Lattice-Constrained Parametrizations of Form Factors for Semileptonic and Rare Radiative B Decays

We describe the form factors for semileptonic B to rho l nu and radiative B to K* gamma decays with just two parameters and the two form factors for semileptonic B to pi l nu decays with three parameters. The parametrizations are constrained by lattice results and are consistent with heavy quark symmetry, kinematic constraints and light cone sum rule scaling relations.Comment: 3 pages, latex, 2 eps files, uses epsf.sty and espcrc2.sty, poster presented at Lattice 97, Edinburgh, 22-26 July 199

Coordinated thermal and optical observations of Trans-Neptunian object (20000) Varuna from Sierra Nevada

We report on coordinated thermal and optical measurements of trans-Neptunian object (20000) Varuna obtained in January-February 2002, respectively from the IRAM 30-m and IAA 1.5 m telescopes. The optical data show a lightcurve with a period of 3.176+/-0.010 hr, a mean V magnitude of 20.37+/-0.08 and a 0.42+/-0.01 magnitude amplitude. They also tentatively indicate that the lightcurve is asymmetric and double-peaked. The thermal observations indicate a 1.12+/-0.41 mJy flux, averaged over the object's rotation. Combining the two datasets, we infer that Varuna has a mean 1060(+180/-220) km diameter and a mean 0.038(+0.022/-0.010) V geometric albedo, in general agreement with an earlier determination using the same technique.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics (7 pages, including 3 figures

Finite-Size Scaling of Vector and Axial Current Correlators

Using quenched chiral perturbation theory, we compute the long-distance behaviour of two-point functions of flavour non-singlet axial and vector currents in a finite volume, for small quark masses, and at a fixed gauge-field topology. We also present the corresponding predictions for the unquenched theory at fixed topology. These results can in principle be used to measure the low-energy constants of the chiral Lagrangian, from lattice simulations in volumes much smaller than one pion Compton wavelength. We show that quenching has a dramatic effect on the vector correlator, which is argued to vanish to all orders, while the axial correlator appears to be a robust observable only moderately sensitive to quenching.Comment: version to appear in NP

B_K from quenched overlap QCD

We present an exploratory calculation of the standard model Delta S=2 matrix element relevant for indirect CP violation in K -> pi pi decays. The computation is performed with overlap fermions in the quenched approximation at beta=6.0 on a 16^3x32 lattice. The resulting bare matrix element is renormalized non-perturbatively. Our preliminary result is B_K^{NDR}(2 GeV)=0.61(7), where the error does not yet include an estimate of systematic uncertainties.Comment: 3 pages, 2 figures, Lattice2002(matrixel). Parallel session talk by L. Lellouch at the 20th International Symposium on Lattice Field Theory (Lattice 2002), Boston, Massachusetts, 24-29 June 200

The Thin Gap Chambers database experience in test beam and preparations for ATLAS

Thin gap chambers (TGCs) are used for the muon trigger system in the forward region of the LHC experiment ATLAS. The TGCs are expected to provide a trigger signal within 25 ns of the bunch spacing. An extensive system test of the ATLAS muon spectrometer has been performed in the H8 beam line at the CERN SPS during the last few years. A relational database was used for storing the conditions of the tests as well as the configuration of the system. This database has provided the detector control system with the information needed for configuration of the front end electronics. The database is used to assist the online operation and maintenance. The same database is used to store the non event condition and configuration parameters needed later for the offline reconstruction software. A larger scale of the database has been produced to support the whole TGC system. It integrates all the production, QA tests and assembly information. A 1/12th model of the whole TGC system is currently in use for testing the performance of this database in configuring and tracking the condition of the system. A prototype of the database was first implemented during the H8 test beams. This paper describes the database structure, its interface to other systems and its operational performance.Comment: Proceedings IEEE, Nuclear Science Symposium 2005, Stockholm, Sweeden, May 200