Cosmic microwave background and large-scale structure constraints on a simple quintessential inflation model

We derive constraints on a simple quintessential inflation model, based on a spontaneously broken Phi(4) theory, imposed by the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe three-year data (WMAP3) and by galaxy clustering results from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). We find that the scale of symmetry breaking must be larger than about 3 Planck masses in order for inflation to generate acceptable values of the scalar spectral index and of the tensor-to-scalar ratio. We also show that the resulting quintessence equation of state can evolve rapidly at recent times and hence can potentially be distinguished from a simple cosmological constant in this parameter regime.

Absorption cross section of electromagnetic waves for Schwarzschild black holes

The absorption cross section of black holes has been investigated for various fields. Nevertheless, the absorption cross section of Schwarzschild black holes for the electromagnetic field has been only calculated in the low- and high-frequency approximations until now. Here we compute it numerically for arbitrary frequencies.

Measurement of the t(t)over-bar production cross section in p(p)over-bar collisions at root s=1.96 TeV using kinematic characteristics of lepton plus jets events

We present a measurement of the top quark pair production cross section in p (p) over bar collisions at root s=1.96 TeV utilizing 425 pb(-1) of data collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. We consider the final state of the top quark pair containing one high-p(T) electron or muon and at least four jets. We exploit specific kinematic features of t (t) over bar events to extract the cross section. For a top quark mass of 175 GeV, we measure sigma(t (t) over bar)=6.4(-1.2)(+1.3)(stat)+/- 0.7(syst)+/- 0.4(lum) pb, in good agreement with the standard model prediction.

Naturally light invisible axion and local Z(13)circle times Z(3) symmetries

We show that by imposing local Z(13)circle timesZ(3) symmetries in an SU(2)circle timesU(1) electroweak model we can implement an invisible axion in such a way that (i) the Peccei-Quinn symmetry is an automatic symmetry of the classical Lagrangian, and (ii) the axion is protected from semiclassical gravitational effects. In order to be able to implement such a large discrete symmetry, and at the same time allow a general mixing in each charge sector, we introduce right-handed neutrinos and enlarge the scalar sector of the model. The domain wall problem is briefly considered.

Soft CP violation in K-meson systems

We consider a model with soft CP violation which accommodates the CP violation in the neutral kaons even if we assume that the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa mixing matrix is real and the sources of CP violation are three complex vacuum expectation values and a trilinear coupling in the scalar potential. We show that for some reasonable values of the masses and other parameters the model allows us to explain all the observed CP violation processes in the K-0-(K) over bar (0) system.

Spontaneous CP violation in the 3-3-1 model with right-handed neutrinos

We implement the mechanism of spontaneous CP violation in the 3-3-1 model with right-handed neutrinos and recognize their sources of CP violation. Our main result is that the mechanism works already in the minimal version of the model and new sources of CP violation emerges as an effect of new physics at energies higher than the electroweak scale.

Measurement of B-d mixing using opposite-side flavor tagging

We report on a measurement of the B-d(0) mixing frequency and the calibration of an opposite-side flavor tagger in the D0 experiment. Various properties associated with the b quark on the opposite side of the reconstructed B meson are combined using a likelihood-ratio method into a single variable with enhanced tagging power. Its performance is tested with data, using a large sample of reconstructed semileptonic B ->mu(DX)-X-0 and B ->mu(DX)-X-* decays, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of approximately 1 fb(-1). The events are divided into groups depending on the value of the combined tagging variable, and an independent analysis is performed in each group. Combining the results of these analyses, the overall effective tagging power is found to be epsilon D-2=(2.48 +/- 0.21(-0.06)(+0.08))%. The measured B-d(0) mixing frequency Delta m(d)=0.506 +/- 0.020(stat)+/- 0.016(syst) ps(-1) is in good agreement with the world average value.

Measurement of the t(t)over-bar production cross section in p(p)over-bar collisions at root s=1.96 TeV using secondary vertex b tagging

We report a new measurement of the t (t) over bar production cross section in p (beta) over bar collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV using events with one charged lepton (electron or muon), missing transverse energy, and jets. Using 425 pb(-1) of data collected using the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider, and enhancing the t (t) over bar content of the sample by tagging b jets with a secondary vertex tagging algorithm, the t (t) over bar production cross section is measured to be sigma(p (t) over bar -> t (t) over bar +X)=6.6 +/- 0.9(stat+syst) +/- 0.4(lum) pb. This cross section is the most precise D0 measurement to date for t (t) over bar production and is in good agreement with standard model expectations.

Search for the rare decay B-s(0)->phi mu(+)mu(-) with the D0 detector

We present a search for the flavor-changing neutral current decay B-s(0)->phi mu(+)mu(-) using about 0.45 fb(-1) of data collected in p (p) over bar collisions at root s=1.96 TeV with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. We find an upper limit on the branching ratio of this decay normalized to B-s(0)-> J/psi phi of B(B-s(0)->phi mu(+)mu(-))/B(B-s(0)-> J/psi phi)< 4.4x10(-3) at the 95% C.L. Using the central value of the world average branching fraction of B-s(0)-> J/psi phi, the limit corresponds to B(B-s(0)->phi mu(+)mu(-))< 4.1x10(-6) at the 95% C.L., the most stringent upper bound to date.

Pion interactions in the X(3872)

We consider pion interactions in an effective field theory of the narrow resonance X(3872), assuming it is a weakly bound molecule of the charm mesons D-0(D) over bar (*0) and D-*0(D) over bar (0). Since the hyperfine splitting of the D-0 and D-*0 is only 7 MeV greater than the neutral pion mass, pions can be produced near threshold and are nonrelativistic. We show that pion exchange can be treated in perturbation theory and calculate the next-to-leading-order correction to the partial decay width Gamma[X -> D-0(D) over bar (0)pi(0)].

Quantum toy model for black-hole backreaction

We propose a simple quantum field theoretical toy model for black-hole evaporation and study the backreaction of Hawking radiation onto the classical background. It turns out that the horizon is also pushed back in this situation (i.e., the interior region shrinks) though this backreaction is not caused by energy conservation but by momentum balance. The effective heat capacity and induced entropy variation can have both signs-depending on the parameters of the model.

SU(5)circle times Z(13) grand unification model

We propose an SU(5) grand unified model with an invisible axion and the unification of the three coupling constants which is in agreement with the values, at M(Z), of alpha, alpha(s), and sin(2)theta(W). A discrete, anomalous, Z(13) symmetry implies that the Peccei-Quinn symmetry is an automatic symmetry of the classical Lagrangian protecting, at the same time, the invisible axion against possible semiclassical gravity effects. Although the unification scale is of the order of the Peccei-Quinn scale the proton is stabilized by the fact that in this model the standard model fields form the SU(5) multiplets completed by new exotic fields and, also, because it is protected by the Z(13) symmetry.

Semiclassical approach to black hole absorption of electromagnetic radiation emitted by a rotating charge

We consider an electric charge, minimally coupled to the Maxwell field, rotating around a Schwarzschild black hole. We investigate how much of the radiation emitted from the swirling charge is absorbed by the black hole and show that most of the photons escape to infinity. For this purpose we use the Gupta-Bleuler quantization of the electromagnetic field in the modified Feynman gauge developed in the context of quantum field theory in Schwarzschild spacetime. We obtain that the two photon polarizations contribute quite differently to the emitted power. In addition, we discuss the accurateness of the results obtained in a full general relativistic approach in comparison with the ones obtained when the electric charge is assumed to be orbiting a massive object due to a Newtonian force.

Using b-tagging to enhance the supersymmetry reach of the CERN Large Hadron Collider

Assuming that supersymmetry is realized with parameters in the hyperbolic branch/focus point region of the minimal supergravity model, we show that by searching for multijet+E-T(miss) events with tagged b jets the reach of experiments at the LHC may be extended by as much as 20% from current projections. The reason for this is that gluino decays to third generation quarks are enhanced because the lightest neutralino has substantial Higgsino components. Although we were motivated to perform this analysis because the hyperbolic branch/focus point region is compatible with the recent determination of the relic density of cold dark matter, our considerations may well have a wider applicability since decays of gluinos to third generation quarks are favored in a wide variety of models.

Swimming versus swinging effects in spacetime

Wisdom has recently unveiled a new relativistic effect, called spacetime swimming, where quasirigid free bodies in curved spacetimes can speed up, slow down or deviate their falls by performing local cyclic shape deformations. We show here that for fast enough cycles this effect dominates over a nonrelativistic related one, named here space swinging, where the fall is altered through nonlocal cyclic deformations in Newtonian gravitational fields. We expect, therefore, to clarify the distinction between both effects leaving no room to controversy. Moreover, the leading contribution to the swimming effect predicted by Wisdom is enriched with a higher order term and the whole result is generalized to be applicable in cases where the tripod is in large redshift regions.