Updated search for the standard model Higgs boson in events with jets and missing transverse energy using the full CDF data set
We present an updated search for the Higgs boson produced in association with a vector boson in the final state with missing transverse energy and two jets. We use the full CDF data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9.45 fb−1 at a proton-antiproton center-of-mass energy of s√=1.96 TeV. New to this analysis is the inclusion of a b-jet identification algorithm specifically optimized for H→bb¯ searches. Across the Higgs boson mass range 90≤mH≤150 GeV/c2, the expected 95% credibility level upper limits on the VH production cross section times the H→bb¯ branching fraction are improved by an average of 14% relative to the previous analysis. At a Higgs boson mass of 125 GeV/c2, the observed (expected) limit is 3.06 (3.33) times the standard model prediction, corresponding to one of the most sensitive searches to date in this final state.

title: The performance of the CDF luminosity monitor
abstract: We describe the initial performance of the detector used for the luminosity measurement in the CDF experiment in Run II at the Tevatron. The detector consists of low-mass gaseous Cherenkov counters with high light yield (∼100 photoelectrons) and monitors the process of inelastic p p scattering. It allows for several methods of precise luminosity measurements at peak instantaneous luminosities of 2×10 32 cm −2 s −1 , corresponding to an average of six p p interactions per bunch crossing.

title: Search for heavy, long-lived neutralinos that decay to photons at CDF II using photon timing
abstract: The authors present the results of the first hadron collider search for heavy, long-lived neutralinos that decay via {tilde {chi}}{sub 1}{sup 0} {yields} {gamma}{tilde G} in gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking models. Using an integrated luminosity of 570 {+-} 34 pb{sup -1} of p{bar p} collisions at {radical}s = 1.96 TeV, they select {gamma}+jet+missing transverse energy candidate events based on the arrival time of a high-energy photon at the electromagnetic calorimeter as measured with a timing system that was recently installed on the CDF II detector. They find 2 events, consistent with the background estimate of 1.3 {+-} 0.7 events. While the search strategy does not rely on model-specific dynamics, they set cross section limits and place the world-best 95% C.L. lower limit on the {tilde {chi}}{sub 1}{sup 0} mass of 101 GeV/c{sup 2} at {tau}{sub {tilde {chi}}{sub 1}{sup 0}} = 5 ns.

title: Searches for Squark and Gluino Production at the Tevatron
abstract: This paper reviews some of the most recent results from CDF and DO/ experiments on searches for supersymmetry (SUSY) at the Tevatron. We focus on searches for squark and gluino pair production on data samples up to ∼2 fb−1. No signal was observed, and constraints are set on the SUSY parameter space.

title: The underlying event in hard interactions at the Tevatron $\bar p p$ collider
abstract: For comparison of inclusive jet cross sections measured at hadron-hadron colliders to next-to-leading order (NLO) parton-level calculations, the energy deposited in the jet cone by spectator parton interactions must first be subtracted. The assumption made at the Tevatron is that the spectator parton interaction energy is similar to the ambient level measured in minimum bias events. In this paper, we test this assumption by measuring the ambient charged track momentum in events containing large transverse energy jets at {radical}(s)=1800 GeV and {radical}(s)=630 GeV and comparing this ambient momentum with that observed both in minimum bias events and with that predicted by two Monte Carlo models. Two cones in {eta}-{phi} space are defined, at the same pseudorapidity, {eta}, as the jet with the highest transverse energy (E{sub T}{sup (1)}), and at {+-}90{sup o} in the azimuthal direction, {phi}. The total charged track momentum inside each of the two cones is measured. The minimum momentum in the two cones is almost independent of E{sub T}{sup (1)} and is similar to the momentum observed in minimum bias events, whereas the maximum momentum increases roughly linearly with the jet E{sub T}{sup (1)} over most of the measured range. This study was carried out usingmore » data from the CDF detector taken during Run 1 (1994-1995). The study will help improve the precision of comparisons of jet cross section data and NLO perturbative QCD predictions. The distribution of the sum of the track momenta in the two cones is also examined for five different E{sub T}{sup (1)} bins. The HERWIG and PYTHIA Monte Carlo generators are reasonably successful in describing the data, but neither can describe completely all of the event properties.« less

title: Measurement of branching ratio and $B_s^0$ lifetime in the decay $B_s^0 \rightarrow J/\psi f_0(980)$ at CDF
abstract: We present a study of Bs0 decays to the CP-odd final state J/ψ f0(980) with J/ψ → µ+µ- and f0(980) → π+π-. Using pp collision data with an integrated luminosity of 3.8 fb-1 collected by the CDF II detector at the Tevatron we measure a Bs0 lifetime of τ(B0s → J/ψ f0(980)) = 1.70-0.11+0.12(stat) ± 0.03(syst) ps. This is the first measurement of the Bs0} lifetime in a decay to a CP eigenstate and corresponds in the standard model to the lifetime of the heavy Bs0 eigenstate. We also measure the product of branching fractions of B0s → J/ψ f0(980) and f0(980) → π+π- relative to the product of branching fractions of B0s → J/ψφ and φ→K+K- to be Rf0/ψ = 0.257 ± 0.020(stat) ± 0.014(syst), which is the most precise determination of this quantity to date.

title: Cosmic Age Test in Inhomogeneous Cosmological Models Mimicking $\Lambda$CDM on the Light-Cone
abstract: The possibility of reconstructing a spherically symmetric inhomogeneous Lemaitre-Tolman-Bondi (LTB) model with Lambda CDM observations has drawn much attention. Recently, an inhomogeneous LTB model having the same luminosity-distance and light-cone mass density of the homogeneous Lambda CDM model was reconstructed. From the Wilkinson microwave anisotropy probe 7-year measurements together with other cosmological observations, we calculate the cosmic age at our position in this LTB model, and obtain a constraint t(LTB) < 11.7 Gyr at 1 sigma confidence level. We find that this result is, although 2 Gyr younger compared with the age of the homogeneous Lambda CDM model, still within 1 sigma agreement with the constraint of cosmic age given by current astronomical measurements. We expect that in the future, with the help of more advanced observations, we can distinguish the reconstructed inhomogeneous LTB model from the homogeneous Lambda CDM model.

title: Is modified gravity required by observations? An empirical consistency test of dark energy models
abstract: We apply the technique of parameter splitting to existing cosmological data sets, to check for a generic failure of dark energy models. Given a dark energy parameter, such as the energy density {omega}{sub {lambda}} or equation of state w, we split it into two meta-parameters with one controlling geometrical distances, and the other controlling the growth of structure. Observational data spanning Type Ia Supernovae, the cosmic microwave background (CMB), galaxy clustering, and weak gravitational lensing statistics are fit without requiring the two meta-parameters to be equal. This technique checks for inconsistency between different data sets, as well as for internal inconsistency within any one data set (e.g., CMB or lensing statistics) that is sensitive to both geometry and growth. We find that the cosmological constant model is consistent with current data. Theories of modified gravity generally predict a relation between growth and geometry that is different from that of general relativity. Parameter splitting can be viewed as a crude way to parametrize the space of such theories. Our analysis of current data already appears to put sharp limits on these theories: assuming a flat universe, current data constrain the difference {delta}{omega}{sub {lambda}}={omega}{sub {lambda}}(geom)-{omega}{sub {lambda}}(grow) to be -0.0044{sub -0.0057-0.0119}{sup +0.0058+0.0108} (68%more » and 95% C.L. respectively); allowing the equation of state w to vary, the difference {delta}w=w(geom)-w(grow) is constrained to be 0.37{sub -0.36-0.53}{sup +0.37+1.09}. Interestingly, the region w(grow)>w(geom), which should be generically favored by theories that slow structure formation relative to general relativity, is quite restricted by data already. We find w(grow)<-0.80 at 2{sigma}. As an example, the best-fit flat Dvali-Gabadadze-Porrati model approximated by our parametrization lies beyond the 3{sigma} contour for constraints from all the data sets.« less

title: Predicting the Configuration of a Planetary System: KOI-152 Observed by Kepler
abstract: The recent Kepler discovery of KOI-152 reveals a system of three hot super-Earth candidates that are in or near a 4:2:1 mean motion resonance. It is unlikely that they formed in situ; the planets probably underwent orbital migration during the formation and evolution process. The small semimajor axes of the three planets suggest that migration stopped at the inner edge of the primordial gas disk. In this paper, we focus on the influence of migration halting mechanisms, including migration "dead zones," and inner truncation by the stellar magnetic field. We show that the stellar accretion rate, stellar magnetic field, and the speed of migration in the protoplanetary disk are the main factors affecting the final configuration of KOI-152. Our simulations suggest that three planets may be around a star with low star accretion rate or with high magnetic field. On the other hand, slow type I migration, which decreases to one-tenth of the linear analysis results, favors forming the configuration of KOI-152. Under such a formation scenario, the planets in the system are not massive enough to open gaps in the gas disk. The upper limits of the planetary masses are estimated to be about 15, 19, and 24M(circle plus), respectively. Our results are also indicative of the near Laplacian configurations that are quite common in planetary systems.

title: AGE AND MASS CONSTRAINTS FOR A YOUNG MASSIVE CLUSTER IN M31 BASED ON SPECTRAL ENERGY DISTRIBUTION FITTING
abstract: VDB0-B195D is a massive, blue star cluster in M31. It was observed as part of the Beijing-Arizona-Taiwan-Connecticut (BATC) Multicolor Sky Survey using 15 intermediate-band filters covering a wavelength range of 3000-10000 A. Based on aperture photometry, we obtain its spectral energy distribution (SED) as defined by the 15 BATC filters. We apply previously established relations between the BATC intermediate-band and the Johnson-Cousins UBVRI broadband systems to convert our BATC photometry to the standard system. A detailed comparison shows that our newly derived VRI magnitudes are fully consistent with previous results, while our new B magnitude agrees to within 2{sigma}. In addition, we determine the cluster's age and mass by comparing its SED (from 3000 to 20000 A, comprising photometric data in the 15 BATC intermediate bands, optical broadband BVRI, and Two Micron All Sky Survey near-infrared JHK{sub s} data) with theoretical stellar population synthesis models, resulting in age and mass determinations of 60.0 {+-} 8.0 Myr and (1.1-1.6) x 10{sup 5} M{sub sun}, respectively. This age and mass confirms previous suggestions that VDB0-B195D is a young massive cluster in M31.

title: Response of the Photospheric Magnetic Field to the X2.2 Flare on 2011 February 15
abstract: It is well known that the long-term evolution of the photospheric magnetic field plays an important role in building up free energy to power solar eruptions. Observations, despite being controversial, have also revealed a rapid and permanent variation of the photospheric magnetic field in response to the coronal magnetic field restructuring during the eruption. The Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager instrument (HMI) on board the newly launched Solar Dynamics Observatory produces seeing-free full-disk vector magnetograms at consistently high resolution and high cadence, which finally makes possible an unambiguous and comprehensive study of this important back-reaction process. In this study, we present a near disk-center, GOES-class X2.2 flare, which occurred in NOAA AR 11158 on 2011 February 15. Using the magnetic field measurements made by HMI, we obtained the first solid evidence of a rapid (in about 30 minutes) and irreversible enhancement in the horizontal magnetic field at the flaring magnetic polarity inversion line (PIL) by a magnitude of {approx}30%. It is also shown that the photospheric field becomes more sheared and more inclined. This field evolution is unequivocally associated with the flare occurrence in this sigmoidal active region, with the enhancement area located in between the two chromospheric flare ribbons andmore » the initial conjugate hard X-ray footpoints. These results strongly corroborate our previous conjecture that the photospheric magnetic field near the PIL must become more horizontal after eruptions, which could be related to the newly formed low-lying fields resulting from the tether-cutting reconnection.« less