Updated Constraints on the Minimal Supergravity Model
We provide an up-to-date analysis of the parameter space of the minimal supergravity model (mSUGRA). Novel features include the new central value of the top quark mass, an improved calculation of the masses of the supersymmetric particles and the neutral Higgs bosons, constraints from b→sl+l− decays, and a careful treatment of the most important experimental and theoretical uncertainties. In addition to the by now traditional plots of the allowed region in the (m0,m1/2) plane, we show allowed regions in the planes spanned by pairs of physical sparticle or Higgs boson masses. Moreover, we search for the minimal allowed masses of new particles for various sets of constraints. We find that in many cases the direct experimental limits from collider and Dark Matter searches can be saturated even in this minimal model, and even after including the by now quite restrictive constraint on the Dark Matter relic density.

title: Dipole and spin-dipole resonances in charge-exchange reactions on 12C.
abstract: The [sup 12]C([ital n],[ital p])[sup 12]B reaction was studied using the white neutron source at the Los Alamos Meson Physics Facility/Weapon Neutron Research Center with a continuous incident neutron energy from 60 to 260 MeV. Double differential cross sections were measured in the angular range 11[degree][le][theta][sub lab][le]37[degree]. Using the neutron time-of-flight facility at the Indiana University Cyclotron Facility, we also studied the [sup 12]C([ital p],[ital n])[sup 12]N reaction at [ital E][sub [ital p]]=186 MeV and the [sup 12]C([ital [rvec p]],[ital [rvec n]])[sup 12]N reaction at [ital E][sub [ital [rvec p]]]=160 and 186 MeV. Double differential cross sections were measured between [theta][sub lab]=0[degree] and [theta][sub lab]=50[degree] in 5[degree] steps. Spin observables [ital D][sub [ital N][ital N]], [ital A][sub [ital Y]], and [ital P] were measured at [theta][sub lab]=5[degree],9[degree],13[degree] with [ital E][sub [ital [rvec p]]]=160 MeV and [theta][sub lab]=15[degree],20[degree] with [ital E][sub [ital [rvec p]]]=186 MeV. Angular distributions of differential cross section and spin observables for low-lying transitions in the residual nuclei are compared with disorted-wave impulse approximation (DWIA) calculations. A multipole decomposition analysis was performed to study the giant dipole and giant spin-dipole resonances. The contributions of the quasifree reaction in the giant resonance region was subtracted. The empirical results ofmore » energy distributions for dipole ([Delta][ital L]=1) transition are compared with DWIA calculations using nuclear structure information obtained with a conventional shell model and also with a random phase approximation.« less

title: Energetic electrons associated with magnetic reconnection in the magnetic cloud boundary layer.
abstract: Here is reported in situ observation of energetic electrons (∼100-500 keV) associated with magnetic reconnection in the solar wind by the ACE and Wind spacecraft. The properties of this magnetic cloud driving reconnection and the associated energetic electron acceleration problem are discussed. Further analyses indicate that the electric field acceleration and Fermi-type mechanism are two fundamental elements in the electron acceleration processes and the trapping effect of the specific magnetic field configuration maintains the acceleration status that increases the totally gained energy.

title: Crystallization in the Thin and Ultrathin Films of Poly(ethylene-vinyl acetate) and Linear Low-Density Polyethylene
abstract: The crystallization of poly(ethylene−vinyl acetate) and linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) films spun-cast from the polymer/toluene solutions with as-cast thickness from 460 to 10 nm was studied. The lamellar thickness was measured using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and found to increase from 14 to 21 nm for films thinner than 100 nm. The morphology of LLDPE measured by scanning probe microscopy (SPM) showed an edge-on lamellae for the films thicker than 30 nm and flat-on lamellae for the films thinner than 15 nm. A pseudo-“shish-kebab” tiny crystal structure was observed in between the larger lamellae. Crystallinity was confirmed using attenuated total reflectance−Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy. The shear modulation force microscopy technique (SMFM) was used to measure the melting point, Tm, which was found to decrease for films thinner than 100 nm. The rate of decrease was a function of the annealing pr...

title: Clarification of the three-body decay of 12C (12.71 MeV).
abstract: Using beta decays of a clean source of 12N produced at the IGISOL facility, we have measured the breakup of the 12C (12.71 MeV) state into three alpha particles with a segmented particle detector setup. The high quality of the data permits solving the question of the breakup mechanism of the 12.71 MeV state, a longstanding problem in few-body nuclear physics. Among existing models, a modified sequential model fits the data best, but systematic deviations indicate that a three-body description is needed.

title: Experimental results of the betatron sum resonance
abstract: The experimental observations of motion near the betatron sum resonance, /spl nusub x/+2/spl nusub z/=13, are presented. A fast quadrupole (Panofsky-style ferrite picture-frame magnet with 8 pulsed power supplies) producing a betatron tune shift of the order of 0.03 at rise time of 1 /spl mu/s was used. This quadrupole was used to produce betatron tunes which jumped past and then crossed back through a betatron sum resonance line. The beam response as function of initial betatron amplitudes were recorded turn by turn. The correlated growth of the action variables, J/sub x/ and J/sub z/, was observed. The phase space plots in the resonance frame reveal the features of particle motion near the nonlinear sum resonance region.<<ETX>>

title: Search for lepton flavor violation in Z0 decays
abstract: We have searched for lepton flavour violation in Z 0 boson decays into lepton pairs, Z 0 →μτ, Z 0 →eτ, and Z 0 →eμ. The data sample is based on an integrated luminosity of 10.4 pb -1 corresponding to 370 000 Z 0 's produced. We obtain upper limits on the branching ratios of 4.8×10 -5 for the μτ, 3.4×10 -5 for the eτ and 2.4×10 -5 for the eμ decay modes at the 95% confidence level.

title: Toward the Natural and Realistic NMSSM with and without $R$-Parity
abstract: From the current ATLAS and CMS results on Higgs boson mass and decay rates, the NMSSM is obviously better than the MSSM. To explain the fine-tuning problems such as gauge hiearchy problem and strong CP problem in the SM, we point out that supersymmetry does not need to provide a dark matter candidate, i.e., R-parity can be violated. Thus, we consider three kinds of the NMSSM scenarios: in Scenarios I and II R-parity is conserved and the lightest neutralino relic density is respectively around and smaller than the observed value, while in Scenario III R-parity is violated. To fit all the experimental data, we consider the \chi^2 analyses, and find that the Higgs boson mass and decay rates can be explained very well in these Scenarios. Considering the small \chi^2 values and fine-tuning around 2-3.7% (or 1-2%), we obtain the viable parameter space with light (or relatively heavy) supersymmetric particle spectra only in Scenario III (or in Scenarios I and II). Because the singlino, Higgsinos, and light stop are relatively light in general, we can relax the LHC supersymmetry search constraints but the XENON100 experiment gives a strong constraint in Scenarios I and II. In all the viable parameter space, the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon (g_{\mu} - 2)/2 are generically small. With R-parity violation, we can increase (g_{\mu} - 2)/2, and avoid the contraints from the LHC supersymmetry searches and XENON100 experiment. Therefore, Scenario III with R-parity violation is more natural and realistic than Scenarios I and II.

title: Top Hypercharge
abstract: We propose a top hypercharge model with gauge symmetry SU(3)C ×SU(2)L × U(1)1 ×U(1)2 where the first two families of the Standard Model (SM) fermions are charged under U(1)1 while the third family is charged under U(1)2. The U(1)1×U(1)2 gauge symmetry is broken down to the U(1)Y gauge symmetry, when a SM singlet Higgs field acquires a vacuum expectation value. We consider the electroweak constraints, and compare the fit to experimental observables to that of the SM. We study the quark CKM mixing between the first two families and the third family, the neutrino masses and mixing, the flavour changing neutral current effects in meson mixing and decays, the Z ′ discovery potential at the Large Hadron Collider, the dark matter with a gauged Z2 symmetry, and the Higgs boson masses.

title: Bakelite RPCs for Digital Hadron Calorimeter
abstract: This paper presents the test results of Bakelite RPCs using readout pads with an area of 1 cm×1 cm and 1-bit resolution per pad (binary readout). The results include noise rate, detection efficiency and pad multiplicity as well as comparisons of different surface treatments for Bakelite plates. Pad multiplicity’s dependence on surface resistivity at the readout side is also reported. This study shows Bakelite RPCs can be used as the active elements of digital hadron calorimeter.

title: Neutral hadron production at LEP with the L3 detector