On V_ud determination from kaon decays

The pion beta decay pi^+ -> pi^0 e^+ nu proceeds through pure weak vector hadronic currents and, therefore, the theoretical prediction for it is more reliable than for the processes with axial-vector current contribution. For example, recently the pion beta decay has been used for V_ud determination. The main aim of this letter is to point that kaon beta decay K^0 -> K^+(pi^+ pi^0) e^- nu-bar analogously can be used for this purpose.Comment: 3 pages, no figures, one reference adde

Hard X-ray Bursts from Collapse of the Super Massive Stars

The very first stars in the Universe can be very massive, up to $10^6M_\odot$. They would leave behind massive black holes that could act as seeds for growing super massive black holes of active galactic nuclei. Given the anticipated fast rotation such stars would end their live as super massive collapsars and drive powerful magnetically-dominated jets. In this paper we investigate the possibility of observing the bursts of high-energy emission similar to the Long Gamma Ray Bursts associated with normal collapsars. We show that during the collapse of supercollapsars, the Blandford-Znajek mechanism can produce jets as powerful as few$\times10^{51}$erg/s and release up to $10^{56}$erg of the black hole rotational energy. Due to the higher intrinsic time scale and higher redshift the initial bright phase of the burst can last for about $10^5$ seconds whereas the central engine would remain active for about 10 days. Due to the high redshift the burst spectrum is expected to be soft, with the spectral energy distribution peaking at around 60keV. The peak total flux density is relatively low, few$\times 10^{-7}erg\, cm^{-2} s^{-1}$, but not prohibitive. The such events should be rear 0.03 year$^{-1}$, the observations needs long term program and could be done in future.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures. proceedings of workshop "Many faces of GRB phenomena - optics vs high energy", SAO Russia, October 12-16, 2009

Hexagons become second if symmetry is broken

Pattern formation on the free surface of a magnetic fluid subjected to a magnetic field is investigated experimentally. By tilting the magnetic field the symmetry can be broken in a controllable manner. When increasing the amplitude of the tilted field, the flat surface gives way to liquid ridges. A further increase results in a hysteretic transition to a pattern of stretched hexagons. The instabilities are detected by means of a linear array of magnetic hall sensors and compared with theoretical predictions.Comment: accepted for publication by Physical Review E/Rapid Communicatio

Gravitational red-shift and deflection of slow light

We explore the nature of the classical propagation of light through media with strong frequency-dependent dispersion in the presence of a gravitational field. In the weak field limit, gravity causes a redshift of the optical frequency, which the slow-light medium converts into a spatially-varying index of refraction. This results in the bending of a light ray in the medium. We further propose experimental techniques to amplify and detect the phenomenon using weak value measurements. Independent heuristic and rigorous derivations of this effect are given.Comment: 9 pages, 1 figur

Swift J164449.3+573451 event: generation in the collapsing star cluster?

We discuss the multiband energy release in a model of a collapsing galactic nucleus, and we try to interpret the unique super-long cosmic gamma-ray event Swift J164449.3+573451 (GRB 110328A by early classification) in this scenario. Neutron stars and stellar-mass black holes can form evolutionary a compact self-gravitating subsystem in the galactic center. Collisions and merges of these stellar remnants during an avalanche contraction and collapse of the cluster core can produce powerful events in different bands due to several mechanisms. Collisions of neutron stars and stellar-mass black holes can generate gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) similar to the ordinary models of short GRB origin. The bright peaks during the first two days may also be a consequence of multiple matter supply (due to matter release in the collisions) and accretion onto the forming supermassive black hole. Numerous smaller peaks and later quasi-steady radiation can arise from gravitational lensing, late accretion of gas onto the supermassive black hole, and from particle acceleration by shock waves. Even if this model will not reproduce exactly all the Swift J164449.3+573451 properties in future observations, such collapses of galactic nuclei can be available for detection in other events.Comment: 7 pages, replaced by the final versio

Radiative corrections and parity nonconservation in heavy atoms

The self-energy and the vertex radiative corrections to the effect of parity nonconservation in heavy atoms are calculated analytically in orders Z alpha^2 and Z^2 alpha^3 ln(lambda_C/r_0), where lambda_C and r_0 being the Compton wavelength and the nuclear radius, respectively. The value of the radiative correction is -0.85% for Cs and -1.41% for Tl. Using these results we have performed analysis of the experimental data on atomic parity nonconservation. The obtained values of the nuclear weak charge, Q_W=-72.90(28)_{exp}(35)_{theor} for Cs, and Q_W=-116.7(1.2)_{exp}(3.4)_{theor} for Tl, agree with predictions of the standard model. As an application of our approach we have also calculated analytically dependence of the Lamb shift on the finite nuclear size.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Modeling of the Interaction of GRB Prompt Emission with the Circumburst Medium

We present methodology and results of numerical modeling of the interaction of GRB prompt emission with the circumburst medium using a modified version of the multi-group radiation hydrocode STELLA. The modification includes the nonstationary photoionization, the photoionization heating and the Compton heating along with the hydrodynamics and radiation transfer. The lightcurves and spectra of the outcoming gamma-ray, X-ray and optical emission are calculated for a set of models (shells) of the circumburst environment, which differ in dimensions, density, density profile, composition, temperature. In some cases total bolometric and optical luminosities can reach 10^47 and 10^43 erg/s respectively. These effects can be responsible for irregularities which are seen on lightcurves of some GRB's X-ray and optical afterglows.Comment: 27 pages, 16 colour figures, this version is translated by authors, so it differs from that, which is published in Astronomy Letter

New Constraints on Dispersive Form Factor Parameterizations from the Timelike Region

We generalize a recent model-independent form factor parameterization derived from rigorous dispersion relations to include constraints from data in the timelike region. These constraints dictate the convergence properties of the parameterization and appear as sum rules on the parameters. We further develop a new parameterization that takes into account finiteness and asymptotic conditions on the form factor, and use it to fit to the elastic \pi electromagnetic form factor. We find that the existing world sample of timelike data gives only loose bounds on the form factor in the spacelike region, but explain how the acquisition of additional timelike data or fits to other form factors are expected to give much better results. The same parameterization is seen to fit spacelike data extremely well.Comment: 24 pages, latex (revtex), 3 eps figure

Time-reversal violating rotation of polarization plane of light in gas placed in electric field

Rotation of polarization plane of light in gas placed in electric field is considered. Different factors causing this phenomenon are investigated. Angle of polarization plane rotation for transition 6S_{1/2} - 7S_{1/2} in cesium (lambda=539 nm) is estimated. The possibility to observe this effect experimentally is discussed.Comment: 10 pages, Late

The vector form factor of the pion from unitarity and analyticity: a model-independent approach

We study a model-independent parameterization of the vector pion form factor that arises from the constraints of analyticity and unitarity. Our description should be suitable up to sqrt(s) ~ 1.2 GeV and allows a model-independent determination of the mass of the rho(770) resonance, M(rho) = (775.1 +- 0.5) MeV. We analyse the experimental data on tau(-) -> pion(-) pion(0) neutrino(tau), in this framework, and its consequences on the low-energy observables worked out by chiral perturbation theory. An evaluation of the two-pion contribution to the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon, a_muon, and to the fine structure constant, alpha(M(Z)^2), is also performed.Comment: 1+15 pages, 2 figure