On the ab initio calculation of CVV Auger spectra in closed-shell systems

We propose an ab initio method to evaluate the core-valence-valence (CVV) Auger spectrum of systems with filled valence bands. The method is based on the Cini-Sawatzky theory, and aims at estimating the parameters by first-principles calculations in the framework of density-functional theory (DFT). Photoemission energies and the interaction energy for the two holes in the final state are evaluated by performing DFT simulations for the system with varied population of electronic levels. Transition matrix elements are taken from atomic results. The approach takes into account the non-sphericity of the density of states of the emitting atom, spin-orbit interaction in core and valence, and non quadratic terms in the total energy expansion with respect to fractional occupation numbers. It is tested on two benchmark systems, Zn and Cu metals, leading in both cases to L23M45M45 Auger peaks within 2 eV from the experimental ones. Detailed analysis is presented on the relative weight of the various contributions considered in our method, providing the basis for future development. Especially problematic is the evaluation of the hole-hole interaction for systems with broad valence bands: our method underestimates its value in Cu, while we obtain excellent results for this quantity in Zn.Comment: 20 pages, 5 figures, 4 table

Higgs ultraviolet softening

We analyze the leading effective operators which induce a quartic momentum dependence in the Higgs propagator, for a linear and for a non-linear realization of electroweak symmetry breaking. Their specific study is relevant for the understanding of the ultraviolet sensitivity to new physics. Two methods of analysis are applied, trading the Lagrangian coupling by: i) a "ghost" scalar, after the Lee-Wick procedure; ii) other effective operators via the equations of motion. The two paths are shown to lead to the same effective Lagrangian at first order in the operator coefficients. It follows a modification of the Higgs potential and of the fermionic couplings in the linear realization, while in the non-linear one anomalous quartic gauge couplings, Higgs-gauge couplings and gauge-fermion interactions are induced in addition. Finally, all LHC Higgs and other data presently available are used to constrain the operator coefficients; the future impact of $pp\to\text{4 leptons}$ data via off-shell Higgs exchange and of vector boson fusion data is considered as well. For completeness, a summary of pure-gauge and gauge-Higgs signals exclusive to non-linear dynamics at leading-order is included.Comment: 31 pages, 3 figures, 7 table

The human being : when philosophy meets history. Miki Kiyoshi, Watsuji Tetsuro and their quest for a New Ningen

This thesis analyses the concept of the 'human being' (ningen) in the philosophies of the two modern Japanese intellectuals Miki Kiyoshi and Watsuji Tetsuro. I demonstrate that their philosophical systems, based on the idea that the creation of a new Japanese human being should have coincided with the establishment of the Japanese empire, colluded with history and were defeated together with Japan in August 1945. Utilizing the religious idea of the escaton, which Miki and Watsuji translated into the ‘moral destiny of victory’ that Japan should have been entitled to, I prove that it is possible for history and philosophy to simultaneously collapse in a time of crisis such as the one of the Second World War.LEI Universiteit LeidenAsian Studie

Disentangling a dynamical Higgs

The pattern of deviations from Standard Model predictions and couplings is different for theories of new physics based on a non-linear realization of the $SU(2)_L\times U(1)_Y$ gauge symmetry breaking and those assuming a linear realization. We clarify this issue in a model-independent way via its effective Lagrangian formulation in the presence of a light Higgs particle, up to first order in the expansions: dimension-six operators for the linear expansion and four derivatives for the non-linear one. Complete sets of pure gauge and gauge-Higgs operators are considered, implementing the renormalization procedure and deriving the Feynman rules for the non-linear expansion. We establish the theoretical relation and the differences in physics impact between the two expansions. Promising discriminating signals include the decorrelation in the non-linear case of signals correlated in the linear one: some pure gauge versus gauge-Higgs couplings and also between couplings with the same number of Higgs legs. Furthermore, anomalous signals expected at first order in the non-linear realization may appear only at higher orders of the linear one, and vice versa. We analyze in detail the impact of both type of discriminating signals on LHC physics.Comment: Version published in JHE

Unitarity constraints on ALP interactions

We derive partial-wave unitarity constraints on gauge-invariant interactions of an Axion-Like Particle (ALP) up to dimension-6 from all allowed $2\to2$ scattering processes in the limit of large center-of-mass energy. We find that the strongest bounds stem from scattering amplitudes with one external ALP and only apply to the coupling to a pair of $SU(2)_L$ gauge bosons. Couplings to $U(1)_Y$ and $SU(3)_C$ gauge bosons and to fermions are more loosely constrained.Comment: 11 pages, 1 figure, 5 table

Resistance-based probabilistic design by order statistics for an oil and gas deep-water well casing string affected by wear during kick load

Deep-water wells for oil and gas extraction make structural components, such as casing and tubing, work in extremely harsh environmental conditions that accelerate component degradation and increase failure probability. Therefore, it is important to properly design casing strings under these operative circumstances (Baraldi et al., 2012)

Novel LoadProGen procedure for micro-grid design in emerging country scenarios: Application to energy storage sizing

This paper is devoted to describe the development, implementation and application of a novel procedure to properly design the electrification process in rural areas of Emerging Countries (EC). The procedure exploits a bottom-up approach, i.e. target applications are related to micro-grids devoted to satisfy the electrical needs of small communities. The procedure starts from microscopic data (i.e. single electric appliances) to effectively catch the customer needs (i.e. bottom) and it matches them with the available energy sources in the target area. In particular, a tool named LoadProGen developed by the Energy4Growing research group of Politecnico di Milano, is presented: the mathematical approach proposed is detailed and a real field case study relevant to a micro-grid deployed in Tanzania is provided. The tool is based on the gathering of information about the target area, i.e. to get information from interview and field audit, and on a stochastic approach to build up realistic estimation of the electric load profile of the considered uses. The energy needs forecast (cfr. load profile) is then adopted in a second procedure devoted to design a micro-grid capable to properly feed the loads. In this work, for sake of exemplification, this latter is supposed to be a photovoltaic based micro-grid integrated with an electrochemical storage

Resonant lifetime of core-excited organic adsorbates from first principles

arXiv:1404.5595v1We investigate by first-principles simulations the resonant electron-transfer lifetime from the excited state of an organic adsorbate to a semiconductor surface, namely, isonicotinic acid on rutile TiO2(110). The molecule-substrate interaction is described using density functional theory, while the effect of a truly semi-infinite substrate is taken into account by Green's function techniques. Excitonic effects due to the presence of core-excited atoms in the molecule are shown to be instrumental to understand the electron-transfer times measured using the so-called core-hole-clock technique. In particular, for the isonicotinic acid on TiO2(110), we find that the charge injection from the LUMO is quenched, since this state lies within the substrate band gap. We compute the resonant charge-transfer times from LUMO+1 and LUMO+2, and systematically investigate the dependence of the elastic lifetimes of these states on the alignment among adsorbate and substrate states. © 2014 American Chemical Society.We acknowledge support from the MIUR of Italy through PRIN project DSSCX (no. 20104XET32). C.M. thanks CARIPLO Foundation for its support within the PCAM European Doctoral Programme and Pirelli Corimav for his Ph.D. scholarship. D.S.-P. acknowledges support from the Basque Departamento de Educación, UPV/EHU (Grant No. IT-366-07), the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (Grant No. FIS2010- 19609-C02-02), the ETORTEK program funded by the Basque Departamento de Industria and the Diputación Foral de Guipuzcoa, the EU through the FP7 PAMS project, and the German DFG through SFB 1083.Peer Reviewe