Excited ΛQ\Lambda_Q Baryons in the Large NcN_c Limit

The spectrum of excited $\Lambda_Q$-type heavy baryons is considered in the large $N_c$ limit. The universal form factors for $\Lambda_b$ semileptonic decay to excited charmed baryons are calculated in the large $N_c$ limit. We find that the Bjorken sum rule (for the slope of the Isgur--Wise function) and Voloshin sum rule (for the mass of the light degrees of freedom) are saturated by the first doublet of excited $\Lambda_Q$ states.Comment: 9 pages, use phyzzx, CALT-68-191

First normal stress difference and crystallization in a dense sheared granular fluid

The first normal stress difference (${\mathcal N}_1$) and the microstructure in a dense sheared granular fluid of smooth inelastic hard-disks are probed using event-driven simulations. While the anisotropy in the second moment of fluctuation velocity, which is a Burnett-order effect, is known to be the progenitor of normal stress differences in {\it dilute} granular fluids, we show here that the collisional anisotropies are responsible for the normal stress behaviour in the {\it dense} limit. As in the elastic hard-sphere fluids, ${\mathcal N}_1$ remains {\it positive} (if the stress is defined in the {\it compressive} sense) for dilute and moderately dense flows, but becomes {\it negative} above a critical density, depending on the restitution coefficient. This sign-reversal of ${\mathcal N}_1$ occurs due to the {\it microstructural} reorganization of the particles, which can be correlated with a preferred value of the {\it average} collision angle $\theta_{av}=\pi/4 \pm \pi/2$ in the direction opposing the shear. We also report on the shear-induced {\it crystal}-formation, signalling the onset of fluid-solid coexistence in dense granular fluids. Different approaches to take into account the normal stress differences are discussed in the framework of the relaxation-type rheological models.Comment: 21 pages, 13 figure

A Cohort Study to Determine the Epidemiology of Estuary-Associated Syndrome

From the Introduction: Estuary-Associated Syndrome (EAS) is the name given to a potential illness characterized primarily by changes in an individual\u27s cognitive abilities, including acute onset of memory loss or the sudden inability to solve simple problems. Other possible signs of illness include respiratory symptoms, skin rash, or gastrointestinal distress. This illness appears to arise following exposure to toxin produced by Pfiesteria piscicida, or other toxic dinoflagellates, that resides in estuary waters. …. In order to learn more about this possible syndrome and to determine if a causal relationship exists between association to waters containing Pfiesteria or other toxic PLOs and illness, cohort studies in Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia were funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In Virginia, CDC funding through VDH supports the study being done by the Survey and Evaluation Research Laboratory (SERL) at Virginia Commonwealth University with assistance from researchers at the Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University, Eastern Virginia Medical School and the University of Virginia. This study is being conducted in collaboration with researchers at Old Dominion University (ODU), the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) and the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) who are gathering information on the environmental aspects of Virginia\u27s waters. The objectives of the study include: 1. Determine the association between exposure to estuary waters containing PLOs and possible EAS. 2. Characterize the clinical signs and symptoms of EAS. 3. Determine the incidence and prevalence of EAS. 4. Identify risk factors and exposure conditions required for illness

Chiral Perturbation Theory for SU(3) Breaking in Heavy Meson Systems

The SU(3) breaking effects due to light quark masses on heavy meson masses, decay constants ($F_{D}, F_{D_{s}}$) and the form factor for semileptonic $\overline{B}\rightarrow D^{(\ast)} l\bar{\nu}_{l}$ transitions are formulated in chiral perturbation theory, using a heavy meson effective Lagrangian and expanding in inverse powers of the heavy meson mass. To leading order in this expansion, the leading chiral logarithms and the required counterterms are determined. At this level, a non-analytic correction to the mass splittings of ${\cal O}(p^3)$ appears, similar the the one found in light baryons. The correction to $F_{D_{s}}/F_{D}$ is roughly estimated to be of the order of $10\%$ and, therefore, experimentally accessible, while the correction to the form factor is likely to be substantially smaller. We explicitly check that the heavy quark symmetry is preserved by the chiral loops.Comment: 21 page

KSU Faculty Brass Recital

The Brass faculty of the KSU School of Music present their fall concert, with works by Booze, McKee, Atterburg, Williams, Handel, and Koetsier.https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/musicprograms/2314/thumbnail.jp

New Universality of Baryon Isgur--Wise Form Factor in the Large NcN_c limit

New universality appears for the baryon Isgur--Wise form factor in the large $N_c$ limit. It is found that the semileptonic $\Lambda_b \rightarrow \Lambda_c$ and $\Sigma_b^{(*)} \rightarrow \Sigma^{(*)}_c$ decays are described by the same form factor, which can be calculated analytically. In the exact chiral $SU(3)$ limit, the same form factor is applicable to semileptonic $\Omega_b^{(*)} \rightarrow \Omega^{(*)}_c$ decays.Comment: 5 pages in REVTEX galley style, CALT-68-194

Power Spectrum Analysis of Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt Decay-Rate Data: Evidence for Solar Rotational Modulation

Evidence for an anomalous annual periodicity in certain nuclear decay data has led to speculation concerning a possible solar influence on nuclear processes. We have recently analyzed data concerning the decay rates of Cl-36 and Si-32, acquired at the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), to search for evidence that might be indicative of a process involving solar rotation. Smoothing of the power spectrum by weighted-running-mean analysis leads to a significant peak at frequency 11.18/yr, which is lower than the equatorial synodic rotation rates of the convection and radiative zones. This article concerns measurements of the decay rates of Ra-226 acquired at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) in Germany. We find that a similar (but not identical) analysis yields a significant peak in the PTB dataset at frequency 11.21/yr, and a peak in the BNL dataset at 11.25/yr. The change in the BNL result is not significant since the uncertainties in the BNL and PTB analyses are estimated to be 0.13/yr and 0.07/yr, respectively. Combining the two running means by forming the joint power statistic leads to a highly significant peak at frequency 11.23/yr. We comment briefly on the possible implications of these results for solar physics and for particle physics.Comment: 15 pages, 13 figure

Isgur-Wise Functions from the Mit Bag Model

The Isgur-Wise functions for the ground state to ground state semileptonic decays involving $b \rightarrow c$ transitions are calculated from the (modified) MIT bag model. It is checked that the results for the decays $\overline{B} \rightarrow D l \overline\nu$ and $\overline{B} \rightarrow D^* l \overline\nu$ agree well with experiment. Predictions for the decays $\Lambda_b \rightarrow \Lambda_c l \overline\nu$, $\overline{B}_s \rightarrow D_s l \overline\nu$ and $\overline{B}_s \rightarrow D^*_s l \overline\nu$ are given and discussed.Comment: 12 pages (3 figures available upon request), LaTeX, TPJU - 9/9

Further Evidence Suggestive of a Solar Influence on Nuclear Decay Rates

Recent analyses of nuclear decay data show evidence of variations suggestive of a solar influence. Analyses of datasets acquired at the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) and at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) both show evidence of an annual periodicity and of periodicities with sidereal frequencies in the neighborhood of 12.25 year^{-1} (at a significance level that we have estimated to be 10^{-17}). It is notable that this implied rotation rate is lower than that attributed to the solar radiative zone, suggestive of a slowly rotating solar core. This leads us to hypothesize that there may be an "inner tachocline" separating the core from the radiative zone, analogous to the "outer tachocline" that separates the radiative zone from the convection zone. The Rieger periodicity (which has a period of about 154 days, corresponding to a frequency of 2.37 year^{-1}) may be attributed to an r-mode oscillation with spherical-harmonic indices l=3, m=1, located in the outer tachocline. This suggests that we may test the hypothesis of a solar influence on nuclear decay rates by searching BNL and PTB data for evidence of a "Rieger-like" r-mode oscillation, with l=3, m=1, in the inner tachocline. The appropriate search band for such an oscillation is estimated to be 2.00-2.28 year^{-1}. We find, in both datasets, strong evidence of a periodicity at 2.11 year^{-1}. We estimate that the probability of obtaining these results by chance is 10^{-12}.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures, v2 has a color corrected Fig 6, a corrected reference, and a corrected typ

Negative Parity 70-plet Baryon Masses in the 1/Nc Expansion

The masses of the negative parity SU(6) 70-plet baryons are analyzed in the 1/Nc expansion to order 1/Nc and to first order in SU(3) breaking. At this level of precision there are twenty predictions. Among them there are the well known Gell-Mann Okubo and equal spacing relations, and four new relations involving SU(3) breaking splittings in different SU(3) multiplets. Although the breaking of SU(6) symmetry occurs at zeroth order in 1/Nc, it turns out to be small. The dominant source of the breaking is the hyperfine interaction which is of order 1/Nc. The spin-orbit interaction, of zeroth order in 1/Nc, is entirely fixed by the splitting between the singlet states Lambda(1405) and Lambda(1520), and the spin-orbit puzzle is solved by the presence of other zeroth order operators involving flavor exchange.Comment: 31 pages, 3 figure