LHC discovery potential for supersymmetry with \sqrt{s}=7 TeV and 5-30 fb^{-1}

We extend our earlier results delineating the supersymmetry (SUSY) reach of the CERN Large Hadron Collider operating at a centre-of-mass energy \sqrt{s}=7 TeV to integrated luminosities in the range 5 - 30 fb^{-1}. Our results are presented within the paradigm minimal supergravity model (mSUGRA or CMSSM). Using a 6-dimensional grid of cuts for the optimization of signal to background ratio -- including missing E_T-- we find for m(gluino) \sim m(squark) an LHC 5\sigma SUSY discovery reach of m(gluino) \sim 1.3,\ 1.4,\ 1.5 and 1.6 TeV for 5, 10, 20 and 30 fb^{-1}, respectively. For m(squark)>> m(gluino), the corresponding reach is instead m(gluino)\sim 0.8,\ 0.9,\ 1.0 and 1.05 TeV, for the same integrated luminosities.Comment: 7 pages with 2 .eps figure. In version 2, a new figure has been added along with associated discussio

On the measurement of a weak classical force coupled to a quantum-mechanical oscillator. I. Issues of principle

The monitoring of a quantum-mechanical harmonic oscillator on which a classical force acts is important in a variety of high-precision experiments, such as the attempt to detect gravitational radiation. This paper reviews the standard techniques for monitoring the oscillator, and introduces a new technique which, in principle, can determine the details of the force with arbitrary accuracy, despite the quantum properties of the oscillator. The standard method for monitoring the oscillator is the "amplitude-and-phase" method (position or momentum transducer with output fed through a narrow-band amplifier). The accuracy obtainable by this method is limited by the uncertainty principle ("standard quantum limit"). To do better requires a measurement of the type which Braginsky has called "quantum nondemolition." A well known quantum nondemolition technique is "quantum counting," which can detect an arbitrarily weak classical force, but which cannot provide good accuracy in determining its precise time dependence. This paper considers extensively a new type of quantum nondemolition measurement—a "back-action-evading" measurement of the real part X_1 (or the imaginary part X_2) of the oscillator's complex amplitude. In principle X_1 can be measured "arbitrarily quickly and arbitrarily accurately," and a sequence of such measurements can lead to an arbitrarily accurate monitoring of the classical force. The authors describe explicit Gedanken experiments which demonstrate that X_1 can be measured arbitrarily quickly and arbitrarily accurately. In these experiments the measuring apparatus must be coupled to both the position (position transducer) and the momentum (momentum transducer) of the oscillator, and both couplings must be modulated sinusoidally. For a given measurement time the strength of the coupling determines the accuracy of the measurement; for arbitrarily strong coupling the measurement can be arbitrarily accurate. The "momentum transducer" is constructed by combining a "velocity transducer" with a "negative capacitor" or "negative spring." The modulated couplings are provided by an external, classical generator, which can be realized as a harmonic oscillator excited in an arbitrarily energetic, coherent state. One can avoid the use of two transducers by making "stroboscopic measurements" of X_1, in which one measures position (or momentum) at half-cycle intervals. Alternatively, one can make "continuous single-transducer" measurements of X_1 by modulating appropriately the output of a single transducer (position or momentum), and then filtering the output to pick out the information about X_1 and reject information about X_2. Continuous single-transducer measurements are useful in the case of weak coupling. In this case long measurement times are required to achieve good accuracy, and continuous single-transducer measurements are almost as good as perfectly coupled two-transducer measurements. Finally, the authors develop a theory of quantum nondemolition measurement for arbitrary systems. This paper (Paper I) concentrates on issues of principle; a sequel (Paper II) will consider issues of practice

Neutrino mass hierarchy and octant determination with atmospheric neutrinos

The recent discovery by the Daya-Bay and RENO experiments, that \theta_{13} is nonzero and relatively large, significantly impacts existing experiments and the planning of future facilities. In many scenarios, the nonzero value of \theta_{13} implies that \theta_{23} is likely to be different from \pi/4. Additionally, large detectors will be sensitive to matter effects on the oscillations of atmospheric neutrinos, making it possible to determine the neutrino mass hierarchy and the octant of \theta_{23}. We show that a 50 kT magnetized liquid argon neutrino detector can ascertain the mass hierarchy with a significance larger than 4 sigma with moderate exposure times, and the octant at the level of 2-3 sigma with greater exposure.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures. Version published in Phys. Rev. Let

Determining the squark mass at the LHC

We propose a new way to determine the squark mass based on the shape of di-jet invariant mass distribution of supersymmetry (SUSY) di-jet events at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Our algorithm, which is based on event kinematics, requires that the branching ratio $B(\tilde{q} \rightarrow q \tilde{z}_1)$ is substantial for at least some types of squarks, and that $m_{\tilde{z}_1}^2/m_{\tilde{q}}^2 \ll 1$. We select di-jet events with no isolated leptons, and impose cuts on the total jet transverse energy, $E_T^{tot}=E_T(j_1)+E_T(j_2)$, on $\alpha = E_T(j_2)/m_{jj}$, and on the azimuthal angle between the two jets to reduce SM backgrounds. The shape of the resulting di-jet mass distribution depends sensitively on the squark mass, especially if the integrated luminosity is sufficient to allow a hard enough cut on $E_T^{tot}$ and yet leave a large enough signal to obtain the $m_{jj}$ distribution. We simulate the signal and Standard Model (SM) backgrounds for 100 fb$^{-1}$ integrated luminosity at 14 TeV requiring $E_T^{tot}> 700$ GeV. We show that it should be possible to extract $m_{\tilde{q}}$ to within about 3% at 95% CL --- similar to the precision obtained using $m_{T2}$ --- from the di-jet mass distribution if $m_{\tilde{q}} \sim 650$ GeV, or to within $\sim 5$% if $m_{\tilde{q}}\sim 1$ TeV.Comment: 20 pages, 9 figures. Footnote added, updated reference

Migrating to Cloud-Native Architectures Using Microservices: An Experience Report

Migration to the cloud has been a popular topic in industry and academia in recent years. Despite many benefits that the cloud presents, such as high availability and scalability, most of the on-premise application architectures are not ready to fully exploit the benefits of this environment, and adapting them to this environment is a non-trivial task. Microservices have appeared recently as novel architectural styles that are native to the cloud. These cloud-native architectures can facilitate migrating on-premise architectures to fully benefit from the cloud environments because non-functional attributes, like scalability, are inherent in this style. The existing approaches on cloud migration does not mostly consider cloud-native architectures as their first-class citizens. As a result, the final product may not meet its primary drivers for migration. In this paper, we intend to report our experience and lessons learned in an ongoing project on migrating a monolithic on-premise software architecture to microservices. We concluded that microservices is not a one-fit-all solution as it introduces new complexities to the system, and many factors, such as distribution complexities, should be considered before adopting this style. However, if adopted in a context that needs high flexibility in terms of scalability and availability, it can deliver its promised benefits

High efficiency GaAs-Ge tandem solar cells grown by MOCVD

High conversion efficiency and low weight are obviously desirable for solar cells intended for space applications. One promising structure is GaAs on Ge. The advantages of using Ge wafers as substrates include the following: they offer high efficiency by forming a two-junction tandem cell; low weight combined with superior strength allows usage of thin (3 mil) wafers; and they are a good substrate for GaAs, being lattice matched, thermal expansion matched, and available as large-area wafers

Truly unentangled photon pairs without spectral filtering

We demonstrate that an integrated silicon microring resonator is capable of efficiently producing photon pairs that are completely unentangled; such pairs are a key component of heralded single photon sources. A dual-channel interferometric coupling scheme can be used to independently tune the quality factors associated with the pump and signal and idler modes, yielding a biphoton wavefunction with Schmidt number arbitrarily close to unity. This will permit the generation of heralded single photon states with unit purity.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Using Intervention Mapping to Develop an Efficacious Multicomponent Systems-Based Intervention to Increase Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination in a Large Urban Pediatric Clinic Network

Background: The CDC recommends HPV vaccine for all adolescents to prevent cervical, anal, oropharyngeal, vaginal, vulvar, and penile cancers, and genital warts. HPV vaccine rates currently fall short of national vaccination goals. Despite evidence-based strategies with demonstrated efficacy to increase HPV vaccination rates, adoption and implementation of these strategies within clinics is lacking. The Adolescent Vaccination Program (AVP) is a multicomponent systems-based intervention designed to implement five evidence-based strategies within primary care pediatric practices. The AVP has demonstrated efficacy in increasing HPV vaccine initiation and completion among adolescents 10-17 years of age. The purpose of this paper is to describe the application of Intervention Mapping (IM) toward the development, implementation, and formative evaluation of the clinic-based AVP prototype. Methods: Intervention Mapping (IM) guided the development of the Adolescent Vaccination Program (AVP). Deliverables comprised: a logic model of the problem (IM Step 1); matrices of behavior change objectives (IM Step 2); a program planning document comprising scope, sequence, theory-based methods, and practical strategies (IM Step 3); functional AVP component prototypes (IM Step 4); and plans for implementation (IM Step 5) and evaluation (IM Step 6). Results: The AVP consists of six evidence-based strategies implemented in a successful sequenced roll-out that (1) established immunization champions in each clinic, (2) disseminated provider assessment and feedback reports with data-informed vaccination goals, (3) provided continued medical and nursing education (with ethics credit) on HPV, HPV vaccination, message bundling, and responding to parent hesitancy, (4) electronic health record cues to providers on patient eligibility, and (5) patient reminders for HPV vaccine initiation and completion. Conclusions: IM provided a logical and systematic approach to developing and evaluating a multicomponent systems-based intervention to increase HPV vaccination rates among adolescents in pediatric clinics

Production Technology and Competitiveness In the Hungarian Manufacturing Industry

Following the big transformations of the 1990s, enterprise structure and technological level seem to have become stabilised in Hungary. Under these circumstances it is especially interesting to identify the elements responsible for competitiveness in general, and the role technology plays in development in particular, according to managers experienced in production and marketing. This empirical study – based on in-depth interviews and field research – summarises characteristics of the technological level in the sectors examined, role of technology and labour in production, effects of foreign direct investment, relations between competition and firm-level factors determining competitiveness, and concludes by summing up those most frequently mentioned proposals that should be incorporated into economic policy according to managers. Main findings indicate that more qualified, more intensive and cheaper labour can be substituted for high technology. The competitiveness of an enterprise is not determined by technology alone, but rather by a combination of technology, the parameters of available labour and the costs of investment increasing productivity. The insufficiency of inter-company relations, together with a shortage of available assets necessary for investment constitute the major threat undermining the competitiveness of enterprises in present-day Hungary

High energy neutrinos from neutralino annihilations in the Sun

Neutralino annihilations in the Sun to weak boson and top quark pairs lead to high-energy neutrinos that can be detected by the IceCube and KM3 experiments in the search for neutralino dark matter. We calculate the neutrino signals from real and virtual WW, ZZ, Zh, and $t \bar t$ production and decays, accounting for the spin-dependences of the matrix elements, which can have important influences on the neutrino energy spectra. We take into account neutrino propagation including neutrino oscillations, matter-resonance, absorption, and nu_tau regeneration effects in the Sun and evaluate the neutrino flux at the Earth. We concentrate on the compelling Focus Point (FP) region of the supergravity model that reproduces the observed dark matter relic density. For the FP region, the lightest neutralino has a large bino-higgsino mixture that leads to a high neutrino flux and the spin-dependent neutralino capture rate in the Sun is enhanced by 10^3 over the spin-independent rate. For the standard estimate of neutralino captures, the muon signal rates in IceCube are identifiable over the atmospheric neutrino background for neutralino masses above M_Z up to 400 GeV.Comment: 45 pages, 18 figures and 5 tables, PRD versio