The status of pentaquark spectroscopy on the lattice

The present work is a summary of the status of lattice pentaquark calculations. After a pedagogic introduction to the basics of lattice hadron spectroscopy we give a critical comparison of results presently available in the literature. Special emphasis is put on presenting some of the possible pitfalls of these calculations. In particular we discuss at length the choice of the hadronic operators and the separation of genuine five-quark states from meson-baryon scattering states.Comment: 13 pages LaTeX, 1 eps figur

Pentaquark hadrons from lattice QCD

We study spin 1/2 isoscalar and isovector candidates in both parity channels for the recently discovered \Theta^+(1540) pentaquark particle in quenched lattice QCD. Our analysis takes into account all possible uncertainties, such as statistical, finite size and quenching errors when performing the chiral and continuum extrapolations and we have indications that our signal is separated from scattering states. The lowest mass that we find in the I^P=0^- channel is in complete agreement with the experimental value of the \Theta^+ mass. On the other hand, the lowest mass state in the opposite parity I^P=0^+ channel is much higher. Our findings suggests that the parity of the \Theta^+ is negative.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures. Final version, appeared in JHE

Temporal evolution of mesoscopic structure of some non-Euclidean systems using a Monte Carlo model

A Monte Carlo based computer model is presented to comprehend the contrasting observations of Mazumder et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 255704 (2004) and Phys. Rev. B 72, 224208 (2005)], based on neutron-scattering measurements, on temporal evolution of effective fractal dimension and characteristic length for hydration of cement with light and heavy water. In this context, a theoretical model is also proposed to elucidate the same.Comment: 31 Pages, 13 Figure

The ratio FK/Fpi in QCD

We determine the ratio FK/Fpi in QCD with Nf=2+1 flavors of sea quarks, based on a series of lattice calculations with three different lattice spacings, large volumes and a simulated pion mass reaching down to about 190 MeV. We obtain FK/Fpi=1.192 +/- 0.007(stat) +/- 0.006(syst). This result is then used to give an updated value of the CKM matrix element |Vus|. The unitarity relation for the first row of this matrix is found to be well observed.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures, 2 table

Quantum Wall Crossing in N=2 Gauge Theories

We study refined and motivic wall-crossing formulas in N=2 supersymmetric gauge theories with SU(2) gauge group and N_f < 4 matter hypermultiplets in the fundamental representation. Such gauge theories provide an excellent testing ground for the conjecture that "refined = motivic."Comment: 24 pages, 4 figure

Test and evaluate passive orbital disconnect struts (PODS 3)

The objectives of the Passive Orbital Disconnect Struts (PODS) test are to evaluate modal resonance of the PODS-III supports to obtain engineering data required for use of PODS-III on flight systems; determine possible performance improvements in large LO2/LH2 space applications. (1) Modal Vibration Tests. A modal resonance survey is performed on a set of six PODS-III struts assembled in a dewar simulator. The survey conditions simulate both launch and orbital loadings of the struts. The orbital load range spans a full to an empty tank. The frequencies surveyed cover the range consistent with Shuttle qualification requirements and the principal resonant modes of the strut system. (2) Benefit study. The benefit of using PODS-III supports on OTV and Space Station LO sub 2 and LH sub 2 reference tanks was compared to nondisconnect supports. Four LO sub 2 and LH sub 2 tanks were studied under various conditions: (1) holding the launch resonance at 35 Hz and varying the orbit resonance; (2) analyzing both full and emtpy tanks at launch; (3) varying orbit boundary temperaure; (4) varying the number of struts; (5) varying orbit times; and (6) using or not using vapor cooling

QCD thermodynamics with dynamical overlap fermions

We study QCD thermodynamics using two flavors of dynamical overlap fermions with quark masses corresponding to a pion mass of 350 MeV. We determine several observables on N_t=6 and 8 lattices. All our runs are performed with fixed global topology. Our results are compared with staggered ones and a nice agreement is found.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figures, 1 tabl

Optically-Induced Polarons in Bose-Einstein Condensates: Monitoring Composite Quasiparticle Decay

Nonresonant light-scattering off atomic Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) is predicted to give rise to hitherto unexplored composite quasiparticles: unstable polarons, i.e., local ``impurities'' dressed by virtual phonons. Optical monitoring of their spontaneous decay can display either Zeno or anti-Zeno deviations from the Golden Rule, and thereby probe the temporal correlations of elementary excitations in BECs.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure