Landau equations and asymptotic operation

The pinched/non-pinched classification of intersections of causal singularities of propagators in Minkowski space is reconsidered in the context of the theory of asymptotic operation as a first step towards extension of the latter to non-Euclidean asymptotic regimes. A highly visual distribution-theoretic technique of singular wave fronts is tailored to the needs of the theory of Feynman diagrams. Besides a simple derivation of the usual Landau equations in the case of the conventional singularities, the technique naturally extends to other types of singularities e.g. due to linear denominators in non-covariant gauges etc. As another application, the results of Euclidean asymptotic operation are extended to a class of quasi-Euclidean asymptotic regimes in Minkowski space.Comment: 15p PS (GSview), IJMP-A (accepted

Various versions of analytic QCD and skeleton-motivated evaluation of observables

We present skeleton-motivated evaluation of QCD observables. The approach can be applied in analytic versions of QCD in certain classes of renormalization schemes. We present two versions of analytic QCD which can be regarded as low-energy modifications of the ``minimal'' analytic QCD and which reproduce the measured value of the semihadronic tau decay ratio r{tau}. Further, we describe an approach of calculating the higher order analytic couplings Ak (k=2,3,...) on the basis of logarithmic derivatives of the analytic coupling A1(Q^2). This approach can be easily applied in any version of analytic QCD. We adjust the free parameters of the afore-mentioned two analytic models in such a way that the skeleton-motivated evaluation reproduces the correct known values of r{tau} and of the Bjorken polarized sum rule (BjPSR) db(Q^2) at a given point (e.g., at Q^2=2 GeV^2). We then evaluate the low-energy behavior of the Adler function dv(Q^2) and the BjPSR db(Q^2) in the afore-mentioned evaluation approach, in the three analytic versions of QCD. We compare with the results obtained in the ``minimal'' analytic QCD and with the evaluation approach of Milton et al. and Shirkov.Comment: 30 pages, 14 eps-figures; v3: parameters of the analytic QCD models M1 and M2 were refined, the numerical results modified accordingly, new paragraph at the end of Sec.II and at the end of Sec.III, discussion of Figs.4 extended, references added; version to appear in PR

Quantum treatment of neutrino in background matter

Motivated by the need of elaboration of the quantum theory of the spin light of neutrino in matter ($SL\nu$), we have studied in more detail the exact solutions of the Dirac equation for neutrinos moving in the background matter. These exact neutrino wavefunctions form a basis for a rather powerful method of investigation of different neutrino processes in matter, which is similar to the Furry representation of quantum electrodynamics in external fields. Within this method we also derive the corresponding Dirac equation for an electron moving in matter and consider the electromagnetic radiation ("spin light of electron in matter", $SLe$) that can be emitted by the electron in this case.Comment: 10 pages, in: Proceedings of QFEXT'05 (The Seventh Workshop on Quantum Field Theory under the Influence of External Conditions, IEEC, CSIC and University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, 5-9 September 2005.), ed. by Emilio Elizalde and Sergei Odintsov; published in Journal of Physics

Strong coupling constant from τ\tau decay within renormalization scheme invariant treatment

We extract a numerical value for the strong coupling constant \alpha_s from the \tau-lepton decay rate into nonstrange particles. A new feature of our procedure is the explicit use of renormalization scheme invariance in analytical form in order to perform the actual analysis in a particular renormalization scheme. For the reference coupling constant in the \MSsch-scheme we obtain \alpha_s(M_\tau)= 0.3184 \pm 0.0060_{exp} which corresponds to \al_s(M_Z)= 0.1184 \pm 0.0007_{exp} \pm 0.0006_{hq mass}. This new numerical value is smaller than the standard value from $\tau$-data quoted in the literature and is closer to \al_s(M_Z)-values obtained from high energy experiments.Comment: 8 page

B0 - anti-B0 mixing beyond factorization

We present a calculation of the B0 - anti-B0 mixing matrix element in the framework of QCD sum rules for three-point functions. We compute alpha_s corrections to a three-point function at the three-loop level in QCD perturbation theory, which allows one to extract the matrix element with next-to-leading order (NLO) accuracy. This calculation is imperative for a consistent evaluation of experimentally-measured mixing parameters since the coefficient functions of the effective Hamiltonian for B0 - anti-B0 mixing are known at NLO. We find that radiative corrections violate factorization at NLO; this violation is under full control and amounts to 10%.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, LaTeX2

Bulk Nanocrystalline Thermoelectrics Based on Bi-Sb-Te Solid Solution

A nanopowder from p-Bi-Sb-Te with particles ~ 10 nm were fabricated by the ball milling using different technological modes. Cold and hot pressing at different conditions and also SPS process were used for consolidation of the powder into a bulk nanostructure and nanocomposites. The main factors allowing slowing-down of the growth of nanograins as a result of recrystallization are the reduction of the temperature and of the duration of the pressing, the increase of the pressure, as well as addition of small value additives (like MoS2, thermally expanded graphite or fullerenes). It was reached the thermoelectric figure of merit ZT=1.22 (at 360 K) in the bulk nanostructure Bi0,4Sb1,6Te3 fabricated by SPS method. Some mechanisms of the improvement of the thermoelectric efficiency in bulk nanocrystalline semiconductors based on BixSb2-xTe3 are studied theoretically. The reduction of nanograin size can lead to improvement of the thermoelectric figure of merit. The theoretical dependence of the electric and heat conductivities and the thermoelectric power as the function of nanograins size in BixSb2-xTe3 bulk nanostructure are quite accurately correlates with the experimental data.Comment: 35 pages, 24 figures, 4 tables, 52 reference

New high order relations between physical observables in perturbative QCD

We exploit the fact that within massless perturbative QCD the same Green's function determines the hadronic contribution to the $\tau$ decay width and the moments of the $e^+e^-$ cross section. This allows one to obtain relations between physical observables in the two processes up to an unprecedented high order of perturbative QCD. A precision measurement of the $\tau$ decay width allows one then to predict the first few moments of the spectral density in $e^+e^-$ annihilations integrated up to $s\sim m_\tau^2$ with high accuracy. The proposed tests are in reach of present experimental capabilities.Comment: 7 pages, Latex, no figure

αs\alpha_s from τ\tau decays: contour-improved versus fixed-order summation in a new QCD perturbation expansion

We consider the determination of $\alpha_s$ from $\tau$ hadronic decays, by investigating the contour-improved (CI) and the fixed-order (FO) renormalization group summations in the frame of a new perturbation expansion of QCD, which incorporates in a systematic way the available information about the divergent character of the series. The new expansion functions, which replace the powers of the coupling, are defined by the analytic continuation in the Borel complex plane, achieved through an optimal conformal mapping. Using a physical model recently discussed by Beneke and Jamin, we show that the new CIPT approaches the true results with great precision when the perturbative order is increased, while the new FOPT gives a less accurate description in the regions where the imaginary logarithms present in the expansion of the running coupling are large. With the new expansions, the discrepancy of 0.024 in $\alpha_s(m_\tau^2)$ between the standard CI and FO summations is reduced to only 0.009. From the new CIPT we predict $\alpha_s(m_\tau^2)= 0.320 ^{+0.011}_{-0.009}$, which practically coincides with the result of the standard FOPT, but has a more solid theoretical basis

High-Energy QCD Asymptotics of Photon-Photon Collisions

The high-energy behaviour of the total cross section for highly virtual photons, as predicted by the BFKL equation at next-to-leading order (NLO) in QCD, is discussed. The NLO BFKL predictions, improved by the BLM optimal scale setting, are in good agreement with recent OPAL and L3 data at CERN LEP2. NLO BFKL predictions for future linear colliders are presented.Comment: Latex, 7 pages, 4 figure