Probing Contact Interactions at High Energy Lepton Colliders

Fermion compositeness and other new physics can be signalled by the presence of a strong four-fermion contact interaction. Here we present a study of $\ell\ell qq$ and $\ell\ell\ell'\ell'$ contact interactions using the reactions: $\ell^+ \ell^- \to \ell'^+\ell'^-,b\bar b, c\bar c$ at future $e^+e^-$ linear colliders with $\sqrt s=0.5-5$ TeV and $\mu^+\mu^-$ colliders with $\sqrt s=0.5,4$ TeV. We find that very large compositeness scales can be probed at these machines and that the use of polarized beams can unravel their underlying helicity structure.Comment: 12 pg, to appear in the {\it Proceedings of the 1996 DPF/DPB Summer Study on New Directions for High Energy Physics - Snowmass96}, Snowmass, CO, 25 June - 12 July, 199

Comment on Z′Z''s and the H1 and ZEUS High Q2Q^2 Anomalies

We investigate the effects of extra neutral gauge bosons on the high $Q^2$ region of the $e^+p \to e^+ X$ cross section at $\sqrt{s}=300$ GeV. We found that the only models with electroweak strength coupling, typical of extended gauge theories, that give a better fit to the H1 and ZEUS high $Q^2$ data than the standard model, are ruled out by existing data from the Tevatron. From general scaling arguments, using the allowed contact interactions, the only allowed models with $Z'$'s would be those with strong couplings although even in this case the statistical evidence is not compelling.Comment: Latex file uses revtex version 3, epsfig, 1 postscript figure is attache

Properties of the Charmed P-wave Mesons

Two broad charmed mesons, the D_0^* and D_1', have recently been observed. We examine the quark model predictions for the D_0^* and D_1' properties and discuss experimental measurements that can shed light on them. We find that these states are well described as the broad, j=1/2 non-strange charmed P-wave mesons. Understanding the D_0^* and D_1' states can provide important insights into the D_{sJ}^*(2317), D_{sJ}(2460) states whose unexpected properties have led to renewed interest in hadron spectroscopy.Comment: 7 pages. Some additional discussion and reference

Options for the SELEX state D_{s\J}^+(2632)

We consider possible assignments for the D_{s\J}^+(2632), which was recently reported in D$_s^+\eta$ and D$^0$K$^+$ final states by the SELEX Collaboration at Fermilab. The most plausible quark model assignment for this state is the first radial excitation ($2^3\S_1$) of the $c\bar s$ D$_s^*(2112)$, although the predicted mass and strong decay branching fractions for this assignment are not in agreement with the SELEX data. The reported dominance of D$_s\eta$ over DK appears especially problematic. An intriguing similarity to the K$^*(1414)$ is noted. $2^3\S_1$--^3\D_1 configuration mixing is also considered, and we find that this effect is unlikely to resolve the branching fraction discrepancy. Other interpretations as a $c\bar s$-hybrid or a two-meson molecule are also considered, but appear unlikely. Thus, if this state is confirmed, it will require reconsideration of the systematics of charmed meson spectroscopy and strong decays.Comment: 6 revtex4 pages, 2 eps figure

Properties of the Strange Axial Mesons in the Relativized Quark Model

We studied properties of the strange axial mesons in the relativized quark model. We calculated the $K_1$ decay constant in the quark model and showed how it can be used to extract the $K_1 (^3P_1) - K_1 (^1P_1)$ mixing angle ($\theta_K$) from the weak decay $\tau \to K_1 \nu_\tau$. The ratio $BR(\tau \to \nu_\tau K_1 (1270))/BR(\tau\to \nu_\tau K_1(1400))$ is the most sensitive measurement and also the most reliable since the largest of the theoretical uncertainties factor out. However the current bounds extracted from the TPC/Two-Gamma collaboration measurements are rather weak: we typically obtain $-30^o \lesssim \theta_K \lesssim 50^o$ at 68\% C.L. We also calculated the strong OZI-allowed decays in the pseudoscalar emission model and the flux-tube breaking model and extracted a $^3P_1 - ^1P_1$ mixing angle of $\theta_K \simeq 45^o$. Our analysis also indicates that the heavy quark limit does not give a good description of the strange mesons.Comment: Revised version to be published in Phys. Rev. D. Minor changes. Latex file uses revtex version 3 and epsfig, 4 postcript figures are attached. The full postcript version with embedded figures is available at ftp://ftp.physics.carleton.ca/pub/theory/godfrey/ocipc9512.ps.

Spin-Orbit and Tensor Forces in Heavy-quark Light-quark Mesons: Implications of the New Ds state at 2.32 GeV

We consider the spectroscopy of heavy-quark light-quark mesons with a simple model based on the non-relativistic reduction of vector and scalar exchange between fermions. Four forces are induced: the spin-orbit forces on the light and heavy quark spins, the tensor force, and a spin-spin force. If the vector force is Coulombic, the spin-spin force is a contact interaction, and the tensor force and spin-orbit force on the heavy quark to order $1/m_1m_2$ are directly proportional. As a result, just two independent parameters characterize these perturbations. The measurement of the masses of three p-wave states suffices to predict the mass of the fourth. This technique is applied to the $D_s$ system, where the newly discovered state at 2.32 GeV provides the third measured level, and to the $D$ system. The mixing of the two $J^P=1^+$ p-wave states is reflected in their widths and provides additional constraints. The resulting picture is at odds with previous expectations and raises new puzzles.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figur

Unusual High-Energy Phenomenology of Lorentz-Invariant Noncommutative Field Theories

It has been suggested that one may construct a Lorentz-invariant noncommutative field theory by extending the coordinate algebra to additional, fictitious coordinates that transform nontrivially under the Lorentz group. Integration over these coordinates in the action produces a four-dimensional effective theory with Lorentz invariance intact. Previous applications of this approach, in particular to a specific construction of noncommutative QED, have been studied only in a low-momentum approximation. Here we discuss Lorentz-invariant field theories in which the relevant physics can be studied without requiring an expansion in the inverse scale of noncommutativity. Qualitatively, we find that tree-level scattering cross sections are dramatically suppressed as the center-of-mass energy exceeds the scale of noncommutativity, that cross sections that are isotropic in the commutative limit can develop a pronounced angular dependence, and that nonrelativistic potentials (for example, the Coloumb potential) become nonsingular at the origin. We consider a number of processes in noncommutative QED that may be studied at a future linear collider. We also give an example of scattering via a four-fermion operator in which the noncommutative modifications of the interaction can unitarize the tree-level amplitude, without requiring any other new physics in the ultraviolet.Comment: 24 pages LaTeX, 4 eps figures (v2: reference added, v3: minor clarifications

High-Energy Calibration of a BGO detector of the GLAST Burst Monitor

The understanding of the instrumental response of the GLAST Burst Monitor BGO detectors at energies above the energy range which is accessible by common laboratory radiation sources (< 4.43 MeV), is important, especially for the later cross-calibration with the LAT response in the overlap region between ~ 20 MeV to 30 MeV. In November 2006 the high-energy calibration of the GBM-BGO spare detector was performed at the small Van-de-Graaff accelerator at SLAC. High-energy gamma-rays from excited 8Be* (14.6 MeV and 17.5 MeV) and 16O* (6.1 MeV) were generated through (p,gamma)-reactions by irradiating a LiF-target. For the calibration at lower energies radioactive sources were used. The results, including spectra, the energy/channel-relation and the dependence of energy resolution are presented.Comment: 2 pages, 1 figure; to appear in the Proc. of the First Int. GLAST Symp. (Stanford, Feb. 5-8, 2007), eds. S.Ritz, P.F.Michelson, and C.Meegan, AIP Conf. Pro

The East Australian Current as a free inertial jet

Paths of the East Australian Current are calculated, employing the assumption that changes in the total cross-stream vorticity due to path curvature are balanced by changes in the planetary vorticity and vortex stretching. With reasonable assumptions for the velocity structure, the resulting paths follow the continental slope for the whole known length of the current and then gradually move into deeper water...

Are There Oscillations in the Baryon/Meson Ratio?

All available data indicate a surplus of baryon states over meson states for energies greater than about 1.5 GeV. Since hadron-scale string theory suggests that their numbers should become equal with increasing energy, it has recently been proposed that there must exist exotic mesons with masses just above 1.7 GeV in order to fill the deficit. We demonstrate that a string-like picture is actually consistent with the present numbers of baryon and meson states, and in fact predicts regular oscillations in their ratio. This suggests a different role for new hadronic states.Comment: 14 pages (RevTeX), McGill/92-0