An Explicit Construction of Casimir Operators and Eigenvalues : I

We give a general method to construct a complete set of linearly independent Casimir operators of a Lie algebra with rank N. For a Casimir operator of degree p, this will be provided by an explicit calculation of its symmetric coefficients $g^{A_1,A_2,.. A_p}$. It is seen that these coefficients can be descibed by some rational polinomials of rank N. These polinomials are also multilinear in Cartan sub-algebra indices taking values from the set $I_0 = {1,2,.. N}$. The crucial point here is that for each degree one needs, in general, more than one polinomials. This in fact is related with an observation that the whole set of symmetric coefficients $g^{A_1,A_2,.. A_p}$ is decomposed into sum subsets which are in one to one correspondence with these polinomials. We call these subsets clusters and introduce some indicators with which we specify different clusters. These indicators determine all the clusters whatever the numerical values of coefficients $g^{A_1,A_2,.. A_p}$ are. For any degree p, the number of clusters is independent of rank N. This hence allows us to generalize our results to any value of rank N. To specify the general framework explicit constructions of 4th and 5th order Casimir operators of $A_N$ Lie algebras are studied and all the polinomials which specify the numerical value of their coefficients are given explicitly.Comment: 14 pages, no figures, revised version, to appear in Jour.Math.Phy

Casimir operators of the exceptional group G2

We calculate the degree 2 and 6 Casimirs operators in explicit form, with the generators of G2 written in terms of the subalgebra A2Comment: 10 p., MAD/TH/93-05, (LaTex

Evidence for higher order QED in e+ e- pair production at RHIC

A new lowest order QED calculation for RHIC e+ e- pair production has been carried out with a phenomenological treatment of the Coulomb dissociation of the heavy ion nuclei observed in the STAR ZDC triggers. The lowest order QED result for the experimental acceptance is nearly two standard deviations larger than the STAR data. A corresponding higher order QED calculation is consistent with the data.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, latex, revte

Symmetry and Supersymmetry in Nuclear Pairing: Exact Solutions

Pairing plays a crucial role in nuclear spectra and attempts to describe it has a long history in nuclear physics. The limiting case in which all single particle states are degenerate, but with different s-wave pairing strengths was only recently solved. In this strong coupling limit the nuclear pairing Hamiltonian also exhibits a supersymmetry. Another solution away from those limits, namely two non-degenerate single particle states with different pairing strengths, was also given. In this contribution these developments are summarized and difficulties with possible generalizations to more single particle states and d-wave pairing are discussed.Comment: 6 pages of LATEX, to be published in the Proceedings of the "10th Int. Spring Seminar on Nuclear Physics: New Quests in Nuclear Structure", Vietri Sul Mare, May 21-25, 201

On characteristic equations, trace identities and Casimir operators of simple Lie algebras

Two approaches are developed to exploit, for simple complex or compact real Lie algebras g, the information that stems from the characteristic equations of representation matrices and Casimir operators. These approaches are selected so as to be viable not only for `small' Lie algebras and suitable for treatment by computer algebra. A very large body of new results emerges in the forms, a) of identities of a tensorial nature, involving structure constants etc. of g, b) of trace identities for powers of matrices of the adjoint and defining representations of g, c) of expressions of non-primitive Casimir operators of g in terms of primitive ones. The methods are sufficiently tractable to allow not only explicit proof by hand of the non-primitive nature of the quartic Casimir of g2, f4, e6, but also e.g. of that of the tenth order Casimir of f4.Comment: 39 pages, 8 tables, late

Exclusive and inclusive muon pair production in collisions of relativistic nuclei

The exclusive production of one $\mu^+\mu^-$ pair in collisions of two ultra-relativistic nuclei is considered. We present a simple method for the calculation of the Born cross section for this process based on an improved equivalent photon approximation. We find that the Coulomb corrections to this cross section (corresponding to multi-photon exchange of the produced $\mu^{\pm}$ with the nuclei) are small while the unitarity corrections (corresponding to the exchange of light-by-light blocks between nuclei) are large. This is in sharp contrast to the exclusive $e^+e^-$ pair production where the Coulomb corrections to the Born cross section are large while the unitarity corrections are small. We calculate also the cross section for the production of one $\mu^+\mu^-$ pair and several $e^+e^-$ pairs in the leading logarithmic approximation. Using this cross section we find that the inclusive production of $\mu^+\mu^-$ pair coincides in this approximation with its Born value.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figure

Invariant tensors and Casimir operators for simple compact Lie groups

The Casimir operators of a Lie algebra are in one-to-one correspondence with the symmetric invariant tensors of the algebra. There is an infinite family of Casimir operators whose members are expressible in terms of a number of primitive Casimirs equal to the rank of the underlying group. A systematic derivation is presented of a complete set of identities expressing non-primitive symmetric tensors in terms of primitive tensors. Several examples are given including an application to an exceptional Lie algebra.Comment: 11 pages, LaTeX, minor changes, version in J. Math. Phy

Production of QED pairs at small impact parameter in relativistic heavy ion collisions

The STAR collaboration at RHIC is measuring the production of electron-positron pairs at small impact parameters, larger than but already close to the range, where the ions interact strongly with each other. We calculate the total cross section, as well as, differential distributions of the pair production process with the electromagnetic excitation of both ions in a semiclassical approach and within a lowest order QED calculation. We compare the distribution of electron and positron with the one coming from the cross section calculation without restriction on impact parameter. Finally we give an outlook of possible results at the LHC.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figure

Multipair approach to pairing in nuclei

The ground state of a general pairing Hamiltonian for a finite nuclear system is constructed as a product of collective, real, distinct pairs. These are determined sequentially via an iterative variational procedure that resorts to diagonalizations of the Hamiltonian in restricted model spaces. Different applications of the method are provided that include comparisons with exact and projected BCS results. The quantities that are examined are correlation energies, occupation numbers and pair transfer matrix elements. In a first application within the picket-fence model, the method is seen to generate the exact ground state for pairing strengths confined in a given range. Further applications of the method concern pairing in spherically symmetric mean fields and include simple exactly solvable models as well as some realistic calculations for middle-shell Sn isotopes. In the latter applications, two different ways of defining the pairs are examined: either with J=0 or with no well-defined angular momentum. The second choice reveals to be more effective leading, under some circumstances, to solutions that are basically exact.Comment: To appear in Physical Review

A search for double beta decays of tin isotopes with enhanced sensitivity

A search for the various double beta decay modes of 124Sn and 112Sn has been performed on 75 kg.days of data. New half-life limits for excited states in 124Sn have been obtained including a lower limit for the decay into the first excited 2+ state of 124Te of T_half > 0.87e20 yrs (90% CL) and into the first excited 0+ state of T_half > 1.08e20 yrs (90% CL). Ground state and excited state transitions of 112Sn have also been experimentally explored. A limit for the 2 neutrino double electron capture of T_half > 1.8e19 yrs (90% CL) is obtained. The non-observation of de-excitation gammas from the 0+ at 1888.5keV results in a lower half-life limit on the 0 neutrino double electron capture decay of 112Sn of T_half > 0.8e19 yrs (90% CL), despite a possible resonant enhancement of the decay rate due to degenerated states.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures, updated analysis and tex