RECAST: Extending the Impact of Existing Analyses

Searches for new physics by experimental collaborations represent a significant investment in time and resources. Often these searches are sensitive to a broader class of models than they were originally designed to test. We aim to extend the impact of existing searches through a technique we call 'recasting'. After considering several examples, which illustrate the issues and subtleties involved, we present RECAST, a framework designed to facilitate the usage of this technique.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figure

The case for preserving our knowledge and data in physics experiments

This proceeding covers tools and technologies at our disposal for scientific data preservation and shows that this extends the scientific reach of our experiments. It is cost-efficient to warehouse data from completed experiments on the tape archives of our national and international laboratories. These subject-specific data stores also offer the technologies to capture and archive knowledge about experiments in the form of technical notes, electronic logs, websites, etc. Furthermore, it is possible to archive our source code and computing environments. The paper illustrates these challenges with experience from preserving the LEP data for the long term.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figur

Fragmentation fractions of c and b quarks into charmed hadrons at LEP

The fragmentation fractions of c and b quarks into the weakly decaying charmed hadrons D0, D+, D_s+ and Lambda_c+, and into the charmed vector meson D*+ have been derived from the LEP measurements and averaged. The c quark fragmentation fractions represent probabilities to hadronise as a given charmed hadron, while the b quark fragmentation fractions are defined as sums of probabilities to hadronise as a particular charmed hadron or its antiparticle.Comment: 4 pages, 6 tables, accepted by EPJ

Bose-Einstein correlations in e+e- annihilation and e+e- ==> W+W-

Results on Bose-Einstein correlations in e+e- ==> hadrons are reviewed.Comment: Talk given at Fourth Workshop on Particle Correlations and Femtoscopy, Kromeriz, Czech Republic, August 15-17, 2005. A shortened version will appear in the proceeding

alpha_s From the Lattice and Hadronic Tau Decays

Until recently, determinations of alpha_s(M_Z) from hadronic tau decays and the analysis of short-distance-sensitive lattice observables yielded results which, though precise, were not in good agreement. I review new analyses that bring these into good agreement and provide some details on the source of the main changes in the tau decay analysis.Comment: 4 pages, prepared for the proceedings of CIPANP 09, San Diego, USA, March 26-31, 200

Low Energy Tests of the Standard Model with Spin Degrees of Freedom

After briefly reviewing the status of the standard model, I will focus mainly on polarized electron scattering and other tests of the weak neutral current. I will also address other low energy tests in which polarization degrees of freedom play a crucial role, including precision muon physics and searches for electric dipole moments.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures; plenary talk presented at the 17th International Spin Physics Symposium (SPIN 2006), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan, Oct. 2-7, 2006; 1 reference adde