\pi N scattering in relativistic baryon chiral perturbation theory revisited

We have analyzed pion-nucleon scattering using the manifestly relativistic covariant framework of Infrared Regularization up to {\cal O}(q^3) in the chiral expansion, where q is a generic small momentum. We describe the low-energy phase shifts with a similar quality as previously achieved with Heavy Baryon Chiral Perturbation Theory, \sqrt{s}\lesssim1.14 GeV. New values are provided for the {\cal O}(q^2) and {\cal O}(q^3) low-energy constants, which are compared with previous determinations. This is also the case for the scattering lengths and volumes. Finally, we have unitarized the previous amplitudes and as a result the energy range where data are reproduced increases significantly.Comment: 26 pages, 5 figures, 5 table

Manufacturing traces and pot-forming processes during the Early Neolithic at Cueva de El Toro (Málaga, Spain, 5280-4780 BCE)

Altres ajuts: Acord transformatiu CRUE-CSICJavier Cámara is a predoctoral researcher with a FI-DGR 2017 grant (No.: 00567) funded by Generalitat de Catalunya. The authors wish to thank Dr. L. Gomart (CNRS, UMR 8215 Trajectoires) for her helpful comments and observations to identify the new technologies discovered in the ongoing researches on prehistoric pottery. The authors also wish to thank the comments and criticisms made by anonymous reviewers, which improved the earliest version of the paper.This paper reports the results of forming processes used in pottery manufacture at La Cueva de El Toro (Málaga, Spain) during the Early Neolithic (5280-4780 cal. BCE). La Cueva de El Toro is one of the most important sites of reference on the southern Iberian Peninsula for providing extensive and systematised data on early farming practices. The identification of manufacturing traces on pottery has enabled the assessment of the variability of forming techniques used by the communities of herders that seasonally inhabited the cave during the Early Neolithic. Forming processes were also compared with characteristic features of pottery products (typology, decorations) that are representative of the first pottery production in this area. Furthermore, this study provides new insights into the distribution of the first pot-forming processes in the south of the Iberian Peninsula, which suggest the use of similar techniques to the forming-sequences documented at other Early Neolithic sites (the use of coils and circular patches) and other forming processes (moulding process and the use of discs) which are still unknown in the Western Mediterranean

Searching for dark-matter waves with PPTA and QUIJOTE pulsar polarimetry

The polarization of photons emitted by astrophysical sources might be altered as they travel through a dark matter medium composed of ultra light axion-like particles (ALPs). In particular, the coherent oscillations of the ALP background in the galactic halo induce a periodic change on the polarization of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by local sources such as pulsars. Building up on previous works, we develop a new, more robust, analysis based on the generalised Lomb-Scargle periodogram to search for this periodic signal in the emission of the Crab supernova remnant observed by the QUIJOTE MFI instrument and 20 galactic pulsars from the Parkes Pulsar Timing Array (PPTA) project. We also carefully take into account the stochastic nature of the axion field, an effect often overlooked in previous works. This refined analysis leads to the strongest limits on the axion-photon coupling for a wide range of dark matter masses spanning $10^{-23}\text{ eV}\lesssim m_a\lesssim10^{-19} \text{ eV}$. Finally, we survey possible optimal targets and the potential sensitivity to axionic dark-matter in this mass range that could be achieved using pulsar polarimetry in the future

Relativistic chiral representation of the πN\pi N scattering amplitude I: The Goldberger-Treiman relation

In this work we study the $\pi N$ scattering process within the Baryon Chiral Perturbation Theory framework in the covariant scheme of Extended-On-Mass-Shell (EOMS). We compare the description obtained in this scheme with the previously obtained using the Infrared Regularization scheme and show that EOMS accomplishes the best convergence, being able to extract from partial wave analyses reliable values of important quantities as the Goldberger-Treiman deviation. In regard to the latter, we solve the long-standing problem concerning to the extraction of the Goldberger-Treiman deviation with covariant ChPT that jeopardized the applicability of ChPT to the $\pi N$ system. We also show the potential of the unitarization techniques applied to the perturbative calculation in the EOMS scheme, that allow us to increase the range of validity of our description up to $\approx 200$ MeV in $\sqrt{s}$.Comment: PROCEEDINGS to the 33rd International School of Nuclear Physics "From Quarks and Gluons to Hadrons and Nuclei"- 7 Pag,, 1 Table, 4 Figures. Erice-Sicily: 16 - 24 September 201

Trace elements and lead isotopic composition of copper deposits from the eastern part of the Internal Zone of the Betic Cordillera (SE Iberia): application to provenance of archaeological materials

[EN] This paper presents trace element compositions and lead isotope analyses by MC-ICP-MS of 34 copper ore samples from the Internal Zone of the Betic Range, Southeast Spain. Samples were collected during a fieldwork campaign in the mines of Cerro Minado, Pinar de Bédar, Sierra Cabrera and Sierra Almagrera/Herrerías. Most samples are copper oxide minerals from the near surface alteration of the sulfide ore deposits. The aim of the study is to supplement the existing reference data bank on lead isotopic compositions of ancient copper mines from the Iberian Peninsula, complementing this data with trace element compositions. The latter can be useful for discriminating when isotopic overlaps occur. This characterisation will be of great usefulness for provenancing further archaeological materials. Lead isotope ratios range from 18.603 to 20.327 (Pb/Pb); from 15.685 to 15.779 (Pb/Pb) and from 38.728 to 39.702 (Pb/Pb). Data from the literature analysed by TIMS have been also considered for comparison although the larger analytical error is highlighted, especially for isotope Pb. The lead isotopic signature of the analysed samples shows three separate isotopic fields. These fields are also consistent with differences in compositions evidenced by principal component analyses.[ES] En este artículo se presentan análisis de composición de elementos traza y de isótopos de plomo por MC-ICP-MS de 34 muestras minerales de cobre de la Zona Interna de la Cordillera Bética, sureste de España. Las muestras se recogieron durante una campaña de prospección geológico-minera en las minas de Cerro Minado, Pinar de Bédar, Sierra Cabrera y Sierra Almagrera/Herrerías. La mayoría de las muestras minerales son óxidos de cobre de las alteraciones superficiales de los depósitos de sulfuros. El objetivo del estudio es complementar los datos de referencia existentes de isotópos de plomo de las mineralizaciones de cobre de la Península Ibérica, completando estos datos con análisis de composición de elementos traza. Esto último puede ser útil para la discriminación en caso de darse solapamientos isotópicos. Esta caracterización será de gran utilidad para la determinación de procedencia de materiales arqueológicos. Los rangos de isótopos de plomo van de 18.603 a 20.327 (206Pb / 204Pb); de 15.685 a 15.779 (207Pb / 204Pb) y de 38.728 a 39.702 (208Pb / 204Pb). Los análisis antiguos realizados por TIMS y recogidos de la literatura también se han considerado para su comparación, aunque se destaca el mayor error analítico, especialmente para el isótopo 204Pb. La signatura isotópica de las muestras analizadas permite la identificación de tres campos isotópicos separados. Estos campos también son consistentes con las diferencias en los patrones de elementos traza que muestra el análisis de componentes principales.This research was supported by a Marie Curie Intra European Fellowship within the 7th European Community Framework Programme (‘Society, Metallurgy and Innovation: The Iberian Hypothesis’—SMITH project, PN623183); by the R&D Projects HAR2017-82685-R, HAR2011-29068 and HAR-2016-78197-P funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness as well as by the Culture Office of the Government of Andalucía (Spain). We are grateful to Alexis Redondo for the design of the base map of Fig.

Prospects for measurements with strange hadrons at LHCb

This report details the capabilities of LHCb and its upgrades towards the study of kaons and hyperons. The analyses performed so far are reviewed, elaborating on the prospects for some key decay channels, while proposing some new measurements in LHCb to expand its strangeness research program

Ancient genomes from North Africa evidence prehistoric migrations to the Maghreb from both the Levant and Europe

The extent to which prehistoric migrations of farmers influenced the genetic pool of western North Africans remains unclear. Archaeological evidence suggests that the Neolithization process may have happened through the adoption of innovations by local Epipaleolithic communities or by demic diffusion from the Eastern Mediterranean shores or Iberia. Here, we present an analysis of individuals' genome sequences from Early and Late Neolithic sites in Morocco and from Early Neolithic individuals from southern Iberia. We show that Early Neolithic Moroccans (∼5,000 BCE) are similar to Later Stone Age individuals from the same region and possess an endemic element retained in present-day Maghrebi populations, confirming a long-term genetic continuity in the region. This scenario is consistent with Early Neolithic traditions in North Africa deriving from Epipaleolithic communities that adopted certain agricultural techniques from neighboring populations. Among Eurasian ancient populations, Early Neolithic Moroccans are distantly related to Levantine Natufian hunter-gatherers (∼9,000 BCE) and Pre-Pottery Neolithic farmers (∼6,500 BCE). Late Neolithic (∼3,000 BCE) Moroccans, in contrast, share an Iberian component, supporting theories of trans-Gibraltar gene flow and indicating that Neolithization of North Africa involved both the movement of ideas and people. Lastly, the southern Iberian Early Neolithic samples share the same genetic composition as the Cardial Mediterranean Neolithic culture that reached Iberia ∼5,500 BCE. The cultural and genetic similarities between Iberian and North African Neolithic traditions further reinforce the model of an Iberian migration into the Maghreb