Free Fermionic Elliptic Reflection Matrices and Quantum Group Invariance

Elliptic diagonal solutions for the reflection matrices associated to the elliptic $R$ matrix of the eight vertex free fermion model are presented. They lead through the second derivative of the open chain transfer matrix to an XY hamiltonian in a magnetic field which is invariant under a quantum deformed Clifford--Hopf algebra.Comment: 9 pages, Late

Do Campaign Contribution Limits Curb the Influence of Money in Politics?

Over 40% of countries around the world have adopted limits on campaign contributions to curb the influence of money in politics. Yet, we have limited knowledge on whether and how these limits achieve this goal. With a regression discontinuity design that uses institutional rules on contribution limits in Colombian municipalities, we show that looser limits increase the number and value of public contracts assigned to the winning candidate’s donors. The evidence suggests that this is explained by looser limits concentrating influence over the elected candidate among top donors and not by a reduction in electoral competition or changes in who runs for office. We further show that looser limits worsen the performance of donor-managed contracts: they are more likely to run over costs and require time extensions. Overall, this paper demonstrates a direct link between campaign contribution limits, donor kickbacks, and worse government contract performance

Strange resonance poles from KπK\pi scattering below 1.8 GeV

In this work we present a determination of the mass, width and coupling of the resonances that appear in kaon-pion scattering below 1.8 GeV. These are: the much debated scalar $\kappa$-meson, nowdays known as $K_0^*(800)$, the scalar $K_0^*(1430)$, the $K^*(892)$ and $K_1^*(1410)$ vectors, the spin-two $K_2^*(1430)$ as well as the spin-three $K^*_3(1780)$. The parameters will be determined from the pole associated to each resonance by means of an analytic continuation of the $K\pi$ scattering amplitudes obtained in a recent and precise data analysis constrained with dispersion relations, which were not well satisfied in previous analyses. This analytic continuation will be performed by means of Pad\'e approximants, thus avoiding a particular model for the pole parameterization. We also pay particular attention to the evaluation of uncertainties.Comment: 13 pages, 12 figures. Accepted version to appear in Eur. Phys. J. C. Clarifications and references added, minor typos correcte

Are the hosts of VLBI selected radio-AGN different to those of radio-loud AGN?

Recent studies have found that radio-AGN selected by radio-loudness show little difference in terms of their host galaxy properties when compared to non-AGN galaxies of similar stellar mass and redshift. Using new 1.4~GHz VLBI observations of the COSMOS field we find that approximately 49$\pm8$\% of high-mass (M $>$ 10$^{10.5}$ M$_{\odot}$), high luminosity (L$_{1.4}$ $>$ 10$^{24}$ W~Hz$^{-1}$) radio-AGN possess a VLBI detected counterpart. These objects show no discernible bias towards specific stellar masses, redshifts or host properties other than what is shown by the radio-AGN population in general. Radio-AGN that are detected in VLBI observations are not special, but form a representative sample of the radio-loud AGN population.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, lette

Search for the companions of Galactic SNe Ia

The central regions of the remnants of Galactic SNe Ia have been examined for the presence of companion stars of the exploded supernovae. We present the results of this survey for the historical SN 1572 and SN 1006. The spectra of the stars are modeled to obtain Teff, log g and the metallicity. Radial velocities are obtained with an accuracy of 5--10 km s$^{-1}$. Implications for the nature of the companion star in SNeIa follow.Comment: 8 pages, 2 Postscript figures. Appeared in "From Twilight to Highlight: the Physics of Supernovae", ed. W. Hillebrandt & B. Leibundgut (Springer), pp. 140-14

Instability of Amorphous Ru-Si-O Thin Films under Thermal Oxidation

Ternary films about 200 nm thick of composition Ru20Si15O65 have been synthesized by reactive rf magnetron sputtering of a Ru1Si1 target in an argon-oxygen gas. As-deposited, the films are X-ray-amorphous. Their atomic density is 8.9 × 10^22/cm^3 (5.1 g/cm^3), and their electrical resistivity is in the range of 2 mOmega cm. After annealing in dry oxygen at 600°C for 30 min, micron-sized grains of RuO2 grow out of the film and volatile RuO4 escapes. The significance of these results is discussed