A photometric analysis of Abell 1689: two-dimensional multi-structure decomposition, morphological classification, and the Fundamental Plane

We present a photometric analysis of 65 galaxies in the rich cluster Abell 1689 at $z=0.183$, using the Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys archive images in the rest-frame $V$-band. We perform two-dimensional multi-component photometric decomposition of each galaxy adopting different models of the surface-brightness distribution. We present an accurate morphological classification for each of the sample galaxies. For 50 early-type galaxies, we fit both a de Vaucouleurs and S\'ersic law; S0s are modelled by also including a disc component described by an exponential law. Bars of SB0s are described by the profile of a Ferrers ellipsoid. For the 15 spirals, we model a S\'ersic bulge, exponential disc, and, when required, a Ferrers bar component. We derive the Fundamental Plane by fitting 40 early-type galaxies in the sample, using different surface-brightness distributions. We find that the tightest plane is that derived by S\'ersic bulges. We find that bulges of spirals lie on the same relation. The Fundamental Plane is better defined by the bulges alone rather than the entire galaxies. Comparison with local samples shows both an offset and rotation in the Fundamental Plane of Abell 1689.Comment: 53 pages, 71 figures, MNRAS in pres

A model-independent analysis of the dependence of the anomalous J/psi suppression on the number of participant nucleons

A recently published experimental dependence of the J/psi to Drell-Yan ratio on the measured, by a zero degree calorimeter, forward energy E_ZDC in Pb+Pb collisions at the CERN SPS is analyzed. Using a model-independent approach it is shown that the data are at variance with an earlier published experimental dependence of the same quantity on the transverse energy of neutral hadrons E_T. The discrepancy is related to a moderate centrality region: 100 < N_p < 200 (N_p is the number of participant nucleons) and is peculiar only to the data obtained within the `minimum bias' analysis (using the `theoretical Drell-Yan'). This could result from systematic experimental errors in the minimum bias sample. A possible source of the errors is discussed.Comment: 10 pages, LaTeX, 3 PS-figures. V2: Misprints are correcte

Clan structure analysis and new physics signals in pp collisions at LHC

The study of possible new physics signals in global event properties in pp collisions in full phase space and in rapidity intervals accessible at LHC is presented. The main characteristic is the presence of an elbow structure in final charged particle MD's in addition to the shoulder observed at lower c.m. energies.Comment: 9 pages, talk given at Focus on Multiplicity (Bari, Italy, June 2004

Sound Speeds, Cracking and Stability of Self-Gravitating Anisotropic Compact Objects

Using the the concept of cracking we explore the influence of density fluctuations and local anisotropy have on the stability of local and non-local anisotropic matter configurations in general relativity. This concept, conceived to describe the behaviour of a fluid distribution just after its departure from equilibrium, provides an alternative approach to consider the stability of selfgravitating compact objects. We show that potentially unstable regions within a configuration can be identify as a function of the difference of propagations of sound along tangential and radial directions. In fact, it is found that these regions could occur when, at particular point within the distribution, the tangential speed of sound is greater than radial one.Comment: 17 pages, 8 figures, 4 new references added. typos correcte

Exact Conformal Scalar Field Cosmologies

New exact solutions of Einstein's gravity coupled to a self-interacting conformal scalar field are derived in this work. Our approach extends a solution-generating technique originally introduced by Bekenstein for massless conformal scalar fields. Solutions are obtained for a Friedmann-Robertson-Walker geometry both for the cases of zero and non-zero curvatures, and a variety of interesting features are found. It is shown that one class of solutions tends asymptotically to a power-law inflationary behaviour $S(t)\sim t^p$ with $p>1$, while another class exhibits a late time approach to the $S(t)\sim t$ behaviour of the coasting models. Bouncing models which avoid an initial singularity are also obtained. A general discussion of the asymptotic behaviour and of the possibility of occurrence of inflation is provided.Comment: Latex, 27 pages plus 16 figures (not included, available from the authors upon request) DFFCUL-94-01-0

Open charm and charmonium production at relativistic energies

We calculate open charm and charmonium production in $Au+Au$ reactions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 200 GeV within the hadron-string dynamics (HSD) transport approach employing open charm cross sections from $pN$ and $\pi N$ reactions that are fitted to results from PYTHIA and scaled in magnitude to the available experimental data. Charmonium dissociation with nucleons and formed mesons to open charm ($D+\bar{D}$ pairs) is included dynamically. The 'comover' dissociation cross sections are described by a simple phase-space model including a single free parameter, i.e. an interaction strength $M_0^2$, that is fitted to the $J/\Psi$ suppression data for $Pb+Pb$ collisions at SPS energies. As a novel feature we implement the backward channels for charmonium reproduction by $D \bar{D}$ channels employing detailed balance. From our dynamical calculations we find that the charmonium recreation is comparable to the dissociation by 'comoving' mesons. This leads to the final result that the total $J/\Psi$ suppression at $\sqrt{s}$ = 200 GeV as a function of centrality is slightly less than the suppression seen at SPS energies by the NA50 Collaboration, where the 'comover' dissociation is substantial and the backward channels play no role. Furthermore, even in case that all directly produced $J/\Psi$ mesons dissociate immediately (or are not formed as a mesonic state), a sizeable amount of charmonia is found asymptotically due to the $D+\bar{D} \to J/\Psi$ + meson channels in central collisions of $Au+Au$ at $\sqrt{s}$ = 200 GeV which, however, is lower than the $J/\Psi$ yield expected from binary scaling of $pp$ collisions.Comment: 42 pages, including 14 eps figures, discussions extended and references added, to be published in Phys. Rev.

Leptoquark production in ultrahigh-energy neutrino interactions revisited

The prospects for producing leptoquarks (LQs) in ultrahigh-energy (UHE) neutrino nucleon collisions are re-examined in the light of recent interpretations of HERA data in terms of leptoquark production. We update predictions for cross-sections for the production of first- and second-generation leptoquarks in UHE nu-N and nubar-N collisions including (i) recent experimental limits on masses and couplings from the LEP and TEVATRON colliders as well as rare processes, (ii) modern parton distributions, and (iii) radiative corrections to single leptoquark production. If the HERA events are due to an SU(2) doublet leptoquark which couples mainly to (e+,q) states, we argue that there are likely other LQ states which couple to neutrinos which are close in mass, due to constraints from precision electroweak measurements.Comment: 12 pages, LaTeX, 3 separate postscript figures. Added 1 reference plus discussion, updated another referenc

Exclusive and semi-inclusive strangeness and charm production in πN\pi N and NNNN reactions

Using the Quark-Gluon Strings Model (QGSM) combined with Regge phenomenology we consider the reactions $\pi^- p \to K^0 \Lambda$ and $\pi^- p \to D^- \Lambda_c^+$ which are dominated by the contributions of the $K^*$ and $D^*$ Regge trajectories, respectively. The spin structure of the amplitudes is described by introducing Reggeized Born terms. It is found that the existing data for the reaction $\pi^- p \to K^0 \Lambda$ are in reasonable agreement with the model predictions. To describe the absolute values of the cross sections it is necessary to introduce also suppression factors which can be related to absorption corrections. Furthermore, assuming the SU(4) symmetry to hold for Regge residues and the universality of absorption corrections we calculate the cross section of the reaction $\pi^- p \to D^- \Lambda_c^+$. Employing the latter results from $\pi^- p$ reactions we then estimate the contributions of the pion exchange mechanism to the cross sections of the reactions $NN \to NK\Lambda$ and $NN \to N\bar D \Lambda_c$ and compare them with the contributions of the $K$ and $D$ exchanges. We find that the $NN$ reactions are dominated not by pion exchange but by $K$ and $D$ exchanges, respectively. Moreover, assuming the SU(4) symmetry to hold approximately for the coupling constants $g_{ND \Lambda_c}$ = $g_{NK \Lambda}$ we analyze also the production of leading $\Lambda_c$ hyperons in the reaction $NN \to \Lambda_c X$. It is shown that the non-perturbative mechanism should give an essential contribution to the $\Lambda_c$ yield for $x \geq 0.5$.Comment: 3 pages, LaTeX, 4 postscript figures; contribution to QNP2002, Juelich, June 10-14, 200