Pseudoscalar-scalar transition form factors in covariant light front dynamics

In an explicitly covariant light-front formalism, we analyze transition form factors between pseudoscalar and scalar mesons. Application is performed in case of the $B \to f_0(980)$ transition in the full available transfer momentum range $q^2$.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures. Talk given at the XXXIII International Conference on High Energy Physics, ICHEP06, Moscow, 26 July-02 Augus

Form factors in B->f0(980) and D->f0(980) transitions from dispersion relations

Within the dispersion relation approach we give the double spectral representation for space-like and time-like B-> f_0(980) and D-> f_0(980) transition form factors in the full q^2 range. The spectral densities, being the input of the dispersion relations, are obtained from a triangle diagram in the relativistic quark model.Comment: Talk given at MESON 2006, Krakow, 9-13 June 200

Combined Quantitative X-ray Diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy, and Transmission Electron Microscopy Investigations of Crystal Evolution in CaO–Al2O3–SiO2–TiO2–ZrO2–Nd2O3–Na2O System

Glass-ceramics, with a specific crystalline phase assembly, can combine the advantages of glass and ceramic and avoid their disadvantages. In this study, both cubic-zirconia and zirconolite-based glass-ceramics were obtained by the crystallization of SiO2-CaO-Al2O3-TiO2-ZrO2-Nd2O3-Na2O glass. Results show that all samples underwent a phase transformation from cubic-zirconia to zirconolite when crystallized at 900, 950, and 1000 °C. The size of the cubic-zirconia crystal could be controlled by temperature and dwelling time. Both cubic-zirconia and zirconolite crystals/particles show dendrite shapes, but with different dendrite branching. The dendrite cubic-zirconia showed highly oriented growth. Scanning electron microscopy images show that the branches of the cubic-zirconia crystal had a snowflake-like appearance, while those in zirconolite were composed of many individual crystals. Rietveld quantitative analysis revealed that the maximum amount of zirconolite was ∼19 wt %. A two-stage crystallization method was used to obtain different microstructures of zirconolite-based glass-ceramic. The amount of zirconolite remained approximately 19 wt %, but the individual crystals were smaller and more homogeneously dispersed in the dendrite structure than those obtained from one-stage crystallization. This process-control feature can result in different sizes and morphologies of cubic-zirconia and zirconolite crystals to facilitate the design of glass-ceramic waste forms for nuclear wastes

The most complete and detailed X-ray view of the SNR Puppis A

With the purpose of producing the first detailed full view of Puppis A in X-rays, we carried out new XMM-Newton observations covering the missing regions in the southern half of the supernova remnant (SNR) and combined them with existing XMM-Newton and Chandra data. The new images were produced in the 0.3-0.7, 0.7-1.0 and 1.0-8.0 energy bands. We investigated the SNR morphology in detail, carried out a multi-wavelength analysis and estimated the flux density and luminosity of the whole SNR. The complex structure observed across the remnant confirms that Puppis A evolves in an inhomogeneous, probably knotty interstellar medium. The southwestern corner includes filaments that perfectly correlate with radio features suggested to be associated with shock/cloud interaction. In the northern half of Puppis A the comparison with Spitzer infrared images shows an excellent correspondence between X-rays and 24 and 70 microns emission features, while to the south there are some matched and other unmatched features. X-ray flux densities of 12.6 X 10^-9, 6.2 X 10^-9, and 2.8 X 10^-9 erg cm^-2 s^-1 were derived for the 0.3-0.7, 0.7-1.0 and 1.0-8.0 keV bands, respectively. At the assumed distance of 2.2 kpc, the total X-ray luminosity between 0.3 and 8.0 keV is 1.2 X 10^37 erg s^-1. We also collected and updated the broad-band data of Puppis A between radio and GeV gamma-ray range, producing its spectral energy distribution. To provide constraints to the high-energy emission models, we re-analyzed radio data, estimating the energy content in accelerated particles to be Umin=4.8 X 10^49 erg and the magnetic field strength B=26 muG.Comment: Article accepted to be published in the Astronomy and Astrophysics Main Journa

Modeling Coordinated vs. P2P Mining: An Analysis of Inefficiency and Inequality in Proof-of-Work Blockchains

We study efficiency in a proof-of-work blockchain with non-zero latencies, focusing in particular on the (inequality in) individual miners' efficiencies. Prior work attributed differences in miners' efficiencies mostly to attacks, but we pursue a different question: Can inequality in miners' efficiencies be explained by delays, even when all miners are honest? Traditionally, such efficiency-related questions were tackled only at the level of the overall system, and in a peer-to-peer (P2P) setting where miners directly connect to one another. Despite it being common today for miners to pool compute capacities in a mining pool managed by a centralized coordinator, efficiency in such a coordinated setting has barely been studied. In this paper, we propose a simple model of a proof-of-work blockchain with latencies for both the P2P and the coordinated settings. We derive a closed-form expression for the efficiency in the coordinated setting with an arbitrary number of miners and arbitrary latencies, both for the overall system and for each individual miner. We leverage this result to show that inequalities arise from variability in the delays, but that if all miners are equidistant from the coordinator, they have equal efficiency irrespective of their compute capacities. We then prove that, under a natural consistency condition, the overall system efficiency in the P2P setting is higher than that in the coordinated setting. Finally, we perform a simulation-based study to demonstrate that even in the P2P setting delays between miners introduce inequalities, and that there is a more complex interplay between delays and compute capacities

Nuclear symmetry energy and the r-mode instability of neutron stars

We analyze the role of the symmetry energy slope parameter $L$ on the {\it r}-mode instability of neutron stars. Our study is performed using both microscopic and phenomenological approaches of the nuclear equation of state. The microscopic ones include the Brueckner--Hartree--Fock approximation, the well known variational equation of state of Akmal, Pandharipande and Ravenhall, and a parametrization of recent Auxiliary Field Diffusion Monte Carlo calculations. For the phenomenological approaches, we use several Skyrme forces and relativisic mean field models. Our results show that the {\it r}-mode instability region is smaller for those models which give larger values of $L$. The reason is that both bulk ($\xi$) and shear ($\eta$) viscosities increase with $L$ and, therefore, the damping of the mode is more efficient for the models with larger $L$. We show also that the dependence of both viscosities on $L$ can be described at each density by simple power-laws of the type $\xi=A_{\xi}L^{B_\xi}$ and $\eta=A_{\eta}L^{B_\eta}$. Using the measured spin frequency and the estimated core temperature of the pulsar in the low-mass X-ray binary 4U 1608-52, we conclude that observational data seem to favor values of $L$ larger than $\sim 50$ MeV if this object is assumed to be outside the instability region, its radius is in the range $11.5-12$($11.5-13$) km, and its mass $1.4M_\odot$($2M_\odot$). Outside this range it is not possible to draw any conclusion on $L$ from this pulsar.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures. Version published in Physical Review

Two-Pion Exchange in Proton-Proton Scattering

The contribution of the box and crossed two-pion-exchange diagrams to proton-proton scattering at 90$^{\circ}_{c.m.}$ is calculated in the laboratory momentum range up to 12 GeV/c. Relativistic form factors related to the nucleon and pion size and representing the pion source distribution based on the quark structure of the hadronic core are included at each vertex of the pion-nucleon interaction. These form factors depend on the four-momenta of the exchanged pions and scattering nucleons. Feynman-diagram amplitudes calculated without form factors are checked against those derived from dispersion relations. In this comparison, one notices that a very short-range part of the crossed diagram, neglected in dispersion-relation calculations of the two-pion-exchange nucleon-nucleon potential, gives a sizable contribution. In the Feynman-diagram calculation with form factors the agreement with measured spin-separated cross sections, as well as amplitudes in the lower part of the energy range considered, is much better for pion-nucleon pseudo-vector vis \`a vis pseudo-scalar coupling. While strengths of the box and crossed diagrams are comparable for laboratory momenta below 2 GeV/c, the crossed diagram dominates for larger momenta, largely due to the kinematics of the crossed diagram allowing a smaller momentum transfer in the nucleon center of mass. An important contribution arises from the principal-value part of the integrals which is non-zero when form factors are included. It seems that the importance of the exchange of color singlets may extend higher in energy than expected

A Radio and Optical Polarization Study of the Magnetic Field in the Small Magellanic Cloud

We present a study of the magnetic field of the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), carried out using radio Faraday rotation and optical starlight polarization data. Consistent negative rotation measures (RMs) across the SMC indicate that the line-of-sight magnetic field is directed uniformly away from us with a strength 0.19 +/- 0.06 microGauss. Applying the Chandrasekhar-Fermi method to starlight polarization data yields an ordered magnetic field in the plane of the sky of strength 1.6 +/- 0.4 microGauss oriented at a position angle 4 +/- 12 degs, measured counter-clockwise from the great circle on the sky joining the SMC to the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). We construct a three-dimensional magnetic field model of the SMC, under the assumption that the RMs and starlight polarization probe the same underlying large-scale field. The vector defining the overall orientation of the SMC magnetic field shows a potential alignment with the vector joining the center of the SMC to the center of the LMC, suggesting the possibility of a "pan-Magellanic'' magnetic field. A cosmic-ray driven dynamo is the most viable explanation of the observed field geometry, but has difficulties accounting for the observed uni-directional field lines. A study of Faraday rotation through the Magellanic Bridge is needed to further test the pan-Magellanic field hypothesis.Comment: 28 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

Characterisation of Nd-doped calcium aluminosilicate parent glasses designed for the preparation of zirconolite-based glass-ceramic waste forms

4 pagesZirconolite-based (nominally CaZrTi2O7) glass-ceramics belonging to the SiO2-Al2O3-CaO-ZrO2-TiO2 system are good waste forms for the specific immobilisation of actinides. The understanding of their crystallisation processes implies to investigate the structure of the glass. Thus, the environment around Ti, Zr (nucleating agents) and Nd (trivalent actinides surrogate) was characterised in parent glasses. Electron spin resonance (ESR) study of the small amount of Ti3+ occurring in the glass enabled to identify two types of sites for titanium: the main one is of C4v or D4h symmetry. EXAFS showed that Zr occupied a quite well defined 6-7-fold coordinated site with second neighbours which could correspond to Ca/Ti and Zr. Nd environment was probed by optical spectroscopies (absorption, fluorescence), ESR and EXAFS. All these techniques demonstrated that the environment around Nd was very constrained by the glassy network. Notably, Nd occupies a highly distorted 8-9-fold coordinated site in the parent glass