ALBERT

Description: A precision measurement of jet cross sections in neutral current deep-inelastic scattering for photon virtualities $$5.5

Description: The strong coupling constant $$alpha _mathrm{s}$$ α s is determined from inclusive jet and dijet cross sections in neutral-current deep-inelastic ep scattering (DIS) measured at HERA by the H1 collaboration using next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) QCD predictions. The dependence of the NNLO predictions and of the resulting value of $$alpha _mathrm{s} (m_mathrm{Z})$$ α s ( m Z ) at the Z-boson mass $$m_Z$$ m Z are studied as a function of the choice of the renormalisation and factorisation scales. Using inclusive jet and dijet data together, the strong coupling constant is determined to be $$alpha _mathrm{s} (m_mathrm{Z}) =0.1157,(20)_mathrm{exp},(29)_mathrm{th}$$ α s ( m Z ) = 0.1157 ( 20 ) exp ( 29 ) th . Complementary, $$alpha _mathrm{s} (m_mathrm{Z})$$ α s ( m Z ) is determined together with parton distribution functions of the proton (PDFs) from jet and inclusive DIS data measured by the H1 experiment. The value $$alpha _mathrm{s} (m_mathrm{Z}) =0.1142,(28)_mathrm{tot}$$ α s ( m Z ) = 0.1142 ( 28 ) tot obtained is consistent with the determination from jet data alone. The impact of the jet data on the PDFs is studied. The running of the strong coupling is tested at different values of the renormalisation scale and the results are found to be in agreement with expectations.

Description: The harmful effect on the health of superfine dust in industry is a serious problem. An especially important and complex task is the development of new methods for sedimentation of dust particles with a characteristic size of less than 10 μm. The solution offered by the authors involves a combined method of impact on industrial dust using high-frequency acoustic fields and spraying of a superfine water aerosol. Acoustic radiation sources are successfully applied to cleaning rooms from dust having fairly large particle sizes (10 μm and larger). The sedimentation of fine aerosols (particle diameter of 1–10 μm) is a more complicated challenge. The paper is devoted to substantiation of the acoustic sedimentation method for such aerosols. Good results were achieved when additional disperse phase was applied together with the ultrasonic source. Calculation results according to the mathematical model for coagulation and sedimentation, based on Smoluchowski’s equation, taking into account evaporation of liquid droplets, are given. Results of the experimental and theoretical study of the processes of acoustic sedimentation of superfine aerosols are presented. Recommendations are offered for the use of sources of ultrasonic radiation and sprayers of water aerosol for optimum removal of dust from workplace air.

Description: A Higgs field of particle physics can play the role of the inflaton in the early universe if it is non-minimally coupled to gravity. The Higgs inflation scenario predicts a small tensor to scalar ratio: \(r\simeq 0.003\) . Although this value is consistent with the upper bound \(r〈0.12\) given by the BICEP2/ Keck Array and Planck data, it is not at their maximum likelihood point: \(r\simeq 0.05\) . Inflationary observables depend not only on the inflationary models, but they also depend on the initial conditions of inflation. Changing the initial state of inflation can improve the value of r . In this work, we study the Higgs inflation model under general initial conditions and show that there is a subset of these general initial conditions which leads to enhancement of r . Then we show that this region of parameter space is consistent with a non-Gaussianity bound.

Description: When Morris and Thorne first proposed that traversable wormholes may be actual physical objects, they concentrated on the geometry by specifying the shape and redshift functions. This mathematical approach necessarily raises questions regarding the determination of the required stress-energy tensor. This paper discusses a natural way to obtain a complete wormhole solution by assuming that the wormhole (1) is supported by generalized Chaplygin gas and (2) admits conformal Killing vectors.

Description: In this article, we study the charmed baryon states \(\Lambda _c(2625)\) and \(\Xi _c(2815)\) with the spin-parity \({3\over 2}^-\) by subtracting the contributions from the corresponding charmed baryon states with the spin-parity \({3\over 2}^+\) using the QCD sum rules, and suggest a formula \( \mu =\sqrt{M_{\Lambda _c/\Xi _c}^2-{\mathbb {M}}_c^2}\) with the effective mass \({\mathbb {M}}_c=1.8\,\mathrm {GeV}\) to determine the energy scales of the QCD spectral densities, and make reasonable predictions for the masses and pole residues. The numerical results indicate that the \(\Lambda _c(2625)\) and \(\Xi _c(2815)\) have at least two remarkable under-structures.

Description: We study the radiative leptonic \(B_c\rightarrow \gamma \ell {\bar{\nu }}\) decays in nonrelativistic QCD effective field theory, and we explore the contribution from a fast-moving photon. As a result, interactions between the photon and the heavy quarks can be integrated out, resulting in the factorization formula for the decay amplitude. We calculate not only the relevant short-distance coefficients at leading order and next-to-leading order in \(\alpha _s\) , but also the nonrelativistic corrections at the order \(|\mathrm {v}|^2\) in our analysis. We find that the QCD corrections can significantly decrease the branching ratio, and this is of great importance in extracting the long-distance operator matrix elements of \(B_c\) . For phenomenological application, we present our results for the photon energy, lepton energy and lepton-neutrino invariant mass distribution.

Description: We point out a weak side of the commonly used determination of scalar cosmological perturbations lying in the fact that their average values can be nonzero for some matter distributions. It is shown that introduction of the finite-range gravitational potential instead of the infinite-range one resolves this problem. The concrete illustrative density profile is investigated in detail in this connection.

Description: A consistent BPS formalism to study the existence of topological axially symmetric vortices in generalized versions of the Born–Infeld–Higgs electrodynamics is implemented. Such a generalization modifies the field dynamics via the introduction of three nonnegative functions depending only in the Higgs field, namely, \(G(|\phi |)\) , \(w(|\phi |) \) , and \(V(|\phi |)\) . A set of first-order differential equations is attained when these functions satisfy a constraint related to the Ampère law. Such a constraint allows one to minimize the system’s energy in such way that it becomes proportional to the magnetic flux. Our results provides an enhancement of the role of topological vortex solutions in Born–Infeld–Higgs electrodynamics. Finally, we analyze a set of models entailing the recovery of a generalized version of Maxwell–Higgs electrodynamics in a certain limit of the theory.

Description: I put forward a qualitatively new dynamical mechanism for solving the electroweak hierarchy problem that does not require new physics at the electroweak scale. I argue that the infrared fluctuations of the gravitational field may provide a partial screening of the Higgs mass, similar to the infrared screening of the electric charge in quantum electrodynamics.

Description: It is thought that the spacetime geometry around black hole candidates is described by the Kerr solution, but an observational confirmation is still missing. Today, the continuum-fitting method and the analysis of the iron K \(\alpha \) line cannot unambiguously test the Kerr paradigm because of the degeneracy among the parameters of the system, in the sense that it is impossible with current X-ray data to distinguish a Kerr black hole from a non-Kerr object with different values of the model parameters. In this paper, we study the possibility of testing the Kerr nature of black hole candidates with X-ray spectropolarimetric measurements. Within our simplified model that does not include the effect of returning radiation, we find that it is impossible to test the Kerr metric and the problem is still the strong correlation between the spin and possible deviations from the Kerr geometry. Moreover, the correlation is very similar to that of the other two techniques, which makes the combination of different measurements not very helpful. Nevertheless, our results cannot be taken as conclusive and, in order to arrive at a final answer, the effect of returning radiation should be properly taken into account.

Description: The pre-cracked Brazilian disc specimens of rock-like materials (Portland Pozzolana cement (PPC), fine sands, and water) are especially prepared in a rock mechanics laboratory to study the breaking process of brittle solids. The Brazilian discs may contain one, two, three, four, and five (parallel) center slant cracks (45° to the horizontal) under compressive line loading. The breaking load of the pre-cracked disc specimens is measured showing that as the number of cracks increases, the final breakage load of the specimen decreases. The experiments are carried out under compression (just like the Brazilian tests used for measuring the indirect tensile strength of intact rocks). It has been experimentally observed that the wing cracks are produced at the first stage of loading and start their propagation toward the direction of compressive line loading in the pre-cracked Brazilian discs. The same specimens are numerically simulated by a higher order displacement discontinuity method (HDDM). The effect of bridge area and orientation of cracks on the cracks coalescence and breakage path of the pre-cracked Brazilian discs specimens are simultaneously studied.

Description: We investigate unitarity within the complex-mass scheme, a convenient universal scheme for perturbative calculations involving unstable particles in quantum field theory which guarantees exact gauge invariance. Since this scheme requires one to introduce complex masses and complex couplings, the Cutkosky cutting rules, which express perturbative unitarity in theories of stable particles, are no longer valid. We derive corresponding rules for scalar theories with unstable particles based on Veltman’s largest-time equation and prove unitarity in this framework.

Description: We compute the decays \({B\rightarrow D^*_0}\) and \({B\rightarrow D^*_2}\) with finite masses for the b and c quarks. We first discuss the spectral properties of both the B meson as a function of its momentum and the \(D^*_0\) and \(D^*_2\) at rest. We compute the theoretical formulae leading to the decay amplitudes from the three-point and two-point correlators. We then compute the amplitudes at zero recoil of \({B\rightarrow D^*_0}\) , which turns out not to be vanishing contrary to what happens in the heavy quark limit. This opens the possibility to get better agreement with experiment. To improve the continuum limit we have added a set of data with smaller lattice spacing. The \({B\rightarrow D^*_2}\) vanishes at zero recoil and we show a convincing signal but only slightly more than 1 sigma from 0. In order to reach quantitatively significant results we plan to exploit fully smaller lattice spacings as well as another lattice regularisation.

Description: We present a simulation study of the prospects for the mass measurement of TeV-scale light-flavored right-handed squarks at a 3 TeV \(e^+e^-\) collider based on CLIC technology. In the considered model, these particles decay into their standard-model counterparts and the lightest neutralino, resulting in a signature of two jets plus missing energy. The analysis is based on full GEANT4 simulations of the CLIC_ILD detector concept, including Standard Model physics backgrounds and beam-induced hadronic backgrounds from two-photon processes. The analysis serves as a generic benchmark for the reconstruction of highly energetic jets in events with substantial missing energy. Several jet finding algorithms were evaluated, with the longitudinally invariant \(k_t\) algorithm showing a high degree of robustness towards beam-induced background while preserving the features typically found in algorithms developed for \(e^+e^-\) collisions. The presented study of the reconstruction of light-flavored squarks shows that for TeV-scale squark masses, sub-percent accuracy on the mass measurement can be achieved at CLIC.

Description: We evaluate the Hadamard function and the vacuum expectation value (VEV) of the current density for a charged scalar field, induced by flat boundaries in spacetimes with an arbitrary number of toroidally compactified spatial dimensions. The field operator obeys the Robin conditions on the boundaries and quasiperiodicity conditions with general phases along compact dimensions. In addition, the presence of a constant gauge field is assumed. The latter induces Aharonov–Bohm-type effect on the VEVs. There is a region in the space of the parameters in Robin boundary conditions where the vacuum state becomes unstable. The stability condition depends on the lengths of compact dimensions and is less restrictive than that for background with trivial topology. The vacuum current density is a periodic function of the magnetic flux, enclosed by compact dimensions, with the period equal to the flux quantum. It is explicitly decomposed into the boundary-free and boundary-induced contributions. In sharp contrast to the VEVs of the field squared and the energy-momentum tensor, the current density does not contain surface divergences. Moreover, for Dirichlet condition it vanishes on the boundaries. The normal derivative of the current density on the boundaries vanish for both Dirichlet and Neumann conditions and is nonzero for general Robin conditions. When the separation between the plates is smaller than other length scales, the behavior of the current density is essentially different for non-Neumann and Neumann boundary conditions. In the former case, the total current density in the region between the plates tends to zero. For Neumann boundary condition on both plates, the current density is dominated by the interference part and is inversely proportional to the separation.

Description: Geophysical and geochemical studies were carried out in the eastern part of Lagos metropolis to determine the possible contamination of subsurface soils and groundwater as a result of dumping of waste into the canal. The geophysical method involved the use of 2D electrical resistivity imaging which was acquired along five (5) traverses, while the geochemical method involved the physicochemical analysis of water samples from nine (9) wells within the study area. The geochemical study includes the analysis of physical parameters like total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), pH and temperature. Seventy elements which include trace elements (such as As, B, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, U and Zn), major cations (such as Ca, K, Mg and Na) and anions (Cl and Br) were analysed, and the concentrations of the elements were compared with the World Health Organization (WHO) and Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality (NSDWQ) permissible level for drinking water. Geophysical results show that the lithology is composed of topsoil, clayey sand, peat and sand. 2D electrical resistivity tomography revealed that the leachate and polluted water from the canal have percolated to the subsurface soil down to a depth of about 37 m with low resistivity values of 1–13 Ω m. In addition to this, result of physicochemical analysis of water samples shows that Mn, Br, TDS, and EC were high in some wells, above the WHO and NSDWQ standard. It was deduced that the subsurface has been invaded by the polluted water from the canal consequently, making the groundwater unsuitable for human consumption.

Description: A small tensor-to-scalar ratio r may lead to distinctive phenomenology of high-scale supersymmetry. Assuming the same origin of SUSY breaking between the inflation and visible sector, we show model independent features. The simplest hybrid inflation, together with a new linear term for the inflaton field which is induced by a large gravitino mass, is shown to be consistent with all experimental data for r of order \(10^{-5}\) . For superpartner masses far above the weak scale we find that the reheating temperature after inflation might be below the value required by thermal leptogenesis if the inflaton decays to its products perturbatively, but above it if the decay is non-perturbatively instead. Remarkably, the gravitino overproduction can be evaded in such high-scale supersymmetry because of the kinematically blocking effect.

Description: We show how leading radiative corrections can be implemented in the general description of \(h\rightarrow 4\ell \) decays by means of pseudo observables (PO). With the inclusion of such corrections, the PO description of \(h\rightarrow 4\ell \) decays can be matched to next-to-leading-order electroweak calculations both within and beyond the Standard Model (SM). In particular, we demonstrate that with the inclusion of such corrections the complete next-to-leading-order SM prediction for the \(h\rightarrow 2e2\mu \) dilepton mass spectrum is recovered within \(1\,\%\) accuracy. The impact of radiative corrections for non-standard PO is also briefly discussed.

Description: A comprehensive review of physics at an \(e^+e^-\) linear collider in the energy range of \(\sqrt{s}=92\)  GeV–3 TeV is presented in view of recent and expected LHC results, experiments from low-energy as well as astroparticle physics. The report focusses in particular on Higgs-boson, top-quark and electroweak precision physics, but also discusses several models of beyond the standard model physics such as supersymmetry, little Higgs models and extra gauge bosons. The connection to cosmology has been analysed as well.

Description: Probability distribution and extreme value analysis were carried out on total suspended particulate matter (TSP) in Kuwait. The measured TSP data, available for about 10 years from three different locations in Kuwait, viz., Managhesh, Shuwaikh, and Kuwait City were used. For probability distribution analysis, four theoretical distributions were considered, namely Rayleigh, exponential, Gumbel, and log-normal distribution. Based on the study, it was found that log-normal distribution represented the measured daily average TSP value in Kuwait. The expected extreme daily average TSP values for 10-, 25-, 50-, and 100-year return periods were estimated based on Gumbel, exponential, and Weibull extreme value distributions for these three locations. For 100-year return period, the expected TSP values in Managhesh were 5270, 5920, and 4584 μg/m 3 , based on Gumbel, exponential, and Weibull extreme value distributions, respectively. For the same return period, the expected TSP values in Shuwaikh were 11,255, 12,592, and 8771 μg/m 3 , and in Kuwait City, 7109, 8136, and 6494 μg/m 3 , based on Gumbel, exponential, and Weibull extreme value distributions, respectively. During an extreme dust storm in Kuwait, an extreme TSP of 9619 μg/m 3 was recorded on 25 March 2011. The results of this study are an important input to understand the probability distribution of TSP and also for the analysis on the impact of TSP on the socioeconomic development and on the respiratory health issues in Kuwait.

Description: We investigate the fragmentation instability of hairy black holes in the theory with a Gauss–Bonnet (GB) term in asymptotically flat spacetime. Our approach is through the non-perturbative fragmentation instability. By this approach, we investigate whether the initial black hole can be broken into two black holes by comparing the entropy of the initial black hole with the sum of those of two fragmented black holes. The relation between the black hole instability and the GB coupling with dilaton hair are presented. We describe the phase diagrams with respect to the mass of the black hole solutions and coupling constants. We find that a perturbatively stable black hole can be unstable under fragmentation.

Description: A pulse-shape discrimination method based on artificial neural networks was applied to pulses simulated for different background, signal and signal-like interactions inside a germanium detector. The simulated pulses were used to investigate variations of efficiencies as a function of used training set. It is verified that neural networks are well-suited to identify background pulses in true-coaxial high-purity germanium detectors. The systematic uncertainty on the signal recognition efficiency derived using signal-like evaluation samples from calibration measurements is estimated to be 5 %. This uncertainty is due to differences between signal and calibration samples.

Description: In this article, we calculate the form factors and the coupling constant of the vertex \(D_{s}^{*}D_{s}\phi \) using the three-point QCD sum rules. We consider the contributions of the vacuum condensates up to dimension 7 in the operator product expansion. And all possible off-shell cases are considered, \(\phi \) , \(D_{s}\) and \(D_{s}^{*}\) , resulting in three different form factors. Then we fit the form factors into analytical functions and extrapolate them into time-like regions, which giving the coupling constant for the process. Our analysis indicates that the coupling constant for this vertex is \(G_{D_{s}^{*}D{_{s}}\phi }=4.12\pm 0.70\,\mathrm{GeV}^{-1}\) . The results of this work are very useful in the other phenomenological analysis. As an application, we calculate the coupling constant for the decay channel \(D_{s}^{*}\rightarrow D_{s}\gamma \) and analyze the width of this decay with the assumption of the vector meson dominance of the intermediate \(\phi (1020)\) . Our final result about the decay width of this decay channel is \(\Gamma =0.59\pm 0.15\,\mathrm{keV}\) .

Description: Kadabora-Suwayqat area, in the Central Eastern Desert of Egypt, is built up by a wide variety of non-consanguineous, basement rock units, which represent a tectono-stratigraphic suite within the frame of the Late Neoproterozoic, Pan-African Arabian-Nubian Shield. They were developed from different magma sources at varied tectonic settings through subsequent tectono-magmatic processes. They cover a wide compositional range of the Pan-African legend in the Eastern Desert of Egypt comprising ophiolitic, island-arc, and within-plate assemblages. The ophiolitic serpentinites were obducted onto arc-related metavolcanics and intruded by gabbroic and syn-late to post tectonic granitoids. Geochemically, the precursor of the ophiolitic serpentinites seems to be peridotite (harzburgite). The basic, intermediate, and acidic metavolcanics imply a transitional stage between an island-arc and a proper active continental margin setting. They exhibit with the gabbroic rocks a diagnostic subduction-related island-arc, calc-alkaline affinity. The granitoids comprise both arc-related, calc-alkaline I-type and within-plate, anorogenic A-type varieties. These rocks have been successfully discriminated on Landsat 8 images including Minimum Noise Fraction (MNF; 4, 3, 7), Principal Component Analysis (PCA; PC6, PC2, PC7), and various band ratios (b6/b2, b6/b7, b6/b5×b4b5) and (b7/b6, b7/b5, b5/b3). ASTER clay index (5×7/6) and silica index (10/13) discriminated the granitoid rocks, while the serpentinite-talc carbonate and metavolcanic rocks are distinguished on the ASTER images of amphibole index (6+9/7+8) and (6/8).

Description: Extensive N -body simulations are among the key means for the study of numerous astrophysical and cosmological phenomena, so various schemes are developed for possibly higher accuracy computations. We demonstrate the principal possibility for revealing the evolution of a perturbed Hamiltonian system with an accuracy independent on time. The method is based on the Laplace transform and the derivation and analytical solution of an evolution equation in the phase space for the resolvent and using computer algebra.

Description: A search for a standard model Higgs boson produced in association with a top-quark pair and decaying to bottom quarks is presented. Events with hadronic jets and one or two oppositely charged leptons are selected from a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.5 \(\,\text {fb}^\text {-1}\) collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC in \(\mathrm {p}\mathrm {p}\) collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 \(\,\hbox {TeV}\) . In order to separate the signal from the larger \(\hbox {t}\overline{\hbox {t}}\)  + jets background, this analysis uses a matrix element method that assigns a probability density value to each reconstructed event under signal or background hypotheses. The ratio between the two values is used in a maximum likelihood fit to extract the signal yield. The results are presented in terms of the measured signal strength modifier, \(\mu \) , relative to the standard model prediction for a Higgs boson mass of 125 \(\,\hbox {GeV}\) . The observed (expected) exclusion limit at a 95 % confidence level is \(\mu 〈4.2\) (3.3), corresponding to a best fit value \(\hat{\mu }=1.2^{+1.6}_{-1.5}\) .

Description: In this paper we are concerned with the effects of an anisotropic pressure on the boundary conditions of the anisotropic Lane–Emden equation and the homology theorem. Some new exact solutions of this equation are derived. Then some of the theorems governing the Newtonian perfect fluid star are extended, taking the anisotropic pressure into account.

Description: An optimized digital shaping filter has been developed for the Gerda experiment which searches for neutrinoless double beta decay in \(^{76}\) Ge. The Gerda Phase I energy calibration data have been reprocessed and an average improvement of 0.3 keV in energy resolution (FWHM) corresponding to 10 % at the \(Q\) value for \(0\nu \beta \beta \) decay in \(^{76}\) Ge is obtained. This is possible thanks to the enhanced low-frequency noise rejection of this Zero Area Cusp (ZAC) signal shaping filter.

Description: A generalisation of the narrow-width approximation (NWA) is formulated which allows for a consistent treatment of interference effects between nearly mass-degenerate particles in the factorisation of a more complicated process into production and decay parts. It is demonstrated that interference effects of this kind arising in BSM models can be very large, leading to drastic modifications of predictions based on the standard NWA. The application of the generalised NWA is demonstrated both at tree level and at one-loop order for an example process where the neutral Higgs bosons h and H of the MSSM are produced in the decay of a heavy neutralino and subsequently decay into a fermion pair. The generalised NWA, based on on-shell matrix elements or their approximations leading to simple weight factors, is shown to produce UV- and IR-finite results which are numerically close to the result of the full process at tree level and at one-loop order, where an agreement of better than \(1\,\%\) is found for the considered process. The most accurate prediction for this process based on the generalised NWA, taking into account also corrections that are formally of higher orders, is briefly discussed.

Description: A new theory of gravity called Eddington-inspired Born–Infeld (EiBI) gravity was recently proposed by Bañados and Ferreira. This theory leads to some exciting new features, such as free of cosmological singularities. In this paper, we first obtain a charged EiBI black hole solution with a nonvanishing cosmological constant when the electromagnetic field is included in. Then based on it, we study the strong gravitational lensing by the asymptotic flat charged EiBI black hole. The strong deflection limit coefficients and observables are shown to closely depend on the additional coupling parameter \(\kappa \) in the EiBI gravity. It is found that, compared with the corresponding charged black hole in general relativity, the positive coupling parameter \(\kappa \) will shrink the black hole horizon and photon sphere. Moreover, the coupling parameter will decrease the angular position and relative magnitudes of the relativistic images, while increase the angular separation, which may shine new light on testing such gravity theory in near future by the astronomical instruments.

Description: This manuscript is devoted to the investigation of the Bianchi type I universe in the context of f ( R ,  T ) gravity. For this purpose, we explore the exact solutions of locally rotationally symmetric Bianchi type I spacetime. The modified field equations are solved by assuming an expansion scalar \(\theta \) proportional to the shear scalar \(\sigma \) , which gives \(A=B^n\) , where A ,   B are the metric coefficients and n is an arbitrary constant. In particular, three solutions have been found and physical quantities are calculated in each case.

Description: By detecting redshift drift in the spectra of the Lyman- \(\alpha \) forest of distant quasars, the Sandage–Loeb (SL) test directly measures the expansion of the universe, covering the “redshift desert” of \(2 \lesssim z \lesssim 5\) . Thus this method is definitely an important supplement to the other geometric measurements and will play a crucial role in cosmological constraints. In this paper, we quantify the ability of the SL test signal by a CODEX-like spectrograph for constraining interacting dark energy. Four typical interacting dark energy models are considered: (i) \(Q=\gamma H\rho _c\) , (ii) \(Q=\gamma H\rho _{de}\) , (iii) \(Q=\gamma H_0\rho _c\) , and (iv) \(Q=\gamma H_0\rho _{de}\) . The results show that for all the considered interacting dark energy models, relative to the current joint SN  \(+\)  BAO  \(+\)  CMB  \(+\)   \(H_0\) observations, the constraints on \(\Omega _m\) and \(H_0\) would be improved by about 60 and 30–40 %, while the constraints on w and \(\gamma \) would be slightly improved, with a 30-year observation of the SL test. We also explore the impact of the SL test on future joint geometric observations. In this analysis, we take the model with \(Q=\gamma H\rho _c\) as an example, and we simulate future SN and BAO data based on the space-based project WFIRST. We find that with the future geometric constraints, the redshift drift observations would help break the geometric degeneracies in a meaningful way, thus the measurement precisions of \(\Omega _m\) , \(H_0\) , w , and \(\gamma \) could be substantially improved using future probes.

Description: To identify the nature of the newly observed charged resonance \(Z_c(4200)^+\) , we study its hadronic decays \(Z_c(4200)^+\rightarrow J/\psi \pi ^+, Z_c(4200)^+\rightarrow \eta _c\rho ^+\) and \(Z_c(4200)^+\rightarrow D^+\bar{D}^{*0}\) as a charmonium-like tetraquark state. In the framework of the QCD sum rules, we calculate the three-point functions and extract the coupling constants and decay widths for these interaction vertices. Including all these channels, the full decay width of the \(Z_c(4200)^+\) state is consistent with the experimental value reported by the Belle Collaboration, supporting the tetraquark interpretation of this state.

Description: A search for heavy long-lived multi-charged particles is performed using the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Data collected in 2012 at \(\sqrt{s}=8\)  TeV from pp collisions corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb \(^{-1}\) are examined. Particles producing anomalously high ionisation, consistent with long-lived massive particles with electric charges from \(|q|=2e\) to \(|q|=6e\) are searched for. No signal candidate events are observed, and 95 % confidence level cross-section upper limits are interpreted as lower mass limits for a Drell–Yan production model. The mass limits range between 660 and 785 GeV.

Description: We study to which extent SUSY extensions of the Standard Model can describe the excess of events of 3.0 standard deviations observed by ATLAS in the on- Z signal region, respecting constraints by CMS on similar signal channels as well as constraints from searches for jets and \(E^\mathrm{miss}_\text {T}\) . GMSB-like scenarios are typically in conflict with these constraints, and do not reproduce well the shape of the \(E^\mathrm{miss}_\text {T}\) distribution of the data. An alternative scenario with two massive neutralinos can improve fits to the total number of events as well as to the \(H_\text {T}\) and \(E^\mathrm{miss}_\text {T}\) distributions. Such a scenario can be realised within the NMSSM.

Description: Leading-twist operators have a remarkable property that their divergence vanishes in a free theory. Recently it was suggested that this property can be used for an alternative technique to calculate anomalous dimensions of leading-twist operators and allows one to gain one order in perturbation theory so that, i.e., two-loop anomalous dimensions can be calculated from one-loop Feynman diagrams, etc. In this work we study the feasibility of this program by a toy-model example of the \(\varphi ^3\) theory in six dimensions. Our conclusion is that this approach is valid, although it does not seem to present considerable technical simplifications as compared to the standard technique. It does provide one, however, with a very nontrivial check of the calculation as the structure of the contributions is very different.

Description: Recently, a family of interesting analytical brane solutions were found in f ( R ) gravity with \(f(R)=R \,+\, \alpha R^2\) in Bazeia et al. (Phys Lett B 729:127 2014 ). In these solutions, the inner brane structure can be turned on by tuning the value of the parameter \(\alpha \) . In this paper, we investigate how the parameter \(\alpha \) affects the localization and the quasilocalization of the tensorial gravitons around these solutions. It is found that, in a range of \(\alpha \) , despite the brane having an inner structure, there is no graviton resonance. However, in some other regions of the parameter space, although the brane has no internal structure, the effective potential for the graviton Kaluza–Klein (KK) modes has a singular structure, and there exist a series of graviton resonant modes. The contribution of the massive graviton KK modes to Newton’s law of gravity is discussed briefly.

Description: The production of the Standard Model Higgs boson in association with a vector boson, followed by the dominant decay to \(H \rightarrow b\bar{b}\) , is a strong prospect for confirming and measuring the coupling to b -quarks in pp collisions at \(\sqrt{s}=14\)  TeV. We present an updated study of the prospects for this analysis, focussing on the most sensitive highly Lorentz-boosted region. The evolution of the efficiency and composition of the signal and main background processes as a function of the transverse momentum of the vector boson are studied covering the region 200–1000 GeV, comparing both a conventional dijet and jet substructure selection. The lower transverse momentum region (200–400 GeV) is identified as the most sensitive region for the Standard Model search, with higher transverse momentum regions not improving the statistical sensitivity. For much of the studied region (200–600 GeV), a conventional dijet selection performs as well as the substructure approach, while for the highest transverse momentum regions ( \(〉\) 600 GeV), which are particularly interesting for Beyond the Standard Model and high luminosity measurements, the jet substructure techniques are essential.

Description: Massive QED, in contrast with its massless counterpart, possesses two conserved charges; one is a screened (vanishing) Maxwell charge which is directly associated with the massive vector mesons through the identically conserved Maxwell current, while the presence of a particle-antiparticle counting charge depends on the matter. A somewhat peculiar situation arises for couplings of Hermitian matter fields to massive vector potentials; in that case the only current is the screened Maxwell current and the coupling disappears in the massless limit. In the case of self-interacting massive vector mesons the situation becomes even more peculiar in that the usually renormalizability guaranteeing validity of the first order power-counting criterion breaks down in second order and requires the compensatory presence of additional Hermitian H -fields. Some aspect of these observation have already been noticed in the BRST gauge theoretic formulation, but here we use a new setting based on string-local vector mesons which is required by Hilbert space positivity (“off-shell unitarity”). This new formulation explains why spontaneous symmetry breaking cannot occur in the presence of higher spin \(s\ge 1\)  fields. The coupling to H -fields induces Mexican hat-like self-interactions; they are not imposed and bear no relation with spontaneous symmetry breaking; they are rather consequences of the foundational causal localization properties realized in a Hilbert space setting. In the case of self-interacting massive vector mesons their presence is required in order to maintain the first order power-counting restriction of renormalizability also in second order. The presentation of the new Hilbert space setting for vector mesons which replaces gauge theory and extends on-shell unitarity to its off-shell counterpart is the main motivation for this work. The new Hilbert space setting also shows that the second order Lie-algebra structure of self-interacting vector mesons is a consequence of the principles of QFT and promises a deeper understanding of the origin of confinement.

Description: We develop a methodology for the construction of a Hessian representation of Monte Carlo sets of parton distributions, based on the use of a subset of the Monte Carlo PDF replicas as an unbiased linear basis, and of a genetic algorithm for the determination of the optimal basis. We validate the methodology by first showing that it faithfully reproduces a native Monte Carlo PDF set (NNPDF3.0), and then, that if applied to Hessian PDF set (MMHT14) which was transformed into a Monte Carlo set, it gives back the starting PDFs with minimal information loss. We then show that, when applied to a large Monte Carlo PDF set obtained as combination of several underlying sets, the methodology leads to a Hessian representation in terms of a rather smaller set of parameters (MC-H PDFs), thereby providing an alternative implementation of the recently suggested Meta-PDF idea and a Hessian version of the recently suggested PDF compression algorithm (CMC-PDFs). The mc2hessian conversion code is made publicly available together with (through LHAPDF6 ) a Hessian representations of the NNPDF3.0 set, and the MC-H PDF set.

Description: We explore a fermionic dark matter model with a possible extension of Standard Model of particle physics into two Higgs doublet model. Higgs doublets couple to the singlet fermionic dark matter through a non-renormalisable coupling providing a new physics scale. We explore the viability of such dark matter candidate and constrain the model parameter space by collider serach, relic density of DM, direct detection measurements of DM-nucleon scattering cross-section and with the experimentally obtained results from indirect search of dark matter.

Description: An overview of the flavour problem is presented, with emphasis on the theoretical efforts to find a satisfactory description of the fermion masses and the mixing angles.

Description: The production of the massive bosons \(Z^0\) and \(W^{\pm }\) could provide an excellent tool to study cold nuclear matter effects and the modifications of nuclear parton distribution functions (nPDFs) relative to the parton distribution functions (PDFs) of a free proton in high-energy nuclear reactions at the LHC as well as in heavy-ion collisions (HIC) with much higher center-of-mass energies available in the future colliders. In this paper we calculate the rapidity and transverse momentum distributions of the vector boson and their nuclear modification factors in p + Pb collisions at \(\sqrt{s_{NN}}=63\)  TeV and in Pb + Pb collisions at \(\sqrt{s_{NN}}=39\)  TeV in the framework of perturbative QCD by utilizing three parametrization sets of nPDFs: EPS09, DSSZ, and nCTEQ. It is found that in heavy-ion collisions at such high colliding energies, both the rapidity distribution and the transverse momentum spectrum of vector bosons are considerably suppressed in wide kinematic regions with respect to p + p reactions due to large nuclear shadowing effect. We demonstrate that the massive vector boson production processes with sea quarks in the initial state may give more contributions than those with valence quarks in the initial state; therefore in future heavy-ion collisions the isospin effect is less pronounced and the charge asymmetry of the W boson will be reduced significantly as compared to that at the LHC. A large difference between results with nCTEQ and results with EPS09 and DSSZ is observed in nuclear modifications of both rapidity and \(p_T\) distributions of \(Z^0\) and W in the future HIC.

Description: We present a frequentist analysis of the parameter space of the pMSSM10, in which the following ten soft SUSY-breaking parameters are specified independently at the mean scalar top mass scale \(M_\mathrm{SUSY}\equiv \sqrt{m_{\tilde{t}_{1}} m_{\tilde{t}_{2}}}\) : the gaugino masses \(M_{1,2,3}\) , the first-and second-generation squark masses \(m_{\tilde{q}_1}= m_{\tilde{q}_2}\) , the third-generation squark mass \(m_{\tilde{q}_3}\) , a common slepton mass \(m_{\tilde{\ell }}\) and a common trilinear mixing parameter A , as well as the Higgs mixing parameter \(\mu \) , the pseudoscalar Higgs mass \(M_A\) and \(\tan \beta \) , the ratio of the two Higgs vacuum expectation values. We use the MultiNest sampling algorithm with \(\sim \) 1.2 \(\times 10^9\) points to sample the pMSSM10 parameter space. A dedicated study shows that the sensitivities to strongly interacting sparticle masses of ATLAS and CMS searches for jets, leptons \(+\) signals depend only weakly on many of the other pMSSM10 parameters. With the aid of the Atom and Scorpion codes, we also implement the LHC searches for electroweakly interacting sparticles and light stops, so as to confront the pMSSM10 parameter space with all relevant SUSY searches. In addition, our analysis includes Higgs mass and rate measurements using the HiggsSignals code, SUSY Higgs exclusion bounds, the measurements of \(\mathrm{BR}(B_s \rightarrow \mu ^+\mu ^-)\) by LHCb and CMS, other B -physics observables, electroweak precision observables, the cold dark matter density and the XENON100 and LUX searches for spin-independent dark matter scattering, assuming that the cold dark matter is mainly provided by the lightest neutralino \(\tilde{\chi }^0_{1}\) . We show that the pMSSM10 is able to provide a supersymmetric interpretation of \((g-2)_\mu \) , unlike the CMSSM, NUHM1 and NUHM2. As a result, we find (omitting Higgs rates) that the minimum \(\chi ^2 = 20.5\) with 18 degrees of freedom (d.o.f.) in the pMSSM10, corresponding to a \(\chi ^2\) probability of 30.8 %, to be compared with \(\chi ^2/\mathrm{d.o.f.} = 32.8/24 \ (31.1/23) \ (30.3/22)\) in the CMSSM (NUHM1) (NUHM2). We display the one-dimensional likelihood functions for sparticle masses, and we show that they may be significantly lighter in the pMSSM10 than in the other models, e.g., the gluino may be as light as \(\sim \) 1250 \(\,\, \mathrm {GeV}\) at the 68 % CL, and squarks, stops, electroweak gauginos and sleptons may be much lighter than in the CMSSM, NUHM1 and NUHM2. We discuss the discovery potential of future LHC runs, \(e^+e^-\) colliders and direct detection experiments.

Description: We compute the corrections to the Schwarzschild metric necessary to reproduce the Hawking temperature derived from a generalized uncertainty principle (GUP), so that the GUP deformation parameter is directly linked to the deformation of the metric. Using this modified Schwarzschild metric, we compute corrections to the standard general relativistic predictions for the light deflection and perihelion precession, both for planets in the solar system and for binary pulsars. This analysis allows us to set bounds for the GUP deformation parameter from well-known astronomical measurements.

Description: LHC searches for non-standard Higgs bosons decaying into tau lepton pairs constitute a sensitive experimental probe for physics beyond the Standard Model (BSM), such as supersymmetry (SUSY). Recently, the limits obtained from these searches have been presented by the CMS collaboration in a nearly model-independent fashion – as a narrow resonance model – based on the full \(8\,\, \mathrm {TeV}\) dataset. In addition to publishing a \(95~\%~\mathrm {C.L.}\) exclusion limit, the full likelihood information for the narrow resonance model has been released. This provides valuable information that can be incorporated into global BSM fits. We present a simple algorithm that maps an arbitrary model with multiple neutral Higgs bosons onto the narrow resonance model and derives the corresponding value for the exclusion likelihood from the CMS search. This procedure has been implemented into the public computer code HiggsBounds (version 4.2.0 and higher). We validate our implementation by cross-checking against the official CMS exclusion contours in three Higgs benchmark scenarios in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM), and find very good agreement. Going beyond validation, we discuss the combined constraints of the \(\tau \tau \) search and the rate measurements of the SM-like Higgs at \(125\,\, \mathrm {GeV}\) in a recently proposed MSSM benchmark scenario, where the lightest Higgs boson obtains SM-like couplings independently of the decoupling of the heavier Higgs states. Technical details for how to access the likelihood information within HiggsBounds are given in the appendix. The program is available at http://higgsbounds.hepforge.org .

Description: We investigate inflation within \(f(R,\phi )\) -theories, where a dynamical scalar field is coupled to gravity. A class of models which can support early-time acceleration with the emerging of an effective cosmological constant at high curvature is studied. The dynamics of the field allow for exit from inflation leading to the correct amount of inflation in agreement with cosmological data. Furthermore, the spectral index and tensor-to-scalar ratio of the models are carefully analyzed. A generalization of the theory to incorporate dark matter in the context of mimetic gravity, and further extensions of the latter, are also discussed.

Description: The existence of both a minimum mass and a minimum density in nature, in the presence of a positive cosmological constant, is one of the most intriguing results in classical general relativity. These results follow rigorously from the Buchdahl inequalities in four-dimensional de Sitter space. In this work, we obtain the generalized Buchdahl inequalities in arbitrary space–time dimensions with \(\Lambda \ne 0\) and consider both the de Sitter and the anti-de Sitter cases. The dependence on D , the number of space–time dimensions, of the minimum and maximum masses for stable spherical objects is explicitly obtained. The analysis is then extended to the case of dark energy satisfying an arbitrary linear barotropic equation of state. The Jeans instability of barotropic dark energy is also investigated, for arbitrary D , in the framework of a simple Newtonian model with and without viscous dissipation, and we determine the dispersion relation describing the dark energy–matter condensation process, along with estimates of the corresponding Jeans mass (and radius). Finally, the quantum mechanical implications of the mass limits are investigated, and we show that the existence of a minimum mass scale naturally leads to a model in which dark energy is composed of a ‘sea’ of quantum particles, each with an effective mass proportional to \(\Lambda ^{1/4}\) .

Description: We study multi-soliton solutions of the four-dimensional SU(N) Skyrme model by combining the hedgehog ansatz for SU(N) based on the harmonic maps of \(S^{2}\) into \(CP^{N-1}\) and a geometrical trick which allows to analyze explicitly finite-volume effects without breaking the relevant symmetries of the ansatz. The geometric set-up allows to introduce a parameter which is related to the ’t Hooft coupling of a suitable large N limit, in which \(N\rightarrow \infty \) and the curvature of the background metric approaches zero, in such a way that their product is constant. The relevance of such a parameter to the physics of the system is pointed out. In particular, we discuss how the discrete symmetries of the configurations depend on it.

Description: The effects of color reconnection (CR) at \({\mathrm e}^+{\mathrm e}^-\) colliders are revisited, with focus on recently developed CR models. The new models are compared with the LEP2 measurements for \({\mathrm e}^+{\mathrm e}^- \rightarrow {\mathrm W}^+{\mathrm W}^- \rightarrow {\mathrm q}_1 \overline{\mathrm q}_2 {\mathrm q}_3 \overline{\mathrm q}_4\) and found to lie within their limits. Prospects for constraints from new high-luminosity \({\mathrm e}^+{\mathrm e}^-\) colliders are discussed. The novel arena of CR in Higgs decays is introduced, and it is illustrated by shifts in angular correlations that would be used to set limits on a potential CP -odd admixture of the 125 GeV Higgs state.

Description: The Lorentz transformation properties of the equal-time bound-state Bethe–Salpeter amplitude in the two-dimensional massless quantum electrodynamics (the so-called Schwinger model) are considered. It is shown that while boosting a bound state (a ‘meson’) this amplitude is subject to approximate Lorentz contraction. The effect is exact for large separations of constituent particles (‘quarks’), while for small distances the deviation is more significant. For this phenomenon to appear, the full function, i.e. with the inclusion of all instanton contributions, has to be considered. The amplitude in each separate topological sector does not exhibit such properties.

Description: The canonical Aharonov–Bohm effect is usually studied with time-independent potentials. In this work, we investigate the Aharonov–Bohm phase acquired by a charged particle moving in time-dependent potentials. In particular, we focus on the case of a charged particle moving in the time-varying field of a plane electromagnetic wave. We work out the Aharonov–Bohm phase using both the potential (i.e. \(\oint A_\mu \mathrm{d}x ^\mu \) ) and the field (i.e. \(\frac{1}{2}\int F_{\mu \nu } \mathrm{d}\sigma ^{\mu \nu }\) ) forms of the Aharonov–Bohm phase. We give conditions in terms of the parameters of the system (frequency of the electromagnetic wave, the size of the space–time loop, amplitude of the electromagnetic wave) under which the time-varying Aharonov–Bohm effect could be observed.

Description: The LHC data on jet fragmentation function and jet shapes in PbPb collisions at center-of-mass energy 2.76 TeV per nucleon pair are analyzed and interpreted in the frameworks of PYthia QUENched (PYQUEN) jet quenching model. A specific modification of longitudinal and radial jet profiles in most central PbPb collisions as compared with pp data is close to that obtained with PYQUEN simulations, taking into account wide-angle radiative and collisional partonic energy losses. The contribution of radiative and collisional loss to the medium-modified intra-jet structure is estimated.

Description: When averages of different experimental determinations of the same quantity are computed, each with statistical and systematic error components, then frequently the statistical and systematic components of the combined error are quoted explicitly. These are important pieces of information since statistical errors scale differently and often more favorably with the sample size than most systematical or theoretical errors. In this communication we describe a transparent procedure by which the statistical and systematic error components of the combination uncertainty can be obtained. We develop a general method and derive a general formula for the case of Gaussian errors with or without correlations. The method can easily be applied to other error distributions, as well. For the case of two measurements, we also define disparity and misalignment angles, and discuss their relation to the combination weight factors.

Description: In this work, we have studied the accretion of the \((n+2)\) -dimensional charged BTZ black hole (BH). The critical point and square speed of sound have been obtained. The mass of the BTZ BH has been calculated and we have observed that the mass of the BTZ BH is related with the square root of the energy density of the dark energy which accretes onto the BH in our accelerating FRW universe. We have assumed modified Chaplygin gas (MCG) as a candidate of dark energy which accretes onto the BH and we have found the expression of BTZ BH mass. Since in our solution of MCG, this model generates only quintessence dark energy (not phantom) and so BTZ BH mass increases during the whole evolution of the accelerating universe. Next we have assumed five kinds of parametrizations of well-known dark-energy models. These models generate both quintessence and phantom scenarios i.e., phantom crossing models. So if these dark energies accrete onto the BTZ BH, then in the quintessence stage, the BH mass increases up to a certain value (finite value) and then decreases to a certain finite value for the phantom stage during the whole evolution of the universe. We have shown these results graphically.

Description: We consider lepton-flavour violating decays of the top quark, mediated by 4-fermion operators. We compile constraints on a complete set of SU(3)  \(\times \)  U(1)-invariant operators, arising from their loop contributions to rare decays and from HERA’s single-top search. The bounds on e – \(\mu \) flavour change are more restrictive than on \(\ell \) – \(\tau \) ; nonetheless the top could decay to a jet \({+} e \bar{\mu }\) with a branching ratio of order \(10^{-3}\) . We estimate that the currently available LHC data (20 fb \(^{-1}\) at 8 TeV) could be sensitive to \(BR(t \rightarrow e \bar{\mu }\) + jet) \( {\sim } 6\times 10^{-5}\) , and we extrapolate that 100 fb \(^{-1}\) at 13 TeV could reach a sensitivity of \({\sim } 1 \times 10^{-5}\) .

Description: We carry out ADM splitting in the Lagrangian formulation and establish a procedure in which (almost) all of the unphysical components of the metric are removed by using the 4D diffeomorphism and the measure-zero 3D symmetry. The procedure introduces a constraint that corresponds to the Hamiltonian constraint of the Hamiltonian formulation, and its solution implies that the 4D dynamics admits an effective description through 3D hypersurface physics. As far as we can see, our procedure implies potential renormalizability of the ADM formulation of 4D Einstein gravity for which a complete gauge-fixing in the ADM formulation and hypersurface foliation of geometry are the key elements. If true, this implies that the alleged unrenormalizability of 4D Einstein gravity may be due to the presence of the unphysical fields. The procedure can straightforwardly be applied to quantization around a flat background; the Schwarzschild case seems more subtle. We discuss a potential limitation of the procedure when applying it to explicit time-dependent backgrounds.

Description: A well-established phenomenon in general relativity is the dragging of inertial frames by a spinning object. In particular, due to the dragging of inertial frames by a ring orbiting a central black hole, the angular velocity \(\Omega ^{\text {BH-ring}}_{\text {H}}\) of the black-hole horizon in the composed black-hole–ring system is no longer related to the black-hole angular momentum \(J_{\text {H}}\) by the simple Kerr-like (vacuum) relation \(\Omega ^{\text {Kerr}}_{\text {H}}(J_{\text {H}})=J_{\text {H}}/2M^2R_{\text {H}}\) (here M and \(R_{\text {H}}\) are the mass and horizon-radius of the black hole, respectively). Will has performed a perturbative treatment of the composed black-hole–ring system in the regime of slowly rotating black holes and found the explicit relation \(\Omega ^{\text {BH-ring}}_{\text {H}}(J_{\text {H}}=0,J_{\text {R}},R)=2J_{\text {R}}/R^3\) for the angular velocity of a central black hole with zero angular momentum, where \(J_{\text {R}}\) and R are respectively the angular momentum of the orbiting ring and its proper circumferential radius. Analyzing a sequence of black-hole–ring configurations with adiabatically varying (decreasing) circumferential radii, we show that the expression found by Will for \(\Omega ^{\text {BH-ring}}_{\text {H}}(J_{\text {H}}=0,J_{\text {R}},R)\) implies a smooth transition of the central black-hole angular velocity from its asymptotic near-horizon value \(\Omega ^{\text {BH-ring}}_{\text {H}}(J_{\text {H}}=0,J_{\text {R}},R\rightarrow R^{+}_{\text {H}})\rightarrow 2J_{\text {R}}/R^3_{\text {H}}\) (that is, just before the assimilation of the ring by the central black hole), to its final Kerr (vacuum) value \(\Omega ^{\text {Kerr}}_{\text {H}}(J^{\text {new}}_{\text {H}})= J^{\text {new}}_{\text {H}}/2{M^{\text {new}}}^2R^{\text {new}}_{\text {H}}\) [that is, after the adiabatic assimilation of the ring by the central black hole. Here \(J^{\text {new}}_{\text {H}}=J_{\text {R}}\) , \(M^{\text {new}}\) , and \(R^{\text {new}}_{\text {H}}\) are the new parameters of the resulting Kerr (vacuum) black hole after it assimilated the orbiting ring]. We use this important observation in order to generalize the result of Will to the regime of black-hole–ring configurations in which the central black holes possess non-zero angular momenta. In particular, it is shown that the continuity argument (namely, the characteristic smooth evolution of the black-hole angular velocity during an adiabatic assimilation process of the ring into the central black hole) yields a concrete prediction for the angular-velocity/angular-momentum asymptotic functional relation \(\Omega ^{\text {BH-ring}}_{\text {H}}=\Omega ^{\text {BH-ring}}_{\text {H}}(J_{\text {H}},J_{\text {R}},R\rightarrow R^{+}_{\text {H}})\) of generic (that is, with \(J_{\text {H}}\ne 0\) ) black-hole–ring configurations. Remarkably, we find the simple universal relation \(\Delta \Omega _{\text {H}}\equiv \Omega ^{\text {BH-ring}}_{\text {H}}(J_{\text {H}},J_{\text {R}},R\rightarrow R^{+}_{\text {H}})-\Omega ^{\text {Kerr}}_{\text {H}}(J_{\text {H}})={{J_{\text {R}}}/{4M^3}}\) for the asymptotic deviation of the black-hole angular velocity in the composed black-hole–ring system from the corresponding angular velocity of the unperturbed (vacuum) Kerr black hole with the same angular momentum.

Description: As an extension of previous works on classical tests of Kaluza–Klein (KK) gravity and as an attempt to find more stringent constraints on this theory, its effects on physical experiments and astronomical observations conducted in the Solar System are studied. We investigate the gravitational time delay at inferior conjunction caused by KK gravity, and use new Solar System ephemerides and the observation of Cassini to strengthen constraints on KK gravity by up to two orders of magnitude. These improved upper bounds mean that the fifth-dimensional space in the soliton case is a very flat extra dimension in the Solar System, even in the vicinity of the Sun.

Description: The normalized differential cross section for top quark pair ( \({\mathrm{t}}\overline{{\mathrm{t}}}\) ) production is measured in pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 \(\,\text {TeV}\) at the CERN LHC using the CMS detector in data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 \(\,\text {fb}^{-1}\) . The measurements are performed in the lepton \(+\) jets ( \(\mathrm {e}/\mu \) \(+\) jets) and in the dilepton ( \(\mathrm {e}^+\mathrm {e}^-\) , \(\mu ^+ \mu ^- \) , and \(\mathrm {e}^\pm \mu ^{\mp }\) ) decay channels. The \({\mathrm{t}}\overline{{\mathrm{t}}}\) cross section is measured as a function of the kinematic properties of the charged leptons, the jets associated to b quarks, the top quarks, and the \({\mathrm{t}}\overline{{\mathrm{t}}}\) system. The data are compared with several predictions from perturbative quantum chromodynamic up to approximate next-to-next-to-leading-order precision. No significant deviations are observed relative to the standard model predictions.

Description: Recently we have shown that for \(2+1\) -dimensional thin-shell wormholes a non-circular throat may lead to a physical wormhole in the sense that the energy conditions are satisfied. By the same token, herein we consider an angular dependent throat geometry embedded in a \(2+1\) -dimensional flat spacetime in polar coordinates. It is shown that, remarkably, a generic, natural example of the throat geometry is provided by a hypocycloid. That is, two flat \(2+1\) dimensions are glued together along a hypocycloid. The energy required in each hypocycloid increases with the frequency of the roller circle inside the large one.

Description: We propose a parametrization for interpreting some of the presently available data of the \(B^{\pm } \rightarrow K^{\pm } p {\bar{p}}\) decay, in particular those by the LHCb and Belle Collaborations. The model is inspired by the well-known current and transition contributions, usually assumed in this kind of decay. However, in the light of considerations as regards the dominant diagrams and final state interactions, we modify some parameters of the model, determining them by means of a best fit to the data. We show the results, which we discuss in some detail. Moreover, we give some predictions on other observables relative to the decays.

Description: We have set up a light scattering spectrometer to study the depolarization of light scattering in linear alkylbenzene. The scattering spectra show that the depolarized part of light scattering is due to Rayleigh scattering. The additional depolarized Rayleigh scattering can make the effective transparency of linear alkylbenzene much better than expected. Therefore, sufficient scintillation photons can transmit through large liquid scintillator detector, such as that of the JUNO experiment. Our study is crucial to achieving an unprecedented energy resolution of 3 %/ \(\sqrt{E\mathrm {(MeV)}}\) required for the JUNO experiment to determine the neutrino mass hierarchy. The spectroscopic method can also be used to examine the depolarization of other organic solvents used in neutrino experiments.

Description: During the inflationary epoch, the geometry of the universe may be described by a quasi-de Sitter space. On the other hand, the maximally extended de Sitter metric in the comoving coordinates accords with a special FLRW model with positive spatial curvature; therefore, the focus of the present paper is on the positively curved inflationary paradigm, for which we first of all derive the power spectra of comoving curvature perturbation and primordial gravitational waves in a positively curved FLRW universe according to the slowly rolling inflationary scenario. It can be shown that the curvature spectral index in this model automatically has a small negative running parameter, compatible with observational measurements. Afterwards, by taking into account the curvature factor, it investigates the relative amplitude of the scalar and tensor perturbations, clarifying that the tensor–scalar ratio for this model, against the spatially flat one, directly depends on the wavelength of the perturbative modes.

Description: An underground reservoir is an effective way to solve water resource problems, such as uneven water distribution and shortage. Based on the groundwater overdraft status in Beijing, the hydrogeologic conditions in Miyun–Huairou–Shunyi (MHS) area, and the excess water of Middle Route Project of South-to-North Water Transfers in Beijing, 3D strata spatial geological structure models are developed by software Groundwater Modeling System (GMS). Different types of water levels and their corresponding feature storage are illustrated to assess the storage capacity of the underground reservoir. The storage capacity is analyzed in the MHS area according to the models and water levels. The total storage is about 31.11 × 10 8  m 3 . The dead storage is approximately 15.07 × 10 8  m 3 , and the beneficial storage is approximately 16.05 × 10 8  m 3 . Results present important reference for the construction of underground reservoir in Beijing. The construction is important in solving the serious water shortage problem in Beijing.

Description: The low-background, VUV-sensitive 3-inch diameter photomultiplier tube R11410 has been developed by Hamamatsu for dark matter direct detection experiments using liquid xenon as the target material. We present the results from the joint effort between the XENON collaboration and the Hamamatsu company to produce a highly radio-pure photosensor (version R11410-21) for the XENON1T dark matter experiment. After introducing the photosensor and its components, we show the methods and results of the radioactive contamination measurements of the individual materials employed in the photomultiplier production. We then discuss the adopted strategies to reduce the radioactivity of the various PMT versions. Finally, we detail the results from screening 286 tubes with ultra-low background germanium detectors, as well as their implications for the expected electronic and nuclear recoil background of the XENON1T experiment.

Description: LArGe is a Gerda low-background test facility to study novel background suppression methods in a low-background environment, for future application in the Gerda experiment. Similar to Gerda , LArGe operates bare germanium detectors submersed into liquid argon (1 m \(^3\) , 1.4 tons), which in addition is instrumented with photomultipliers to detect argon scintillation light. The scintillation signals are used in anti-coincidence with the germanium detectors to effectively suppress background events that deposit energy in the liquid argon. The background suppression efficiency was studied in combination with a pulse shape discrimination (PSD) technique using a BEGe detector for various sources, which represent characteristic backgrounds to Gerda . Suppression factors of a few times \(10^3\) have been achieved. First background data of LArGe with a coaxial HPGe detector (without PSD) yield a background index of (0.12 \(-\) 4.6) \(\times 10^{-2}\) cts/(keV kg year) (90 % C.L.), which is at the level of Gerda Phase I. Furthermore, for the first time we monitor the natural \(^{42}\) Ar abundance (parallel to Gerda ), and have indication for the \(2\nu \beta \beta \) -decay in natural germanium. These results show the effectivity of an active liquid argon veto in an ultra-low background environment. As a consequence, the implementation of a liquid argon veto in Gerda Phase II is pursued.

Description: In this paper, the correlations between the different measurements of rock brittleness (i.e., B 1 , B 2 , B 3 , and BI ) and the penetration rate (PR) of tunnel boring machine (TBM) through Zagros long tunnel were evaluated. According to the results of simple regression analyses, there was no correlation between the penetration rate of TBM and the brittleness of B 1 , but stronger log-linear correlations have been observed between the penetration rate of TBM and the B 2 , B 3 , and BI brittleness indices. As part of the present study, correlations between some of rock mass classification systems (RQD, RMR, GSI, Q , and Q TBM ) and penetration rate of TBM have been investigated. The results of simple regression analyses showed that the first four rock mass classification systems did not exhibit a good correlation with the TBM penetration rate, but the Q TBM had strong correlation with that. Multiple linear regression (MLR) analyses were applied for estimating the TBM penetration rate based on three properties of the rocks (porosity ( n ), brittleness of B 3 , and elastic modulus ( E ) of intact rock) and rock mass quality system ( Q ). Also, in this study, artificial neural network (ANN) analyses were applied on the data to develop predictive models for the penetration rate of TBM from porosity, brittleness of B 3 , elastic modulus, and Q values. The comparison of the models produced from ANN and MLR analyses using the coefficients of determination showed that the ANN models for predicting the TBM penetration rate were more reliable than the MLR models.

Description: This paper presents the design and 3D numerical modeling of the temporary support system for the twin tunnels in the transition zone of the Esfahan subway project. Ground movements caused by tunneling beneath urban areas can have a significant impact on adjacent structures and therefore require consideration when choosing the excavation method and the type of support system. Due to the old buildings in the historical city of Esfahan, this research requires parametric studies for the use of simulation techniques. This paper focuses on 3D stability analysis and design of the support system required to control the critical strain and ground movement due to excavation of the transition area of the twin tunnels in the Esfahan subway project. A numerical model is developed to estimate the excavation effects on the critical strain and ground settlement and also the effect of reinforcement measures. In the 3D numerical model, a constitutive law characterized by the time-dependent stiffness and strength of the shotcrete is employed. Results show that the suggested support is sufficient to control the settlement and critical strain due to tunneling. Comparison between the 2D model prediction and the results of corresponding 3D model indicates that the conformity between 2D and 3D analysis results decreases in the transition region. One of the most useful methods to determine the induced seismic loads, the use of time-history dynamic analysis is usually done for major projects. In this paper, for the twin tunnels of subway, Fast Lagrangian Analysis of Continua (FLAC) software is used for this purpose.

Description: Iraq Geological Survey carried out geological investigations on a limestone deposit at SW Najaf area during 2006–2007 to be utilized in Kuffa Cement Plant. Large reserve is estimated with good quality enough to produce 2.3 million tons/year of Portland cement for more than 50 years. The next stage is to use the geological information to prepare mining geological study needed for extractive processes. The results of chemical analysis of samples are used for quantitative mining condition study and estimating industrial reserve by programs RW2004 and RW2006. This procedure resulted in some essential geological and mining recommendations.

Description: This paper suggests that the fungal fruiting bodies identified by Al-Ameri and Jassim ( Arab J Geosci 4:443–461, 2011 ) as Plochmopellinites (Figures 6–10) is a thecamoebian taxa Arcella discoides , likewise Miliolinites nivalis (Figures 6–14) is another thecamoebian taxa Centropyxis aculeata. This conclusion is primarily based on the remarkable morphological similarity between these specimens illustrated and described by Al-Ameri and Jassim ( Arab J Geosci 4:443–461, 2011 ) and the well-known thecamoebian taxa mentioned in this paper. These misidentified ‘fruiting fungal bodies’ were reported from the environments where thecamoebians are well known to inhabit. Thecamoebians are, by now, known to occur in the palynological slides and have become an important constituent of the non-pollen palynomorphs (NPP). Palynologists too study them as they are excellent proxies for Quaternary climatic and environmental changes.

Description: A lateritic soil profile formed on the top of the middle Miocene was identified in the south of the Eastern Desert of Egypt. It is located about 55 km south of Marsa Alam and far about 3 km from the Red Sea coast. The mineral identification of samples was carried out using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The study revealed the relative predominance of kaolinite and gibbsite beside iron minerals (hematite and goethite), evaporates (halite and anhydrite), carbonate (dolomite and calcite), quartz, and cryptomelane. Accessory minerals are represented by columbite, tapiolite, thorite, monazite, zircon, barite, atacamite, anarkite, romanchite, hemimorphite, cerussite, garnet, ilmenite, nickel, and flurorichterite. The geochemical data of the bulk samples reflect enrichment in SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , Fe 2 O 3 , Zn, Pb, Ba, Sr, As, Nb, Cu, and Zr. This lateritic soil shows high Uc/Th ratio indicating addition of uranium under suboxic to anoxic condition. The LREE predominance was over the HREE due to the presence of monazite mineral. Negative Eu anomaly confirms the saturated source rocks of these laterites.

Description: Based on distinct variations of textural characteristics, stratigraphical relationships and mineral composition of clastics sedimentary sequence (coarse aggregates) in west Sohag, Upper Egypt had been classified into six individual geological evolutionary stages. These stages were controlled mainly by geomorphology, paleo-climatic conditions, and regional and local tectonic events. In west Sohag, Upper Egypt, the suitability of the Oligocene–Pleistocene natural coarse aggregates have been examined in terms of pavement materials in a sub-base consideration. Depending on textual characteristics and mineral composition, these natural coarse aggregates indicated three distinct stages of geological evolution of the Egyptian Nile Valley. These aggregates are classified as well-graded gravels (GW) and distinguished by cubical shape with sub-angular to sub-rounded edges, as well as characterized by a relatively high abrasion resistance. This leads to a suitability of these natural aggregates in being used as a sub-base pavement course for higher shear strength, exhibiting a less fatigue life. The total estimated volume of these coarse aggregate is 2060.41 million m 3 . This volume of natural coarse aggregates can be dry sieved and crushed to produce base and surface pavement courses.

Description: This study addresses the effects of rock characteristics and blasting design parameters on blast-induced vibrations in the Kangal open-pit coal mine, the Tülü open-pit boron mine, and the Kırka open-pit boron mine. In this study, multiple vibration measurements have been conducted, and the related data have been analyzed and evaluated. Several artificial neural network (ANN) and regression models based on the same blasting design parameters, resistivity, and P-wave and S wave velocities of the surrounding rocks have been constructed to estimate the peak particle velocities and the frequencies of related blast-induced vibrations. The data derived from these models and the classical evaluations indicate that ANNs provide more reliable results than the other methods.

Description: Landmasses can be classified as “islands” or “continents” mainly by geological, rather than geographical, criteria but the classification is still a bit arbitrary. We are presenting a statistical method (a modified Korcak analysis) where the area distribution reveals an intrinsic classification of landmasses. Based on this analysis, one can separate island, subcontinents and continents using only a spatial or geographical criterion, the area. Although not completely, this classification gives more or less the same groups like the ones based on geological criteria.

Description: Eastern desert of Egypt is well-endowed with noble mineral resources that provide challenges for the future economy and development in Egypt. Such mineral resources are not yet well-mapped and fully understood; however, various geological maps are available. The newly advanced sensors of earth observations such as advanced space thermal emission and reflection radiometer (ASTER) images were functioned to map the lithology, the structural patterns and the alteration zones related to gold mineralization at the Fawakhir area, Central Eastern Desert of Egypt. Integration of band rationing and principal component analysis (PCA) clearly determined the lithological units of the study area. The alteration zones of the study area were efficiently mapped from the ASTER radiance data using reference spectra based on two supervised classification techniques including the spectral angle mapper (SAM) and spectral information divergence (SID). Field visits and laboratory microscopic examination of thin and polished sections were used for validating the process. The final resulted map of the alteration mineral zones consists of sericite, clay minerals, quartz, carbonate, and pyrite. Auto-detection of the structural lineaments, which are zones of deformation and fracturing that implies secondary porosity, was mapped from the satellite image. These structures represent significant pathways for migration of hydrothermal solutions, which influence the creation of the alteration zones and become potential zones for mineral resources. The spatial analysis showed the high correlation between the density of lineaments and the occurrence of the alteration zones, which represent high probability of the presence of gold deposits that validated against the old gold mines.

Description: Phosphorus (P) removal in a bioretention system has been highly variable. In this study, we investigated the potential application of sludge pyrolysis residue, which was prepared from sludge pyrolysis, for adsorption of P from a bioretention system. Kinetics result suggested that the P adsorbed on sludge pyrolysis residue was faster than that of two soils, and both the surface and intraparticle diffusion were the rate-controlling steps for the adsorption. All adsorption isotherms were highly nonlinear and fitted well by the Langmuir model in comparison to the Freundlich model. The maximum adsorption capacity of P by sludge pyrolysis residue reaches 1,250 mg/kg at an initial concentration of 100 mg/L. Batch adsorption experiments and post-adsorption characterization results indicated that the adsorption was mainly controlled by both the precipitation and surface deposition mechanisms. The presence of Al, Fe, and Ca in sludge pyrolysis residue can facilitate the P adsorption. The release of P adsorbed on sludge pyrolysis residue is negligible because of a strong interaction between P and Al, Fe, and Ca in sludge pyrolysis residue. The findings of this study suggested that sludge pyrolysis residue could be used as an optimal filter medium to improve the removal performance of P in a bioretention system.

Description: The Alut 1:100,000 sheet is located in the Sanandaj-Sirjan structural zone, NW Iran, which contains Au-Ag (Cu) mineralization. The aim of this research is to separate geochemical anomalies using concentration-number (C-N) multifractal modeling based on stream sediments and lithogeochemical data. Results obtained from the C-N method indicated the main anomalies of Au, Ag, Cu, and As accumulated in the central and eastern parts of the area which are associated with meta-volcanic and granitic rocks. Correlation between the elemental highly intensive anomalies and geological particulars consisting of alteration zones and faults revealed that the main Au anomalies are in the central and eastern parts of the Alut 1:100,000 sheet.

Description: The Gurpi Formation is a well-known source rock in the Zagros basin, which stretches from northeast to southwest Iran. Sequence stratigraphy was done based on the integration of evidence derived from palynological proxies and foraminiferal data. According to sequence stratigraphy, seven time lines including four sequence boundaries of type II and three maximum flooding surfaces with a resolution varying from 1 to 5 MY and three complete third-order sequences and one transgressive systems tract (TST) were differentiated. Maximum flooding surface of the first sequence in middle Campanian probably equates the 70-Ma maximum flooding surface (MFS) K175 of Sharland et al. (GeoArabia P: 371, 2001), and MFS of the second sequence in early Maastrichtian is correlated with the marked 68-Ma MFS (MFS K180) of Sharland et al. (GeoArabia P: 371, 2001) that is recorded in many parts of the Arabian Plate. Correlation with the Haq global eustatic curve, though uncertain because of the effect of local tectonics over the relative sea level changes, however, could be possible with the 69.5 Ma. Also, purple shales of the base of the Pabdeh Formation with a Thanetian age are defined as a MFS, correlation of which with the marked 58-Ma MFS (MFS Pg10) of Sharland et al. (GeoArabia P: 371, 2001) and with 56.5-Ma MFS of Haq seems likely. The relative sea level curve resulted in this study is not well in accord with the existing eustasy curves for the middle Campanian-late Paleocene indicating effect of tectonic on relative sea level changes during this period.

Description: We explore the entropy spectrum of \((1+1)\) dimensional dilatonic stringy black holes via the adiabatic invariant integral method known as Jiang and Han’s method (Phys Lett B 718:584, 2012 ) and the Bohr–Sommerfeld quantization rule. It is found that the corresponding spectrum depends on black hole parameters like charge, ADM mass, and, more interestingly, on the dilatonic field. We calculate the entropy of the present black hole system via the Euclidean treatment of quantum gravity and study the thermodynamics of the black hole and find that the system does not undergo any phase transition.

Description: We calculate the shape of the \(\pi \Sigma \) and \(\bar{K} N\) invariant mass distributions in the \(\Lambda _b \rightarrow J/\psi \, \pi \Sigma \) and \(\Lambda _b \rightarrow J/\psi \,\bar{K} N\) decays that are dominated by the \(\Lambda (1405)\) resonance. The weak interaction part is the same for both processes and the hadronization into the different meson–baryon channels in the final state is given by symmetry arguments. The most important feature is the implementation of the meson–baryon final-state interaction using two chiral unitary models from different theoretical groups. Both approaches give a good description of antikaon–nucleon scattering data, the complex energy shift in kaonic hydrogen and the line shapes of \(\pi \Sigma K\) in photoproduction, based on the two-pole scenario for the \(\Lambda (1405)\) . We find that this reaction reflects more the higher mass pole and we make predictions of the line shapes and relative strength of the meson–baryon distributions in the final state.

Description: The Triassic Chang-3 and Jurassic Yanan low-permeability reservoirs in the southern part of the Tianhuan Depression of the Ordos Basin, north-central China, were investigated using the quantitative fluorescence of reservoir sandstone grains and their hydrocarbon extracts. Values of quantitative grain fluorescence on extract intensity (QGF-E) are generally higher than 150 pc, indicating that oil and gas migration has taken place in the low-permeability tight sand bodies in the study area, so these sandstone strata were the main transport system of oil and gas migration. The values of QGF index and QGF-E in the Chang-3 subsection profile above 2168 m are higher than those below 2168 m; similarly, the two values in the Yanan formation profile above 1849 m are higher than those below 1849 m, indicating that the oil–water contacts of the Chang-3 subsection and Yanan Formation in the study area are 2168.0 and 1849.0 m, respectively. The results of total scanning fluorescence for hydrocarbon extracts from the Chang-3 subsection and Yanan Formation show that the extracts contain low aromatic hydrocarbon and are mature. Our results demonstrate that QGF and QGF-E methods are very effective in understanding the properties and accumulation process of hydrocarbon in low-permeability tight reservoir.

Description: More than 15,000 geological disasters occurred in areas affected by the Wenchuan earthquake. Among these regions, the Mujialiang collapse was obtained as the research object in this study. The motion characteristics of the rolling, bouncing, curveting, and crashing of dangerous rocks in the caving process were evaluated using physics theory. Results show that the rocks of the Mujialiang collapse were fractured and cracked after the earthquake and can easily caved under rainstorm and aftershock. In addition, vegetation conditions along the motion path promoted the accelerated movements of dangerous rocks. The velocity of dangerous rocks reached 9.05 m/s upon arriving on the slope platform, thus endangering the houses within the area. Therefore, management projects are necessary to ensure safety of the residents in the Mujialiang ditch.

Description: Geochemical and hydrogeochemical studies were conducted to assess the origin and geochemical mechanisms driving the fluoride enrichment in groundwaters of semiarid regions in Central India. The study region is geologically occupied by Precambrian rocks (granites, pegmatites, gneisses, schists, etc.) where groundwater occurs under unconfined condition. Majority of the groundwater locations did not meet the potable water criteria as they contained excess fluoride (〉1.5 mg/l). The greater concentrations of fluoride were recorded in the monsoon followed by post-monsoon and pre-monsoon. Ionic composition and hydrogeochemical facies revealed the dominance of carbonate weathering and alkalinity that favors high dissolved fluoride in groundwaters. The values of dissociation constant showed slow weathering of fluorite and fast weathering of calcite in the study area. Rainfall shifted the unsaturated to saturated values of SI C and SI F in the monsoon. The factor analysis and saturation indices revealed geogenic origin of fluoride, a condition responsible for perennial fluoride problem in the study region.

Description: The large amounts of phosphate fertilizers which are used in agriculture activities in Egypt lead to the contamination of large quantities of soil surrounding the agricultural fields. Also, the use of traditional flood irrigation method makes the problem more worse. An extensive laboratory testing program is carried out to determine the Atterberg limits, compaction characteristics, hydraulic conductivity, and shear strength parameters of clean and contaminated soils. Three types of soils are used including coarse sand, fine to medium sand, and silty clay. Batch tests are used to study the short-term effect of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) contamination on the soil properties. Contaminated specimens are prepared by mixing the dried soil samples with different di-ammonium phosphate concentrations of 5, 10, and 20 %. The results indicate a significant reduction in Atterberg limits and increase in hydraulic conductivity for silty clay soil with the increase of phosphate concentration. The change that is induced by chemical reaction in the micro-structure of the soil is studied by laser scanning microscope before and after soil contamination. For sand soil, γ dmax is significantly increased with the increase of DAP concentrations up to 5 % and slightly increased with concentrations from 5 to 20 % which indicates excess phosphate in the soil. However, the general trend of hydraulic conductivity is towards reduction. In addition, the friction angle of two sand samples decreases about 10 % due to the increase of DAP concentration up to 20 %. For silty clay, the reduction in cohesion is about 20 % and the increase of friction angle is about 10 % with the increase of DAP up to 20 %.

Description: In the framework of heavy quark effective theory, the leading-order Isgur–Wise form factors relevant to semileptonic decays of the ground state \(\bar{b}s\) meson \(B_{s}\) into orbitally excited \(D\) -wave \(\bar{c}s\) mesons, including the newly observed narrow \(D^{*}_{s1}(2860)\) and \(D^{*}_{s3}(2860)\) states by the LHCb Collaboration, are calculated with the QCD sum rule method. With these universal form factors, the decay rates and branching ratios are estimated. We find that the decay widths are \(\Gamma (B_s\rightarrow D^{*}_{s1}\ell \overline{\nu }) =1.25^{+0.80}_{-0.60}\times 10^{-19}\,\text{ GeV }\) , \(\Gamma (B_s\rightarrow D^{'}_{s2}\ell \overline{\nu }) =1.49^{+0.97}_{-0.73}\times 10^{-19}\,\text{ GeV }\) , \(\Gamma (B_s\rightarrow D_{s2}\ell \overline{\nu }) =4.48^{+1.05}_{-0.94}\times 10^{-17}\,\text{ GeV }\) , and \(\Gamma (B_s\rightarrow D^{*}_{s3}\ell \overline{\nu }) = 1.52^{+0.35}_{-0.31}\times 10^{-16}\,\text{ GeV }\) . The corresponding branching ratios are \(\mathcal {B}(B_s\rightarrow D^{*}_{s1}\ell \overline{\nu }) =2.85^{+1.82}_{-1.36}\times 10^{-7}\) , \(\mathcal {B}(B_s\rightarrow D^{'}_{s2}\ell \overline{\nu }) =3.40^{+2.21}_{-1.66}\times 10^{-7}\) , \(\mathcal {B}(B_{s}\rightarrow D_{s2}\ell \overline{\nu }) =1.02^{+0.24}_{-0.21}\times 10^{-4}\) , and \(\mathcal {B}(B_s\rightarrow D^{*}_{s3}\ell \overline{\nu }) = 3.46^{+0.80}_{-0.70}\times 10^{-4}\) . The decay widths and branching ratios of corresponding \(B^{*}_{s}\) semileptonic processes are also predicted.

Description: With the increasing impact of climate change and anthropogenic activities, drought happens in more areas with higher frequency. In this paper, we calculate the return period and the drought risk in China based on the monthly PDSI, the Palmer Drought Severity Index, data over 188 stations from 1901 to 2010. We use the theory of runs to identify the drought duration and severity. We adopt the kernel density estimation to obtain the marginal distribution function, and the Gumbel Copula function to obtain the joint distribution function. The results show that the return period of the joint distribution for the drought duration and severity can be regarded as the extreme condition of the return period of the marginal distribution for the single factor such as the drought duration or drought severity. Under the same drought severity, the return period of the joint distribution is increasing with the prolonging of the drought duration, and it approaches to the return period of the marginal distribution of the drought severity. Under the extreme drought situation, Haihe River Basin, Huaihe River Basin, Songliao River basin, and rivers in the northwest China have a higher drought risk in future 50 years. The drought risk value in China is increasing with the prolonging of predicting time.

Description: Bekenstein has put forward the idea that, in a quantum theory of gravity, a black hole should have a discrete energy spectrum with concomitant discrete line emission. The quantized black-hole radiation spectrum is expected to be very different from Hawking’s semi-classical prediction of a thermal black-hole radiation spectrum. One naturally wonders: Is it possible to reconcile the discrete quantum spectrum suggested by Bekenstein with the continuous semi-classical spectrum suggested by Hawking? In order to address this fundamental question, in this essay we shall consider the zero-point quantum-gravity fluctuations of the black-hole spacetime. In a quantum theory of gravity, these spacetime fluctuations are closely related to the characteristic gravitational resonances of the corresponding black-hole spacetime. Assuming that the energy of the black-hole radiation stems from these zero-point quantum-gravity fluctuations of the black-hole spacetime, we derive the effective temperature of the quantized black-hole radiation spectrum. Remarkably, it is shown that this characteristic temperature of the discrete (quantized) black-hole radiation agrees with the well-known Hawking temperature of the continuous (semi-classical) black-hole spectrum.

Description: For the search for additional Higgs bosons in the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM) as well as for future precision analyses in the Higgs sector a precise knowledge of their decay properties is mandatory. We evaluate all two-body decay modes of the Higgs bosons into charginos and neutralinos in the MSSM with complex parameters (cMSSM). The evaluation is based on a full one-loop calculation of all decay channels, also including hard QED radiation. We restricted ourselves to a version of our renormalization scheme which is valid for \(|M_1| 〈 |M_2|, |\mu |\) and \(M_2 \ne \mu \) to simplify the analysis, even though we are able to switch to other parameter regions. The dependence of the Higgs boson predictions on the relevant cMSSM parameters is analyzed numerically. We find sizable contributions to many partial decay widths. They are roughly of 10 % of the tree-level results, but they can go up to 20 % or higher. The full one-loop contributions are important for the correct interpretation of heavy Higgs boson search results at the LHC and, if kinematically allowed, at a future linear \(e^+e^-\) collider. There are plans to implement the evaluation of the branching ratios of the Higgs bosons into the Fortran code FeynHiggs , together with an automated choice of the renormalization scheme valid for the full cMSSM parameter space.

Description: *************Abstract Double-differential three-jet production cross-sections are measured in proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of \(\sqrt{s} = 7\mathrm \,TeV{}\) using the ATLAS detector at the large hadron collider. The measurements are presented as a function of the three-jet mass \((m_{jjj})\) , in bins of the sum of the absolute rapidity separations between the three leading jets \((\left| Y^{*}\right| )\) . Invariant masses extending up to 5  TeV are reached for \(8〈 \left| Y^{*}\right| 〈 10\) . These measurements use a sample of data recorded using the ATLAS detector in 2011, which corresponds to an integrated luminosity of \(4.51~\text{ fb }^{-1}\) . Jets are identified using the anti- \(k_{t}\) algorithm with two different jet radius parameters, \(R=0.4\) and \(R=0.6\) . The dominant uncertainty in these measurements comes from the jet energy scale. Next-to-leading-order QCD calculations corrected to account for non-perturbative effects are compared to the measurements. Good agreement is found between the data and the theoretical predictions based on most of the available sets of parton distribution functions, over the full kinematic range, covering almost seven orders of magnitude in the measured cross-section values.

Description: In the present paper the results obtained in the investigation of possible diurnal effects for low-energy single-hit scintillation events of DAMA/LIBRA-phase1 (1.04 ton \(\times \) year exposure) have been analysed in terms of an effect expected in case of dark matter (DM) candidates inducing nuclear recoils and having high cross-section with ordinary matter, which implies low DM local density in order to fulfill the DAMA/LIBRA DM annual modulation results. This effect is due to the different Earth depths crossed by those DM candidates during the sidereal day.

Description: Transverse momentum spectra of charged particles are measured by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC in pPb collisions at \(\sqrt{s_{_\mathrm {NN}}} =5.02\) \(\,\text {TeV}\) , in the range \(0.4 〈 p_{\mathrm {T}} 〈 120\) \({\,\text {GeV/}c}\) and pseudorapidity \(|\eta _\textsc {cm} | 〈 1.8\) in the proton–nucleon center-of-mass frame. For \(p_{\mathrm {T}} 〈10\) \({\,\text {GeV/}c}\) , the charged-particle production is asymmetric about \(\eta _\textsc {cm} = 0\) , with smaller yield observed in the direction of the proton beam, qualitatively consistent with expectations from shadowing in nuclear parton distribution functions (nPDF). A pp reference spectrum at \(\sqrt{s}=5.02\) \(\,\text {TeV}\) is obtained by interpolation from previous measurements at higher and lower center-of-mass energies. The \(p_{\mathrm {T}}\) distribution measured in pPb collisions shows an enhancement of charged particles with \(p_{\mathrm {T}} 〉20\) \({\,\text {GeV/}c}\) compared to expectations from the pp reference. The enhancement is larger than predicted by perturbative quantum chromodynamics calculations that include antishadowing modifications of nPDFs.

Description: ColorFull , a C++ package for treating QCD color structure, is presented. ColorFull , which utilizes the trace basis approach, is intended for interfacing with event generators, but can also be used as a stand-alone package for squaring QCD amplitudes, calculating interferences, and describing the effect of gluon emission and gluon exchange.

Description: Gully systems develop widely in the Yuanmou Dry-hot Valley. Based on the Scheidegger method and the non-parametric method, this study interpreted 1599 gullies using a DEM with a scale of 1:50,000, and remote sensing images were photographed by QuickBird. The objectives are to explore the regularity that is shown in the distributive direction of the gully system and to understand the factors (including aspect, slope, and the neotectonic stress field) that control the distributive direction of the gully system. The results show that (1) the maximum “dominant” direction of the overall, the third and fourth order, the east, above 1400 m gully are 270°; the “dominant” direction 270° has relative superiority. So 270° is the “dominant” direction of the gully system in the Yuanmou Dry-hot Valleys area. (2) The slope of 38° is the threshold value which separates the overall slope range. When the slope is in the range 0–38°, the slope is the dominant factor; when the slope is in the range 38–59°, aspect is the dominant factor. So, with the increase of slope, 38° is the threshold value, and the dominant topographic influence is changed from slope to aspect. (3) The direction of the compressive stress field, 157.5°, is proven not to conflict with the directions 146.3, 157.5, 169, and 180° that are the principal compressive stresses calculated for the gully system. So the collision and extrusion of plates can form fracture surfaces which provide a favorable condition for the development of drainage and gullies. The distributive direction of the gully system is comprehensively affected by the neotectonic stress field, the terrain, and other factors. Therefore, the study of the distributive direction of the gully system not only enriches the content of morphology on the landform but can also be the basis for the evolutional direction of the gully system that is effectively predicted in the study area, and it provides scientific guidance for industrial and agricultural production layout and the construction of infrastructure.