Applications of scalar attractor solutions to Cosmology

We develop a framework to study the phase space of a system consisting of a scalar field rolling down an arbitrary potential with varying slope and a background fluid, in a cosmological setting. We give analytical approximate solutions of the field evolution and discuss applications of its features to the issues of quintessence, moduli stabilisation and quintessential inflation.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures. Accepted for publication in PR

Embedding formulae for wave diffraction by a circular arc

For certain wave diffraction problems, embedding formulae can be derived, which represent the solution (or far-field behaviour of the solution) for all plane wave incident angles in terms of solutions of a (typically small) set of other auxiliary problems. Thus a complete characterisation of the scattering properties of an obstacle can be determined by only determining the solutions of the auxiliary problems, and then implementing the embedding formula. The class of scatterers for which embedding formulae can be derived has previously been limited to obstacles with piecewise linear boundaries; here this class is extended to include a simple curved obstacle, consisting of a thin circular arc. Approximate numerical calculations demonstrate the accuracy of the new embedding formulae

Search for Higgs bosons decaying to tautau pairs in ppbar collisions at sqrt(s) = 1.96 TeV

We present a search for the production of neutral Higgs bosons decaying into tautau pairs in ppbar collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV. The data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.4 fb-1, were collected by the D0 experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. We set upper limits at the 95% C.L. on the product of production cross section and branching ratio for a scalar resonance decaying into tautau pairs, and we then interpret these limits as limits on the production of Higgs bosons in the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM) and as constraints in the MSSM parameter space.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, submitted to PL

Conformational dynamics and internal friction in homopolymer globules: equilibrium vs. non-equilibrium simulations

We study the conformational dynamics within homopolymer globules by solvent-implicit Brownian dynamics simulations. A strong dependence of the internal chain dynamics on the Lennard-Jones cohesion strength ε and the globule size N [subscript G] is observed. We find two distinct dynamical regimes: a liquid-like regime (for ε ε[subscript s] with slow internal dynamics. The cohesion strength ε[subscript s] of this freezing transition depends on N G . Equilibrium simulations, where we investigate the diffusional chain dynamics within the globule, are compared with non-equilibrium simulations, where we unfold the globule by pulling the chain ends with prescribed velocity (encompassing low enough velocities so that the linear-response, viscous regime is reached). From both simulation protocols we derive the internal viscosity within the globule. In the liquid-like regime the internal friction increases continuously with ε and scales extensive in N [subscript G] . This suggests an internal friction scenario where the entire chain (or an extensive fraction thereof) takes part in conformational reorganization of the globular structure.American Society for Engineering Education. National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowshi

Measurement of three-jet differential cross sections d sigma-3jet / d M-3jet in p anti-p collisions at sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV

We present the first measurement of the inclusive three-jet differential cross section as a function of the invariant mass of the three jets with the largest transverse momenta in an event in p anti-p collisions at sqrt(s) = 1.96 TeV. The measurement is made in different rapidity regions and for different jet transverse momentum requirements and is based on a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 0.7 fb^{-1} collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. The results are used to test the three-jet matrix elements in perturbative QCD calculations at next-to-leading order in the strong coupling constant. The data allow discrimination between parametrizations of the parton distribution functions of the proton.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, 2 tables, submitted to Phys. Lett. B, corrected chi2 values for NNPD

Measurements of inclusive W+jets production rates as a function of jet transverse momentum in ppbar collisions at sqrt{s}=1.96 TeV

This Letter describes measurements of inclusive W (--> e nu) + n jet cross sections (n = 1-4), presented as total inclusive cross sections and differentially in the nth jet transverse momentum. The measurements are made using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.2 fb-1 collected by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider, and achieve considerably smaller uncertainties on W +jets production cross sections than previous measurements. The measurements are compared to next-to-leading order perturbative QCD (pQCD) calculations in the n =1-3 jet multiplicity bins and to leading order pQCD calculations in the 4-jet bin. The measurements are generally in agreement with pQCD predictions, although certain regions of phase space are identified where the calculations could be improved

Measurement of spin correlation in ttbar production using dilepton final states

We measure the correlation between the spin of the top quark and the spin of the anti-top quark in (ttbar -> W+ W- b bbar -> l+ nu b l- nubar bbar) final states produced in ppbar collisions at a center of mass energy sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV, where l is an electron or muon. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 5.4 fb-1 and were collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. The correlation is extracted from the angles of the two leptons in the t and tbar rest frames, yielding a correlation strength C= 0.10^{+0.45}_{-0.45}, in agreement with the NLO QCD prediction within two standard deviations, but also in agreement with the no correlation hypothesis.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, submitted to PL

Search for single top quarks in the tau+jets channel using 4.8 fb−1^{-1} of ppˉp\bar{p} collision data

We present the first direct search for single top quark production using tau leptons. The search is based on 4.8 fb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity collected in $p\bar{p}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}$=1.96 TeV with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. We select events with a final state including an isolated tau lepton, missing transverse energy, two or three jets, one or two of them $b$ tagged. We use a multivariate technique to discriminate signal from background. The number of events observed in data in this final state is consistent with the signal plus background expectation. We set in the tau+jets channel an upper limit on the single top quark cross section of \TauLimObs pb at the 95% C.L. This measurement allows a gain of 4% in expected sensitivity for the observation of single top production when combining it with electron+jets and muon+jets channels already published by the D0 collaboration with 2.3 fb$^{-1}$ of data. We measure a combined cross section of \SuperCombineXSall pb, which is the most precise measurement to date.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figure

Measurement of the ttbar production cross section using dilepton events in ppbar collisions

We present a measurement of the ttbar production cross section sigma(ttbar) in ppbar collisions at sqrt{s} = 1.96 TeV using 5.4 fb-1 of integrated luminosity collected with the D0 detector. We consider final states with at least two jets and two leptons (ee, emu, mumu), and events with one jet for the the emu final state as well. The measured cross section is sigma(ttbar)= 7.36 +0.90-0.79 (stat + syst) pb. This result combined with the cross section measurement in the lepton + jets final state yields sigma(ttbar)=7.56 +0.63-0.56 (stat + syst) pb, which agrees with the standard model expectation. The relative precision of 8% of this measurement is comparable to the latest theoretical calculations.Comment: 9 pages, published in Phys. Lett.