Light-cone sum rules for B→πB \to \pi form factors revisited

We reconsider and update the QCD light-cone sum rules for $B\to \pi$ form factors. The gluon radiative corrections to the twist-2 and twist-3 terms in the correlation functions are calculated. The $\bar{MS}$ $b$-quark mass is employed, instead of the one-loop pole mass used in the previous analyses. The light-cone sum rule for $f^+_{B\pi}(q^2)$ is fitted to the measured $q^2$-distribution in $B\to \pi l \nu_l$, fixing the input parameters with the largest uncertainty: the Gegenbauer moments of the pion distribution amplitude. For the $B\to \pi$ vector form factor at zero momentum transfer we predict $f^+_{B\pi}(0)= 0.26^{+0.04}_{-0.03}$. Combining it with the value of the product $|V_{ub}f^+_{B\pi}(0)|$ extracted from experiment, we obtain $|V_{ub}|=(3.5\pm 0.4\pm 0.2\pm 0.1) \times 10^{-3}$. In addition, the scalar and penguin $B\to \pi$ form factors $f^0_{B\pi}(q^2)$ and $f^T_{B\pi}(q^2)$ are calculated.Comment: 33 pages, 7 figures, one figure and a few comments added, version to appear in JHE

A Review of the Agronomic Characteristics of Endophyte-Free and Endophyte-Infected Tall Fescue

Agronomic differences between endophyte- (Acremonium coenophialum Morgan Jones and Gams) free and endophyte-infected tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) exist, and should be considered when implementing a management strategy. Although dry matter yield of tall fescue does not generally appear to be influenced by endophyte infection status, endophyte infection has been shown to improve seedling performance and survival, is associated with insect and nematode resistance, drought resistance, improved nitrogen assimilation, and higher seed set. Considering all biologically valuable characters of the endophyte-tall fescue relationship, survival of endophyte-infected tall fescue is probably better than that of endophyte-free tall fescue, especially in drought- or heat-stressed environments. Despite problems which growers have reported in establishing stand; of endophyte-free tall fescue varieties, there is still a decided advantage to seeding endophyte-free tall fescue because of improved livestock performance. However, greater attention to management is needed, particularly during the establishment year. Good seedbed preparation, including fertility improvements, should be stressed for endophyte-free tall fescue. Since endophyte-free tall fescue seedlings are not as vigorous as endophyte-infected tall fescue seedlings, using other grasses as nurse crops, or seeding with clovers, is not recommended when establishing new stands. Environmental or imposed stress on newly established endophyte-free tall fescue stands should be avoided by selecting optimum planting dates, and limiting livestock access. Top growth should not be grazed or clipped shorter than 3-4 in. (7-10 cm) during the first year of growth

Exomars entry and descent science

The entry, descent and landing of ExoMars offer a rare (once-per-mission) opportunity to perform in situ investigation of the martian environment over a wide altitude range. We present an initial assessment of the atmospheric science that can be performed using sensors of the Entry, Descent and Landing System (EDLS), over and above the expected engineering information. This is intended to help fulfill the concept of an Atmospheric Parameters Package (APP), as mentioned in the ExoMars draft Science Management Plan [ESA, 2005]. Mars' atmosphere is highly variable in time and space, due to phenomena including inertio-gravity waves, thermal tide effects, dust, solar wind conditions, and diurnal, seasonal and topographic effects. Atmospheric profile measurements, drawing on heritage from the Huygens Atmospheric Structure Instrument (HASI), which encountered Titan's atmosphere in 2005 [1], should allow us to address questions of the martian atmosphere's structure, dynamics and variability

Phenomenological Bounds on B to Light Semileptonic Form Factors

The form factors for the weak currents between B and light mesons are studied by relating them to the corresponding D form factors at q^2_{max} according to HQET, by evaluating them at q^2=0 by QCD sum rules, and by assuming a polar q^2 dependence. The results found are consistent with the information obtained from exclusive non-leptonic two-body decays and, with the only exception of A_1, with lattice calculations.Comment: 8 LaTeX pages + 2 figures. Will appear in Mod. Phys. Lett.

Nonperturbative QCD Contributions to the Semileptonic Decay Width of the B Meson

Nonperturbative QCD contributions to the inclusive semileptonic decay of the B meson consist of the dynamic and kinematic components. We calculate the decay width in an approach based on the light-cone expansion and the heavy quark effective theory, which is able to include both components of nonperturbative QCD contributions. The kinematic component results in the phase-space extension and is shown to be quantitatively crucial, which could increase the decay width significantly. We find that the semileptonic decay width is enhanced by long-distance strong interactions by +(9\pm 6)%. This analysis is used to determine the CKM matrix element |V_{cb}| with a controlled theoretical error. Implications of the phase-space effects for the nonleptonic decay widths of b hadrons are briefly discussed. The experimental evidence for the phase-space effects is pointed out.Comment: 16 pages, Latex, 3 eps figures included, published version (discussion extended, references updated, the main result unchanged

Progress in the Neural Network Determination of Polarized Parton Distributions

We review recent progress towards a determination of a set of polarized parton distributions from a global set of deep-inelastic scattering data based on the NNPDF methodology, in analogy with the unpolarized case. This method is designed to provide a faithful and statistically sound representation of parton distributions and their uncertainties. We show how the FastKernel method provides a fast and accurate method for solving the polarized DGLAP equations. We discuss the polarized PDF parametrizations and the physical constraints which can be imposed. Preliminary results suggest that the uncertainty on polarized PDFs, most notably the gluon, has been underestimated in previous studies.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures; to appear in the proceedings of DIS 2010, Firenz

Experimental evidence for the role of cantori as barriers in a quantum system

We investigate the effect of cantori on momentum diffusion in a quantum system. Ultracold caesium atoms are subjected to a specifically designed periodically pulsed standing wave. A cantorus separates two chaotic regions of the classical phase space. Diffusion through the cantorus is classically predicted. Quantum diffusion is only significant when the classical phase-space area escaping through the cantorus per period greatly exceeds Planck's constant. Experimental data and a quantum analysis confirm that the cantori act as barriers.Comment: 19 pages including 9 figures, Accepted for publication in Physical Review E in March 199

The treatment of the infrared region in perturbative QCD

We discuss the contribution coming from the infrared region to NLO matrix elements and/or coefficient functions of hard QCD processes. Strictly speaking, this contribution is not known theoretically, since it is beyond perturbative QCD. For DGLAP evolution all the infrared contributions are collected in the phenomenological input parton distribution functions (PDFs), at some relatively low scale Q_0; functions which are obtained from a fit to the `global' data. However dimensional regularization sometimes produces a non-zero result coming from the infrared region. Instead of this conventional regularization treatment, we argue that the proper procedure is to first subtract from the NLO matrix element the contribution already generated at the same order in \alpha_s by the LO DGLAP splitting function convoluted with the LO matrix element. This prescription eliminates the logarithmic infrared divergence, giving a well-defined result which is consistent with the original idea that everything below Q_0 is collected in the PDF input. We quantify the difference between the proposed treatment and the conventional approach using low-mass Drell-Yan production and deep inelastic electron-proton scattering as examples; and discuss the potential impact on the `global' PDF analyses. We present arguments to show that the difference cannot be regarded as simply the use of an alternative factorization scheme.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figures, title changed, text considerably modified to improve presentation, and discussion section enlarge

Physics Opportunities with the FCC-hh Injectors

In this chapter we explore a few examples of physics opportunities using the existing chain of accelerators at CERN, including potential upgrades. In this context the LHC ring is also considered as a part of the injector system. The objective is to find examples that constitute sensitive probes of New Physics that ideally cannot be done elsewhere or can be done significantly better at theCERN accelerator complex. Some of these physics opportunities may require a more flexible injector complex with additional functionality than that just needed to inject protons into the FCC-hh at the right energy, intensity and bunch structure. Therefore it is timely to discuss these options concurrently with the conceptual design of the FCC-hh injector system.Comment: 13 pages, chapter 5 in Physics at the FCC-hh, a 100 TeV pp collide

Structure of the axial-vector meson Ds1(2460)D_{s1}(2460) and the strong coupling constant gDs1D∗Kg_{D_{s1} D^* K} with the light-cone QCD sum rules

In this article, we take the point of view that the charmed axial-vector meson $D_{s1}(2460)$ is the conventional $c\bar{s}$ meson and calculate the strong coupling constant $g_{D_{s1} D^* K}$ in the framework of the light-cone QCD sum rules approach. The numerical values of strong coupling constants $g_{D_{s1} D^* K}$ and $g_{D_{s0} D K}$ are very large, and support the hadronic dressing mechanism. Just like the scalar mesons $f_0(980)$ and $a_0(980)$, the scalar meson $D_{s0}(2317)$ and axial-vector meson $D_{s1}(2460)$ may have small $c\bar{s}$ kernels of the typical $c\bar{s}$ meson size, the strong couplings to the hadronic channels (or the virtual mesons loops) may result in smaller masses than the conventional $c\bar{s}$ mesons in the constituent quark models, and enrich the pure $c\bar{s}$ states with other components.Comment: 17 pages, 7 figures, revised version. In the first version, I take the value $f_{D_{s1}}= (0.25\pm0.02)GeV$ in numerical calculation, in the revised version, I take a small value $f_{D_{s1}}=(0.225 \pm0.020)GeV$, the value of the strong coupling constant is also change