The momentum distribution of J/psi in B decays

The discrepancy between theory and data in the momentum distribution of slow J/psi in B decays has been several times addressed as a puzzle. Using the most recent results on exclusive B decays into J/psi and heavy kaons or exotic mesons and reconsidering the non-relativistic-QCD calculation of the color octet fragmentation component, we show that an improvement in the comparison between data and theory can be obtained. There is still room for a better fit to data and this may imply that new exotic mesons of the XYZ kind have yet to be discovered.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, 2 tables. To appear in Physical Review

DAMA/NaI results

The DAMA/NaI set-up of the DAMA experiment has been operative during seven annual cycles and has investigated several rare processes. In particular, it has been realised in order to investigate the model independent annual modulation signature for Dark Matter particles in the galactic halo. With the total exposure collected in the seven annual cycles (107731 kg day) a model independent evidence for the presence of a Dark Matter particle component in the galactic halo has been pointed out at 6.3 sigma C.L.. Some of the many possible corollary model dependent quests for the candidate particle have been presented as well.Comment: Contributed paper to the Rencontres de Moriond "Electroweak Interactions and Unified Theories", La Thuile, Aosta Valley, Italy, March 200

Particle Dark Matter and DAMA/LIBRA

The DAMA/LIBRA set-up (about 250 kg highly radiopure NaI(Tl) sensitive mass) is running at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory of the I.N.F.N.. The first DAMA/LIBRA results confirm the evidence for the presence of a Dark Matter particle component in the galactic halo, as pointed out by the former DAMA/NaI set-up; cumulatively the data support such evidence at 8.2 sigma C.L. and satisfy all the many peculiarities of the Dark Matter annual modulation signature. The main aspects and prospects of this model independent experimental approach will be outlined.Comment: Contributed paper to the Int. Conf. SciNeGHE 2009, Assisi, Italy, October 200

Investigating halo substructures with annual modulation signature

Galaxy hierarchical formation theories, numerical simulations, the discovery of the Sagittarius Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy (SagDEG) in 1994 and more recent investigations suggest that the dark halo of the Milky Way can have a rich phenomenology containing non thermalized substructures. In the present preliminary study, we investigate the case of the SagDEG (the best known satellite galaxy in the Milky Way crossing the solar neighbourhood) analyzing the consequences of its dark matter stream contribution to the galactic halo on the basis of the DAMA/NaI annual modulation data. The present analysis is restricted to some WIMP candidates and to some of the astrophysical, nuclear and particle Physics scenarios. Other candidates such as e.g. the light bosonic ones, we discussed elsewhere, and other non thermalized substructures are not yet addressed here.Comment: 17 pages, 10 figures, to appear in Eur. Phys. J.

The DAMA/LIBRA apparatus

The $\simeq$ 250 kg highly radiopure NaI(Tl) DAMA/LIBRA apparatus, running at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory (LNGS) of the I.N.F.N., is described.Comment: 37 pages, 27 figure