Are direct photons a clean signal of a thermalized quark gluon plasma?

Direct photon production from a quark gluon plasma (QGP) in thermal equilibrium is studied directly in real time. In contrast to the usual S-matrix calculations, the real time approach is valid for a QGP that formed and reached LTE a short time after a collision and of finite lifetime ($\sim 10-20 \mathrm{fm}/c$ as expected at RHIC or LHC). We point out that during such finite QGP lifetime the spectrum of emitted photons carries information on the initial state. There is an inherent ambiguity in separating the virtual from the observable photons during the transient evolution of the QGP. We propose a real time formulation to extract the photon yield which includes the initial stage of formation of the QGP parametrized by an effective time scale of formation $\Gamma^{-1}$. This formulation coincides with the S-matrix approach in the infinite lifetime limit. It allows to separate the virtual cloud as well as the observable photons emitted during the pre- equilibrium stage from the yield during the QGP lifetime. We find that the lowest order contribution $\mathcal{O}(\alpha_{em})$ which does \emph{not} contribute to the S-matrix approach, is of the same order of or larger than the S-matrix contribution during the lifetime of the QGP for a typical formation time $\sim 1 \mathrm{fm}/c$. The yield for momenta $\gtrsim 3 \mathrm{Gev}/c$ features a power law fall-off $\sim T^3 \Gamma^2/k^{5}$ and is larger than that obtained with the S-matrix for momenta $\geq 4 \mathrm{Gev}/c$. We provide a comprehensive numerical comparison between the real time and S-matrix yields and study the dynamics of the build-up of the photon cloud and the different contributions to the radiative energy loss. The reliability of the current estimates on photon emission is discussed.Comment: 31 pages, 12 eps figures, version to appear in PR

Photon interferometry and size of the hot zone in relativistic heavy ion collisions

The parameters obtained from the theoretical analysis of the single photon spectra observed by the WA98 collaboration at SPS energies have been used to evaluate the two photon correlation functions. The single photon spectra and the two photon correlations at RHIC energies have also been evaluated, taking into account the effects of the possible spectral change of hadrons in a thermal bath. We find that the ratio $R_{side}/R_{out} \sim 1$ for SPS and $R_{side}/R_{out} <1$ for RHIC energy.Comment: text changed, figures adde

Unzipping Dynamics of Long DNAs

The two strands of the DNA double helix can be `unzipped' by application of 15 pN force. We analyze the dynamics of unzipping and rezipping, for the case where the molecule ends are separated and re-approached at constant velocity. For unzipping of 50 kilobase DNAs at less than about 1000 bases per second, thermal equilibrium-based theory applies. However, for higher unzipping velocities, rotational viscous drag creates a buildup of elastic torque to levels above kBT in the dsDNA region, causing the unzipping force to be well above or well below the equilibrium unzipping force during respectively unzipping and rezipping, in accord with recent experimental results of Thomen et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 88, 248102 (2002)]. Our analysis includes the effect of sequence on unzipping and rezipping, and the transient delay in buildup of the unzipping force due to the approach to the steady state.Comment: 15 pages Revtex file including 9 figure

Lightest-neutralino decays in R_p-violating models with dominant lambda^{prime} and lambda couplings

Decays of the lightest neutralino are studied in R_p-violating models with operators lambda^{prime} L Q D^c and lambda L L E^c involving third-generation matter fields and with dominant lambda^{prime} and lambda couplings. Generalizations to decays of the lightest neutralino induced by subdominant lambda^{prime} and lambda couplings are straightforward. Decays with the top-quark among the particles produced are considered, in addition to those with an almost massless final state. Phenomenological analyses for examples of both classes of decays are presented. No specific assumption on the composition of the lightest neutralino is made, and the formulae listed here can be easily generalized to study decays of heavier neutralinos. It has been recently pointed out that, for a sizable coupling lambda^{prime}_{333}, tau-sleptons may be copiously produced at the LHC as single supersymmetric particles, in association with top- and bottom-quark pairs. This analysis of neutralino decays is, therefore, a first step towards the reconstruction of the complete final state produced in this case.Comment: 40 pages, 11 figures, version to appear in JHE

Development of soil and terrain digital database for major food-growing regions of India for resource planning

Soil information system in SOTER (soil and terrain digital database) framework is developed for the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) and black soil regions (BSR) of India with the help of information from 842 georeferenced soil profiles including morphological, physical and chemical properties of soils in addition to the site characteristics and climatic information. The database has information from 82 climatic stations that can be linked with the other datasets. The information from this organized database can be easily retrieved for use and is compatible with the global database. The database can be updated with recent and relevant data as and when they are available. The database has many applications such as inputs for refinement of agro-ecological regions and sub-regions, studies on carbon sequestration, land evaluation and land (crop) planning, soil erosion, soil quality, carbon and crop modelling and other climate change related research. This warehouse of information in a structured framework can be used as a data bank for posterity

The exposure of the hybrid detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory

The Pierre Auger Observatory is a detector for ultra-high energy cosmic rays. It consists of a surface array to measure secondary particles at ground level and a fluorescence detector to measure the development of air showers in the atmosphere above the array. The "hybrid" detection mode combines the information from the two subsystems. We describe the determination of the hybrid exposure for events observed by the fluorescence telescopes in coincidence with at least one water-Cherenkov detector of the surface array. A detailed knowledge of the time dependence of the detection operations is crucial for an accurate evaluation of the exposure. We discuss the relevance of monitoring data collected during operations, such as the status of the fluorescence detector, background light and atmospheric conditions, that are used in both simulation and reconstruction.Comment: Paper accepted by Astroparticle Physic

Propagation of Magnetic Fields from Electrical Domestic Appliances

The article presents a research into propagation of magnetic fields from electrical domestic devices. A safe distance at which magnetic induction does not exceed the background level is determined for each type of devices. It is proved that there are two stages of increasing magnetic induction as the distance from the source increases. At the first stage magnetic induction rises and electromagnetic field is formed. At the second stage exponential decrease of magnetic field induction takes place. Mathematical regularities of propagation of magnetic field from electrical domestic devices are experimentally educed

Search for direct production of charginos and neutralinos in events with three leptons and missing transverse momentum in √s = 7 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for the direct production of charginos and neutralinos in final states with three electrons or muons and missing transverse momentum is presented. The analysis is based on 4.7 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data delivered by the Large Hadron Collider and recorded with the ATLAS detector. Observations are consistent with Standard Model expectations in three signal regions that are either depleted or enriched in Z-boson decays. Upper limits at 95% confidence level are set in R-parity conserving phenomenological minimal supersymmetric models and in simplified models, significantly extending previous results