Positive Lyapunov Exponents for Quasiperiodic Szego cocycles

In this paper we first obtain a formula of averaged Lyapunov exponents for ergodic Szego cocycles via the Herman-Avila-Bochi formula. Then using acceleration, we construct a class of analytic quasi-periodic Szego cocycles with uniformly positive Lyapunov exponents. Finally, a simple application of the main theorem in [Y] allows us to estimate the Lebesgue measure of support of the measure associated to certain class of C1 quasiperiodic 2- sided Verblunsky coefficients. Using the same method, we also recover the [S-S] results for Schrodinger cocycles with nonconstant real analytic potentials and obtain some nonuniform hyperbolicity results for arbitrarily fixed Brjuno frequency and for certain C1 potentials.Comment: 27 papge

\phi K^{+}K^{-} production in electron-positron annihilation

In this work we study the e^{+}e^{-}\to\phi K^{+}K^{-} reaction. The leading order electromagnetic contributions to this process involve the \gamma*\phi\ K^{+}K^{-} vertex function with a highly virtual photon. We calculate this function at low energies using R\chi PT supplemented with the anomalous term for the VV'P interactions. Tree level contributions involve the kaon form factors and the K*K transition form factors. We improve this result, valid for low photon virtualities, replacing the lowest order terms in the kaon form factors and K*K transition form factors by the form factors as obtained in U\chi PT in the former case and the ones extracted from recent data on e^{+}e^{-}\to KK* in the latter case. We calculate rescattering effects which involve meson-meson amplitudes. The corresponding result is improved using the unitarized meson-meson amplitudes containing the scalar poles instead of the lowest order terms. Using the BABAR value for BR(X\to \phi f_{0})\Gamma (X\to e^{+} e^{-}), we calculate the contribution from intermediate X(2175). A good description of data is obtained in the case of destructive interference between this contribution and the previous ones, but more accurate data on the isovector K*K transition form factor is required in order to exclude contributions from an intermediate isovector resonance to e^{+}e^{-}\to \phi\ K^{+}K^{-} around 2.2 GeV.Comment: 21 pages, 17 figures. Revised version to appear in Phys. Rev. D. Contributions of intermediate X(2175) included. Extraction of form factors update

Optical turbulence vertical distribution with standard and high resolution at Mt. Graham

A characterization of the optical turbulence vertical distribution (Cn2 profiles) and all the main integrated astroclimatic parameters derived from the Cn2 and the wind speed profiles above the site of the Large Binocular Telescope (Mt. Graham, Arizona, US) is presented. The statistic includes measurements related to 43 nights done with a Generalized Scidar (GS) used in standard configuration with a vertical resolution Delta(H)~1 km on the whole 20 km and with the new technique (HVR-GS) in the first kilometer. The latter achieves a resolution Delta(H)~20-30 m in this region of the atmosphere. Measurements done in different periods of the year permit us to provide a seasonal variation analysis of the Cn2. A discretized distribution of Cn2 useful for the Ground Layer Adaptive Optics (GLAO) simulations is provided and a specific analysis for the LBT Laser Guide Star system ARGOS (running in GLAO configuration) case is done including the calculation of the 'gray zones' for J, H and K bands. Mt. Graham confirms to be an excellent site with median values of the seeing without dome contribution epsilon = 0.72", the isoplanatic angle theta0 = 2.5" and the wavefront coherence time tau0= 4.8 msec. We find that the optical turbulence vertical distribution decreases in a much sharper way than what has been believed so far in proximity of the ground above astronomical sites. We find that 50% of the whole turbulence develops in the first 80+/-15 m from the ground. We finally prove that the error in the normalization of the scintillation that has been recently put in evidence in the principle of the GS technique, affects these measurements with an absolutely negligible quantity (0.04").Comment: 11 figures. MNRAS, accepte

Looking Beyond AFTA: Prospects and Challenges for Inter-regional Trade

The world-trading environment has witnessed the proliferation of regional trading arrangements during the last decade. This development has been accompanied by the perceived threat this may bring to the rules-based multilateral trading system. The Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN), for its part, has not only reaffirmed its commitment to move forward beyond the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and toward a higher level of economic integration, but is also looking at enhanced interaction and closer linkages with other regional groupings. This paper examines the prospects and challenges for expanding AFTA for inter-regional trade by first identifying the elements and principles that should govern such an expansion for it to contribute toward global liberalization. Areas for inter-regional linkages are also identified, highlighting the issues and conflicts that may arise considering the differing objectives and scope that AFTA has with the other trade blocs with which it may want to develop an inter-regional linkage. Some probable arrangements for linking/expanding AFTA with other groupings or non-ASEAN countries are then explored, particularly those involving the Australia-New Zealand Closer Economic Relation (CER), the East Asian Countries and the Andean Community.trade liberalization, trade reforms, trade sector, liberalization, ASEAN, trade policies, Andean Community

Looking Beyond AFTA: Prospects and Challenges for Inter-regional Trade

The world-trading environment has witnessed the proliferation of regional trading arrangements during the last decade. This development has been accompanied by the perceived threat this may bring to the rules-based multilateral trading system. The Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN), for its part, has not only reaffirmed its commitment to move forward beyond the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and toward a higher level of economic integration, but is also looking at enhanced interaction and closer linkages with other regional groupings. This paper examines the prospects and challenges for expanding AFTA for inter-regional trade by first identifying the elements and principles that should govern such an expansion for it to contribute toward global liberalization. Areas for inter-regional linkages are also identified, highlighting the issues and conflicts that may arise considering the differing objectives and scope that AFTA has with the other trade blocs with which it may want to develop an inter-regional linkage. Some probable arrangements for linking/expanding AFTA with other groupings or non-ASEAN countries are then explored, particularly those involving the Australia-New Zealand Closer Economic Relation (CER), the East Asian Countries and the Andean Community.trade liberalization, trade reforms, trade sector, liberalization, ASEAN, trade policies, Andean Community

Star formation history in the solar neighborhood: the link between stars and cosmology

Using a cosmological galactic evolutionary approach to model the Milky Way, we calculate the star formation history (SFH) of the solar neighborhood. The good agreement we obtain with the observational inferences suggests that our physical model describes accurately the long term/large spatial trends of the local and global Milky Way SFH. In this model, star formation is triggered by disk gravitational instabilities and self-regulated by an energy balance in the ISM. The drivers of the SFH are the cosmological gas infall rate and the gas surface density determined by the primordial spin parameter. A LambdaCDM cosmology was used throughout.Comment: 8 pages, uses kluwer.cls. Invited talk, to appear in "New Quests in Stellar Astrophysics: The link between Stars and Cosmology", eds. M. Chavez, A. Bressan, A. Buzzoni & D. Mayya, Kluwer Academic Publisher

High-Energy Proton-Proton Forward Scattering and Derivative Analyticity Relations

We present the results of several parametrizations to two different ensemble of data on $pp$ total cross sections $\sigma_{tot}^{pp}$ at the highest center-of-mass energies (including cosmic-ray information). The results are statistically consistent with two distinct scenarios at high energies. From one ensemble the prediction for the LHC ($\sqrt s = 14$ TeV) is $\sigma_{tot}^{pp} = 113 \pm 5$ mb and from the other, $\sigma_{tot}^{pp}=140 \pm 7$ mb. From each parametrization, and making use of derivative analyticity relations (DAR), we determine $\rho(s)$ (ratio between the forward real and imaginary parts of the elastic scattering amplitude). A discussion on the optimization of the DAR in terms of a free parameter is also presented.In all cases good descriptions of the experimental data are obtained.Comment: One formula added, one unit changed, small misprints corrected, final version to be published in Brazilian Journal of Physics; 13 pages, 8 figures, aps-revte