Impact of future HERA data on the determination of proton parton distribution functions using the ZEUS QCD fit

The high precision and large kinematic coverage of the data from the HERA-I running period (1994-2000) have already allowed precise extractions of proton parton distribution functions (PDFs). The HERA-II running program is now underway and is expected to provide a substantial increase in the luminosity collected at HERA. In this paper, a study is presented which investigates the potential impact of future data from HERA on the proton PDF uncertainties, within the currently planned running scenario. In addition, the effect of a possible future measurement of the longitudinal structure function, FL, on the gluon distribution is investigated.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, in proceedings of the XIII International Workshop on Deep Inelastic Scattering - DIS 2005, Madison, Wisconsin, 200

The race for supersymmetry: using mT2 for discovery

We describe how one may employ a very simple event selection, using only the kinematic variable mT2, to search for new particles at the LHC. The method is useful when searching for evidence of models (such as R-parity conserving supersymmetry) which have a Z2 parity and a weakly-interacting lightest parity-odd particle. We discuss the kinematic properties which make this variable an excellent discriminant against the great majority of Standard Model backgrounds. Monte Carlo simulations suggest that this approach could be used to discover supersymmetry with somewhat smaller integrated luminosities (or perhaps lower center-of-mass energies) than would be required for other comparable analyses.Comment: 8 page

A comment on "Amplification of endpoint structure for new particle mass measurement at the LHC"

We present a comment on the kinematic variable $m_{CT2}$ recently proposed in "Amplification of endpoint structure for new particle mass measurement at the LHC". The variable is designed to be applied to models such as R-parity conserving Supersymmetry (SUSY) when there is pair production of new heavy particles each of which decays to a single massless visible and a massive invisible component. It was proposed in "Amplification of endpoint structure for new particle mass measurement at the LHC" that a measurement of the peak of the $m_{CT2}$ distribution could be used to precisely constrain the masses of the SUSY particles. We show that when Standard Model backgrounds are included in simulations, the sensitivity of the $m_{CT2}$ variable to the SUSY particle masses is more seriously impacted for $m_{CT2}$ than for other previously proposed variables.Comment: 5 page

Tuning Monte Carlo Generators: The Perugia Tunes

We present 9 new tunes of the pT-ordered shower and underlying-event model in PYTHIA 6.4. These "Perugia" tunes update and supersede the older "S0" family. The data sets used to constrain the models include hadronic Z0 decays at LEP, Tevatron minimum-bias data at 630, 1800, and 1960 GeV, Tevatron Drell-Yan data at 1800 and 1960 GeV, and SPS min-bias data at 200, 546, and 900 GeV. In addition to the central parameter set, called "Perugia 0", we introduce a set of 8 related "Perugia Variations" that attempt to systematically explore soft, hard, parton density, and colour structure variations in the theoretical parameters. Based on these variations, a best-guess prediction of the charged track multiplicity in inelastic, nondiffractive minimum-bias events at the LHC is made. Note that these tunes can only be used with PYTHIA 6, not with PYTHIA 8. Note: this report was updated in March 2011 with a new set of variations, collectively labeled "Perugia 2011", that are optimized for matching applications and which also take into account some lessons from the early LHC data. In order not to break the original text, these are described separately in Appendix B. Note 2: a subsequent "Perugia 2012" update is described in Appendix C.Comment: 46 page

Combined HERA Deep Inelastic Scattering Data and NLO QCD Fits

Previously published data on inclusive neutral and charged current e+p and e-p deep inelastic scattering from HERA have been combined. The new, model-independent method of combining the measured cross sections takes full account of correlated systematics in a coherent way, leading to significantly reduced uncertainties in the combined measurement across the (x, Q^2) plane. The combined cross section data have been used as the sole input for a new next-to-leading order QCD fit to extract the parton distribution functions (PDFs) of the proton. The PDFs extracted have greatly reduced experimental uncertainties, compared to separate QCD analyses on data from H1 and ZEUS. Model uncertainties, including those arising from the parameterisation dependence, have also been carefully considered. The resulting HERA PDFs have impressive precision.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, prepared for the proceedings of the Ringberg Workshop on "New Trends in HERA Physics 2008", Ringberg Castle, Tegernsee, Oct 5-10, 200

Chemical Differentiation toward the Pipe Nebula Starless Cores

We used the new IRAM 30-m FTS backend to perform an unbiased ~15 GHz wide survey at 3 mm toward the Pipe Nebula young diffuse starless cores. We found an unexpectedly rich chemistry. We propose a new observational classification based on the 3 mm molecular line emission normalized by the core visual extinction (Av). Based on this classification, we report a clear differentiation in terms of chemical composition and of line emission properties, which served to define three molecular core groups. The "diffuse" cores, Av<~15, show poor chemistry with mainly simple species (e.g. CS and CCH). The "oxo-sulfurated" cores, Av~15--22, appear to be abundant in species like SO and SO2, but also in HCO, which seem to disappear at higher densities. Finally, the "deuterated" cores, Av>~22, show typical evolved chemistry prior to the onset of the star formation process, with nitrogenated and deuterated species, as well as carbon chain molecules. Based on these categories, one of the "diffuse" cores (Core 47) has the spectral line properties of the "oxo-sulfurated" ones, which suggests that it is a possible failed core.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A. 5 pages, 2 figure