Search for the lepton-family-number nonconserving decay \mu -> e + \gamma

The MEGA experiment, which searched for the muon- and electron-number violating decay \mu -> e + \gamma, is described. The spectrometer system, the calibrations, the data taking procedures, the data analysis, and the sensitivity of the experiment are discussed. The most stringent upper limit on the branching ratio of \mu -> e + \gamma) < 1.2 x 10^{-11} was obtained

A study of the link between cosmic rays and clouds with a cloud chamber at the CERN PS

Recent satellite data have revealed a surprising correlation between galactic cosmic ray (GCR) intensity and the fraction of the Earth covered by clouds. If this correlation were to be established by a causal mechanism, it could provide a crucial step in understanding the long-sought mechanism connecting solar and climate variability. The Earth's climate seems to be remarkably sensitive to solar activity, but variations of the Sun's electromagnetic radiation appear to be too small to account for the observed climate variability. However, since the GCR intensity is strongly modulated by the solar wind, a GCR-cloud link may provide a sufficient amplifying mechanism. Moreover if this connection were to be confirmed, it could have profound consequences for our understanding of the solar contributions to the current global warming. The CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving OUtdoor Droplets) project proposes to test experimentally the existence a link between cosmic rays and cloud formation, and to understand the microphysical mechanism. CLOUD plans to perform detailed laboratory measurements in a particle beam at CERN, where all the parameters can be precisely controlled and measured. The beam will pass through an expansion cloud chamber and a reactor chamber where the atmosphere is to be duplicated by moist air charged with selected aerosols and trace condensable vapours. An array of external detectors and mass spectrometers is used to analyse the physical and chemical characteristics of the aerosols and trace gases during beam exposure. Where beam effects are found, the experiment will seek to evaluate their significance in the atmosphere by incorporating them into aerosol and cloud models.Recent satellite data have revealed a surprising correlation between galactic cosmic ray (GCR) intensity and the fraction of the Earth covered by clouds. If this correlation were to be established by a causal mechanism, it could provide a crucial step in understanding the long-sought mechanism connecting solar and climate variability. The Earth's climate seems to be remarkably sensitive to solar activity, but variations of the Sun's electromagnetic radiation appear to be too small to account for the observed climate variability. However, since the GCR intensity is strongly modulated by the solar wind, a GCR-cloud link may provide a sufficient amplifying mechanism. Moreover if this connection were to be confirmed, it could have profound consequences for our understanding of the solar contributions to the current global warming. The CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving OUtdoor Droplets) project proposes to test experimentally the existence a link between cosmic rays and cloud formation, and to understand the microphysical mechanism. CLOUD plans to perform detailed laboratory measurements in a particle beam at CERN, where all the parameters can be precisely controlled and measured. The beam will pass through an expansion cloud chamber and a reactor chamber where the atmosphere is to be duplicated by moist air charged with selected aerosols and trace condensable vapours. An array of external detectors and mass spectrometers is used to analyse the physical and chemical characteristics of the aerosols and trace gases during beam exposure. Where beam effects are found, the experiment will seek to evaluate their significance in the atmosphere by incorporating them into aerosol and cloud models

Search for the Chiral Magnetic Effect in Au+Au collisions at sNN=27\sqrt{s_{_{\rm{NN}}}}=27 GeV with the STAR forward Event Plane Detectors

A decisive experimental test of the Chiral Magnetic Effect (CME) is considered one of the major scientific goals at the Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider (RHIC) towards understanding the nontrivial topological fluctuations of the Quantum Chromodynamics vacuum. In heavy-ion collisions, the CME is expected to result in a charge separation phenomenon across the reaction plane, whose strength could be strongly energy dependent. The previous CME searches have been focused on top RHIC energy collisions. In this Letter, we present a low energy search for the CME in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{\rm{NN}}}}=27$ GeV. We measure elliptic flow scaled charge-dependent correlators relative to the event planes that are defined at both mid-rapidity $|\eta|<1.0$ and at forward rapidity $2.1 < |\eta|<5.1$. We compare the results based on the directed flow plane ($\Psi_1$) at forward rapidity and the elliptic flow plane ($\Psi_2$) at both central and forward rapidity. The CME scenario is expected to result in a larger correlation relative to $\Psi_1$ than to $\Psi_2$, while a flow driven background scenario would lead to a consistent result for both event planes[1,2]. In 10-50\% centrality, results using three different event planes are found to be consistent within experimental uncertainties, suggesting a flow driven background scenario dominating the measurement. We obtain an upper limit on the deviation from a flow driven background scenario at the 95\% confidence level. This work opens up a possible road map towards future CME search with the high statistics data from the RHIC Beam Energy Scan Phase-II.Comment: main: 8 pages, 5 figures; supplementary material: 2 pages, 1 figur

PLASMA PYROLYSIS OF BROWN COAL

The specific energy of the substrate is defined as the ratio of the plasma jet energy to the mass of the coal. The influence of the specific energy of the brown coal (10 - 35 MJ/kg) on the yield and selectivity of the gaseous products formation was determined. The pyrolysis was performed in d.c. arc hydrogen plasma jet with the 25 kW power delivered to it. The higher specific energies of coal correlated to the higher conversion degrees of the substrates to C2H2 and CO as well as to the higher selectivity of CO formation. It has been found the overall conversion degree of the coal to the sum of gaseous products was up to 62 wt. %

Electro-hydrodynamic generation of monodisperse nanoparticles in the sub-10 nm size range from strongly electrolytic salt solutions: governing parameters of scaling laws

Article number 1318A charge reduced electro-hydrodynamic atomization (EHDA) device has been used to generate airborne salt clusters in the sub 10 nm size range. The focus of this study on that specific sub-micron range of electrospray droplets with relatively high electrical conductivities and permittivities aims to address the still existing controversy on the scaling laws of electrosprayed droplet diameters. In this study different concentrations of sodium chloride and potassium chloride - both show strong electrolytic behavior - have been electrosprayed from solutions in pure water, or from aqueous ammonium acetate buffer liquids of varying concentrations. The dry residue salt cluster diameter generated by the EHDA process have been measured using a differential mobility analyzer. The initial droplet diameter has been determined indirectly from the measured particle size following the steps of Chen et al. (J Aerosol Sci 26:963-977, 1995). Results have been compared to existing scaling laws valid for direct droplet measurements. They can be interpreted concisely on the basis of a realistic hypothesis on possible electrochemical effects taking place and affecting the droplet and thus nanoparticle formation in EHDA. The hypothesis developed in this work and the comparison with the experimental results are shown and discussed in the manuscript.Austrian Science Fund TRP2