S-wave phase shift in Lambda-pi scattering

We calculate the s-wave strong interaction $\Lambda$$\pi$ phase shift at the $\Xi$ mass taking into account contributions from the ${{\frac{1}{2}}}^{-}$ and ${{\frac{3}{2}}}^{-}$ $\Sigma$ resonances. We find the S-wave phase shift to be small, of the order of 0.3 degrees and bounded by 0.5 degrees.Comment: 4 page

Hyperon Nonleptonic Decays in Chiral Perturbation Theory Reexamined

We recalculate the leading nonanalytic contributions to the amplitudes for hyperon nonleptonic decays in chiral perturbation theory. Our results partially disagree with those calculated before, and include new terms previously omitted in the P-wave amplitudes. Although these modifications are numerically significant, they do not change the well-known fact that good agreement with experiment cannot be simultaneously achieved using one-loop S- and P-wave amplitudes.Comment: 14 pages, latex, 3 figures, uses axodraw.sty, minor additions, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Strong Λπ\Lambda \pi Phase Shifts for CP Violation in Weak Ξ→Λπ\Xi \rightarrow \Lambda \pi Decay

Strong interaction $\Lambda\pi$ phase shifts relevant for the weak nonleptonic decay $\Xi \rightarrow \Lambda \pi$ are calculated using baryon chiral perturbation theory. We find in leading order that the S-wave phase shift vanishes and the $J={1 \over 2}$ P-wave phase shift is $-1.7 ^{\rm o}$. The small phase shifts imply that CP violation in this decay will be difficult to observe. Our results follow from chiral $SU(2)_L\times SU(2)_R$ symmetry.Comment: 8 pages, uses phyzzx, 2 figures included as uuencoded file, CALT-68-1940 and CMU-HEP94-2

Onset of thermal convection in a horizontal layer of granular gas

The Navier-Stokes granular hydrodynamics is employed for determining the threshold of thermal convection in an infinite horizontal layer of granular gas. The dependence of the convection threshold, in terms of the inelasticity of particle collisions, on the Froude and Knudsen numbers is found. A simple necessary condition for convection is formulated in terms of the Schwarzschild's criterion, well-known in thermal convection of (compressible) classical fluids. The morphology of convection cells at the onset is determined. At large Froude numbers, the Froude number drops out of the problem. As the Froude number goes to zero, the convection instability turns into a recently discovered phase separation instability.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures. An extended version. A simple and universal necessary criterion for convection presente

New Physics and CP Violation in Hyperon Nonleptonic Decays

The sum of the CP-violating asymmetries A(Lambda_-^0) and A(Xi_-^-) in hyperon nonleptonic decays is presently being measured by the E871 experiment. We evaluate contributions to the asymmetries induced by chromomagnetic-penguin operators, whose coefficients can be enhanced in certain models of new physics. Incorporating recent information on the strong phases in Xi->Lambda pi decay, we show that new-physics contributions to the two asymmetries can be comparable. We explore how the upcoming results of E871 may constrain the coefficients of the operators. We find that its preliminary measurement is already better than the epsilon parameter of K-Kbar mixing in bounding the parity-conserving contributions.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figure

The flavor-changing rare top decays t→cVVt\to c V V in topcolor-assisted technicolor theory

In the framework of topcolor-assisted technicolor (TC2) theory, we calculate the contributions of the scalars(the neutral top-pion $\pi_{t}^{0}$ and the top-Higgs $h_{t}^{0}$) to the flavor-changing rare top decays $t\to c V V$(V= W, g, $\gamma$ or Z). Our results show that $h_{t}^{0}$ can enhance the standard model $B_{r}^{SM}(t\longrightarrow cWW)$ by several orders of magnitude for most of the parameter space. The peak of the branching ratio resonance emerges when the top-Higgs mass is between $2m_{W}$ and $m_{t}$. The branching ratio $B_{r}(t\to c W W)$ can reach $10^{-3}$ in the narrow range.Comment: Latex file, 11pages, 2 eps figure

Precision Astrometry of a Sample of Speckle Binaries and Multiples with the Adaptive Optics Facilities at the Hale and Keck II Telescopes

Using the adaptive optics facilities at the 200-in Hale and 10-m Keck II, we observed in the near infrared a sample of 12 binary and multiple stars and one open cluster. We used the near diffraction limited images of these systems to measure the relative separations and position angles between their components. In this paper, we investigate and correct for the influence of the differential chromatic refraction and chip distortions on our relative astrometric measurements. Over one night, we achieve an astrometric precision typically well below 1 miliarcsecond and occasionally as small as 40 microarcseconds. Such a precision is in principle sufficient to astrometrically detect planetary mass objects around the components of nearby binary and multiple stars. Since we have not had sufficiently large data sets for the observed sample of stars to detect planets, we provide the limits to planetary mass objects based on the obtained astrometric precision.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures, 9 tables, to appear in MNRA

Hydrodynamics of thermal granular convection

A hydrodynamic theory is formulated for buoyancy-driven ("thermal") granular convection, recently predicted in molecular dynamic simulations and observed in experiment. The limit of a dilute flow is considered. The problem is fully described by three scaled parameters. The convection occurs via a supercritical bifurcation, the inelasticity of the collisions being the control parameter. The theory is expected to be valid for small Knudsen numbers and nearly elastic grain collisions.Comment: 4 pages, 4 EPS figures, some details adde

Mechanisms of light energy harvesting in dendrimers and hyperbranched polymers

Since their earliest synthesis, much interest has arisen in the use of dendritic and structurally allied forms of polymer for light energy harvesting, especially as organic adjuncts for solar energy devices. With the facility to accommodate a proliferation of antenna chromophores, such materials can capture and channel light energy with a high degree of efficiency, each polymer unit potentially delivering the energy of one photon-or more, when optical nonlinearity is involved. To ensure the highest efficiency of operation, it is essential to understand the processes responsible for photon capture and channelling of the resulting electronic excitation. Highlighting the latest theoretical advances, this paper reviews the principal mechanisms, which prove to involve a complex interplay of structural, spectroscopic and electrodynamic properties. Designing materials with the capacity to capture and control light energy facilitates applications that now extend from solar energy to medical photonics. © 2011 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

CP Violation in Hyperon Nonleptonic Decays within the Standard Model

We calculate the CP-violating asymmetries A(Lambda_-^0) and A(Xi_-^-) in nonleptonic hyperon decay within the Standard Model using the framework of heavy-baryon chiral perturbation theory (chiPT). We identify those terms that correspond to previous calculations and discover several errors in the existing literature. We present a new result for the lowest-order (in chiPT) contribution of the penguin operator to these asymmetries, as well as an estimate for the uncertainty of our result that is based on the calculation of the leading nonanalytic corrections.Comment: 21 pages, 2 figures; discussion clarified, results & conclusions unchanged, to appear in Phys. Rev.