115 research outputs found
Progress in the determination of the cross section
Improving previous calculations, we compute the cross section using QCD sum rules. Our sum rules for the , , and hadronic
matrix elements are constructed by using vaccum-pion correlation functions, and
we work up to twist-4 in the soft-pion limit. Our results suggest that, using
meson exchange models is perfectly acceptable, provided that they include form
factors and that they respect chiral symmetry. After doing a thermal average we
get mb at T=150\MeV.Comment: 22 pages, RevTeX4 including 7 figures in ps file
Non-linear QCD dynamics in two-photon interactions at high energies
Perturbative QCD predicts that the growth of the gluon density at high
energies should saturate, forming a Color Glass Condensate (CGC), which is
described in mean field approximation by the Balitsky-Kovchegov (BK) equation.
In this paper we study the interactions at high energies and
estimate the main observables which will be probed at future linear colliders
using the color dipole picture. We discuss in detail the dipole - dipole cross
section and propose a new relation between this quantity and the dipole
scattering amplitude. The total ,
cross-sections and the real photon structure function are
calculated using the recent solution of the BK equation with running coupling
constant and the predictions are compared with those obtained using
phenomenological models for the dipole-dipole cross section and scattering
amplitude. We demonstrate that these models are able to describe the LEP data
at high energies, but predict a very different behavior for the observables at
higher energies. Therefore we conclude that the study of
interactions can be useful to constrain the QCD dynamics.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures. Version to be published in European Physical
Journal
A study on the sharp knee and fine structures of cosmic ray spectra
The paper investigates the overall and detailed features of cosmic ray (CR)
spectra in the knee region using the scenario of nuclei-photon interactions
around the acceleration sources. Young supernova remnants can be the physical
realities of such kind of CR acceleration sites. The results show that the
model can well explain the following problems simultaneously with one set of
source parameters: the knee of CR spectra and the sharpness of the knee, the
detailed irregular structures of CR spectra, the so-called "component B" of
Galactic CRs, and the electron/positron excesses reported by recent
observations. The coherent explanation serves as evidence that at least a
portion of CRs might be accelerated at the sources similar to young supernova
remnants, and one set of source parameters indicates that this portion mainly
comes from standard sources or from a single source.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in SCIENCE CHINA
Physics, Mechanics & Astronomy
Operations of and Future Plans for the Pierre Auger Observatory
Technical reports on operations and features of the Pierre Auger Observatory,
including ongoing and planned enhancements and the status of the future
northern hemisphere portion of the Observatory. Contributions to the 31st
International Cosmic Ray Conference, Lodz, Poland, July 2009.Comment: Contributions to the 31st ICRC, Lodz, Poland, July 200
Measurement of the Depth of Maximum of Extensive Air Showers above 10^18 eV
We describe the measurement of the depth of maximum, Xmax, of the
longitudinal development of air showers induced by cosmic rays. Almost four
thousand events above 10^18 eV observed by the fluorescence detector of the
Pierre Auger Observatory in coincidence with at least one surface detector
station are selected for the analysis. The average shower maximum was found to
evolve with energy at a rate of (106 +35/-21) g/cm^2/decade below 10^(18.24 +/-
0.05) eV and (24 +/- 3) g/cm^2/decade above this energy. The measured
shower-to-shower fluctuations decrease from about 55 to 26 g/cm^2. The
interpretation of these results in terms of the cosmic ray mass composition is
briefly discussed.Comment: Accepted for publication by PR
The Pierre Auger Observatory III: Other Astrophysical Observations
Astrophysical observations of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays with the Pierre
Auger ObservatoryComment: Contributions to the 32nd International Cosmic Ray Conference,
Beijing, China, August 201
Update on the correlation of the highest energy cosmic rays with nearby extragalactic matter
Data collected by the Pierre Auger Observatory through 31 August 2007 showed
evidence for anisotropy in the arrival directions of cosmic rays above the
Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuz'min energy threshold, \nobreak{eV}. The
anisotropy was measured by the fraction of arrival directions that are less
than from the position of an active galactic nucleus within 75 Mpc
(using the V\'eron-Cetty and V\'eron catalog). An updated
measurement of this fraction is reported here using the arrival directions of
cosmic rays recorded above the same energy threshold through 31 December 2009.
The number of arrival directions has increased from 27 to 69, allowing a more
precise measurement. The correlating fraction is , compared
with expected for isotropic cosmic rays. This is down from the early
estimate of . The enlarged set of arrival directions is
examined also in relation to other populations of nearby extragalactic objects:
galaxies in the 2 Microns All Sky Survey and active galactic nuclei detected in
hard X-rays by the Swift Burst Alert Telescope. A celestial region around the
position of the radiogalaxy Cen A has the largest excess of arrival directions
relative to isotropic expectations. The 2-point autocorrelation function is
shown for the enlarged set of arrival directions and compared to the isotropic
expectation.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astroparticle Physics on 31 August 201
Anisotropy and chemical composition of ultra-high energy cosmic rays using arrival directions measured by the Pierre Auger Observatory
The Pierre Auger Collaboration has reported evidence for anisotropy in the
distribution of arrival directions of the cosmic rays with energies
eV. These show a correlation with the distribution
of nearby extragalactic objects, including an apparent excess around the
direction of Centaurus A. If the particles responsible for these excesses at
are heavy nuclei with charge , the proton component of the
sources should lead to excesses in the same regions at energies . We here
report the lack of anisotropies in these directions at energies above
(for illustrative values of ). If the anisotropies
above are due to nuclei with charge , and under reasonable
assumptions about the acceleration process, these observations imply stringent
constraints on the allowed proton fraction at the lower energies
Atmospheric effects on extensive air showers observed with the Surface Detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory
Atmospheric parameters, such as pressure (P), temperature (T) and density,
affect the development of extensive air showers initiated by energetic cosmic
rays. We have studied the impact of atmospheric variations on extensive air
showers by means of the surface detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory. The
rate of events shows a ~10% seasonal modulation and ~2% diurnal one. We find
that the observed behaviour is explained by a model including the effects
associated with the variations of pressure and density. The former affects the
longitudinal development of air showers while the latter influences the Moliere
radius and hence the lateral distribution of the shower particles. The model is
validated with full simulations of extensive air showers using atmospheric
profiles measured at the site of the Pierre Auger Observatory.Comment: 24 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in Astroparticle
Physic
- …