Coherent and Non-Coherent Double Diffractive Production of QQˉ Q \bar {Q} - pairs in Collisions of Heavy Ions at High Energies

The double coherent and non-coherent diffractive production of heavy quark - antiquark pairs ($Q \bar{Q}$) in heavy ion scattering at high energies (LHC) is considered. The total and differential cross sections of these processes with the formation of $c \bar{c}$ and $b \bar{b}$ pairs in $pp$, $CaCa$ and $PbPb$ collisions are evaluated. The contribution of the considered mechanisms is a few per cent of the number of heavy quark - antiquark pairs obtained in the processes of hard (QCD) scattering, and it will be taken into account in the registration of $c$, $b$ quarks or, for instance, in the study of the heavy quarkonia suppression effects in Quark - Gluon Plasma, in the search for intermediate mass Higgs bosons and so on. It is shown that the cross section of the coherent scattering process is great enough. This makes it suitable for studying collective effects in nuclear interactions at high energies. An example of such effects is given: large values of the invariant mass of a $Q \bar{Q}$pair, M_{Q \bar{Q}} \gsim 100 GeV, in association with a large rapidity gap between diffractive jets $\Delta \eta > 5$.Comment: 22 pages, 5(.eps) figures, 3 tables, LaTe

Estimation of Collision Impact Parameter

We demonstrate that the nuclear collision geometry (i.e. impact parameter) can be determined with 1.5 fm accuracy in an event-by-event analysis by measuring the transverse energy flow in the pseudorapidity region $3 \le |\eta| \le 5$ with a minimal dependence on collision dynamics details at the LHC energy scale. Using the HIJING model we have illustrated our calculation by a simulation of events of nucleus-nucleus interactions at the c.m.s energy from 1 up to 5.5 TeV per nucleon and various type of nuclei.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure

Open Problems in α\alpha Particle Condensation

$\alpha$ particle condensation is a novel state in nuclear systems. We briefly review the present status on the study of $\alpha$ particle condensation and address the open problems in this research field: $\alpha$ particle condensation in heavier systems other than the Hoyle state, linear chain and $\alpha$ particle rings, Hoyle-analogue states with extra neutrons, $\alpha$ particle condensation related to astrophysics, etc.Comment: 12 pages. To be published in J. of Phys. G special issue on Open Problems in Nuclear Structure (OPeNST

Special features of the 9^9Be→\to2He fragmentation in emulsion at an energy of 1.2~A~GeV

The results of investigations of the relativistic $^9$Be nucleus fragmentation in emulsion which entails the production of two He fragments of an energy of 1.2~A~GeV are presented. The results of the angular measurements of the $^9$Be$\to$2He events are analyzed. The $^9$Be$\to^8$Be+n fragmentation channel involving the $^8$Be decay from the ground (0$^+$) and the first excited (2$^+$) states to two $\alpha$ particles is observed to be predominant.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, conference: Conference on Physics of Fundamental Interactions, Moscow, Russia, 5-9 Dec 2005 (Author's translation