Exploring the S-Matrix of Massless Particles

We use the recently proposed generalised on-shell representation for scattering amplitudes and a consistency test to explore the space of tree-level consistent couplings in four-dimensional Minkowski spacetime. The extension of the constructible notion implied by the generalised on-shell representation, i.e. the possibility to reconstruct at tree level all the scattering amplitudes from the three-particle ones, together with the imposition of the consistency conditions at four-particle level, allow to rediscover all the known theories and their algebra structure, if any. Interestingly, this analysis seems to leave room for high-spin couplings, provided that at least the requirement of locality is weakened. We do not claim to have found tree-level consistent high-spin theories, but rather that our methods show signatures of them and very likely, with a suitable modification, they can be a good framework to perform a systematic search.Comment: 44 pages, 1 figur

Spin constraints on Regge predictions and perturbative evolution in high energy collisions

Two key issues in the application of perturbative QCD and Regge predictions to high energy processes are whether the hard and soft pomerons should be considered as two separate distinct exchanges and whether the Regge intercepts are Q^2 independent or not. Models involving a distinct hard pomeron exchange predict much larger values for the LHC total cross-section. Here we argue that there is a polarized analogue of this issue in the isovector part of the spin structure function g_1 and that the spin data appear to favour a distinct hard exchange.Comment: 8 page

Negotiation in strategy making teams : group support systems and the process of cognitive change

This paper reports on the use of a Group Support System (GSS) to explore at a micro level some of the processes manifested when a group is negotiating strategy-processes of social and psychological negotiation. It is based on data from a series of interventions with senior management teams of three operating companies comprising a multi-national organization, and with a joint meeting subsequently involving all of the previous participants. The meetings were concerned with negotiating a new strategy for the global organization. The research involved the analysis of detailed time series data logs that exist as a result of using a GSS that is a reflection of cognitive theory

Dispersion Relation Bounds for pi pi Scattering

Axiomatic principles such as analyticity, unitarity and crossing symmetry constrain the second derivative of the pi pi scattering amplitudes in some channels to be positive in a region of the Mandelstam plane. Since this region lies in the domain of validity of chiral perturbation theory, we can use these positivity conditions to bound linear combinations of \bar{l}_1 and \bar{l}_2. We compare our predictions with those derived previously in the literature using similar methods. We compute the one-loop pi pi scattering amplitude in the linear sigma model (LSM) using the MS-bar scheme, a result hitherto absent in the literature. The LSM values for \bar{l}_1 and \bar{l}_2 violate the bounds for small values of m_sigma/m_pi. We show how this can occur, while still being consistent with the axiomatic principles.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures. Two references added, a few minor changes. Published versio

Resonances from meson-meson scattering in U(3) CHPT

In this work, the complete one loop calculation of meson-meson scattering amplitudes within U(3)\otimes U(3) chiral perturbation theory with explicit resonance states is carried out for the first time. Partial waves are unitarized from the perturbative calculation employing a non-perturbative approach based on the N/D method. Once experimental data are reproduced in a satisfactory way we then study the resonance properties, such as the pole positions, corresponding residues and their N_C behaviors. The resulting N_C dependence is the first one in the literature that takes into account the fact that the \eta_1 becomes the ninth Goldstone boson in the chiral limit for large N_C. Within this scheme the vector resonances studied, \rho(770), K^*(892) and \phi(1020), follow an N_C trajectory in agreement with their standard \bar{q}q interpretation. The scalars f_0(1370), a_0(1450) and K^*(1430) also have for large N_C a \bar{q}q pole position trajectory and all of them tend to a bare octet of scalar resonances around 1.4 GeV. The f_0(980) tends asymptotically to the bare pole position of a singlet scalar resonance around 1 GeV. The \sigma, \kappa and a_0(980) scalar resonances have a very different N_C behavior. The case of the \sigma resonance is analyzed with special detail.Comment: 50 pages, 15 figures, 1 table. Enlarged version with more detail comparisons with previous results in the literature. To match with accepted version for publicatio

An Inverse Compton Scattering Origin of X-ray Flares from Sgr A*

The X-ray and near-IR emission from Sgr A* is dominated by flaring, while a quiescent component dominates the emission at radio and sub-mm wavelengths. The spectral energy distribution of the quiescent emission from Sgr A* peaks at sub-mm wavelengths and is modeled as synchrotron radiation from a thermal population of electrons in the accretion flow, with electron temperatures ranging up to $\sim 5-20$\,MeV. Here we investigate the mechanism by which X-ray flare emission is produced through the interaction of the quiescent and flaring components of Sgr A*. The X-ray flare emission has been interpreted as inverse Compton, self-synchrotron-Compton, or synchrotron emission. We present results of simultaneous X-ray and near-IR observations and show evidence that X-ray peak flare emission lags behind near-IR flare emission with a time delay ranging from a few to tens of minutes. Our Inverse Compton scattering modeling places constraints on the electron density and temperature distributions of the accretion flow and on the locations where flares are produced. In the context of this model, the strong X-ray counterparts to near-IR flares arising from the inner disk should show no significant time delay, whereas near-IR flares in the outer disk should show a broadened and delayed X-ray flare.Comment: 22 pages, 6 figures, 2 tables, AJ (in press

Applicability of a Representation for the Martin's Real-Part Formula in Model-Independent Analyses

Using a novel representation for the Martin's real-part formula without the full scaling property, an almost model-independent description of the proton-proton differential cross section data at high energies (19.4 GeV - 62.5 GeV) is obtained. In the impact parameter and eikonal frameworks, the extracted inelastic overlap function presents a peripheral effect (tail) above 2 fm and the extracted opacity function is characterized by a zero (change of sign) in the momentum transfer space, confirming results from previous model-independent analyses. Analytical parametrization for these empirical results are introduced and discussed. The importance of investigations on the inverse problems in high-energy elastic hadron scattering is stressed and the relevance of the proposed representation is commented. A short critical review on the use of Martin's formula is also presented.Comment: Two comments and one reference added at the end of Subsec. 3.3; 23 pages, 9 figures; to be published in Int. J. Mod. Phys.

Integrating modes of policy analysis and strategic management practice : requisite elements and dilemmas

There is a need to bring methods to bear on public problems that are inclusive, analytic, and quick. This paper describes the efforts of three pairs of academics working from three different though complementary theoretical foundations and intervention backgrounds (i.e., ways of working) who set out together to meet this challenge. Each of the three pairs had conducted dozens of interventions that had been regarded as successful or very successful by the client groups in dealing with complex policy and strategic problems. One approach focused on leadership issues and stakeholders, another on negotiating competitive strategic intent with attention to stakeholder responses, and the third on analysis of feedback ramifications in developing policies. This paper describes the 10 year longitudinal research project designed to address the above challenge. The important outcomes are reported: the requisite elements of a general integrated approach and the enduring puzzles and tensions that arose from seeking to design a wide-ranging multi-method approach

Maximally Supersymmetric Planar Yang-Mills Amplitudes at Five Loops

We present an ansatz for the planar five-loop four-point amplitude in maximally supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory in terms of loop integrals. This ansatz exploits the recently observed correspondence between integrals with simple conformal properties and those found in the four-point amplitudes of the theory through four loops. We explain how to identify all such integrals systematically. We make use of generalized unitarity in both four and D dimensions to determine the coefficients of each of these integrals in the amplitude. Maximal cuts, in which we cut all propagators of a given integral, are an especially effective means for determining these coefficients. The set of integrals and coefficients determined here will be useful for computing the five-loop cusp anomalous dimension of the theory which is of interest for non-trivial checks of the AdS/CFT duality conjecture. It will also be useful for checking a conjecture that the amplitudes have an iterative structure allowing for their all-loop resummation, whose link to a recent string-side computation by Alday and Maldacena opens a new venue for quantitative AdS/CFT comparisons.Comment: 52 pages, 20 figures, revte

Irreversible growth of binary mixtures on small-world networks

Binary mixtures growing on small-world networks under far-from-equilibrium conditions are studied by means of extensive Monte Carlo simulations. For any positive value of the shortcut fraction of the network ($p>0$), the system undergoes a continuous order-disorder phase transition, while it is noncritical in the regular lattice limit ($p=0$). Using finite-size scaling relations, the phase diagram is obtained in the thermodynamic limit and the critical exponents are evaluated. The small-world networks are thus shown to trigger criticality, a remarkable phenomenon which is analogous to similar observations reported recently in the investigation of equilibrium systems.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures; added/removed references and modified presentation. To appear in PR