Study of VV Scattering Processes as a Probe of Electroweak Symmetry Breaking

An exploratory study has been performed in order to assess the possibility of probing the symmetry breaking mechanism through the $VV$ fusion process using the CMS detector. A model independent analysis was carried out with no assumption on the mechanism restoring the unitarity in the scattering amplitude and without any degrees of freedom beyond the SM. In order to explore the sensitivity of the analysis method to an heavy Higgs resonance, we analyzed a data set produced using an Higgs boson mass of $500GeV$. Moreover, in order to consider the $VV$ fusion cross section in a region where no resonances are present, a sample corresponding to the no-Higgs scenario, that in the SM is equivalent to a very high Higgs mass, has been also studied.Comment: conferenc

Vibronic interaction in crystals with the Jahn-Teller centers in the elementary energy bands concept

The order-disorder type phase transition caused by the vibronic interaction (collective Jahn-Teller effect) in a monoclinic CuInP$_2$S$_6$ crystal is analyzed. For this purpose, a trigonal protostructure model of CuInP$_2$S$_6$ is created, through a slight change in the crystal lattice parameters of the CuInP$_2$S$_6$ paraelectric phase. In parallel to the group-theoretical analysis, the DFT-based {\it ab initio} band structure calculations of the CuInP$_2$S$_6$ protostructure, para-, and ferriphases are performed. Using the elementary energy bands concept, a part of the band structure from the vicinity of the forbidden energy gap, which is created by the $d$-electron states of copper, has been related with a certain Wyckoff position where the Jahn-Teller's centers are localized. A construction procedure of the vibronic potential energy matrix is generalized for the case of crystal using the elementary energy bands concept and the group theoretical method of invariants. The procedure is illustrated by the creation of the adiabatic potentials of the $\Gamma_5$-$\Gamma_5$ vibronic coupling for the protostructure and paraphase of the CuInP$_2$S$_6$ crystal. A structure of the obtained adiabatic potentials is analyzed, followed by conclusions on their transformation under a phase transition and the discussion on the possibility for the spontaneous polarization to arise in this crystal.Comment: 17 pages, 7 figure

Genetic basis for variation in wheat grain yield in response to varying nitrogen application

Nitrogen (N) is a major nutrient needed to attain optimal grain yield (GY) in all environments. Nitrogen fertilisers represent a significant production cost, in both monetary and environmental terms. Developing genotypes capable of taking up N early during development while limiting biomass production after establishment and showing high N-use efficiency (NUE) would be economically beneficial. Genetic variation in NUE has been shown previously. Here we describe the genetic characterisation of NUE and identify genetic loci underlying N response under different N fertiliser regimes in a bread wheat population of doubled-haploid lines derived from a cross between two Australian genotypes (RAC875 × Kukri) bred for a similar production environment. NUE field trials were carried out at four sites in South Australia and two in Western Australia across three seasons. There was genotype-by-environment- by-treatment interaction across the sites and also good transgressive segregation for yield under different N supply in the population. We detected some significant Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) associated with NUE and N response at different rates of N application across the sites and years. It was also possible to identify lines showing positive N response based on the rankings of their Best Linear Unbiased Predictions (BLUPs) within a trial. Dissecting the complexity of the N effect on yield through QTL analysis is a key step towards elucidating the molecular and physiological basis of NUE in wheat.Saba Mahjourimajd, Julian Taylor, Beata Sznajder, Andy Timmins, Fahimeh Shahinnia, Zed Rengel, Hossein Khabaz-Saberi, Haydn Kuchel, Mamoru Okamoto, Peter Langridg

Overcoming Postcommunist Labour Weakness: Attritional and Enabling Effects of MNCs in Central and Eastern Europe

Based on micro-level analysis of the developments in the steel sector in Poland, Romania and Slovakia, this paper examines the effects of multinational corporations (MNCs) on labour unions in Central and Eastern Europe. It makes a three-fold argument. First, it shows that union weakness can be attributed to unions’ strategies during the restructuring and privatization processes of postcommunist transition. Consequently, tactics used for union regeneration in the West are less applicable to CEE. Rather, the overcoming of postcommunist legacy is linked to the power of transnational capital. Through attritional and enabling effects, ownership by MNCs forces the unions to focus their efforts on articulating workers’ interests. The paper examines the emerging system of industrial relations in the sector and explores the development of the capabilities needed to overcome postcommunist legacies

Wp-2 basic investigation of transition effect

An important goal of the TFAST project was to study the effect of the location of transition in relation to the shock wave on the separation size, shock structure and unsteadiness of the interaction area. Boundary layer tripping (by wire or roughness) and flow control devices (Vortex Generators and cold plasma) were used for boundary layer transition induction. As flow control devices were used here in the laminar boundary layer for the first time, their effectiveness in transition induction was an important outcome. It was intended to determine in what way the application of these techniques induces transition. These methods should have a significantly different effect on boundary layer receptivity, i.e. the transition location. Apart from an improved understanding of operation control methods, the main objective was to localize the transition as far downstream as possible while ensuring a turbulent character of interaction. The final objective, involving all the partners, was to build a physical model of transition control devices. Establishing of such model would simplify the numerical approach to flow cases using such devices. This undertaking has strong support from the industry, which wants to include these control devices in the design process. Unfortunately only one method of streamwise vortices was developed and investigated in the presented study

First Measurement of Chiral Dynamics in \pi^- \gamma -> \pi^- \pi^- \pi^+

The COMPASS collaboration at CERN has investigated the \pi^- \gamma -> \pi^- \pi^- \pi^+ reaction at center-of-momentum energy below five pion masses, sqrt(s) < 5 m(\pi), embedded in the Primakoff reaction of 190 GeV pions impinging on a lead target. Exchange of quasi-real photons is selected by isolating the sharp Coulomb peak observed at smallest momentum transfers, t' < 0.001 (GeV/c)^2. Using partial-wave analysis techniques, the scattering intensity of Coulomb production described in terms of chiral dynamics and its dependence on the 3\pi-invariant mass m(3\pi) = sqrt(s) were extracted. The absolute cross section was determined in seven bins of $\sqrt{s}$ with an overall precision of 20%. At leading order, the result is found to be in good agreement with the prediction of chiral perturbation theory over the whole energy range investigated.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure

Transverse-momentum-dependent Multiplicities of Charged Hadrons in Muon-Deuteron Deep Inelastic Scattering

A semi-inclusive measurement of charged hadron multiplicities in deep inelastic muon scattering off an isoscalar target was performed using data collected by the COMPASS Collaboration at CERN. The following kinematic domain is covered by the data: photon virtuality $Q^{2}>1$ (GeV/$c$)$^2$, invariant mass of the hadronic system $W > 5$ GeV/$c^2$, Bjorken scaling variable in the range $0.003 < x < 0.4$, fraction of the virtual photon energy carried by the hadron in the range $0.2 < z < 0.8$, square of the hadron transverse momentum with respect to the virtual photon direction in the range 0.02 (GeV/$c)^2 < P_{\rm{hT}}^{2} < 3$ (GeV/$c$)$^2$. The multiplicities are presented as a function of $P_{\rm{hT}}^{2}$ in three-dimensional bins of $x$, $Q^2$, $z$ and compared to previous semi-inclusive measurements. We explore the small-$P_{\rm{hT}}^{2}$ region, i.e. $P_{\rm{hT}}^{2} < 1$ (GeV/$c$)$^2$, where hadron transverse momenta are expected to arise from non-perturbative effects, and also the domain of larger $P_{\rm{hT}}^{2}$, where contributions from higher-order perturbative QCD are expected to dominate. The multiplicities are fitted using a single-exponential function at small $P_{\rm{hT}}^{2}$ to study the dependence of the average transverse momentum $\langle P_{\rm{hT}}^{2}\rangle$ on $x$, $Q^2$ and $z$. The power-law behaviour of the multiplicities at large $P_{\rm{hT}}^{2}$ is investigated using various functional forms. The fits describe the data reasonably well over the full measured range.Comment: 28 pages, 20 figure

Measurement of the charged-pion polarisability

The COMPASS collaboration at CERN has investigated pion Compton scattering, $\pi^-\gamma\rightarrow \pi^-\gamma$, at centre-of-mass energy below 3.5 pion masses. The process is embedded in the reaction $\pi^-\mathrm{Ni}\rightarrow\pi^-\gamma\;\mathrm{Ni}$, which is initiated by 190\,GeV pions impinging on a nickel target. The exchange of quasi-real photons is selected by isolating the sharp Coulomb peak observed at smallest momentum transfers, $Q^2<0.0015$\,(GeV/$c$)$^2$. From a sample of 63\,000 events the pion electric polarisability is determined to be $\alpha_\pi\ =\ (\,2.0\ \pm\ 0.6_{\mbox{\scriptsize stat}}\ \pm\ 0.7_{\mbox{\scriptsize syst}}\,) \times 10^{-4}\,\mbox{fm}^3$under the assumption$\alpha_\pi=-\beta_\pi$, which relates the electric and magnetic dipole polarisabilities. It is the most precise measurement of this fundamental low-energy parameter of strong interaction, that has been addressed since long by various methods with conflicting outcomes. While this result is in tension with previous dedicated measurements, it is found in agreement with the expectation from chiral perturbation theory. An additional measurement replacing pions by muons, for which the cross-section behavior is unambigiously known, was performed for an independent estimate of the systematic uncertainty.Comment: Published version: 9 pages, 3 figures, 1 tabl