Rare isotope production in statistical multifragmentation

Producing rare isotopes through statistical multifragmentation is investigated using the Mekjian method for exact solutions of the canonical ensemble. Both the initial fragmentation and the the sequential decay are modeled in such a way as to avoid Monte Carlo and thus provide yields for arbitrarily scarce fragments. The importance of sequential decay, exact particle-number conservation and the sensitivities to parameters such as density and temperature are explored. Recent measurements of isotope ratios from the fragmentation of different Sn isotopes are interpreted within this picture.Comment: 10 eps figure

Staggered Schemes for Fluctuating Hydrodynamics

We develop numerical schemes for solving the isothermal compressible and incompressible equations of fluctuating hydrodynamics on a grid with staggered momenta. We develop a second-order accurate spatial discretization of the diffusive, advective and stochastic fluxes that satisfies a discrete fluctuation-dissipation balance, and construct temporal discretizations that are at least second-order accurate in time deterministically and in a weak sense. Specifically, the methods reproduce the correct equilibrium covariances of the fluctuating fields to third (compressible) and second (incompressible) order in the time step, as we verify numerically. We apply our techniques to model recent experimental measurements of giant fluctuations in diffusively mixing fluids in a micro-gravity environment [A. Vailati et. al., Nature Communications 2:290, 2011]. Numerical results for the static spectrum of non-equilibrium concentration fluctuations are in excellent agreement between the compressible and incompressible simulations, and in good agreement with experimental results for all measured wavenumbers.Comment: Submitted. See also arXiv:0906.242

SN2013fs and SN2013fr: Exploring the circumstellar-material diversity in Type II supernovae

We present photometry and spectroscopy of SN2013fs and SN2013fr in the first 100 days post-explosion. Both objects showed transient, relatively narrow H$\alpha$ emission lines characteristic of SNeIIn, but later resembled normal SNeII-P or SNeII-L, indicative of fleeting interaction with circumstellar material (CSM). SN2013fs was discovered within 8hr of explosion. Its light curve exhibits a plateau, with spectra revealing strong CSM interaction at early times. It is a less luminous version of the transitional SNIIn PTF11iqb, further demonstrating a continuum of CSM interaction intensity between SNeII-P and IIn. It requires dense CSM within 6.5$\times$10$^{14}$~cm of the progenitor, from a phase of advanced pre-SN mass loss shortly before explosion. Spectropolarimetry of SN2013fs shows little continuum polarization, but noticeable line polarization during the plateau phase. SN2013fr morphed from a SNIIn at early times to a SNII-L. After the first epoch its narrow lines probably arose from host-galaxy emission, but the bright, narrow H$\alpha$ emission at early times may be intrinsic. As for SN2013fs, this would point to a short-lived phase of strong CSM interaction if proven to be intrinsic, suggesting a continuum between SNeIIn and II-L. It is a low-velocity SNII-L, like SN2009kr but more luminous. SN2013fr also developed an IR excess at later times, due to warm CSM dust that require a more sustained phase of strong pre-SN mass loss.Comment: MNRAS accepted. 28 pages, 23 figures, 8 table

Heated nuclear matter, condensation phenomena and the hadronic equation of state

The thermodynamic properties of heated nuclear matter are explored using an exactly solvable canonical ensemble model. This model reduces to the results of an ideal Fermi gas at low temperatures. At higher temperatures, the fragmentation of the nuclear matter into clusters of nucleons leads to features that resemble a Bose gas. Some parallels of this model with the phenomena of Bose condensation and with percolation phenomena are discussed. A simple expression for the hadronic equation of state is obtained from the model.Comment: 12 pages, revtex, 1 ps file appended (figure 1

Medium effect on photon production in ultrarelativistic nuclear collisions

The effect of in-medium vector and axial-vector meson masses on photon production is studied. We assume that the effective mass of a vector meson in hot nuclear matter decreases according to a universal scaling law, while that of an axial-vector meson is given by Weinberg's mass formula. We find that the thermal production rate of photons increases with reduced masses, and is enhanced by an order of magnitude at T=160 MeV with $m_\rho=300$ MeV. Assuming a hydrodynamic evolution, we estimate the effect of the reduced masses on photon production in nucleus-nucleus collisions. The result is compared to experimental data from the WA80/WA98 collaboration.Comment: 21 pages, REVTEX + 9 figures (ps file

High pT hadron spectra at RHIC: an overview

Recent results on high transverse momentum (pT) hadron production in p+p, d+Au and Au+Au collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) are reviewed. Comparison of the nuclear modification factors, $R_{dAu}(pT)$ and $R_{AA}(pT)$, demonstrates that the large suppression in central Au+Au collisions is due to strong final-state effects. Theoretical models which incorporate jet quenching via gluon Bremsstrahlung in the dense partonic medium that is expected in central Au+Au collisions at ultra-relativistic energies are shown to reproduce the shape and magnitude of the observed suppression over the range of collision energies so far studied at RHIC.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figures, Talk given at Hot Quarks 2004: Workshop for Young Scientists on the Physics of Ultrarelativistic Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions (HQ'04), Taos Valley, New Mexico, 18-24 Jul 2004, to be published in J. Phys.

The TRACTISS protocol: a randomised double blind placebo controlled clinical trial of anti-B-cell therapy in patients with primary Sjögren's Syndrome.

Background: Primary Sjögren's Syndrome (PSS) mainly affects women (9:1 female:male ratio) and is one of the commonest autoimmune diseases with a prevalence of 0.1 - 0.6% of adult women. For patients with PSS there is currently no effective therapy that can alter the progression of the disease. The aim of the TRACTISS study is to establish whether in patients with PSS, treatment with rituximab improves clinical outcomes. Methods/design: TRACTISS is a UK multi-centre, double-blind, randomised, controlled, parallel group trial of 110 patients with PSS. Patients will be randomised on a 1:1 basis to receive two courses of either rituximab or placebo infusion in addition to standard therapy, and will be followed up for up to 48 weeks. The primary objective is to assess the extent to which rituximab improves symptoms of fatigue and oral dryness. Secondary outcomes include ocular dryness, salivary flow rates, lacrimal flow, patient quality of life, measures of disease damage and disease activity, serological and peripheral blood biomarkers, and glandular histology and composition. Discussion: The TRACTISS trial will provide direct evidence as to whether rituximab in patients with PSS leads to an improvement in patient symptoms and a reduction in disease damage and activity. Trial registration: UKCRN Portfolio ID: 9809 ISRCTN65360827

Jet tomography

I summarize the recent advances in jet tomographic studies of cold and hot nuclear matter based on perturbative QCD calculations of medium-induced gluon bremsstrahlung. Quantitative applications to ultrarelativistic heavy ion reactions at RHIC indicate the creation of a deconfined state of QCD with initial energy density on the order of 100 times cold nuclear matter density.Comment: Plenary talk given at the seventeenth international conference on Ultra-Relativistic Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions (Quark Matter 2004). 8 pages, 12 figures. Updated references, updated Table

Effects of colored noise on Landau-Zener transitions: two- and three-level systems

We investigate the Landau-Zener transition in two- and three-level systems subject to a classical Gaussian noise. Two complementary limits of the noise being fast and slow compared to characteristic Landau-Zener tunnel times are discussed. The analytical solution of a density matrix (Bloch) equation is given for a long-time asymptotic of transition probability. It is demonstrated that the transition probability induced or assisted by the fast noise can be obtained through a procedure of Bloch's equation averaging with further reducing it to a master equation. In contrast to the case of fast noise, the transition probability for LZ transition induced, or assisted, by the slow classical noise can be obtained by averaging the solution of Bloch's equation over the noise realization. As a result, the transition probability is described by the activation Arrhenius law. The approximate solution of the Bloch's equation at finite times is written in terms of Fresnel's integrals and interpreted in terms of interference pattern. We discuss consequences of a local isomorphism between SU(2) and SO(3) groups and connections between Schrödinger and Bloch descriptions of spin dynamics. Based on this isomorphism, we establish the relations between S=1/2 and 1 transition probabilities influenced by the noise. A possibility to use the slow noise as a probe for tunnel time is discussed

Flow analysis from multiparticle azimuthal correlations

We present a new method for analyzing directed and elliptic flow in heavy ion collisions. Unlike standard methods, it separates the contribution of flow to azimuthal correlations from contributions due to other effects. The separation relies on a cumulant expansion of multiparticle azimuthal correlations, and includes corrections for detector inefficiencies. This new method allows the measurement of the flow of identified particles in narrow phase-space regions, and can be used in every regime, from intermediate to ultrarelativistic energies.Comment: 31 pages, revtex. Published version (references added