LIMITS ON THE MASS OF LIGHT (PSEUDO)SCALAR PARTICLES FROM BETHE-HEITLER e+e− and μ+μ− PAIR PRODUCTION IN A PROTON-IRON BEAM DUMP EXPERIMENT
A search has been performed for weakly interacting neutral light scalar and pseudoscalar particles in a proton-iron beam dump experiment via the Bethe-Heitler process. No positive signal was observed. Limits are derived on the masses of these particles in the framework of the Standard Model and its minimal supersymmetric extension (MSSM) comparing the experimental results with expectations for Bethe-Heitler e+e− and μ+μ− pair production. The Higgs particle of the SU2L×U1 Standard Theory is excluded for masses in the range mH<0.9 MeV at 95% CL. Limits on light Higgs particles of the MSSM and Peccei-Quinn like axions are derived.

title: LED monitoring system for the BTeV lead tungstate crystal calorimeter prototype
abstract: We report on the performance of a monitoring system for a prototype calorimeter for the BTeV experiment that uses lead tungstate crystals coupled with photomultiplier tubes. The tests were carried out at the 70-GeV accelerator complex at Protvino, Russia.

title: Spin physics with light and heavy neutral mesons at Protvino
abstract: PROZA-M experiment results as well the proposal of a new spin program with the use of a polarized proton beam are presented. Significant asymmetries were observed in inclusive $\pi^0$ production. The new program proposes to study a wealth of single- and double-spin observables in various reactions using longitudinally and transversely polarized proton beams at U70. The main goal is to define gluon contribution to nucleon spin by measuring double-spin asymmetry in charmonium production.

title: Measurements of the T2K neutrino beam properties using the INGRID on-axis near detector
abstract: Precise measurement of neutrino beam direction and intensity was achieved based on a new concept with modularized neutrino detectors. INGRID (Interactive Neutrino GRID) is an on-axis near detector for the T2K long baseline neutrino oscillation experiment. INGRID consists of 16 identical modules arranged in horizontal and vertical arrays around the beam center. The module has a sandwich structure of iron target plates and scintillator trackers. INGRID directly monitors the muon neutrino beam profile center and intensity using the number of observed neutrino events in each module. The neutrino beam direction is measured with accuracy better than 0.4 mrad from the measured profile center. The normalized event rate is measured with 4% precision.

title: Study of neutrino and anti-neutrino charged current interactions in U70 wide band beams

title: ATLAS: technical proposal for a general-purpose p p experiment at the large hadron collider at CERN

title: Optical monitoring of the central region of the globular cluster M 15 = NGC 7078: New variable stars
abstract: AbstractWe obtained a series of more than two hundred R-band CCD images for the crowded central (115″×77″) region of the metal-poor globular cluster M 15 with an angular resolution of 
$$0\mathop .\limits^{''} 5 - 0\mathop .\limits^{''} 9$$
 in most images. Optimal image subtraction was used to identify variable stars. Brightness variations were found in 83 stars, 55 of which were identified with known cluster variables and the remaining 28 are candidates for new variables. Two of them are most likely SX Phe variables. The variability type of two more stars is uncertain. The remaining stars were tentatively classified as RR Lyrae variables. A preliminary analysis of published data and our results shows that the characteristics of RR Lyrae variables in the densest part (r<35″) of the cluster probably change. More specifically, the maximum of the period distribution of first-and second-overtone (RR1, RR2) pulsating stars shifts toward shorter periods; i.e., there is an increase in the fraction of stars pulsating with periods 
$$ < 0\mathop .\limits^d 3$$
 and a deficiency of stars with 
$$0\mathop .\limits^d 35 - 0\mathop .\limits^d 40$$
. The ratio of the number of these short-period RR Lyrae variables to the number of fundamental-tone (RR0) pulsating variables changes appreciably. We found and corrected the error of transforming the coordinates of variables V128–155 in M 15 into the coordinate system used in the catalog of variable stars in globular clusters.

title: Oldmetal‐rich globular cluster populations: Peak color and peak metallicity trends with mass of host spheroids
abstract: We address the problem of the factors contributing to a peak color trend of old metal-rich globular cluster (MRGC) populations with mass of their hosts, early-type galaxies and spheroidal subsystems of spiral ones (spheroids). The colormass trend is often converted to a metallicity-mass trend under the assumption that age effects are small or negligible. While direct estimates of the ages of MRGC populations neither can rule out nor reliably support the populations' age trend, key data on timing of the formation of spheroids and other indirect evidence imply it in the sense: the more massive spheroid the older on average its MRGC population. We show that the contribution of an allowable age trend of the MRGC populations to their peak color trend can achieve up to ∼50% or so. In this event the comparable value of the color trend, ∼30%, is due to alpha-element ratio systematic variations of the order of Δ[α /Fe] ≈ 0.1 to 0.2 dex because of a correlation between the [α /Fe] ratios and age. Hence a systematic variation of exactly [Fe/H] ratios may turn out to be less significant among the contributors, and its range many times lower, i.e. of the order of Δ[Fe/H]∼0.1 or even none, than the corresponding range deduced by assuming no age trend.

title: Second-Parameter Globular Clusters in the Milky Way and in M33 as Tracers of Mass Loss from M31 in the Early Epoch?
abstract: I suggest that the bulk of the "young", second-parameter globular clusters (SPGCs) observed in the outer halo of our Galaxy and recently found in other massive spiral of the Local Group (LG), M33, may have originated due to mass outflow from M31 and subsequent accretion of gas on the Galaxy and M33 in the early epoch.

title: Second parameter globulars and dwarf spheroidals around the Local Group massive galaxies: What can they evidence?
abstract: We suggest that the majority of the "young", so-called "second parameter" globular clusters (SPGCs) have origi- nated in the outer Galactic halo due to a process other than a tidal disruption of the dwarf spheroidal (dSph) galaxies. Basic observational evidence regarding both the dSphs and the SPGCs, coupled with the latest data about a rather large relative num- ber of such clusters among globulars in M 33 and their low portion in M 31, seems to be consistent with the suspected process. It might have taken place within the system of the most massive galaxies of the Local Group (LG) at the earliest stages of their formation and evolution. We argue that the origin and basic characteristics of the SPGCs can naturally be explained as a result of mass outflow from M 31, during and due to formation of its Pop. II stars, and subsequent accretion of gas onto its massive companions, the Galaxy and M 33. An amount of the gas accreted onto the Milky Way is expected to have been quite enough for the formation in the outer Galactic halo not only of the clusters under consideration but also a number of those dSph galaxies which are as young as the SPGCs. A less significant, but notable mass transfer from the starbursting protoGalaxy to the massive members of the LG might have occurred, too.

title: Massive Star Cluster Populations in Irregular Galaxies as Probable Younger Counterparts of Old Metal-rich Globular Cluster Populations in Spheroids
abstract: Peak metallicities of metal-rich populations of globular clusters (MRGCs) belonging to early-type galaxies and spheroidal subsystems of spiral galaxies (spheroids) of different mass fall within the somewhat conservative -0.7 ? [Fe/H] ? -0.3 range. Indeed, if possible age effects are taken into account, this metallicity range might become smaller. Irregular galaxies such as the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), with longer timescales of formation and lower star formation (SF) efficiency, do not contain old MRGCs with [Fe/H] > -1.0, but they are observed to form populations of young/intermediate-age massive star clusters (MSCs) with masses exceeding 104 M?. Their formation is widely believed to be an accidental process fully dependent on external factors. From the analysis of available data on the populations and their hosts, including intermediate-age populous star clusters in the LMC, we find that their most probable mean metallicities fall within -0.7 ? [Fe/H] ? -0.3, as the peak metallicities of MRGCs do, irrespective of signs of interaction. Moreover, both the disk giant metallicity distribution function (MDF) in the LMC and the MDFs for old giants in the halos of massive spheroids exhibit a significant increase toward [Fe/H] ? -0.5. That is in agreement with a correlation found between SF activity in galaxies and their metallicity. The formation of both the old MRGCs in spheroids and MSC populations in irregular galaxies probably occurs at approximately the same stage of the host galaxies' chemical evolution and is related to the essentially increased SF activity in the hosts around the same metallicity that is achieved very early in massive spheroids, later in lower mass spheroids, and much later in irregular galaxies. Changes in the interstellar dust, particularly in elemental abundances in dust grains and in the mass distribution function of the grains, may be among the factors regulating star and MSC formation activity in galaxies. Strong interactions and mergers affecting the MSC formation presumably play an additional role, although they can substantially intensify the internally regulated MSC formation process. Several implications of our suggestions are briefly discussed.