Trigger, reconstruction and physics performances in LHCb

LHCb is one of the four major experiments that will take data at the LHC, due to start operation in 2007. The primary aims of LHCb are to perform precision tests of CP violation and to search for new physics in b hadron decays. About 10^12 bb pairs will be produced in LHCb per 10^7 seconds (a nominal year) in pp collisions with a luminosity of 2x10^32 cm^-2 s^-1. A large, high-purity sample of b hadrons, decaying in a variety of channels, will be accumulated. LHCb will perform a detailed study of B meson mixing, precise measurements of the angles of the unitary triangle and investigations of rare decays in b hadrons, looking for new physics in loop-induced processes. The LHCb detector is optimised to reach these physics goals. Here a brief description of the reconstruction performance is given, and the sensitivities in typical channels for the study of Bs mixing, CP violation and rare decays are summarised.Comment: Hadron Collider Physics Symposium (HCP06) Duke University Durham, North Carolina; May 22-26, 200

Lepton universality tests with leptonic kaon decays

The NA62 experiment at CERN aims to use rare kaon decays to search for new phenomena beyond the Standard Model. During the current short term phase (data taking completed in years 2007-8), the ratio $R_K = \Gamma(K^+ \rightarrow e \nu_e (\gamma)) / \Gamma(K^+ \rightarrow \mu \nu_{\mu} (\gamma))$ of leptonic decay rates is studied, which tests the structure of weak interactions and lepton flavour universality. In this paper, the $R_K$ analysis is summarized, and the preliminary result is discussed, based on 59963 $K^+ \rightarrow e \nu_e$ candidates collected in 2007.Comment: Proceedings of CKM2010, the 6th International Workshop on the CKM Unitarity Triangle, University of Warwick, UK, 6-10 September 201

Games for Quantum Physics Education

As the second quantum revolution comes to pass with its potential to revolutionize our lives, it becomes increasingly relevant to educate the public about quantum mechanics. Quantum literacy is also a formidable challenge and opportunity for a massive cultural uplift, since it fosters the possibility for citizens to engender their creativity and practice a new way of thinking. However, quantum theory is highly counterintuitive, manifesting in a reality we have no direct experience of, and represented by mathematically difficult formalisms. Here, we propose that games can provide a playground for engaging forms of experimental and symbolic literacy accessible to anyone. We discuss the theoretical foundations underlying this idea in the framework of a global educational strategy, illustrate existing examples of its implementation along different dimensions related to educational, citizen-science, and age-related contexts, and envision future challenges