Branching of the Falkner-Skan solutions for λ < 0

The Falkner-Skan equation f'" + ff" + λ(1 - f'^2) = 0, f(0) = f'(0) = 0, is discussed for λ < 0. Two types of problems, one with f'(∞) = 1 and another with f'(∞) = -1, are considered. For λ = 0- a close relation between these two types is found. For λ < -1 both types of problem allow multiple solutions which may be distinguished by an integer N denoting the number of zeros of f' - 1. The numerical results indicate that the solution branches with f'(∞) = 1 and those with f'(∞) = -1 tend towards a common limit curve as N increases indefinitely. Finally a periodic solution, existing for λ < -1, is presented.

Ensemble downscaling in coupled solar wind-magnetosphere modeling for space weather forecasting

Advanced forecasting of space weather requires simulation of the whole Sun-to-Earth system, which necessitates driving magnetospheric models with the outputs from solar wind models. This presents a fundamental difficulty, as the magnetosphere is sensitive to both large-scale solar wind structures, which can be captured by solar wind models, and small-scale solar wind “noise,” which is far below typical solar wind model resolution and results primarily from stochastic processes. Following similar approaches in terrestrial climate modeling, we propose statistical “downscaling” of solar wind model results prior to their use as input to a magnetospheric model. As magnetospheric response can be highly nonlinear, this is preferable to downscaling the results of magnetospheric modeling. To demonstrate the benefit of this approach, we first approximate solar wind model output by smoothing solar wind observations with an 8 h filter, then add small-scale structure back in through the addition of random noise with the observed spectral characteristics. Here we use a very simple parameterization of noise based upon the observed probability distribution functions of solar wind parameters, but more sophisticated methods will be developed in the future. An ensemble of results from the simple downscaling scheme are tested using a model-independent method and shown to add value to the magnetospheric forecast, both improving the best estimate and quantifying the uncertainty. We suggest a number of features desirable in an operational solar wind downscaling scheme

Effective dynamics of an electrically charged string with a current

Equations of motion for an electrically charged string with a current in an external electromagnetic field with regard to the first correction due to the self-action are derived. It is shown that the reparametrization invariance of the free action of the string imposes constraints on the possible form of the current. The effective equations of motion are obtained for an absolutely elastic charged string in the form of a ring (circle). Equations for the external electromagnetic fields that admit stationary states of such a ring are revealed. Solutions to the effective equations of motion of an absolutely elastic charged ring in the absence of external fields as well as in an external uniform magnetic field are obtained. In the latter case, the frequency at which one can observe radiation emitted by the ring is evaluated. A model of an absolutely nonstretchable charged string with a current is proposed. The effective equations of motion are derived within this model, and a class of solutions to these equations is found.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures, format changed, minor change

The Speed of Fronts of the Reaction Diffusion Equation

We study the speed of propagation of fronts for the scalar reaction-diffusion equation $u_t = u_{xx} + f(u)$\, with $f(0) = f(1) = 0$. We give a new integral variational principle for the speed of the fronts joining the state $u=1$ to $u=0$. No assumptions are made on the reaction term $f(u)$ other than those needed to guarantee the existence of the front. Therefore our results apply to the classical case $f > 0$ in $(0,1)$, to the bistable case and to cases in which $f$ has more than one internal zero in $(0,1)$.Comment: 7 pages Revtex, 1 figure not include

Direct Search for Charged Higgs Bosons in Decays of Top Quarks

We present a search for charged Higgs bosons in decays of pair-produced top quarks in pbar p collisions at sqrt(s) = 1.8 TeV using 62.2 pb^-1 of data recorded by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. No evidence is found for signal, and we exclude at 95% confidence most regions of the (M higgs, tan beta) parameter space where the decay t->H b has a branching fraction greater than 0.36 and B(H -> tau nu) is large.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

Limits on Anomalous WWgamma and WWZ Couplings

Limits on the anomalous WWgamma and WWZ couplings are presented from a simultaneous fit to the data samples of three gauge boson pair final states in pbar-p collisions at sqrt(s)=1.8 TeV: Wgamma production with the W boson decaying to enu or munu, W boson pair production with both of the W bosons decaying to enu or munu, and WW or WZ production with one W boson decaying to enu and the other W boson or the Z boson decaying to two jets. Assuming identical WWgamma and WWZ couplings, 95 % C.L. limits on the anomalous couplings of -0.30<Delta kappa<0.43 (lambda = 0) and -0.20<lambda<0.20 (Delta kappa = 0) are obtained using a form factor scale Lambda = 2.0 TeV. Limits found under other assumptions on the relationship between the WWgamma and WWZ couplings are also presented.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Physical Review

Measurement of Semileptonic Branching Fractions of B Mesons to Narrow D** States

Using the data accumulated in 2002-2004 with the DO detector in proton-antiproton collisions at the Fermilab Tevatron collider with centre-of-mass energy 1.96 TeV, the branching fractions of the decays B -> \bar{D}_1^0(2420) \mu^+ \nu_\mu X and B -> \bar{D}_2^{*0}(2460) \mu^+ \nu_\mu X and their ratio have been measured: BR(\bar{b}->B) \cdot BR(B-> \bar{D}_1^0 \mu^+ \nu_\mu X) \cdot BR(\bar{D}_1^0 -> D*- pi+) = (0.087+-0.007(stat)+-0.014(syst))%; BR(\bar{b}->B)\cdot BR(B->D_2^{*0} \mu^+ \nu_\mu X) \cdot BR(\bar{D}_2^{*0} -> D*- \pi^+) = (0.035+-0.007(stat)+-0.008(syst))%; and (BR(B -> \bar{D}_2^{*0} \mu^+ \nu_\mu X)BR(D2*0->D*- pi+)) / (BR(B -> \bar{D}_1^{0} \mu^+ \nu_\mu X)\cdot BR(\bar{D}_1^{0}->D*- \pi^+)) = 0.39+-0.09(stat)+-0.12(syst), where the charge conjugated states are always implied.Comment: submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

Search for Electroweak Production of Single Top Quarks in ppbar Collisions

We present a search for electroweak production of single top quarks in the electron+jets and muon+jets decay channels. The measurements use ~90 pb^-1 of data from Run 1 of the Fermilab Tevatron collider, collected at 1.8 TeV with the DZero detector between 1992 and 1995. We use events that include a tagging muon, implying the presence of a b jet, to set an upper limit at the 95% confidence level on the cross section for the s-channel process ppbar->tb+X of 39 pb. The upper limit for the t-channel process ppbar->tqb+X is 58 pb.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures. This is the published versio

Measurements of single top quark production cross sections and |Vtb| in ppbar collisions at sqrt{s}=1.96 TeV

We present measurements of production cross sections of single top quarks in \ppbar collisions at $\sqrt{s}=1.96\;\rm TeV$ in a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $5.4\;\rm fb^{-1}$ collected by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. We select events with an isolated electron or muon, an imbalance in transverse energy, and two, three, or four jets, with one or two of them containing a bottom hadron. We obtain an inclusive cross section of \sigma({\ppbar}{\rargap}tb+X, tqb+X) = 3.43\pm^{0.73}_{0.74}\;\rm pb and use it to extract the CKM matrix element $0.79 < |V_{tb}| \leq 1$ at the 95% C.L. We also measure \sigma({\ppbar}{\rargap}tb+X) = 0.68\pm^{0.38}_{0.35}\;\rm pb and \sigma({\ppbar}{\rargap}tqb+X) = 2.86\pm^{0.69}_{0.63}\;\rm pb when assuming, respectively, $tqb$ and $tb$ production rates as predicted by the standard model.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.