O'Mega: An Optimizing Matrix Element Generator

We sketch the architecture of O'Mega, a new optimizing compiler for tree amplitudes in quantum field theory, and briefly describe its usage. O'Mega generates the most efficient code currently available for scattering amplitudes for many polarized particles in the Standard Model and its extensions.Comment: 29 pages, LaTe

An Exceptional SSM from E6 Orbifold GUTs with intermediate LR symmetry

We propose a class of E6-based local orbifold Grand Unified Theories (GUTs) which yield an exceptional supersymmetric standard model as their low energy theory including leptoquark and unhiggs exotics and a Z' at the TeV scale. Unification is achieved in two steps through an intermediate scale symmetry breaking.Comment: Minor typos corrected, and extended conclusions a bi

The NMSSM implementation in WHIZARD

The Next-To-Minimal-Supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model (NMSSM) has been in the focus of extensive studies in the past two decades. In anticipation of the LHC era, the interest in automatized tools that can calculate collider signatures has grown. We present the implementation of the NMSSM into the event generator WHIZARD. In addition to a brief review of the implementation, we discuss the testing and validation procedure. Phenomenological studies will not be presented here.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, to appear in the proceedings of SUSY 09, Northeastern University, Bosto

Resonances and Unitarity in Weak Boson Scattering at the LHC

A crucial test of the Standard Model is the measurement of electroweak gauge-boson scattering. In this paper, we describe a generic parameterization aimed at a realistic simulation of weak-boson scattering at the LHC. The parameterization implements resonances of all possible spin and isospin combinations, properly matched to the low-energy effective (chiral) Lagrangian, includes leading higher-order effects and contains a minimal unitarization scheme. We implement the parameterization in the Monte-Carlo event generator WHIZARD and present results for complete partonic cross-section integration and event generation. We provide a comparison with the effective W approximation that previously has been used for most WW scattering studies at hadron colliders.Comment: 49 pages, 15 figure

Real-time Graph Building on FPGAs for Machine Learning Trigger Applications in Particle Physics

We present a design methodology that enables the semi-automatic generation of a hardware-accelerated graph building architectures for locally constrained graphs based on formally described detector definitions. In addition, we define a similarity measure in order to compare our locally constrained graph building approaches with commonly used k-nearest neighbour building approaches. To demonstrate the feasibility of our solution for particle physics applications, we implemented a real-time graph building approach in a case study for the Belle~II central drift chamber using Field-Programmable Gate Arrays~(FPGAs). Our presented solution adheres to all throughput and latency constraints currently present in the hardware-based trigger of the Belle~II experiment. We achieve constant time complexity at the expense of linear space complexity and thus prove that our automated methodology generates online graph building designs suitable for a wide range of particle physics applications. By enabling an hardware-accelerated pre-processing of graphs, we enable the deployment of novel Graph Neural Networks~(GNNs) in first level triggers of particle physics experiments.Comment: 18 page

Physics Case for the International Linear Collider

We summarize the physics case for the International Linear Collider (ILC). We review the key motivations for the ILC presented in the literature, updating the projected measurement uncertainties for the ILC experiments in accord with the expected schedule of operation of the accelerator and the results of the most recent simulation studies.Comment: 37 pages, 12 figures, 2 tables; v2 - updates of reference

The response of the maize nitrate transport system to nitrogen demand and supply across the lifecycle

The definitive version is available at www.newphytologist.comAn understanding of nitrate (NO3-) uptake throughout the lifecycle of plants, and how this process responds to nitrogen (N) availability, is an important step towards the development of plants with improved nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). NO3- uptake capacity and transcript levels of putative high- and low-affinity NO3- transporters (NRTs) were profiled across the lifecycle of dwarf maize (Zea mays) plants grown at reduced and adequate NO3-. Plants showed major changes in high-affinity NO3- uptake capacity across the lifecycle, which varied with changing relative growth rates of roots and shoots. Transcript abundances of putative high-affinity NRTs (predominantly ZmNRT2.1 and ZmNRT2.2) were correlated with two distinct peaks in high-affinity root NO3- uptake capacity and also N availability. The reduction in NO3- supply during the lifecycle led to a dramatic increase in NO3- uptake capacity, which preceded changes in transcript levels of NRTs, suggesting a model with short-term post-translational regulation and longer term transcriptional regulation of NO3- uptake capacity. These observations offer new insight into the control of NO3- uptake by both plant developmental processes and N availability, and identify key control points that may be targeted by future plant improvement programmes to enhance N uptake relative to availability and/or demand.Trevor Garnett, Vanessa Conn, Darren Plett, Simon Conn, Juergen Zanghellini, Nenah Mackenzie, Akiko Enju, Karen Francis, Luke Holtham, Ute Roessner, Berin Boughton, Antony Bacic, Neil Shirley, Antoni Rafalski, Kanwarpal Dhugga, Mark Tester, and Brent N. Kaise