Nuclear structure of {sup 7}Be, {sup 8}B and {sup 7,8}Li is studied within the ab initio no-core shell model (NCSM). Starting from high-precision nucleon-nucleon (NN) interactions, wave functions of {sup 7}Be and {sup 8}B bound states are obtained in basis spaces up to 10 h bar{Omega} and used to calculate channel cluster form factors (overlap integrals) of the {sup 8}B ground state with {sup 7}Be+p. Due to the use of the harmonic oscillator (HO) basis, the overlap integrals have incorrect asymptotic properties. We fix this problem in two alternative ways. First, by a Woods-Saxon (WS) potential solution fit to the interior of the NCSM overlap integrals. Second, by a direct matching with the Whittaker function. The corrected overlap integrals are then used for the {sup 7}Be(p,{gamma}){sup 8}B S-factor calculation. We study the convergence of the S-factor with respect to the NCSM HO frequency and the model space size. Our S-factor results are in agreement with recent direct measurement data. We also test the spectroscopic factors and the corrected overlap integrals from the NCSM in describing the momentum distributions in knockout reactions with {sup 8}B projectiles. A good agreement with the available experimental data is also found, attesting the overall consistency …

Zhang, Fadili, & Starck have recently developed a denoising procedure for Poisson data that offers advantages over other methods of intensity estimation in multiple dimensions. Their procedure, which is nonparametric, is based on thresholding wavelet coefficients. The restoration algorithm applied after thresholding provides good conservation of source flux. We present an investigation of the procedure of Zhang et al. for the detection and characterization of astrophysical sources of high-energy gamma rays, using realistic simulated observations with the Large Area Telescope (LAT). The LAT is to be launched in late 2007 on the Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope mission. Source detection in the LAT data is complicated by the low fluxes of point sources relative to the diffuse celestial background, the limited angular resolution, and the tremendous variation of that resolution with energy (from tens of degrees at {approx}30 MeV to 0.1{sup o} at 10 GeV). The algorithm is very fast relative to traditional likelihood model fitting, and permits immediate estimation of spectral properties. Astrophysical sources of gamma rays, especially active galaxies, are typically quite variable, and our current work may lead to a reliable method to quickly characterize the flaring properties of newly-detected sources.

We present the results of a realistic global fit of the Lagrangian parameters of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model assuming universality for the first and second generation and real parameters. No assumptions on the SUSY breaking mechanism are made. The fit is performed using the precision of future mass measurements of superpartners at the LHC and mass and polarized topological cross-section measurements at the ILC. Higher order radiative corrections are accounted for wherever possible to date. Results are obtained for a modified SPS1a MSSM benchmark scenario but they were checked not to depend critically on this assumption. Exploiting a simulated annealing algorithm, a stable result is obtained without any a priori assumptions on the values of the fit parameters. Most of the Lagrangian parameters can be extracted at the percent level or better if theoretical uncertainties are neglected. Neither LHC nor ILC measurements alone will be sufficient to obtain a stable result. The effects of theoretical uncertainties arising from unknown higher-order corrections and parametric uncertainties are examined qualitatively. They appear to be relevant and the result motivates further precision calculations. The obtained parameters at the electroweak scale are used for a fit of the parameters at high energy scales within …

The complete exact solution of the T = 1 neutron-proton pairing Hamiltonian is presented in the context of the SO(5) Richardson-Gaudin model with non-degenerate single-particle levels and including isospin-symmetry breaking terms. The power of the method is illustrated with a numerical calculation for {sup 64}Ge for a pf + g{sub 9/2} model space which is out of reach of modern shell-model codes.

Hadron pair production from two-photon annihilation plays an important role in unraveling the perturbative and non-perturbative structure of QCD, first by testing the validity and empirical applicability of leading-twist factorization theorems, second by verifying the structure of the underlying perturbative QCD subprocesses, and third, through measurements of angular distributions and ratios which are sensitive to the shape of the distribution amplitudes. In effect, photon-photon collisions provide a microscope for testing fundamental scaling laws of PQCD and for measuring distribution amplitudes. The determination of the shape and normalization of the distribution amplitude is particularly important in view of their importance in the analysis of exclusive semi-leptonic and two-body hadronic B-decays. The data from the Belle and CLEO collaborations on single and double meson production are in excellent agreement with the QCD predictions. In contrast, the normalization of the nominal leading-order predictions of PQCD for proton pair production appears to be significantly below recent Belle measurements. I also review issues relating to renormalization scale setting.

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A well-known effect in superconducting materials below their critical temperatures (T{sub c}) is the reduction to zero of their electrical resistivities. Concomitantly, the materials become perfect diamagnets for small fields. This effect, termed the Meissner Effect, allows for the direct measurement of the transition temperature (T{sub c}) by magnetic techniques such as the superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID). A Paramagnetic Meissner Effect (PME), i.e., the unexpected observation of positive magnetic moment in a superconductor below its critical temperature during field cooling (FC), was first reported in 1989 by Svedlindh et al. (1). The origin of PME in high T{sub c} superconductors has been discussed by numerous investigators as possibly resulting from {pi}-junctions, d-wave behavior, giant vortex states, flux compression, or weak links. In conventional superconductors like Nb, the PME was ascribed to the inhomogeneous nature of such samples, whereby their surface is sufficiently different from the interior and becomes superconducting at a higher temperature than the interior on cooling, thereby trapping the magnetic flux. There remains significant controversy regarding the fundamental origin of the PME. Here, we show that the PME in two-phase and three-phase In-Sn alloys is a property resulting from the morphological distribution of the multiple phases. We …

A reaction pathway is explored in which two cyclopenta groups combine on the zigzag edge of a graphene layer. The process is initiated by H addition to a five-membered ring, followed by opening of that ring and the formation of a six-membered ring adjacent to another five-membered ring. The elementary steps of the migration pathway are analyzed using density functional theory to examine the region of the potential energy surface associated with the pathway. The calculations are performed on a substrate modeled by the zigzag edge of tetracene. Based on the obtained energetics, the dynamics of the system are analyzed by solving the energy transfer master equations. The results indicate energetic and reaction-rate similarity between the cyclopenta combination and migration reactions. Also examined in the present study are desorption rates of migrating cyclopenta rings which are found to be comparable to cyclopenta ring migration.

The Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) at SLAC will be the world's first X-ray free electron laser when it becomes operational in 2009. Pulses of X-ray laser light from LCLS will be many orders of magnitude brighter and several orders of magnitude shorter than what can be produced by other X-ray sources available in the world. These characteristics will enable frontier new science in many areas. This paper describes the LCLS beam parameters and its lay-out. Results of the Monte Carlo calculations for the shielding design of the electron dump line, radiation damage to undulator, the residual radiation and the soil activation around the electron dump are presented.

I give a brief review of the history of photon-photon physics and a survey of its potential at future electron-positron colliders. Exclusive hadron production processes in photon-photon and electron-photon collisions provide important tests of QCD at the amplitude level, particularly as measures of hadron distribution amplitudes. There are also important high energy {gamma}{gamma} and e{gamma} tests of quantum chromodynamics, including the production of jets in photon-photon collisions, deeply virtual Compton scattering on a photon target, and leading-twist single-spin asymmetries for a photon polarized normal to a production plane. Since photons couple directly to all fundamental fields carrying the electromagnetic current including leptons, quarks, W's and supersymmetric particles, high energy {gamma}{gamma} collisions will provide a comprehensive laboratory for Higgs production and exploring virtually every aspect of the Standard Model and its extensions. High energy back-scattered laser beams will thus greatly extend the range of physics of the International Linear Collider.

The LCLS, the world's first x-ray free electron laser, will be constructed at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center and is expected to be completed in 2009. A two-mirror system will be used in order to reduce background radiation in near and far experimental hutches. This paper describes the layout of the two-mirror system and also reports on the shielding requirements for the experimental hutches. Two beam loss scenarios for radiation sources are discussed: losses from the high energy electron beam hitting beam components and x-rays produced in the 130 m long undulator and scattered on x-ray mirrors. The FLUKA Monte-Carlo particle transport code was used for the shielding design and for the determination of the radiation levels around the experimental hutches.

This paper presents a brief overview of the accomplishments of the Chandra satellite that are shedding light on the origin of high energy particles in astrophysical sources, with the emphasis on clusters of galaxies. It also discusses the prospects for the new data to be collected with instruments recently launched--such as Suzaku--or those to be deployed in the near future, and this includes GLAST and NuSTAR.

A rotating double coil apparatus has been designed and built so that the relative magnetic center change of a quadrupole is measured to an uncertainty smaller than 0.02 micrometers (=micron, {micro}m) for a single measurement. Furthermore, repeated measurements over about an hour vary by less than 0.1 {micro}m and by less than 1 {micro}m for periods of 24 hrs or longer. Correlation analyses of long data runs show that the magnet center measurement is sensitive to mechanical effects, such as vibration and rotating part wear, as well as to environmental effects, such as temperature and relative humidity. Evolving apparatus design has minimized mechanical noise and environmental isolation has reduced the effects of the surrounding environment so that sub-micron level measurement uncertainties and micron level stability have been achieved for multi-day measurement periods. Apparatus design evolution will be described in detail and correlation data taken on water-cooled electromagnet and adjustable permanent quadrupoles, which are about 350 mm in overall length, will be shown. These quads were prototypes for the linac quads of the Next Linear Collider (NLC) that had to meet the requirement that their magnetic centers change less than 1 micron during a 20% change in field strength. Thus it …

We report scanning Hall probe imaging of ErNi{sub 2}B{sub 2}C in the superconducting, antiferromagnetic, and weakly ferromagnetic regimes in magnetic fields up to 20 Oe, well below H{sub c1}, with two results. First, imaging isolated vortices shows that they spontaneously rearrange on cooling through the antiferromagnetic transition temperature T{sub N} = 6 K to pin on twin boundaries, forming a striped pattern. Second, a weak, random magnetic signal appears in the ferromagnetic phase below T{sub WFM} = 2.3 K, and no spontaneous vortex lattice is present down to 1.9 K. We conclude that ferromagnetism coexists with superconductivity either by forming small ferromagnetic domains or with oscillatory variation of the magnetization on sub-penetration depth length scales.

High-precision analyses of supersymmetry parameters aim at reconstructing the fundamental supersymmetric theory and its breaking mechanism. A well defined theoretical framework is needed when higher-order corrections are included. We propose such a scheme, Supersymmetry Parameter Analysis SPA, based on a consistent set of conventions and input parameters. A repository for computer programs is provided which connect parameters in different schemes and relate the Lagrangian parameters to physical observables at LHC and high energy e{sup +}e{sup -} linear collider experiments, i.e., masses, mixings, decay widths and production cross sections for supersymmetric particles. In addition, programs for calculating high-precision low energy observables, the density of cold dark matter (CDM) in the universe as well as the cross sections for CDM search experiments are included. The SPA scheme still requires extended efforts on both the theoretical and experimental side before data can be evaluated in the future at the level of the desired precision. We take here an initial step of testing the SPA scheme by applying the techniques involved to a specific supersymmetry reference point.

For many years, the commercial nuclear business has remained relatively stable in many ways. That is unlikely to be the case in the coming years. While some countries have called for the phase out of nuclear power and others have ordered a small number of new plants, the overall profile of the nuclear power business has changed little. The number of countries with nuclear power plants is not much different than 10 years ago and the total number of operating plants has increased only slightly. Commercial enrichment and reprocessing services have remained the province of a few countries and consortia. Repository programs have moved forward slowly in some cases, backward in others, with a very small number making substantial progress. We are now witnessing the beginnings of serious change, with significant consequences for the future nuclear regime. Business as usual will not be the business of the future. The way the nuclear and policy community respond will have much to do with energy adequacy, national security, international stability, and environmental consequences including waste management and disposal. A number of events and trends are becoming increasingly apparent and are cause for both opportunity and caution: (1) New nuclear power plant orders …

In 2004, a research project--the New York City Urban Dispersion Program (NYC UDP)--was launched by the Department of Homeland Security with the goal to improve the permanent network of wind stations in and around New York City and to enhance the city's emergency response capabilities. Encompassing both field studies and computer modeling, one of the program's objectives is to improve and validate urban dispersion models using the data collected from field studies and to transfer the improved capabilities to NYC emergency agencies. The first two field studies were conducted in March and August 2005 respectively and an additional study is planned for the summer of 2006. Concurrently model simulations, using simple to sophisticated computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models, have been performed to aid the planning of field studies and also to evaluate the performance of such models. Airflow and tracer dispersion in urban areas such as NYC are extremely complicated. Some of the contributing factors are complex geometry, variable terrain, coupling between local and larger scale flows, deep canyon mixing and updrafts/downdrafts caused by large buildings, street channeling and upstream transport, roof features, and heating effects, etc. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Department of Homeland Security …

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We study the two-body decays of B{sup {+-}} mesons to K{sup {+-}} and a charmonium state, X{sub c{bar c}}, in a sample of 210.5 fb{sup -1} of data from the BABAR experiment. We perform measurements of absolute branching fractions {Beta}(B{sup {+-}} {yields} K{sup {+-}} X{sub c{bar c}}) using a missing mass technique, and report several new or improved results. In particular, the upper limit {Beta}(B{sup {+-}} {yields} K{sup {+-}}(3872)) < 3.2 x 10{sup -4} at 90% CL and the inferred lower limit {Beta}(X(3872) {yields} J/{psi}{pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -}) > 4.2% will help in understanding the nature of the recently discovered X(3872).

Understanding the behavior of fractures and subsurface damage in the processes used during optic fabrication plays a key role in determining the final quality of the optical surface finish. During the early stages of surface preparation, brittle grinding processes induce fractures at or near an optical surface whose range can extend from depths of a few mm to hundreds of mm depending upon the process and tooling being employed. Controlling the occurrence, structure, and propagation of these sites during subsequent grinding and polishing operations is highly desirable if one wishes to obtain high-quality surfaces that are free of such artifacts. Over the past year, our team has made significant strides in developing a diagnostic technique that combines magnetorheological finishing (MRF) and scanning optical microscopy to measure and characterize subsurface damage in optical materials. The technique takes advantage of the unique nature of MRF to polish a prescribed large-area wedge into the optical surface without propagating existing damage or introducing new damage. The polished wedge is then analyzed to quantify subsurface damage as a function of depth from the original surface. Large-area measurement using scanning optical microscopy provides for improved accuracy and reliability over methods such as the COM ball-dimple technique. …

We have built a high-speed velocimeter that has proven to be compact, simple to operate, and fairly inexpensive. We assembled our velocimeter using off-the-shelf components developed for the telecommunications industry. The main components are fiber lasers, high-bandwidth high-sample-rate digitizers, and fiber optic circulators. The laser is a 2-watt CW fiber laser operating at 1550 nm. The digitizers have 8-GHz bandwidth and can digitize four channels simultaneously at 20 GS/s. The maximum velocity of our system is approximately 5000 m/s and is limited by the bandwidth of the electrical components. For most of our applications, we analyze the recorded beat frequency using Fourier transform methods, which determines the time response of the final velocity time history. We generally analyze our data with approximately 50 ns Fourier transform windows. We have obtained high-quality data on many experiments such as explosively driven surfaces and gas gun assemblies.

A review of the results in the inclusive and exclusive searches for pentaquark states obtained from the analysis of the data recorded at the BABAR experiment at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center PEP-II B-Factory, is presented. Inclusive searches for the strange pentaquark states {Theta}{sub 5}(1540){sup +}, {Xi}{sub 5}(1860){sup --} and {Xi}{sub 5}(1860){sup 0} have been performed in a dataset of e{sup +}e{sup -} annihilations corresponding to 123.4 fb{sup -1} of integrated luminosity. No evidence is found and therefore the corresponding 95% confidence level upper limits on the {Theta}{sub 5}(1540){sup +} and {Xi}{sub 5}(1860){sup --} production rate are set. Additionally the decay {Theta}{sub 5}(1540){sup +} {yields} pK{sub S}{sup 0} has been searched for in events that correspond to interactions of both electrons and hadrons with the inner-most material of the BABAR detector, but then again, no evidence for such a process is found as a result of this analysis. The exclusive search of the {Theta}*{sup ++} pentaquark in the B meson decay B{sup +} {yields} {bar p}{Theta}*{sup ++} where {Theta}*{sup ++} {yields} pK{sup +}, has been carried out in a dataset of 210 fb{sup -1}. The results show no evidence for such a pentaquark in the mass range from 1.43 to …

A search for the decays B {yields} {rho}(770){gamma} and B{sup 0} {yields} {omega}(782) is performed on a sample of 211 million {Upsilon}(4S) {yields} B{bar B} events collected by the BABAR detector at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy e{sup +}e{sup -} storage ring. No evidence for the decays is seen. We set the following limits on the individual branching fractions {Beta}(B{sup +} {yields} {rho}{sup +}{gamma}) < 1.8 x 10{sup -6}, {Beta}(B{sup 0} {yields} {rho}{sup 0}{gamma}) < 0.4 x 10{sup -6}, and {Beta}(B{sup 0} {yields} {omega}{gamma}) < 1.0 x 10{sup -6} at the 90% confidence level (C.L.). We use the quark model to limit the combined branching fraction {bar {Beta}}[B {yields} ({rho}/{omega}){gamma}] < 1.2 x 10{sup -6} and constrain |V{sub td}|/|V{sub ts}|.

Based on an 87-fb{sup -1} dataset collected by the Babar detector at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy B-Factory, a search for D{sup 0}-{bar D}{sup 0} mixing has been made using the semileptonic decay modes D*{sup +} {yields} {pi}{sup +}D{sup 0}, D{sup 0} {yields} Ke{nu} (+c.c.). The use of these modes allows unambiguous flavor tagging and a combined fit of the D{sup 0} decay time and D*{sup +}-D{sup 0} mass difference ({Delta}M) distributions. The high-statistics sample of unmixed semileptonic D{sup 0} decays is used to model the {Delta}M distribution and time-dependence of mixed events directly from the data. Neural networks are used to select events and reconstruct the D{sup 0}. A result consistent with no charm mixing has been obtained, R{sub mix} = 0.0023 {+-} 0.0012 {+-} 0.0004. This corresponds to an upper limit of R{sub mix} < 0.0042 (90% CL).