Determining the oscillation parameters by solar neutrinos and KamLAND

The neutrino oscillation experiment KamLAND has provided us with the first evidence for e disappearance, coming from nuclear reactors. We have combined their data with all solar neutrino data, assuming two flavor neutrino mixing, and obtained allowed parameter regions which are compatible with the so-called large mixing angle MSW solution to the solar neutrino problem. The allowed regions in the plane of mixing angle and mass squared difference are now split into two islands at 99% C.L. We have speculated how these two islands can be distinguished in the near future. We have shown that a 50% reduction of the error on SNO neutral-current measurement can be important in establishing in each of these islands the true values of these parameters lie, We also have simulated KamLAND positron energy spectrum after I year of data taking, assuming the current best fitted values of the oscillation parameters, combined it the with current solar neutrino data and showed how these two split islands can be modified. (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier B.V. B.V.

Affine Toda model coupled to matter and the string tension in 2D QCD

The sl(2) affine Toda model coupled to matter is shown to describe various features, such as the spectrum and string tension, of the low-energy effective Lagrangian of two-dimensional QCD (one flavor and N colors). The corresponding string tension is computed when the dynamical quarks are in the fundamental representation of SU(N) and in the adjoint representation of SU(2).

Search for R-parity violating supersymmetry via the LL(E)over-bar couplings lambda(121), lambda(122) or lambda(133) in p(p)over-bar collisions at root s=1.96 TeV

A search for gaugino pair production with a trilepton signature in the framework of R-parity violating supersymmetry via the couplings; lambda(121), lambda(122), or lambda(133) is presented. The data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of L approximate to 360 pb(-1), were collected from April 2002 to August 2004 with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider, at a center-of-mass energy of root s = 1.96 TeV. This analysis considers final states with three charged leptons with the flavor combinations eel, mu mu l, and ee tau (l = e or mu). No evidence for supersymmetry is found and limits at the 95% confidence level are set on the gaugino pair production cross section and lower bounds on the masses of the lightest neutralino and chargino are derived in two supersymmetric models. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Combined D0 measurements constraining the CP-violating phase and width difference in the B-s(0) system

We combine the D0 measurement of the width difference between the light and heavy B-s(0) mass eigenstates and of the CP-violating mixing phase determined from the time-dependent angular distributions in the B-s(0)-> J/psi phi decays along with the charge asymmetry in semileptonic decays also measured with the D0 detector. With the additional constraint from the world average of the flavor-specific B-s(0) lifetime, we obtain Delta Gamma(s)equivalent to(Gamma(L)-Gamma(H))=0.13 +/- 0.09 ps(-1) and vertical bar phi(s)vertical bar=0.70(-0.47)(+0.39) or Delta Gamma(s)=-0.13 +/- 0.09 ps(-1) and vertical bar phi(s)vertical bar=2.44(-0.39)(+0.47). The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 1.1 fb(-1) accumulated with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider.

Global analysis of the post-SNO solar neutrino data for standard and nonstandard oscillation mechanisms

What can we learn from solar neutrino observations? Is there any solution to the solar neutrino anomaly which is favored by the present experimental panorama? After SNO results, is it possible to affirm that neutrinos have mass? In order to answer such questions we analyze the current available data from the solar neutrino experiments, including the recent SNO result, in view of many acceptable solutions to the solar neutrino problem based on different conversion mechanisms, for the first time using the same statistical procedure. This allows us to do a direct comparison of the goodness of the fit among different solutions, from which we can discuss and conclude on the current status of each proposed dynamical mechanism. These solutions are based on different assumptions: (a) neutrino mass and mixing, (b) a nonvanishing neutrino magnetic moment, (c) the existence of nonstandard flavor-changing and nonuniversal neutrino interactions, and (d) a tiny violation of the equivalence principle. We investigate the quality of the fit provided by each one of these solutions not only to the total rate measured by all the solar neutrino experiments but also to the recoil electron energy spectrum measured at different zenith angles by the Super-Kamiokande Collaboration. We conclude that several nonstandard neutrino flavor conversion mechanisms provide a very good fit to the experimental data which is comparable with (or even slightly better than) the most famous solution to the solar neutrino anomaly based on the neutrino oscillation induced by mass.

Search for the pair production of scalar top quarks in the acoplanar charm jet final state in p(p)over-bar collisions at root s=1.96 TeV

A search for the pair production of scalar top quarks, (t) over tilde, has been performed in 360 pb(-1) of data from pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV, collected by the D phi detector at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. The (t) over tilde decay mode considered is (t) over tilde -> c (chi) over tilde (0)(1), where (chi) over tilde (0)(1) is the lightest supersymmetric particle. The topology analyzed therefore consists of a pair of acoplanar heavy-flavor jets with missing transverse energy. The data and standard model expectation are in agreement, anda 95% C.L. exclusion domain in the (m((t) over tilde), m((chi) over tilde1)(0)) plane has been determined, extending the domain excluded by previous experiments. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.

Probing supernova physics with neutrino oscillations

We point out that solar neutrino oscillations with large mixing angle as evidenced in current solar neutrino data have a strong impact on strategies for diagnosing collapse-driven supernova (SN) through neutrino observations. Such oscillations induce a significant deformation of the energy spectra of neutrinos, thereby allowing us to obtain otherwise inaccessible features of SN neutrino spectra. We demonstrate that one can determine temperatures and luminosities of non-electron flavor neutrinos by observing (υ) over bar (e) from galactic SN in massive water Cherenkov detectors by the charged current reactions on protons. (C) 2002 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Relativistic dynamics of Qqq systems

The bound state of constituent quarks forming a Qqq composite baryon is investigated in a QCD-inspired effective light-front model. The light-front Faddeev equations are derived and solved numerically. The masses of the spin 1/2 low-lying states of the nucleon, Lambda(0), Lambda(c)(+) and Lambda(b)(0), are found and compared to the experimental data. The data are qualitatively described with a flavor independent effective interaction.

First quantized approaches to neutrino oscillations and second quantization

Neutrino oscillations are treated from the point of view of relativistic first quantized theories and compared to second quantized treatments. Within first quantized theories, general oscillation probabilities can be found for Dirac fermions and charged spin 0 bosons. A clear modification in the oscillation formulas can be obtained and its origin is elucidated and confirmed to be inevitable from completeness and causality requirements. The left-handed nature of created and detected neutrinos can also be implemented in the first quantized Dirac theory in the presence of mixing; the probability loss due to the changing of initially left-handed neutrinos to the undetected right-handed neutrinos can be obtained in analytic form. Concerning second quantized approaches, it is shown in a calculation using virtual neutrino propagation that both neutrinos and antineutrinos may also contribute as intermediate particles. The sign of the contributing neutrino energy may have to be chosen explicitly without being automatic in the formalism. At last, a simple second quantized description of the flavor oscillation phenomenon is devised. In this description there is no interference terms between positive and negative components, but it still gives simple normalized oscillation probabilities. A new effect appearing in this context is an inevitable but tiny violation of the initial flavor of neutrinos. The probability loss due to the conversion of left-handed neutrinos to right-handed neutrinos is also presented.

Measurement of the charge asymmetry in semileptonic B-s(0) decays

We have performed the first direct measurement of the time-integrated flavor untagged charge asymmetry in semileptonic B-s(0) decays A(SL)(s,unt) by comparing the decay rate of B-s(0) -> mu(+) D-s(-) nu X, where D-s(-) -> phi pi(-) and phi -> K+K-, with the charge-conjugate (B) over bar (0)(s) decay rate. This sample was selected from 1: 3 fb(-1) of data collected by the D0 experiment in run II of the Fermilab Tevatron collider. We obtain A(SL)(s,unt) = [1.23 +/- 0.97(stat) +/- 0.17(syst)] x 10(-2). Assuming that Delta m(s)/(Gamma) over bar (s) >> 1, this result can be translated into a measurement of the CP-violating phase in B-s(0) mixing: Delta Gamma(s)/Delta m(s) tan phi(s) = [2.45 +/- 1.93(stat) +/- 0.35(syst)] x 10(-2).

New physics in B-s(0) -> J/psi phi decays?

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

ON FERMION MASSES and MIXING IN A MODEL WITH A(4) SYMMETRY

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Three-Higgs-doublet model with A(4) symmetry

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Charm Production in Antiproton-Proton Annihilation

We study the production of charmed mesons (D) and baryons (Lambda(c)) in antiproton- proton ((p) over barp) annihilation close to their respective production thresholds. The elementary charm production process is described by either baryon/ meson exchange or by quark/ gluon dynamics. Effects of the interactions in the initial and final states are taken into account rigorously. The calculations are performed in close analogy to our earlier study on (p) over bar -> (Lambda) over bar Lambda and (p) over barp (K) over bar K by connecting the processes via SU(4) flavor symmetry. Our predictions for the (Lambda) over bar (c)Lambda(c) production cross section are in the order of 1 to 7 mb, i. e. a factor of around 10-70 smaller than the corresponding cross sections for (Lambda) over bar Lambda However, they are 100 to 1000 times larger than predictions of other model calculations in the literature. on the other hand, the resulting cross sections for (D) over barD production are found to be in the order of 10(-2) - 10(-1)mu b and they turned out to be comparable to those obtained in other studies.

IMPROVED STATISTICAL QCD MODEL FOR THE QUARK CONTENT of THE NUCLEON

The neutron-to-proton ratio of the structure functions, F(2)(n)/F(2)(p), as well as the corresponding difference F(2)(p)-F(2)(n) are obtained within a statistical quark model for the nucleon, where the quark energy levels are given by a central linear confining potential.