On correlations and discreteness in non-linear QCD evolution

We consider modifications of the standard non-linear QCD evolution in an attempt to account for some of the missing ingredients discussed recently, such as correlations, discreteness in gluon emission and Pomeron loops. The evolution is numerically performed using the Balitsky-Kovchegov equation on individual configurations defined by a given initial value of the saturation scale, for reduced rapidities $y=(\alpha_s N_c/\pi) Y<10$. We consider the effects of averaging over configurations as a way to implement correlations, using three types of Gaussian averaging around a mean saturation scale. Further, we heuristically mimic discreteness in gluon emission by considering a modified evolution in which the tails of the gluon distributions are cut-off. The approach to scaling and the behavior of the saturation scale with rapidity in these modified evolutions are studied and compared with the standard mean-field results. For the large but finite values of rapidity explored, no strong quantitative difference in scaling for transverse momenta around the saturation scale is observed. At larger transverse momenta, the influence of the modifications in the evolution seems most noticeable in the first steps of the evolution. No influence on the rapidity behavior of the saturation scale due to the averaging procedure is found. In the cut-off evolution the rapidity evolution of the saturation scale is slowed down and strongly depends on the value of the cut-off. Our results stress the need to go beyond simple modifications of evolution by developing proper theoretical tools that implement such recently discussed ingredients.Comment: 20 pages, LaTeX, 18 eps figures included using epsfig; changes in v3: new kind of averaging added, 5 new plots, discussions and conclusions extended, final versio

Nuclear size and rapidity dependence of the saturation scale from QCD evolution and experimental data

The solutions of the Balitsky-Kovchegov evolution equations are studied numerically and compared with known analytical estimations. The rapidity and nuclear size dependences of the saturation scale are obtained for the cases of fixed and running coupling constant. These same dependences are studied in experimental data, on lepton-nucleus, deuteron-nucleus and nucleus-nucleus collisions, through geometric scaling and compared with the theoretical calculations.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figures. Contribution based on talks given by J. G. Milhano and C. A. Salgado to the proceedings of ``Hard Probes 2004'', Ericeira (Portugal), November 4-10, 200

First correction to JIMWLK evolution from the classical equations of motion

We calculate some ${\cal O}(\alpha_s^2)$ corrections to the JIMWLK kernel in the framework of the light-cone wave function approach to the high energy limit of QCD. The contributions that we consider originate from higher order corrections in the strong coupling and in the density of the projectile to the solution of the classical Yang-Mills equations of motion that determine the Weizs\"acker-Williams fields of the projectile. We study the structure of these corrections in the dipole limit, showing that they are subleading in the limit of large number of colours $N$, and that they cannot be fully recast in the form of dipole degrees of freedom.Comment: 4 pages, LaTeX, 2 eps figures included using graphicx, uses enclosed iopart.cls; contribution to the proceedings of Quark Matter 2006 (Shanghai, November 14th-20th 2006

Jet quenching via jet collimation

The strong modifications of dijet properties in heavy ion collisions measured by ATLAS and CMS provide important constraints on the dynamical mechanisms underlying jet quenching. In this work, we show that the transport of soft gluons away from the jet cone - jet collimation - can account for the observed dijet asymmetry with values of $\hat{q}\, L$ that lie in the expected order of magnitude. Further, we show that the energy loss attained through this mechanism results in a very mild distortion of the azimuthal angle dijet distribution.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures; Proceedings of the "Quark Matter 2011" conferenc

Evidence of Bartonella spp., Rickettsia spp. and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in domestic, shelter and stray cat blood and fleas, Portugal.

Thirty-two fleas were collected from 18 Lisboncats, 29 of which (90.6%) were C. felis, one (3.1%)was C. canis and two (6.3%) were unidentifiable. Only C. felis fleas were infected, six (40.0%)withB. clarridgeiae and six (40.0% ) with R. felis; three(20.0%) were co-infected. No positive result wasfound for A. phagocytophilum. The infection prev-alence of B. clarridgeiae was higher in domestic(43.8%) than in shelter cat fleas (28.6%). However,the infection rate of R. felis was higher in shelter(42.9%) than in domestic cat fleas (25.0%). Straycat fleas were only infected with R. felis (11.1%).Twenty-five cats (67.7%) were bacteraemic(Table 1). Twenty-one of them (84.0%) wereless than 1 year old, 15 (60.0%) were femalea nd 10 (40.0%) had no Bartonella spp. antibodies, one of which (10.0%) was more than 1 year old. The prevalence of Bartonella bacteraemia is higher in shelter (76.9%) than in domestic cats(68.2%) and all stray cats tested (n = 2) were positive

Detection of Borrelia lusitaniae, Rickettsia sp. IRS3, Rickettsia monacensis and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Ixodes ricinus collected in Madeira Island, Portugal

A total of 300 Ixodes ricinus ticks were tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of Borrelia spp., Rickettsia spp., and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Sequence analysis demonstrated 8 (2.7%) ticks infected with B. lusitaniae, 60 (20%) with Rickettsia spp., and 1 (0.3%) with A. phagocytophilum. Seven (2.3%) ticks were coinfected with B. lusitaniae and Rickettsia spp., 2 (0.6%) with R. monacensis, and 5 (1.7%) with Rickettsia sp. IRS3. The results of this study suggest simultaneous transmission of multiple tick-borne agents on Madeira Island, Portugal

Jet Quenching via Jet Collimation

The ATLAS Collaboration recently reported strong modifications of dijet properties in heavy ion collisions. In this work, we discuss to what extent these first data constrain already the microscopic mechanism underlying jet quenching. Simple kinematic arguments lead us to identify a frequency collimation mechanism via which the medium efficiently trims away the soft components of the jet parton shower. Through this mechanism, the observed dijet asymmetry can be accomodated with values of $\hat{q}\, L$ that lie in the expected order of magnitude.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure