Impact of error analysis on the composition of the outer crust of a neutron star

By means of bootstrap technique, we perform a full error analysis on the Duflo-Zucker mass model. We illustrate the impact of such study on the predicted chemical composition of the outer crust of a non-accreting neutron star. We define an existence probability for each nuclear species as a function of the depth of the crust. We observe that, due to statistical uncertainties, instead of having a well defined transition between two successive layers, we have a mixture of two species.Comment: Presented at INPC 201

Dispersion Relations and Rescattering Effects in B Nonleptonic Decays

Recently, the final state strong interactions in nonleptonic B decays were investigated in a formalism based on hadronic unitarity and dispersion relations in terms of the off-shell mass squared of the $B$ meson. We consider an heuristic derivation of the dispersion relations in the mass variables using the reduction LSZ formalism and find a discrepancy between the spectral function and the dispersive variable used in the recent works. The part of the unitarity sum which describes final state interactions is shown to appear as spectral function in a dispersion relation based on the analytic continuation in the mass squared of one final particles. As an application, by combining this formalism with Regge theory and SU(3) flavour symmetry we obtain constraints on the tree and the penguin amplitudes of the decay $B^0\to \pi^+\pi^-$.Comment: 17 pages, Latex, 2 figure

Explorations, Vol. 4, No. 2

Articles include: Cover: Maya—painted clay figure from Jaina Island, Campeche, Mexico, 500-700A. D., approximately 100 percent. The clay figure is from a superb assemblage of pre-Hispanic materials from Mexico and Central America donated to the University of Maine’s Hudson Museum from the estate of William P Palmer III. In addition to this fine collection, Palmer donated an extensive array of objects from the Northwest Coast. Palmer earned his undergraduate degree in history and government from the University of Maine, and remained a strong, active supporter of the institution throughout his lifetime. More examples of objects from the Palmer Collection, including some pre-Columbian goldwork from Central America, may be found on page 10. Editorial Reflections, by Carole J. Bombard A Living Educational Experience: The Hudson Museum, by Richard G. Emerick Molly in the Museum Other Wonders, Other Ways From Classroom Walls to High Tech Museum Sharing Our Strengths: the development of youth conservation clubs in Pakistan, by James A. Sherburne Up Close and Personal Objects, Signs, and Symbols from Scafell to Chamonix: Visions of Mont Blanc, by Robert Brinkley Public Service in Special Places: Music Education as Empowerment, by Susan Grindel Cosset Lambs, Floods and Stars, by Roberta Chester Tuning the Immune System Fighting AIDS, Cancer and Other Diseases, by Anne P. Sherblom and Charles E. Moody Why do they do it? One Graduate Student Explains, by Diane Carroll Nutrition and Reproduction in Cows, by Barbara Barton and Diane Carroll Diane Carroll: former graduate student Research News Research New