New Physics Effects From B Meson Decays

In this talk, we point out some of the present and future possible signatures of physics beyond the Standard Model from B-meson decays, taking R-parity conserving and violating supersymmetry as illustrative examples.Comment: Talk given at the Sixth Workshop on High Energy Particle Phenomenology (WHEPP-6), Chennai (Madras), India. Includes 2 epsf figure

ANOMALOUS GAUGE BOSON INTERACTIONS

We discuss the direct measurement of the trilinear vector boson couplings in present and future collider experiments. The major goals of such experiments will be the confirmation of the Standard Model (SM) predictions and the search for signals of new physics. We review our current theoretical understanding of anomalous trilinear gauge boson self-interactions. If the energy scale of the new physics is $\sim 1$ TeV, these low energy anomalous couplings are expected to be no larger than ${\cal O}(10^{-2})$. Constraints from high precision measurements at LEP and low energy charged and neutral current processes are critically reviewed.Comment: 53 pages with 17 embedded figures, LaTeX, uses axodraw.sty, figures available on request. The complete paper, is available at ftp://phenom.physics.wisc.edu/pub/preprints/1995/madph-95-871.ps.Z or http://phenom.physics.wisc.edu/pub/preprints/1995/madph-95-871.ps.Z Summary of the DPF Working Subgroup on Anomalous Gauge Boson Interactions of the DPF Long Range Planning Stud

Dynamical CP Violation in the Early Universe and Leptogenesis

In a recent publication, we suggested a mechanism for obtaining dynamical CP violation in the early Universe based on the out-of-equilibrium evolution of complex scalar fields. In this paper, we suggest several ways of transferring the CP asymmetry from the scalar sector to the leptonic sector. In particular, we point out how a ``transient MNS(P) matrix'' can generate an asymmetry between fermions and anti-fermions directly.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figure

A theory of electromagnetic fluctuations for metallic surfaces and van der Waals interactions between metallic bodies

A new general expression is derived for the fluctuating electromagnetic field outside a metal surface, in terms of its surface impedance. It provides a generalization to real metals of Lifshitz theory of molecular interactions between dielectric solids. The theory is used to compute the radiative heat transfer between two parallel metal surfaces at different temperatures. It is shown that a measurement of this quantity may provide an experimental resolution of a long-standing controversy about the effect of thermal corrections on the Casimir force between real metal plates.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures; typos corrected, minor changes to match the published version in Physical Review Letter

Desperately Seeking Non-Standard Phases via Direct CP Violation in b→sg∗b\to sg^\ast Process

Attributing the recent CLEO discovery of $B \to \eta' + X_s$ to originate (primarily) from the fragmentation of an off-shell gluon ($g^*$) via $b \to s + g^*$, $g^* \to g + \eta'$, we emphasize that many such states ($X_g$) should materialize. Indeed the hadronic fragments ($X_g$) of $g^*$ states are closely related to those seen in $\psi \to \gamma (\phi, \omega) + X_g$. A particular final state of considerable interest is $X_g=K^+K^-$. Signals from such states in $B$ decays can be combined to provide a very sensitive search for CP violating phase(s) from non-standard physics. The method should work even if the contribution of these source(s) to the rates is rather small ($\sim10$) to the point that a comparison between theory and experiment may find it extremely difficult to reveal the presence of such a new physics.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figure

The two-fluid model with superfluid entropy

The two-fluid model of liquid helium is generalized to the case that the superfluid fraction has a small entropy content. We present theoretical arguments in favour of such a small superfluid entropy. In the generalized two-fluid model various sound modes of He$\;$II are investigated. In a superleak carrying a persistent current the superfluid entropy leads to a new sound mode which we call sixth sound. The relation between the sixth sound and the superfluid entropy is discussed in detail.Comment: 22 pages, latex, published in Nuovo Cimento 16 D (1994) 37

Physisorption of Nucleobases on Graphene

We report the results of our first-principles investigation on the interaction of the nucleobases adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), thymine (T), and uracil (U) with graphene, carried out within the density functional theory framework, with additional calculations utilizing Hartree--Fock plus second-order Moeller-Plesset perturbation theory. The calculated binding energy of the nucleobases shows the following hierarchy: G > T ~ C ~ A > U, with the equilibrium configuration being very similar for all five of them. Our results clearly demonstrate that the nucleobases exhibit significantly different interaction strengths when physisorbed on graphene. The stabilizing factor in the interaction between the base molecule and graphene sheet is dominated by the molecular polarizability that allows a weakly attractive dispersion force to be induced between them. The present study represents a significant step towards a first-principles understanding of how the base sequence of DNA can affect its interaction with carbon nanotubes, as observed experimentally.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figure

Extracting Weak Phase Information from B -> V_1 V_2 Decays

We describe a new method for extracting weak, CP-violating phase information, with no hadronic uncertainties, from an angular analysis of B -> V_1 V_2 decays, where V_1 and V_2 are vector mesons. The quantity $\sin^2 (2\beta + \gamma)$ can be cleanly obtained from the study of decays such as B_d^0(t) -> D^{*\pm} \rho^\mp, D^{*\pm} a_1^{\mp}, D^{*0} K^{*0}, etc. Similarly, one can use B_s^0(t) -> D_s^{*\pm} K^{*\mp} to extract $\sin^2 \gamma$. There are no penguin contributions to these decays. It is possible that $\sin^2 (2\beta + \gamma)$ will be the second function of CP phases, after $\sin 2\beta$, to be measured at B-factories.Comment: 4 pages, RevTeX, no figure

Do institutional arrangements make a difference to transport policy and implementation? Lessons for Britain

This paper describes local government decision-making in transport in three areas of the UK, London, West Yorkshire and Edinburgh, in which major changes in local government decision-making structures have taken place over the last decade, and between which arrangements are now very different. The research discusses whether institutional change has had a beneficial or adverse effect, and whether any of the current structures provides a more effective framework for policy development and implementation. The results show that although the sites share a broadly common set of objectives there are differences in devolved responsibilities and in the extent to which various policy options are within the control of the bodies charged with transport policy delivery. The existence of several tiers of government, coupled with the many interactions required between these public sector bodies and the predominantly private sector public transport operators appears to create extra transactional barriers and impedes the implementation of the most effective measures for cutting congestion. There is, however, a compelling argument for the presence of an overarching tier of government to organise travel over a spatial scale compatible with that of major commuter patterns. The extent to which such arrangements currently appear to work is a function of the range of powers and the funding levels afforded to the co-ordinating organisation