Scaling limit of deeply virtual compton scattering

I outline a perturbative QCD approach to the analysis of the deeply virtual Compton scattering process γ^*p → γp′ in the limit of vanishing momentum transfer t = (p′ − p)². The DVCS amplitude in this limit exhibits a scaling behavior described by two-argument distributions F(x,y) which specify the fractions of the initial momentum p and the momentum transfer r ≡ p′ − p carried by the constituents of the nucleon. The kernel R(x,y;ξ,η) governing the evolution of the non-forward distributions F(x,y) has a remarkable property: it produces the GLAPD evolution kernel P(x/ξ) when integrated over y and reduces to the Brodsky-Lepage evolution kernel V(y,η) after the x-integration. This property is used to construct the solution of the one-loop evolution equation for the flavor non-singlet part of the non-forward quark distribution.     

The reactions pp→pΛK and pp→pΣK near their thresholds

The reactions pp→pΛK⁺ and pp→pΣ⁰K⁺ are studied near their thresholds. The strangeness production process is described by the π- and K exchange mechanisms. Effects from the final state interaction in the hyperon-nucleon system are taken into account rigorously. The Λ production turns out to be dominated by K exchange whereas K- as well as π exchange play an important role for the Σ⁰ case. It is shown that the experimentally observed strong suppression of Σ⁰ production compared to Λ production at the same excess energy can be explained by a destructive interference between π and K exchange in the reaction pp→pΣ⁰K⁺. Implications of such an interference on the reaction pp→nΣ⁺K⁺ are pointed out.     

B→ηlν decays and the flavor-singlet form factors

We study semileptonic decays B→η^(′)lν, taking into account the flavor-singlet contribution (F^singlet₊) to the B→η^(′) form factors, which arises from the two-gluon emission in a decaying B meson. It has been recently pointed out that, in addition to large weak annihilation effects, the unknown value of F^singlet₊ prevents accurate theoretical estimates in the analysis of B→η′K decays in QCD factorization. We present a certain method to determine F^singlet₊ with a reasonable accuracy, using B→η^(′)lν and B→πlν decays. We also investigate the possible effect of F^singlet₊ on the estimated branching ratios (BRs) for B→η^(′)lν and find that the BR for B→η′lν is particularly sensitive to the effect of F^singlet₊.     

Quark effects, meson-exchange currents and background in the d(e, e′p)Δ reaction

We have studied in detail the cross section for the d(e, e′p)Δ reaction leading to the emission of a fast nucleon and a Δ at rest, which has been advocated as a tool to investigate quark effects in nuclei. We find that ordinary meson-exchange currents mechanisms dominate the quark-exchange effects in the region of excitation of the Δ nd could be competitive at higher energies. Furthermore, at these higher energies, the small cross sections for the quark signal, together with the presence of a background about one order of magnitude bigger than the quark signal, make in any case the extraction of information about quark-exchange currents effects extraordinarily difficult.     

Z′ mediated flavor changing neutral currents in B meson decays

We study the effects of an extra U(1)′ gauge boson with flavor changing couplings with fermion mass eigenstates on certain B meson decays that are sensitive to such new physics contributions. In particular, we examine to what extent the current data on B_d→φK and B_d→η′K decays may be explained in such models, concentrating on the example in which the flavor changing couplings are left-chiral. We find that within reasonable ranges of parameters, the Z′ contribution can readily account for the anomaly in S_φKS but is not sufficient to explain large branching ratio of B_d→η′K with the same parameter value. S_φKS and S_η′KS are seen to be the dominant observables that constrain the extra weak phase in the model.     

Supersymmetric contributions to direct CP violation in K→ππγ decays

We analyze the supersymmetric contributions to direct–CP–violating observables in K→ππγ decays induced by gluino–mediated magnetic–penguin operators. We find that ε′_+−γ and the differential width asymmetry of K^±→π^±π⁰γ decays could be substantially enhanced with respect to their Standard Model values, especially in the scenario where ε′/ε is dominated by supersymmetric contributions. These observables could therefore provide a useful tool to search for New Physics effects in |ΔS|=1 transitions, complementary to ε′/ε and rare decays.     

Photoproduction of Θ and other pentaquark states

We present constraints on the relative photoproduction cross sections of positive parity pentaquark states, Σ₅, Λ₅, and N₅, based on a minimum phenomenology gained in and their baryon–meson couplings as in the work of Close and Dudek. The possibility of anomalous signals in γp→K⁰_S(Θ⁺;Σ_d⁺) is discussed. We emphasize the importance of comparing with “conventional” states such as γN→KΣ(1660).     

Final-state hyperon-nucleon interaction in the inclusive K photoproduction from the deuteron

We calculate d(γ, K⁺) inclusive cross sections with the full inclusion of the final ΛN - ΣN interaction. Modern hyperon-nucleon forces and a recently updated production operator for the γ + N → K⁺ + Y process are used. Significant effects of the hyperon-nucleon final-state interaction have been found especially around the K⁺ΣN threshold.     

Incoherent bremsstrahlung in nuclei

We have studied the processes A(e, e′γ)X in nuclei, or incoherent bremsstrahlung, and determined expressions for the cross section in terms of the same nuclear response functions R_L, R_T, which appear in inclusive electron scattering (e, e′) in nuclei. Calculations of the cross sections are carried out using a Fermi gas model, complemented by the local-density approximation, to evaluate the response functions. We have carried out a study which shows that the reaction can be used to determine reliably the response functions from experimental data. On the other hand we have compared the incoherent bremsstrahlung with the coherent one in order to see the limits to the tagging technique, which produces monochromatic photons based on the assumption of the dominance of the coherent process. We observe that at energies E_γ < 1 GeV the dominance of the coherent process extends to relatively large scattering angles, making the present technique completely safe. However, as the energy of the electron increases, the region of dominance of the coherent process is reduced to smaller scattering angles. These results should be of use when extending the tagging technique to planned or future electron facilities.     

On the pp → ppη(η′) reactions near threshold

The production rate for η′ in pp → ppη′ at rest is calculated in a covariant one boson exchange model, previously applied to study π⁰ and η production in NN collisions. The transition amplitudes for the elementary BN → η′N processes with B being the meson exchanged (B = π, σ, η, , ω and a₀) are taken to be the sum of s- and u-channels with a nucleon in the intermediate states, and an a₀ meson pole in a t-channel. The couplings of the η′ to hadrons are a factor 0.4 weaker than the respective η-hadron couplings, as suggested by a quark model and a singlet-octet mixing angle θ = −23°. The model reproduces near threshold cross sections for the quasielastic processes π⁻p → nη(η′) and pp → ppη(η′) reactions.     

The quantum mechanics of affine variables

We study the wrapping of N-type IIB Dp-branes on a compact Riemann surface Σ in genus g>1 by means of the Sen–Witten construction, as a superposition of N′-type IIB Dp′-brane/antibrane pairs, with p′>p. A background Neveu–Schwarz field B deforms the commutative C-algebra of functions on Σ to a non-commutative C-algebra. Our construction provides an explicit example of the N′→∞ limit advocated by Bouwknegt-Mathai and Witten in order to deal with twisted K-theory. We provide the necessary elements to formulate M(atrix) theory on this new C-algebra, by explicitly constructing a family of projective C-modules admitting constant-curvature connections. This allows us to define the g>1 analogue of the BPS spectrum of states in g=1, by means of Donaldson’s formulation of the Narasimhan–Seshadri theorem.     

Patterns of lepton-flavour violation motivated by decoupling and sneutrino inflation

We present predictions for flavour-violating charged-lepton decays induced by the seesaw mechanism implemented within the constrained minimal supersymmetric standard model (CMSSM) with universal input soft supersymmetry breaking terms. We assume that one heavy singlet neutrino almost decouples from the seesaw mechanism, as suggested by the pattern of light neutrino masses and mixing angles. This is suggested independently by sneutrino inflation with a low reheating temperature, T_RH10⁷ GeV, so as to avoid overproducing gravitinos. This requirement further fixes the mass of the weakly-coupled sneutrino, whose decays may lead to leptogenesis. We find that BR(μ→eγ)10⁻¹³ but BR(τ→μγ)10⁻⁹ in the bulk of the acceptable parameter space, apart from a few isolated points. The ratio BR(μ→eγ)/BR(τ→eγ) depends on only one complex parameter, and is particularly interesting to compare with experiment.     

The weak electroproduction of Σ in electron–proton scattering

We obtain differential cross sections for the reaction e⁻+p→Σ⁰+ν_e, for incident electron energies from 0.5 GeV to 6.0 GeV. This calculation is phenomenologically based and makes use of SU(3) and SU(2) relations. We obtain contributions of the individual form factors to the differential cross section and show that the vector current form factor dominates in the region of observability. We also obtain reaction rates for a standard set of conditions. Finally we compare this case with that for Λ production and discuss what might be learned from this reaction concerning the structure of the weak, strangeness changing, hadronic current.     

Strangeness production in proton collisions close to threshold at COSY-TOF

The K-meson production in elementary proton induced reactions is studied exclusively at the external COSY beam using the time-of-flight spectrometer TOF. The complete measurement of all primary and decay particle tracks allows the extraction of total and differential cross sections as well as Dalitz plots and invariant mass spectra of the subsystems for the channels pp → K⁺ Δp, K⁰Σ⁺p, K⁺Σ⁰p and K⁺Σ⁺n. For all channels the full phase space is covered from the reaction threshold up to the COSY-limit of about 3.5 GeV/c. Especially the analysis of the Dalitz plots of the channel pp→K⁺Δp show a strong influence of N₋^* resonances.     

π-electroproduction on hydrogen near threshold at four-momentum transfers of 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 GeV

The reaction e + p → e + π⁰ + p was measured near the one pion threshold, detecting the final electron and proton in coincidence for values of q² = 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 GeV². The slope of the cross section at threshold is determined. The data are compared with those of the e + p → e + π⁺ + n reaction, measured simultaneously, and with the results of pseudovector Born approximation and with dispersion theoretical calculations.     

Magnetic moment of the Δ (1232) resonance

The reaction γp → π^°γ′p has been measured with the TAPS BaF₂ calorimeter at the Mainz Microtron accelerator facility MAMI for energies between √2 = 1221–1331 MeV. Cross sections differential in angle and energy have been determined for the photon γ′ in three bins of the excitation energy. This reaction channel provides access to the magnetic dipole moment of the Δ⁺(1232) resonance and, for the first time, a value of μ_Δ+ = (2.7^+1.0_−1.3(stat) ± 1.5(syst) ± (theor)) π_N has been extracted.     

Neutrino oscillations induced by two-loop radiative mechanism

Two-loop radiative mechanism, when combined with an U(1)_L′ symmetry generated by L_e − L_μ − L_τ (=L′), is shown to provide an estimate of Δm²/Δm²_atm εm_e/m_τ, where ε measures the U(1)_L′-breaking. Since Δm²_atm 3.5×10⁻³ eV², we find that Δm² ε10⁻⁶ eV², which will fall into the allowed region of the LOW solution to the solar neutrino problem for ε 0.1.     

Trying to catch the elusive A and more. Reactions initiated by b-quarks and the Higgs sector of the MSSM

We study the cross sections for the production of neneural, intermediate mass Higgs boson in the process pp→ tq′φ, pp→tW⁻φ and pp→bZ⁰φ in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (φ = H⁰, h⁰ and A⁰) at Supercollider energies. The additional heavy particles (t, W, Z) in the final state can be used for tagging purposes, increasing the signal to background ratio. These reactions are dominated by bg and bg fusion. Their relevance for Higgs particle searches is discussed taking into account the expected efficiencies and purities for b-tagging. We find that, for tan β = 30, the cross sections for pp → bZ⁰φ are larger than 14 pb, over the whole intemediate range of M_A⁰, for A⁰ and at least one of the other two Higgses. Therefore this reaction is an excellent candidate for the discovery of one or more MSSM Higgs particles.     

O KVV Auger emission versus resonant photoemission at the O K edge of high-Tc superconductors

Photoelectron spectroscopy results on single crystals of the superconductors Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O₈,Bi₂Sr₂CuO₆, Ba_0.6K_0.4BiO₃ and the semiconductor Ba_0.9K_0.1BiO₃ are reported for the photon energy region around the O K absorption threshold. The development of the O-KVV Auger structure has been carefully monitored as a function of photon energy. A non-monotonic behavior displaying a feature at a constant binding energy of about 14 eV was found for Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O₈ and Bi₂Sr₂CuO₆ in a narrow photon energy region of 1 eV at the main edge of the O K absorption spectrum around 530 eV. The corresponding enhancement, connected with the autoionization of O 2p states, is absent in Ba_1−xK_xBiO ₃ in contrast to Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O₈ and Bi₂Sr₂CuO₆. The resonant enhancement is more pronounced for Bi₂Sr₂CuO₆ as compared to Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O₈, which can be explained by a lower charge carrier concentration in the former case, leading to a more localized nature of intermediate O 2p states. The model parameters Cu d–d and O p–p Coulomb interactions and the charge transfer energy Δ are estimated from the experiments.     

Aggregation of phthalocyanine derivatives in liquid solutions and human blood

The aggregation of the copper (II) 4,4′,4′′,4′′′-tetrasulfonated phthalocyanine anion (Cu(tsPc)⁻⁴) has been studied in aqueous solutions, DMSO and in human blood by UV–VIS absorption spectroscopy and resonance Raman spectroscopy (RRS). The vibrational mode ν₄ (1530 cm⁻¹) has been used as a probe in RRS. It has been shown that the dimerization equilibrium constant K is shifted significantly towards monomeric forms when human blood is added to the solution. The life-time of the singlet excited state S_n of (Cu(tsPc)⁻⁴) in aqueous solution has been estimated to be shorter than 500 fs using femtosecond pump-probe absorption spectroscopy.