147 research outputs found
Mass Determination in SUSY-like Events with Missing Energy
We describe a kinematic method which is capable of determining the overall
mass scale in SUSY-like events at a hadron collider with two missing (dark
matter) particles. We focus on the kinematic topology in which a pair of
identical particles is produced with each decaying to two leptons and an
invisible particle (schematically, followed by each
decaying via where is invisible). This topology
arises in many SUSY processes such as squark and gluino production and decay,
not to mention t\anti t di-lepton decays. In the example where the final
state leptons are all muons, our errors on the masses of the particles ,
and in the decay chain range from 4 GeV for 2000 events after cuts to 13
GeV for 400 events after cuts. Errors for mass differences are much smaller.
Our ability to determine masses comes from considering all the kinematic
information in the event, including the missing momentum, in conjunction with
the quadratic constraints that arise from the , and mass-shell
conditions. Realistic missing momentum and lepton momenta uncertainties are
included in the analysis.Comment: 41 pages, 14 figures, various clarifications and expanded discussion
included in revised version that conforms to the version to be publishe
On Smooth Time-Dependent Orbifolds and Null Singularities
We study string theory on a non-singular time-dependent orbifold of flat
space, known as the `null-brane'. The orbifold group, which involves only
space-like identifications, is obtained by a combined action of a null Lorentz
transformation and a constant shift in an extra direction. In the limit where
the shift goes to zero, the geometry of this orbifold reproduces an orbifold
with a light-like singularity, which was recently studied by Liu, Moore and
Seiberg (hep-th/0204168). We find that the backreaction on the geometry due to
a test particle can be made arbitrarily small, and that there are scattering
processes which can be studied in the approximation of a constant background.
We quantize strings on this orbifold and calculate the torus partition
function. We construct a basis of states on the smooth orbifold whose tree
level string interactions are nonsingular. We discuss the existence of physical
modes in the singular orbifold which resolve the singularity. We also describe
another way of making the singular orbifold smooth which involves a sandwich
pp-wave.Comment: 24 pages, one figur
Noncomparabilities & Non Standard Logics
Many normative theories set forth in the welfare economics, distributive justice and cognate literatures posit noncomparabilities or incommensurabilities between magnitudes of various kinds. In some cases these gaps are predicated on metaphysical claims, in others upon epistemic claims, and in still others upon political-moral claims. I show that in all such cases they are best given formal expression in nonstandard logics that reject bivalence, excluded middle, or both. I do so by reference to an illustrative case study: a contradiction known to beset John Rawls\u27s selection and characterization of primary goods as the proper distribuendum in any distributively just society. The contradiction is avoided only by reformulating Rawls\u27s claims in a nonstandard form, which form happens also to cohere quite attractively with Rawls\u27s intuitive argumentation on behalf of his claims
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