High pT leading hadron suppression in nuclear collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 20 -- 200 GeV: data versus parton energy loss models

Experimental results on high transverse momentum (leading) hadron spectra in nucleus-nucleus collisions in the range sqrt(s_NN) = 20 -- 200 GeV are reviewed with an emphasis on the observed suppression compared to free space production in proton-proton collisions at the corresponding center-of-mass energies. The transverse-momentum and collision-energy (but seemingly not the in-medium path length) dependence of the experimental suppression factors measured in central collisions is consistent with the expectations of final-state non-Abelian parton energy loss in a dense QCD medium.Comment: Two typos correcte

The 4-particle hydrogen-antihydrogen system revisited: twofold Hamiltonian symmetry and natural atom antihydrogen

Modern ab initio treatments of H-Hbar systems are inconsistent with the logic behind algebraic Hamiltonians H(+-)=H(0)+/-deltaH for charge-symmetrical and charge-asymmetrical 4 unit charge systems like H(2) and HHbar. Since these 2 Hamiltonians are mutually exclusive, only the attractive one can apply for stable natural molecular H(2). A wrong choice leads to problems with antiatom Hbar. In line with earlier results on band and line spectra, we now prove that HL chose the wrong Hamiltonian for H(2). Their theory explains the stability of attractive system H(2) with a repulsive Hamiltonian instead of with the attractive one, representative for charge-asymmetrical system HHbar. A new second order symmetry effect is detected. Repulsive HL Hamiltonian H(+) applies at long range but at the critical distance, attractive charge-inverted Hamiltonian H(-)takes over and leads to bond H(2) but in reality, HHbar, for which we give an analytical proof. Another wrong asymptote choice in the past also applies for atomic antihydrogen Hbar, which has hidden the Mexican hat potential for natural hydrogen. This generic solution removes most problems, physicists and chemists experience with atomic Hbar and molecular HHbar, including the problem with antimatter in the Universe.Comment: at the instituional UGent archive, 37 pag, 10 fig, tabb, version as submitted, abstract shortene

Parton recombination at all pTp_T

Hadron production at all $p_T$ in heavy-ion collisions in the framework of parton recombination is reviewed. It is shown that the recombination of thermal and shower partons dominates the hadron spectra in the intermediate $p_T$ region. In $d+Au$ collisions, the physics of particle production at any $\eta$ is basically the same as at $\eta=0$. The Cronin effect is described as a result of the final-state instead of the initial-state interaction. The suppression of $R_{CP}$ at high $\eta$ is due to the reduction of the soft parton density on the deuteron side, thus resulting in less pions produced by recombination, an explanation that requires no new physics. In $Au+Au$ collisions large $p/\pi$ ratio is obtained because the thermal partons can contribute to the formation of proton more than they do to the pion.Comment: 12 pages + 5 figures. Invited talk at Hard Probes 200

Two-pion Bose-Einstein correlations in central Pb-Pb collisions at sNN\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76 TeV

The first measurement of two-pion Bose-Einstein correlations in central Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76$ TeV at the Large Hadron Collider is presented. We observe a growing trend with energy now not only for the longitudinal and the outward but also for the sideward pion source radius. The pion homogeneity volume and the decoupling time are significantly larger than those measured at RHIC.Comment: 17 pages, 5 captioned figures, 1 table, authors from page 12, published version, figures at http://aliceinfo.cern.ch/ArtSubmission/node/388

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

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

Probing the QCD equation of state with thermal photons in nucleus-nucleus collisions at RHIC

Thermal photon production at mid-rapidity in Au+Au reactions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV is studied in the framework of a 2D+1 hydrodynamical model that describes efficiently the bulk identified hadron spectra at RHIC. The combined thermal plus NLO pQCD photon spectrum is in good agreement with the yields measured by the PHENIX experiment for all Au+Au centralities. Within our model, we demonstrate that the correlation of the thermal photon slopes with the charged hadron multiplicity in each centrality bin provides direct empirical information on the underlying degrees of freedom and on the equation of state, $s(T)/T^3$, of the strongly interacting matter.Comment: Version to appear in EPJ-C (extended discussion and refs. and a few corrections

Nucleon form factors, B-meson factories and the radiative return

The feasibility of a measurement of the electric and magnetic nucleon form factors at $B$-meson factories through the radiative return is studied. Angular distributions allow a separation of the contributions from the two form factors. The distributions are presented for the laboratory and the hadronic rest frame, and the advantages of different coordinate systems are investigated. It is demonstrated that $Q^2$ values up to 8 or even 9 GeV$^2$ are within reach. The Monte Carlo event generator PHOKHARA is extended to nucleon final states, and results are presented which include Next-to-Leading Order radiative corrections from initial-state radiation. The impact of angular cuts on rates and distributions is investigated and the relative importance of radiative corrections is analysed.Comment: 9 pages, 11 figures. Final version to appear in Eur. Phys. J.

A description of the ratio between electric and magnetic proton form factors by using space-like, time-like data and dispersion relations

We use the available information on the ratio between the electric and magnetic proton form factors coming from recently published space-like data and from the few available time-like data. We apply a dispersive procedure on these data to evaluate the behaviour of this ratio, as a complex function, for all values of q^2.Comment: 12 pages, 7 Encapsulated Postscript figures, uses epsfig, rotating, exscale, amsmath, cite, latexsym, graphics, color packages, added reference

ReSCon '11, Research Student Conference: Book of Abstracts

The fourth SED Research Student Conference (ReSCon2011) was hosted over three days, 20-22 June 2011, in the Hamilton Centre at Brunel University. The conference consisted of technical presentations, a poster session and social events. which focused on current research being conducted within the School of Engineering and Design by postgraduate research students from the School. The conference is held annually, and ReSCon plays a key role in contributing to research and innovations within the School