The η(2225)\eta(2225) observed by the BES Collaboration

In the framework of the $^3P_0$ meson decay model, the strong decays of the $3 ^1S_0$ and $4 ^1S_0$ $s\bar{s}$ states are investigated. It is found that in the presence of the initial state mass being 2.24 GeV, the total widths of the $3 ^1S_0$ and $4 ^1S_0$ $s\bar{s}$ states are about 438 MeV and 125 MeV, respectively. Also, when the initial state mass varies from 2220 to 2400 MeV, the total width of the $4 ^1S_0$ $s\bar{s}$ state varies from about 100 to 132 MeV, while the total width of the $3 ^1S_0$ $s\bar{s}$ state varies from about 400 to 594 MeV. A comparison of the predicted widths and the experimental result of $(0.19\pm 0.03^{+0.04}_{-0.06})$ GeV, the width of the $\eta(2225)$ with a mass of $(2.24^{+0.03+0.03}_{-0.02-0.02})$ GeV recently observed by the BES Collaboration in the radiative decay $J/\psi\to\gamma\phi\phi\to\gamma K^+K^-K^0_SK^0_L$, suggests that it would be very difficult to identify the $\eta(2225)$ as the $3 ^1S_0$ $s\bar{s}$ state, and the $\eta(2225)$ seams a good candidate for the $4 ^1S_0$ $s\bar{s}$ state.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures, typos corrected, Accepted by Physical Review

Deformation and faulting of subduction overriding plate caused by a subducted seamount

Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2016. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Geophysical Research Letters 43 (2016): 8936–8944, doi:10.1002/2016GL069785.We conducted numerical experiments to simulate elastoplastic deformation of the overriding plate caused by a subducted seamount. Calculations revealed development of a distinct pair of fault-like shear zones, including a landward dipping forethrust fault initiated from the seamount top and a seaward dipping backthrust fault from the landward base of the seamount. Significant dome-shaped surface uplift was predicted above the thrust faults. Lesser-developed seaward dipping backthrust faults were calculated to develop under certain conditions. The overriding plate was calculated to deform in two stages: In Stage I, elastic deformation leads to the formation of fault-like shear zones. After major faults have cut through the entire plate, plastic deformation on faults dominates Stage II. On the subduction interface, compressional normal stress was calculated to increase on the landward leading flank of the seamount and decrease on the seaward trailing flank. These changes, together with associated stress singularities at seamount edges, could affect earthquake processes.NSF Grant Number: OCE-1141785; Mariana Trench Initiative of SCSIO; WHOI DOEI Graduate Student Fellowship2017-03-0

A light Higgs scalar in the NMSSM confronted with the latest LHC Higgs data

In the Next-to-Minimal Supersymemtric Standard Model (NMSSM), one of the neutral Higgs scalars (CP-even or CP-odd) may be lighter than half of the SM-like Higgs boson. In this case, the SM-like Higgs boson h can decay into such a light scalar pair and consequently the diphoton and ZZ signal rates at the LHC will be suppressed. In this work, we examine the constraints of the latest LHC Higgs data on such a possibility. We perform a comprehensive scan over the parameter space of the NMSSM by considering various experimental constraints and find that the LHC Higgs data can readily constrain the parameter space and the properties of the light scalar, e.g., at 3 $\sigma$ level this light scalar should be highly singlet dominant and the branching ratio of the SM-like Higgs boson decay into the scalar pair should be less than about 30%. Also we investigate the detection of this scalar at various colliders. Through a detailed Monte Carlo simulation we find that under the constraints of the current Higgs data this light scalar can be accessible at the LHC-14 with an integrated luminosity over 300 fb$^{-1}$.Comment: Accepted by JHE

Post-seismic viscoelastic deformation and stress transfer after the 1960 M9.5 Valdivia, Chile earthquake : effects on the 2010 M8.8 Maule, Chile earthquake

Author Posting. © The Authors, 2014. This article is posted here by permission of The Royal Astronomical Society for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Geophysical Journal International 197 (2014): 697-704, doi:10.1093/gji/ggu048.After the 1960 M9.5 Valdivia, Chile earthquake, three types of geodetic observations were made during four time periods at nearby locations. These post-seismic observations were previously explained by post-seismic afterslip on the downdip extension of the 1960 rupture plane. In this study, we demonstrate that the post-seismic observations can be explained alternatively by volumetric viscoelastic relaxation of the asthenosphere mantle. In searching for the best-fitting viscosity model, we invert for two variables, the thickness of the elastic lithosphere, He, and the effective Maxwell decay time of the asthenosphere mantle, TM, assuming a 100-km-thick asthenosphere mantle. The best solutions to fit the observations in four sequential time periods, 1960–1964, 1960–1968, 1965–1973 and 1980–2010, each yield a similar He value of about 65 km but significantly increasing TM values of 0.7, 6, 10 and 80 yr, respectively. We calculate the corresponding viscoelastic Coulomb stress increase since 1960 on the future rupture plane of the 2010 M8.8 Maule, Chile earthquake. The calculated viscoelastic stress increase on the 2010 rupture plane varies gradually from 13.1 bars at the southern end to 0.1 bars at the northern end. In contrast, the stress increase caused by an afterslip model has a similar spatial distribution but slightly smaller values of 0.1–3.2 bars on the 2010 rupture plane.This work was supported by a MIT/WHOI Joint Program Student Fellowship and a Graduate Student Fellowship from the WHOI Deep Ocean Exploration Institute (MD), as well as NSF Grant OCE-1141785 and a Deerbrook Foundation Award (JL)