We present a mini-review on charm spectroscopy at the BABAR experiment. We first report on the c{bar s} meson spectrum, and present precise measurements of the D{sub s1}(2536) meson as well as the properties of the many new states discovered since 2003 (D*{sub s0}(2317), D{sub s1}(2460), D*{sub sJ}(2860), and D{sub sJ}(2700) mesons). We then discuss about charmed baryons observed recently in the BABAR experiment: {Omega}{sub c}{sup 0} and {Omega}*{sub c}{sup 0} css baryons, {Lambda}{sub c}(2940){sup +} udc baryon and the {Xi}{sub c} usc/dsc baryons.

We present the results of applying new object classification techniques to the supernova search of the Nearby Supernova Factory. In comparison to simple threshold cuts, more sophisticated methods such as boosted decision trees, random forests, and support vector machines provide dramatically better object discrimination: we reduced the number of nonsupernova candidates by a factor of 10 while increasing our supernova identification efficiency. Methods such as these will be crucial for maintaining a reasonable false positive rate in the automated transient alert pipelines of upcoming large optical surveys.

We report several limitations and failure modes of the recently expanded Layzer model for hydrodynamic instabilities. The failures occur for large initial amplitudes, for stable accelerations, and for spikes in two-fluid systems.

Two layers of GEMs and the ATLAS Pixel Chip, FEI3, have been combined and tested as a prototype for Time Projection Chamber (TPC) readout at the International Linear Collider (ILC). The double-layer GEM system amplifies charge with gain sufficient to detect all track ionization. The suitability of three gas mixtures for this application was investigated, and gain measurements are presented. A large sample of cosmic ray tracks was reconstructed in 3D by using the simultaneous timing and 2D spatial information from the pixel chip. The chip provides pixel charge measurement as well as timing. These results demonstrate that a double GEM and pixel combination, with a suitably modified pixel ASIC, could meet the stringent readout requirements of the ILC.

The main physics program of the International Linear Collider (ILC) requires a measurement of the beam energy at the interaction point with an accuracy of 10{sup -4} or better. To achieve this goal a magnetic spectrometer using high resolution beam position monitors (BPMs) has been proposed. This paper reports on the cavity BPM system that was deployed to test this proposal. We demonstrate sub-micron resolution and micron level stability over 20 hours for a 1 m long BPM triplet. We find micron-level stability over 1 hour for 3 BPM stations distributed over a 30 m long baseline. The understanding of the behavior and response of the BPMs gained from this work has allowed full spectrometer tests to be carried out.

Synchrotron radiation (SR) is electromagnetic radiation emitted when a charged particle travels along a curved trajectory. Initially encountered as a nuisance around orbits of high energy synchrotron accelerators, it gradually became an indispensable research tool in many applications: crystallography, X-ray lithography, micromechanics, structural biology, microprobe X-ray experiments, etc. So-called first generation SR sources were exploiting SR in parasitic mode at electron accelerators built to study particle collisions. The second generation of SR sources was the first facilities solely devoted to SR production. They were optimized to achieve stable high currents in the accelerator ring to achieve substantially higher photon flux and to provide a large number of SR beam lines for users. Third generation sources were further optimized for increased brilliance, i.e. with photons densely packed into a beam of very small cross-sectional area and minimal angular divergence (see the Appendix for more detailed definitions of flux, brightness and brilliance) and makes extensive use of the insertion devices such as wigglers and undulators. Free Electron Lasers (FELs), the fourth generation SR sources, open new research possibilities by offering extremely short pulses of extremely bright and coherent radiation. The number of SR sources around the world now probably exceeds 100. These …

An antenna array is designed in low-temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC) Ferro A6M{trademark} for a mm-wave application. The antenna is designed to operate at 94 GHz with a few percent bandwidth. A key manufacturing technology is the use of 3 mil diameter vias on a 6 mil pitch to construct the laminated waveguides that form the beamforming network and radiating elements. Measurements for loss in the laminated waveguide are presented. The slot-fed cavity-radiating element is designed to account for extremely tight mutual coupling between elements. The array incorporates a slot-fed multi-layer beamforming network.

The photodissociation of propargyl radical, C{sub 3}H{sub 3}, and its perdeuterated isotopolog was investigated using photofragment translational spectroscopy. Propargyl radicals were produced by 193 nm photolysis of allene entrained in a molecular beam expansion, and then photodissociated at 248 nm. photofragment time-of-flight spectra were measured at a series of laboratory angles using electron impact ionization coupled to a mass spectrometer. Data for ion masses corresponding to C{sub 3}H{sub 2}{sup +}, C{sub 3}H{sup +}, C{sub 3}{sup +}, and the analogous deuterated species show that both H and H{sub 2} loss occur. The translational energy distributions for these processes have average values <E{sub T}> = 5.7 and 15.9 kcal/mol, respectively, and are consistent with dissociation on the ground state following internal conversion, with no exit barrier for H loss but a tight transition state for H{sub 2} loss. The translational energy distribution for H atom loss is similar to that in previous work on propargyl in which the H atom, rather than the heavy fragment, was detected. The branching ratio for H loss/H{sub 2} loss was determined to be 97.6/2.4 {+-} 1.2, in good agreement with RRKM results.