Comparison of Temperature-Dependent Hadronic Current Correlation Functions Calculated in Lattice Simulations of QCD and with a Chiral Lagrangian Model

The Euclidean-time hadronic current correlation functions, $G_P(\tau, T)$ and $G_V(\tau, T)$, of pseudoscalar and vector currents have recently been calculated in lattice simulations of QCD and have been used to obtain the corresponding spectral functions. We have used the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio (NJL) model to calculate such spectral functions, as well as the Euclidean-time correlators, and have made a comparison to the lattice results for the correlators. We find evidence for the type of temperature dependence of the NJL coupling parameters that we have used in previous studies of the mesonic confinement-deconfinement transition. We also see that the spectral functions obtained when using the maximum-entropy-method (MEM) and the lattice data differ from the spectral functions that we calculate in our chiral model. However, our results for the Euclidean-time correlators are in general agreement with the lattice results, with better agreement when our temperature-dependent coupling parameters are used than when temperature-independent parameters are used for the NJL model. We also discuss some additional evidence for the utility of temperature-dependent coupling parameters for the NJL model. For example, if the constituent quark mass at T=0 is $352 {MeV}$ in the chiral limit, the transition temperature is $T_c=208 {MeV}$ for the NJL model with a standard momentum cutoff parameter. (If a Gaussian momentum cutoff is used, we find $T_c=225 {MeV}$ in the chiral limit, with $m=368 {MeV}$ at T=0.) The introduction of a weak temperature dependence for the coupling constant will move the value of $T_c$ into the range 150-170 MeV, which is more in accord with what is found in lattice simulations of QCD with dynamical quarks

Free-troposphere ozone and carbon monoxide over the North Atlantic for 2001-2011

In situ measurements of carbon monoxide (CO) and ozone (O3) at the Pico Mountain Observatory (PMO) located in the Azores, Portugal, are analyzed together with results from an atmospheric chemical transport model (GEOS-Chem) and satellite remote sensing data (AIRS (Atmospheric Infrared Sounder) for CO, and TES (Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer) for O3) to examine the evolution of free-troposphere CO and O3 over the North Atlantic for 2001-2011. GEOS-Chem captured the seasonal cycles for CO and O3 well but significantly underestimated the mixing ratios of CO, particularly in spring. Statistically significant (using a significance level of 0.05) decreasing trends were found for both CO and O3 based on harmonic regression analysis of the measurement data. The best estimates of the possible trends for CO and O3 measurements are -0.31 ± 0.30 (2-σ) ppbv yr-1 and -0.21 ± 0.11 (2-σ) ppbv yr-1, respectively. Similar decreasing trends for both species were obtained with GEOS-Chem simulation results. The most important factor contributing to the decreases in CO and O3 at PMO over the past decade is the decline in anthropogenic emissions from North America, which more than compensate for the impacts from increasing Asian emissions. It is likely that climate change in the past decade has also affected the intercontinental transport of O3

Measurement of Spin Correlation Parameters ANN_{NN}, ASS_{SS}, and A_SL{SL} at 2.1 GeV in Proton-Proton Elastic Scattering

At the Cooler Synchrotron COSY/J\"ulich spin correlation parameters in elastic proton-proton (pp) scattering have been measured with a 2.11 GeV polarized proton beam and a polarized hydrogen atomic beam target. We report results for A$_{NN}$, A$_{SS}$, and A_${SL}$ for c.m. scattering angles between 30$^o$ and 90$^o$. Our data on A$_{SS}$ -- the first measurement of this observable above 800 MeV -- clearly disagrees with predictions of available of pp scattering phase shift solutions while A$_{NN}$ and A_${SL}$ are reproduced reasonably well. We show that in the direct reconstruction of the scattering amplitudes from the body of available pp elastic scattering data at 2.1 GeV the number of possible solutions is considerably reduced.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Phases of QCD, Thermal Quasiparticles and Dilepton Radiation from a Fireball

We calculate dilepton production rates from a fireball adapted to the kinematical conditions realized in ultrarelativistic heavy ion collisions over a broad range of beam energies. The freeze-out state of the fireball is fixed by hadronic observables. We use this information combined with the initial geometry of the collision region to follow the space-time evolution of the fireball. Assuming entropy conservation, its bulk thermodynamic properties can then be uniquely obtained once the equation of state (EoS) is specified. The high-temperature (QGP) phase is modelled by a non-perturbative quasiparticle model that incorporates a phenomenological confinement description, adapted to lattice QCD results. For the hadronic phase, we interpolate the EoS into the region where a resonance gas approach seems applicable, keeping track of a possible overpopulation of the pion phase space. In this way, the fireball evolution is specified without reference to dilepton data, thus eliminating it as an adjustable parameter in the rate calculations. Dilepton emission in the QGP phase is then calculated within the quasiparticle model. In the hadronic phase, both temperature and finite baryon density effects on the photon spectral function are incorporated. Existing dilepton data from CERES at 158 and 40 AGeV Pb-Au collisions are well described, and a prediction for the PHENIX setup at RHIC for sqrt(s) = 200 AGeV is given.Comment: 31 pages, 15 figures, final versio

On the Quasiparticle Description of Lattice QCD Thermodynamics

We propose a novel quasiparticle interpretation of the equation of state of deconfined QCD at finite temperature. Using appropriate thermal masses, we introduce a phenomenological parametrization of the onset of confinement in the vicinity of the predicted phase transition. Lattice results of the energy density, the pressure and the interaction measure of pure SU(3) gauge theory are excellently reproduced. We find a relationship between the thermal energy density of the Yang-Mills vacuum and the chromomagnetic condensate _T. Finally, an extension to QCD with dynamical quarks is discussed. Good agreement with lattice data for 2, 2+1 and 3 flavour QCD is obtained. We also present the QCD equation of state for realistic quark masses.Comment: 20 pages, 10 eps figure

Thermodynamics of the PNJL model

QCD thermodynamics is investigated by means of the Polyakov-loop-extended Nambu Jona-Lasinio (PNJL) model, in which quarks couple simultaneously to the chiral condensate and to a background temporal gauge field representing Polyakov loop dynamics. The behaviour of the Polyakov loop as a function of temperature is obtained by minimizing the thermodynamic potential of the system. A Taylor series expansion of the pressure is performed. Pressure difference and quark number density are then evaluated up to sixth order in quark chemical potential, and compared to the corresponding lattice data. The validity of the Taylor expansion is discussed within our model, through a comparison between the full results and the truncated ones.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, Talk given at the Workshop for Young Scientists on the Physics of Ultrarelativistic Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions (Hot Quarks 2006), Villasimius, Italy, 15-20 May 200

Right Handed Weak Currents in Sum Rules for Axialvector Constant Renormalization

The recent experimental results on deep inelastic polarized lepton scattering off proton, deuteron and $^{3}$He together with polari% zed neutron $\beta$-decay data are analyzed. It is shown that the problem of Ellis-Jaffe and Bjorken sum rules deficiency and the neutron paradox could be solved simultaneously by assuming the small right handed current (RHC) admixture in the weak interaction Lagrangian. The possible RHC impact on pion-nucleon $\sigma$-term and Gamow-Teller sum rule for $(p,n)$ nuclear reactions is pointed out.Comment: to be published in Phys. Rev. Lett. LaTeX, 8 pages, 21 k

Thermodynamics of two-colour QCD and the Nambu Jona-Lasinio model

We investigate two-flavour and two-colour QCD at finite temperature and chemical potential in comparison with a corresponding Nambu and Jona-Lasinio model. By minimizing the thermodynamic potential of the system, we confirm that a second order phase transition occurs at a value of the chemical potential equal to half the mass of the chiral Goldstone mode. For chemical potentials beyond this value the scalar diquarks undergo Bose condensation and the diquark condensate is nonzero. We evaluate the behaviour of the chiral condensate, the diquark condensate, the baryon charge density and the masses of scalar diquark, antidiquark and pion, as functions of the chemical potential. Very good agreement is found with lattice QCD (N_c=2) results. We also compare with a model based on leading-order chiral effective field theory.Comment: 24 pages, 12 figure

Pion Cloud Contribution to K+ Nucleus Scattering

A careful reanalysis is done of the contribution to $K^{+}$ nucleus scattering from the interaction of the kaon with the virtual pion cloud. The usual approximations made in the evaluation of the related kaon selfenergy are shown to fail badly. We also find new interaction mechanisms which provide appreciable corrections to the kaon selfenergy. Some of these contribute to the imaginary part below pion creation threshold. The inclusion of these new mechanisms in the inelastic part of the optical potential produces a significant improvement in the differential and total $K^{+}$ nuclear cross sections. Uncertainties remain in the dispersive part of the optical potential.Comment: 27 pages, 17 figures (not all of them included, please request them), report UG-DFM-2/9

Kinematical and nonlocality effects on the nonmesonic weak hypernuclear decay

We derive in detail the transition potential for nonmesonic lambda-hypernuclear decay in a one-meson-exchange model involving the full pseudoscalar and vector meson octets and including two effects that have been systematically omitted in the literature. These are the kinematical effects due to the difference between the lambda and nucleon masses and the first-order nonlocality corrections. Numerical results for $^{12}_\Lambda$C and $^5_\Lambda$He are presented and they show that the combined kinematical plus nonlocal corrections have an appreciable influence on the partial decay rates. However, this is somewhat diminished in the main decay observables: the total nonmesonic rate, the neutron-to-proton branching ratio, and the asymmetry parameter. The latter two still cannot be reconciled with the available experimental data. The existing theoretical predictions for the sign of the asymmetry parameter in $^5_\Lambda$He are confirmed.Comment: 36 pages; LaTeX2e; 1 eps figure. Changes: 2 more tables and 14 new references added; effects on asymmetry parameter calculated; discussions expanded; more definite conclusions reache