{\mathrm{He}}$ probability
for a $d\mu$ atom formed in an excited state to reach the ground state was
measured and compared with theoretical calculations using a simple cascade
model.


title: Search for a Theta++ Pentaquark State

abstract:
  Recent reports about the Theta+ (formerly known as Z+), a pentaquark state,
have awakened considerable interest. We report our findings in search of a
Theta++ state over a wide range in mass in the reaction gp-->Theta++K- from our
analysis of CLAS data. The existence or nonexistence of this state might
resolve the question of the isotensor states.


title:
Comment on B. Davids et al.; Proton-Decaying States in 22Mg and the
  Nucleosynthesis of 22Na in Novae

abstract:
  B.S. Davids {\em et al.} make the explicit assumption that radiative widths
of analog states in \ne22 and \mg22 are equal. We demonstrate that this
misapplication of iso-spin symmetry leads to very wrong results. Considerations
of elementary nuclear structure suggests that such an assumption can be
inaccurate by a large factor (in \mg22), as is evident from a comparison with
recent measurements of radiative width in \mg22. Estimates of radiative widths
from analog transitions are common but often wrong (e.g. in \mg22) and should
not be considered a useful tool in nuclear astrophysics.


title: Demonstration of a solid deuterium source of ultra-cold neutrons

abstract:
  Ultra-cold neutrons (UCN), neutrons with energies low enough to be confined
by the Fermi potential in material bottles, are playing an increasing role in
measurements of fundamental properties of the neutron. The ability to
manipulate UCN with material guides and bottles, magnetic fields, and gravity
can lead to experiments with lower systematic errors than have been obtained in
experiments with cold neutron beams. The UCN densities provided by existing
reactor sources limit these experiments. The promise of much higher densities
from solid deuterium sources has led to proposed facilities coupled to both
reactor and spallation neutron sources. In this paper we report on the
performance of a prototype spallation neutron-driven solid deuterium source.
This source produced bottled UCN densities of 145 +/-7 UCN/cm3, about three
times greater than the largest bottled UCN densities previously reported. These
results indicate that a production UCN source with substantially higher
densities should be possible.


title:
Multistrange Hyperon Production in Pb+Pb collisions at 30, 40, 80 and
  158 A$\cdot$GeV

abstract:
  A non-monotonic energy dependence of the $K^{+} / \pi^{+}$ ratio with a sharp
maximum close to 30 A$\cdot$GeV is observed in central Pb+Pb collisions. Within
a statistical model of the early stage, this is interpreted as a sign of the
phase transition to a QGP, which causes a sharp change in the energy dependence
of the strangeness to entropy ratio. This observation naturally motivates us to
study the production of multistrange hyperons ($\Xi$, $\Omega$) as a function
of the beam energy. Furthermore it was suggested that the kinematic freeze-out
of $\Omega$ takes place directly at QGP hadronization. If this is indeed the
case, the transverse momentum spectra of the $\Omega$ directly reflect the
transverse expansion velocity of a hadronizing QGP. In this report we show
preliminary NA49 results on $\Omega^{-}$ and $\bar{\Omega}^{+}$ production in
central Pb+Pb collisions at 40 and 158 A$\cdot$GeV and compare them to
measurements of $\Xi^{-}$ and $\bar{\Xi}^{+}$ production in central Pb+Pb
collisions at 30, 40, 80 and 158 A$\cdot$GeV.


title: Nuclear Stopping in Au+Au Collisions at sqrt(sNN) = 200 GeV

abstract:
  Transverse momentum spectra and rapidity densities, dN/dy, of protons,
anti-protons, and net--protons (p-pbar) from central (0-5%) Au+Au collisions at
sqrt(sNN) = 200 GeV were measured with the BRAHMS experiment within the
rapidity range 0 < y < 3. The proton and anti-proton dN/dy decrease from
mid-rapidity to y=3. The net-proton yield is roughly constant for y<1 at
dN/dy~7, and increases to dN/dy~12 at y~3. The data show that collisions at
this energy exhibit a high degree of transparency and that the linear scaling
of rapidity loss with rapidity observed at lower energies is broken. The energy
loss per participant nucleon is estimated to be 73 +- 6 GeV.


title: QCD hard scattering results from PHENIX at RHIC

abstract:
  Data on hadron production at high transverse momentum ($p_T>$ 2 GeV/$c$) in
p+p, d+Au, and Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}$ = 200 GeV from the PHENIX
experiment at RHIC are reviewed. The single inclusive spectrum of light hadrons
produced in central Au+Au reactions shows significant differences compared to
p+p and d+Au collisions, and provides interesting information on the properties
of the underlying QCD medium present in heavy-ion reactions at collider
energies.


title: Probing the QGP with charm at ALICE-LHC

abstract:
  The exclusive reconstruction of D^0 mesons in the ALICE experiment allows to
study the QCD energy loss of charm quarks in the deconfined quark-gluon plasma
(QGP) medium expected to be produced in central nucleus-nucleus collisions at
the Large Hadron Collider.


title:
Bose-Einstein Correlations of Charged Pion Pairs in Au+Au Collisions at
  sqrt(s_NN)=200_ GeV

abstract:
  Bose-Einstein correlations of identically charged pion pairs were measured by
the PHENIX experiment at mid-rapidity in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm
NN}}$ = 200 GeV. The Bertsch-Pratt radius parameters were determined as a
function of the transverse momentum of the pair and as a function of the
centrality of the collision. Using the \it{full} Coulomb correction, the ratio
$R_{\rm out}/R_{\rm side}$ is smaller than unity for $<k_{\rm T}>$ from 0.25 to
1.2 GeV/c and for all measured centralities. However, using recently developed
partial Coulomb correction methods, we find that $R_{\rm out}/R_{\rm side}$ is
0.8-1.1 for the measured $<k_{\rm T}>$ range, and approximately constant at
unity with the number of participants.


title:
Molecular resonance phenomena and alpha-clustering: recent progress and
  perspectives

abstract:
  The connection between molecular resonance phenomena in light heavy-ion
collisions, alpha-clustering and extremely deformed states in light
$\alpha$-like nuclei is discussed. For example, the superdeformed bands
recently discovered in light N=Z nuclei such as $^{36}$Ar, $^{40}$Ca,
$^{48}$Cr, and $^{56}$Ni by $\gamma$-ray spectroscopy may have a special link
with resonant states in collisions with $\alpha$-like nuclei. The resonant
reactions involving identical bosons such as $^{12}$C+$^{12}$C,
$^{16}$O+$^{16}$O $^{24}$Mg+$^{24}$Mg and $^{28}$Si+$^{28}$Si are of interest.
For instance, a butterfly mode of vibration of the J$^{\pi}$ = 38$^{+}$
resonance of $^{28}$Si+$^{28}$Si has been discovered in recent particle
$\gamma$-ray angular correlations measurements. The search for signatures of
strongly deformed shapes and clustering in light N=Z nuclei is also the domain
of charged particle spectroscopy. The investigation of $\gamma$-decays in
$^{24}$Mg has been undertaken for excitation energies where previously nuclear
molecular resonances were found in $^{12}$C+$^{12}$C collisions. In this case
the $^{12}$C-$^{12}$C scattering states can be related to the breakup resonance
and, tentatively, to the resonant radiative capture $^{12}$C+$^{12}$C reaction.


title: Muon lifetime and muon capture

abstract:
  We present an introduction to the MuLAN and MuCAP experiments at PSI, which
aim at high precision determinations of two fundamental Weak Interactions
parameters: the Fermi constant $G_{F}$ and the induced pseudoscalar form factor
$g_{p}$, respectively.


title:
Particle Production at Very Low Transverse Momenta in Au+Au Collisions
  at s(NN)**1/2 = 200 GeV

abstract:
  We present results on charged particle production at very low transverse
momenta in the 15% most central Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 200 GeV
obtained with the PHOBOS detector at RHIC. The invariant yields were measured
at mid-rapidity in the transverse momentum ranges from 30 to 50 MeV/c for
charged pions, 90 to 130 MeV/c for charged kaons and 140 to 210 MeV/c for
protons and antiprotons. No significant enhancement in low transverse momentum
particle production is observed as compared to extrapolations of identified
particle spectra measured at an intermediate pT range. The spectra tend to
flatten at low pT, consistent with the expectations of transverse expansion of
the system.


title: Lambda and Phi Production in Heavy Ion Collisions

abstract:
  Recent NA49 results on $\Lambda$ and $\phi$ production in central Pb-Pb
collisions at beam energies from 40 to 158 A$\cdot$GeV are presented.


title:
Photon and neutral pion production in Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_{NN}) =
  130 GeV

abstract:
  We report the first inclusive photon measurements about mid-rapidity
(|y|<0.5) from Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_{NN}) = 130 GeV at RHIC. Photon pair
conversions were reconstructed from electron and positron tracks measured with
the Time Projection Chamber (TPC) of the STAR experiment. With this method, an
energy resolution of Delta(E)/E = 2% at 0.5 GeV has been achieved.
Reconstructed photons have also been used to measure the transverse momentum
(pt) spectra of pi0 mesons about mid-rapidity (|y|<1) via the pi0 -> photon
photon decay channel. The fractional contribution of the pi0 -> photon photon
decay to the inclusive photon spectrum decreases by 20% +/- 5% between pt =
1.65 GeV/c and pt = 2.4 GeV/c in the most central events, indicating that
relative to pi0 -> photon photon decay the contribution of other photon sources
is substantially increasing.


title:
A measurement of parity-violating gamma-ray asymmetries in polarized
  cold neutron capture on 35Cl, 113Cd, and 139La

abstract:
  An apparatus for measuring parity-violating asymmetries in gamma-ray emission
following polarized cold neutron capture was constructed as a 1/10th scale test
of the design for the forthcoming n+p->d+gamma experiment at LANSCE. The
elements of the polarized neutron beam, including a polarized 3He neutron spin
filter and a radio frequency neutron spin rotator, are described. Using CsI(Tl)
detectors and photodiode current mode readout, measurements were made of
asymmetries in gamma-ray emission following neutron capture on 35Cl, 113Cd, and
139La targets. Upper limits on the parity-allowed asymmetry $s_n \cdot
(k_{\gamma} \times k_n)$ were set at the level of 7 x 10^-6 for all three
targets. Parity-violating asymmetries $s_n \cdot k_{\gamma}$ were observed in
35Cl, A_gamma = (-29.1 +- 6.7) x 10^-6, and 139La, A_gamma = (-15.5 +- 7.1) x
10^-6, values consistent with previous measurements.


title: Strangeness Production in pp and pn Reactions at COSY

abstract:
  The COoler SYnchrotron COSY-J\"ulich delivers phase-space cooled, polarized
proton and deuteron beams with momenta up to p=3.65 GeV/c. Various experiments
on hadron-induced strangeness production on proton, neutron and nuclear targets
have been carried out. Here we report about recent results on associated
strangeness production in pp -> KYN (Y= Lambda,Sigma) reactions, on K^+
production in pn collisions, and on K K-bar pair production in pp interactions.
We also briefly discuss possible measurements to disentangle the parity of the
recently discovered pentaquark state Theta^+, the spin dependence of the YN
interaction, as well as planned experiments which aim at the determination of
the a_0-f_0 mixing matrix element, a quantity which is believed to be sensitive
to the nature of the light scalar mesons a_0/f_0(980).


title:
Total and Differential Cross Sections for the pp-->pp eta-prime Reaction
  Near Threshold

abstract:
  The eta-prime meson production in the reaction pp-->pp eta-prime has been
studied at excess energies of Q = 26.5, 32.5 and 46.6 MeV using the internal
beam facility COSY-11 at the cooler synchrotron COSY. The total cross sections
as well as one angular distribution for the highest Q-value are presented. The
excitation function of the near threshold data can be described by a pure
s-wave phase space distribution with the inclusion of the proton-proton final
state interaction and Coulomb effects. The obtained angular distribution of the
eta-prime mesons is also consistent with pure s-wave production.


title:
Effect of neutron composition and excitation energy of primary fragments
  on isospin observables in multifragmentation

abstract:
  The isospin properties of primary and secondary fragments produced in
multifragmentation of Fe + Ni and Fe + Fe systems with respect to Ni + Ni
system are analyzed within the statistical multifragmentation model framework.
The reduced neutron and proton densities show an asymmetry in the primary
fragments, that is lessened after secondary decay. with increasing isospin
(N/Z) this effect increases, while the sensitivity of fragment isospin towards
excitation energy and N/Z of the primary fragments remains unchanged.


title: Transient effects in fission evidenced from new experimental signatures

abstract:
  A new experimental approach is introduced to investigate the relaxation of
the nuclear deformation degrees of freedom. Highly excited fissioning systems
with compact shapes and low angular momenta are produced in peripheral
relativistic heavy-ion collisions. Both fission fragments are identified in
atomic number. Fission cross sections and fission-fragment element
distributions are determined as a function of the fissioning element. From the
comparison of these new observables with a nuclear-reaction code a value for
the transient time is deduced.


title:
New Approaches to Investigations of the Angular Correlations in Neutron
  Decay

abstract:
  A new method of measurements of angular correlations in neutron decay is
proposed. It excludes the need of precise spectroscopy of decay products and
thus promises to make the systematic uncertainties of the results much lower
than in experiments carried out up to day.


title:
Low amplitude part of the electron detector response and its
  significance in neutron angular correlation measurements

abstract:
  Results of a study of the possibilities to reduce the low amplitude "tail" of
the response characteristic of various electron detectors are presented. The
main reason of such attribute of all detectors used in electron epectrometry is
the energy of several hundreds KeV taken by the backscattered electrons. A
simple method of rejecting the events when the electrons are backscattered -
the use of a second -"veto" - detector in anticoincidences with the main
detector was investigated. The low amplitude "tail" in the response curve could
be reduced by a factor of 3 - 4 . The remaining effect - about 1% of the
integral has yet no explanation. Additional experiments showed that only
\~0.2-0.3% can be related to bremmsstrahlung. The significance of this effect
in the study of angular correlations in neutron beta decay was analyzed too
with the help of a simplified computer model. As a result, we propose a method
of calculating appropriate corrections which promise to reduce the systematic
uncertainty in the measurement of the "a" correlation coefficient which going
to be carried out in the near future.


title: Excitation Function of <pt> and Net Charge Fluctuations at RHIC

abstract:
  We present measurements of net charge and transverse momentum fluctuations in
Au + Au collisions at ?sNN = 20, 130, and 200 GeV reported in our QM 2004
poster using measures ?+-,dyn and <?pt,1 ?pt,2>. We observe the dynamical
fluctuations are finite at all three energies and exhibit a rather modest
dependence on beam energy. We also find both net charge and pt fluctuations
violate the trivial 1/N scaling expected for nuclear collisions consisting of
independent nucleon-nucleon interactions. We speculate the observed centrality
dependence arises due to radial flow and might provide insight on the width and
shape of the radial flow profile.


title: Light-ion production in the interaction of 96 MeV neutrons with silicon

abstract:
  Double-differential cross sections for light-ion (p, d, t, He-3 and alpha)
production in silicon, induced by 96 MeV neutrons are reported. Energy spectra
are measured at eight laboratory angles, ranging from 20 degrees to 160 degrees
in steps of 20 degrees. Procedures for data taking and data reduction are
presented. Deduced energy-differential, angle-differential and production cross
sections are reported. Experimental cross sections are compared to theoretical
reaction model calculations and experimental data in the literature.


title: General properties of the pion production reaction in nuclear matter

abstract:
  The pion production reaction $\pi^+ \to \pi^+\pi^{\pm}$ on $^{45}Sc$ was
studied at incident pion energies of $T_{\pi^{+}}$ = 240, 260, 280, 300, and
320 MeV. The experiment was performed using the $M11$ pion-channel at TRIUMF,
and multiparticle events, ($\pi^+,\pi^+\pi^{\pm}$) and
($\pi^+,\pi^+\pi^{\pm}p$), were detected with the CHAOS spectrometer. Results
are reported in the form of both differential and total cross sections, and are
compared to theoretical predictions and the reaction phase space. The present
investigation of the T-dependence of the $\pi^+ A \to \pi^+\pi^{\pm} A'$
reaction complements earlier examinations of the A-dependence of the reaction,
which was measured using $^{2}H$, $^{4}He$, $^{12}C$, $^{16}O$, $^{40}Ca$, and
$^{208}Pb$ targets at $\sim$280 MeV. Some general properties of the
pion-induced pion production reaction in nuclear matter will be presented,
based on the combined results of the two studies.


title:
Measurement of Strange Quark Contributions to the Nucleon's Form Factors
  at Q^2=0.230 (GeV/c)^2

abstract:
  We report on a measurement of the parity-violating asymmetry in the
scattering of longitudinally polarized electrons on unpolarized protons at a
$Q^2$ of 0.230 (GeV/c)^2 and a scattering angle of \theta_e = 30^o - 40^o.
Using a large acceptance fast PbF_2 calorimeter with a solid angle of
\Delta\Omega = 0.62 sr the A4 experiment is the first parity violation
experiment to count individual scattering events. The measured asymmetry is
A_{phys} =(-5.44 +- 0.54_{stat} +- 0.27_{\rm sys}) 10^{-6}. The Standard Model
expectation assuming no strangeness contributions to the vector form factors is
$A_0=(-6.30 +- 0.43) 10^{-6}$. The difference is a direct measurement of the
strangeness contribution to the vector form factors of the proton. The
extracted value is G^s_E + 0.225 G^s_M = 0.039 +- 0.034 or F^s_1 + 0.130 F^s_2
= 0.032 +- 0.028.


title:
Energy dependence of the Lambda/Sigma0 production cross section ratio in
  p-p interactions

abstract:
  Measurements of the near threshold Lambda and Sigma0 production via the
pp-->pK+Lambda/Sigma0 reaction at COSY--11 have shown that the Lambda/Sigma0
cross section ratio exceeds the value at high excess energies Q>=300 MeV by an
order of magnitude. For a better understanding additional data have been taken
between 13 MeV and 60 MeV excess energy. Within the first 20 MeV excess energy
a strong decrease of the cross section ratio is observed, with a less steep
decrease in the higher excess energy range. A description of the data with a
parametrisation including p-Y final state interactions suggests a much smaller
p-Sigma0 FSI compared to the p-Lambda system.


title:
The dynamics of the quasielastic 16O(e,e'p) reaction at Q^2 = 0.8
  (GeV/c)^2

abstract:
  The physics program in Hall A at Jefferson Lab commenced in the summer of
1997 with a detailed investigation of the 16O(e,e'p) reaction in quasielastic,
constant (q,w) kinematics at Q^2 ~ 0.8 (GeV/c)^2, q ~ 1 GeV/c, and w ~ 445 MeV.
Use of a self-calibrating, self-normalizing, thin-film waterfall target enabled
a systematically rigorous measurement. Differential cross-section data for
proton knockout were obtained for 0 < Emiss < 120 MeV and 0 < pmiss < 350
MeV/c. These results have been used to extract the ALT asymmetry and the RL,
RT, RLT, and RL+TT effective response functions. Detailed comparisons of the
data with Relativistic Distorted-Wave Impulse Approximation, Relativistic
Optical-Model Eikonal Approximation, and Relativistic Multiple-Scattering
Glauber Approximation calculations are made. The kinematic consistency of the
1p-shell normalization factors extracted from these data with respect to all
available 16O(e,e'p) data is examined. The Q2-dependence of the normalization
factors is also discussed.


title: New limits on di-nucleons decay into invisible channels

abstract:
  Data of the radiochemical experiment [E.L.Fireman, 1978] with 1.7 t of
KC_2H_3O_2, accumulated deep underground during ~1 yr, were reanalyzed to set
limits on di-nucleons (nn and np) decays into invisible channels
(disappearance, decay into neutrinos, etc.). The obtained lifetime bounds
tau_np > 2.1 10^25 yr and tau_nn > 4.2 10^25 yr (at 90% C.L.) are better (or
competitive) than those established in the recent experiments.


title:
First Results on In-Beam gamma Spectroscopy of Neutron-Rich Na and Mg
  Isotopes at REX-ISOLDE

abstract:
  After the successful commissioning of the radioactive beam experiment at
ISOLDE (REX-ISOLDE) - an accelerator for exotic nuclei produced by ISOLDE -
first physics experiments using these beams were performed. Initial experiments
focused on the region of deformation in the vicinity of the neutron-rich Na and
Mg isotopes. Preliminary results show the high potential and physics
opportunities offered by the exotic isotope accelerator REX in conjunction with
the modern Germanium gamma spectrometer MINIBALL.


title: A Backscatter-Suppressed Beta Spectrometer for Neutron Decay Studies

abstract:
  We describe a beta electron spectrometer for use in an upcoming experiment
that will measure the beta-antineutrino correlation coefficient (a-coefficient)
in neutron beta decay. Electron energy is measured by a thick plastic
scintillator detector. A conical array of plastic scintillator veto detectors
is used to suppress events where the electron backscattered. A Monte Carlo
simulation of this device in the configuration of the a-coefficient experiment
is presented. The design, construction, and testing of a full-scale prototype
device is described. We discuss the performance of this spectrometer with
respect to its suitability for the experiment.


title:
Centrality dependence of charged-particle pseudorapidity distributions
  from d+Au collisions at sqrt(s_{NN})=200 GeV

abstract:
  Charged-particle pseudorapidity densities are presented for the d+Au reaction
at sqrt{s_{NN}}=200 GeV with -4.2 <= eta <= 4.2$. The results, from the BRAHMS
experiment at RHIC, are shown for minimum-bias events and 0-30%, 30-60%, and
60-80% centrality classes. Models incorporating both soft physics and hard,
perturbative QCD-based scattering physics agree well with the experimental
results. The data do not support predictions based on strong-coupling,
semi-classical QCD. In the deuteron-fragmentation region the central 200 GeV
data show behavior similar to full-overlap d+Au results at sqrt{s_{NN}}=19.4
GeV.


title: The New Physics at RHIC. From Transparency to High p$_t$ Suppression

abstract:
  Heavy ion collisions at RHIC energies (Au+Au collisions at
$\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200$ GeV) exhibit significant new features as compared to
earlier experiments at lower energies. The reaction is characterized by a high
degree of transparency of the collisions partners leading to the formation of a
baryon-poor central region. In this zone, particle production occurs mainly
from the stretching of the color field. The initial energy density is well
above the one considered necessary for the formation of the Quark Gluon Plasma,
QGP. The production of charged particles of various masses is consistent with
chemical and thermal equilibrium. Recently, a suppression of the high
transverse momentum component of hadron spectra has been observed in central
Au+Au collisions. This can be explained by the energy loss experienced by
leading partons in a medium with a high density of unscreened color charges. In
contrast, such high $p_t$ jets are not suppressed in d+Au collisions suggesting
that the high $p_t$ suppression is not due to initial state effects in the
ultrarelativistic colliding nuclei.


title: Neutron capture measurements at a RIA-type facility

abstract:
  Neutron capture cross sections of unstable isotopes are important for neutron
induced nucleosynthesis as well as for technological applications. The Rare
Isotope Accelerator (RIA) or comparable facilities will be able to produce
radioactive ion beams up to 10**12 particles/s and would therefore be a
suitable place for (n,g) studies on radioactive isotopes with half-lives
between days and months. We propose a facility for measurements of (n,g) cross
sections of unstable isotopes in the keV range suited for minimal sample masses
down to 10**15 atoms, corresponding to minimum half-lives of only 10 d.


title: Selected Parity Violation Experiments

abstract:
  I start by reviewing existing $\vec{p}p$ measurements with particular
emphasis on the recent 221 MeV $\vec{p}p$ measurement at TRIUMF which permitted
the weak meson-nucleon coupling constants $h^{pp}_\rho$ and $h^{pp}_\omega$ to
be determined separately for the first time. I then review $\vec{n}p$
experiments, with specific details of the $\vec{n}p \to d\gamma$ experiment now
under preparation at Los Alamos National Laboratory. This experiment will
provide a clean measurement of the weak pion nucleon coupling, $f_\pi$.
Finally, I discuss $\vec{e}p$ parity violation experiments, particularly the
Gzero experiment under way at Jefferson Lab in Virginia. This experiment will
measure the weak form factors $G_E^z$ and $G_M^z$, allowing the distribution of
strange quarks in the quark sea to be determined.


title:
The spin-dependent nd scattering length - a proposed high-accuracy
  measurement

abstract:
  The understanding of few-nucleon systems at low energies is essential, e.g.
for accurate predictions of element abundances in big-bang and stellar fusion.
Novel effective field theories, taking only nucleons, or nucleons and pions as
explicit degrees of freedom, provide a systematic approach, permitting an
estimate of theoretical uncertainties. Basic constants parameterising the short
range physics are derived from only a handful of experimental values. The
doublet neutron scattering length a_2 of the deuteron is particularly sensitive
to a three-nucleon contact interaction, but experimentally known with only 6%
accuracy. It can be deduced from the two experimentally accessible parameters
of the nd scattering length. We plan to measure the poorly known "incoherent"
nd scattering length a_{i,d} with 10^{-3} accuracy, using a Ramsey apparatus
for pseudomagnetic precession with a cold polarised neutron beam at PSI. A
polarised target containing both deuterons and protons will permit a
measurement relative to the incoherent np scattering length, which is know
experimentally with an accuracy of 2.4\times 10^{-4}.


title:
Measurements of electron-proton elastic cross sections for $0.4 < Q^2 <
  5.5 (GeV/c)^2$

abstract:
  We report on precision measurements of the elastic cross section for
electron-proton scattering performed in Hall C at Jefferson Lab. The
measurements were made at 28 unique kinematic settings covering a range in
momentum transfer of 0.4 $<$ $Q^2$ $<$ 5.5 $(\rm GeV/c)^2$. These measurements
represent a significant contribution to the world's cross section data set in
the $Q^2$ range where a large discrepancy currently exists between the ratio of
electric to magnetic proton form factors extracted from previous cross section
measurements and that recently measured via polarization transfer in Hall A at
Jefferson Lab.


title: Inclusive K^+ meson production in proton-nucleus interactions

abstract:
  The production of K^+ mesons in pA (A = D, C, Cu, Ag, Au) collisions has been
investigated at the COoler SYnchrotron COSY-J\"ulich for beam energies T_p =
1.0 - 2.3 GeV. Double differential inclusive pC cross sections at forward
angles theta < 12 degrees as well as the target-mass dependence of the K^+
momentum spectra have been measured with the ANKE spectrometer. Far below the
free NN threshold at T_{NN}=1.58 GeV the spectra reveal a high degree of
collectivity in the target nucleus. From the target-mass dependence of the
cross sections at higher energies, the repulsive in-medium potential of K^+
mesons can be deduced. Using pN cross-section parameterisations from literature
and our measured pD data we derive a cross-section ratio of sigma(pn -> K^+ X)
/ sigma(pp -> K^+ X) ~ (3-4).


title:
STAR-Scheduler: A Batch Job Scheduler for Distributed I/O Intensive
  Applications

abstract:
  We present the implementation of a batch job scheduler designed for
single-point management of distributed tasks on a multi-node compute farm. The
scheduler uses the notion of a meta-job to launch large computing tasks
simultaneously on many nodes from a single user command. Job scheduling on
specific computing nodes is predicated on the availability of user specified
data files co-located with the CPUs where the analysis is meant to take place.
Large I/O intensive data analyses may thus be efficiently conducted on multiple
CPUs without the limitations implied by finite LAN or WAN bandwidths. Although
this Scheduler was developed specifically for the STAR Collaboration at
Brookhaven National Laboratory, its design is sufficiently general, it can be
adapted to virtually any other data analysis tasks carried out by large
scientific collaborations.


title:
Analysis of charged particle emission sources and coalescence in E/A =
  61 MeV $^{36}$Ar + $^{27}$Al, $^{112}$Sn and $^{124}$Sn collisions

abstract:
  Single-particle kinetic energy spectra and two-particle small angle
correlations of protons ($p$), deuterons ($d$) and tritons ($t$) have been
measured simultaneously in 61A MeV $^{36}$Ar + $^{27}$Al, $^{112}$Sn and
$^{124}$Sn collisions. Characteristics of the emission sources have been
derived from a ``source identification plot'' ($\beta_{source}$--$E_{CM}$
plot), constructed from the single-particle invariant spectra, and compared to
the complementary results from two-particle correlation functions. Furthermore,
the source identification plot has been used to determine the conditions when
the coalescence mechanism can be applied for composite particles. In our data,
this is the case only for the Ar + Al reaction, where $p$, $d$ and $t$ are
found to originate from a common source of emission (from the overlap region
between target and projectile). In this case, the coalescence model parameter,
$\tilde{p}_0$ -- the radius of the complex particle emission source in momentum
space, has been analyzed.


title:
Nuclide Production in 197Au, 208Pb, and natU Irradiated with 0.8-1 GeV
  Protons: Comparison with other Experiments and with Theoretical Predictions

abstract:
  The ITEP proton synchrotron U10 was used to irradiate isotopically-enriched
208Pb and natU thin targets with 1.0 GeV protons and 197Au thin targets with
0.8 GeV protons. More than 400 cross sections of the nuclides produced were
measured using the direct spectrometry method with a high-resolution Ge
detector. The measured cross sections are compared with similar data obtained
at GSI for kinematically inverse reactions of 1 GeV/nucleon 208Pb, 1
GeV/nucleon 238U, and 0.8 GeV/nucleon 197Au interacting with a hydrogen target
and with the ZSR data on natPb and 197Au irradiated with 1 and 0.8 GeV protons,
respectively. Our results are on average ~ 10 to 20% higher than the GSI data.
The measured data are analyzed with the LANL codes CEM2k+GEM2 and LAQGSM+GEM2
and with the INCL intranuclear cascade code from Liege merged with the GSI
evaporation/fission code ABLA.


title:
High-Energy Threshold Reaction Rates on 0.8 GeV Proton-Irradiated Thick
  W and W-Na Targets

abstract:
  Threshold activation reaction rates in 12C, 19F, 27Al, 59Co, 63Cu, 65Cu,
64Zn, 93Nb, 115In, 169Tm, 181Ta, 197Au, and 209Bi experimental samples placed
along the axis inside and outside the 0.8 GeV proton-irradiated 92-cm thick
W-Na and 4-cm thick W targets where measured at the ITEP proton synchrotron.
158 reactions of up to +AH4-0.5 GeV thresholds have been measured in 123
activation samples for W-Na target, and 157 reactions in 36 activation samples
for W target. The reaction rates were determined using the gamma-spectrometry
method. In total, more than 1000 values of activation reactions were determined
in the experiments. In both cases the measured reaction rates were compared
with the LAHET code simulated rates and using several nuclear databases for the
respective excitation functions, namely, ENDF/B6 for cross section of neutrons
at energies below 20 MeV and MENDL2 together with MENDL2P for cross sections of
protons and neutrons of 20 to 100 MeV energies. A general satisfactory
agreement between simulated and experimental data has been found.


title: Quark participants and global observables

abstract:
  We show that the centrality dependence of charged particle and photon
pseudorapidity density at midrapidity along with the transverse energy
pseudorapidity density at SPS and RHIC energies scales with the number of
participating constituent quarks. The number of charged particles and
transverse energy per participant constituent quark is found to increase with
increase in beam energy.


title: Pion Interferometry in AuAu Collisions at sqrt{s_{NN}}=200 GeV

abstract:
  We present preliminary results from a two-pion intensity interferometry
analysis from Au+Au collisions at sqrt{s_{NN}}=200 GeV measured in the STAR
detector at RHIC. The dependence of the apparent pion source on multiplicity
and transverse momentum are discussed and compared with preliminary results
from d+Au and p+p collisions at the same beam energy.


title:
Establishment of M1 multipolarity of a 6.5 mu_N^2 resonance in 172-Yb at
  E_gamma=3.3 MeV

abstract:
  Two-step-cascade spectra in 172-Yb have been measured after thermal neutron
capture. They are compared to calculations based on experimental values of the
level density and radiative strength function (RSF) obtained from the
173-Yb(3-He,alpha gamma)172-Yb reaction. The multipolarity of a 6.5(15) mu_N^2
resonance at E_gamma=3.3(1) MeV in the RSF is determined to be M1 by this
comparison.


title: GEANT simulations of neutron capture experiments with a 4p BaF2 detector

abstract:
  The goal of this research project is to give quantitative information useful
for the design of a g-ray detector to investigate neutron capture (n, g)
reactions on radioactive nuclei at the Manuel Lujan Jr. Neutron Scattering
Center (MLNSC) moderated neutron source at LANSCE. Data for neutron energies
from thermal up to approximately 500 keV are desired. The radioactive nuclei
can have half-lives as short as a few months. With the sample sizes foreseen,
typically 1 mg, the radioactive decay rate can exceed tens of Curies (Ci).


title:
Detection of D^0 mesons via hadronic decays in Pb-Pb collisions at LHC
  with ALICE

abstract:
  The ALICE experiment is devoted to the study of heavy-ion collisions at the
CERN LHC collider. We present the results of a feasibility study for the
detection of D^0 \to K^-\pi^+ decays in Pb-Pb collisions with ALICE.


title:
Azimuthal dependence of collective expansion for symmetric heavy ion
  collisions

abstract:
  Detailed studies of the azimuthal dependence of the mean fragment and flow
energies in the Au+Au and Xe+CsI systems are reported as a function of incident
energy and centrality. Comparisons between data and model calculations show
that the flow energy values along different azimuthal directions could be
viewed as snapshots of the fireball expansion with different exposure times.
For the same number of participating nucleons more transversally elongated
participant shapes from the heavier system produce less collective transverse
energy. Good agreement with BUU calculations is obtained for a soft nuclear
equation of state.


title: Deformation of the N=Z nucleus 76Sr using beta-decay studies

abstract:
  A novel method of deducing the deformation of the N=Z nucleus 76Sr is
presented. It is based on the comparison of the experimental Gamow-Teller
strength distribution B(GT) from its beta decay with the results of QRPA
calculations. This method confirms previous indications of the strong prolate
deformation of this nucleus in a totally independent way. The measurement has
been carried out with a large Total Absorption gamma Spectrometer, "Lucrecia",
newly installed at CERN-ISOLDE.


title:
Obvious enhancement of the total reaction cross sections for $^{27,28}$P
  with $^{28}$Si target and the possible relavent mechanisms

abstract:
  The reaction cross sections of $^{27,28}$P and the corresponding isotones on
Si target were measured at intermediate energies. The measured reaction cross
sections of the N=12 and 13 isotones show an abrupt increase at $% Z=15$. The
experimental results for the isotones with $Z\leq 14$ as well as $% ^{28}$P can
be well described by the modified Glauber theory of the optical limit approach.
The enhancement of the reaction cross section for $^{28}$P could be explained
in the modified Glauber theory with an enlarged core. Theoretical analysis with
the modified Glauber theory of the optical limit and few-body approaches
underpredicted the experimental data of $^{27}$P. Our theoretical analysis
shows that an enlarged core together with proton halo are probably the
mechanism responsible for the enhancement of the cross sections for the
reaction of $^{27}$P+$^{28}$Si.


title: Highlights on beauty detection in nucleus-nucleus collisions with ALICE

abstract:
  We describe a strategy for the detection of open beauty in the
semi-electronic channel with ALICE evaluating the expected S/(S+B) ratio.


title: Parity-violating electroweak asymmetry in $\vec{e} p$ scattering

abstract:
  We have measured the parity-violating electroweak asymmetry in the elastic
scattering of polarized electrons from protons. Significant contributions to
this asymmetry could arise from the contributions of strange form factors in
the nucleon. The measured asymmetry is $A = -15.05 \pm 0.98 ({\rm stat}) \pm
0.56 ({\rm syst})$ ppm at the kinematic point $<\theta_{\rm lab} > =
12.{3^\circ} $ and $<Q^2 > = 0.477$ (GeV/c)$^2$. Based on these data as well as
data on electromagnetic form factors, we extract the linear combination of
strange form factors $G^s_E + 0.392 G^s_M = 0.014 \pm 0.020 \pm 0.010$ where
the first error arises from this experiment and the second arises from the
electromagnetic form factor data. This paper provides a full description of the
special experimental techniques employed for precisely measuring the small
asymmetry, including the first use of a strained GaAs crystal and a
laser-Compton polarimeter in a fixed target parity-violation experiment.


title:
Multiplicity correlations of intermediate-mass fragments with pions and
  fast protons in 12C + 197Au

abstract:
  Low-energy pi+ (E < 35 MeV) from 12C+197Au collisions at incident energies
from 300 to 1800 MeV per nucleon were detected with the Si-Si(Li)-CsI(Tl)
calibration telescopes of the INDRA multidetector. The inclusive angular
distributions are approximately isotropic, consistent with multiple
rescattering in the target spectator. The multiplicity correlations of the
low-energy pions and of energetic protons (E > 150 MeV) with intermediate-mass
fragments were determined from the measured coincidence data. The deduced
correlation functions 1 + R \approx 1.3 for inclusive event samples reflect the
strong correlations evident from the common impact-parameter dependence of the
considered multiplicities. For narrow impact-parameter bins (based on
charged-particle multiplicity), the correlation functions are close to unity
and do not indicate strong additional correlations. Only for pions at high
particle multiplicities (central collisions) a weak anticorrelation is
observed, probably due to a limited competition between these emissions.
Overall, the results are consistent with the equilibrium assumption made in
statistical multifragmentation scenarios. Predictions obtained with
intranuclear cascade models coupled to the Statistical Multifragmentation Model
are in good agreement with the experimental data.


title: Photoproduction of the doubly-strange Xi Hyperons

abstract:
  We report on the first measurement of exclusive Xi- and Xi0 photoproduction.
The Xi- states are produced in the reaction gamma p --> K+ K+ Xi-, and the Xi0
states in gamma p --> K+ K+ pi- Xi0. Identification is made by the unique mass
measured as the missing mass of the K+ K+ (or K+ K+ pi-) system using the CLAS
detector at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. A systematic
study of the excited Xi spectrum improves our understanding of the N* and
Delta* states, since the Xi* states are related to them by SU(3) flavor
symmetry. At the highest energies available at Jefferson Lab, we begin to find
evidence for known excited Xi- states in the photoproduction process, and
possibly new states at 1770 and 1860 MeV, although we do not have enough
statistics to draw a strong conclusion. A search for the Xi5--(1862) pentaquark
state seen by NA49 is made using the process gamma p -> K+ K+ pi+ X, but the
result is inconclusive for lack of statistics.


title:
Quantum Interferometry in $\rho^0$ Production in Ultra-Peripheral Heavy
  Ion Collisions

abstract:
  In $\rho^0$ photoproduction in ultra-peripheral heavy ion collisions, either
ion can be the photon emitter or the target. The two possibilities are
indistinguishable, and they should be able to interfere, reducing $rho^0$
production at low transverse momentum, $p_T<\hbar/< b>$, where $<b>$ is the
median impact parameter.
  The two $\rho^0$ production points are separated by $<b> \approx 18-46$ fm,
while the $\rho^0$ decay before travelling 1 fm. The two decay points are well
separated in space-time, so the decays proceed independently and any
interference must involve the final state $\pi^+\pi^-$. This requires a
non-local wave function.


title:
Energy dependence of the Lambda/Sigma0 production cross section ratio in
  proton proton interactions

abstract:
  The production of the Lambda and Sigma0 hyperons has been measured via the
pp->pK+Lambda / Sigma0 reaction at the internal COSY-11 facility in the excess
energy range between 14 and 60 MeV. The transition of the Lambda/Sigma0 cross
section ratio from about 28 at Q<=13 MeV to the high energy level of about 2.5
is covered by the data showing a strong decrease of the ratio between 10 and 20
MeV excess energy.
  Effects from the final state interactions in the p-Sigma0 channel seem to be
much smaller compared to the p-Lambda one. Estimates of the effective range
parameters are given for the N-Lambda and the N-Sigma systems.


title:
Prospects for time reversal invariance studies with the use of five-fold
  correlation

abstract:
  Advantages of investigation of time reversal invariance violation with the
use of three-fold (P,T-odd) and five-fold (P-even,T-odd) correlations in the
interaction of resonance neutrons with nuclei are briefly considered. Possible
enhancements of T-odd effects in both cases are discussed. It is shown that the
study of five-fold correlation is a perspective way to test time reversal
invariance. Prospects to realize dynamical nuclear alignment method for
measurements of five-fold correlation are described.


title:
emiT: an apparatus to test time reversal invariance in polarized neutron
  decay

abstract:
  We describe an apparatus used to measure the triple-correlation term (\D
\hat{\sigma}_n\cdot p_e\times p_\nu) in the beta-decay of polarized neutrons.
The \D-coefficient is sensitive to possible violations of time reversal
invariance. The detector has an octagonal symmetry that optimizes
electron-proton coincidence rates and reduces systematic effects. A beam of
longitudinally polarized cold neutrons passes through the detector chamber,
where a small fraction beta-decay. The final-state protons are accelerated and
focused onto arrays of cooled semiconductor diodes, while the coincident
electrons are detected using panels of plastic scintillator. Details regarding
the design and performance of the proton detectors, beta detectors and the
electronics used in the data collection system are presented. The neutron beam
characteristics, the spin-transport magnetic fields, and polarization
measurements are also described.


title: Refractive effects in the scattering of loosely bound nuclei

abstract:
  A study of the interaction of loosely bound nuclei 6,7Li at 9 and 19 AMeV
with light targets has been undertaken. With the determination of unambiguous
optical potentials in mind, elastic data for four projectile-target
combinations and one neutron transfer reaction 13C(7Li,8Li)12C have been
measured on a large angular range. The kinematical regime encompasses a region
where the mean field (optical potential) has a marked variation with mass and
energy, but turns out to be sufficiently surface transparent to allow strong
refractive effects to be manifested in elastic scattering data at intermediate
angles. The identified exotic feature, a "plateau" in the angular distributions
at intermediate angles, is fully confirmed in four reaction channels and
interpreted as a pre-rainbow oscillation resulting from the interference of the
barrier and internal barrier farside scattering subamplitudes.


title:
Systematic Extraction of Spectroscopic Factors from 12C(d,p)13C and
  13C(p,d)12C Reactions

abstract:
  Existing measurements of the angular distributions of the ground-state to
ground-state transitions of the 12C(d,p)13C and 13C(p,d)12C neutron-transfer
reactions have been analyzed systematically using the Johnson-Soper adiabatic
and distorted-wave theories. When using a consistent set of physical inputs the
deduced spectroscopic factors are consistent to within 20% for incident
deuteron energies from 6 to 60 MeV. By contrast, original analyses of many of
these data quoted spectroscopic factors that differed by up to a factor of
five. The present analysis provides an important reference point from which to
assess the requirements of future spectroscopic analyses of transfer reactions
measured in inverse kinematics using rare nuclei.


title: Tracing Noble Gas Radionuclides in the Environment

abstract:
  Trace analysis of radionuclides is an essential and versatile tool in modern
science and technology. Due to their ideal geophysical and geochemical
properties, long-lived noble gas radionuclides, in particular, 39Ar (t1/2 = 269
yr), 81Kr (t1/2 = 2.3x10^5 yr) and 85Kr (t1/2 = 10.8 yr), have long been
recognized to have a wide range of important applications in Earth sciences. In
recent years, significant progress has been made in the development of
practical analytical methods, and has led to applications of these isotopes in
the hydrosphere (tracing the flow of groundwater and ocean water). In this
article, we introduce the applications of these isotopes and review three
leading analytical methods: Low-Level Counting (LLC), Accelerator Mass
Spectrometry (AMS) and Atom Trap Trace Analysis (ATTA).


title:
Studio della produzione di particelle strane e della dinamica di
  espansione in collisioni nucleari ultra-relativistiche all'SPS

abstract:
  This is my Ph.D thesis on hyperon production, HBT correlation between
negative pions and blast-wave analysis of m_t spectra in Pb-Pb collisions at
SPS.


title:
Searches for Stable Strangelets in Ordinary Matter: Overview and a
  Recent Example

abstract:
  Our knowledge on the possible existence in nature of stable exotic particles
depends solely upon experimental observation. Guided by this general principle
and motivated by theoretical hypotheses on the existence of stable particles of
strange quark matter, a variety of experimental searches have been performed.
We provide an introduction to the theoretical hypotheses, an overview of the
past searches, and a more detailed description of a recent search for
helium-like strangelets in the Earth's atmosphere using a sensitive laser
spectroscopy method.


title: A Search For Solar Hadronic Axions Using Kr-83

abstract:
  We introduce a new experimental method for solar hadronic axions search. It
is suggested that these axions are created in the Sun during M1 transition
between the first thermally excited level at 9.4 keV and the ground state in
$^{83}Kr$. Our method is based on axion detection via resonant absorption
process by the same nucleus in the laboratory. We use proportional gas counter
filled with krypton to detect signals for axions. With this setup, target and
detector are the same which increases the efficiency of the experiment. At
present, an upper limit on hadronic axion mass of 5.5 keV at the 95% confidence
level is obtained.


title: Proton asymmetry in non-mesonic weak decay of light hypernuclei

abstract:
  We have obtained the decay asymmetry parameters in non-mesonic weak decay of
polarized Lambda-hypernuclei by measuring the proton asymmetry. The polarized
Lambda-hypernuclei, 5_Lambda-He, 12_Lambda-C, and 11_Lambda-B, were produced in
high statistics via the (pi^+,k^+) reaction at 1.05 GeV/c in the forward
angles. Preliminary analysis shows that the decay asymmetry parameters are very
small for these s-shell and p-shell hypernuclei.


title: Low Energy Analyzing Powers in Pion-Proton Elastic Scattering

abstract:
  Analyzing powers of pion-proton elastic scattering have been measured at PSI
with the Low Energy Pion Spectrometer LEPS as well as a novel polarized
scintillator target. Angular distributions between 40 and 120 deg (c.m.) were
taken at 45.2, 51.2, 57.2, 68.5, 77.2, and 87.2 MeV incoming pion kinetic
energy for pi+ p scattering, and at 67.3 and 87.2 MeV for pi- p scattering.
These new measurements constitute a substantial extension of the polarization
data base at low energies. Predictions from phase shift analyses are compared
with the experimental results, and deviations are observed at low energies.


title: Influence of nuclear structure on sub-barrier hindrance in Ni+Ni fusion

abstract:
  Fusion-evaporation cross sections for $^{64}$Ni+$^{64}$Ni have been measured
down to the 10 nb level. For fusion between two open-shell nuclei, this is the
first observation of a maximum in the $S$-factor, which signals a strong
sub-barrier hindrance. A comparison with the $^{58}$Ni+$^{58}$Ni,
$^{58}$Ni+$^{60}$Ni, and $^{58}$Ni+$^{64}$Ni systems indicates a strong
dependence of the energy where the hindrance occurs on the stiffness of the
interacting nuclei.


title: Absolute resonance strengths in the 6,7Li(alpha,gamma)10,11B reactions

abstract:
  The absolute strengths of the Ea=1175keV resonance in the 6Li(a,g)10B
reaction and of the Ea=814 keV resonance in the 7Li(a,g)11B reaction have been
measured to $\omega\gamma$=366+-38 meV and $\omega\gamma$=300+-32 meV,
respectively, in good agreement with previous values.
  These resonances can be used to measure the absolute acceptance of the recoil
separator ERNA to a precision of about 10%.


title:
Analysis of the Lambda p Final State Interaction in the Reaction
  p+p->K^+(Lambda p)

abstract:
  The missing mass spectrum measured in high resolution studies of the reaction
pp -> K^+X is analyzed with respect to the strong final state interaction near
the Lambda p production threshold. The observed spectrum can be described by
factorizing the reaction amplitude in terms of a production amplitude and a
final state scattering amplitude. Parametrizing the Lambda p final state
interaction in terms of the inverse Jost function allows a direct extraction of
the low-energy phase-equivalent potential parameters. Constraints on the
singlet and triplet scattering lengths and effective ranges are deduced in a
simultaneous fit of the Lambda p invariant mass spectrum and the total cross
section data of the free Lambda p scattering using the effective range
approximation.


title: pi^0 decay branching ratios of 5_Lambda-He and 12_Lambda-C hypernuclei

abstract:
  We precisely measured pi^0 branching ratios of 5_Lambda-He and 12_Lambda-C
hypernuclei produced via (pi^+,k^+) reaction. Using these pi^0 branching ratios
with the pi^- branching ratios and the lifetimes, we obtained the pi^0 decay
widths and the non-mesonic weak decay widths at high statistics with the
accuracy of ~5 % (stat) for both hypernuclei.


title: Measurement of the $\pi^-$ decay width of $^5_\Lambda$He

abstract:
  We have precisely measured $\Lambda \to p\pi^-$ decay width of \5LHe and
demonstrated significantly larger $\alpha$ -$\Lambda$ overlap than expected
from the central repulsion $\alpha$-$\Lambda$ potential, which is derived from
YNG \Lambda$-nucleon interaction.


title:
Ratio of $\sigma_L / \sigma_T$ for $p(e,e'K^+)\Lambda$ Extracted from
  Polarization Transfer

abstract:
  The ratio of longitudinal to transverse structure functions,
$\sigma_L/\sigma_T$, has been extracted from recent beam-recoil transferred
polarization data for the $p(\vec e,e'K^+)\vec\Lambda$ reaction. Results have
been obtained for $W$=1.72, 1.84, and 1.98 GeV at an average $Q^2$ of 0.77,
0.69, and 0.61 GeV$^2$, respectively. Our results indicate a ratio that is
systematically slightly smaller than previously published results using a
Rosenbluth separation.


title:
The influence of shell effects on the fissility of neutron deficient
  uranium isotopes at N ~ 126

abstract:
  Production cross sections and excitation functions of neutron deficient
isotopes of U, Pa and Th have been measured in the reaction of 22Ne + 208Pb.
The comparison of experimental production cross sections of uranium isotopes
with the neutron number 126 <= N <= 134 to the values calculated using
statistical model of nuclear deexcitation has been carried out. There is shown,
that none of the commonly used methods of introduction of shell effect
influence on the production cross sections of evaporations residues allows to
reproduce unambigiously used set of experimental data. Simple semiempirical
method of introduction of shell effect influence in fission channel is proposed
and good agreement with production cross sections of neutron deficient isotopes
in the region from Bi to U is reached.


title:
Electron-Positron Production in Ultra-Peripheral Heavy-Ion Collisions
  with the STAR Experiment

abstract:
  This thesis presents a measurement of the cross-section of the purely
electromagnetic production of $e^+e^-$ pairs accompanied by mutual nuclear
Coulomb excitation $AuAu\to Au^*Au^*+e^+e^-$, in ultra-peripheral gold-gold
collisions at RHIC at the center-of-mass collision energy of $\sqrt{s_{NN}} =
200$ GeV per nucleon. These reactions were selected by detecting neutron
emission by the excited gold ions in the Zero Degree Calorimeters. The charged
tracks in the $e^+e^-$ events were reconstructed with the STAR Time Projection
Chamber.
  The detector acceptance limits the kinematical range of the observed $e^+e^-$
pairs; therefore the measured cross-section is extrapolated to $4\pi$ with the
use of Monte Carlo simulations. We have developed a Monte Carlo simulation for
ultra-peripheral $e^+e^-$ production at RHIC based on the Equivalent Photon
Approximation, the lowest-order QED $e^+e^-$ production cross-section by two
real photons and the assumption that the mutual nuclear excitations and the \ee
production are independent (EPA model). %We present cross-section predictions
from this model in various kinematic regions.
  We compare our experimental results to two models: the EPA model and a model
based on full QED calculation of the \ee production, taking the photon
virtuality into account. The measured differential cross-section $d\sigma
/dM_{inv}$ ($M_{inv}$ -- $e^+e^-$ invariant mass) agrees well with both
theoretical models. The measured differential cross-section $d\sigma
/dp_{\perp}^{tot}$ ($p_{\perp}^{tot}$ -- $e^+e^-$ total transverse momentum)
favors the full QED calculation over the EPA model.


title: Near threshold electroproduction of the omega meson at Q2 ~ 0.5 GeV2

abstract:
  Electroproduction of the omega meson was investigated in the p(e,e'p)omega
reaction. The measurement was performed at a 4-momentum transfer Q2 ~ 0.5 GeV2.
Angular distributions of the virtual photon-proton center-of-momentum cross
sections have been extracted over the full angular range. These distributions
exhibit a strong enhancement over t-channel parity exchange processes in the
backward direction. According to a newly developed electroproduction model,
this enhancement provides significant evidence of resonance formation in the
gamma* p -> omega p reaction channel.