The XYZs of Charmonium at BES

This contribution reviews some recent developments in charmonium spectroscopy, and discusses related theoretical predictions. The spectrum of states, strong decays of states above open charm threshold, electromagnetic transitions, and issues related to the recent discoveries of the "XYZ" states are discussed. Contributions that BES can make to our understanding of charmonium and related states are stressed in particular.Comment: 5 pages, 1 eps figure. Invited contribution to the International Workshop on Tau-Charm Physics Charm2006 (5-7 June 2006, Beijing, China

Heat Capacity Mapping Radiometer (HCMR) data processing algorithm, calibration, and flight performance evaluation

The rationale and procedures used in the radiometric calibration and correction of Heat Capacity Mapping Mission (HCMM) data are presented. Instrument-level testing and calibration of the Heat Capacity Mapping Radiometer (HCMR) were performed by the sensor contractor ITT Aerospace/Optical Division. The principal results are included. From the instrumental characteristics and calibration data obtained during ITT acceptance tests, an algorithm for post-launch processing was developed. Integrated spacecraft-level sensor calibration was performed at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) approximately two months before launch. This calibration provided an opportunity to validate the data calibration algorithm. Instrumental parameters and results of the validation are presented and the performances of the instrument and the data system after launch are examined with respect to the radiometric results. Anomalies and their consequences are discussed. Flight data indicates a loss in sensor sensitivity with time. The loss was shown to be recoverable by an outgassing procedure performed approximately 65 days after the infrared channel was turned on. It is planned to repeat this procedure periodically

Optimisation of confinement in a fusion reactor using a nonlinear turbulence model

The confinement of heat in the core of a magnetic fusion reactor is optimised using a multidimensional optimisation algorithm. For the first time in such a study, the loss of heat due to turbulence is modelled at every stage using first-principles nonlinear simulations which accurately capture the turbulent cascade and large-scale zonal flows. The simulations utilise a novel approach, with gyrofluid treatment of the small-scale drift waves and gyrokinetic treatment of the large-scale zonal flows. A simple near-circular equilibrium with standard parameters is chosen as the initial condition. The figure of merit, fusion power per unit volume, is calculated, and then two control parameters, the elongation and triangularity of the outer flux surface, are varied, with the algorithm seeking to optimise the chosen figure of merit. A two-fold increase in the plasma power per unit volume is achieved by moving to higher elongation and strongly negative triangularity.Comment: 32 pages, 8 figures, accepted to JP

On a q-analogue of the multiple gamma functions

A $q$-analogue of the multiple gamma functions is introduced, and is shown to satisfy the generalized Bohr-Morellup theorem. Furthermore we give some expressions of these function.Comment: 8 pages, AMS-Late

Distances to six Cepheids in the LMC cluster NGC1866 from the near-IR surface-brightness method

We derive individual distances to six Cepheids in the young populous star cluster NGC1866 in the Large Magellanic Cloud employing the near-IR surface brightness technique. With six stars available at the exact same distance we can directly measure the intrinsic uncertainty of the method. We find a standard deviation of 0.11 mag, two to three times larger than the error estimates and more in line with the estimates from Bayesian statistical analysis by Barnes et al. (2005). Using all six distance estimates we determine an unweighted mean cluster distance of 18.30+-0.05. The observations indicate that NGC1866 is close to be at the same distance as the main body of the LMC. If we use the stronger dependence of the p-factor on the period as suggested by Gieren et al. (2005) we find a distance of 18.50+-0.05 (internal error) and the PL relations for Galactic and MC Cepheids are in very good agreement.Comment: Presented at the conference "Stellar Pulsation and Evolution" in Monte Porzio Catone, June 2005. To appear in Mem. Soc. Ast. It. 76/