Generalised Thurston-Bennequin invariants for real algebraic surface singularities

A generalised Thurston-Bennequin invariant for a Q-singularity of a real algebraic variety is defined as a linking form on the homologies of the real link of the singularity. The main goal of this paper is to present a method to calculate the linking form in terms of the very good resolution graph of a real normal unibranch surface singularity. For such singularities, the value of the linking form is the Thurston-Bennequin number of the real link of the singularity. As a special case of unibranch surface singularities, the behaviour of the linking form is investigated on the Brieskorn double points x^m+y^n\pm z^2=0.Comment: 22 pages, TeX, 12 figure

Analysis of the Lambda p Final State Interaction in the Reaction p+p->K^+(Lambda p)

The missing mass spectrum measured in high resolution studies of the reaction pp -> K^+X is analyzed with respect to the strong final state interaction near the Lambda p production threshold. The observed spectrum can be described by factorizing the reaction amplitude in terms of a production amplitude and a final state scattering amplitude. Parametrizing the Lambda p final state interaction in terms of the inverse Jost function allows a direct extraction of the low-energy phase-equivalent potential parameters. Constraints on the singlet and triplet scattering lengths and effective ranges are deduced in a simultaneous fit of the Lambda p invariant mass spectrum and the total cross section data of the free Lambda p scattering using the effective range approximation.Comment: 9 pages,6 figures, 2 table

Observation of the TeV gamma-ray source MGRO J1908+06 with ARGO-YBJ

The extended gamma ray source MGRO J1908+06, discovered by the Milagro air shower detector in 2007, has been observed for about 4 years by the ARGO-YBJ experiment at TeV energies, with a statistical significance of 6.2 standard deviations. The peak of the signal is found at a position consistent with the pulsar PSR J1907+0602. Parametrizing the source shape with a two-dimensional Gauss function we estimate an extension \sigma = 0.49 \pm 0.22 degrees, consistent with a previous measurement by the Cherenkov Array H.E.S.S.. The observed energy spectrum is dN/dE = 6.1 \pm 1.4 \times 10^-13 (E/4 TeV)^{-2.54 \pm 0.36} photons cm^-2 s^-1 TeV^-1, in the energy range 1-20 TeV. The measured gamma ray flux is consistent with the results of the Milagro detector, but is 2-3 times larger than the flux previously derived by H.E.S.S. at energies of a few TeV. The continuity of the Milagro and ARGO-YBJ observations and the stable excess rate observed by ARGO-YBJ along 4 years of data taking support the identification of MGRO J1908+06 as the steady powerful TeV pulsar wind nebula of PSR J1907+0602, with an integrated luminosity above 1 TeV about 1.8 times the Crab Nebula luminosity.Comment: 6 pages, accepted for pubblication by ApJ. Replaced to correct the author lis

Suppression of charged particle production at large transverse momentum in central Pb-Pb collisions at sNN=2.76\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76 TeV

Inclusive transverse momentum spectra of primary charged particles in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{\rm NN}}}$ = 2.76 TeV have been measured by the ALICE Collaboration at the LHC. The data are presented for central and peripheral collisions, corresponding to 0-5% and 70-80% of the hadronic Pb-Pb cross section. The measured charged particle spectra in $|\eta|<0.8$ and $0.3 < p_T < 20$ GeV/$c$ are compared to the expectation in pp collisions at the same $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$, scaled by the number of underlying nucleon-nucleon collisions. The comparison is expressed in terms of the nuclear modification factor $R_{\rm AA}$. The result indicates only weak medium effects ($R_{\rm AA} \approx$ 0.7) in peripheral collisions. In central collisions, $R_{\rm AA}$ reaches a minimum of about 0.14 at $p_{\rm T}=6$-7GeV/$c$ and increases significantly at larger $p_{\rm T}$. The measured suppression of high-$p_{\rm T}$ particles is stronger than that observed at lower collision energies, indicating that a very dense medium is formed in central Pb-Pb collisions at the LHC.Comment: 15 pages, 5 captioned figures, 3 tables, authors from page 10, published version, figures at http://aliceinfo.cern.ch/ArtSubmission/node/98

Anisotropic field dependence of the magnetic transition in Cu2Te2O5Br2

We present the results of measurements of the thermal conductivity of Cu2Te2O5Br2, a compound where tetrahedra of Cu^{2+} ions carrying S=1/2 spins form chains along the c-axis of the tetragonal crystal structure. The thermal conductivity kappa was measured along both the c- and the a-direction as a function of temperature between 3 and 300 K and in external magnetic fields H up to 69 kOe, oriented both parallel and perpendicular to the c-axis. Distinct features of kappa(T) were observed in the vicinity of T_N=11.4 K in zero magnetic field. These features are unaltered in external fields which are parallel to the c-axis, but are more pronounced when a field is applied perpendicularly to the c-axis. The transition temperature increases upon enhancing the external field, but only if the field is oriented along the a-axis.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure