A measurement of the proton elastic form factors for 1 ≤ Q^2 ≤ 3 (GeV/c)^2

We report measurements of the proton form factors, G^p_E and G^p_M, extracted from elastic electron scattering in the range 1 ≤ Q^2 ≤ 3 (GeV/c)^2 with uncertainties of <15% in G^p_E and <3% in G^p_M. The results for G^p_E are somewhat larger than indicated by most theoretical parameterizations. The ratio of Pauli and Dirac form factors, Q^2(F^p_2/F^p_1), is lower in value and demonstrates less Q^2 dependence than these parameterizations have indicated. Comparisons are made to theoretical models, including those based on perturbative QCD, vector-meson dominance, QCD sum rules, and diquark constituents to the proton. A global extraction of the form factors, including previous elastic scattering measurements, is also presented.

Topics in quantum gravity

We study some aspects of conformal field theory, wormhole physics and two-dimensional random surfaces. Inspite of being rather different, these topics serve as examples of the issues that are involved, both at high and low energy scales, in formulating a quantum theory of gravity. In conformal field theory we show that fusion and braiding properties can be used to determine the operator product coefficients of the non-diagonal Wess-Zumino-Witten models. In wormhole physics we show how Coleman's proposed probability distribution would result in wormholes determining the value of ^θQCD. We attempt such a calculation and find the most probable value of ^θQCD to be π. This hints at a potential conflict with nature. In random surfaces we explore the behaviour of conformal field theories coupled to gravity and calculate some partition functions and correlation functions. Our results throw some light on the transition that is believed to occur when the central charge of the matter theory gets larger than one.

Estudo de lacunas de rapidez e caracterização de processos difrativos em eventos de minimum bias a 7TeV no CMS/LHC

Neste trabalho estudamos as características das distribuições da lacuna de rapidez em amostras de eventos de minimum bias de colisões pp a ps=7 TeV no CMS/LHC. Tais eventos são constituídos por processos difrativos, além de processos de QCD mole. São investigados o tamanho e a localização das lacunas, assim como as correlações entre as distribuições obtidas a partir dos objetos reconstruídos no detector e as distribuições obtidas a partir das partículas geradas via simulação Monte Carlo. Uma boa compreensão dessas distribuições pode, eventualmente, possibilitar a caracterização de eventos difrativos nos dados.

Estudo da produção de multijatos em colisões próton-próton com √s= 7 TeV no detector CMS/LHC

O Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) é um dos principais detectores instalados no LHC que possibilita o estudo de diferentes aspectos da Física, indo do Modelo Padrão à matéria escura. Esse detector de propósito geral, foi construído para ser capaz de medir múons com uma grande precisão e todos os seus subdetectores foram construídos com uma alta granularidade, tornando possível identificar e caracterizar as propriedades cinemáticas das partículas finais da colisão. O algoritmo de reconstrução de eventos inclui a identificação de jatos, ou seja, é possível identificar a assinatura da produção de pártons na colisão e a medida de seções de choque da produção de muitos jatos é um dos métodos para se explorar as contribuições da Cromodinâmica Quântica (Quantum Chromodynamics - QCD) perturbativa, permitindo avaliar as previsões implementadas nas simulações de eventos. Tendo em vista a caracterização de processos relacionados com a QCD em colisões de próton-próton a uma energia do centro de massa de 7 TeV, é apresentada a medida da seção de choque da produção inclusiva de multijatos no CMS. Para realizar essa medida foram utilizados dados reais coletados em 2010, onde não se apresentava muitas colisões por cruzamento de pacote, com uma luminosidade integrada de L = 2,869 pb-1 e utilizando jatos que estão em quase todo o espaço de fase acessível em pseudorapidez |n|≤ 4,8 e momentum transverso pT ≥ 30 GeV/ c2. Desse resultado foram removidos os efeitos de detecção comparado com predições simuladas.

Estudo dos processos de dijatos exclusivos a √s = 7 TeV no CMS/LHC

Este trabalho apresenta um estudo sobre a produção de dijatos exclusivos em interações pp, do tipo pp → p "+" dijatos "+" p, onde os prótons desta interação permanecem intactos, e o símbolo "+" indica uma lacuna na pseudorapidez, uma região com ausência de atividade hadrônica entre os prótons espalhados e o sistema central de dijatos; este processo é conhecido como produção central exclusiva. A análise utiliza uma amostra de dados que corresponde a uma luminosidade efetiva de 24;48 pb-1 coletados pelo experimento Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) no Large Hadron Collider (LHC), no ano de 2010, com energia de centro de massa √s = 7 TeV. Este canal possui uma assinatura experimental única, caracterizada pelos prótons espalhados na região frontal, ou a baixos ângulos e duas grandes lacunas opostas. O processo da produção central exclusiva é útil para o entendimento das interações no contexto da QCD.

Observação de eventos de dijatos de alto pT separados por uma lacuna de rapidez no contexto de BFKL no CMS

Apresenta-se neste trabalho um estudo da produção de eventos de dijatos com alto momentum transverso separados por uma lacuna de rapidez, na topologia de jato+lacuna+jato, nos primeiro período de coleta de dados do CMS a √s = 7 TeV, isto é, para baixa luminosidade (1034cm-2s-1). A escala dura do evento é apresentada na forma dos dois jatos e da lacuna de rapidez no estado final. No contexto de BFKL, uma escada de glúons é trocada no canal t do espalhamento partônico. O processo acima foi simulado com o gerador HARDCOL (1), onde é implementado o cálculo de BFKL até ordem dominante de logaritmo ln s. As amostras foram simuladas e reconstruídas pelo software do CMS. Como evento de fundo dominante, temos a combinação de um evento de QCD com eventos de empilhamento na mesma colisão de feixe no LHC, onde observamos o excesso de dados sobre os eventos de fundo. Através do estudo dos jatos e da baixa atividade na região da lacuna, mostra-se a possibilidade de se observar os eventos com lacuna de rapidez a √s = 7 TeV.

Fatores de forma em processos com mésons B

Neste trabalho calculamos os fatores de forma e constantes de acoplamento para os vértices B*sBK, B*BsK e BsBK* usando as Regras de Soma da Cromodinâmica Quântica (QCD). Ainda estão incluídos os diagramas não perturbativos. Nós usamos a técnica de considerar dois mésons fora da camada de massa para obter dois fatores de forma diferentes a fim de diminuir as incertezas. Os cálculos das incertezas foram incluídos neste trabalho.

Higher Moments of Net Proton Multiplicity Distributions at RHIC

200 GeV corresponding to baryon chemical potentials (mu(B)) between 200 and 20 MeV. Our measurements of the products kappa sigma(2) and S sigma, which can be related to theoretical calculations sensitive to baryon number susceptibilities and long-range correlations, are constant as functions of collision centrality. We compare these products with results from lattice QCD and various models without a critical point and study the root s(NN) dependence of kappa sigma(2). From the measurements at the three beam energies, we find no evidence for a critical point in the QCD phase diagram for mu(B) below 200 MeV.

gamma cross section in p plus p collisions at root s=200 GeV

We report on a measurement of the gamma(1S + 2S + 3S) -> e(+)e(-) cross section at midrapidity in p + p collisions at root s = 200 GeV. We find the cross section to be 114 +/- 38(stat + fit)(-24)(+23)(syst) pb. Perturbative QCD calculations at next-to-leading order in the color evaporation model are in agreement with our measurement, while calculations in the color singlet model underestimate it by 2 sigma. Our result is consistent with the trend seen in world data as a function of the center-of-mass energy of the collision and extends the availability of gamma data to RHIC energies. The dielectron continuum in the invariant-mass range near the gamma is also studied to obtain a combined yield of e(+)e(-) pairs from the sum of the Drell-Yan process and b-(b) over bar production.

Inclusive pi(0), eta, and direct photon production at high transverse momentum in p plus p and d plus Au collisions at root s(NN)=200 GeV

We report a measurement of high-p(T) inclusive pi(0), eta, and direct photon production in p + p and d + Au collisions at root s(NN) = 200 GeV at midrapidity (0 < eta < 1). Photons from the decay pi(0) -> gamma gamma were detected in the barrel electromagnetic calorimeter of the STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. The eta -> gamma gamma decay was also observed and constituted the first eta measurement by STAR. The first direct photon cross-section measurement by STAR is also presented; the signal was extracted statistically by subtracting the pi(0), eta, and omega(782) decay background from the inclusive photon distribution observed in the calorimeter. The analysis is described in detail, and the results are found to be in good agreement with earlier measurements and with next-to-leading-order perturbative QCD calculations.

Observation of charge-dependent azimuthal correlations and possible local strong parity violation in heavy-ion collisions

Parity (P)-odd domains, corresponding to nontrivial topological solutions of the QCD vacuum, might be created during relativistic heavy-ion collisions. These domains are predicted to lead to charge separation of quarks along the orbital momentum of the system created in noncentral collisions. To study this effect, we investigate a three-particle mixed-harmonics azimuthal correlator which is a P-even observable, but directly sensitive to the charge-separation effect. We report measurements of this observable using the STAR detector in Au + Au and Cu + Cu collisions at root s(NN) = 200 and 62 GeV. The results are presented as a function of collision centrality, particle separation in rapidity, and particle transverse momentum. A signal consistent with several of the theoretical expectations is detected in all four data sets. We compare our results to the predictions of existing event generators and discuss in detail possible contributions from other effects that are not related to P violation.

Spectra of identified high-p(T) pi(+/-) and p((p)over-bar ) in Cu + Cu collisions at root s(NN)=200 GeV

We report new results on identified (anti) proton and charged pion spectra at large transverse momenta (3 < p(T) < 10 GeV/c) from Cu + Cu collisions at root s(NN) = 200 GeV using the STAR detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). This study explores the system size dependence of two novel features observed at RHIC with heavy ions: the hadron suppression at high-p(T) and the anomalous baryon to meson enhancement at intermediate transverse momenta. Both phenomena could be attributed to the creation of a new form of QCD matter. The results presented here bridge the system size gap between the available pp and Au + Au data, and allow for a detailed exploration of the onset of the novel features. Comparative analysis of all available 200 GeV data indicates that the system size is a major factor determining both the magnitude of the hadron spectra suppression at large transverse momenta and the relative baryon to meson enhancement.

Role of five-quark components in radiative and strong decays of the Lambda(1405) resonance

Within an extended chiral constituent quark model, the three- and five-quark structure of the S-01 resonance Lambda(1405) is investigated. Helicity amplitudes for electromagnetic decays [Lambda(1405)->Lambda(1116)gamma, Sigma(1194)gamma] and transition amplitudes for strong decays [Lambda(1405)->Sigma(1194)pi, K- p] are derived, as well as the relevant decay widths. The experimental value for the strong decay width, Gamma(Lambda(1405)->(Sigma pi)degrees) = 50 +/- 2MeV, is well reproduced with about 50% of a five-quark admixture in the Lambda(1405). Important effects owing to the configuration mixing among Lambda P-2(1)A, Lambda P-2(8)M, and Lambda P-4(8)M are found. In addition, transitions between the three- and the five-quark components in the baryons turn out to be significant in both radiative and strong decays of the Lambda(1405) resonance.

Identified particle production, azimuthal anisotropy, and interferometry measurements in Au plus Au collisions at root s(NN)=9.2 GeV

We present the first measurements of identified hadron production, azimuthal anisotropy, and pion interferometry from Au + Au collisions below the nominal injection energy at the BNL Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider (RHIC) facility. The data were collected using the large acceptance solenoidal tracker at RHIC (STAR) detector at root s(NN) = 9.2 GeV from a test run of the collider in the year 2008. Midrapidity results on multiplicity density dN/dy in rapidity y, average transverse momentum < p(T)>, particle ratios, elliptic flow, and Hanbury-Brown-Twiss (HBT) radii are consistent with the corresponding results at similar root s(NN) from fixed-target experiments. Directed flow measurements are presented for both midrapidity and forward-rapidity regions. Furthermore the collision centrality dependence of identified particle dN/dy, < p(T)>, and particle ratios are discussed. These results also demonstrate that the capabilities of the STAR detector, although optimized for root s(NN) = 200 GeV, are suitable for the proposed QCD critical-point search and exploration of the QCD phase diagram at RHIC.

Long-distant contribution and chi(c1) radiative decays to light vector meson

The discrepancy between the PQCD calculation and the CLEO data for chi (c1)->gamma V (V=rho (0), omega, phi) stimulates our interest in exploring other mechanisms of chi (c1) decay. In this work, we apply an important non-perturbative QCD effect, i.e., the hadronic loop mechanism, to study chi (c1)->gamma V radiative decay. Our numerical result shows that the theoretical results including the hadronic loop contribution and the PQCD calculation of chi (c1)->gamma V are consistent with the corresponding CLEO data of chi (c1)->gamma V. We expect further experimental measurement of chi (c1)->gamma V, which will be helpful to test the hadronic loop effect on chi (c1) decay.