J/psi couplings to charmed resonances and to pi

We present an evaluation of the strong couplings JD^(*)D^(*) and JD^(*)D^(*)pi by an effective field theory of quarks and mesons. These couplings are necessary to calculate pi+J/psi --> D^(*)+barD^(*) cross sections, an important background to the J/psi suppression signal in the quark-gluon plasma. We write down the general effective lagrangian and compute the relevant couplings in the soft pion limit and beyond.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, 2 reference added and minor comments, style changed to RevTe

Proximity effects and characteristic lengths in ferromagnet-superconductor structures

We present an extensive theoretical investigation of the proximity effects that occur in Ferromagnet/Superconductor ($F/S$) systems. We use a numerical method to solve self consistently the Bogoliubov-de Gennes equations in the continuum. We obtain the pair amplitude and the local density of states (DOS), and use these results to extract the relevant lengths characterizing the leakage of superconductivity into the magnet and to study spin splitting into the superconductor. These phenomena are investigated as a function of parameters such as temperature, magnet polarization, interfacial scattering, sample size and Fermi wavevector mismatch, all of which turn out to have important influence on the results. These comprehensive results should help characterize and analyze future data and are shown to be in agreement with existing experiments.Comment: 24 pages, including 26 figure

Relaxation Methods for Mixed-Integer Optimal Control of Partial Differential Equations

We consider integer-restricted optimal control of systems governed by abstract semilinear evolution equations. This includes the problem of optimal control design for certain distributed parameter systems endowed with multiple actuators, where the task is to minimize costs associated with the dynamics of the system by choosing, for each instant in time, one of the actuators together with ordinary controls. We consider relaxation techniques that are already used successfully for mixed-integer optimal control of ordinary differential equations. Our analysis yields sufficient conditions such that the optimal value and the optimal state of the relaxed problem can be approximated with arbitrary precision by a control satisfying the integer restrictions. The results are obtained by semigroup theory methods. The approach is constructive and gives rise to a numerical method. We supplement the analysis with numerical experiments

First lattice QCD estimate of the g_{D^* D pi} coupling

We present the results of the first lattice QCD study of the strong coupling g_{D^* D pi}. From our simulations in the quenched approximation, we obtain g_{D^* D pi} = 18.8 +/- 2.3^{+1.1}_{-2.0} and hat(g)_c = 0.67 +/- 0.08^{+0.04}_{-0.06}. Whereas previous theoretical studies gave different predictions, our result favours a large value for hat(g)_c. It agrees very well with the recent experimental value by CLEO. hat(g) varies very little with the heavy mass and we find in the infinite mass limit hat(g)_infinity = 0.69(18).Comment: 24 pages, 7 figures; references added, corrected typos, Comments added about the continuum limi

Is X(3872) {\sl Really} a Molecular State?

After taking into account both the pion and sigma meson exchange potential, we have performed a dynamical calculation of the $D^0\bar{D}^{\ast0}$ system. The $\sigma$ meson exchange potential is repulsive from heavy quark symmetry and numerically important for a loosely bound system. Our analysis disfavors the interpretation of X(3872) as a loosely bound molecular state if we use the experimental $D^\ast D\pi$ coupling constant $g=0.59$ and a reasonable cutoff around 1 GeV, which is the typical hadronic scale. Bound state solutions with negative eigenvalues for the $D\bar{D}^\ast$ system exist only with either a very large coupling constant (two times of the experimental value) or a large cutoff ($\Lambda \sim 6$ GeV or $\beta \sim 6$ GeV$^2$). In contrast, there probably exists a loosely bound S-wave $B\bar{B}^\ast$ molecular state. Once produced, such a molecular state would be rather stable since its dominant decay mode is the radiative decay through $B^\ast\to B \gamma$. Experimental search of these states will be very interesting.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures, 9 tables. The version to appear in EPJ

The Catalysis of Nuclear Reactions by mu Mesons

In the course of a recent experiment involving the stopping of negative K mesons in a 10-inch liquid hydrogen bubble chamber, an interesting new reaction was observed to take place. The chamber is traversed by many more negative {mu} mesons than K mesons, so that in the last 75,000 photographs, approximately 2500 {mu}{sup -} decays at rest have been observed. In the same pictures, several hundred {pi}{sup -} mesons have been observed to disappear at rest, presumably by one of the ''Panofsky reactions''. For tracks longer than 10 cm, it is possible to distinguish a stopping {mu} meson from a stopping {pi} meson by comparing its curved path (in a field of 11,000 gauss) with that of a calculated template. In addition to the normal {pi}{sup -} and {mu}{sup -} stoppings, we have observed 15 cases in which what appears (from curvature measurement) to be a {mu}{sup -} meson comes to rest in the hydrogen, and then gives rise to a secondary negative particle of 1.7 cm range, which in turn decays by emitting an electron. (A 4.1-Mev {mu} meson from {pi} - {mu} decay has a range of 1.0 cm.) The energy spectrum of the electrons from these 15 secondary particles looks remarkably like that of the {mu} meson. There are four electrons in the energy range 50 to 55 Mev, and none higher; the other electrons have energies varying from 50 Mev to 13 Mev. The most convincing proof that the primary particle actually comes to rest, and does not--for example--have a large resonant cross section for scattering at a residual range of 1.7 cm, is the following: In five of the 15 special events, there is a large gap between the last bubble of the primary track and the first bubble of the secondary track. This gap is a real effect, and not merely a statistical fluctuation in the spacing of the bubbles, since in some cases the tracks form a letter X, and in another case the secondary track is parallel to the primary, but displaced transversely by about 1 mm at the end of the primary. These real gaps appear also (although perhaps less frequently) between some otherwise normal-looking {mu}{sup -} endings and the subsequent decay electron; they are thought to be the distance traveled by the small neutral mesic atom