Rail transit fare collection: Policy and technology assessment

The impact of fare policies and fare structure on the selection of equipment was investigated, fare collection systems are described, hardware and technology related problems are documented, and the requirements of a fare collection simulation model are outlined. Major findings include: (1) a wide variation in the fare collection systems and equipment, caused primarily by historical precedence; (2) the reliability of AFC equipment used at BART and WMATA discouraged other properties from considering use of similar equipment; (3) existing equipment may not meet the fare collection needs of properties in the near future; (4) the cost of fare collection operation and maintenance is high; and (5) the relatively small market in fare collection equipment discourages new product development by suppliers. Recommendations for fare collection R&D programs include development of new hardware to meet rail transit needs, study of impacts of alternate fare policies increased communication among policymakers, and consensus on fare policy issues

Constraints on the phase γ\gamma and new physics from B→KπB\to K\pi Decays

Recent results from CLEO on $B\to K\pi$ indicate that the phase $\gamma$ may be substantially different from that obtained from other fit to the KM matrix elements in the Standard Model. We show that $\gamma$ extracted using $B\to K\pi, \pi\pi$ is sensitive to new physics occurring at loop level. It provides a powerful method to probe new physics in electroweak penguin interactions. Using effects due to anomalous gauge couplings as an example, we show that within the allowed ranges for these couplings information about $\gamma$ obtained from $B\to K \pi, \pi\pi$ can be very different from the Standard Model prediction.Comment: Revised version with analysis done using new data from CLEO. RevTex, 11 Pages with two figure

Left-Right Symmetry and Supersymmetric Unification

The existence of an SU(3) X SU(2)_L X SU(2)_R X U(1) gauge symmetry with g_L = g_R at the TeV energy scale is shown to be consistent with supersymmetric SO(10) grand unification at around 1O^{16} GeV if certain new particles are assumed. The additional imposition of a discrete Z_2 symmetry leads to a generalized definition of R parity as well as highly suppressed Majorana neutrino masses. Another model based on SO(10) X SO(10) is also discussed.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures not included, UCRHEP-T124, Apr 199

Hybrid vehicle assessment. Phase 1: Petroleum savings analysis

The results of a comprehensive analysis of near term electric hybrid vehicles are presented, with emphasis on their potential to save significant amounts of petroleum on a national scale in the 1990s. Performance requirements and expected annual usage patterns of these vehicles are first modeled. The projected U.S. fleet composition is estimated, and conceptual hybrid vehicle designs are conceived and analyzed for petroleum use when driven in the expected annual patterns. These petroleum consumption estimates are then compared to similar estimates for projected 1990 conventional vehicles having the same performance and driven in the same patterns. Results are presented in the form of three utility functions and comparisons of sevral conceptual designs are made. The Hybrid Vehicle (HV) design and assessment techniques are discussed and a general method is explained for selecting the optimum energy management strategy for any vehicle mission battery combination. Conclusions and recommendations are presented, and development recommendations are identified

Electroweak Model Independent Tests for SU(3) Symmetry in Hadronic B Decays

We study effects of new physics beyond the Standard Model on SU(3) symmetry in charmless hadronic two body B decays. It is found that several equalities for some of the decay amplitudes, such as $A(B_d (B_u) \to \pi^+\pi^-,\pi^+ K^- (\pi^- \bar K^0)) =A(B_s \to K^+ \pi^-, K^- K^+ (K^0 \bar K^0))$, $A(B_d \to \pi^+\rho^-, \pi^- \rho^+, K^-\rho^+, \pi^+ K^{*-}) = A(B_s \to K^+ \rho^-, \pi^- K^{*+}, K^- K^{*+}, K^+ K^{*-})$, $A(B_d (B_u) \to \rho^+\rho^-, \rho^+ K^{*-}(\rho^- \bar K^{*0})) =A(B_s \to K^{*+} \rho^-, K^{*-} K^{*+} (K^{*0} \bar K^{*0}))$, predicted by SU(3) symmetry in the SM are not affected by new physics. These relations provide important electroweak model independent tests for SU(3) symmetry in B decays.Comment: 4 pages, revte

The CP violating phase γ\gamma from global fit of rare charmless hadronic B decays

We study constraints on the CP violating phase $\gamma$ in the Kobayashi-Maskawa model using available experimental data. We first follow the conventional method to up date the constraint on $\gamma$ by performing a $\chi^2$ analysis using data from $|\epsilon_K|$, $\Delta m_{B_{d,s}}$ and $|V_{ub}/V_{cb}|$. We also include the recent information on $\sin2\beta$ in the analysis. We obtain the best fit for $\gamma$ to be $66^\circ$ and the 95% C.L. allowed range to be $42^\circ \sim 87^\circ$. We then develop a method to carry out a $\chi^2$ analysis based on SU(3) symmetry using data from $B\to \pi \pi$ and $B\to K \pi$. We also discuss SU(3) breaking effects from model estimate. We find that present data on $B\to \pi\pi, K \pi$ can also give some constraint on $\gamma$ although weaker than the earlier method limited by the present experimental errors. Future improved data will provide more stringent constraint. Finally we perform a combined fit using data from $|\epsilon_K|$, $\Delta m_{B_{d,s}}$, $|V_{ub}/V_{cb}|$, $\sin2\beta$ and rare charmless hadronic B decays. The combined analysis gives $\gamma=67^\circ$ for the best fit value and $43^\circ \sim 87^\circ$ as the 95% C.L. allowed range. Several comments on other methods to determine $\gamma$ based on SU(3) symmetry are also provided.Comment: Revised verion with the new experimental data from Belle and Babar included in the analysis to obtain the global fit for the CP violating phase gamma. RevTex, 32 pages and 8 figure

Spin-Kick Correlation in Neutron Stars: Alignment Conditions and Implications

Recent observations of pulsar wind nebulae and radio polarization profiles revealed a tendency of the alignment between the spin and velocity directions in neutron stars. We study the condition for spin-kick alignment using a toy model, in which the kick consists of many off-centered, randomly-oriented thrusts. Both analytical considerations and numerical simulations indicate that spin-kick alignment cannot be easily achieved if the proto-neutron star does not possess some initial angular momentum, contrary to some previous claims. To obtain the observed spin-kick misalignment angle distribution, the initial spin period of the neutron star must be smaller than the kick timescale. Typically, an initial period of a hundred milliseconds or less is required.Comment: 17 pages, 8 figures. Accepted by Ap

A Critical Study of B Decays to Light Pseudoscalar

Motivated by the large branching ratios observed for the process $B\to\eta^{\prime}K$, we examine critically all the ingredients that go into estimates of B decays into two light pseudoscalars. Within factorization approximation, we examine several assumptions on the input parameters that could have a strong bearing on the predictions. Among these are (i) the QCD scale $\mu$ (ii) value of the form factors (iii) value of the light quark masses, and in particular $m_s$ (iv) the value $\xi=1/N_c$, (v) charm content of $\eta^{\prime}$. It is possible to account for all the data without invoking new physics, though future experiments will provide tighter constraints on the parameter space. We fin that CP violating asymmetries are in the observable range for some modes.Comment: 29 pages(Latex), 17 figures, a few changes have been made, version to appear in Phys.Rev.

Are many pulsars processed in binary systems?

A detailed statistical analysis of pulsarcurrent is presented. The conclusions reached are the following: (1) The birthrate of pulsars is about one in 75 ± 15 years. (2) There is evidence forinjection of pulsars into the population of solitary pulsars. Such an injection is particularly pronounced in the magnetic field range 12 < logB < 12.6. (3) This is interpreted as due torecycled pulsars being released into the population. (4) We tentatively conclude that as much as 10 - 15% of all pulsars may have been born and processed in binary systems

Effects of R-parity violation on direct CP violation in B decays and extraction of γ\gamma

In the standard model, direct CP-violating asymmetries for $B^\pm \to \pi^\pm K$ are roughly 2% based on perturbative calculation. Rescattering effects might enhance it to at most (20-25)%. We show that lepton-number-violating couplings in supersymmetric models without R-parity are capable of inducing as large as 100% CP asymmetry in this channel. Such effects drastically modify the allowed range of the CKM parameter $\gamma$ arising from the combinations of the observed charged and neutral B decays in the $\pi K$ modes. With a multichannel analysis in B decays, one can either discover this exciting new physics, or significantly improve the existing constraints on it.Comment: Latex, 5 pages; minor changes, to appear in Phys Rev Let