Constraints on unparticle physics from the gttˉgt\bar t anomalous coupling

We study the impact of unparticle physics to the chromomagnetic dipole moment (CMDM) of the top quark. We compute the effect induced by unparticle operators of scalar and vector nature coupled to fermions on the CMDM. We find that this dipole moment is sensitive to the scale dimensions $d_u$ of the unparticle and the new couplings of the respective effective operators. Using the bounds imposed on the CMDM by low-energy precision and Tevatron measurements we derive indirect limits on the unparticle parameter space. In particular, we find that the scalar-unparticle operator contribution fulfills both constraints for most of the unparticle parameter space, while the low-energy precision bound on the CMDM excludes a vector-unparticle contribution for low values of respective scale dimension $d_u$.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figure

A Novel Prototype Offset Multi Tubular Photoreactor (OMTP) for solar photocatalytic degradation of water contaminants

The design and operation of a new solar photoreactor prototype named Offset Multi Tubular Photoreactor (OMTP) is presented. The OMTP advances over the compound parabolic collector (CPC) photoreactor, which is one of the most efficient design for large-scale solar detoxification of water and wastewater. The OMTP design is based on a simple modification of the common CPC and included a supplementary set of tubes in the space occupied by the axes of intersection of the CPC reflective involutes. This new reactor configuration increased the irradiated reactor volume by 79% and the fluid residence time by up to 1.8-fold in comparison to the CPC, for the same solar irradiated area (footprint). The model parameters used for comparing and scaling the OMPT and CPC were β (reactor volume/total volume), α (area of absorption/total volume), αg (physical area/total volume), degradation efficiency ηα per unit area, and the operating volume. The total solar energy absorbed in the reactors (1.74 m2 footprint) was 15.17 W for the CPC and 21.86 W for the OMTP, which represents an overall gain of 44% for the latter. The performance of the OMTP and CPC were compared at the same value of solar exposure, β of 0.3 with optimal photocatalyst loading of 0.25 g/L titanium dioxide (TiO2 P25). The degradation efficiencies of methylene blue, dichloroacetic acid, 4-chlorophenol (120 ppm initial concentration) in the OMTP were up to 81%, 125%, 118% and 242% higher, respectively, in comparison to the CPC after 8000 J/m2 of accumulated solar energy. The OMTP should outperform the CPC in environmental and renewable energy applications of solar heterogeneous photocatalysis

Top quark tensor couplings

We compute the real and imaginary parts of the one-loop electroweak contributions to the left and right tensorial anomalous couplings of the $tbW$ vertex in the Standard Model (SM). For both tensorial couplings we find that the real part of the electroweak SM correction is close to 10$$ of the leading contribution given by the QCD gluon exchange. We also find that the electroweak real and imaginary parts for the anomalous right coupling are almost of the same order of magnitude. The one loop SM prediction for the real part of the left coupling is close to the 3$\sigma$ discovery limit derived from $b\rightarrow s \gamma$. Besides, taking into account that the predictions of new physics interactions are also at the level of a few percents when compared with the one loop QCD gluon exchange, these electroweak corrections should be taken into account in order to disentangle new physics effects from the standard ones. These anomalous tensorial couplings of the top quark will be investigated at the LHC in the near future where sensitivity to these contributions may be achieved.Comment: 16 pages, 2 figure

The progenitor of SN 2023ixf from hydrodynamical modelling

Context: Supernova (SN) 2023ixf is among the most nearby Type II SNe in the last decades. As such, there is a wealth of observational data of both the event itself and of the associated object identified in pre-explosion images. This allows to perform a variety of studies that aim at determining the SN properties and the nature of the putative progenitor star. Modelling of the light curve is a powerful method to derive physical properties independently of direct progenitor analyses. Aims: To investigate the physical nature of SN 2023ixf based on hydrodynamical modelling of its bolometric light curve and expansion velocities during the complete photospheric phase. Methods: A grid of one dimensional explosions was calculated for evolved stars of different masses. We derived properties of SN 2023ixf and its progenitor by comparing our models with the observations. Results: The observations are well reproduced by the explosion of a star with zero age main sequence mass of f $M_\mathrm{ZAMS} = 12 M_\odot$ , an explosion energy of $1.2 \times 10^{51}$ erg, and a nickel production of 0.05M . This indicates that SN 2023ixf was a normal event. Our modelling suggests a limit of $M_\mathrm{ZAMS} < 15 M_\odot$ and therefore favours the low mass range among the results from pre-explosion observations.Comment: Accepted - A&A Lette

Higgs production as a probe of anomalous top couplings

The LHC may be currently seeing the first hints of the Higgs boson. The dominant production mode for the Higgs at the LHC involves a top-quark loop. An accurate measurement of Higgs production cross-sections and decay widths can thus be used to obtain limits on anomalous top couplings. We find that such an exercise could potentially yield constraints that are stronger than those derived from low-energy observables as well as direct bounds expected from the top pair-production process.Comment: Version published in JHE

The AMS-02 RICH Imager Prototype - In-Beam Tests with 20 GeV/c per Nucleon Ions -

A prototype of the AMS Cherenkov imager (RICH) has been tested at CERN by means of a low intensity 20 GeV/c per nucleon ion beam obtained by fragmentation of a primary beam of Pb ions. Data have been collected with a single beam setting, over the range of nuclear charges 2<Z<~45 in various beam conditions and using different radiators. The charge Z and velocity beta resolutions have been measured.Comment: 4 pages, contribution to the ICRC 200

The Ring Imaging Cherenkov detector (RICH) of the AMS experiment

The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) experiment to be installed on the International Space Station (ISS) will be equipped with a proximity focusing Ring Imaging Cherenkov (RICH) detector for measuring the electric charge and velocity of the charged cosmic particles. A RICH prototype consisting of 96 photomultiplier units, including a piece of the conical reflector, was built and its performance evaluated with ion beam data. Preliminary results of the in-beam tests performed with ion fragments resulting from collisions of a 158 GeV/c/nuc primary beam of Indium ions (CERN SPS) on a Pb target are reported. The collected data included tests to the final front-end electronics and to different aerogel radiators. Cherenkov rings for a large range of charged nuclei and with reflected photons were observed. The data analysis confirms the design goals. Charge separation up to Fe and velocity resolution of the order of 0.1% for singly charged particles are obtained.Comment: 29th International Conference on Cosmic Rays (Pune, India

Measurement of Atmospheric Neutrino Oscillations with the ANTARES Neutrino Telescope

The data taken with the ANTARES neutrino telescope from 2007 to 2010, a total live time of 863 days, are used to measure the oscillation parameters of atmospheric neutrinos. Muon tracks are reconstructed with energies as low as 20 GeV. Neutrino oscillations will cause a suppression of vertical upgoing muon neutrinos of such energies crossing the Earth. The parameters determining the oscillation of atmospheric neutrinos are extracted by fitting the event rate as a function of the ratio of the estimated neutrino energy and reconstructed flight path through the Earth. Measurement contours of the oscillation parameters in a two-flavour approximation are derived. Assuming maximum mixing, a mass difference of $\Delta m_{32}^2=(3.1\pm 0.9)\cdot 10^{-3}$ eV$^2$ is obtained, in good agreement with the world average value.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figure