6,271 research outputs found
Valuation Perspectives and Decompositions for Variable Annuities with GMWB riders
The guaranteed minimum withdrawal benefit (GMWB) rider, as an add on to a
variable annuity (VA), guarantees the return of premiums in the form of peri-
odic withdrawals while allowing policyholders to participate fully in any
market gains. GMWB riders represent an embedded option on the account value
with a fee structure that is different from typical financial derivatives. We
consider fair pricing of the GMWB rider from a financial economic perspective.
Particular focus is placed on the distinct perspectives of the insurer and
policyholder and the unifying relationship. We extend a decomposition of the VA
contract into components that reflect term-certain payments and embedded
derivatives to the case where the policyholder has the option to surrender, or
lapse, the contract early.Comment: 18 pages, proof of Lemma A.1 expanded for clarit
The deconfining phase transition in SU(N) gauge theories
We report on our ongoing investigation of the deconfining phase transition in
SU(4) and SU(6) gauge theories. We calculate the critical couplings while
taking care to avoid the influence of a nearby bulk phase transition. We
determine the latent heat of the phase transition and investigate the order and
the strength of the transition at large N. We also report on our determination
of the critical temperature expressed in units of the string tension in the
large N limit.Comment: Lattice 2002 (nonzerot), 3 pages, 2 figure
Features of SU(N) Gauge Theories
We review recent lattice results for the large limit of SU(N) gauge
theories. In particular, we focus on glueball masses, topology and its relation
to chiral symmetry breaking (relevant for phenomenology), on the tension of
strings connecting sources in higher representations of the gauge group
(relevant for models of confinement and as a comparative ground for theories
beyond the Standard Model) and on the finite temperature deconfinement phase
transition (relevant for RHIC-like experiments). In the final part we present
open challenges for the future.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures; summary of the talk given by B. Lucini and the
poster presented by U. Wenger at the conference "Confinement 2003
Interactive digital signal processor
The Interactive Digital Signal Processor (IDSP) is examined. It consists of a set of time series analysis Operators each of which operates on an input file to produce an output file. The operators can be executed in any order that makes sense and recursively, if desired. The operators are the various algorithms used in digital time series analysis work. User written operators can be easily interfaced to the sysatem. The system can be operated both interactively and in batch mode. In IDSP a file can consist of up to n (currently n=8) simultaneous time series. IDSP currently includes over thirty standard operators that range from Fourier transform operations, design and application of digital filters, eigenvalue analysis, to operators that provide graphical output, allow batch operation, editing and display information
Latest results from the PHOBOS experiment
Over the past years PHOBOS has continued to analyze the large datasets
obtained from the first five runs of the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC)
at Brookhaven National Laboratory. The two main analysis streams have been
pursued. The first one aims to obtain a broad and systematic survey of global
properties of particle production in heavy ion collisions. The second class
includes the study of fluctuations and correlations in particle production.
Both type of studies have been performed for a variety of the collision
systems, covering a wide range in collision energy and centrality. The uniquely
large angular coverage of the PHOBOS detector and its ability to measure
charged particles down to very low transverse momentum is exploited. The latest
physics results from PHOBOS, as presented at Quark Matter 2008 Conference, are
contained in this report.Comment: 9 pages, 9 figures, presented at the 20th International Conference on
Ultra-Relativistic Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions, "Quark Matter 2008", Jaipur,
India, Feb.4-10, 200
CVcat: an interactive database on cataclysmic variables
CVcat is a database that contains published data on cataclysmic variables and
related objects. Unlike in the existing online sources, the users are allowed
to add data to the catalogue. The concept of an ``open catalogue'' approach is
reviewed together with the experience from one year of public usage of CVcat.
New concepts to be included in the upcoming AstroCat framework and the next
CVcat implementation are presented. CVcat can be found at http://www.cvcat.org.Comment: 5 pages A&A Latex, 4 figures, accepted for publication in A&
High p_T Triggered Delta-eta,Delta-phi Correlations over a Broad Range in Delta-eta
The first measurement of pseudorapidity (Delta-eta) and azimuthal angle
(Delta-phi) correlations between high transverse momentum charged hadrons (p_T
> 2.5 GeV/c) and all associated particles is presented at both short- (small
Delta-eta) and long-range (large Delta-eta) over a continuous pseudorapidity
acceptance (-4<Delta-eta<2). In these proceedings, the various near- and
away-side features of the correlation structure are discussed as a function of
centrality in Au+Au collisions measured by PHOBOS at sqrt(s_NN)=200 GeV. In
particular, this measurement allows a much more complete determination of the
longitudinal extent of the ridge structure, first observed by the STAR
collaboration over a limited eta range. In central collisions the ridge
persists to at least Delta-eta=4, diminishing in magnitude as collisions become
more peripheral until it disappears around Npart=80.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, presented at the 20th International Conference on
Ultra-Relativistic Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions, "Quark Matter 2008", Jaipur,
India, February 4-10, 2008. Full author list included and typo corrected in
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