Advanced LIGO optical configuration and prototyping effort
The current plan for the Advanced LIGO dual-recycled optical configuration and control scheme is described, with emphasis on those elements which differ from Initial LIGO. Plans for prototyping this system are discussed, and the prototyping effort at the LIGO Caltech 40 Meter Interferometer Laboratory is described in some detail. Finally, some of the modelling efforts at Caltech are reviewed.

title: Measurement of B (tau- ---> tau-neutrino K- K0) and b (tau- ---> tau-neutrino K- K0 pi0)

title: Measurement of Cabibbo-suppressed decays of the tau lepton.
abstract: Branching ratios for the dominant Cabibbo-suppressed decays of the [tau] lepton have been measured by CLEO II in [ital e][sup +][ital e][sup [minus]] annihilation at the Cornell Electron Storage Ring ([radical][ital s] [similar to]10.6 GeV) using kaons with momenta below 0.7 GeV/[ital c]. The inclusive branching ratio into one charged kaon is (1.60[plus minus]0.12[plus minus]0.19)%. For the exclusive decays, [ital B]([tau][sup [minus]][r arrow][ital K][sup [minus]][nu][sub [tau]])=(0.66[plus minus]0.07[plus minus]0.09)%, [ital B]([tau][sup [minus]][r arrow][ital K][sup [minus]][pi][sup 0][nu][sub [tau]])=(0.51 [plus minus]0.10[plus minus]0.07)%, and, based on three events, [ital B]([tau][sup [minus]][r arrow][ital K][sup [minus]]2[pi][sup 0][nu][sub [tau]])[lt]0.3% at the 90% confidence level. These represent significant improvements over previous results. ) is measured for the first time with exclusive [pi][sup 0] reconstruction.

title: Search for B ---> K lepton+ lepton- and B ---> K* lepton+ lepton- decays

title: Observation of radiative leptonic decay of the tau lepton
abstract: Using 4.68 fb(-1) of e(+)e(-) annihilation data collected with the CLEO II detector at the Cornell Electron Storage Ring, we have studied tau radiative decays tau(-)-->nu(tau)&mgr;(-)nu;(&mgr;)gamma and tau(-)-->nu(tau)e(-)nu;(e)gamma. For a 10 MeV minimum photon energy in the tau rest frame, the branching fraction for radiative tau decay to a muon or electron is measured to be (3.61+/-0.16+/-0. 35)x10(-3) or (1.75+/-0.06+/-0.17)x10(-2), respectively. The branching fractions are in agreement with standard model theoretical predictions.

title: Study of charmless hadronic B meson decays to pseudoscalar-vector final states.
abstract: We report results of searches for charmless hadronic B meson decays to pseudoscalar( pi(+/-), K+/-, pi(0), or K(0)(S))-vector( rho, K(*), or omega) final states. By using 9.7x10(6) BB pairs collected with the CLEO detector, we report the first observation of B(-)--->pi(-)rho(0), B(0)-->pi(+/-)rho(-/+), and B(-)-->pi(-)omega, which are expected to be dominated by hadronic b-->u transitions. The measured branching fractions are (10.4(+3.3)(-3.4)+/-2.1)x10(-6), (27.6(+8.4)(-7.4)+/-4.2)x10(-6), and (11.3(+3.3)(-2.9)+/-1. 4)x10(-6), respectively. Branching fraction upper limits are set for all of the other decay modes investigated.

title: VERITAS: Status and Highlights
abstract: The VERITAS telescope array has been operating smoothly since 2007, and has detected gamma-ray emission above 100 GeV from 40 astrophysical sources. These include blazars, pulsar wind nebulae, supernova remnants, gamma- ray binary systems, a starburst galaxy, a radio galaxy, the Crab pulsar, and gamma-ray sources whose origin remains unidentified. In 2009, the array was reconfigured, greatly im proving the sensitivity. We summarize the current status of the observatory, describe some of the scientific highlights since 2009, and outline plans for the future.

title: Measurements of branching fractions, polarizations, and direct CP-violation asymmetries in $B \to \rho K^{*}$ and $B \to f_0(980) K^{*}$ decays

title: Detection of Pulsed Gamma Rays Above 100 GeV from the Crab Pulsar
abstract: This detection constrains the mechanism and emission region of gamma-ray radiation in the pulsar’s magnetosphere. We report the detection of pulsed gamma rays from the Crab pulsar at energies above 100 giga–electron volts (GeV) with the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS) array of atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes. The detection cannot be explained on the basis of current pulsar models. The photon spectrum of pulsed emission between 100 mega–electron volts and 400 GeV is described by a broken power law that is statistically preferred over a power law with an exponential cutoff. It is unlikely that the observation can be explained by invoking curvature radiation as the origin of the observed gamma rays above 100 GeV. Our findings require that these gamma rays be produced more than 10 stellar radii from the neutron star.

title: A measurement of CP-violation parameters in B0 anti-B0 mixing using partially reconstructed D*- l+ nu/l events at BaBar
abstract: CP violation in B0B0bar mixing is characterized by the value of the parameter |q/p| being different from 1, and the Standard Model predicts this difference to be smaller than 10^{-3}. We present a measurement of this parameter using a partial reconstruction of one of the B mesons in the semileptonic channel D*- l+ nu_l, where only the hard lepton and the soft pion from the D*- --> D0bar pi- decay are reconstructed. The flavor of the other B is determined by means of lepton tagging. The determination of |q/p| is then performed with a fit to the proper time difference of the two B decays. We use a luminosity of 200.8 fb^-1, collected at the Y(4S) resonance by the BaBar detector at the PEP-II asymmetrical-energy e+e- collider, in the period 1999-2004. We obtain the preliminary result: |q/p| - 1 = (6.5 +/- 3.4(stat.) +/- 2.0(syst.)) x 10^{-3}

title: Electronics for the BaBar central drift chamber
abstract: The central drift chamber for the BaBar detector at the SLAC B-factory is based on a hexagonal cell design with 7104 cells arranged in 40 layers and drift gas helium:isobutane (80%:20%). Performance optimization and integration requirements led to an electronics design that mounts the amplifier-discriminator and digitizing circuitry directly on the endplate. High channel density is achieved using a 4-channel custom amplifier-discriminator IC and an 8-channel custom CMOS TDC/FADC IC on a single circuit board. Data read from the front ends are multiplexed on 4 fiber optic links, and prompt trigger data are sent out continuously on 24 links. Analysis of cosmic ray data demonstrates that the electronics design meets the performance goals for the BaBar drift chamber. The final electronics were installed on the drift chamber in July, 1998. Installation of BaBar on beamline is scheduled for March, 1999.