2,131 research outputs found
Supersymmetry and the LHC Inverse Problem
Given experimental evidence at the LHC for physics beyond the standard model,
how can we determine the nature of the underlying theory? We initiate an
approach to studying the "inverse map" from the space of LHC signatures to the
parameter space of theoretical models within the context of low-energy
supersymmetry, using 1808 LHC observables including essentially all those
suggested in the literature and a 15 dimensional parametrization of the
supersymmetric standard model. We show that the inverse map of a point in
signature space consists of a number of isolated islands in parameter space,
indicating the existence of "degeneracies"--qualitatively different models with
the same LHC signatures. The degeneracies have simple physical
characterizations, largely reflecting discrete ambiguities in electroweak-ino
spectrum, accompanied by small adjustments for the remaining soft parameters.
The number of degeneracies falls in the range 1<d<100, depending on whether or
not sleptons are copiously produced in cascade decays. This number is large
enough to represent a clear challenge but small enough to encourage looking for
new observables that can further break the degeneracies and determine at the
LHC most of the SUSY physics we care about. Degeneracies occur because
signatures are not independent, and our approach allows testing of any new
signature for its independence. Our methods can also be applied to any other
theory of physics beyond the standard model, allowing one to study how model
footprints differ in signature space and to test ways of distinguishing
qualitatively different possibilities for new physics at the LHC.Comment: 55 pages, 30 figure
Which Kubo formula gives the exact conductance of a mesoscopic disordered system?
In both research and textbook literature one often finds two ``different''
Kubo formulas for the zero-temperature conductance of a non-interacting Fermi
system. They contain a trace of the product of velocity operators and
single-particle (retarded and advanced) Green operators: or . The study investigates the relationship between
these expressions, as well as the requirements of current conservation, through
exact evaluation of such quantum-mechanical traces for a nanoscale (containing
1000 atoms) mesoscopic disordered conductor. The traces are computed in the
semiclassical regime (where disorder is weak) and, more importantly, in the
nonperturbative transport regime (including the region around
localization-delocalization transition) where concept of mean free path ceases
to exist. Since quantum interference effects for such strong disorder are not
amenable to diagrammatic or nonlinear -model techniques, the evolution
of different Green function terms with disorder strength provides novel insight
into the development of an Anderson localized phase.Comment: 7 pages, 5 embedded EPS figures, final published version (note: PRB
article has different title due to editorial censorship
Characterizing the Effects of Thermochemical Bioenergy Production Processes on Emerging Contaminants and Wastewater Reuse Potential
The primary objective of this research was to improve our understanding of the water quality effects of thermochemical bioenergy production processes that can be applied to wet organic-laden wastes, such as animal manures, municipal wastewater, and food processing wastes. In particular, we analyzed the impacts of a novel integrated process combining algal wastewater treatment with hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) on the fate of emerging bioactive contaminants (e.g., pharmaceuticals, estrogenic compounds, antibiotic-resistance genes, etc.) and the potential for wastewater reuse. We hypothesized and then confirmed that the elevated temperature and pressure of an HTL process can effectively convert the bioactive organic compounds into bioenergy products or otherwise break them down to inactive forms. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a photodiode array (PDA) detector was used to quantify emerging contaminants (florfenicol, ceftiofur, and estrone) before and after HTL treatment showed the removal of tested bioactive compounds to below detection limits when HTL was operated at 250°C for 60 min or at 300°C for ≥ 15 min. Complete breakdown or inactivation of antibiotic-resistance genes in wastewaters by the HTL process was also obtained at all tested HTL conditions (250-300°C, 15-60 min reaction time). The presence of HTL feedstocks such as swine manure or Spirulina algae reduced the removal of bioactive compounds and plasmid DNA when HTL was operated at 250°C for a short retention time (15 min). However, this effect was minimal when HTL was operated at 250°C for 60 min or at 300°C for ≥ 15 min. Detailed analysis of the aqueous product of HTL, also called HTL wastewater (HTL-WW), showed the occurrence of hundreds of nitrogenous organic compounds (NOCs). Reference materials for nine of the most significant NOC peaks were obtained and used to positively identify and quantify their concentrations. The chronic cytotoxicity effects of these NOCs were evaluated using a Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell assay, and found that the rank order for chronic cytotoxicity of these NOCs was 3-dimethylaminophenol > 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidinone > 2,6-dimethyl-3-pyridinol > 2-picoline > pyridine > 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone > σ-valerolactam > 2-pyrrolidinone > ε-caprolactam. However, none of the individual NOC compounds exhibited cytotoxicity at concentrations found in HTL-WW. In contrast, the complete mixture of organics extracted from HTL-WW showed significant cytotoxicity, with our results indicating that only 7.5% of HTL-WW would induce a 50% reduction in CHO cell density.
Further testing showed three out of eight tested NOCs could cause 50% inhibition of algal growth at their detected concentration in HTL-WW. In addition, we found that treatment of HTL-WW with a batch-fed algal bioreactor could effectively remove more than 99% of NOCs after seven days of operation and 40% of the CHO chronic toxicity. We also found that over 90% of the CHO toxicity could be eliminated by filtering with granular activated carbon (GAC) after algal bioreactor treatment. These post-treatments of HTL-WW synergistically integrate with HTL bioenergy production because both the GAC and the algal biomass from the bioreactor can potentially be fed back into HTL to generate additional biocrude oil, which facilitates beneficial reuse of the nutrient content of HTL-WW. All in all, this novel treatment approach offers significant advantages for reducing the potential toxicity risks associated with byproducts of HTL bioenergy production and for improving wastewater effluent quality for subsequent water reuse applications.Illinois Sustainable Technology Center Sponsored Research Program ; Grant No. HWR12226Ope
Are Farmers Made Whole by Trade Aid?
The USDA provided roughly $23.5 billion in Market Facilitation Program payments to compensate farmers for market losses due to retaliatory tariffs imposed by China and other countries. We examine the distribution of these payments across crops, farms, and regions. Payment rates are larger than estimated price impacts of retaliatory tariffs for most commodities—the difference is especially large for cotton and sorghum. Payment rates relative to farmland cash rent or on a per-farm basis are greatest in the South. While payments exceed the tariff-related price impact in the short run, the program may not compensate for long-run losses due to the trade conflict
Cosmic Evolution in Brans-Dicke Chameleon Cosmology
We have investigated the Brans-Dicke Chameleon theory of gravity and obtained
exact solutions of the scale factor , scalar field , an
arbitrary function which interact with the matter Lagrangian in the
action of the Brans-Dicke Chameleon theory and potential for
different epochs of the cosmic evolution. We plot the functions ,
, and for different values of the Brans-Dicke
parameter. In our models, there is no accelerating solution, only decelerating
one with . The physical cosmological distances have been investigated
carefully. Further the statefinder parameters pair and deceleration parameter
are discussed.Comment: To be appear in "The European Physical Journal - Plus (EPJ
Plus)",Extended version,15 pages, 17eps figure
Time-Varying Dark Energy Constraints From the Latest SN Ia, BAO and SGL
Based on the latest SNe Ia data provided by Hicken et al. (2009) with using
MLCS17 light curve fitter, together with the Baryon Acoustic Oscillation(BAO)
and strong gravitational lenses(SGL), we investigate the constraints on the
dark energy equation-of-state parameter in the flat universe, especially
for the time-varying case . The constraints from SNe data
alone are found to be: (a) as the best-fit
results; (b) for
the two parameters in the time-varying case after marginalizing the parameter
; (c) the likelihood of parameter has a high non-Gaussian
distribution; (d) an extra restriction on is necessary to improve
the constraint of the SNe Ia data on the parameters (, ). A joint
analysis of SNe Ia data and BAO is made to break the degeneracy between and
, and leads to the interesting maximum likelihoods and
. When marginalizing the parameter , the fitting results are
found to be . After
adding the splitting angle statistic of SGL data, a consistent constraint is
obtained and the constraints on time-varying
dark energy are further improved to be , which indicates that the phantom type models are
disfavored.Comment: 24 pages, 9 figures, to be published in JCA
Fermat-linked relations for the Boubaker polynomial sequences via Riordan matrices analysis
The Boubaker polynomials are investigated in this paper. Using Riordan
matrices analysis, a sequence of relations outlining the relations with
Chebyshev and Fermat polynomials have been obtained. The obtained expressions
are a meaningful supply to recent applied physics studies using the Boubaker
polynomials expansion scheme (BPES).Comment: 12 pages, LaTe
A Review of Controlling Motivational Strategies from a Self-Determination Theory Perspective: Implications for Sports Coaches
The aim of this paper is to present a preliminary taxonomy of six controlling strategies, primarily based on the parental and educational literatures, which we believe are employed by coaches in sport contexts. Research in the sport and physical education literature has primarily focused on coaches’ autonomysupportive behaviours. Surprisingly, there has been very little research on the use of controlling strategies. A brief overview of the research which delineates each proposed strategy is presented, as are examples of the potential manifestation of the behaviours associated with each strategy in the context of sports coaching. In line with self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985; Ryan & Deci, 2002), we propose that coach behaviours employed to pressure or control athletes have the potential to thwart athletes’ feelings of autonomy, competence,and relatedness, which, in turn, undermine athletes’ self-determined motivation and contribute to the development of controlled motives. When athletes feel pressured to behave in a certain way, a variety of negative consequences are expected to ensue which are to the detriment of the athletes’ well-being. The purpose of this paper is to raise awareness and interest in the darker side of sport participation and to offer suggestions for future research in this area
Processing of aluminum-graphite particulate metal matrix composites by advanced shear technology
Copyright @ 2009 ASM International. This paper was published in Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance 18(9) and is made available as an electronic reprint with the permission of ASM International. One print or electronic copy may be made for personal use only. Systematic or multiple reproduction, distribution to multiple locations via electronic or other means, duplications of any material in this paper for a fee or for commercial purposes, or modification of the content of this paper are prohibited.To extend the possibilities of using aluminum/graphite composites as structural materials, a novel process is developed. The conventional methods often produce agglomerated structures exhibiting lower strength and ductility. To overcome the cohesive force of the agglomerates, a melt conditioned high-pressure die casting
(MC-HPDC) process innovatively adapts the well-established, high-shear dispersive mixing action of a twin screw mechanism. The distribution of particles and properties of composites are quantitatively evaluated.
The adopted rheo process significantly improved the distribution of the reinforcement in the matrix with a strong interfacial bond between the two. A good combination of improved ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and tensile elongation (e) is obtained compared with composites produced by conventional processes.EPSR
Epistemic and social scripts in computer-supported collaborative learning
Collaborative learning in computer-supported learning environments typically means that learners work on tasks together, discussing their individual perspectives via text-based media or videoconferencing, and consequently acquire knowledge. Collaborative learning, however, is often sub-optimal with respect to how learners work on the concepts that are supposed to be learned and how learners interact with each other. One possibility to improve collaborative learning environments is to conceptualize epistemic scripts, which specify how learners work on a given task, and social scripts, which structure how learners interact with each other. In this contribution, two studies will be reported that investigated the effects of epistemic and social scripts in a text-based computer-supported learning environment and in a videoconferencing learning environment in order to foster the individual acquisition of knowledge. In each study the factors ‘epistemic script’ and ‘social script’ have been independently varied in a 2×2-factorial design. 182 university students of Educational Science participated in these two studies. Results of both studies show that social scripts can be substantially beneficial with respect to the individual acquisition of knowledge, whereas epistemic scripts apparently do not to lead to the expected effects
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