Combined analysis of KamLAND and Borexino neutrino signals from Th and U decays in the Earth's interior

The KamLAND and Borexino experiments have detected electron antineutrinos produced in the decay chains of natural thorium and uranium (Th and U geoneutrinos). We analyze the energy spectra of current geoneutrino data in combination with solar and long-baseline reactor neutrino data, with marginalized three-neutrino oscillation parameters. We consider the case with unconstrained Th and U event rates in KamLAND and Borexino, as well as cases with fewer degrees of freedom, as obtained by successively assuming for both experiments a common Th/U ratio, a common scaling of Th+U event rates, and a chondritic Th/U value. In combination, KamLAND and Borexino can reject the null hypothesis (no geoneutrino signal) at 5 sigma. Interesting bounds or indications emerge on the Th+U geoneutrino rates and on the Th/U ratio, in broad agreement with typical Earth model expectations. Conversely, the results disfavor the hypothesis of a georeactor in the Earth's core, if its power exceeds a few TW. The interplay of KamLAND and Borexino geoneutrino data is highlighted.Comment: 12 pages, including 6 figure

Neutrino and antineutrino charge-exchange reactions on 12C

We extend the formalism of weak interaction processes, obtaining new expressions for the transition rates, which greatly facilitate numerical calculations, both for neutrino-nucleus reactions and muon capture. Explicit violation of CVC hypothesis by the Coulomb field, as well as development of a sum rule approach for the inclusive cross sections have been worked out. We have done a thorough study of exclusive (ground state) properties of $^{12}$B and $^{12}$N within the projected quasiparticle random phase approximation (PQRPA). Good agreement with experimental data achieved in this way put in evidence the limitations of standard RPA and the QRPA models, which come from the inability of the RPA in opening the $p_{3/2}$ shell, and from the non-conservation of the number of particles in the QRPA. The inclusive neutrino/antineutrino ($\nu/\tilde{\nu}$) reactions $^{12}$C($\nu,e^-)^{12}$N and $^{12}$C($\tilde{\nu},e^+)^{12}$B are calculated within both the PQRPA, and the relativistic QRPA (RQRPA). It is found that the magnitudes of the resulting cross-sections: i) are close to the sum-rule limit at low energy, but significantly smaller than this limit at high energies both for $\nu$ and $\tilde{\nu}$, ii) they steadily increase when the size of the configuration space is augmented, and particulary for $\nu/\tilde{\nu}$ energies $> 200$ MeV, and iii) converge for sufficiently large configuration space and final state spin. The quasi-elastic $^{12}$C($\nu,\mu^-)^{12}$N cross section recently measured in the MiniBooNE experiment is briefly discussed. We study the decomposition of the inclusive cross-section based on the degree of forbiddenness of different multipoles. A few words are dedicated to the $\nu/\tilde{\nu}$-$^{12}$C charge-exchange reactions related with astrophysical applications.Comment: 21 pages, 13 figures, 1 table, submitted to Physical Review

Two-Body B Meson Decays to η and η': Observation of B → η'K

In a sample of 6.6×10^6 produced B mesons we have observed decays B→η′K, with branching fractions B(B^+→η′K^+) = (6.5_(-1.4)^(+1.5)±0.9)×10^(-5) and B(B^0→η′K^0) = (4.7_(-2.0)^(+2.7)±0.9)×10^(-5). We have searched with comparable sensitivity for 17 related decays to final states containing an η or η′ meson accompanied by a single particle or low-lying resonance. Our upper limits for these constrain theoretical interpretations of the B→η′K signal

Neural signatures of strategic types in a two-person bargaining game

The management and manipulation of our own social image in the minds of others requires difficult and poorly understood computations. One computation useful in social image management is strategic deception: our ability and willingness to manipulate other people's beliefs about ourselves for gain. We used an interpersonal bargaining game to probe the capacity of players to manage their partner's beliefs about them. This probe parsed the group of subjects into three behavioral types according to their revealed level of strategic deception; these types were also distinguished by neural data measured during the game. The most deceptive subjects emitted behavioral signals that mimicked a more benign behavioral type, and their brains showed differential activation in right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and left Brodmann area 10 at the time of this deception. In addition, strategic types showed a significant correlation between activation in the right temporoparietal junction and expected payoff that was absent in the other groups. The neurobehavioral types identified by the game raise the possibility of identifying quantitative biomarkers for the capacity to manipulate and maintain a social image in another person's mind

Arthropods as vectors of esca-related pathogens: Transmission efficiency of ants and earwigs and the potential of earwig feces as inoculum source in vineyards

The spread of Grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) such as esca concerns wine growers worldwide. Besides rain-splash and air currents, arthropods may play an additional role in the dissemination of esca-related pathogens such as Phaeomoniella chlamydospora (Pch) and Phaeoacremonium minimum (Pmm). The present study confirms that black garden ants (Lasius niger L., Formicidae: Formicinae) and European earwigs (Forficula auricularia L., Dermaptera: Forficulidae) can, under artificial conditions, efficiently transmit spores of Pch and Pmm to healthy grapevine cuttings, causing new infections. The potential of earwig feces as inoculum source in vineyards is additionally discussed. Spores of Pch and Pmm retained germination ability after earwig gut passage, and infectious feces successfully infected wounded grapevine cuttings under artificial conditions. However, molecular detection frequencies of esca-related pathogens in earwig feces collected from the field were very low. With this, the risk of earwig feces as inoculum source for esca-related pathogens is probably only marginal. However, arthropods carrying esca-related spores on their exoskeletons, such as ants and earwigs, might contribute to the overall spread of esca in vineyards. The invasion of GTDs during the phase of pruning wound susceptibility, either by arthropod vectors or by airborne spores, can efficiently be prevented by adequate pruning wound protection

A semi-analytical perspective on massive galaxies at z∼0.55z\sim0.55

The most massive and luminous galaxies in the Universe serve as powerful probes to study the formation of structure, the assembly of mass, and cosmology. However, their detailed formation and evolution is still barely understood. Here we extract a sample of massive mock galaxies from the semi-analytical model of galaxy formation (SAM) GALACTICUS from the MultiDark-Galaxies, by replicating the CMASS photometric selection from the SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS). The comparison of the GALACTICUS CMASS-mock with BOSS-CMASS data allows us to explore different aspects of the massive galaxy population at $0.5<z<0.6$, including the galaxy-halo connection and the galaxy clustering. We find good agreement between our modelled galaxies and observations regarding the galaxy-halo connection, but our CMASS-mock over-estimates the clustering amplitude of the 2-point correlation function, due to a smaller number density compared to BOSS, a lack of blue objects, and a small intrinsic scatter in stellar mass at fixed halo mass of $<0.1$ dex. To alleviate this problem, we construct an alternative mock catalogue mimicking the CMASS colour-magnitude distribution by randomly down-sampling the SAM catalogue. This CMASS-mock reproduces the clustering of CMASS galaxies within 1$\sigma$ and shows some environmental dependency of star formation properties that could be connected to the quenching of star formation and the assembly bias.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures, 2 tables, submitted to MNRA