Improved determination of color-singlet nonrelativistic QCD matrix elements for S-wave charmonium

We present a new computation of S-wave color-singlet nonrelativistic QCD matrix elements for the J/psi and the eta_c. We compute the matrix elements of leading order in the heavy-quark velocity v and the matrix elements of relative order v^2. Our computation is based on the electromagnetic decay rates of the J/psi and the eta_c and on a potential model that employs the Cornell potential. We include relativistic corrections to the electromagnetic decay rates, resumming a class of corrections to all orders in v, and find that they significantly increase the values of the matrix elements of leading order in v. This increase could have important implications for theoretical predictions for a number of quarkonium decay and production processes. The values that we find for the matrix elements of relative order v^2 are somewhat smaller than the values that one obtains from estimates that are based on the velocity-scaling rules of nonrelativistic QCD.Comment: 31 pages, minor corrections, version published in Phys. Rev.

Integration over the quantum diagonal subgroup and associated Fourier-like algebras

By analogy with the classical construction due to Forrest, Samei and Spronk we associate to every compact quantum group $\mathbb{G}$ a completely contractive Banach algebra $A_\Delta(\mathbb{G})$, which can be viewed as a deformed Fourier algebra of $\mathbb{G}$. To motivate the construction we first analyse in detail the quantum version of the integration over the diagonal subgroup, showing that although the quantum diagonal subgroups in fact never exist, as noted earlier by Kasprzak and So{\l}tan, the corresponding integration represented by a certain idempotent state on $C(\mathbb{G})$ makes sense as long as $\mathbb{G}$ is of Kac type. Finally we analyse as an explicit example the algebras $A_\Delta(O_N^+)$, $N\ge 2$, associated to Wang's free orthogonal groups, and show that they are not operator weakly amenable.Comment: Minor updates; Remark 5.7 has been added; 31 page

Singularity Structures in Coulomb-Type Potentials in Two Body Dirac Equations of Constraint Dynamics

Two Body Dirac Equations (TBDE) of Dirac's relativistic constraint dynamics have been successfully applied to obtain a covariant nonperturbative description of QED and QCD bound states. Coulomb-type potentials in these applications lead naively in other approaches to singular relativistic corrections at short distances that require the introduction of either perturbative treatments or smoothing parameters. We examine the corresponding singular structures in the effective potentials of the relativistic Schroedinger equation obtained from the Pauli reduction of the TBDE. We find that the relativistic Schroedinger equation lead in fact to well-behaved wave function solutions when the full potential and couplings of the system are taken into account. The most unusual case is the coupled triplet system with S=1 and L={(J-1),(J+1)}. Without the inclusion of the tensor coupling, the effective S-state potential would become attractively singular. We show how including the tensor coupling is essential in order that the wave functions be well-behaved at short distances. For example, the S-state wave function becomes simply proportional to the D-state wave function and dips sharply to zero at the origin, unlike the usual S-state wave functions. Furthermore, this behavior is similar in both QED and QCD, independent of the asymptotic freedom behavior of the assumed QCD vector potential. Light- and heavy-quark meson states can be described well by using a simplified linear-plus-Coulomb-type QCD potential apportioned appropriately between world scalar and vector potentials. We use this potential to exhibit explicitly the origin of the large pi-rho splitting and effective chiral symmetry breaking. The TBDE formalism developed here may be used to study quarkonia in quark-gluon plasma environments.Comment: 23 pages, 4 figure

Quantum Nucleation in a Ferromagnetic Film Placed in a Magnetic Field at an Arbitrary Angle

We study the quantum nucleation in a thin ferromagnetic film placed in a magnetic field at an arbitrary angle. The dependence of the quantum nucleation and the temperature of the crossover from thermal to quantum regime on the direction and the strength of the applied field are presented. It is found that the maximal value of the rate and that of the crossover temperature are obtained at a some angle with the magnetic field, not in the direction of the applied field opposite to the initial easy axis.Comment: 15 pages, RevTex, 3 PostScript figures. To appear in Phys. Rev.

Core-Clickable PEG-Branch-Azide Bivalent-Bottle-Brush Polymers by ROMP: Grafting-Through and Clicking-To

The combination of highly efficient polymerizations with modular "click" coupling reactions has enabled the synthesis of a wide variety of novel nanoscopic tructures. Here we demonstrate the facile synthesis of a new class of clickable, branched nanostructures, polyethylene glycol (PEG)-branch-azide bivalent-brush polymers, facilitated by "graft-through" ring-opening metathesis polymerization of a branched norbornene-PEG-chloride macromonomer followed by halide-azide exchange. The resulting bivalent-brush polymers possess azide groups at the core near a polynorbornene backbone with PEG chains extended into solution; the structure resembles a unimolecular micelle. We demonstrate copper-catalyzed azide-alkre cycloaddition (CuAAC) "click-to" coupling of a photocleavable doxorubicin (DOX)-alkyne derivative to the azide core. The CuAAC coupling was quantitative across a wide range of nanoscopic sizes (similar to 6-similar to 50 nrn); UV photolysis of the resulting DOX-loaded materials yielded free DOX that was therapeutically effective against human cancer cells

Toward the Evidence of the Accretion Disk Emission in the Symbiotic Star RR Tel

In this paper, we argue that in the symbiotic star RR Tel the existence of an accretion disk around the hot companion is strongly implied by the characteristic features exhibited by the Raman-scattered O VI lines around 6830 \AA and 7088 \AA. High degrees of polarization and double-peaked profiles in the Raman-scattered lines and single-peak profiles for other emission lines are interpreted as line-of-sight effects, where the H I scatterers near the giant see an incident double-peaked profile and an observer with a low inclination sees single-peak profiles. It is predicted that different mass concentrations around the accretion disk formed by a dusty wind may lead to the disparate ratios of the blue peak strength to the red counterpart observed in the 6830 and 7088 features. We discuss the evolutionary links between symbiotic stars and bipolar protoplanetary nebulae and conclude that the Raman scattering processes may play an important role in investigation of the physical properties of these objects.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in the ApJ Letter

Facile collection of two-dimensional electronic spectra using femtosecond pulse-shaping technology

This letter reports a straightforward means of collecting two-dimensional electronic (2D-E) spectra using optical tools common to many research groups involved in ultrafast spectroscopy and quantum control. In our method a femtosecond pulse shaper is used to generate a pair of phase stable collinear laser pulses which are then incident on a gas or liquid sample. The pulse pair is followed by an ultrashort probe pulse that is spectrally resolved. The delay between the collinear pulses is incremented using phase and amplitude shaping and a 2D-E spectrum is generated following Fourier transformation. The partially collinear beam geometry results in perfectly phased absorptive spectra without phase twist. Our approach is much simpler to implement than standard non-collinear beam geometries, which are challenging to phase stabilize and require complicated calibrations. Using pulse shaping, many new experiments are now also possible in both 2D-E spectroscopy and coherent control.open798

Raman Scattered He II λ\lambda 6545 Line in the Symbiotic Star V1016 Cygni

We present a spectrum of the symbiotic star V1016 Cyg observed with the 3.6 m Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, in order to illustrate a method to measure the covering factor of the neutral scattering region around the giant component with respect to the hot emission region around the white dwarf component. In the spectrum, we find broad wings around H$\alpha$ and a broad emission feature around 6545${\rm \AA}$ that is blended with the [N II]$\lambda$ 6548 line. These two features are proposed to be formed by Raman scattering by atomic hydrogen, where the incident radiation is proposed to be UV continuum radiation around Ly$\beta$ in the former case and He II $\lambda$ 1025 emission line arising from $n=6\to n=2$ transitions for the latter feature. We remove the H$\alpha$ wings by a template Raman scattering wing profile and subtract the [N II] $\lambda$ 6548 line using the 3 times stronger [N II] $\lambda$ 6583 feature in order to isolate the He II Raman scattered 6545 \AA line. We obtain the flux ratio $F_{6545}/F_{6560}=0.24$ of the He II $\lambda$ 6560 emission line and the 6545 \AA feature for V1016 Cyg. Under the assumption that the He II emission from this object is isotropic, this ratio is converted to the ratio $\Phi_{6545}/\Phi_{1025}=0.17$ of the number of the incident photons and that of the scattered photons. This implies that the scattering region with H I column density $N_{HI}\ge 10^{20}{\rm cm^{-2}}$ covers 17 per cent of the emission region. By combining the presumed binary period $\sim 100$ yrs of this system we infer that a significant fraction of the slow stellar wind from the Mira component is ionized and that the scattering region around the Mira extends a few tens of AU, which is closely associated with the mass loss process of the Mira component.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

Differential effects of plant-beneficial fungi on the attraction of the egg parasitoid Trissolcus basalis in response to Nezara viridula egg deposition

There is increasing evidence that plant-associated microorganisms play important roles in defending plants against insect herbivores through both direct and indirect mechanisms. While previous research has shown that these microbes can modify the behaviour and performance of insect herbivores and their natural enemies, little is known about their effect on egg parasitoids which utilize oviposition-induced plant volatiles to locate their hosts. In this study, we investigated how root inoculation of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum) with the plant-beneficial fungi Beauveria bassiana ARSEF 3097 or Trichoderma harzianum T22 influences the olfactory behaviour of the egg parasitoid Trissolcus basalis following egg deposition by its host Nezara viridula. Olfactometer assays showed that inoculation by T. harzianum significantly enhanced the attraction of the egg parasitoid, while B. bassiana had the opposite effect. However, no variation was observed in the chemical composition of plant volatiles. Additionally, fitness-related traits of the parasitoids (wasp body size) were not altered by any of the two fungi, suggesting that fungal inoculation did not indirectly affect host quality. Altogether, our results indicate that plant inoculation with T. harzianum T22 can be used to enhance attraction of egg parasitoids, which could be a promising strategy in manipulating early plant responses against pest species and improving sustainable crop protection. From a more fundamental point of view, our findings highlight the importance of taking into account the role of microorganisms when studying the intricate interactions between plants, herbivores and their associated egg parasitoids