Search for a new gauge boson in electron-nucleus fixed-target scattering by the APEX experiment

We present a search at the Jefferson Laboratory for new forces mediated by sub-GeV vector bosons with weak coupling α' to electrons. Such a particle A' can be produced in electron-nucleus fixed-target scattering and then decay to an e + e- pair, producing a narrow resonance in the QED trident spectrum. Using APEX test run data, we searched in the mass range 175-250 MeV, found no evidence for an A'→ e+ e- reaction, and set an upper limit of α'/α ~/= 10(-6). Our findings demonstrate that fixed-target searches can explore a new, wide, and important range of masses and couplings for sub-GeV forces.     

Periodic solutions with nonconstant sign in Abel equations of the second kind

The study of periodic solutions with constant sign in the Abel equation of the second kind can be made through the equation of the first kind. This is because the situation is equivalent under the transformation x?x−1, and there are many results available in the literature for the first kind equation. However, the equivalence breaks down when one seeks for solutions with nonconstant sign. This note is devoted to periodic solutions with nonconstant sign in Abel equations of the second kind. Specifically, we obtain sufficient conditions to ensure the existence of a periodic solution that shares the zeros of the leading coefficient of the Abel equation. Uniqueness and stability features of such solutions are also studied.     

Regularity of invariant manifolds

Under mild conditions it is proved that an invariant submanifold ofX 0<1 for the equationdx/dt+Ax=f(x), A sectorial,fC'(X ,X),0<1, is a submanifold ofX ¹ as well. In addition, conditions are given for the semiflow of the equation to extend fromX toX and a new inertial manifold theorem is proved for the scalar reaction diffusion equation.     

Exponentially Small Splitting for the Pendulum: A Classical Problem Revisited

In this paper, we study the classical problem of the exponentially small splitting of separatrices of the rapidly forced pendulum. Firstly, we give an asymptotic formula for the distance between the perturbed invariant manifolds in the so-called singular case and we compare it with the prediction of Melnikov theory. Secondly, we give exponentially small upper bounds in some cases in which the perturbation is bigger than in the singular case and we give some heuristic ideas how to obtain an asymptotic formula for these cases. Finally, we study how the splitting of separatrices behaves when the parameters are close to a codimension-2 bifurcation point.     

Geometric properties of the scattering map of a normally hyperbolic invariant manifold

Given a normally hyperbolic invariant manifold Λ for a map f, whose stable and unstable invariant manifolds intersect transversally, we consider its associated scattering map. That is, the map that, given an asymptotic orbit in the past, gives the asymptotic orbit in the future.We show that when f and Λ are symplectic (respectively exact symplectic) then, the scattering map is symplectic (respectively exact symplectic). Furthermore, we show that, in the exact symplectic case, there are extremely easy formulas for the primitive function, which have a variational interpretation as difference of actions.We use this geometric information to obtain efficient perturbative calculations of the scattering map using deformation theory. This perturbation theory generalizes and extends several results already obtained using the Melnikov method. Analogous results are true for Hamiltonian flows. The proofs are obtained by geometrically natural methods and do not involve the use of particular coordinate systems, hence the results can be used to obtain intersection properties of objects of any type.We also reexamine the calculation of the scattering map in a geodesic flow perturbed by a quasi-periodic potential. We show that the geometric theory reproduces the results obtained in [Amadeu Delshams, Rafael de la Llave, Tere M. Seara, Orbits of unbounded energy in quasi-periodic perturbations of geodesic flows, Adv. Math. 202 (1) (2006) 64-188] using methods of fast-slow systems. Moreover, the geometric theory allows to compute perturbatively the dependence on the slow variables, which does not seem to be accessible to the previous methods.