140 research outputs found
Lattice dynamics and reduced thermal conductivity of filled skutterudites
The great reduction in thermal conductivity of skutterudites upon filling the
``void'' sites with Rare Earth (RE) ions is key to their favorable
thermoelectric properties but remains to be understood. Using lattice dynamic
models based on first principles calculations, we address the most popular
microscopic mechanism, reduction via rattling ions. The model withstands
inelastic neutron scattering and specific heat measurements, and refutes
hypotheses of an anharmonic RE potential and of two distinct localized RE
vibrations of disparate frequencies. It does indicate a strong hybridization
between bare La vibrations and certain Sb-like phonon branches, suggesting
anharmonic scattering by harmonic RE motions as an important mechanism for
suppression of heat conductivity.Comment: modified version resubmitted to PRB. Results unchanged, text changed
substantiall
KamLAND Bounds on Solar Antineutrinos and neutrino transition magnetic moments
We investigate the possibility of detecting solar electron antineutrinos with
the KamLAND experiment. These electron antineutrinos are predicted by
spin-flavor oscillations at a significant rate even if this mechanism is not
the leading solution to the SNP. KamLAND is sensitive to antineutrinos
originated from solar B neutrinos. From KamLAND negative results after
145 days of data taking, we obtain model independent limits on the total flux
of solar electron antineutrinos $\Phi({}^8 B)< 1.1-3.5\times 10^4 cm^{-2}\
s^{-1}P<0.15%\mu B< 2.3\times 10^{-21}(\Delta m^2, \tan^2\theta)\mu\lsim 3.9\times 10^{-12} \mu_BB= 50\mu\lsim 9.0\times 10^{-13} \mu_BB= 200\mu\lsim 2.0\times 10^{-13} \mu_BB= 1000$ kG at the same
statistical significance.Comment: 13 pages, 2 figure
KamLAND, solar antineutrinos and the solar magnetic field
In this work the possibility of detecting solar electron antineutrinos
produced by a solar core magnetic field from the KamLAND recent observations is
investigated. We find a scaling of the antineutrino probability with respect to
the magnetic field profile in the sense that the same probability function can
be reproduced by any profile with a suitable peak field value. In this way the
solar electron antineutrino spectrum can be unambiguosly predicted. We use this
scaling and the negative results indicated by the KamLAND experiment to obtain
upper bounds on the solar electron antineutrino flux. We get
at 95% CL. For 90% CL this becomes
, an improvement by a factor of 3-5
with respect to existing bounds. These limits are independent of the detailed
structure of the magnetic field in the solar interior. We also derive upper
bounds on the peak field value which are uniquely determined for a fixed solar
field profile. In the most efficient antineutrino producing case, we get (95%
CL) an upper limit on the product of the neutrino magnetic moment by the solar
field MeV or for
.Comment: 15 pages. References corrected. Minor changes in the tex
Identification of extra neutral gauge bosons at the International Linear Collider
Heavy neutral gauge bosons, Z's, are predicted by many theoretical schemes of
physics beyond the Standard Model, and intensive searches for their signatures
will be performed at present and future high energy colliders. It is quite
possible that Z's are heavy enough to lie beyond the discovery reach expected
at the CERN Large Hadron Collider LHC, in which case only indirect signatures
of Z' exchanges may occur at future colliders, through deviations of the
measured cross sections from the Standard Model predictions. We here discuss in
this context the foreseeable sensitivity to Z's of fermion-pair production
cross sections at an e^+e^- linear collider, especially as regards the
potential of distinguishing different Z' models once such deviations are
observed. Specifically, we assess the discovery and identification reaches on
Z' gauge bosons pertinent to the E_6, LR, ALR and SSM classes of models, that
should be attained at the planned International Linear Collider (ILC). With the
high experimental accuracies expected at the ILC, the discovery and the
identification reaches on the Z' models under consideration could be increased
substantially. In particular, the identification among the different models
could be achieved for values of Z' masses in the discovery (but beyond the
identification) reach of the LHC. An important role in enhancing such reaches
is played by the electron (and possibly the positron) longitudinally polarized
beams. Also, although the purely leptonic processes are experimentally cleaner,
the measurements of c- and b-quark pair production cross sections are found to
carry important, and complementary, information on these searches.Comment: 21 page
On the alpha activity of natural tungsten isotopes
The indication for the alpha decay of 180-W with a half-life
T1/2=1.1+0.8-0.4(stat)+-0.3(syst)x10^18 yr has been observed for the first time
with the help of the super-low background 116-CdWO_4 crystal scintillators. In
conservative approach the lower limit on half-life of 180-W has been
established as T1/2>0.7x10^18 yr at 90% C.L. Besides, new T1/2 bounds were set
for alpha decay of 182-W, 183-W, 184-W and 186-W at the level of 10^20 yr.Comment: 16 pages, 8 figures, accepted in Phys. Rev.
Electroweak Supersymmetry around the Electroweak Scale
Inspired by the phenomenological constraints, LHC supersymmetry and Higgs
searches, dark matter search as well as string model building, we propose the
electroweak supersymmetry around the electroweak scale: the squarks and/or
gluinos are around a few TeV while the sleptons, sneutrinos, bino and winos are
within one TeV. The Higgsinos can be either heavy or light. We consider bino as
the dominant component of dark matter candidate, and the observed dark matter
relic density is achieved via the neutralino-stau coannihilations. Considering
the Generalized Minimal Supergravity (GmSUGRA), we show explicitly that the
electroweak supersymmetry can be realized, and the gauge coupling unification
can be preserved. With two Scenarios, we study the viable parameter spaces that
satisfy all the current phenomenological constraints, and we present the
concrete benchmark points. Furthermore, we comment on the fine-tuning problem
and LHC searches.Comment: RevTex4, 28 pages, 8 figures, 8 tables, version to appear in EPJ
Low energy atmospheric muon neutrinos in MACRO
We present the measurement of two event samples induced by atmospheric
of average energy . In the first sample,
the neutrino interacts inside the MACRO detector producing an upward-going muon
leaving the apparatus. The ratio of the number of observed to expected events
is with an angular
distribution similar to that expected from the Bartol atmospheric neutrino
flux. The second is a mixed sample of internally produced downward-going muons
and externally produced upward-going muons stopping inside the detector. These
two subsamples are selected by topological criteria; the lack of timing
information makes it impossible to distinguish stopping from downgoing muons.
The ratio of the number of observed to expected events is . Using the ratio of the two subsamples (for
which most theoretical uncertainties cancel) we can test the pathlength
dependence of the oscillation hypothesis. The probability of agreement with the
no-oscillation hypothesis is 5% .
The deviations of our observations from the expectations has a preferred
interpretation in terms of oscillations with maximal mixing and
. These parameters are in agreement
with our results from upward throughgoing muons, induced by of much
higher energies.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures. Submitted to Phys. Lett.
Search for diffuse neutrino flux from astrophysical sources with MACRO
Many galactic and extragalactic astrophysical sources are currently
considered promising candidates as high energy neutrino emitters. Astrophysical
neutrinos can be detected as upward-going muons produced in charged-current
interactions with the medium surrounding the detector. The expected neutrino
fluxes from various models start to dominate on the atmospheric neutrino
background at neutrino energies above some tens of TeV. We present the results
of a search for an excess of high energy upward-going muons among the sample of
data collected by MACRO during ~5.8 years of effective running time. No
significant evidence for this signal was found. As a consequence, an upper
limit on the flux of upward-going muons from high-energy neutrinos was set at
the level of 1.7 10^(-14) cm^(-2) s^(-1) sr^(-1).
The corresponding upper limit for the diffuse neutrino flux was evaluated
assuming a neutrino power law spectrum. Our result was compared with
theoretical predictions and upper limits from other experiments.Comment: 19 pages, 8 figures, 2 table
Associated Charm Production in Neutrino-Nucleus Interactions
In this paper a search for associated charm production both in neutral and
charged current -nucleus interactions is presented. The improvement of
automatic scanning systems in the {CHORUS} experiment allows an efficient
search to be performed in emulsion for short-lived particles. Hence a search
for rare processes, like the associated charm production, becomes possible
through the observation of the double charm-decay topology with a very low
background. About 130,000 interactions located in the emulsion target
have been analysed. Three events with two charm decays have been observed in
the neutral-current sample with an estimated background of 0.180.05. The
relative rate of the associated charm cross-section in deep inelastic
interactions, has been
measured. One event with two charm decays has been observed in charged-current
interactions with an estimated background of 0.180.06 and the
upper limit on associated charm production in charged-current interactions at
90% C.L. has been found to be .Comment: 10 pages, 4 figure
Particle density fluctuations
Event-by-event fluctuations in the multiplicities of charged particles and
photons at SPS energies are discussed. Fluctuations are studied by controlling
the centrality of the reaction and rapidity acceptance of the detectors.
Results are also presented on the event-by-event study of correlations between
the multiplicity of charged particles and photons to search for DCC-like
signals.Comment: Talk presented at Quark Matter 2002, Nantes, Franc
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