Measurements of CP violation in B mixing through B→J/ψXB \to J/\psi X decays at LHCb

B mesons provide an ideal laboratory for measurements of CP violation and searches for CP violation beyond the Standard Model. Recent measurements of the mixing phases of the $B_s^0$ and $B^0$ mesons, $\phi_s$ and $\sin2\beta$, using decays to $J/\psi X$ final states are presented. In view of future improved measurements, a good understanding of pollution from sub-leading penguin topologies in these decays is needed. Those can be probed using suppressed decays like $B_s^0 \to J/\psi K_S^0$ and $B_s^0 \to J/\psi \overline{K}^{*0}$. Recent results using these decay modes are presented.Comment: Proceedings for EPS-HEP 2015. Updated introductio

Volume and surface propellant heating in an electrothermal radio-frequency plasma micro-thruster

The temporal evolution of neutral gas temperature over the first 5 min of operation for an electrothermal radio-frequency micro-thruster with nitrogen (N2) propellant was measured using rovibrational band matching of the second positive N2 system. Three distinct periods of gas heating were identified with time constants of τ 1 = 8 × 10⁻⁵ s, τ 2 = 8 s, and τ 3 = 100 s. The fast heating (τ 1) is attributed to volumetric heating processes within the discharge driven by ion-neutral collisions. The slow heating (τ 3) is from ion neutralization and vibrational de-excitation on the walls creating wall heating. The intermediate heating mechanism (τ 2) is yet to be fully identified although some theories are suggested.This research was partially funded by the Australian Space Research Program (APT project) and the Australian Research Council Discovery Project (No. DP140100571)

The necessity of data availability in maintaining the value and longevity of paleointensity results

Asserting the reliability of paleointensity estimates, or comparing relative reliabilities between vastly or subtly different results is a key challenge for paleointensity studies, which often leaves interpretations of these data rife with ambiguities. How we define reliable data is a concept that changes as our understanding of data and experiments advances. As a community we need to take steps to push this forward in an objective fashion that provides the most benefit, not just for paleointensity analysts, but also for those who ultimately wish to use the data to better understand deep Earth processes. However, in this ever-changing landscape, we must also ensure that the data we obtain do not lose their value as our advances threaten to make published data obsolete. It remains unknown exactly how our ability to assess the reliability of data will change and what information will become relevant. It is therefore essential for paleointensity studies to report as much data and meta-data as possible and, ideally, publically archive their measurement data for future reanalysis. Such practices are important, not only for paleointensity studies, but science in general and their implementation is vital to the future of paleomagnetism

South African apartheid and the 1976 Torontolympiad: A historical analysis of influential actions and events affecting the 5th Paralympic Games (Ontario).

The 5th Paralympic Games were hosted by the Borough of Etobicoke in the City of Toronto, August 3rd to the 11 th 1976. Staged amidst great turmoil resulting from the participation of a team from South Africa, these games have been recognized by the founding father of the Paralympic Games, Sir Ludwig Guttmann, as the first Paralympic festival to be directly impacted by political forces. This paper identifies the events and actions that played a significant role in the development and eventual staging of the 1976 Paralympic Games. It highlights the perspective of influential agents and their roles in the organization of the games, outlines the relationship between the Canadian federal government and the Organizing Committee, and provides a chronological timeline of events leading up to the staging of the games. Decision making processes, their actors, and resultant actions ultimately influencing the Torontolympiad are analyzed throughout this paper. Through in-depth semi-structured interviews, extensive archival reviews, and newspaper analysis, this paper highlights a frame in time that was important to the development and staging of the Torontolympiad. Archives utilized include the National Archives of Canada, the Province of Ontario Archives, and the City of Toronto Archives. Analysis reveals that although the Torontolympiad Organizing Committee defied the Federal Government by accepting the entries of the South African team, the outcomes of their decision had a positive impact on the Torontolympiad. The Torontolympiad forced the Canadian Federal Government to realize that disability sport was a legitimate state concern, and thrust the Paralympic Games into the spotlight of the Canadian media.Dept. of Human Kinetics. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis2005 .G745. Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 45-01, page: 0132. Thesis (M.H.K.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 2005