Light-by-light scattering and muon’s anomalous magnetic moment

A study of hadron production by photons opens unique ways to address a number of fundamental problems in strong interaction physics as well as fundamental questions in Quantum Field Theory. In particular, an understanding of two-photon processes is of crucial importance for constraining the hadronic uncertainties in precision measurements and in searches for new physics. The process of

Isospin breaking in pion–deuteron scattering and the pion–nucleon scattering lengths

In recent years, high-accuracy data for pionic hydrogen and deuterium have become the primary source of information on the pion–nucleon scattering lengths. Matching the experimental precision requires, in particular, the study of isospin-breaking corrections both in pion– nucleon and pion–deuteron scattering. We review the mechanisms that lead to the cancellation of potentially enhanced virtual-photon corrections in the pion–deuteron system, and discuss the subtleties regarding the definition of the pion–nucleon scattering lengths in the presence of electromagnetic interactions by comparing to nucleon–nucleon scattering. Based on the p±p channels we find for the virtual-photon-subtracted scattering lengths in the isospin basis a1/2/ g= (170.5±2.0) · 10−3M−1p and a3/2/ g= (−86.5±1.8) · 10−3M−1p .

Dispersive approach to hadronic light-by-light scattering and the muon ɡ − 2

The largest uncertainties in the Standard Model calculation of the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon (ɡ − 2)μ come from hadronic contributions. In particular, it can be expected that in a few years the subleading hadronic light-by-light (HLbL) contribution will dominate the theory uncertainty. We present a dispersive description of the HLbL tensor. This new, model-independent approach opens up an avenue towards a data-driven determination of the HLbL contribution to the (ɡ − 2)μ.

Hadronic light-by-light scattering and the muon g−2

The largest uncertainties in the Standard Model calculation of the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon (g − 2)μ come from hadronic contributions. In particular, it can be expected that in a few years the subleading hadronic light-by-light (HLbL) contribution will dominate the theory uncertainty. We present a dispersive description of the HLbL tensor, which is based on unitarity, analyticity, crossing symmetry, and gauge invariance. Such a model-independent Approach opens up an avenue towards a data-driven determination of the HLbL contribution to the (g − 2)μ.

Goal-oriented self-adaptive hp-strategies for finite element analysis of electromagnetic scattering and radiation problems

In this paper, a fully automatic goal-oriented hp-adaptive finite element strategy for open region electromagnetic problems (radiation and scattering) is presented. The methodology leads to exponential rates of convergence in terms of an upper bound of an user-prescribed quantity of interest. Thus, the adaptivity may be guided to provide an optimal error, not globally for the field in the whole finite element domain, but for specific parameters of engineering interest. For instance, the error on the numerical computation of the S-parameters of an antenna array, the field radiated by an antenna, or the Radar Cross Section on given directions, can be minimized. The efficiency of the approach is illustrated with several numerical simulations with two dimensional problem domains. Results include the comparison with the previously developed energy-norm based hp-adaptivity.

Testing JEFF-3.1.1 and ENDF/B-VII.1 Decay and Fission Yield Nuclear Data Libraries with Fission Pulse Neutron Emission and Decay Heat Experiments

The aim of this work is to test the present status of Evaluated Nuclear Decay and Fission Yield Data Libraries to predict decay heat and delayed neutron emission rate, average neutron energy and neutron delayed spectra after a neutron fission pulse. Calculations are performed with JEFF-3.1.1 and ENDF/B-VII.1, and these are compared with experimental values. An uncertainty propagation assessment of the current nuclear data uncertainties is performed.

Neutron spectra and dosimetric assessment around a neutron Howitzer container

The neutron Howitzer container at the Neutron Measurements Laboratory of the Nuclear Engineering Department of the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM), is equipped with a 241Am-Be neutron source of 74 GBq in its center. The container allows the source to be in either the irradiation or the storage position. To measure the neutron fluence rate spectra around the Howitzer container, measurements were performed using a Bonner spheres spectrometer and the spectra were unfolded using the NSDann program. A calibrated neutron area monitor LB6411 was used to measure the ambient dose equivalent rates, H*(10). Detailed Monte-Carlo simulations were performed to calculate the measured quantities at the same positions. The maximum relative deviation between simulations and measurements was 19.53%. After validation, the simulated model was used to calculate the equivalent dose rate in several key organs of a voxel phantom. The computed doses in the skin and lenses of the eyes are within the ICRP recommended dose limits, as is the H*(10) value for the storage position.

The evolution and masses of the neutron star and donor star in the high mass X-ray binary OAO 1657−415

We report near-infrared radial velocity (RV) measurements of the recently identified donor star in the high mass X-ray binary (HMXB) system OAO 1657−415 obtained in the H band using ISAAC on the Very Large Telescope. Cross-correlation methods were employed to construct a RV curve with a semi-amplitude of 22.1 ± 3.5 km s−1. Combined with other measured parameters of this system it provides a dynamically determined neutron star (NS) mass of 1.42 ± 0.26 M⊙ and a mass of 14.3 ± 0.8 M⊙ for the Ofpe/WN9 highly evolved donor star. OAO 1657−415 is an eclipsing HMXB pulsar with the largest eccentricity and orbital period of any within its class. Of the 10 known eclipsing X-ray binary pulsars OAO 1657−415 becomes the ninth with a dynamically determined NS mass solution and only the second in an eccentric system. Furthermore, the donor star in OAO 1657−415 is much more highly evolved than the majority of the supergiant donors in other HMXBs, joining a small but growing list of HMXBs donors with extensive hydrogen depleted atmospheres. Considering the evolutionary development of OAO 1657−415, we have estimated the binding energy of the envelope of the mass donor and find that there is insufficient energy for the removal of the donor’s envelope via spiral-in, ruling out a common envelope evolutionary scenario. With its non-zero eccentricity and relatively large orbital period the identification of a definitive evolutionary pathway for OAO 1657−415 remains problematic, we conclude by proposing two scenarios which may account for OAO 1657−415 current orbital configuration.

Neutron Stars—Cooling and Transport

Observations of thermal radiation from neutron stars can potentially provide information about the states of supranuclear matter in the interiors of these stars with the aid of the theory of neutron-star thermal evolution. We review the basics of this theory for isolated neutron stars with strong magnetic fields, including most relevant thermodynamic and kinetic properties in the stellar core, crust, and blanketing envelopes.