QCD sum rules for D mesons in dense and hot nuclear matter

Open charm mesons (pseudo-scalar and scalar as well as axial-vector and vector) propagating or resting in nuclear matter display an enhanced sensitivity to the chiral condensate. This offers new prospects to seek for signals of chiral restoration, in particular in p-A and p-bar-A reactions as envisaged in first-round experiments by the CBM and PANDA collaborations at FAIR. Weinberg type sum rules for charming chiral partners are presented, and the distinct in-medium modifications of open-charm mesons are discussed. We also address the gluon condensates near Tc and their impact on QCD sum rules.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures, conference proceeding

Symmetry as a sufficient condition for a finite flex

We show that if the joints of a bar and joint framework $(G,p)$ are positioned as `generically' as possible subject to given symmetry constraints and $(G,p)$ possesses a `fully-symmetric' infinitesimal flex (i.e., the velocity vectors of the infinitesimal flex remain unaltered under all symmetry operations of $(G,p)$), then $(G,p)$ also possesses a finite flex which preserves the symmetry of $(G,p)$ throughout the path. This and other related results are obtained by symmetrizing techniques described by L. Asimov and B. Roth in their paper `The Rigidity Of Graphs' from 1978 and by using the fact that the rigidity matrix of a symmetric framework can be transformed into a block-diagonalized form by means of group representation theory. The finite flexes that can be detected with these symmetry-based methods can in general not be found with the analogous non-symmetric methods.Comment: 26 pages, 10 figure

Specific heat and energy for the three-dimensional O(2) model

We investigate the three-dimensional O(2) model on lattices of size 8^3 to 160^3 close to the critical point at zero magnetic field. We confirm explicitly the value of the critical coupling J_c found by Ballesteros et al. and estimate there the universal values of g_r and xi/L. At the critical point we study the finite size dependencies of the energy density epsilon and the specific heat C. We find that the nonsingular part of the specific heat C_{ns} is linearly dependent on 1/alpha. From the critical behaviour of the specific heat for T not T_c on the largest lattices we determine the universal amplitude ratio A+/A-. The alpha- dependence of this ratio is close to the phenomenological relation A+/A- = 1-4alpha.Comment: Lattice2001(spin), 3 pages, 4 figure

The chiral transition of N_f=2 QCD with fundamental and adjoint fermions

We study QCD with two staggered Dirac fermions both in the fundamental (QCD) and the adjoint representation (aQCD) near the chiral transition. The aim is to find the universality class of the chiral transition and to verify Goldstone effects below the transition. We investigate aQCD, because in that theory the deconfinement and the chiral transitions occur at different temperatures T_d<T_c. Here, we show that the scaling behaviour of the chiral condensate in the vicinity of \beta_c is in full agreeement with that of the 3d O(2) universality class. In the region T_d<T<T_c we confirm the quark mass dependence of the chiral condensate which is expected due to the existence of Goldstone modes like in 3d O(N) spin models. For fundamental QCD we use the p4-action. Here, we find Goldstone effects below T_c like in aQCD and the 3d O(N) spin models, however no O(2)/O(4) scaling near the chiral transition point. The result for QCD may be a consequence of the coincidence of the deconfinement transition with the chiral transition.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, poster contribution to Lattice 2005 (Nonzero temperature and density), one reference added, figure 2 change

Critical behaviour and Scaling functions for the three-dimensional O(6) spin model with external field

We numerically investigate the three-dimensional O(6) model on 12^3 to 120^3 lattices. From Binder's cumulant at vanishing magnetic field we obtain the critical coupling J_c=1.42865(5) and verify this value with the \chi^2-method. The universal value of Binder's cumulant at this point is g_r(J_c)=-1.94456(10). At the critical coupling we find the critical exponents \nu=0.818(5), \beta=0.425(2) and \gamma=1.604(6) from a finite size scaling analysis. We also determine the finite-size-scaling function on the critical line and the equation of state. Our O(6)-result for the equation of state is compared to the Ising, O(2) and O(4) results.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, To appear in the proceedings of Workshop on Strong and Electroweak Matter (SEWM 2002), Heidelberg, Germany, 2-5 Oct 200

Ionization by bulk heating of electrons in capacitive radio frequency atmospheric pressure microplasmas

Electron heating and ionization dynamics in capacitively coupled radio frequency (RF) atmospheric pressure microplasmas operated in helium are investigated by Particle in Cell simulations and semi-analytical modeling. A strong heating of electrons and ionization in the plasma bulk due to high bulk electric fields are observed at distinct times within the RF period. Based on the model the electric field is identified to be a drift field caused by a low electrical conductivity due to the high electron-neutral collision frequency at atmospheric pressure. Thus, the ionization is mainly caused by ohmic heating in this "Omega-mode". The phase of strongest bulk electric field and ionization is affected by the driving voltage amplitude. At high amplitudes, the plasma density is high, so that the sheath impedance is comparable to the bulk resistance. Thus, voltage and current are about 45{\deg} out of phase and maximum ionization is observed during sheath expansion with local maxima at the sheath edges. At low driving voltages, the plasma density is low and the discharge becomes more resistive resulting in a smaller phase shift of about 4{\deg}. Thus, maximum ionization occurs later within the RF period with a maximum in the discharge center. Significant analogies to electronegative low pressure macroscopic discharges operated in the Drift-Ambipolar mode are found, where similar mechanisms induced by a high electronegativity instead of a high collision frequency have been identified

Comparison of finite-size-scaling functions for 3d O(N) spin models to QCD

We calculate numerically universal finite-size-scaling functions of the magnetization for the three-dimensional O(4) and O(2) spin models. The approach of these functions to the infinite-volume scaling functions is studied in detail on the critical and pseudocritical lines. For this purpose we determine the pseudocritical line in two different ways. We find that the asymptotic form of the finite-size-scaling functions is already reached at small values of the scaling variable. A comparison with QCD lattice data for two flavours of staggered fermions shows a similar finite-size behaviour which is compatible with that of the spin models.Comment: Lattice2001(hightemp), 3 pages, 5 figures, acknowledgements completed, minor typographical errors correcte

Hyperon-Quark Mixed Phase in Compact Stars

We investigate the properties of the hadron-quark mixed phase in compact stars using a Brueckner-Hartree-Fock framework for hadronic matter and the MIT bag model for quark matter. We find that the equation of state of the mixed phase is similar to that given by the Maxwell construction. The composition of the mixed phase, however, is very different from that of the Maxwell construction; in particular, hyperons are completely suppressed.Comment: oral presentation at INPC 2007, Toky

Pion scattering poles and chiral symmetry restoration

Using unitarized Chiral Perturbation Theory methods, we perform a detailed analysis of the $\pi\pi$ scattering poles $f_0(600)$ and $\rho(770)$ behaviour when medium effects such as temperature or density drive the system towards Chiral Symmetry Restoration. In the analysis of real poles below threshold, we show that it is crucial to extend properly the unitarized amplitudes so that they match the perturbative Adler zeros. Our results do not show threshold enhancement effects at finite temperature in the $f_0(600)$ channel, which remains as a pole of broad nature. We also implement T=0 finite density effects related to chiral symmetry restoration, by varying the pole position with the pion decay constant. Although this approach takes into account only a limited class of contributions, we reproduce the expected finite density restoration behaviour, which drives the poles towards the real axis, producing threshold enhancement and $\pi\pi$ bound states. We compare our results with several model approaches and discuss the experimental consequences, both in Relativistic Heavy Ion Collisions and in $\pi\to \pi\pi$ and $\gamma\to \pi\pi$ reactions in nuclei.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figures, final version to appear in Phys.Rev.D, added comments and reference