Morphological convergence in conifer-dwelling passerines

We tested for morphological convergence in conifer specialists among 88 passerines belonging to seven different phylogenetic lineages by discriminant factor analysis. We found a parallel trend among the seven lineages in body mass and digital pad morphology, whereas no such trends existed for the feeding and flight apparatus. Compared to the control species, the conifer specialists have smaller body masses and higher digital pads with maximal widths lying more distally within each of the seven lineages. These traits are interpreted as adaptations to dwelling among coniferous needle

Amplitude analysis of hadron decays

We provide succinct covariant amplitude decompositions of 2-body weak hadronic decays, with which to compare data, including exclusive rates, helicity amplitudes and polarizations. For weak decays, the systematic dependence of these amplitudes on masses and quantum numbers of participating particles are determined within a factor of about two by the CKM angles and the Fermi constant so theoretical models need to be much more accurate if they are to be convincing.Comment: 31 pages, RevTe

Comment on evidence for new interference phenomena in the decay D+ -> K- pi+ mu+ nu

The experimental determination of low energy pi K scattering phase shifts would assist in determining scattering lengths as well as low energy constants of chiral perturbation theory for which sum rules have been constructed. The FOCUS collaboration has presented evidence for interference pheomena from their analysis of D_l4 decays based on decay amplitudes suitable for a cascade decay D -> K* -> K pi. We point out that if the well-known full five body kinematics are taken into account, pi K scattering phases may be extracted. We also point out that other distributions considered in the context of K_l4 decays can be applied to charm meson decays to provide constraints on violation of |Delta I|=1/2 rule and T-violation.Comment: 9 pages, plain latex; version with minor changes compared to v1 on lepton masses effects, sign error eliminated, clarifying remarks added, one additional ref.; version to appear in Phys. Lett.

Spectral fluctuation characterization of random matrix ensembles through wavelets

A recently developed wavelet based approach is employed to characterize the scaling behavior of spectral fluctuations of random matrix ensembles, as well as complex atomic systems. Our study clearly reveals anti-persistent behavior and supports the Fourier power spectral analysis. It also finds evidence for multi-fractal nature in the atomic spectra. The multi-resolution and localization nature of the discrete wavelets ideally characterizes the fluctuations in these time series, some of which are not stationary.Comment: 7 pages, 2 eps figure

Optimized Variables of the Study of Λb\Lambda_b Polarization

The value of the $b$-baryon polarization can be extracted from inclusive data at LEP with better than 10\% precision based on current statistics. We present a new variable by which to measure the polarization, which is the ratio of the average electron energy to the average neutrino energy. This variable is both sensitive to polarization and insensitive to fragmentation uncertainties.Comment: 10 pages (LaTeX), 2 figures, MIT-CTP-2270, CERN-PPE/94-0

Biogeography of photoautotrophs in the high polar biome

The global latitudinal gradient in biodiversity weakens in the high polar biome and so an alternative explanation for distribution of Arctic and Antarctic photoautotrophs is required. Here we identify how temporal, microclimate and evolutionary drivers of biogeography are important, rather than the macroclimate features that drive plant diversity patterns elsewhere. High polar ecosystems are biologically unique, with a more central role for bryophytes, lichens and microbial photoautotrophs over that of vascular plants. Constraints on vascular plants arise mainly due to stature and ontogenetic barriers. Conversely non-vascular plant and microbial photoautotroph distribution is correlated with favourable microclimates and the capacity for poikilohydric dormancy. Contemporary distribution also depends on evolutionary history, with adaptive and dispersal traits as well as legacy influencing biogeography. We highlight the relevance of these findings to predicting future impacts on polar plant diversity and to the current status of plants in Arctic and Antarctic conservation policy frameworks

Bounds on Heavy-to-Heavy Mesonic Form Factors

We provide upper and lower bounds on the form factors for B -> D, D^* by utilizing inclusive heavy quark effective theory sum rules. These bounds are calculated to leading order in Lambda_QCD/m_Q and alpha_s. The O(alpha_s^2 beta_0) corrections to the bounds at zero recoil are also presented. We compare our bounds with some of the form factor models used in the literature. All the models we investigated failed to fall within the bounds for the combination of form factors (omega^2 - 1)/(4 omega)|omega h_{A2}+h_{A3}|^2.Comment: 27 pages, 10 figure