Precision Probes of a Leptophobic Z' Boson

Extensions of the Standard Model that contain leptophobic Z' gauge bosons are theoretically interesting but difficult to probe directly in high-energy hadron colliders. However, precision measurements of Standard Model neutral current processes can provide powerful indirect tests. We demonstrate that parity-violating deep inelastic scattering of polarized electrons off of deuterium offer a unique probe leptophobic Z' bosons with axial quark couplings and masses above 100 GeV. In addition to covering a wide range of previously uncharted parameter space, planned measurements of the deep inelastic parity-violating eD asymmetry would be capable of testing leptophobic Z' scenarios proposed to explain the CDF W plus di-jet anomaly.Comment: 5 page, 1 figur

HexPak and GradPak: variable-pitch dual-head IFUs for the WIYN 3.5m Telescope Bench Spectrograph

We describe the design, construction, and expected performance of two new fiber integral field units (IFUs) --- HexPak and GradPak --- for the WIYN 3.5m Telescope Nasmyth focus and Bench Spectrograph. These are the first IFUs to provide formatted fiber integral field spectroscopy with simultaneous sampling of varying angular scales. HexPak and GradPak are in a single cable with a dual-head design, permitting easy switching between the two different IFU heads on the telescope without changing the spectrograph feed: the two heads feed a variable-width double-slit. Each IFU head is comprised of a fixed arrangement of fibers with a range of fiber diameters. The layout and diameters of the fibers within each array are scientifically-driven for observations of galaxies: HexPak is designed to observe face-on spiral or spheroidal galaxies while GradPak is optimized for edge-on studies of galaxy disks. HexPak is a hexagonal array of 2.9 arcsec fibers subtending a 40.9 arcsec diameter, with a high-resolution circular core of 0.94 arcsec fibers subtending 6 arcsec diameter. GradPak is a 39 by 55 arcsec rectangular array with rows of fibers of increasing diameter from angular scales of 1.9 arcsec to 5.6 arcsec across the array. The variable pitch of these IFU heads allows for adequate sampling of light profile gradients while maintaining the photon limit at different scales.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, presented at SPIE, Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation, 1 - 6 July 2012, Amsterdam, Netherland

X-ray Orbital Modulations in Intermediate Polars

We present an analysis of 30 archival ASCA and RXTE X-ray observations of 16 intermediate polars to investigate the nature of their orbital modulation. We show that X-ray orbital modulation is widespread amongst these systems, but not ubiquitous as indicated by previous studies that included fewer objects. Only seven of the sixteen systems show a clearly statistically significant modulation depth whose amplitude decreases with increasing X-ray energy. Interpreting this as due to photoelectric absorption in material at the edge of an accretion disc would imply that such modulations are visible for all system inclination angles in excess of 60 degrees. However, it is also apparent that the presence of an X-ray orbital modulation can appear and disappear on a timescale of ~years or months in an individual system. This may be evidence for the presence of a precessing, tilted accretion disc, as inferred in some low mass X-ray binaries.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics. 9 pages of text, plus 5 pages of tables, plus 33 pages of figure

Evaluasi Program Pembelajaran Bahasa Inggris

The aims of this research were to evaluate English learning in context, input, process, product. This research was an evaluation research. The sources of the research were students of English for Children class at English Smart Bandar Jaya. The data was collected through observation, test, and documentation which was analyzed descriptive quantitative. The conclusions in this research were : 1) the of context value of sub component at the pre-condition is fair, the input value of component sub component infrastructure,human resources and curriculum is poor, the result of process component sub component of planning and english learning implementation is fair, and the product component value in the learning result of the students is fair, and 2) the recommendation of this research,the general manager needs to observe and change the curriculum for a better future, then provide laboratory room for listening, the teachers should make a lesson plan based on the syllabus for each competency.Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengevaluasi pembelajaran Bahasa Inggris pada komponen context, input, process, product. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian evaluasi. Sumber penelitian adalah pembelajar kelas English for Children di English Smart Bandar Jaya. Data dikumpulkan dengan observasi, tes dan dokumentasi kemudian dianalisis secara deskriptif kuantitatif. Kesimpulan dalam penelitian ini : 1) nilai context sub komponen kondisi awal lembaga cukup, nilai input sub komponen fasilitas sarana prasarana, tenaga pendidik dan kurikulum cukup, nilai process sub komponen perencanaan dan pelaksanaan pembelajaran bahasa Inggris kurang, dan nilai komponen product pada hasil belajar pembelajar cukup, dan 2) rekomendasi penelitian ini, kepala lembaga perlu meninjau atau mengubah kurikulum lembaga untuk pembaruan ke arah yang lebih baik, disediakan ruang laboratorium untuk menunjang pembelajaran listening, tentor harus membuat lesson plan yang disusun berdasarkan silabus unit kompetensi

Making alternative fuel vehicles work: Storage through absorption on Missouri corn cob

Abstract only availableThe USA's current demand for petroleum leads to many problems (many being global concerns as well): a dependence on foreign nations for our energy, an increase in pollution/global warming, and high gas prices. Each of those is the source of many more problems that will become worse if not addressed: Foreign dependence results in oil-effected politics and economic foreign dependence. Pollution and global warming result in an increase in the destruction of natural habitats due to changing climates, skin damage/cancer due to sun exposure, and natural disasters such as hurricanes and tornadoes that depend on higher temperatures. Along with gas prices increasing, so will the prices of goods and services as the cost of energy to produce them increases. My research with the Alliance for Collaborative Research in Alternative Fuel Technology addresses these issues by overcoming many of the hurdles that make current alternative fuels impractical. We have produced porous activated carbons that store high capacities of methane (natural gas) through physisorption for use in vehicle tanks. In optimizing storage capacity, we have studied production methods that vary the pore size distributions, surface areas, and densities of our carbons. We have found that the optimal pore size for methane is 1.1 nanometers and that it is best to maximize surface area and density. Our current best performers store 115-119 grams of methane per liter of carbon at ambient temperature and 34 bar, compared to the DOE target of 118 g/L. Our research is now expanding to include hydrogen storage.Alliance for Collaborative Research in Alternative Fuel Technolog

Section on Prospects for Dark Matter Detection of the White Paper on the Status and Future of Ground-Based TeV Gamma-Ray Astronomy

This is a report on the findings of the dark matter science working group for the white paper on the status and future of TeV gamma-ray astronomy. The white paper was commissioned by the American Physical Society, and the full white paper can be found on astro-ph (arXiv:0810.0444). This detailed section discusses the prospects for dark matter detection with future gamma-ray experiments, and the complementarity of gamma-ray measurements with other indirect, direct or accelerator-based searches. We conclude that any comprehensive search for dark matter should include gamma-ray observations, both to identify the dark matter particle (through the charac- teristics of the gamma-ray spectrum) and to measure the distribution of dark matter in galactic halos.Comment: Report from the Dark Matter Science Working group of the APS commissioned White paper on ground-based TeV gamma ray astronomy (19 pages, 9 figures

A Search for Dark Matter Annihilation with the Whipple 10m Telescope

We present observations of the dwarf galaxies Draco and Ursa Minor, the local group galaxies M32 and M33, and the globular cluster M15 conducted with the Whipple 10m gamma-ray telescope to search for the gamma-ray signature of self-annihilating weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) which may constitute astrophysical dark matter (DM). We review the motivations for selecting these sources based on their unique astrophysical environments and report the results of the data analysis which produced upper limits on excess rate of gamma rays for each source. We consider models for the DM distribution in each source based on the available observational constraints and discuss possible scenarios for the enhancement of the gamma-ray luminosity. Limits on the thermally averaged product of the total self-annihilation cross section and velocity of the WIMP, , are derived using conservative estimates for the magnitude of the astrophysical contribution to the gamma-ray flux. Although these limits do not constrain predictions from the currently favored theoretical models of supersymmetry (SUSY), future observations with VERITAS will probe a larger region of the WIMP parameter phase space, and WIMP particle mass (m_\chi).Comment: 33 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa

CC Sculptoris: A superhumping intermediate polar

We present high speed optical, spectroscopic and Swift X-ray observations made during the dwarf nova superoutburst of CC Scl in November 2011. An orbital period of 1.383 h and superhump period of 1.443 h were measured, but the principal new finding is that CC Scl is a previously unrecognised intermediate polar, with a white dwarf spin period of 389.49 s which is seen in both optical and Swift X-ray light curves only during the outburst. In this it closely resembles the old nova GK Per, but unlike the latter has one of the shortest orbital periods among intermediate polars.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS; 11 pages, 19 figure