120377044
Electroproduction of isolated protons at high energy as a probe of the proton wave function in QCD
AbstractWe investigate the feasibility of using the process
$$eq \to ep\bar q\bar q$$
 as a means of determining the proton wave function which governs all exclusive processes involving protons. The calculation is performed in the limitŴ2≪Q2, whereŴ is the CM energy of the subprocess. The resulting expressions simplify considerably when an additional constraint is imposed excluding any hadrons accompanying the proton from a cone around it of half-angle θ≪1. However, a direct determination is still only possible in the case of a symmetric wave-function. A numerical exploration of the sensitivity of the cross-section to the parameters of an ansatz for the wave function shows a strong dependence on components which are not totally symmetric.
36348760
delta expansion applied to strong-coupling Z(2), U(1), and SU(2) gauge theory on the lattice in four dimensions.
We generalize to four dimensions the linear {delta} expansion applied to gauge theory on the lattice, with {ital Z}(2), U(1), and SU(2) as the gauge groups and an unperturbed action appropriate to the strong-coupling regime. The calculation is carried to fourth order in {delta}, using the machinery of character expansions. The expansion is optimized in a bid to improve upon existing strong-coupling methods and our results are compared against results from these and from Monte Carlo calculations.
42992493
Interpolating Lagrangians and SU(2) gauge theory on the lattice.
We apply the linear {delta} expansion to non-Abelian gauge theory on the lattice, with SU(2) as the gauge group. We establish an appropriate parametrization and evaluate the average plaquette energy {ital E}{sub {ital P}} to {ital O}({delta}). As a check on our results, we recover the large-{beta} expansion up to {ital O}(1/{beta}{sup 2}), which involves some {ital O}({delta}{sup 2}) contributions. Using these contributions we construct a variant of the 1/{beta} expansion which gives a good fit to the data down to the transition region.
19006666
Convergence of the optimized delta expansion for the connected vacuum amplitude: Anharmonic oscillator.
The convergence of the linear $\delta$ expansion for the connected generating functional of the quantum anharmonic oscillator is proved. Using an order-dependent scaling for the variational parameter $\lambda$, we show that the expansion converges to the exact result with an error proportional to $\exp(-cN^{1/3})$.
15944115
Faster than Hermitian quantum mechanics.
Given an initial quantum state |psi(I)> and a final quantum state |psi(F)>, there exist Hamiltonians H under which |psi(I)> evolves into |psi(F)>. Consider the following quantum brachistochrone problem: subject to the constraint that the difference between the largest and smallest eigenvalues of H is held fixed, which H achieves this transformation in the least time tau? For Hermitian Hamiltonians tau has a nonzero lower bound. However, among non-Hermitian PT-symmetric Hamiltonians satisfying the same energy constraint, tau can be made arbitrarily small without violating the time-energy uncertainty principle. This is because for such Hamiltonians the path from |psi(I)> to |psi(F)> can be made short. The mechanism described here is similar to that in general relativity in which the distance between two space-time points can be made small if they are connected by a wormhole. This result may have applications in quantum computing.
117287068
A New Approach to QCD Sum Rules and Inclusive $\tau$ Decay
We show that renormalization group improvement, making use of analyticity and the structure of the operator product expansion, combined with a non-perturbative expansion method allows one to describe quarkonium states via QCD sum rules without the need for explicit power corrections. This technique also allows an accurate determination of parameters related to the inclusive decay of the $\tau$ lepton.
11498709
A H13CN/HN13C linelist, model atmospheres and synthetic spectra for carbon stars
‘The definitive version is available at www.blackwell-synergy.com’. Copyright Blackwell Publishing DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2008.13642.x
15452372
High-eccentricity planets from the Anglo-Australian Planet Search
We report Doppler measurements of the stars HD 187085 and HD 20782 which indicate two high eccentricity low-mass companions to the stars. We find HD 187085 has a Jupiter-mass companion with a �1000 d orbit. Our formal ‘best fit’ solution suggests an eccentricity of 0.47, however, it does not sample the periastron passage of the companion and we find that orbital solutions with eccentricities between 0.1 and 0.8 give only slightly poorer fits (based on RMS and � 2) and are thus plausible. Observations made during periastron passage in 2007 June should allow for the reliable determination of the orbital eccentricity for the companion to HD 187085. Our dataset for HD 20782 does sample periastron and so the orbit for its companion can be more reliably determined. We find the companion to HD 20782 has M sin i = 1.77±0.22 MJup, an orbital period of 595.86±0.03 d and an orbit with an eccentricity of 0.92±0.03. The detection of such high-eccentricity (and relatively low velocity amplitude) exoplanets appears to be facilitated by the long-term precision of the Anglo-Australian Planet Search. Looking at exoplanet detections as a whole, we find that those with higher eccentricity seem to have relatively higher velocity amplitudes indicating higher mass planets and/or an observational bias against the detection of high eccentricity systems.
7248338
Selection functions in doppler planet searches
We present a preliminary analysis of the sensitivity of Anglo-Australian Planet Search data to the orbital parameters of extrasolar planets. To do so, we have developed new tools for the automatic analysis of large-scale simulations of Doppler velocity planet search data. One of these tools is the two-dimensional Keplerian Lomb-Scargle (LS) periodogram that enables the straightforward detection of exoplanets with high eccentricities (something the standard LS periodogram routinely fails to do). We used this technique to redetermine the orbital parameters of HD20782b, with one of the highest known exoplanet eccentricities (e = 0.97 +/- 0.01). We also derive a set of detection criteria that do not depend on the distribution functions of fitted Keplerian orbital parameters (which we show are non-Gaussian with pronounced, extended wings). Using these tools, we examine the selection functions in orbital period, eccentricity and planet mass of Anglo-Australian Planet Search data for three planets with large-scale Monte Carlo like simulations. We find that the detectability of exoplanets declines at high eccentricities. However, we also find that exoplanet detectability is a strong function of epoch-to-epoch data quality, number of observations and period sampling. This strongly suggests that simple parametrizations of the detectability of exoplanets based on `whole-of-survey' metrics may not be accurate. We have derived empirical relationships between the uncertainty estimates for orbital parameters that are derived from least-squares Keplerian fits to our simulations and the true 99 per cent limits for the errors in those parameters, which are larger than equivalent Gaussian limits by the factors of 5-10. We quantify the rate at which false positives are made by our detection criteria, and find that they do not significantly affect our final conclusions. And finally, we find that there is a bias against measuring near-zero eccentricities, which becomes more significant in
16971803
A HOT URANUS ORBITING THE SUPER METAL-RICH STAR HD 77338 AND THE METALLICITY-MASS CONNECTION
We announce the discovery of a low-mass planet orbiting the super metal-rich K0V star HD 77338 as part of our ongoing Calan-Hertfordshire Extrasolar Planet Search. The best-fit planet solution has an orbital period of 5.7361 ± 0.0015 days and with a radial velocity semi-amplitude of only 5.96 ± 1.74 ms–1, we find a minimum mass of 15.9 M ⊕. The best-fit eccentricity from this solution is 0.09, and we find agreement for this data set using a Bayesian analysis and a periodogram analysis. We measure a metallicity for the star of +0.35 ± 0.06 dex, whereas another recent work finds +0.47 ± 0.05 dex. Thus HD 77338b is one of the most metal-rich planet-host stars known and the most metal-rich star hosting a sub-Neptune-mass planet. We searched for a transit signature of HD 77338b but none was detected. We also highlight an emerging trend where metallicity and mass seem to correlate at very low masses, a discovery that would be in agreement with the core accretion model of planet formation. The trend appears to show that for Neptune-mass planets and below, higher masses are preferred when the host star is more metal-rich. Also a lower boundary is apparent in the super metal-rich regime where there are no very low mass planets yet discovered in comparison to the sub-solar metallicity regime. A Monte Carlo analysis shows that this low-mass planet desert is statistically significant with the current sample of 36 planets at the ~4.5σ level. In addition, results from Kepler strengthen the claim for this paucity of the lowest-mass planets in super metal-rich systems. Finally, this discovery adds to the growing population of low-mass planets around low-mass and metal-rich stars and shows that very low mass planets can now be discovered with a relatively small number of data points using stable instrumentation.
14681463
Improved HCN/HNC linelist, model atmospheres and synthetic spectra for WZ Cas
We build an accurate database of 5200 HCN and HNC rotation-vibration energy levels, determined from existing laboratory data. 20 000 energy levels in the Harris et al. (2002b) linelist are assigned approximate quantum numbers. These assignments, lab determined energy levels and Harris et al. (2002b) energy levels are incorporated in to a new energy level list. A new linelist is presented, in which frequencies are computed using the lab determined energy levels where available, and the ab initio energy levels otherwise. The new linelist is then used to compute new model atmospheres and synthetic spectra for the carbon star WZ Cas. This results in better fit to the spectrum of WZ Cas in which the absorption feature at 3.56 µm is reproduced to a higher degree of accuracy than has previously been possible. We improve the reproduction of HCN absorption features by reducing the abundance of Si to [Si/H] = –0.5 dex, however, +