An Experimental Overview of Results Presented at SQM 2006

I have been asked to give an critical overview on the experimental results shown in the conference with a emphasis of what has been learned and the challenges that are ahead in trying to understand the physics of the strongly interacting quark-gluon plasma. I will not try to summarize all of the results presented, rather I will concentrate primarily on RHIC data from this conference. Throughout this summary, I will periodically review some of the previous results for those not familiar with the present state of the field.Comment: 15 pages, 12 Figure

A Generalized Diffusion Tensor for Fully Anisotropic Diffusion of Energetic Particles in the Heliospheric Magnetic Field

The spatial diffusion of cosmic rays in turbulent magnetic fields can, in the most general case, be fully anisotropic, i.e. one has to distinguish three diffusion axes in a local, field-aligned frame. We reexamine the transformation for the diffusion tensor from this local to a global frame, in which the Parker transport equation for energetic particles is usually formulated and solved. Particularly, we generalize the transformation formulas to allow for an explicit choice of two principal local perpendicular diffusion axes. This generalization includes the 'traditional' diffusion tensor in the special case of isotropic perpendicular diffusion. For the local frame, we motivate the choice of the Frenet-Serret trihedron which is related to the intrinsic magnetic field geometry. We directly compare the old and the new tensor elements for two heliospheric magnetic field configurations, namely the hybrid Fisk and the Parker field. Subsequently, we examine the significance of the different formulations for the diffusion tensor in a standard 3D model for the modulation of galactic protons. For this we utilize a numerical code to evaluate a system of stochastic differential equations equivalent to the Parker transport equation and present the resulting modulated spectra. The computed differential fluxes based on the new tensor formulation deviate from those obtained with the 'traditional' one (only valid for isotropic perpendicular diffusion) by up to 60% for energies below a few hundred MeV depending on heliocentric distance.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, accepted in Ap

Heavy-Quark Diffusion, Flow and Recombination at RHIC

We discuss recent developments in assessing heavy-quark interaction in the Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP). While induced gluon radiation is expected to be the main energy-loss mechanism for fast-moving quarks, we focus on elastic scattering which prevails toward lower energies, evaluating both perturbative (gluon-exchange) and nonperturbative (resonance formation) interactions in the QGP. The latter are treated within an effective model for D- and B-meson resonances above T_c as motivated by current QCD lattice calculations. Pertinent diffusion and drag constants, following from a Fokker-Planck equation, are implemented into an expanding fireball model for Au-Au collisions at RHIC using relativistic Langevin simulations. Heavy quarks are hadronized in a combined fragmentation and coalescence framework, and resulting electron-decay spectra are compared to recent RHIC data. A reasonable description of both nuclear suppression factors and elliptic flow up to momenta of ~5 GeV supports the notion of a strongly interacting QGP created at RHIC. Consequences and further tests of the proposed resonance interactions are discussed.Comment: 8 pages, 14 figures, contribution to the proceedings for the "International Conference on Strangeness in Quark Matter 2006

Selective targeting of activating and inhibitory Smads by distinct WWP2 ubiquitin ligase isoforms differentially modulates TGFβ signalling and EMT

Ubiquitin-dependent mechanisms have emerged as essential regulatory elements controlling cellular levels of Smads and TGFß-dependent biological outputs such as epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). In this study, we identify a HECT E3 ubiquitin ligase known as WWP2 (Full-length WWP2-FL), together with two WWP2 isoforms (N-terminal, WWP2-N; C-terminal WWP2-C), as novel Smad-binding partners. We show that WWP2-FL interacts exclusively with Smad2, Smad3 and Smad7 in the TGFß pathway. Interestingly, the WWP2-N isoform interacts with Smad2 and Smad3, whereas WWP2-C interacts only with Smad7. In addition, WWP2-FL and WWP2-C have a preference for Smad7 based on protein turnover and ubiquitination studies. Unexpectedly, we also find that WWP2-N, which lacks the HECT ubiquitin ligase domain, can also interact with WWP2-FL in a TGFß-regulated manner and activate endogenous WWP2 ubiquitin ligase activity causing degradation of unstimulated Smad2 and Smad3. Consistent with our protein interaction data, overexpression and knockdown approaches reveal that WWP2 isoforms differentially modulate TGFß-dependent transcription and EMT. Finally, we show that selective disruption of WWP2 interactions with inhibitory Smad7 can stabilise Smad7 protein levels and prevent TGFß-induced EMT. Collectively, our data suggest that WWP2-N can stimulate WWP2-FL leading to increased activity against unstimulated Smad2 and Smad3, and that Smad7 is a preferred substrate for WWP2-FL and WWP2-C following prolonged TGFß stimulation. Significantly, this is the first report of an interdependent biological role for distinct HECT E3 ubiquitin ligase isoforms, and highlights an entirely novel regulatory paradigm that selectively limits the level of inhibitory and activating Smads

Crystal structure and equation of state of Fe-Si alloys at super-Earth core conditions

The high-pressure behavior of Fe alloys governs the interior structure and dynamics of super-Earths, rocky extrasolar planets that could be as much as 10 times more massive than Earth. In experiments reaching up to 1300 GPa, we combine laser-driven dynamic ramp compression with in situ x-ray diffraction to study the effect of composition on the crystal structure and density of Fe-Si alloys, a potential constituent of super-Earth cores. We find that Fe-Si alloy with 7 weight % (wt %) Si adopts the hexagonal close-packed structure over the measured pressure range, whereas Fe-15wt%Si is observed in a body-centered cubic structure. This study represents the first experimental determination of the density and crystal structure of Fe-Si alloys at pressures corresponding to the center of a ~3–Earth mass terrestrial planet. Our results allow for direct determination of the effects of light elements on core radius, density, and pressures for these planets

Coordination changes in liquid tin under shock compression determined using in situ femtosecond x-ray diffraction

Little is known regarding the liquid structure of materials compressed to extreme conditions, and even less is known about liquid structures undergoing rapid compression on nanosecond timescales. Here, we report on liquid structure factor and radial distribution function measurements of tin shock compressed to 84(19) GPa. High-quality, femtosecond x-ray diffraction measurements at the Linac Coherent Light Source were used to extract the liquid diffuse scattering signal. From the radial distribution function, we find that the structural evolution of the liquid with increasing pressure mimics the evolution of the solid phase. With increasing pressure, we find that the liquid structure evolves from a complex structure, with a low coordination number, to a simple liquid structure with a coordination number of 12. We provide a pathway for future experiments to study liquids at elevated pressures using high-energy lasers to shock compress materials beyond the reach of static diamond anvil cell techniques

Jet Quenching in Heavy Ion Collisions

This review article was prepared for the Landolt-Boernstein volume on Relativisitc Heavy Ion Physics.Comment: Review articel accepted for publication in the Landolt-Boernstein Handbook of Physics, ed. R. Stock. 41 pages LaTex, 7 eps-figure

Quark-Gluon Matter

A concise review of the experimental and phenomenological progress in high-energy heavy-ion physics over the past few years is presented. Emphasis is put on measurements at BNL-RHIC and CERN-SPS which provide information on fundamental properties of QCD matter at extreme values of temperature, density and low-x. The new opportunities accessible at the LHC, which may help clarify some of the current open issues, are also outlined.Comment: Minor changes to text. New refs. included. Updated figures with final dat