Properties of b-flavored hadrons

Experimental progress in the study of b-flavored hadrons is reviewed. The observation of the B meson, properties of hadronic B decays, semi-leptonic B decays, and the B lifetime are discussed. 30 references

Measurement of the tau lifetime

If the tau lepton couples to the charged weak current with universal strength, its lifetime can be expressed in terms of the muon's lifetime, the ratio of the masses of the muon and the tau, and the tau's branching ratio into e anti nu/sub e/ nu/sub tau/ as tau/sub tau/ = tau/sub ..mu../ (m/sub ..mu..//m/sub tau/)/sup 5/ B(tau ..-->.. e anti nu/sub e/nu/sub tau/) = 2.8 +- 0.2 x 10/sup -13/ s. This paper describes the measurement of the tau lifetime made by the Mark II collaboration, using a new high precision drift chamber in contunction with the Mark II detector at PEP. The results of other tau lifetime measurements are summarized

Charm and beauty lifetime measurements with the MARK II vertex detector

We have measured the lifetime of the D/sup 0/ meson and the average lifetime of b-flavored hadrons with the MARK II vertex detector at PEP. We find tau/sub D/sup 0// = (4.0 +- 1.4/1.1 +- 1.0) x 10/sup -13/ sec and tau/sub b/ = (12.0 +- 4.5/3.6 +- 3.0 x 10/sup -13/ sec. 11 references

Searches for massive neutrinos in nuclear beta decay

The status of searches for massive neutrinos in nuclear beta decay is reviewed. The claim by an ITEP group that the electron antineutrino mass > 17eV has been disputed by all the subsequent experiments. Current measurements of the tritium beta spectrum limit m[sub [bar [nu]]e] < 10 eV. The status of the 17 keV neutrino is reviewed. The strong null results from INS Tokyo and Argonne, and deficiencies in the experiments which reported positive effects, make it unreasonable to ascribe the spectral distortions seen by Simpson, Hime, and others to a 17keV neutrino. Several new ideas on how to search for massive neutrinos in nuclear beta decay are discussed

Parasitoids (Hymenoptera) of leaf-spinning moths (Lepidoptera) feeding on Vaccinium uliginosum L. along an ecological gradient in central European peat bogs

Parasitoids of leaf-spinning Lepidoptera associated with two isolated central European peat bogs were investigated. Five families of parasitoid Hymenoptera (Braconidae, Ichneumonidae, Eulophidae, Pteromalidae and Encyrtidae) were recorded. Three categories were recognised: (1) primary parasitoids, (2) facultative hyperparasitoids and (3) obligatory hyperparasitoids. Ten species of Braconidae, five species and seven marked morphospecies among Ichneumonidae, and three species of Chalcidoidea were identified. Despite of some niche-specific (but less host-specific) parasitoids, all these hymenopterans are likely to be generalists and none of them were confirmed to be habitat and/or host specialists. Unlike their eurytopic (opportunistic tyrphoneutral) parasitoids, the Lepidoptera hosts associated with peat bogs are partially highly stenotopic (tyrphobionts and tyrphophiles). The occurrence of parasitoids compared to their potential hosts was structured along an ecological (mesoclimatic) gradient, so most parasitoids were recorded from margins while stenotopic (narrow habitat adaptation) moths were mostly distributed near the centre of the bog habitat

Enhanced suppresion of localization in a continuous Random-Dimer Model

We consider a one-dimensional continuous (Kronig-Penney) extension of the (tight-binding) Random Dimer model of Dunlap et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 65, 88 (1990)]. We predict that the continuous model has infinitely many resonances (zeroes of the reflection coefficient) giving rise to extended states instead of the one resonance arising in the discrete version. We present exact, transfer-matrix numerical calculations supporting, both realizationwise and on the average, the conclusion that the model has a very large number of extended states.Comment: 10 pages, 3 Figures available on request, REVTeX 3.0, MA/UC3M/1/9

Run Scenarios for the Linear Collider

Scenarios are developed for runs at a Linear Collider, in the case that there is a rich program of new physics.Comment: 12 pages, 10 tables, Latex; Snowmass 2001 plenary repor

Formula for proton-nucleus reaction cross section at intermediate energies and its application

We construct a formula for proton-nucleus total reaction cross section as a function of the mass and neutron excess of the target nucleus and the proton incident energy. We deduce the dependence of the cross section on the mass number and the proton incident energy from a simple argument involving the proton optical depth within the framework of a black sphere approximation of nuclei, while we describe the neutron excess dependence by introducing the density derivative of the symmetry energy, L, on the basis of a radius formula constructed from macroscopic nuclear models. We find that the cross section formula can reproduce the energy dependence of the cross section measured for stable nuclei without introducing any adjustable energy dependent parameter. We finally discuss whether or not the reaction cross section is affected by an extremely low density tail of the neutron distribution for halo nuclei.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, added reference