Heavy-quark parton distribution functions and their uncertainties

We investigate the uncertainties of the heavy-quark parton distribution functions in the variable flavor number scheme. Because the charm- and bottom-quark parton distribution functions (PDFs) are constructed predominantly from the gluon PDF, it is a common practice to assume that the heavy-quark and gluon uncertainties are the same. We show that this approximation is a reasonable first guess, but it is better for bottom quarks than charm quarks. We calculate the PDF uncertainty for t-channel single-top-quark production using the Hessian matrix method, and predict a cross section of 2.12+0.32-0.29 pb at run II of the Tevatron

Understanding single-top-quark production and jets at hadron colliders

I present an analysis of fully differential single-top-quark production plus jets at next-to-leading order. I describe the effects of jet definitions, top-quark mass, and higher orders on the shapes and normalizations of the kinematic distributions, and quantify all theoretical uncertainties. I explain how to interpret next-to-leading-order jet calculations, and compare them to showering event generators. Using the program ZTOP, I show that HERWIG and PYTHIA significantly underestimate both s-channel and t-channel single-top-quark production, and propose a scheme to match the relevant samples to the next-to-leading-order predictions.Comment: 40 pgs., revtex4, 35 ps figs; added Fig. 4, 1 Ref., minor clarifications, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Constraints on UED from W' searches

We obtain contraints on three Universal Extra Dimensional models utilizing limits from the CMS Collaboration on W' production and decay into a single-top-quark final state. We find a weak constraint on the Minimal Universal Extra Dimensions model due to small Kaluza-Klein number violating terms. In contrast, the W' search puts a strong limit on the size of the Dirac mass term of the quarks in Split Universal Extra Dimension models. In Non-minimal Universal Extra Dimension models the W' search constrains the splitting between the boundary localized kinetic terms of the gauge bosons and the quarks. Each of these bounds can be translated into constraints on the mass splitting between the Kaluza-Klein excitations of the SU(2) charged quarks and the Klauza-Klein excitations of the W boson.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures; Updated Draft and Figure

Fully differential QCD corrections to single top quark final states

A new next-to-leading order Monte Carlo program for calculation of fully differential single top quark final states is described and first results presented. Both the s- and t-channel contributions are included.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figures, talk presented at DPF2000, August 9-12, 2000. To appear in International Journal of Modern Physics

Population of 13Be in a Nucleon Exchange Reaction

The neutron-unbound nucleus 13Be was populated with a nucleon-exchange reaction from a 71 MeV/u secondary 13B beam. The decay energy spectrum was reconstructed using invariant mass spectroscopy based on 12Be fragments in coincidence with neutrons. The data could be described with an s-wave resonance at E = 0.73(9) MeV with a width of Gamma = 1.98(34) MeV and a d-wave resonance at E = 2.56(13) MeV with a width of Gamma = 2.29(73) MeV. The observed spectral shape is consistent with previous one-proton removal reaction measurements from 14B.Comment: Published in Phys. Rev.

Heterogeneous ice nucleation properties of natural desert dust particles coated with a surrogate of secondary organic aerosol

Ice nucleation abilities of surface collected mineral dust particles from the Sahara (SD) and Asia (AD) are investigated for the temperature (T) range 253–233&thinsp;K and for supersaturated relative humidity (RH) conditions in the immersion freezing regime. The dust particles were also coated with a proxy of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) from the dark ozonolysis of α-pinene to better understand the influence of atmospheric coatings on the immersion freezing ability of mineral dust particles. The measurements are conducted on polydisperse particles in the size range 0.01–3&thinsp;µm with three different ice nucleation chambers. Two of the chambers follow the continuous flow diffusion chamber (CFDC) principle (Portable Ice Nucleation Chamber, PINC) and the Colorado State University CFDC (CSU-CFDC), whereas the third was the Aerosol Interactions and Dynamics in the Atmosphere (AIDA) cloud expansion chamber. From observed activated fractions (AFs) and ice nucleation active site (INAS) densities, it is concluded within experimental uncertainties that there is no significant difference between the ice nucleation ability of the particular SD and AD samples examined. A small bias towards higher INAS densities for uncoated versus SOA-coated dusts is found but this is well within the 1σ (66&thinsp;% prediction bands) region of the average fit to the data, which captures 75&thinsp;% of the INAS densities observed in this study. Furthermore, no systematic differences are observed between SOA-coated and uncoated dusts in both SD and AD cases, regardless of coating thickness (3–60&thinsp;nm). The results suggest that any differences observed are within the uncertainty of the measurements or differences in cloud chamber parameters such as size fraction of particles sampled, and residence time, as well as assumptions in using INAS densities to compare polydisperse aerosol measurements which may show variable composition with particle size. Coatings with similar properties to that of the SOA in this work and with coating thickness up to 60&thinsp;nm are not expected to impede or enhance the immersion mode ice nucleation ability of mineral dust particles.</p