Constraining Inverse Curvature Gravity with Supernovae

We show that the current accelerated expansion of the Universe can be explained without resorting to dark energy. Models of generalized modified gravity, with inverse powers of the curvature can have late time accelerating attractors without conflicting with solar system experiments. We have solved the Friedman equations for the full dynamical range of the evolution of the Universe. This allows us to perform a detailed analysis of Supernovae data in the context of such models that results in an excellent fit. Hence, inverse curvature gravity models represent an example of phenomenologically viable models in which the current acceleration of the Universe is driven by curvature instead of dark energy. If we further include constraints on the current expansion rate of the Universe from the Hubble Space Telescope and on the age of the Universe from globular clusters, we obtain that the matter content of the Universe is 0.07 <= omega_m <= 0.21 (95% Confidence). Hence the inverse curvature gravity models considered can not explain the dynamics of the Universe just with a baryonic matter component.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figure

Central Exclusive Particle Production at High Energy Hadron Colliders

We review the subject of central exclusive particle production at high energy hadron colliders. In particular we consider reactions of the type A + B {yields} A + X + B, where X is a fully specified system of particles that is well separated in rapidity from the outgoing beam particles. We focus on the case where the colliding particles are strongly interacting and mainly they will be protons (or antiprotons) as at the ISR, Sp{bar p}S, Tevatron and LHC. The data are surveyed and placed within the context of theoretical developments

Preliminary optical design for a 2.2 degree diameter prime focus corrector for the Blanco 4 meter telescope

We describe a five element corrector for the prime focus of the 4 meter Blanco telescope at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) in Chile that will be used in conjunction with a new mosaic CCD camera as part of the proposed Dark Energy Survey (DES). The corrector is designed to provide a flat focal plane and good images in the SDSS g, r, i, and z filters. We describe the performance in conjunction with the scientific requirements of the DES, particularly with regard to ghosting and weak-lensing point spread function (PSF) calibration

Charge-separated atmospheric neutrino-induced muons in the MINOS far detector

We found 140 neutrino-induced muons in 854.24 live days in the MINOS far detector, which has an acceptance for neutrino-induced muons of 6.91 x 10{sup 6} cm{sup 2} sr. We looked for evidence of neutrino disappearance in this data set by computing the ratio of the number of low momentum muons to the sum of the number of high momentum and unknown momentum muons for both data and Monte Carlo expectation in the absence of neutrino oscillations. The ratio of data and Monte Carlo ratios, R, is R = 0.65{sub 0.12}{sup +0.15}(stat) {+-} 0.09(syst), a result that is consistent with an oscillation signal. A fit to the data for the oscillation parameters sin{sup 2} 2{theta}{sub 23} and {Delta}m{sub 23}{sup 2} excludes the null oscillation hypothesis at the 94% confidence level. We separated the muons into {mu}{sup -} and {mu}{sup +} in both the data and Monte Carlo events and found the ratio of the total number of {mu}{sup -} to {mu}{sup +} in both samples. The ratio of those ratios, {cflx R}{sub CPT}, is a test of CPT conservation. The result {cflx R}{sub CPT} = 0.72{sub -0.18}{sup +0.24}(stat){sub -0.04}{sup +0.08}(syst), is consistent with CPT conservation

Measurement of the atmospheric muon charge ratio at TeV energies with MINOS

The 5.4 kton MINOS far detector has been taking charge-separated cosmic ray muon data since the beginning of August, 2003 at a depth of 2070 m.w.e. in the Soudan Underground Laboratory, Minnesota, USA. The data with both forward and reversed magnetic field running configurations were combined to minimize systematic errors in the determination of the underground muon charge ratio. When averaged, two independent analyses find the charge ratio underground to be N{sub {mu}}+/N{sub {mu}}-=1.374{+-}0.004(stat)-0.010{sup +0.012}(sys). Using the map of the Soudan rock overburden, the muon momenta as measured underground were projected to the corresponding values at the surface in the energy range 1-7 TeV. Within this range of energies at the surface, the MINOS data are consistent with the charge ratio being energy independent at the 2 standard deviation level. When the MINOS results are compared with measurements at lower energies, a clear rise in the charge ratio in the energy range 0.3-1.0 TeV is apparent. A qualitative model shows that the rise is consistent with an increasing contribution of kaon decays to the muon charge ratio

A Standard format for Les Houches event files

A standard file format is proposed to store process and event information, primarily output from parton-level event generators for further use by general-purpose ones. The information content is identical with what was already defined by the Les Houches Accord five years ago, but then in terms of Fortran commonblocks. This information is embedded in a minimal XML-style structure, for clarity and to simplify parsing

Search for New Bottomlike Quark Pair Decays Q Q-Bar to (T W- ) (T-Bar W -) in Same-Charge Dilepton Events

We report the most restrictive direct limits on masses of fourth-generation down-type quarks b{prime}, and quark-like composite fermions (B or T{sub 5/3}), decaying promptly to tW{sup {-+}}. We search for a significant excess of events with two same-charge leptons (e, {mu}), several hadronic jets, and missing transverse energy. An analysis of data from p{bar p} collisions with an integrated luminosity of 2.7 fb{sup -1} collected with the CDF II detector at Fermilab yields no evidence for such a signal, setting mass limits m{sub b{prime}}, m{sub B} &gt; 338 GeV/c{sup 2} and m{sub T{sub 5/3}} &gt; 365 GeV/c{sup 2} at 95% confidence level

Cavity Beam Position Monitor System for ATF2

The Accelerator Test Facility 2 (ATF2) in KEK, Japan, is a prototype scaled demonstrator system for the final focus required for a future high energy lepton linear collider. The ATF2 beam-line is instrumented with a total of 38 C and S band resonant cavity beam position monitors (CBPM) with associated mixer electronics and digitizers. The current status of the BPM system is described, with a focus on operational techniques and performance. The ATF2 C-band system is performing well, with individual CBPM resolution approaching or at the design resolution of 50 nm. The changes in the CBPM calibration observed over three weeks can probably be attributed to thermal effects on the mixer electronics systems. The CW calibration tone power will be upgraded to monitor changes in the electronics gain and phase. The four S-band CBPMs are still to be investigated, the main problem associated with these cavities is a large cross coupling between the x and y ports. This combined with the large design dispersion in that degion makes the digital signal processing difficult, although various techniques exist to determine the cavity parameters and use these coupled signals for beam position determination

ATF2 Proposal Volume 2

For achieving the high luminosity required at the International Linear Collider (ILC), it is critical to focus the beams to nanometer size with the ILC Beam Delivery System (BDS), and to maintain the beam collision with a nanometer-scale stability. To establish the technologies associated with this ultra-high precision beam handling, it has been proposed to implement an ILC-like final focus optics in an extension of the existing extraction beamline of ATF at KEK. The ATF is considered to be the best platform for this exercise, since it provides an adequate ultra-low emittance electron beam in a manner dedicated to the development of ILC. The two major goals for this facility, called ATF2, are: (A) Achievement of a 37 nm beam size, and (B) control of beam position down to 2 nm level. The scientific justification for the ATF2 project and its technical design have been described in Volume 1 of the ATF2 Proposal [1]. We present here Volume 2 of the ATF2 Proposal, in which we present specifics of the construction plans and the group organization to execute the research programs at ATF2. The sections in this report have been authored by relevant ATF2 subgroups within the International ATF Collaboration. The time line of the project is described in Section 2. Section 3 discuss the structure of the international collaboration. Sections 4 and 5 discuss budget considerations, which are presented as well as the design and construction tasks to be shared by the international collaboration at ATF2. Concluding remarks have been contributed by Dr. Ewan Paterson, Chair of the International Collaboration Board of the ATF collaboration