CP Asymmetries in B to f_0 K_S Decays

We consider the branching ratio and the CP asymmetries in B to f_0(980)K_S decay to the end of determining the deviation of the time-dependent CP asymmetry from sin(2 beta) arising from Standard Model physics. We obtain Delta S_{f_0 K_S} within the context of the QCD factorization framework for the B to f_0(980)K_S decay amplitudes assuming the f_0(980) is a q\bar{q} state and employing a random scan over the theoretical parameter space to assess the possible range in Delta S_{f_0 K_S}. Imposing the value of the experimental branching ratio within 1 sigma and 3 sigma, respectively, of its central value as a constraint, we find the range of Delta S_{f_0 K_S} to be [0.018, 0.033] for a scan in which the parameters are allowed to vary within 1 sigma of their central values and the range [-0.019, 0.064] for a scan in which the parameters vary within 3 sigma of their central values.Comment: 27 pages, 10 figures, references adde

Improved estimates of rare K decay matrix-elements from Kl3 decays

The estimation of rare K decay matrix-elements from Kl3 experimental data is extended beyond LO in Chiral Perturbation Theory. Isospin-breaking effects at NLO (and partially NNLO) in the ChPT expansion, as well as QED radiative corrections are now accounted for. The analysis relies mainly on the cleanness of two specific ratios of form-factors, for which the theoretical control is excellent. As a result, the uncertainties on the K+ --> pi+ nu nubar and KL --> pi0 nu nubar matrix-elements are reduced by a factor of about 7 and 4, respectively, and similarly for the direct CP-violating contribution to KL --> pi0 l+ l-. They could be reduced even further with better experimental data for the Kl3 slopes and the K+l3 branching ratios. As a result, the non-parametric errors for B(K --> pi nu nubar) and for the direct CP-violating contributions to B(KL --> pi0 l+ l-) are now completely dominated by those on the short-distance physics.Comment: 16 pages, 1 figure. Numerical analysis updated to include the recent Kl3 data. To appear in Phys. Rev.

Yukawa Textures, New Physics and Nondecoupling

We point out that New Physics can play an important r\^ ole in rescuing some of the Yukawa texture zero ans\" atze which would otherwise be eliminated by the recent, more precise measurements of $V_{CKM}$. As an example, a detailed analysis of a four texture zero ansatz is presented, showing how the presence of an isosinglet vector-like quark which mixes with standard quarks, can render viable this Yukawa texture. The crucial point is the nondecoupling of the effects of the isosinglet quark, even for arbitrary large values of its mass.Comment: 13 pages, no figure

Extraction of Inorganic Ions with Organic Solvents. I. Continuous Extraction of Uranyl Nitrate with Tetrahydrosylvane and Tetrahydropyrane

The extraction of uranyl nitrate with tetrahydrosylvane and tetrahydropyrane was imvestigated and compared with that of ethylacetate and diethylether. The effect of ammonium nitrate and nitric acid was shown and the influence of sulfate, chloride, and phosphate anions as well as calcium nitrate and ferric nitrate was examined

Extraction of Inorganic Ions with Organic Solvents. I. Continuous Extraction of Uranyl Nitrate with Tetrahydrosylvane and Tetrahydropyrane

The extraction of uranyl nitrate with tetrahydrosylvane and tetrahydropyrane was imvestigated and compared with that of ethylacetate and diethylether. The effect of ammonium nitrate and nitric acid was shown and the influence of sulfate, chloride, and phosphate anions as well as calcium nitrate and ferric nitrate was examined

A hyperbolic slicing condition adapted to Killing fields and densitized lapses

We study the properties of a modified version of the Bona-Masso family of hyperbolic slicing conditions. This modified slicing condition has two very important features: In the first place, it guarantees that if a spacetime is static or stationary, and one starts the evolution in a coordinate system in which the metric coefficients are already time independent, then they will remain time independent during the subsequent evolution, {\em i.e.} the lapse will not evolve and will therefore not drive the time lines away from the Killing direction. Second, the modified condition is naturally adapted to the use of a densitized lapse as a fundamental variable, which in turn makes it a good candidate for a dynamic slicing condition that can be used in conjunction with some recently proposed hyperbolic reformulations of the Einstein evolution equations.Comment: 11 page

Crustal structure and Moho depth profile crossing the central Apennines (Italy) along the N42 degree parallel.

We present results from a teleseismic receiver-function study of the crustal structure in the central Apennines (Italy). Data from fifteen stations deployed in a linear transect running along the N42 degree parallel were used for the analysis. A total number of 364 receiver functions were analyzed. The crustal structure has been investigated using the neighborhood algorithm inversion scheme proposed by Sambridge [1999a], obtaining crustal thicknesses, bulk crustal VP/VS ratio and velocity-depth models. In each inversion, the degree of constraint of the different parameters has been appraised by the Bayesian inference algorithm by Sambridge [1999b]. The study region is characterized by crustal complexities and intense tectonic activity (recent volcanism, orogenesis, active extensional processes), and these complexities are reflected in the receiver functions. However, the relatively close spacing among the seismometers (about 20 km) helped us in the reconstruction of the crustal structure and Moho geometry along the transect. Crossing the Apennines from west to east, the Moho depth varies by more than 20 km, going from a relatively shallow depth (around 20 km) on the Tyrrhenian side, deepening down to about 45 km depth beneath the external front of the Apenninic orogen, and rising up again to about 30 km depth in correspondence of the Adriatic foreland. Despite the strong variability of the crustal thickness, the average crustal VS values show little variation along the transect, fluctuating around 3 km/s. The average VP values obtained from the VS and VP /VS are generally lower than 6 km/s

Cauchy boundaries in linearized gravitational theory

We investigate the numerical stability of Cauchy evolution of linearized gravitational theory in a 3-dimensional bounded domain. Criteria of robust stability are proposed, developed into a testbed and used to study various evolution-boundary algorithms. We construct a standard explicit finite difference code which solves the unconstrained linearized Einstein equations in the 3+1 formulation and measure its stability properties under Dirichlet, Neumann and Sommerfeld boundary conditions. We demonstrate the robust stability of a specific evolution-boundary algorithm under random constraint violating initial data and random boundary data.Comment: 23 pages including 3 figures and 2 tables, revte

Quenched lattice calculation of the vector channel B --> D* l nu decay rate

We calculate, in the continuum limit of quenched lattice QCD, the form factor that enters the decay rate of the semileptonic decay B --> D* l nu. By using the step scaling method (SSM), previously introduced to handle two scale problems in lattice QCD, and by adopting flavor twisted boundary conditions we extract F(w) at finite momentum transfer and at the physical values of the heavy quark masses. Our results can be used in order to extract the CKM matrix element Vcb by the experimental decay rate without model dependent extrapolations. The value of Vcb agrees with the one obtained from the B --> D l nu channel and makes us confident that the quenched approximation well applies to these transitions.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figure