Energy spectrum and mass composition of primary cosmic rays in the vicinity of the “knee” in a model with two types of sources

An analysis of the data on the spectra of cosmic rays in the context of the proposed model with two types of sources suggests that the main contribution to the spectrum of all particles in the range of 10⁵?10⁷ GeV is made by the sources in which the exponent in the spectrum of particles’ generation p ≈ 2.85. The complex structure of the spectrum in the vicinity of the “knee” may arise owing to the presence of an additional supernova-type source that accelerates the particles to the energies of ～3 × 10⁴ Z GeV if the energy output of this source is ～2 × 10⁴⁸ erg/source.     

Dile pton production in p+ p,Cu+Cu and Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 200$ GeV

We study dilepton production in proton–proton, Cu+Cu as well as in Au+Au collisions at the center-of-mass energy \(\sqrt{s} =200\) GeV per participating nucleon pair within an extended statistical hadronization model. In extension to earlier studies we incorporate transport calculations for an estimate of uncorrelated e ⁺ e ^? -pairs from semileptonic D meson decays. While the invariant mass spectrum of dielectrons is well understood in the p+p collisions, severe discrepancies among different model scenarios based on hadronic degrees of freedom and recent data from the PHENIX Collaboration are found in heavy-ion collisions in the low-mass region from 0.15 to 0.6 GeV as well as in the intermediate mass regime from 1.1 to 3 GeV when employing the standard dilepton sources. We investigate, furthermore, the background from correlated dileptons that are not emitted as a pair from a parent hadron but emerge from semileptonic decays of two correlated daughter hadrons. Our calculations suggest a sizeable contribution of such sources in central heavy-ion collisions in the low-mass region. However, even the upper limits of our calculations are found to be far below the dilepton mass spectra of the PHENIX Collaboration.     

Energy spectrum of cosmic rays and multiparticle generation of hadrons at ultrahigh energies

None of the presently known local sources of photons whose energy exceeds 10¹² eV is incompatible with the universal energy spectrum F(>E _γ ) ～ E _γ ^?1.36±0.15 . The power of extragalactic sources is 10⁶ to 10¹² times higher than the power of galactic sources since the respective distances are longer in the former case, while the observed flux intensities are approximately identical in the two cases. A much higher power of extragalactic sources is indicative of an extragalactic cosmic-ray origin and of the existence of a universal (for all energies of protons and cosmic-ray nuclei) process that is responsible for the energy loss in the Metagalaxy and which forms the observed energy spectrum of protons and nuclei (～E ₀ ^?2.72 ). It is shown that there is no break in the energy spectrum of primary protons in the energy range 10¹⁵–10¹⁶ eV and that the break in the spectrum of extensive air showers with respect to the number of electrons is due to a change in the process of multiparticle hadron generation in the first event of extensive-air-shower production, this being confirmed by a change in the extensive-air-shower absorption length from λ_a<90 g/cm² before the break to λ_a>150 g/cm² after the break.     

Distant metagalactic sources of very high energy γ rays: 1739 + 522 and 3c454.3

Sources with red shifts from z = 0.0179 to 1.375 have been observed with the SHALON telescope. Fluxes, spectral energy distributions, integrated spectra, and images of new (in the TeV energy range) distant sources—flat-spectrum radio quasars 1739 + 522 and 3c454.3—are reported. It is shown that the energy spectrum of metagalactic sources (Mkn421 and Mkn501 quasars) in the energy range 10¹²–10¹³ eV in the power-law representation differs from the spectrum of 1739 + 522 and 3c454.4 distant quasars, which do not contradict the unified energy spectrum F(>E) ～ E _γ ^?1.26±0.15 .     

Recent STAR Spin Results and Spin Measurements at RHIC

The STAR experiment provides measurements of single and double-spin asymmetries in longitudinally and transversely polarized p + p collisions at \(\sqrt s \) = 200 and 510 GeV to deepen our understanding on the proton spin structure and dynamics of parton interactions over a wide range of collision energy, momentum and rapidity of the various produced probes. Polarized processes with W^± production allow us to study the spin-flavor structure of the proton. Recent results obtained by STAR on the double longitudinal asymmetry, A_LL, of pion and jet production at \(\sqrt s \) = 200 and 510 GeV, the single longitudinal, A_L, and transverse, A_N, asymmetry of W^± production at \(\sqrt s \) = 510 GeV are overviewed. STAR results on azimuthal single transverse asymmetry of pion in p^↑ + (p, Au) and jet + π^± in p^↑ + p collisions are discussed. The proposed Forward Calorimeter System (FCS) and Forward Tracking System (FTS) upgrades at STAR would significantly improve the capabilities of existing detectors for measurements of observables such as asymmetries of pion, jet, Drell-Yan pairs produced at forward rapidities.     

Ein experimenteller Beitrag zu der durch langsame Primärelektronen ausgelösten Sekundärelektronenemission

The energy distribution of secondary electrons emitted from a highly degassed polycristalline Pt surface was investigated as a function of low energy (V _p ) primary electrons 5<V _p <150eV. The measurements were carried out in an UHV of better than 10^?10 mm Hg. The dependence of the numberN _S ^(Ev) of secondary electrons of a fixed energyE _v (3<E _v <12eV) on the energyV _p of the primaries (=isochromates) is studied. A lot of observations can be detected:

1. I.
   The exit depth of true secondary electrons is strongly dependent of their energy.     
   
   

Visualization of a Berezinskii–Kosterlitz–Thouless Topological Phase Transition in a Josephson Medium: Detection of an Anomalous Temperature Dependence of the Magnetoresistance of YBa<Subscript>2</Subscript>Cu<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>7–δ</Subscript> Granular High-Temperature Superconductors

The density of states of the valence band of a p-GaAs layer formed on an n-GaAs surface owing to the bombardment by 2500-eV Ar⁺ ions has been studied by photoelectron spectroscopy. A number of peaks have been detected in the spectrum of the edge of the valence band in the binding energy range E_V < 1.2eV. Their number and energy positions correspond to the quantum confinement levels calculated for a hole quantum well on the surface with the width about the ion penetration depth R_p = 3.6nm. Electronic transitions from these levels to the bottom of the conduction band have been revealed in the spectrum of characteristic energy losses of electrons reflected from the surface. Thus, it has been shown that the action of the argon ion beam on n-GaAs results in the formation of a quantum well on the surface.     

Kinetic freeze-out s pectra of identified particles produced in p–Pb collisions at $$\sqrt {s_{NN} }$$ = 5.02 TeV

We study the transverse momentum spectra of identified pions (π^– + π⁺), kaons ((K ^– + K ⁺), K ₀ ^s ), protons (p + p?) and lambda hyperons (Λ + Λ?) produced at mid-rapidity (0 < y _cm < 0.5) in most central (0?5)% p–Pb collisions at \(\sqrt {s_{NN} }\) = 5.02 TeV in comparison with a Unified Statistical Thermal Freeze-out Model (USTFM). The measurements for pions are reported upto p _T = 3 GeV, the kaons (K ^– + K ⁺) are reported upto p _T = 2.5 GeV, K ₀ ^s is reported upto p _T = 7 GeV, and the baryons (protons and lambda hyperons) are reported upto p _T = 3.5 GeV. A good agreement is seen between the calculated results and the experimental data points taken from the ALICE experiment. The transverse momentum spectra are found to be flatter for heavy particles than for light particles. Bulk freeze-out properties in terms of kinetic freeze-out temperature and the transverse collective flow velocity are extracted from the fits of the transverse momentum spectra of these hadrons. The effect of resonance decay contributions has also been taken care of.     

Forward particle production in proton–nucleus interactions at momenta of 25 and 50 GeV/<Emphasis Type="Italic">с</Emphasis> and сarbon–nucleus interactions at an energy of 25 GeV per nucleon

Relative yields of high-x _F charged hadrons (π ^±, К^±, р, \(\overline p \), and d) in proton–nucleus interactions at incident-proton momenta of 25 and 50 GeV/c were measured at an angle of 0° in the momentum range between 15 and 40 GeV/c. An upper limit on the forward production of two protons in proton–nucleus interactions at 50 GeV/c was estimated. The properties of a carbon beam with an energy of 25 GeV per nucleon and fragment yields in its interaction with nuclear targets were measured within a short exposure.     

Inclusive deuteron production in <Superscript>16</Superscript>O<Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis> collisions at a momentum of 3.25 GeV/<Emphasis Type="Italic">c</Emphasis> per nucleon

Experimental data on inclusive deuteron production in ¹⁶Op collisions at high energies were obtained for the first time under conditions of 4π geometry. An irregularity in the momentum spectrum of deuterons in the rest frame of oxygen nuclei is found in the range 0.40 ≤ p ≤ 0.55 GeV/c, and the reasons for its appearance are discussed. The mean multiplicities of secondary fragments are correlated with the presence of deuterons in an event, these correlations being positive for fragments of charge in the range z _f ≤ 4 and negative for fragments of charge in the range 5 ≤ z _f ≤ 7. This is likely to be due to baryon-charge conservation.     

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of FeP phosphide

The structure of the outer and inner electron spectra of iron (2p, 3p, 3s, and 3d) and phosphorus (3s and 3p) atoms in FeP monophosphide is studied in detail by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) method. On the basis of the analysis of the binding energy of electrons, as well as the parameters characterizing the structure of experimental spectra, a conclusion is made that Fe³⁺ (d ⁵) cations in FeP are stabilized in a state with intermediate value of the total spin (IS, S = 3/2). The range of values of intra-atomic parameters (10Dq, J _H ) is established in which the consideration of the high degree of covalence of Fe–P bonds may lead to the stabilization of (FeP₆)^15– clusters in the IS state.     

Excitation of even levels of erbium atoms without a change in the number of 4<Emphasis Type="Italic">f</Emphasis> electrons

The excitation of even levels of erbium atoms by slow electrons that occurs without a change in the number of electrons in the 4f shell is experimentally studied. The levels investigated belong to the 4f ¹²6s7s, 4f ¹²5d6s, 4f ¹²6s6d configurations. The cross sections measured at an electron energy of 30 eV lie within the range (0.2–18) × 10^?18 cm².     

A study of the neutrino production of <Emphasis Type="Italic">φ</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">D</Emphasis><Stack><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">s</Emphasis></Subscript><Superscript>+</Superscript></Stack> mesons

The charged current neutrino production of φ and D _s ⁺ mesons is studied, using the data obtained with the SKAT bubble chamber exposed to the Serpukhov accelerator neutrino beam. It is found that the φ production occurs predominantly in the forward hemisphere of the hadronic c.m.s. (at x _F > 0, x _F being the Feynman variable), with the mean yield strongly exceeding the expected yield of directly produced φ mesons and varying from 〈n _φ(x _F s 0)〉 = (0.92 ± 0.34) × 10^?2 at W > 2 GeV up to (1.23 ± 0.53) × 10^?2 at W > 2.6 GeV and (1.44 ± 0.69) × 10^?2 at W > 2.9 GeV, W being the invariant mass of the hadronic system. For the first time, the inclusive yield of leading D _s ⁺ mesons carrying more than z = 0.85 of the current c-quark energy is estimated: 〈n _{D s} ⁺ (z > 0.85, W > 2.9 GeV)〉 = (6.64 ± 1.91) × 10^?2. It is shown that the shape of measured φ meson differential spectrum on xF is reproduced by that expected from the D _s ⁺ → φX decays. An indication was obtained that this expected spectrum underestimates the measured φ yield.     

Microscopics of mesonic degrees of freedom in nucleons and mesons in nuclei: Quasielastic meson knockout by high-energy electrons

The following questions are considered: (i) that of what quasielastic-knockout reactions are; (ii) that of what experience has been gained in measuring, in various channels, the momentum distributions and spectroscopic factors of nucleons and clusters in nuclei and of electrons in atoms, molecules, and solid-state bodies; (iii) that of how it is possible to introduce the concept of quasielastic knockout in the theory of meson-electroproduction processes p(e, e′m)B at beam energies of a few GeV and at moderate values of the square of the virtual-photon 4-momentum, Q ² = 2–4 (GeV/c)²; and (iv) that of how the momentum distributions of mesons in various channels of virtual proton decay, p → B + π, p → B + ρ, and p → Y + K, are predicted on the basis of the microscopic model of a fluctuation of the QCD vacuum in a nucleon. Proposals for relevant experiments are formulated. It is indicated that quasielastic-knockout processes like (e, e′π) provide the best way to study the problem of a scalar pion condensate in nuclei. In conclusion, it is emphasized that quasielastic processes ²H(e, e′p)B involving various spectator baryons B are of great value for determining the composition of multiquark configurations in nucleon-nucleon systems.     

Properties of proton clusters in inelastic CC interactions accompanied by the production of Λ and <Emphasis Type="Italic">K</Emphasis><Superscript>0</Superscript> particles at <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis> = 4.2 GeV/<Emphasis Type="Italic">c</Emphasis> per nucleon

Within a new relativistically invariant approach, the properties of proton clusters that are formed together with Λ and K⁰ particles in inelastic CC interactions at p=4.2 GeV/c per nucleon are investigated in the space of relative 4-velocities. The observed proton clusters are shown to be characterized by high values of the mean kinetic energy of the protons in the cluster rest frame: 〈T _p 〉=100±2 MeV.     

Quark see-saw,Higgs mass and vacuum stability

The issue of vacuum stability of standard model (SM) is discussed by embedding it within the TeV scale left–right quark see-saw model. The Higgs potential in this case has only two coupling parameters (λ₁, λ₂) and two mass parameters. There are only two physical neutral Higgs bosons (h,H), the lighter one being identified with the 126 GeV Higgs boson. We explore the range of values for (λ₁, λ₂) for which the vacuum is stable for all values of the Higgs fields till 10¹⁶ GeV. Combining with the further requirement that the scalar self-couplings remain perturbative till 10¹⁶ GeV, we find (i) an upper and lower limit on the second Higgs (H) mass to be within the range: 0.4 ≤ (M_H/v_R) ≤ 0.7, where v_R is the parity breaking scale and (ii) the masses of heavy vector-like top, bottom and τ partner fermions (P₃, N₃,E₃) have an upper bound ≤ v_R. These predictions can be tested at LHC and future higher energy colliders.     

The probabilities of radiative transitions and lifetimes of levels in the spectra of Cu XX,La IV

The probabilities of radiative electric dipole transitions 2p ⁵3p, 2p ⁶–2p ⁵3s, and 2p ⁵3d in the spectrum of neon-like copper Cu XX and 5p ⁵6p, 5p ⁶–5p ⁵6s, 5p ⁵7s, and 5p ⁵5d in the spectrum of xenon-like lanthanum La IV are calculated. The wave functions of the intermediate coupling were found from the wellknown experimental energy levels by the least-squares method (LSM). To transfer to an absolute scale the radial integrals for the transitions calculated in the form of a length on the Hartree–Fock functions have been used. By summing the calculated probabilities of the transitions, the lifetimes of the levels of configurations 2p ⁵3s, 2p ⁵3p, and 2p ⁵3d in the spectrum of Cu XX and levels of configurations 5p ⁵6s, 5p ⁵6p, and 5p ⁵7s in the spectrum of La IV have been obtained.     

A study of the nuclear-medium influence on transverse momentum of hadrons produced in deep-inelastic neutrino scattering

The influence of nuclear effects on the transverse momentum (p_T) of neutrino-produced hadrons is investigated using the data obtained with the SKAT propane-freon bubble chamber irradiated in the neutrino beam (with E _v =3–30 GeV) at the Serpukhov accelerator. It has been observed that the nuclear effects cause an enhancement of 〈p _T ² 〉 of hadrons produced in the target fragmentation region at low invariant mass of the hadronic system (2 < W < 4 GeV) and at low energies transferred to the hadrons (2 < ν < 9 GeV). At higher W and ν, no influence of nuclear effects on 〈p _T ² 〉 is observed. Measurement results are compared with predictions of a simple model, incorporating secondary intranuclear interactions of hadrons, which qualitatively reproduces the main features of the data.     

Inclusive neutral-pion production in <Emphasis Type="Italic">d</Emphasis>C and <Emphasis Type="Italic">d</Emphasis>Cu interactions at a momentum of 4.5 GeV/. per nucleon

The cross sections for inclusive neutral-pion production in the reactions d + C → π⁰ + x and d + Cu → π⁰ + x at a momentum of 4.5 GeV/c per nucleon were measured over the kinematical region specified by the inequalities Θ_π≤16° and E_π≥2 GeV (in the laboratory frame). From the ratio of the cross sections for neutral-pion generation on carbon and copper nuclei, the exponent n in the parametrization Ed³σ/d³p ～ A _T ⁿ is obtained as a function of the cumulative number X in the range 0.6 ≤ X ≤ 1.8 and as a function of the square of the transverse momentum in the range 0.04 ≤ P _t ² ≤ 0.40 (GeV/c)². The probabilities of the formation of six-quark configurations in the D, ⁴He, and ¹²C nuclei are estimated. The double-differential cross section for the reaction d + C → π⁰ + x is determined for the first time by using a data sample containing more than 40 000 neutral pions.     

Two-proton correlations in <Superscript>4</Superscript>He<Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis> interactions at a primary momentum of 5 GeV/<Emphasis Type="Italic">c</Emphasis>

Correlations of secondary protons in ⁴Hep interactions are investigated in an exclusive experiment with the aid of a 2-m liquid-hydrogen bubble chamber exposed to an alpha-particle beam of momentum 5 GeV/c the kinetic energy of primary protons in the rest frame of the nucleus is T_p=620 MeV). By using data obtained in 4π geometry for six basic channels of ⁴Hep interaction that lead to the production of two protons, the total correlation function for the pp system is determined, along with two-proton correlation functions for individual channels. Experimental results are compared with the predictions of the modified Lednicky-Lyuboshitz model. The value of R=1.6±0.3 fm is obtained for the root-meansquare spacetime radius of pp emission in ⁴Hep interactions. The dependence of the correlation function on the total momentum of two emitted protons and on the momentum-transfer direction is investigated.