The authors have searched for the rare decay B{sup +} {yields} D{sub s}{sup +}{pi}{sup 0}. The analysis is based on a sample of 232 million {Upsilon}(4S) {yields} B{bar B} decays collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II e{sup +}e{sup -} storage ring. They find 19.6 signal events, corresponding to a significance of 4.7 {sigma}. The extracted signal yield including statistical and systematic uncertainties is 20.1{sub -6.0-1.5}{sup +6.8+0.4}, and they measure {Beta}(B{sup +} {yields} D{sub s}{sup +}{pi}{sup 0}) = (1.5{sub -0.4}{sup +0.5} {+-} 0.1 {+-} 0.2) x 10{sup -5}, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic, and the last is due to the uncertainty on the D{sub s}{sup +} decay and its daughter decay branching fractions.

We propose a hybrid approach to treating atomic structure and rates in collisional-radiative models, combining the completeness of highly averaged models with the accuracy of detailed models. The hybrid scheme supplements a small subset of coronally accessible fine structure levels with a complete set of configuration- and superconfiguration-averaged levels and produces spectra based on transitions among a mix of fine-structure and relativistic configuration-averaged levels. Convenient expressions are given for obtaining rates between the fine structure and averaged levels and a technique for propagating configuration interaction from the fine structure calculations to configuration averages is described. We present results from a trial hybrid model of germanium which demonstrate the accuracy of the hybrid model for charge state distributions and spectra.

Left unprotected, both transmissive and reflective final optics in a laser inertial fusion power plant would quickly fail from melting, pulsed thermal stresses, or degradation of optical properties as a result of ion implantation. One potential option for mitigating this threat is to magnetically deflect the ions such that they are directed into a robust energy dump. In this paper we detail integrated studies that have been carried out to asses the viability of this approach for protecting final optics.

The authors report the observation of e{sup +}e{sup -} {yields} {phi}{eta} near {radical}s = 10.58 GeV with 6.5 {sigma} significance in the K{sup +}K{sup -}{gamma}{gamma} final state in a data sample of 224 fb{sup -1} collected by the BABAR experiment at the PEP-II e{sup +}e{sup -} storage rings. They measure the restricted radiation-corrected cross section to be {sigma}(e{sup +}e{sup -} {yields} {phi}{eta}) = 2.1 {+-} 0.4(stat) {+-} 0.1(syst) fb within the range |cos{theta}*| < 0.8, where {theta}* is the center-of-mass polar angle of the {phi} meson. The {phi} meson is required to be in the invariant mass range of 1.008 < m{sub {phi}} < 1.035 GeV/c{sup 2}. The radiation corrected cross section in the full cos {theta}* range is extrapolated to be 2.9 {+-} 0.5(stat) {+-} 0.1(syst) fb.

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) requirements for hazardous waste facilities include 30 years of post-closure monitoring. The use of an objective-based monitoring strategy allows for a significant reduction in the amount of groundwater monitoring required, as the groundwater remediation transitions from an active biosparging system to monitored natural attenuation. The lifecycle of groundwater activities at the landfill has progressed from detection monitoring and plume characterization, to active groundwater remediation, and now to monitored natural attenuation and postclosure monitoring. Thus, the objectives of the groundwater monitoring have changed accordingly. Characterization monitoring evaluated what biogeochemical natural attenuation processes were occurring and determined that elevated levels of radium were naturally occurring. Process monitoring of the biosparging system required comprehensive sampling network up- and down-gradient of the horizontal wells to verify its effectiveness. Currently, the scope of monitoring and reporting can be significantly reduced as the objective is to demonstrate that the alternate concentration limits (ACL) are being met at the point of compliance wells and the maximum contaminant level (MCL) is being met at the surface water point of exposure. The proposed reduction is estimated to save about $2M over the course of the remaining 25 years of postclosure monitoring.

This research evaluated the removal of inorganic contaminants by a variety of amendments and mixtures of amendments in fresh and salt water. A series of removal and retention batch experiments was conducted to identify the best treatment for metal removal. Metal removal by the amendments was evaluated by calculating the partition coefficient and percent removal. Retention of metals by the amendments was evaluated in retention (desorption) studies in which residue from the removal studies was extracted with 1 M MgCl{sub 2} solution. The results indicated that phosphate amendments, some organoclays (e.g., OCB-750), and the biopolymer, chitosan, are very effective in removal and retention of metals in both fresh and salt water. These amendments are being evaluated further as components in the development of active caps for sediment remediation.

Many scientific, imaging, and geospatial applications produce large high-precision scalar fields sampled on a regular grid. Lossless compression of such data is commonly done using predictive coding, in which weighted combinations of previously coded samples known to both encoder and decoder are used to predict subsequent nearby samples. In hierarchical, incremental, or selective transmission, the spatial pattern of the known neighbors is often irregular and varies from one sample to the next, which precludes prediction based on a single stencil and fixed set of weights. To handle such situations and make the best use of available neighboring samples, we propose a local spectral predictor that offers optimal prediction by tailoring the weights to each configuration of known nearby samples. These weights may be precomputed and stored in a small lookup table. We show that predictive coding using our spectral predictor improves compression for various sources of high-precision data.

Using 65 million {Upsilon}(4S) {yields} B{bar B} events collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II e{sup +}e{sup -} storage ring at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, they measure the color-favored branching fractions {Beta}({bar B}{sup 0} {yields} D{sup +}{pi}{sup -}) = (2.63 {+-} 0.05 {+-} 0.22) x 10{sup -3}, {Beta}({bar B}{sup 0} {yields} D*{sup +}{pi}{sup -}) = (2.79 {+-} 0.08 {+-} 0.18) x 10{sup -3}, {Beta}(B{sup -} {yields} D{sup 0}{pi}{sup -}) = (4.90 {+-} 0.07 {+-} 0.23) x 10{sup -3} and {Beta}(B{sup -} {yields} D*{sup 0} {pi}{sup -}) = (5.52 {+-} 0.17 {+-} 0.43) x 10{sup -3}, where the first error is statistical and the second is systematic. With these results and the current world average for the branching fraction for the color-suppressed decay {bar B}{sup 0} {yields} D{sup (*)0}{pi}{sup 0}, the cosines of the strong phase difference {delta} between the I = 1/2 and I = 3/2 isospin amplitudes are determined to be cos{sigma} = 0.860{sub -0.006-0.028}{sup +0.007+0.029} for the {bar B} {yields} D{pi} process and cos{sigma} = 0.917{sub -0.016-0.051}{sup +0.018+0.059} for the {bar B} {yields} D*{pi} process. The results for cos{delta} suggest that final-state interactions are presented in the D{pi} system.

The prevention of deforestation and promotion of afforestation have often been cited as strategies to slow global warming. Deforestation releases CO{sub 2} to the atmosphere, which exerts a warming influence on Earth's climate. However, biophysical effects of deforestation, which include changes in land surface albedo, evapotranspiration, and cloud cover also affect climate. Here we present results from several large-scale deforestation experiments performed with a three-dimensional coupled global carbon-cycle and climate model. These are the first such simulations performed using a fully three-dimensional model representing physical and biogeochemical interactions among land, atmosphere, and ocean. We find that global-scale deforestation has a net cooling influence on Earth's climate, since the warming carbon-cycle effects of deforestation are overwhelmed by the net cooling associated with changes in albedo and evapotranspiration. Latitude-specific deforestation experiments indicate that afforestation projects in the tropics would be clearly beneficial in mitigating global-scale warming, but would be counterproductive if implemented at high latitudes and would offer only marginal benefits in temperate regions. While these results question the efficacy of mid- and high-latitude afforestation projects for climate mitigation, forests remain environmentally valuable resources for many reasons unrelated to climate.

This paper demonstrates the use of coupled fluid flow andgeomechanical fault slip (fault reactivation) analysis to estimate themaximum sustainable injection pressure during geological sequestration ofCO2. Two numerical modeling approaches for analyzing faultslip areapplied, one using continuum stress-strain analysis and the other usingdiscrete fault analysis. The results of these two approaches to numericalfault-slip analyses are compared to the results of a more conventionalanalytical fault-slip analysis that assumes simplified reservoirgeometry. It is shown that the simplified analytical fault-slip analysismay lead to either overestimation or underestimation of the maximumsustainable injection pressure because it cannot resolve importantgeometrical factors associated with the injection induced spatialevolution of fluid pressure and stress. We conclude that a fully couplednumerical analysis can more accurately account for the spatial evolutionof both insitu stresses and fluid pressure, and therefore results in amore accurate estimation of the maximum sustainable CO2 injectionpressure.

The interaction of supernova shocks and interstellar clouds is an important astrophysical phenomenon which can lead to mass-stripping (transfer of material from cloud to surrounding flow, ''mass-loading'' the flow) and possibly increase the compression in the cloud to high enough densities to trigger star formation. Our experiments attempt to simulate and quantify the mass-stripping as it occurs when a shock passes through interstellar clouds. We drive a strong shock using 5 kJ of the 30 kJ Omega laser into a cylinder filled with low-density foam with an embedded 120 {micro}m Al sphere simulating an interstellar cloud. The density ratio between Al and foam is {approx} 9. Time-resolved x-ray radiographs show the cloud getting compressed by the shock (t {approx} 5 ns), undergoing a classical Kelvin-Helmholtz roll-up (12 ns) followed by a Widnall instability (30 ns), an inherently 3d effect that breaks the 2d symmetry of the experiment. Material is continuously being stripped from the cloud at a rate which is shown to be inconsistent with laminar models for mass-stripping (the cloud is fully stripped by 80 ns-100 ns, ten times faster than the laminar model). We present a new model for turbulent mass-stripping that agrees with the observed rate and …

Soil salinity is an important constraint to agricultural sustainability, but accurate information on its variation across agricultural regions or its impact on regional crop productivity remains sparse. We evaluated the relationships between remotely sensed wheat yields and salinity in an irrigation district in the Colorado River Delta Region. The goals of this study were to (1) document the relative importance of salinity as a constraint to regional wheat production and (2) develop techniques to accurately identify saline fields. Estimates of wheat yield from six years of Landsat data agreed well with ground-based records on individual fields (R{sup 2} = 0.65). Salinity measurements on 122 randomly selected fields revealed that average 0-60 cm salinity levels > 4 dS m{sup -1} reduced wheat yields, but the relative scarcity of such fields resulted in less than 1% regional yield loss attributable to salinity. Moreover, low yield was not a reliable indicator of high salinity, because many other factors contributed to yield variability in individual years. However, temporal analysis of yield images showed a significant fraction of fields exhibited consistently low yields over the six year period. A subsequent survey of 60 additional fields, half of which were consistently low yielding, revealed that this …

We discuss the range of activities at Lawrence BerkeleyNational Laboratory in support of gas production from natural hydrates.Investigations of production from the various classes of hydrate depositsby numerical simulation indicate their significant promise as potentialenergy sources. Laboratory studies are coordinated with the numericalstudies and are designed to address knowledge gaps that are important tothe prediction of gas production. Our involvement in field tests is alsobriefly discussed.

Seeking and measuring new physics at the imminent Large Hadron Collider (LHC) will require extensive calculations of high-multiplicity backgrounds in perturbative QCD to next-to-leading order (NLO). The Les Houches 2005 workshop defined a target list, reproduced in table 1, for theorists to attack. In addition to the processes in the table, one would also like to compute processes such as W, Z + 4 jets, which are important backgrounds to searches for supersymmetry and other models of new electroweak physics. Such computations require one-loop amplitudes with seven external particles, including the vector boson, as depicted in figure 1. These are challenging calculations and Feynman-diagrammatic computations have only recently reached six-point amplitudes. Some of this progress has been described in this conference.

We study the initial-state-radiation processes e{sup +}e{sup -} {yields} K{sup +}K{sup -}{pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -}{gamma} and e{sup +}e{sup -} {yields} K{sup +}K{sup -} {pi}{sup 0}{pi}{sup 0}{gamma} using an integrated luminosity of 232 fb{sup -1} collected at the {Upsilon}(4S) mass with the BABAR detector at SLAC. Even though these reactions are dominated by intermediate states with excited kaons, we are able to study for the first time the cross section for e{sup +}e{sup -} {yields} {phi}(1020)f{sub 0}(980) as a function of center-of-mass energy. We observe a structure near threshold consistent with a 1{sup --} resonance with mass m=2.175 {+-} 0.010 {+-} 0.015 GeV/c{sup 2} and width {Lambda} = 58 {+-} 16 {+-} 20 MeV. We observe no Y (4260) signal and set a limit of {Beta}{sub Y{yields}{phi}{pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -}} {center_dot} {Lambda}{sub ee}{sup Y} < 0.4 eV (90% confidence level), which excludes some models.

A brief pedagogical overview of the phenomenology of Z{prime} gauge bosons is ILC in determining Z{prime} properties is also discussed. and explore in detail how the LHC may discover and help elucidate the models, review the current constraints on the possible properties of a Z{prime} nature of these new particles. We provide an overview of the Z{prime} studies presented. Such particles can arise in various electroweak extensions of that have been performed by both ATLAS and CMS. The role of the the Standard Model (SM). We provide a quick survey of a number of Z{prime}.

We demonstrate the detection of magnetic particles carriedby water in a continuous flow using an atomic magnetic gradiometer.Studies on three types of magnetic particles are presented: a singlecobalt particle (diameter ~;150 mum, multi-domain), a suspension ofsuperparamagnetic magnetite particles (diameter ~;1 mum), andferromagnetic cobalt nanoparticles (diameter ~;10 nm, 120 kA/mmagnetization). Estimated detection limits are 20 mum diameter for asingle cobalt particle at a water flow rate 30 ml/min, 5x103 magnetiteparticles at 160 ml/min, and 50 pl for the specific ferromagnetic fluidat 130 ml/min. Possible applications of our method arediscussed.

Article about do-it-yourself fashion, the closing of Roy's taxi company, Austin Circle of Theaters, and several events happening around Austin, Texas.

Six new samples of tritium-aged bulk titanium have been examined by thermal desorption and isotope exchange chemistry. The discovery of a lower temperature hydrogen desorption state in these materials, previously reported, has been confirmed in one of the new samples. The helium release of the samples shows the more severe effects obtained from longer aging periods, i.e. higher initial He/M ratios. Several of the more aged samples were spontaneously releasing helium. Part I discussed the new results on the new lower temperature hydrogen desorption state found in one more extensively studied sample. Part II will discuss the hydrogen/helium release behavior of the remaining samples.

In this transaction, the equations and methodology for modeling convection and ordinary, Knudsen, and pressure diffusion of gases in a fuel-cell gas-diffusion layer are described. Some results examining the magnitudes of the various terms are also made. This derivation results in a self-consistent description of the various transport mechanisms and is robust for numerical solutions, especially for conditions involving different flow regimes or where the regime is not known a priori.

Kelvin Probes can be modified to control as well as monitor potential. The design and operation of two different Kelvin Probe Potentiostats (KPPs) are described in this paper. One approach uses a permanent magnet and double coil to oscillate the needle at a fixed frequency, an AC backing potential, and software analysis and control schemes. This technique can also control the distance between the tip and sample, thereby tracking the topography of the sample. Both KPPs were used to make measurements on Type 304L stainless steel under thin layers of electrolyte. Cathodic polarization curves exhibited a limiting current density associated with oxygen reduction. The limiting current density varied with solution layer thickness over a finite range of thickness. Anodic polarization curves on 304L in a thin layer of chloride solution resulted in pitting corrosion. The breakdown potential did not vary with solution layer thickness. However, the thin layer was observed to increase in volume remarkably during pit growth owing to the absorption of water from the high humidity environment into the layer with ionic strength increased by the pit dissolution. The open circuit potential (OCP) and solution layer thickness were monitored during drying out of a thin electrolyte layer. Pitting …

An important milestone was passed this year when the fraction of the world's population living in cities exceeded 50%. This shift from the countryside to urban areas is certain to continue and, for many, the destination will be large cities. Already there are over 400 cities with populations greater than one million inhabitants and twenty cities with populations greater than ten million inhabitants. With a growing fraction of the population living in an urban environment, the unique aspects of an urban climate also rise in importance. These include features like air pollution and increased humidity. Another unique feature of the urban climate is the phenomenon of the urban heat island. The urban heat island phenomenon was first observed over one hundred years ago in northern latitude cities, where the city centers were slightly warmer than the suburbs. (Instantaneous communications probably played a role in its identification, much as it did for other weather-related events.) For these cities, a heat island was generally a positive effect because it resulted in reduced heating requirements during the winters. It was only in the 1960s, as air conditioning and heavy reliance on automobiles grew, that the negative impacts of heat islands became apparent. The …

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Ion-induced beam instabilities and tune shifts are critical issues for the electron damping ring of the International Linear Collider (ILC). To avoid conventional ion trapping, a long gap is introduced in the electron beam by omitting a number of successive bunches out of a long train. However, the beam can still suffer from the fast ion instability, driven by ions that last only for a single passage of the electron bunches. Our study shows that the ion effects can be significantly mitigated by using multiple gaps, so that the stored beam consists of a number of relatively short bunch trains. The ion effects in the ILC damping rings are investigated using both analytical and numerical methods.