43 research outputs found
Elastic scattering of hadrons
Colliding high energy hadrons either produce new particles or scatter
elastically with their quantum numbers conserved and no other particles
produced. We consider the latter case here. Although inelastic processes
dominate at high energies, elastic scattering contributes considerably (18-25%)
to the total cross section. Its share first decreases and then increases at
higher energies. Small-angle scattering prevails at all energies. Some
characteristic features are seen that provide informationon the geometrical
structure of the colliding particles and the relevant dynamical mechanisms. The
steep Gaussian peak at small angles is followed by the exponential (Orear)
regime with some shoulders and dips, and then by a power-law drop.
Results from various theoretical approaches are compared with experimental
data. Phenomenological models claiming to describe this process are reviewed.
The unitarity condition predicts an exponential fall for the differential cross
section with an additional substructure to occur exactly between the low
momentum transfer diffraction cone and a power-law, hard parton scattering
regime under high momentum transfer. Data on the interference of the Coulomb
and nuclear parts of amplitudes at extremely small angles provide the value of
the real part of the forward scattering nuclear amplitude.
The real part of the elastic scattering amplitude and the contribution of
inelastic processes to the imaginary part of this amplitude (the so-called
overlap function) at nonforward transferred momenta are also discussed.
Problems related to the scaling behavior of the differential cross section are
considered. The power-law regime at highest momentum transfer is briefly
described.Comment: 72 pages, 11 Figures; modified Physics-Uspekhi 56 (2013)
Inferring the Population Expansions in Peopling of Japan
Background: Extensive studies in different fields have been performed to reconstruct the prehistory of populations in the Japanese archipelago. Estimates the ancestral population dynamics based on Japanese molecular sequences can extend our understanding about the colonization of Japan and the ethnogenesis of modern Japanese. Methodology/Principal Findings: We applied Bayesian skyline plot (BSP) with a dataset based on 952 Japanese mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genomes to depict the female effective population size (Nef) through time for the total Japanese and each of the major mtDNA haplogroups in Japanese. Our results revealed a rapid N ef growth since,5 thousand years ago had left,72 % Japanese mtDNA lineages with a salient signature. The BSP for the major mtDNA haplogroups indicated some different demographic history. Conclusions/Significance: The results suggested that the rapid population expansion acted as a major force in shaping current maternal pool of Japanese. It supported a model for population dynamics in Japan in which the prehistoric population growth initiated in the Middle Jomon Period experienced a smooth and swift transition from Jomon to Yayoi, and then continued through the Yayoi Period. The confounding demographic backgrounds of different mtDN
Demographic History of Indigenous Populations in Mesoamerica Based on mtDNA Sequence Data
The genetic characterization of Native American groups provides insights into their history and demographic events. We sequenced the mitochondrial D-loop region (control region) of 520 samples from eight Mexican indigenous groups. In addition to an analysis of the genetic diversity, structure and genetic relationship between 28 Native American populations, we applied Bayesian skyline methodology for a deeper insight into the history of Mesoamerica. AMOVA tests applying cultural, linguistic and geographic criteria were performed. MDS plots showed a central cluster of Oaxaca and Maya populations, whereas those from the North and West were located on the periphery. Demographic reconstruction indicates higher values of the effective number of breeding females (Nef) in Central Mesoamerica during the Preclassic period, whereas this pattern moves toward the Classic period for groups in the North and West. Conversely, Nef minimum values are distributed either in the Lithic period (i.e. founder effects) or in recent periods (i.e. population declines). The Mesomerican regions showed differences in population fluctuation as indicated by the maximum Inter-Generational Rate (IGRmax): i) Center-South from the lithic period until the Preclassic; ii) West from the beginning of the Preclassic period until early Classic; iii) North characterized by a wide range of temporal variation from the Lithic to the Preclassic. Our findings are consistent with the genetic variations observed between central, South and Southeast Mesoamerica and the North-West region that are related to differences in genetic drift, structure, and temporal survival strategies (agriculture versus hunter-gathering, respectively). Interestingly, although the European contact had a major negative demographic impact, we detect a previous decline in Mesoamerica that had begun a few hundred years before
New Developments in the Casimir Effect
We provide a review of both new experimental and theoretical developments in
the Casimir effect. The Casimir effect results from the alteration by the
boundaries of the zero-point electromagnetic energy. Unique to the Casimir
force is its strong dependence on shape, switching from attractive to repulsive
as function of the size, geometry and topology of the boundary. Thus the
Casimir force is a direct manifestation of the boundary dependence of quantum
vacuum.
We discuss in depth the general structure of the infinities in the field
theory which are removed by a combination of zeta-functional regularization and
heat kernel expansion. Different representations for the regularized vacuum
energy are given. The Casimir energies and forces in a number of configurations
of interest to applications are calculated. We stress the development of the
Casimir force for real media including effects of nonzero temperature, finite
conductivity of the boundary metal and surface roughness. Also the combined
effect of these important factors is investigated in detail on the basis of
condensed matter physics and quantum field theory at nonzero temperature.
The experiments on measuring the Casimir force are also reviewed, starting
first with the older measurements and finishing with a detailed presentation of
modern precision experiments. The latter are accurately compared with the
theoretical results for real media.
At the end of the review we provide the most recent constraints on the
corrections to Newtonian gravitational law and other hypothetical long-range
interactions at submillimeter range obtained from the Casimir force
measurements.Comment: 275 pages,29 figures, to appear in Physics Report