Soliton-antisoliton pair production in particle collisions

We propose general semiclassical method for computing the probability of soliton-antisoliton pair production in particle collisions. The method is illustrated by explicit numerical calculations in (1+1)-dimensional scalar field model. We find that the probability of the process is suppressed by an exponentially small factor which is almost constant at high energies.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, journal versio

Particle decay in false vacuum

We revisit the problem of decay of a metastable vacuum induced by the presence of a particle. For the bosons of the `master field' the problem is solved in any number of dimensions in terms of the spontaneous decay rate of the false vacuum, while for a fermion we find a closed expression for the decay rate in (1+1) dimensions. It is shown that in the (1+1) dimensional case an infrared problem of one-loop correction to the decay rate of a boson is resolved due to a cancellation between soft modes of the field. We also find the boson decay rate in the `sine-Gordon staircase' model in the limits of strong and weak coupling.Comment: 19 pages, 2 figure

Reconciling the X(3872) with the near-threshold enhancement in the D^0\bar{D}^{*0} final state

We investigate the enhancement in the D^0\bar{D}^0\pi^0 final state with the mass M=3875.2\pm 0.7^{+0.3}_{-1.6}\pm 0.8 MeV found recently by the Belle Collaboration in the B\to K D^0\bar{D}^0\pi^0 decay and test the possibility that this is yet another manifestation of the well-established resonance X(3872). We perform a combined Flatte analysis of the data for the D^0\bar{D}^0\pi^0 mode, and for the \pi^+\pi^- J/\psi mode of the X(3872). Only if the X(3872) is a virtual state in the D^0\bar{D}^{*0} channel, the data on the new enhancement comply with those on the X(3872). In our fits, the mass distribution in the D^0\bar{D}^{*0} mode exhibits a peak at 2-3 MeV above the D^0\bar{D}^{*0} threshold, with a distinctive non-Breit-Wigner shape.Comment: RevTeX4, 17 pages, some references updated and corrected, version published in Phys. Rev.

The decay eta_c^prime -> eta_c pi pi

It is pointed out that the decay of the recently observed charmonium eta_c^prime resonance, eta_c^prime -> eta_c pi pi is simply related to the well studied decay psi^prime -> J/psi pi pi and can thus be used for absolute normalization of other decay modes of the eta_c^prime. The total rate of the discussed decay should be approximately three to four times the corresponding rate for the psi^prime$ resonance making the channel with charged pions the most probable exclusive decay mode of the eta_c^prime with the branching ratio in the range 5-10 %.Comment: 5 pages, references adde

Neutrino scattering on atomic electrons in searches for neutrino magnetic moment

The scattering of a neutrino on atomic electrons is considered in the situation where the energy transferred to the electrons is comparable to the characteristic atomic energies, as relevant to the current experimental search for neutrino magnetic moment. The process is contributed by the standard electroweak interaction as well as by the possible neutrino magnetic moment. Quantum mechanical sum rules are derived for the inclusive cross section at a fixed energy deposited in the atomic system, and it is shown that the differential over the energy transfer cross section is given, modulo very small corrections, by the same expression as for free electrons, once all possible final states of the electronic system are taken into account. Thus the atomic effects effectively cancel in the inclusive process.Comment: 7 pages. A clarifying illustrative example adde

New bounds on the neutrino magnetic moment from the plasma induced neutrino chirality flip in a supernova

The neutrino chirality-flip process under the conditions of the supernova core is investigated in detail with the plasma polarization effects in the photon propagator taken into account, in a more consistent way than in earlier publications. It is shown in part that the contribution of the proton fraction of plasma is essential. New upper bounds on the neutrino magnetic moment are obtained: mu_nu < (0.5 - 1.1) 10^{-12} mu_B from the limit on the supernova core luminosity for nu_R emission, and mu_nu < (0.4 - 0.6) 10^{-12} mu_B from the limit on the averaged time of the neutrino spin-flip. The best upper bound on the neutrino magnetic moment from SN1987A is improved by the factor of 3 to 7.Comment: 19 pages, LaTeX, 7 EPS figures, submitted to Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physic