Extended Derivative Dispersion Relations

It is shown that, for a wide class of functions with physical interest as forward scattering amplitudes, integral dispersion relations can be replaced by derivative forms without any high-energy approximation. The applicability of these extended derivative relations, in the investigation of forward proton-proton and antiproton-proton elastic scattering, is exemplified by means of a Pomeron-Reggeon model with totally nondegenerate trajectories.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figure, contribution to "Sense of Beauty in Physics", Miniconference in Honor of Adriano Di Giacomo on his 70th Birthday, Pisa, Italy, Jan. 26-27, 200

Derivative dispersion relations above the physical threshold

We discuss some formal and practical aspects related to the replacement of Integral Dispersion Relations (IDR) by derivative forms, without high-energy approximations. We first demonstrate that, for a class of functions with physical interest as forward scattering amplitudes, this replacement can be analytically performed, leading to novel Extended Derivative Dispersion Relations (EDDR), which, in principle, are valid for any energy above the physical threshold. We then verify the equivalence between the IDR and EDDR by means of a popular parametrization for total cross sections from proton-proton and antiproton-proton scattering and compare the results with those obtained through other representations for the derivative relations. Critical aspects on the limitations of the whole analysis, from both formal and practical points of view, are also discussed in some detail.Comment: Final version, published in Brazilian Journal of Physics, V. 37, 358 (2007

One Thousand and One Bubbles

We propose a novel strategy that permits the construction of completely general five-dimensional microstate geometries on a Gibbons-Hawking space. Our scheme is based on two steps. First, we rewrite the bubble equations as a system of linear equations that can be easily solved. Second, we conjecture that the presence or absence of closed timelike curves in the solution can be detected through the evaluation of an algebraic relation. The construction we propose is systematic and covers the whole space of parameters, so it can be applied to find all five-dimensional BPS microstate geometries on a Gibbons-Hawking base. As a first result of this approach, we find that the spectrum of scaling solutions becomes much larger when non-Abelian fields are present. We use our method to describe several smooth horizonless multicenter solutions with the asymptotic charges of three-charge (Abelian and non-Abelian) black holes. In particular, we describe solutions with the centers lying on lines and circles that can be specified with exact precision. We show the power of our method by explicitly constructing a 50-center solution. Moreover, we use it to find the first smooth five-dimensional microstate geometries with arbitrarily small angular momentum.Comment: 33 pages. v2: typos correcte

Optical turbulence vertical distribution with standard and high resolution at Mt. Graham

A characterization of the optical turbulence vertical distribution (Cn2 profiles) and all the main integrated astroclimatic parameters derived from the Cn2 and the wind speed profiles above the site of the Large Binocular Telescope (Mt. Graham, Arizona, US) is presented. The statistic includes measurements related to 43 nights done with a Generalized Scidar (GS) used in standard configuration with a vertical resolution Delta(H)~1 km on the whole 20 km and with the new technique (HVR-GS) in the first kilometer. The latter achieves a resolution Delta(H)~20-30 m in this region of the atmosphere. Measurements done in different periods of the year permit us to provide a seasonal variation analysis of the Cn2. A discretized distribution of Cn2 useful for the Ground Layer Adaptive Optics (GLAO) simulations is provided and a specific analysis for the LBT Laser Guide Star system ARGOS (running in GLAO configuration) case is done including the calculation of the 'gray zones' for J, H and K bands. Mt. Graham confirms to be an excellent site with median values of the seeing without dome contribution epsilon = 0.72", the isoplanatic angle theta0 = 2.5" and the wavefront coherence time tau0= 4.8 msec. We find that the optical turbulence vertical distribution decreases in a much sharper way than what has been believed so far in proximity of the ground above astronomical sites. We find that 50% of the whole turbulence develops in the first 80+/-15 m from the ground. We finally prove that the error in the normalization of the scintillation that has been recently put in evidence in the principle of the GS technique, affects these measurements with an absolutely negligible quantity (0.04").Comment: 11 figures. MNRAS, accepte

High-Energy Proton-Proton Forward Scattering and Derivative Analyticity Relations

We present the results of several parametrizations to two different ensemble of data on $pp$ total cross sections $\sigma_{tot}^{pp}$ at the highest center-of-mass energies (including cosmic-ray information). The results are statistically consistent with two distinct scenarios at high energies. From one ensemble the prediction for the LHC ($\sqrt s = 14$ TeV) is $\sigma_{tot}^{pp} = 113 \pm 5$ mb and from the other, $\sigma_{tot}^{pp}=140 \pm 7$ mb. From each parametrization, and making use of derivative analyticity relations (DAR), we determine $\rho(s)$ (ratio between the forward real and imaginary parts of the elastic scattering amplitude). A discussion on the optimization of the DAR in terms of a free parameter is also presented.In all cases good descriptions of the experimental data are obtained.Comment: One formula added, one unit changed, small misprints corrected, final version to be published in Brazilian Journal of Physics; 13 pages, 8 figures, aps-revte

Nitrogen circulation in a Mediterranean holm oak forest, La Castanya, Montseny, northeastern Spain

The importance of storm frequency as well as the groundwater and hyporheic inputs on nitrate (NO₃-N) and ammonium (NH₄-N) levels in stream water were studied in a small perennial Mediterranean catchment, Riera Major, in northeast Spain. NO₃-N concentrations ranged from 0.15 to 1.9 mg l^-1. Discharge explained 47% of the annual NO₃-N concentration variance, but this percentage increased to 97% when single floods were analysed. The rate of change in nitrate concentration with respect to flow, ΔNO₃-N/ΔQ, ranged widely from 0 to 20 μg NO₃-N s l^-2. The ΔNO₃-N/ΔQ values fitted to a non linear model with respect to the storm flow magnitude (ΔQ) (r²=0.48, d.f.=22, P<0.01). High values of ΔNO₃-N/ΔQ occurred at intermediate ΔQ values, whereas low ΔNO₃-N/ΔQ values occurred during severe storms (ΔQ > 400 l s^-1). N₃-N concentrations exhibit anticlockwise hysteresis patterns with changing flow and the patterns observed for autumnal and winter storms indicated that groundwater was the main N₃-N source for stream and hyporheic water. At baseflow, NO₃-N concentration in groundwater was higher (t=4.75, d.f.=29, P>0.001) and co-varied with concentrations in the stream (r=0.91, d.f.=28, P<0.001). In contrast, NO₃-N concentration in hyporheic water was identical to that in stream water. The role of the hyporheic zone as source or sink for ammonium was studied hyporheic was studied comparing its concentrations in stream and hyporheic zone before and after a major storm occurred in October 1994 that removed particulate organic matter stored in sediments. Results showed high ammonium concentrations (75±28 s.d. μg NH₄-N l^-1) before the storm flow in the hyporheic zone. After the storm, the ammonium concentration in the hyporheic dropped by 80% (13.6±8 μg N₄-N l^-1) and approached to the level found in stream water (11±8 μg NH₄-N l^-1) indicating that indisturbed hyporheic sediments act as a source for ammonium. After the storm, the ammonium concentrations in the stream, hyporheic and groundwater zones were very similar suggesting that stream ammonium concentrations are sustained mainly by input from groundwater. The present study provides evidence that storm flow magnitude is an important source of variability of nitrate concentration and fluxes in Mediterranean streams subjected to an irregular precipitation regime with prolonged dry periods.</p> <p style='line-height: 20px;'><b>Keywords: </b>nitrate, discharge regime, hyporheic zone, groundwater, Mediterranean, stream, Riera Major</p