PCAC and the Deficit of Forward Muons in pi^+ Production by Neutrinos

The K2K experiment, using a fine-grained detector in a neutrino beam of energy $\sim 1.3 \mathrm{GeV}$ has observed two-track events that can be interpreted as a coherent reaction $\nu_\mu + \N \to \mu^- + \N + \pi^+ (\N = \rm{C}^{12})$ or an incoherent process $\nu_\mu + (p,n) \to \mu^- + \pi^+ + (p,n)$, the final nucleon being unobserved. The data show a significant deficit of forward-going muons in the interval $Q^2 \lesssim 0.1 \rm{GeV}^2$, where a sizeable coherent signal is expected. We attempt an explanantion of this effect, using a PCAC formula that includes the effect of the non-vanishing muon mass. A suppression of about 25 % is caused by a destructive interference of the axial vector and pseudoscalar (pion-exchange) amplitudes. The incoherent background is also reduced by 10 - 15 %. As a consequence the discrepancy between theory and observation is significantly reduced.Comment: 4 pages including 1 figure, changes in abstract and text; version to appear in Phys.Lett.

Investigation of nose bluntness and angle of attack effects on slender bodies in viscous hypersonic flows

Hypersonic flows over cones and straight biconic configurations are calculated for a wide range of free stream conditions in which the gas behind the shock is treated as perfect. Effect of angle of attack and nose bluntness on these slender cones in air is studied extensively. The numerical procedures are based on the solution of complete Navier-Stokes equations at the nose section and parabolized Navier-Stokes equations further downstream. The flow field variables and surface quantities show significant differences when the angle of attack and nose bluntness are varied. The complete flow field is thoroughly analyzed with respect to velocity, temperature, pressure, and entropy profiles. The post shock flow field is studied in detail from the contour plots of Mach number, density, pressure, and temperature. The effect of nose bluntness for slender cones persists as far as 200 nose radii downstream

Glueball Spin

The spin of a glueball is usually taken as coming from the spin (and possibly the orbital angular momentum) of its constituent gluons. In light of the difficulties in accounting for the spin of the proton from its constituent quarks, the spin of glueballs is reexamined. The starting point is the fundamental QCD field angular momentum operator written in terms of the chromoelectric and chromomagnetic fields. First, we look at the restrictions placed on the structure of glueballs from the requirement that the QCD field angular momentum operator should satisfy the standard commutation relationships. This can be compared to the electromagnetic charge/monopole system, where the quantization of the field angular momentum places restrictions (i.e. the Dirac condition) on the system. Second, we look at the expectation value of this operator under some simplifying assumptions.Comment: 11 pages, 0 figures; added references and some discussio

Monitoring the premalignant potential of Barrett's oesophagus'.

The landscape for patients with Barrett's oesophagus (BE) has changed significantly in the last decade. Research and new guidelines have helped gastroenterologists to better identify those patients with BE who are particularly at risk of developing oesophageal adenocarcinoma. In parallel, developments in endoscopic image enhancement technology and optical biopsy techniques have improved our ability to detect high-risk lesions. Once these lesions have been identified, the improvements in minimally invasive endoscopic therapies has meant that these patients can potentially be cured of early cancer and high-risk dysplastic lesions without the need for surgery, which still has a significant morbidity and mortality. The importance of reaching an accurate diagnosis of BE remains of paramount importance. More work is needed, however. The vast majority of those undergoing surveillance for their BE do not progress towards cancer and thus undergo a regular invasive procedure, which may impact on their psychological and physical well-being while incurring significant cost to the health service. New work that explores cheaper endoscopic or non-invasive ways to identify the at-risk individual provides exciting avenues for research. In future, the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with BE could move away from hospitals and into primary care

CMB Lensing Power Spectrum Biases from Galaxies and Clusters using High-angular Resolution Temperature Maps

The lensing power spectrum from cosmic microwave background (CMB) temperature maps will be measured with unprecedented precision with upcoming experiments, including upgrades to ACT and SPT. Achieving significant improvements in cosmological parameter constraints, such as percent level errors on sigma_8 and an uncertainty on the total neutrino mass of approximately 50 meV, requires percent level measurements of the CMB lensing power. This necessitates tight control of systematic biases. We study several types of biases to the temperature-based lensing reconstruction signal from foreground sources such as radio and infrared galaxies and the thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect from galaxy clusters. These foregrounds bias the CMB lensing signal due to their non-Gaussian nature. Using simulations as well as some analytical models we find that these sources can substantially impact the measured signal if left untreated. However, these biases can be brought to the percent level if one masks galaxies with fluxes at 150 GHz above 1 mJy and galaxy clusters with masses above M_vir = 10^14 M_sun. To achieve such percent level bias, we find that only modes up to a maximum multipole of l_max ~ 2500 should be included in the lensing reconstruction. We also discuss ways to minimize additional bias induced by such aggressive foreground masking by, for example, exploring a two-step masking and in-painting algorithm.Comment: 14 pages, 14 figures, to be submitted to Ap

Magnetic and axial vector form factors as probes of orbital angular momentum in the proton

We have recently examined the static properties of the baryon octet (magnetic moments and axial vector coupling constants) in a generalized quark model in which the angular momentum of a polarized nucleon is partly spin $\langle S_z \rangle$ and partly orbital $\langle L_z \rangle$. The orbital momentum was represented by the rotation of a flux-tube connecting the three constituent quarks. The best fit is obtained with $\langle S_z \rangle = 0.08\pm 0.15$, $\langle L_z \rangle = 0.42\pm 0.14$. We now consider the consequences of this idea for the $q^2$-dependence of the magnetic and axial vector form factors. It is found that the isovector magnetic form factor $G_M^{\mathrm{isovec}}(q^2)$ differs in shape from the axial form factor $F_A(q^2)$ by an amount that depends on the spatial distribution of orbital angular momentum. The model of a rigidly rotating flux-tube leads to a relation between the magnetic, axial vector and matter radii, $\langle r^2 \rangle_{\mathrm{mag}} = f_{\mathrm{spin}} \langle r^2 \rangle_{\mathrm{axial}} + \frac{5}{2} f_{\mathrm{orb}} \langle r^2 \rangle_{\mathrm{matt}}$, where $f_{\mathrm{orb}}/ f_{\mathrm{spin}} = \frac{1}{3}\langle L_z \rangle / G_A$, $f_{\mathrm{spin}} + f_{\mathrm{orb}} = 1$. The shape of $F_A(q^2)$ is found to be close to a dipole with $M_A = 0.92\pm 0.06$ GeV.Comment: 18 pages, 5 ps-figures, uses RevTe

Pitting in Aluminum Thin Films Supersaturation and Effects of Dichromate Ions

The growth of pits in 209 nm thick Al films in chloride solutions with and without dichromate ions was examined using image analysis of the growing pits to determine pit current density. In pure chloride solutions, the pit current density decreased at high potentials after reaching a maximum value, and then was almost independent of applied potential. A hysteresis in the pit current density-potential behavior was observed during downward stepping of the potential from high values. This is a result of a combination of supersaturation of the pit electrolyte followed by salt film formation, and changes in mass transport from hydrogen bubbles that increase convection and lift the remnant passive film away from the dissolving surface. In solutions containing dichromate ions, the corrosion and repassivation potentials shifted in the noble direction, and rather large metastable pits formed at the open circuit. A large concentration of dichromate ions was needed to inhibit pit growth. In dichromate solutions, subsequent pit growth at higher potentials often initiated at the edge of the open-circuit pits. The rate of pit growth was lower for these pits because the remnant passive film layer was not easily lifted up at these sites, and thus created a barrier for mass transport away from the dissolving pit edge.This work was supported by Major H. DeLong at the United States Air Force Office of Scientific Research under contract F49620-96-0042

Energy Spectra and Energy Correlations in the Decay H→ZZ→μ+μ−μ+μ−H\to ZZ\to \mu^+\mu^-\mu^+\mu^-

It is shown that in the sequential decay $H\to ZZ\to (f_1\bar{f_1})+ (f_2\bar{f_2})$, the energy distribution of the final state particles provides a simple and powerful test of the $HZZ$ vertex. For a standard Higgs boson, the energy spectrum of any final fermion, in the rest frame of $H$, is predicted to be $d\Gamma /dx\sim 1+\beta^4-2(x-1)^2$, with $\beta = \sqrt{1-4m^2_Z/m^2_H}$ and $1-\beta \le x=4E/m_H\le 1+\beta$. By contrast, the spectrum for a pseudoscalar Higgs is $d\Gamma /dx \sim \beta^2+(x-1)^2$. There are characteristic energy correlations between $f_1$ and $f_2$ and between $f_1$ and $\bar{f_2}$. These considerations are applied to the ``gold--plated'' reaction $H\to ZZ\to \mu^+\mu^-\mu^+\mu^-$, including possible effects of CP--violation in the $HZZ$ coupling. Our formalism also yields the energy spectra and correlations of leptons in the decay $H\to W^+W^-\to l^+\nu_ll^- \bar{\nu_l}$.Comment: 14 pages + 4 figure

On V_ud determination from kaon decays

The pion beta decay pi^+ -> pi^0 e^+ nu proceeds through pure weak vector hadronic currents and, therefore, the theoretical prediction for it is more reliable than for the processes with axial-vector current contribution. For example, recently the pion beta decay has been used for V_ud determination. The main aim of this letter is to point that kaon beta decay K^0 -> K^+(pi^+ pi^0) e^- nu-bar analogously can be used for this purpose.Comment: 3 pages, no figures, one reference adde