Artificial polarization anomalies from holographic gratings

An aluminum reflection grating made holographically was found to display polarization anomalies when illuminated with p-polarized light. Additional anomalies were detected for both p- and s-polarizations after the grating was coated with a layer of dielectric (410 nm of photoresist). These new anomalies have been interpreted in terms of the optical guided modes of a thin film dielectric waveguide bounded on one side by metal and on the other by vacuum.     

Synthetic metals based on tetramethyltetraselenafulvalene(TMTSF): Varied anisotropy in the low temperature (125K) structures of (TMTSF)2X,X=C104-, PF6-, and AsF6-.

The low temperature (125K) X-ray crystal structures of (TMTSF)₂X, X=C10₄^-, PF₆^-, and AsF₆^- reveal decreases in the intermolecular interand intrastack Se-Se contact distances upon cooling (298K to 125K) which are highly anisotropic and different from one salt to another. The changes in the interstack distances, which are normal to the stacking direction, are approximately twice those involving intrastack Se-Se interactions. These observations establish that the anisotropic structural changes which accompany decreased temperature are common to numerous (TMTSF)₂X radical cation conducting salts.     

In memory of V.I. Zaborov (March 16, 1927–August 30, 2004)

Chronicle

In memory of V.I. Zaborov (March 16, 1927–August 30, 2004)     

Improved direct measurement of the parity-violation parameter Ab using a mass tag and momentum-weighted track charge

We present an improved direct measurement of the parity-violation parameter A(b) in the Z boson-b-quark coupling using a self-calibrating track-charge technique applied to a sample enriched in Z-->bb events via the topological reconstruction of the B hadron mass. Manipulation of the Stanford Linear Collider electron-beam polarization permits the measurement of A(b) to be made independently of other Z-pole coupling parameters. From the 1996-1998 sample of 400,000 hadronic Z decays, produced with an average beam polarization of 73.4%, we find A(b)=0.906+/-0.022(stat)+/-0.023(syst).     

An extension of Tanner's results on uncontrolled intersections

A delay formula is developed for the problem, analyzed by Tanner in 1962, where two streams of traffic have conflicting demands at an intersection. The situation is such that the major stream has absolute priority and the minor stream vehicles can only enter the intersection when sufficiently large gaps appear in the major stream. This paper extends Tanner's work by considering a generalised stochastic structure on the arrival streams. The paper also links Tanner's work to other papers of this author where the utilitarian value of this generalised model has been established in a wide range of traffic problems.     

Mott–Hubbard transition in a 2D He fluid monolayer

We discuss recent observations of the heat capacity and magnetization of a fluid ³He monolayer adsorbed on graphite plated with a bilayer of HD. Approaching the density at which the monolayer solidifies into a commensurate solid, we observe an apparent divergence of the effective mass. However, the inferred values of F₀^a tend to a constant. We interpret this in terms of a Mott–Hubbard transition between a 2D Fermi liquid and a magnetically disordered solid occurring via the Brinkman–Rice–Anderson–Vollhardt scenario.     

Asymptotic formulae for likelihood-based tests of new physics

We describe likelihood-based statistical tests for use in high energy physics for the discovery of new phenomena and for construction of confidence intervals on model parameters. We focus on the properties of the test procedures that allow one to account for systematic uncertainties. Explicit formulae for the asymptotic distributions of test statistics are derived using results of Wilks and Wald. We motivate and justify the use of a representative data set, called the “Asimov data set”, which provides a simple method to obtain the median experimental sensitivity of a search or measurement as well as fluctuations about this expectation.     

A bivariate exponential distribution arising in random geometry

Summary In this paper a new bivariate exponential distribution, arising naturally in the theory of Poisson line processes, is studied. The distribution has some interesting and useful properties which renders it suitable for use in statistical modelling work. It is presented in the spirit of adding to the repertoire of bivariate exponential forms. It joins other models, such as those of Downton (1970,J. R. Statist. Soc., B,32, 408–417), Marshall and Olkin (1967,J. Appl. Prob.,4, 291–302) and Nagao and Kadoya (1971,Bulletin of the Disaster Prevention Research Institute,20, 3, 183–215), which have their origins in the theory of stochastic processes.