Noise delayed decay of unstable states: theory versus numerical simulations

We study the noise delayed decay of unstable nonequilibrium states in nonlinear dynamical systems within the framework of the overdamped Brownian motion model. We give the exact expressions for the decay times of unstable states for polynomial potential profiles and obtain nonmonotonic behavior of the decay times as a function of the noise intensity for the unstable nonequilibrium states. The analytical results are compared with numerical simulations.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures, in press in J. Phys.

Probing Gauge-Mediated Supersymmetry Breaking Models at the Tevatron via Delayed Decays of the Lightest Neutralino

We quantitatively explore, in the context of the D0 detector at the Tevatron, three very different techniques for observing delayed decays of the lightest neutralino of a simple gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking (GMSB) model to photon plus gravitino. It is demonstrated that the delayed-decay signals considered can greatly increase the region of general GMSB parameter space for which supersymmetry can be detected. In the simple class of models considered, the combination of standard supersymmetry signals and delayed-decay signals potentially yields at least one viable signal for nearly all of the theoretically favored parameter space. The importance, for delayed-decay signal detection, of particular detector features and of building a simple photon detector on the roof of the D0 detector building is studied.Comment: 24 pages, full postscript file is also available via anonymous ftp at ftp://ucdhep.ucdavis.edu/gunion/gmsb2.p

Maximizing Hadron Collider Sensitivity to Gauge-Mediated Supersymmetry Breaking Models

We consider typical hadron collider detector signals sensitive to delayed decays of the lightest neutralino to photon plus goldstino and demonstrate the potential for substantially increasing the portion of the general parameter space of a gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking model that can be probed at the Tevatron.Comment: 11 pages, full postscript file is available via anonymous ftp at ftp://ucdhep.ucdavis.edu/gunion/gmsb.ps; incorrect labels on figures correcte

Quantum and Semiclassical Calculations of Cold Atom Collisions in Light Fields

We derive and apply an optical Bloch equation (OBE) model for describing collisions of ground and excited laser cooled alkali atoms in the presence of near-resonant light. Typically these collisions lead to loss of atoms from traps. We compare the results obtained with a quantum mechanical complex potential treatment, semiclassical Landau-Zener models with decay, and a quantum time-dependent Monte-Carlo wave packet (MCWP) calculation. We formulate the OBE method in both adiabatic and diabatic representations. We calculate the laser intensity dependence of collision probabilities and find that the adiabatic OBE results agree quantitatively with those of the MCWP calculation, and qualitatively with the semiclassical Landau-Zener model with delayed decay, but that the complex potential method or the traditional Landau-Zener model fail in the saturation limit.Comment: 21 pages, RevTex, 7 eps figures embedded using psfig, see also http://www.physics.helsinki.fi/~kasuomin

Experimental Preservation of Muscle Tissue in Quartz Sand and Kaolinite

Siliciclastic sediments of the Ediacaran Period contain exceptionally preserved fossils of macroscopic organisms, including three-dimensional casts and molds commonly found in sandstones and siltstones and some two-dimensional compressions reported in shales. The sporadic and variable associations of these exceptionally preserved macroscopic fossils with pyrite, clay minerals, and microbial fossils and textures complicate our understanding of fossilization processes. This hinders inferences about the evolutionary histories, tissue types, original morphologies, and lifestyles of the enigmatic Ediacara biota. Here, we investigate the delayed decay of scallop muscles buried in quartz sand or kaolinite for 45 days. This process occurs in the presence of microbial activity in mixed redox environments, but in the absence of thick, sealing microbial mats. Microbial processes that mediate organic decay and release the highest concentrations of silica and Fe(II) into the pore fluids are associated with the most extensive tissue decay. Delayed decay and the preservation of thick muscles in sand are associated with less intense microbial iron reduction and the precipitation of iron oxides and iron sulfides that contain Fe(II) or Fe(III). In contrast, muscles buried in kaolinite are coated only by <10 μm-thick clay veneers composed of kaolinite grains and newly formed K- and Fe(II)-rich aluminosilicate phases. Muscles that undergo delayed decay in kaolinite lose more mass relative to the muscles buried in sand and undergo vertical collapse. These findings show that the composition of minerals that coat or precipitate within the tissues and the vertical dimension of the preserved features can depend on the type of sediment that buries the muscles. Similar processes in the zone of oscillating redox likely facilitated the formation of exceptionally preserved macrofossils in Ediacaran siliciclastic sediments

On decay of large amplitude bubble of disoriented chiral condensate

The time evolution of initially formed large amplitude bubble of disoriented chiral condensate (DCC) is studied. It is found that the evolution of this object may have a relatively long pre-decay stage. Simple explanation of such delay of the DCC bubble decay is given. This delay is related to the existence of the approximate solutions of multi-soliton type of the corresponding radial sine-Gordon equation in (3+1) dimensions at large bubble radius.Comment: 6 pages, LaTeX, 5 PostScript figure

Decay of Classical Chaotic Systems - the Case of the Bunimovich Stadium

The escape of an ensemble of particles from the Bunimovich stadium via a small hole has been studied numerically. The decay probability starts out exponentially but has an algebraic tail. The weight of the algebraic decay tends to zero for vanishing hole size. This behaviour is explained by the slow transport of the particles close to the marginally stable bouncing ball orbits. It is contrasted with the decay function of the corresponding quantum system.Comment: 16 pages, RevTex, 3 figures are available upon request from [email protected], to be published in Phys.Rev.