Acceptance tests and criteria of the ATLAS transition radiation tracker
The Transition Radiation Tracker (TRT) sits at the outermost part of the ATLAS Inner Detector, encasing the Pixel Detector and the Semi-Conductor Tracker (SCT). The TRT combines charged particle track reconstruction with electron identification capability. This is achieved by layers of xenon-filled straw tubes with periodic radiator foils or fibers providing TR photon emission. The design and choice of materials have been optimized to cope with the harsh operating conditions at the LHC, which are expected to lead to an accumulated radiation dose of 10 Mrad and a neutron fluence of up to 2middot1014 n/cm2  after ten years of operation. The TRT comprises a barrel containing 52 000 axial straws and two end-cap parts with 320 000 radial straws. The total of 420 000 electronic channels (two channels per barrel straw) allows continuous tracking with many projective measurements (more than 30 straw hits per track). The assembly of the barrel modules in the US has recently been completed, while the end-cap wheel construction in Russia has reached the 50% mark. After testing at the production sites and shipment to CERN, all modules and wheels undergo a series of quality and conformity measurements. These acceptance tests survey dimensions, wire tension, gas-tightness, high-voltage stability and gas-gain uniformity along each individual straw. This paper gives details on the acceptance criteria and measurement methods. An overview of the most important results obtained to-date is also given

title: Determination of Strange Sea Quark Distributions from Fixed-target and Collider Data
abstract: We present an improved determination of the strange sea distribution in the nucleon with constraints coming from the recent charm production data in neutrino-nucleon deep-inelastic scattering by the NOMAD and CHORUS experiments and from charged current inclusive deep-inelastic scattering at HERA. We demonstrate that the results are consistent with the data from the ATLAS and the CMS experiments on the associated production of W ± -bosons with c-quarks. We also discuss issues related to the recent strange sea determination by the ATLAS experiment using LHC collider data.

title: Design and prototype tests of the RPC system for the OPERA spectrometers
abstract: The Inner Tracker system of the spectrometers of the OPERA experiment makes use of Resistive Plate Chambers (RPC) in a large-scale application. We present here the definition of the project and the full design of the Inner Tracker. Specific performances for the OPERA-RPC in the spectrometer are also reported. Particle detection, muon identification and trigger capability are discussed, in particular. Some results from test beam (T9 and T7 lines at the CERN PS) and measurements from laboratory test (CERN, Frascati, Padova, Gran Sasso) with prototype detectors are discussed, as well as specific solutions developed for the final set-up in OPERA. Full Monte Carlo simulations of the experimental set-up have been also developed. r 2003

title: Fundamental Physics at the Intensity Frontier
abstract: Particle physics aims to understand the universe around us. The Standard Model of particle physics describes the basic structure of matter and forces, to the extent we have been able to probe thus far. However, it leaves some big questions unanswered. Some are within the Standard Model itself, such as why there are so many fundamental particles and why they have different masses. In other cases, the Standard Model simply fails to explain some phenomena, such as the observed matter-antimatter asymmetry in the universe, the existence of dark matter and dark energy, and the mechanism that reconciles gravity with quantum mechanics. These gaps lead us to conclude that the universe must contain new and unexplored elements of Nature. Most of particle and nuclear physics is directed towards discovering and understanding these new laws of physics. These questions are best pursued with a variety of approaches, rather than with a single experiment or technique. Particle physics uses three basic approaches, often characterized as exploration along the cosmic, energy, and intensity frontiers. Each employs different tools and techniques, but they ultimately address the same fundamental questions. This allows a multi-pronged approach where attacking basic questions from different angles furthers knowledge and providesmore » deeper answers, so that the whole is more than a sum of the parts. A coherent picture or underlying theoretical model can more easily emerge, to be proven correct or not. The intensity frontier explores fundamental physics with intense sources and ultra-sensitive, sometimes massive detectors. It encompasses searches for extremely rare processes and for tiny deviations from Standard Model expectations. Intensity frontier experiments use precision measurements to probe quantum effects. They typically investigate very large energy scales, even higher than the kinematic reach of high energy particle accelerators. The science addresses basic questions, such as: Are there new sources of CP violation? Is there CP violation in the leptonic sector? Are neutrinos their own antiparticles? Do the forces unify? Is there a weakly coupled hidden sector that is related to dark matter? Do new symmetries exist at very high energy scales? To identify the most compelling science opportunities in this area, the workshop Fundamental Physics at the Intensity Frontier was held in December 2011, sponsored by the Office of High Energy Physics in the US Department of Energy Office of Science. Participants investigated the most promising experiments to exploit these opportunities and described the knowledge that can be gained from such a program. The workshop generated much interest in the community, as witnessed by the large and energetic participation by a broad spectrum of scientists. This document chronicles the activities of the workshop, with contributions by more than 450 authors. The workshop organized the intensity frontier science program along six topics that formed the basis for working groups: experiments that probe (i) heavy quarks, (ii) charged leptons, (iii) neutrinos, (iv) proton decay, (v) light, weakly interacting particles, and (vi) nucleons, nuclei, and atoms. The conveners for each working group included an experimenter and a theorist working in the field and an observer from the community at large. The working groups began their efforts well in advance of the workshop, holding regular meetings and soliciting written contributions. Specific avenues of exploration were identified by each working group. Experiments that study rare strange, charm, and bottom meson decays provide a broad program of measurements that are sensitive to new interactions. Charged leptons, particularly muons and taus, provide a precise probe for new physics because the Standard Model predictions for their properties are very accurate. Research at the intensity frontier can reveal CP violation in the lepton sector, and elucidate whether neutrinos are their own antiparticles. A very weakly coupled hidden-sector that may comprise the dark matter in the universe could be discovered. The search for proton decay can probe the unification of the forces with unprecedented reach and test sacrosanct symmetries to very high scales. Detecting an electric dipole moment for the neutron, or neutral atoms, could establish a clear signal for new physics, while limits on such a measurement would place severe constraints on many new theories. This workshop marked the first instance where discussion of these diverse programs was held under one roof. As a result, it was realized that this broad effort has many connections; a large degree of synergy exists between the different areas and they address similar questions. Results from one area were found to be pertinent to experiments in another domain.« less

title: PRECISION MEASUREMENTS FROM THE NOMAD EXPERIMENT

title: Status of design and construction of the Transition Radiation Tracker (TRT) for the ATLAS experiment at the LHC
abstract: The ATLAS Inner Detector consists of three sub-systems, the Pixel Detector at the innermost radius, the Semi-Conductor Tracker at intermediate radii, and the Transition Radiation Tracker (TRT) at the outermost radius in front of the electromagnetic calorimeter. The TRT provides a combination of continuous tracking with many projective measurements based on individual drift-tubes (or straws) and of electron identification based on radiator fibres or foils interleaved between the straws themselves. This paper describes the current status of design and construction of the various components of the TRT: the assembly of the barrel modules has recently been completed, that of the end-cap wheels is well underway, and the on-detector front-end electronics is in production. The detector modules and front-end electronics boards will be integrated together over the next year, the barrel and end-cap TRT parts will be assembled and tested with their SCT counterparts during 2005 and installation and commissioning in the ATLAS pit will take place at the end of 2005 and the beginning of 2006.

title: Low Momentum Direct Photons as a Probe of Heavy Ion Collisions
abstract: of the Dissertation Low Momentum Direct Photons as a Probe of Heavy Ion Collisions

title: Inclusive double-helicity asymmetries in neutral-pion and eta-meson production in $\vec{p}+\vec{p}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=200$ GeV
abstract: Results are presented from data recorded in 2009 by the PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider for the double-longitudinal spin asymmetry, $A_{LL}$, for $\pi^0$ and $\eta$ production in $\sqrt{s} = 200$ GeV polarized $p$$+$$p$ collisions. Comparison of the $\pi^0$ results with different theory expectations based on fits of other published data showed a preference for small positive values of gluon polarization, $\Delta G$, in the proton in the probed Bjorken $x$ range. The effect of adding the new 2009 \pz data to a recent global analysis of polarized scattering data is also shown, resulting in a best fit value $\Delta G^{[0.05,0.2]}_{\mbox{DSSV}} = 0.06^{+0.11}_{-0.15}$ in the range $0.05<x<0.2$, with the uncertainty at $\Delta \chi^2 = 9$ when considering only statistical experimental uncertainties. Shifting the PHENIX data points by their systematic uncertainty leads to a variation of the best-fit value of $\Delta G^{[0.05,0.2]}_{\mbox{DSSV}}$ between $0.02$ and $0.12$, demonstrating the need for full treatment of the experimental systematic uncertainties in future global analyses.

title: sPHENIX: An Upgrade Concept from the PHENIX Collaboration
abstract: The PHENIX collaboration presents a concept for a major upgrade to the PHENIX detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). This upgrade, referred to as sPHENIX, brings exciting new capability to the RHIC program by opening new and important channels for experimental investigation and utilizing fully the luminosity of the recently upgraded RHIC facility. sPHENIX enables a compelling jet physics program that will address fundamental questions about the nature of the strongly coupled quark-gluon plasma discovered experimentally at RHIC to be a perfect fluid. The upgrade concept addresses specific questions whose answers are necessary to advance our understanding of the quark-gluon plasma: (1) How to reconcile the observed strongly coupled quark-gluon plasma with the asymptotically free theory of quarks and gluons? (2) What are the dynamical changes to the quark-gluon plasma in terms of quasiparticles and excitations as a function of temperature? (3) How sharp is the transition of the quark-gluon plasma from the most strongly coupled regime near Tc to a weakly coupled system of partons known to emerge at asymptotically high temperatures? In three Appendices, we detail the additional physics capabilities gained through further upgrades: (A) two midrapidity detector additions, (B) a forward rapidity upgrade, and (C) an evolution to an ePHENIX detector suitable for a future Electron Ion Collider at RHIC.

title: Measurement of Long-Range Angular Correlation and Quadrupole Anisotropy of Pions and (Anti)Protons in Central d+Au Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200 GeV.
abstract: We present azimuthal angular correlations between charged hadrons and energy deposited in calorimeter towers in central d+Au and minimum bias p+p collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200 GeV. The charged hadron is measured at midrapidity |η|<0.35, and the energy is measured at large rapidity (-3.72.75 is observed in d+Au collisions. Using the event plane method applied to the Au-going energy distribution, we extract the anisotropy strength v_{2} for inclusive charged hadrons at midrapidity up to p_{T}=4.5 GeV/c. We also present the measurement of v_{2} for identified π^{±} and (anti)protons in central d+Au collisions, and observe a mass-ordering pattern similar to that seen in heavy-ion collisions. These results are compared with viscous hydrodynamic calculations and measurements from p+Pb at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV. The magnitude of the mass ordering in d+Au is found to be smaller than that in p+Pb collisions, which may indicate smaller radial flow in lower energy d+Au collisions.

title: Derivation of Einstein-Cartan theory from general relativity
abstract: General relativity cannot describe exchange of orbital angular momentum and intrinsic angular momentum (spin). In 1922 E. Cartan proposed extending general relativity by including affine torsion, which resolves this problem. In 1986 the author published a derivation of Einstein-Cartan theory from general relativity with classical spin, with no additional assumptions. This paper adds simpler explanations, more computational details of the proof of the main result, correction of a factor of 2, a summary of the evidence in support of Einstein-Cartan theory, and a discussion of comments about the derivation.