3042885
Viability of carbon-based life as a function of the light quark mass.
The Hoyle state plays a crucial role in the helium burning of stars that have reached the red giant stage. The close proximity of this state to the triple-alpha threshold is needed for the production of carbon, oxygen, and other elements necessary for life. We investigate whether this life-essential condition is robust or delicately fine-tuned by measuring its dependence on the fundamental constants of nature, specifically the light quark mass and the strength of the electromagnetic interaction. We show that there exist strong correlations between the alpha-particle binding energy and the various energies relevant to the triple-alpha process. We derive limits on the variation of these fundamental parameters from the requirement that sufficient amounts of carbon and oxygen be generated in stars. We also discuss the implications of our results for an anthropic view of the Universe.
119868800
Ab initio lattice results for Fermi polarons in two and three dimensions
We investigate the attractive Fermi polaron problem in two and three dimensions using non-perturbative Monte Carlo simulations. We introduce a new Monte Carlo algorithm called the impurity lattice Monte Carlo method. This algorithm samples the path integral in a computationally efficient manner and has only small sign oscillations for systems with a single impurity. To benchmark the method, we calculate the universal polaron energy in three dimensions in the scale-invariant unitarity limit and find agreement with published results. We then present the first fully non-perturbative calculations of the polaron energy in two dimensions in the limit of zero range interactions. We find evidence for a smooth crossover transition from a fermionic quasiparticle to a molecular state as a function of interaction strength with significant mixing between the two descriptions in the crossover region.
125749692
Nuclear lattice simulations
We review recent progress on nuclear lattice simulations using chiral effective field theory. We discuss lattice results for dilute neutron matter at next-to-leading order, three-body forces at next-to-next-to- leading order, isospin-breaking and Coulomb effects, and the binding energy of light nuclei.
118374917
Lattice calculations for A = 3 , 4, 6, 12 nuclei using chiral effective field theory
Abstract.We present lattice calculations for the ground-state energies of tritium, helium-3, helium-4, lithium-6, and carbon-12 nuclei. Our results were previously summarized in a letter publication. This paper provides full details of the calculations. We include isospin-breaking, Coulomb effects, and interactions up to next-to-next-to-leading order in chiral effective field theory.
13972554
A non-perturbative analysis of symmetry breaking in two-dimensional φ4 theory using periodic field methods
Abstract We describe the generalization of spherical field theory to other modal expansion methods. The main approach remains the same, to reduce a d -dimensional field theory into a set of coupled one-dimensional systems. The method we discuss here uses an expansion with respect to periodic-box modes. We apply the method to φ 4 theory in two dimensions and compute the critical coupling and critical exponents. We compare with lattice results and predictions via universality and the two-dimensional Ising model.
15307965
The role of Monte Carlo within a diagonalization/Monte Carlo scheme
Abstract We review the method of stochastic error correction which eliminates the truncation error associated with any subspace diagonalization. Monte Carlo sampling is used to compute the contribution of the remaining basis vectors not included in the initial diagonalization. The method is part of a new approach to computational quantum physics which combines both diagonalization and Monte Carlo techniques.
110905526
The GEM Silicon Tracking System
The GEM Collaboration has produced a baseline design for the GEM detector. The baseline design of the GEM Silicon Tracking System (STS) is discussed in this article. Mechanical and electrical engineering progress on the GEM STS is described. Results from simulations of detector performance and the implications on engineering issues are described.
120849057
Design and performance of an 8 cm thick intrinsic germanium detector telescope
Abstract A detector telescope consisting of eight 1 cm thick intrinsic Ge diodes is described. The diodes have thin dead layer Li junctions (∼15 ωm ) and are mounted in interchangeable holders. Designs of the holders and the mounting assembly are presented. The major problem in using stopping detectors at medium energies is the tail of low pulse height events produced by nuclear reactions and scattering out. A technique for rejecting these events is described and the results obtained with deuterons from p-d elastic scattering of 800 MeV protons are presented. Analysis of the nuclear reaction tail for 120, 220, and 250 MeV deutrons yields an average total reaction cross section for deuterons on Ge of σ R = (1490±130) mb.
2385881
The Coincidence of Nuclear Star Clusters and Active Galactic Nuclei
We study galaxies that host both nuclear star clusters and AGNs, implying the presence of a massive black hole. We select a sample of 176 galaxies with previously detected nuclear star clusters that range from ellipticals to late-type spirals. We search for AGNs in this sample using optical spectroscopy and archival radio and X-ray data. We find galaxies of all Hubble types and with a wide range of masses (109-1011 M☉) hosting both AGNs and nuclear star clusters. From the optical spectra, we classify 10% of the galaxies as AGN and an additional 15% as composite, indicating a mix of AGN and star formation spectra. The fraction of nucleated galaxies with AGNs increases strongly as a function of galaxy and nuclear star cluster mass. For galaxies with both a nuclear star cluster and a black hole, we find that the masses of these two objects are quite similar. However, nondetections of black holes in Local Group nuclear star clusters show that not all clusters host black holes of similar masses. We discuss the implications of our results for the formation of nuclear star clusters and massive black holes.
119883715
Negative pion capture on 12C with emission of neutron-proton pairs
Abstract Energy and angle measurements of neutron-proton pairs emitted after π − capture in 12 C have been made. The data are in partial agreement with several theories. Some evidence indicates that limits on the short-range correlation parameters might be determined from the nn/np ratio at backward angles.
123008932
The response of drift tubes to variations in wire diameter and gas filling
Abstract A systematic study of the response of single-wire drift tubes to variations in the wire diameter and gas fillings has been conducted. Gas gain as a function of applied voltage and pulse-shape characteristics were measured for both the proportional and streamer modes. Argon gas fillings with mixtures of ethane, methane, isobutane, and carbon dioxide were studied. Ethanol and isopropyl alcohol admixtures were added to determine effects on stability. Additional studies were conducted on nonstandard gas mixtures such as Freon and neon fillings, and “magic gas”. Wire diameters included in the study were 20, 25, 50, and 100 μm. The results demonstrate that streamer operation can be achieved with most gases and wire diameters. However, in most cases, admixtures of alcohol were necessary to obtain adequate streamer mode plateaus for the smaller diameter wires.