In 2009, a National Academy of Sciences report called for investigation into the scienti#12;c basis behind tool mark comparisons (National Academy of Sciences, 2009). Answering this call, Chumbley et al. (2010) attempted to prove or disprove the hypothesis that tool marks are unique to a single tool. They developed a statistical algorithm that could, in most cases, discern matching and non-matching tool marks made at di#11;erent angles by sequentially numbered screwdriver tips. Moreover, in the cases where the algorithm misinterpreted a pair of marks, an experienced forensics examiner could discern the correct outcome. While this research served to con#12;rm the basic assumptions behind tool mark analysis, it also suggested that statistical analysis software could help to reduce the examiner's workload. This led to a new tool mark analysis approach, introduced in this thesis, that relies on 3D scans of screwdriver tip and marked plate surfaces at the micrometer scale from an optical microscope. These scans are carefully cleaned to remove noise from the data acquisition process and assigned a coordinate system that mathematically de#12;nes angles and twists in a natural way. The marking process is then simulated by using a 3D graphics software package to impart rotations to the tip …

After its formulation in 1960's the Standard Model of Fundamental Interactions has gone through an impressive series of successes, begun with the discovery of neutral weak currents [1] and the experimental observations of the massive carriers of weak interactions, the W{sup {+-}} and Z{sup 0} bosons [2], [3]. High precision measurements performed at LEP and SLAC test the validity of the theory to an unprecedented level of accuracy and do not show any significant deviations with respect to the Standard Model predictions. One of the attractive features of the Standard Model is the description of the phenomena which violate the matter-antimatter symmetry (CP), and this violation uniquely depends (in the quark sector) on a weak phase in the matrix describing the couplings among different quark flavors. CP-violation was discovered in 1964 as a tiny effect in the mixing of the K{sup 0} - {bar K}{sup 0} system [12] but, after a few decades of study of the physics of K mesons, no strong confirmation of the Standard Model can be obtained on the mechanism which generates CP-violation. On the other hand the physics of B mesons is suitable for a pretty large number of measurements which can confirm or disprove …

This thesis is the culminating project for my participation in the OECD NEA International School of Nuclear Law. This paper will begin by providing a historical background to current disarmament and denuclearization treaties. This paper will discuss the current legal framework based on current and historical activities related to denuclearization and nuclear disarmament. Then, it will propose paths forward for the future efforts, and describe the necessary legal considerations. Each treaty or agreement will be examined in respect to its requirements for: 1) limitations and implementation; 2) and verification and monitoring. Then, lessons learned in each of the two areas (limitations and verification) will be used to construct a proposed path forward at the end of this paper.

Using data collected with the BABAR detector at the SLAC PEP-II electron-positron storage ring operating at a center-of-mass energy near 10.58 GeV, the branching fractions {Beta}({tau}{sup -} {yields} {pi}{sup -}{pi}{sup -}{pi}{sup +}{nu}{sub {tau}}) = (8.83 {+-} 0.01 {+-} 0.13)%, {Beta}({tau}{sup -} {yields} K{sup -}{pi}{sup -}{pi}{sup +}{nu}{sub {tau}}) = (0.273 {+-} 0.002 {+-} 0.009)%, {Beta}({tau}{sup -} {yields} K{sup -}{pi}{sup -}K{sup +}{nu}{sub {tau}}) = (0.1346 {+-} 0.0010 {+-} 0.0036)%, and {Beta}({tau}{sup -} {yields} K{sup -}K{sup -}K{sup +}{nu}{sub {tau}}) = (1.58 {+-} 0.13 {+-} 0.12) x 10{sup -5} are measured where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. The invariant mass distribution for the {tau}{sup -} {yields} {pi}{sup -}{pi}{sup -}{pi}{sup +}{nu}{sub {tau}} {yields} K{sup -}{pi}{sup -}{pi}{sup +}{nu}{sub {tau}}, {tau}{sup -} {yields} K{sup -}{pi}{sup -}K{sup +}{nu}{sub {tau}} and {tau}{sup -} {yields} K{sup -}K{sup -}K{sup +}{nu}{sub {tau}} decays are unfolded to correct for detector effects. A measurement of {Beta}({tau}{sup -} {yields} {phi}{pi}{sup -}{nu}{sub {tau}}) = (3.42 {+-} 0.55 {+-} 0.25) x 10{sup -5}, a measurement of {Beta}({tau}{sup -} {yields} {phi}K{sup -}{nu}{sub {tau}}) = (3.39 {+-} 0.20 {+-} 0.28) x 10{sup -5} and an upper limit on {Beta}({tau}{sup -} {yields} K{sup -}K{sup -}K{sup +}{nu}{sub {tau}}[ex.{phi}]) {le} 2.5 x 10{sup -6} {at} 905 CL are determined from …

Qweak will determine the weak charge of the proton, Q{sup p}{sub W}, via an asymmetry measurement of parity-violating elastic electron-proton scattering at low four momentum transfer to a precision of 4%. Q{sup p}{sub W} has a firm Standard Model prediction and is related to the weak mixing angle, sin{sup 2} {Theta}{sub W}, a well-defined Standard Model parameter. Qweak will probe a subset of new physics to the TeV mass scale and test the Standard Model. The details of how this measurement was performed and the analysis of the 25% elastic dataset will be presented in this thesis. Also, an analysis of an auxiliary measurement of the parity-violating asymmetry in the N -> {Delta} transition is presented. It is used as a systematic inelastic background correction in the elastic analysis and to extract information about the hadronic parity violation through the low energy constant, d{sub Delta}. The elastic asymmetry at Q{sup 2} = 0.0252 ± 0.0007 GeV{sup 2} was measured to be A{sub ep} = -265 ± 40 ± 22 ± 68 ppb (stat., sys., and blinding). Extrapolated to Q{sup 2} = 0, the value of the proton's weak charge was measured to be Q{sup p}{sub W} = 0.077 ± 0.019 …