Flavor Physics in the Quark Sector (open access)

Flavor Physics in the Quark Sector

In the past decade, one of the major challenges of particle physics has been to gain an in-depth understanding of the role of quark flavor. In this time frame, measurements and the theoretical interpretation of their results have advanced tremendously. A much broader understanding of flavor particles has been achieved, apart from their masses and quantum numbers, there now exist detailed measurements of the characteristics of their interactions allowing stringent tests of Standard Model predictions. Among the most interesting phenomena of flavor physics is the violation of the CP symmetry that has been subtle and difficult to explore. In the past, observations of CP violation were confined to neutral K mesons, but since the early 1990s, a large number of CP-violating processes have been studied in detail in neutral B mesons. In parallel, measurements of the couplings of the heavy quarks and the dynamics for their decays in large samples of K,D, and B mesons have been greatly improved in accuracy and the results are being used as probes in the search for deviations from the Standard Model. In the near future, there will be a transition from the current to a new generation of experiments, thus a review of …
Date: August 26, 2010
Creator: Antonelli, Mario; Asner, David Mark; Bauer, Daniel Adams; Becher, Thomas G.; Beneke, M.; Bevan, Adrian John et al.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Search for B-meson decays to b1rho and b1K___ (open access)

Search for B-meson decays to b1rho and b1K___

We present a search for decays of B mesons to final states with a b{sub 1} meson and a {rho} or K*(892) meson. The search is based on a data sample consisting of 465 million B{bar B} pairs collected by the BABAR detector at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. We do not observe any statistically significant signal. The upper limits we set on the branching fractions range from 1.4 to 8.0 x 10{sup -6} at the 90% confidence level (C.L.), including systematic uncertainties.
Date: June 11, 2010
Creator: Aubert, Bernard; Karyotakis, Y.; Lees, J. P.; Poireau, V.; Prencipe, E.; Prudent, X. et al.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Search for the B to K nu nu-bar Decay Using Semi-Leptonic Tags (open access)

Search for the B to K nu nu-bar Decay Using Semi-Leptonic Tags

We present an update of the search for the flavor-changing neutral current B{sup +} {yields} K{sup +}{nu}{bar {nu}} decay using 351 X 10{sup 6} B{bar B} pairs collected at the {Upsilon}(4S) resonance with the BABAR detector at the SLAC PEP-II B factory. Due to the presence of two neutrinos in the final state, we require the reconstruction of the companion B in the event through the decay channel B{sup -} {yields} D{sup 0}{ell}{sup -}{bar {nu}}X. We find 38 candidates in the data with an expected background of 31{-+} 12. This allows us to set an upper limit on the branching fraction for B{sup +} {yields} K{sup +}{nu}{bar {nu}} of 4.5 X 10{sup -5} at 90% confidence level.
Date: June 2, 2010
Creator: Aubert, B.; Karyotakis, Y.; Lees, J. P.; Poireau, V.; Prencipe, E.; Prudent, X. et al.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Hole transport and photoluminescence in Mg-doped InN (open access)

Hole transport and photoluminescence in Mg-doped InN

Hole conductivity and photoluminescence were studied in Mg-doped InN films grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Because surface electron accumulation interferes with carrier type determination by electrical measurements, the nature of the majority carriers in the bulk of the films was determined using thermopower measurements. Mg concentrations in a"window" from ca. 3 x 1017 to 1 x 1019 cm-3 produce hole-conducting, p-type films as evidenced by a positive Seebeck coecient. This conclusion is supported by electrolyte-based capacitance voltage measurements and by changes in the overall mobility observed by Hall effect, both of which are consistent with a change from surface accumulation on an n-type film to surface inversion on a p-type film. The observed Seebeck coefficients are understood in terms of a parallel conduction model with contributions from surface and bulk regions. In partially compensated films with Mg concentrations below the window region, two peaks are observed in photoluminescence at 672 meV and at 603 meV. They are attributed to band-to-band and band-to-acceptor transitions, respectively, and an acceptor binding energy of ~;;70 meV is deduced. In hole-conducting films with Mg concentrations in the window region, no photoluminescence is observed; this is attributed to electron trapping by deep states which are empty …
Date: March 24, 2010
Creator: Miller, N.; Ager, J. W., III; Smith, H. M., III; Mayer, M. A.; Yu, K. M.; Haller, E. E. et al.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Measurement of the 208Pb(52Cr, n)259Sg Excitation Function (open access)

Measurement of the 208Pb(52Cr, n)259Sg Excitation Function

The excitation function for the 208Pb(52Cr, n)259Sg reaction has been measured using the Berkeley Gas-filled Separator at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory 88-Inch Cyclotron. The maximum cross section of pb is observed at a center-of-target laboratory-frame energy of 253.0 MeV. In total, 25 decay chains originating from 259Sg were observed and the measured decay properties are in good agreement with previous reports. In addition, a partial excitation function for the 208Pb(52Cr, 2n)258Sg reaction was obtained, and an improved 258Sg half-life of ms was calculated by combining all available experimental data.
Date: March 19, 2010
Creator: Folden, C. M., III; Dragojevic, I.; Dullmann, Ch. E.; Eichler, R.; Garcia, M. A.; Gates, J. M. et al.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
On the effect of x-ray irradiation on the deformation and fracture behavior of human cortical bone (open access)

On the effect of x-ray irradiation on the deformation and fracture behavior of human cortical bone

In situ mechanical testing coupled with imaging using high-energy synchrotron x-ray diffraction or tomography imaging is gaining in popularity as a technique to investigate micrometer and even sub-micrometer deformation and fracture mechanisms in mineralized tissues, such as bone and teeth. However, the role of the irradiation in affecting the nature and properties of the tissue is not always taken into account. Accordingly, we examine here the effect of x-ray synchrotron-source irradiation on the mechanistic aspects of deformation and fracture in human cortical bone. Specifically, the strength, ductility and fracture resistance (both work-of-fracture and resistance-curve fracture toughness) of human femoral bone in the transverse (breaking) orientation were evaluated following exposures to 0.05, 70, 210 and 630 kGy irradiation. Our results show that the radiation typically used in tomography imaging can have a major and deleterious impact on the strength, post-yield behavior and fracture toughness of cortical bone, with the severity of the effect progressively increasing with higher doses of radiation. Plasticity was essentially suppressed after as little as 70 kGy of radiation; the fracture toughness was decreased by a factor of five after 210 kGy of radiation. Mechanistically, the irradiation was found to alter the salient toughening mechanisms, manifest by the …
Date: January 10, 2010
Creator: Barth, Holly D.; Launey, Maximilien E.; McDowell, Alastair A.; Ager, Joel W., III & Ritchie, Robert O.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
B-meson decays to eta' rho, eta' f0, and eta' K* (open access)

B-meson decays to eta' rho, eta' f0, and eta' K*

We present measurements of B-meson decays to the final states {eta}{prime} {rho}, {eta}{prime} f{sub 0}, and {eta}{prime} K*, where K* stands for a vector, scalar, or tensor strange meson. We observe a significant signal or evidence for {eta}{prime} {rho}{sup +} and all the {eta}{prime}K* channels. We also measure, where applicable, the charge asymmetries, finding results consistent with no direct CP violation in all cases. The measurements are performed on a data sample consisting of 467 x 10{sup 6} B{bar B} pairs, collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II e{sup +}e{sup -} collider at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. Our results favor the theoretical predictions from perturbative QCD and QCD Factorization and we observe an enhancement of the tensor K*{sub 2} (1430) with respect to the vector K*(892) component.
Date: August 25, 2010
Creator: del Amo Sanchez, P.; Lees, J. P.; Poireau, V.; Prencipe, E.; Tisserand, V.; Garra Tico, J. et al.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Observation of the Upsilon(13DJ ) Bottomonium State through Decays to pi+pi-Upsilon(1S) (open access)

Observation of the Upsilon(13DJ ) Bottomonium State through Decays to pi+pi-Upsilon(1S)

Based on 122X10{sup 6} {upsilon}(3S) events collected with the BABAR detector, we have observed the {upsilon}(1{sup 3}D{sub J}) bottomonium state through the {upsilon}(3S){yields}{gamma}{gamma}{upsilon}(1{sup 3}D{sub J}){yields}{gamma}{gamma}{pi}{sub +}{pi}{sub -}{upsilon}(1S) decay chain. The significance is 6.2 standard deviations including systematic uncertainties. The mass of the J = 2 member of the {upsilon}(1{sup 3}D{sub J}) triplet is determined to be 10164.5{-+}0.8 (stat.) {-+} 0.5 (syst.) MeV/c{sup 2}. We use the {pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -} invariant mass and decay angular distributions to confirm the consistency of the observed state with the orbital angular momentum and parity assignments of the {upsilon}(1{sup 3}D{sub J}).
Date: June 2, 2010
Creator: del Amo Sanchez, P.; Lees, J. P.; Poireau, V.; Prencipe, E.; Tisserand, V.; Garra Tico, J. et al.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Search for fj(2220) in radiative J/psi decays (open access)

Search for fj(2220) in radiative J/psi decays

We present a search for f{sub J}(2220) production in radiative J/{psi} {yields} {gamma}f{sub J}(2220) decays using 460 fb{sup -1} of data collected with the BABAR detector at the SLAC PEP-II e{sup +}e{sup -} collider. The f{sub J}(2220) is searched for in the decays to K{sup +}K{sup -} and K{sub S}{sup 0}K{sub S}{sup 0}. No evidence of this resonance is observed, and 90% confidence level upper limits on the product of the branching fractions for J/{psi} {yields} {gamma}f{sub J}(2220) and f{sub J}(2220) {yields} K{sup +}K{sup -}(K{sub S}{sup 0}K{sub S}{sup 0}) as a function of spin and helicity are set at the level of 10{sup -5}, below the central values reported by the Mark III experiment.
Date: July 30, 2010
Creator: del Amo Sanchez, P.; Lees, J. P.; Poireau, V.; Prencipe, E.; Tisserand, V.; Garra Tico, J. et al.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
RELAP5 Model of the First Wall/Blanket Primary Heat Transfer System (open access)

RELAP5 Model of the First Wall/Blanket Primary Heat Transfer System

ITER inductive power operation is modeled and simulated using a system level computer code to evaluate the behavior of the Primary Heat Transfer System (PHTS) and predict parameter operational ranges. The control algorithm strategy and derivation are summarized in this report as well. A major feature of ITER is pulsed operation. The plasma does not burn continuously, but the power is pulsed with large periods of zero power between pulses. This feature requires active temperature control to maintain a constant blanket inlet temperature and requires accommodation of coolant thermal expansion during the pulse. In view of the transient nature of the power (plasma) operation state a transient system thermal-hydraulics code was selected: RELAP5. The code has a well-documented history for nuclear reactor transient analyses, it has been benchmarked against numerous experiments, and a large user database of commonly accepted modeling practices exists. The process of heat deposition and transfer in the blanket modules is multi-dimensional and cannot be accurately captured by a one-dimensional code such as RELAP5. To resolve this, a separate CFD calculation of blanket thermal power evolution was performed using the 3-D SC/Tetra thermofluid code. A 1D-3D co-simulation more realistically models FW/blanket internal time-dependent thermal inertia while eliminating …
Date: June 1, 2010
Creator: Popov, Emilian L.; Yoder, Graydon L., Jr. & Kim, Seokho H.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
RELAP5 Model of the Vacuum Vessel Primary Heat Transfer System (open access)

RELAP5 Model of the Vacuum Vessel Primary Heat Transfer System

This report describes the RELAP5 models that have been developed for the Vacuum Vessel (VV) Primary Heat Transfer System (PHTS). The models are intended to be used to examine the transient performance of the VV PHTS, and evaluate control schemes necessary to maintain parameters within acceptable limits during transients. Some preliminary results are presented to show the maturity of the models and to examine general VV PHTS transient behavior. The models can be used as a starting point to develop transient modeling capability in several directions including control system modeling, safety evaluations, etc, and are not intended to represent the final VV PHTS design. Preliminary calculations using the models indicate that during normal pulsed operation, heat exchanger control may not be necessary, and that temperatures within the vacuum vessel during decay heat operation remain low.
Date: July 1, 2010
Creator: Carbajo, Juan J.; Yoder, Graydon L., Jr. & Kim, Seokho H.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Theoretical interpretation of high-energy nuclear collisions. (open access)

Theoretical interpretation of high-energy nuclear collisions.

Nuclear collisions are interpreted theoretically. The nuclear equation of state is studied in a wide energy range. Subnucleonic degrees of freedom are invoked at high energy densities and at short length-scales. Questions of dynamical collision simulations are investigated. Direct support is provided for experiment in the form of collaborative projects. The major objective of this nuclear theory program is a better understanding of the properties of strongly interacting matter on the nuclear energy scale, as manifested in high-energy heavy-ion collisions.
Date: 2010~
Creator: Fai, G.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library