A radiometer for stochastic gravitational waves

The LIGO Scientific Collaboration recently reported a new upper limit on an isotropic stochastic background of gravitational waves obtained based on the data from the 3rd LIGO science Run (S3). Now I present a new method for obtaining directional upper limits that the LIGO Scientific Collaboration intends to use for future LIGO science runs and that essentially implements a gravitational wave radiometer.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figure

Detecting a stochastic background of gravitational waves in the presence of non-Gaussian noise: A performance of generalized cross-correlation statistic

We discuss a robust data analysis method to detect a stochastic background of gravitational waves in the presence of non-Gaussian noise. In contrast to the standard cross-correlation (SCC) statistic frequently used in the stochastic background searches, we consider a {\it generalized cross-correlation} (GCC) statistic, which is nearly optimal even in the presence of non-Gaussian noise. The detection efficiency of the GCC statistic is investigated analytically, particularly focusing on the statistical relation between the false-alarm and the false-dismissal probabilities, and the minimum detectable amplitude of gravitational-wave signals. We derive simple analytic formulae for these statistical quantities. The robustness of the GCC statistic is clarified based on these formulae, and one finds that the detection efficiency of the GCC statistic roughly corresponds to the one of the SCC statistic neglecting the contribution of non-Gaussian tails. This remarkable property is checked by performing the Monte Carlo simulations and successful agreement between analytic and simulation results was found.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures, presentation and some figures modified, final version to be published in PR

Negatively Charged Strangelet Search using the E864 Spectrometer at the AGS

We provide a status report on the progress of searching for negatively charged strangelets using the E864 spectrometer at the AGS. About 200 million recorded events representing approximately 14 billion 10% central interactions of Au + Pt at 11.5 GeV/c taken during the 1996-1997 run of the experiment are used in the analysis. No strangelet candidates are seen for charges Z=-1 and Z=-2, corresponding to a 90% confidence level for upper limits of strangelet production of ~1 x 10^{-8} and ~4 x 10^{-9} per central collision respectively. The limits are nearly uniform over a wide range of masses and are valid only for strangelets which are stable or have lifetimes greater than ~50 ns.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures; Talk at SQM'98, Padova, Italy (July 20-24, 1998

Model-Independent Semileptonic Form Factors Using Dispersion Relations

We present a method for parametrizing heavy meson semileptonic form factors using dispersion relations, and from it produce a two-parameter description of the B -> B elastic form factor. We use heavy quark symmetry to relate this function to B -> D* l nu form factors, and extract |V_cb|=0.0355^{+0.0029}_{-0.0025} from experimental data with a least squares fit. Our method eliminates model-dependent uncertainties inherent in choosing a parametrization for the extrapolation of the differential decay rate to threshold.Comment: uses lanlmac(harvmac) and epsf, 12 pages, 1 eps figure included (Talk by BG at the 6-th International Symposium on Heavy Flavour Physics, Pisa, Italy, 6--10 June, 1995

Low--Energy Theorems for Weak Pion Production

We derive novel low--energy theorems for single pion production off nucleons through the isovector axial current. We find that the $k^2$-dependence of the multipole $L_{0+}^{(+)}$ at threshold is given by the nucleon scalar form factor, namely $\sigma(k^2-M_\pi^2 ) /(3 \pi M_\pi F_\pi )$. The relation to PCAC results for soft pions including electroweak form factors is also clarified.Comment: 9 pp, TeX, 2 figures available as ps files, CRN 93-5

Factorization theorems, effective field theory, and nonleptonic heavy meson decays

The nonleptonic heavy meson decays $B\to D^{(*)}\pi(\rho), J/\psi K^{(*)}$ and $D\to K^{(*)}\pi$ are studied based on the three-scale perturbative QCD factorization theorem developed recently. In this formalism the Bauer-Stech-Wirbel parameters a_1 and a_2 are treated as the Wilson coefficients, whose evolution from the W boson mass down to the characteristic scale of the decay processes is determined by effective field theory. The evolution from the characteristic scale to a lower hadronic scale is formulated by the Sudakov resummation. The scale-setting ambiguity, which exists in the conventional approach to nonleptonic heavy meson decays, is moderated. Nonfactorizable and nonspectator contributions are taken into account as part of the hard decay subamplitudes. Our formalism is applicable to both bottom and charm decays, and predictions, including those for the ratios R and R_L associated with the $B\to J/\psi K^{(*)}$ decays, are consistent with experimental data.Comment: 39 pages, latex, 5 figures, revised version with some correction

Semileptonic B and Lambda_b Decays and Local Duality in QCD

The inclusive and exclusive semileptonic decay distributions for b -> c decay are computed in the Shifman-Voloshin limit. The inclusive decay distributions (computed using an operator product expansion) depend on quark masses, and the exclusive decay distributions depend on hadron masses. Nevertheless, we show explicitly how the first two terms in the 1/m expansion match between the inclusive and exclusive decays. Agreement between the inclusive and exclusive decay rates requires a minimum smearing region of size Lambda_QCD before local duality holds in QCD. The alpha_s corrections to the inclusive and exclusive decay rates are also shown to agree to order (log m)/m^2. The alpha_s/m^2 corrections are used to obtain the alpha_s correction to Bjorken's inequality on the slope of the Isgur-Wise function.Comment: 22 pages, 3 eps figures, uses revtex (Revision: a discussion of radiative corrections to the bound K>0 of Section 7.B has been added; some typos, including labels in fig 2

The Isgur-Wise function in a relativistic model for qQˉq\bar Q system

We use the Dirac equation with a ``(asymptotically free) Coulomb + (Lorentz scalar) linear '' potential to estimate the light quark wavefunction for $q\bar Q$ mesons in the limit $m_Q\to \infty$. We use these wavefunctions to calculate the Isgur-Wise function $\xi (v.v^\prime )$ for orbital and radial ground states in the phenomenologically interesting range $1\leq v.v^ \prime \leq 4$. We find a simple expression for the zero-recoil slope, $\xi^ \prime (1) =-1/2- \epsilon^2 /3$, where $\epsilon$ is the energy eigenvalue of the light quark, which can be identified with the $\bar\Lambda$ parameter of the Heavy Quark Effective Theory. This result implies an upper bound of $-1/2$ for the slope $\xi^\prime (1)$. Also, because for a very light quark $q (q=u, d)$ the size $\sqrt {}$ of the meson is determined mainly by the ``confining'' term in the potential $(\gamma_\circ \sigma r)$, the shape of $\xi_{u,d}(v.v^\prime )$ is seen to be mostly sensitive to the dimensionless ratio $\bar \Lambda_{u,d}^2/\sigma$. We present results for the ranges of parameters $150 MeV <\bar \Lambda_{u,d} <600 MeV$ $(\bar\Lambda_s \approx \bar\Lambda_{u,d}+100 MeV)$, $0.14 {GeV}^2 \leq \sigma \leq 0.25 {GeV}^2$ and light quark masses $m_u, m_d \approx 0, m_s=175 MeV$ and compare to existing experimental data and other theoretical estimates. Fits to the data give: ${\bar\Lambda_{u,d}}^2/\sigma =4.8\pm 1.7$, $-\xi^\prime_{u,d}(1)=2.4\pm 0.7$ and $\vert V_{cb} \vert \sqrt {\frac {\tau_B}{1.48 ps}}=0.050\pm 0.008$ [ARGUS '93]; ${\bar\Lambda_{u,d}}^2/\sigma = 3.4\pm 1.8$, $-\xi^\prime_{u,d}(1)=1.8\pm 0.7$ and $\vert V_{cb} \vert \sqrt { \frac {\tau_B}{1.48 ps}}=0.043\pm 0.008$ [CLEO '93]; ${\bar\Lambda_{u,d}}^2/Comment: 22 pages, Latex, 4 figures (not included) available by fax or via email upon reques