On detecting CP violation in a single neutrino oscillation channel at very long baselines

We propose a way of detecting CP violation in a single neutrino oscillation channel at very long baselines (on the order of several thousands of kilometers), given precise knowledge of the smallest mass-squared difference. It is shown that CP violation can be characterized by a shift in $L/E$ of the peak oscillation in the $\nu_e$--$\nu_\mu$ appearance channel, both in vacuum and in matter. In fact, matter effects enhance the shift at a fixed energy. We consider the case in which sub-GeV neutrinos are measured with varying baseline and also the case of a fixed baseline. For the varied baseline, accurate knowledge of the absolute neutrino flux would not be necessary; however, neutrinos must be distinguishable from antineutrinos. For the fixed baseline, it is shown that CP violation can be distinguished if the mixing angle $\theta_{13}$ were known.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figures; minor typos correcte

Calculating error bars for neutrino mixing parameters

One goal of contemporary particle physics is to determine the mixing angles and mass-squared differences that constitute the phenomenological constants that describe neutrino oscillations. Of great interest are not only the best fit values of these constants but also their errors. Some of the neutrino oscillation data is statistically poor and cannot be treated by normal (Gaussian) statistics. To extract confidence intervals when the statistics are not normal, one should not utilize the value for chisquare versus confidence level taken from normal statistics. Instead, we propose that one should use the normalized likelihood function as a probability distribution; the relationship between the correct chisquare and a given confidence level can be computed by integrating over the likelihood function. This allows for a definition of confidence level independent of the functional form of the !2 function; it is particularly useful for cases in which the minimum of the !2 function is near a boundary. We present two pedagogic examples and find that the proposed method yields confidence intervals that can differ significantly from those obtained by using the value of chisquare from normal statistics. For example, we find that for the first data release of the T2K experiment the probability that chisquare is not zero, as defined by the maximum confidence level at which the value of zero is not allowed, is 92%. Using the value of chisquare at zero and assigning a confidence level from normal statistics, a common practice, gives the over estimation of 99.5%.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figure

Measuring the mass of a sterile neutrino with a very short baseline reactor experiment

An analysis of the world's neutrino oscillation data, including sterile neutrinos, (M. Sorel, C. M. Conrad, and M. H. Shaevitz, Phys. Rev. D 70, 073004) found a peak in the allowed region at a mass-squared difference $\Delta m^2 \cong 0.9$ eV$^2$. We trace its origin to harmonic oscillations in the electron survival probability $P_{ee}$ as a function of L/E, the ratio of baseline to neutrino energy, as measured in the near detector of the Bugey experiment. We find a second occurrence for $\Delta m^2 \cong 1.9$ eV$^2$. We point out that the phenomenon of harmonic oscillations of $P_{ee}$ as a function of L/E, as seen in the Bugey experiment, can be used to measure the mass-squared difference associated with a sterile neutrino in the range from a fraction of an eV$^2$ to several eV$^2$ (compatible with that indicated by the LSND experiment), as well as measure the amount of electron-sterile neutrino mixing. We observe that the experiment is independent, to lowest order, of the size of the reactor and suggest the possibility of a small reactor with a detector sitting at a very short baseline.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

Correlation between the transition temperature and the superfluid density in BCS superconductor NbB_2+x

The results of the muon-spin rotation experiments on BCS superconductors NbB_2+x (x = 0.2, 0.34) are reported. Both samples, studied in the present work, exhibit rather broad transitions to the superconducting state, suggesting a distribution of the volume fractions with different transition temperatures (T_c)'s. By taking these distributions into account, the dependence of the inverse squared zero-temperature magnetic penetration depth (\lambda_0^{-2}) on T_c was reconstructed for temperatures in the range 1.5K<T_c<8.0K. \lambda_0^{-2} was found to obey the power law dependence \lambda_0^{-2}\propto T_c^{3.1(1)} which appears to be common for some families of BCS superconductors as, {\it e.g.}, Al doped MgB_2 and high-temperature cuprate superconductors as underdoped YBa_2Cu_3O_{7-\delta}.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures. Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

BIOMECHANICAL ANALYSIS OF THE DEADLIFT DURING THE 1999 SPECIAL OLYMPICS WORLD GAMES

Sumo and conventional deadlifts and high and low skilled lifters were compared during the 1999 Special Olympics World Games. Two video cameras collected 60 Hz data from 40 subjects, and parameters were quantified at barbell liftoff (LO) and barbell knee passing (KP). The sumo group had a more vertical trunk and horizontal thigh at LO, a less vertical shank at KP, and greater forefoot abduction. The sumo group generated ankle dorsiflexor, knee extensor, and hip extensor moments, while the conventional group produced ankle plantar flexor, knee flexor & extensor, and hip extensor moments. High skilled lifters had a 40% greater barbell load, greater knee flexion at LO and greater knee extension at KP, 15% less vertical bar distance, smaller plantar flexor and hip extensor moment arms at LO and KP, and greater knee extensor moment arms at LO

Structural analysis, magnetic and transport properties of the (Ru1-xCox)Sr2GdCu2O8 system

The effects of Co substitution on structural and superconducting properties of RuSr2GdCu2O8 compound have been studied. Rietveld refinements of the X-ray diffraction patterns indicate that the cobalt ion progressively replaces ruthenium sites. This replacement induces significant changes on the crystal structure and on the magnetic and superconducting properties. The effects Co substitution on the superconducting behaviour, and more particulary on the changes induce by the hole doping mechanism, were investigated in (Ru1-xCox)Sr2GdCu2O8 by a "bond valence sum" analysis with Co content from x= 0.0 to x = 0.2. The weak ferromagnetic transition at Tm= 138.2 K is shifted to lower temperature, and suppressed at higher Co content. From the crystallographic point of view the Ru-O(1)-Cu bond angle, associated to the rotation of the RuO6 octahedra, around the c-axis remain essetially constant when Ru is substituted by Co. Furthermore, increasing Co content has the effect to increase the weak ferromagnetic moment, which may be interpreted as the main responsible for breaking the delicate balance between magnetic and superconducting ordering.Comment: 21 pages, 8 figure

A radio and infrared exploration of the Cygnus X-3 environments

To confirm, or rule out, the possible hot spot nature of two previously detected radio sources in the vicinity of the Cygnus X-3 microquasar. We present the results of a radio and near infrared exploration of the several arc-minute field around the well known galactic relativistic jet source Cygnus X-3 using the Very Large Array and the Calar Alto 3.5~m telescope. The data this paper is based on do not presently support the hot spot hypothesis. Instead, our new observations suggest that these sources are most likely background or foreground objects. Actually, none of them appears to be even barely extended as would be expected if they were part of a bow shock structure. Our near infrared observations also include a search for extended emission in the Bracket $\gamma$ (2.166 $\mu$m) and $H_{2}$ (2.122 $\mu$m) lines as possible tracers of shocked gas in the Cygnus X-3 surroundings. The results were similarly negative and the corresponding upper limits are reported.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A; 5 pages, 4 figure

Chandra X-ray counterpart of KS 1741-293

We aim to investigate the nature of the high energy source KS 1741-293 by revisiting the radio and infrared associations proposed in the early 1990s. Our work is mostly based on the analysis of modern survey and archive data, including the NRAO, MSX, 2MASS and Chandra archives, and catalogues. We also have obtained deep CCD optical observations by ourselves. The coincidence of KS 1741-293 with an extended radio and far-infrared source, tentatively suggested in 1994, is no longer supported by modern observational data. Instead, a Chandra source is the only peculiar object found to be consistent with all high-energy error circles of KS 1741-293 and we propose it to be its most likely X-ray counterpart. We also report the existence of a non-thermal radio nebula in the vicinity of the KS 1741-293 position with the appearance of a supernova remnant. The possibility of being associated to this X-ray binary is discussed.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, 2 tables. Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic