Search

We investigate and revisit certain aspects of relativistic baryons in the Skyrme model. Starting from static baryons in the helicity eigenstates, we generalize their wavefunctions to the non-static and relativistic regime. A new representation for gamma matrices in the SU(2) collective space is constructed and the corresponding Dirac equation is obtained. Furthermore, we extend the analysis of Adkins et al. concerning vector current vacuum expectation values for baryon states to arbitrary momenta and calculate baryon elastic form factors in a general framework exhibiting vector meson dominance., Comment: v2: 1+12 pages, minor corrections, added references and included a section on elastic baryon form factors; v3: version published in Phys. Rev. D

In this proceeding we review some of our recent results for the vector meson electromagnetic form factors and structure functions in the Sakai-Sugimoto model. The latter is a string model that describes many features of the non-perturbative regime of Quantum Chromodynamics in the large $N_c$ limit., Comment: Published in eConf C1106064 (2011) 12. Proceedings of the Eleventh Workshop on Non-Perturbative Quantum Chromodynamics, Paris, June 6-10, 2011

We calculate the structure functions for unpolarized deep inelastic scattering of baryons using an AdS/QCD soft wall model that considers a dressed mass for the bulk fermionic fields. Considering the regime of large Bjorken parameter x, we compare the results for the proton structure function $F_2$ with experimental results., Comment: We improved the comparison with experimental data and included more references, version to appear in EPJC

The sidereal time dependence of MiniBooNE electron neutrino and anti-electron neutrino appearance data are analyzed to search for evidence of Lorentz and CPT violation. An unbinned Kolmogorov-Smirnov test shows both the electron neutrino and anti-electron neutrino appearance data are compatible with the null sidereal variation hypothesis to more than 5%. Using an unbinned likelihood fit with a Lorentz-violating oscillation model derived from the Standard Model Extension (SME) to describe any excess events over background, we find that the electron neutrino appearance data prefer a sidereal time-independent solution, and the anti-electron neutrino appearance data slightly prefer a sidereal time-dependent solution. Limits of order 10E-20 GeV are placed on combinations of SME coefficients. These limits give the best limits on certain SME coefficients for muon neutrino to electron neutrino and anti-muon neutrino to anti-electron neutrino oscillations. The fit values and limits of combinations of SME coefficients are provided., Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures, and 2 tables, submitted to Physics Letters B

We report the observation of two-neutrino double-beta decay in Xe-136 with T_1/2 = 2.11 +- 0.04 (stat.) +- 0.21 (sys.) x 10^21 yr. This second order process, predicted by the Standard Model, has been observed for several nuclei but not for Xe-136. The observed decay rate provides new input to matrix element calculations and to the search for the more interesting neutrino-less double-beta decay, the most sensitive probe for the existence of Majorana particles and the measurement of the neutrino mass scale.

The migration of low-mass planets is driven by the differential Lindblad torque and the corotation torque in non-magnetic viscous models of protoplanetary discs. The corotation torque has recently received detailed attention as it may slow down, stall, or reverse migration. In laminar viscous disc models, the long-term evolution of the corotation torque is intimately related to viscous and thermal diffusion processes in the planet's horseshoe region. This paper examines the properties of the corotation torque in discs where MHD turbulence develops as a result of the magnetorotational instability, considering a weak initial toroidal magnetic field. We present results of 3D MHD simulations carried out with two different codes. Non-ideal MHD effects and the disc's vertical stratification are neglected, and locally isothermal disc models are considered. The running time-averaged torque exerted by the disc on a fixed planet is evaluated in three disc models. We first present results with an inner disc cavity (planet trap). As in viscous disc models, the planet is found to experience a positive running time-averaged torque over several hundred orbits, which highlights the existence of an unsaturated corotation torque maintained in the long term in MHD turbulent discs. Two disc models with initial power-law density and temperature profiles are also adopted, in which the time-averaged torque is found to be in decent agreement with its counterpart in laminar viscous disc models with similar viscosity at the planet location. Detailed analysis of the averaged torque density distributions indicates that the differential Lindblad torque takes very similar values in MHD turbulent and laminar viscous discs, and there exists an unsaturated corotation torque in MHD turbulent discs. This analysis also reveals the existence of an additional corotation torque in weakly magnetized discs., Comment: 16 pages, 13 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics

The SciBooNE and MiniBooNE collaborations report the results of a \nu_\mu disappearance search in the \Delta m^2 region of 0.5-40 eV^2. The neutrino rate as measured by the SciBooNE tracking detectors is used to constrain the rate at the MiniBooNE Cherenkov detector in the first joint analysis of data from both collaborations. Two separate analyses of the combined data samples set 90% confidence level (CL) limits on \nu_\mu disappearance in the 0.5-40 eV^2 \Delta m^2 region, with an improvement over previous experimental constraints between 10 and 30 eV^2., Comment: 10 pages, 9 figures. Re-submitted to Phys. Rev. D

Context. Abridged. Many stars are members of binary systems. During early phases when the stars are surrounded by discs, the binary orbit and disc midplane may be mutually inclined. The discs around T Tauri stars will become mildly warped and undergo solid body precession around the angular momentum vector of the binary system. It is unclear how planetesimals in such a disc will evolve and affect planet formation. Aims. We investigate the dynamics of planetesimals embedded in discs that are perturbed by a binary companion on a circular, inclined orbit. We examine collisional velocities of the planetesimals to determine when they can grow through accretion. We vary the binary inclination, binary separation, D, disc mass, and planetesimal radius. Our standard model has D=60 AU, inclination=45 deg, and a disc mass equivalent to the MMSN. Methods. We use a 3D hydrodynamics code to model the disc. Planetesimals are test particles which experience gas drag, the gravitational force of the disc, the companion star gravity. Planetesimal orbit crossing events are detected and used to estimate collisional velocities. Results. For binary systems with modest inclination (25 deg), disc gravity prevents planetesimal orbits from undergoing strong differential nodal precession (which occurs in absence of the disc), and forces planetesimals to precess with the disc on average. For bodies of different size the orbit planes become modestly mutually inclined, leading to collisional velocities that inhibit growth. For larger inclinations (45 degrees), the Kozai effect operates, leading to destructively large relative velocities. Conclusions. Planet formation via planetesimal accretion is difficult in an inclined binary system with parameters similar to those considered in this paper. For systems in which the Kozai mechanism operates, the prospects for forming planets are very remote., Comment: 24 pages, 16 figures, recently published in Astronomy and Astrophysics

Two independent methods are employed to measure the neutrino flux of the anti-neutrino-mode beam observed by the MiniBooNE detector. The first method compares data to simulated event rates in a high purity $\numu$ induced charged-current single $\pip$ (CC1$\pip$) sample while the second exploits the difference between the angular distributions of muons created in $\numu$ and $\numub$ charged-current quasi-elastic (CCQE) interactions. The results from both analyses indicate the prediction of the neutrino flux component of the pre-dominately anti-neutrino beam is over-estimated - the CC1$\pip$ analysis indicates the predicted $\numu$ flux should be scaled by $0.76 \pm 0.11$, while the CCQE angular fit yields $0.65 \pm 0.23$. The energy spectrum of the flux prediction is checked by repeating the analyses in bins of reconstructed neutrino energy, and the results show that the spectral shape is well modeled. These analyses are a demonstration of techniques for measuring the neutrino contamination of anti-neutrino beams observed by future non-magnetized detectors., Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures, published in Physical Review D, latest version reflects changes from referee comments

Using a high-statistics, high-purity sample of $\nu_\mu$-induced charged current, charged pion events in mineral oil (CH$_2$), MiniBooNE reports a collection of interaction cross sections for this process. This includes measurements of the CC$\pi^+$ cross section as a function of neutrino energy, as well as flux-averaged single- and double-differential cross sections of the energy and direction of both the final-state muon and pion. In addition, each of the single-differential cross sections are extracted as a function of neutrino energy to decouple the shape of the MiniBooNE energy spectrum from the results. In many cases, these cross sections are the first time such quantities have been measured on a nuclear target and in the 1 GeV energy range., Comment: 29 pages and 28 figures

Using a custom 3 \v{C}erenkov-ring fitter, we report cross sections for $\nu_\mu$-induced charged-current single $\pi^0$ production on mineral oil (\chtwo) from a sample of 5810 candidate events with 57% signal purity over an energy range of $0.5-2.0$GeV. This includes measurements of the absolute total cross section as a function of neutrino energy, and flux-averaged differential cross sections measured in terms of $Q^2$, $\mu^-$ kinematics, and $\pi^0$ kinematics. The sample yields a flux-averaged total cross section of $(9.2\pm0.3_{stat.}\pm1.5_{syst.})\times10^{-39}$cm$^2$/CH$_2$ at mean neutrino energy of 0.965GeV., Comment: 21 pages, 14 figures, and 11 tables

We propose a holographic model for dilepton production in proton-proton collisions based on the exchange of vector mesons. The holographic hard wall model is used to describe the dynamics and interactions of vector mesons and baryons. We estimate the parameters lambda, mu, nu that characterize the angular distribution of the produced dileptons in a region of q_T^2 << Q^2, where perturbative QCD presents an effective strong coupling due to large logarithm corrections., Comment: Revision: V4 In this version we modified the dimension of the fermionic operator to match the canonical dimension of a baryonic operator. This modification affected slightly our results with respect to v3. 25 pages, 3 Latex figures + 6 eps figures, 5 tables. To appear in Nucl. Phys. B

We study deep inelastic scattering for vector and axial vector mesons in the holographic D4-D8 brane model. We consider tree level contributions with one particle in the final hadronic state. We obtain the unpolarized structure functions F1 and F2 for the rho and a1 mesons for q2 < 80 GeV2 and 0.2 < x < 1. We find that the ratio F2/(2xF1) is approximately equal to one for some ranges of x and q2, satisfying the Callan-Gross relation., Comment: 15 pages, 4 tables, 8 figures. V2: we added explanations about Figures 3 and 4. Results unchanged

The electromagnetic energy $U_{em}$ stored in the magnetic field of an ideal solenoid at rest appears for a moving observer as $U'_{em} $, a sum of magnetic and electric energies satisfying: $U'_{em} > \gamma U_{em}$. We explain this seemingly paradoxical result calculating the stresses in the solenoid structure and showing that the total energy of the solenoid transforms by the expected relativistic factor $\gamma$., Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures

A high-statistics sample of charged-current muon neutrino scattering events collected with the MiniBooNE experiment is analyzed to extract the first measurement of the double differential cross section ($\frac{d^2\sigma}{dT_\mu d\cos\theta_\mu}$) for charged-current quasielastic (CCQE) scattering on carbon. This result features minimal model dependence and provides the most complete information on this process to date. With the assumption of CCQE scattering, the absolute cross section as a function of neutrino energy ($\sigma[E_\nu]$) and the single differential cross section ($\frac{d\sigma}{dQ^2}$) are extracted to facilitate comparison with previous measurements. These quantities may be used to characterize an effective axial-vector form factor of the nucleon and to improve the modeling of low-energy neutrino interactions on nuclear targets. The results are relevant for experiments searching for neutrino oscillations., Comment: 22 pages, 16 figures, published in Physical Review D, latest version to reflect changes in PRD editing

We investigate the propagation of a space-like flavour current in a strongly coupled N = 2 super Yang-Mills plasma using the D3-D7 brane model at finite temperature. The partonic contribution to the plasma structure functions is obtained from the imaginary part of the retarded current-current commutator. At high temperatures we find a non-vanishing result, for a high energy current, indicating absorption of the flavour current by the quark constituents of the plasma. At low temperatures there is no quark contribution to the plasma structure functions., Comment: 24 pages, 9 figures, V3: We clarified the interpretation of our (unchanged) results. Typos corrected. One reference added

We review in this proceedings some recent results for vector meson form factors obtained using the holographic D4-D8 brane model. The D4-D8 brane model, proposed by Sakai and Sugimoto, is a holographic dual of a semi-realistic strongly coupled large N_c QCD since it breaks supersymmetry and incorporates chiral symmetry breaking. We analyze the vector meson wave functions and Regge trajectories as well., Comment: Talk presented by MACT at Light-Cone 2009: Relativistic Hadronic and Particle Physics, 8-13 July 2009, Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil

MiniBooNE reports the first absolute cross sections for neutral current single \pi^0 production on CH_2 induced by neutrino and antineutrino interactions measured from the largest sets of NC \pi^0 events collected to date. The principal result consists of differential cross sections measured as functions of \pi^0 momentum and \pi^0 angle averaged over the neutrino flux at MiniBooNE. We find total cross sections of (4.76+/-0.05_{stat}+/-0.76_{sys})*10^{-40} cm^2/nucleon at a mean energy of =808 MeV and (1.48+/-0.05_{stat}+/-0.23_{sys})*10^{-40} cm^2/nucleon at a mean energy of =664 MeV for \nu_\mu and \bar\nu_\mu induced production, respectively. In addition, we have included measurements of the neutrino and antineutrino total cross sections for incoherent exclusive NC 1\pi^0 production corrected for the effects of final state interactions to compare to prior results., Comment: 13 pages, 12 figures, 4 tables

We calculate elastic and non-elastic electromagnetic form factors for vector and axial-vector mesons in the holographic D4-D8 brane model. We obtain the mass spectrum and Regge trajectories for these particles. From the elastic form factors we extract the electric radius, the magnetic and quadrupole moments. Form factors for transverse and longitudinal polarizations are also obtained. We find superconvergence sum rules for the vector and axial-vector meson couplings that determine the asymptotic behavior of the form factors at large momentum transfer. Our results show good agreement with other holographic models and QCD., Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures, 2 tables

The discovery of short-period Neptune-mass objects, now including the remarkable system HD69830 (Lovis et al. 2006) with three Neptune analogues, raises difficult questions about current formation models which may require a global treatment of the protoplanetary disc. Several formation scenarios have been proposed, where most combine the canonical oligarchic picture of core accretion with type I migration (e.g. Terquem & Papaloizou 2007) and planetary atmosphere physics (e.g. Alibert et al. 2006). To date, published studies have considered only a small number of progenitors at late times. This leaves unaddressed important questions about the global viability of the models. We seek to determine whether the most natural model -- namely, taking the canonical oligarchic picture of core accretion and introducing type I migration -- can succeed in forming objects of 10 Earth masses and more in the innermost parts of the disc. This problem is investigated using both traditional semianalytic methods for modelling oligarchic growth as well as a new parallel multi-zone N-body code designed specifically for treating planetary formation problems with large dynamic range (McNeil & Nelson 2009). We find that it is extremely difficult for oligarchic tidal migration models to reproduce the observed distribution. Even under many variations of the typical parameters, we form no objects of mass greater than 8 Earth masses. By comparison, it is relatively straightforward to form icy super-Earths. We conclude that either the initial conditions of the protoplanetary discs in short-period Neptune systems were substantially different from the standard disc models we used, or there is important physics yet to be understood., Comment: 19 pages, 18 figures. Final version accepted to MNRAS 30 September 2009

Inspired in the AdS/CFT correspondence, a variety of holographic phenomenological models have been proposed in the last years to describe non-perturbative aspects of strong interactions. These models are denominated as AdS/QCD. In this work we review the use of the AdS/QCD soft-wall model to investigate the spectrum of scalar glueballs at finite temperature. The scalar glueball states are identified as the poles of the retarded correlation function of the glueball operator. In the gauge/gravity duality, these poles are determined by the quasinormal spectrum of a massless scalar field propagating in the bulk geometry that consists on an ${AdS}_{5}$ black hole with a background dilaton field. We discuss some results for masses and decay widths of scalar glueballs in the plasma phase and analyse how these quantities evolve with temperature and momentum., Comment: Talk presented by ASM at Light-Cone 2009: Relativistic Hadronic and Particle Physics, 8-13 July 2009, Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil

We review the description of deep inelastic scattering using some AdS/QCD phenomenological models., Comment: Talk presented by NRFB at Light Cone 2009: Relativistic Hadronic and Particle Physics, 8-13 Jul 2009, Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil

We use the holographic AdS/QCD soft-wall model to investigate the spectrum of scalar glueballs in a finite temperature plasma. In this model, glueballs are described by a massless scalar field in an AdS_5 black hole with a dilaton soft-wall background. Using AdS/CFT prescriptions, we compute the boundary retarded Green's function. The corresponding thermal spectral function shows quasiparticle peaks at low temperatures. We also compute the quasinormal modes of the scalar field in the soft-wall black hole geometry. The temperature and momentum dependences of these modes are analyzed. The positions and widths of the peaks of the spectral function are related to the frequencies of the quasinormal modes. Our numerical results are found employing the power series method and the computation of Breit-Wigner resonances., Comment: Revision: Results unchanged. More discussions on the model and on the results. References added. 28 pages, 7 figures, 5 tables

The new experimental data of kaon photoproduction on the nucleon, gamma p -> K+ Lambda, have been analyzed by means of a multipoles model. Different from the previous models, in this analysis the resonance decay widths are constrained to the values given by the Particle Data Group (PDG). The result indicates that constraining these parameters to the PDG values could dramatically change the conclusion of the important resonances in this reaction found in the previous studies., Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, talk given by Ryky Nelson at Fourth Asia-Pacific Conference on Few-Body Problems in Physics 2008 (APFB08), Depok, Indonesia, August 19-23, 2008

Using high statistics samples of charged current $\nu_\mu$ interactions, MiniBooNE reports a measurement of the single charged pion production to quasi-elastic cross section ratio on mineral oil (CH$_2$), both with and without corrections for hadron re-interactions in the target nucleus. The result is provided as a function of neutrino energy in the range 0.4 GeV $< E_\nu <$ 2.4 GeV with 11% precision in the region of highest statistics. The results are consistent with previous measurements and the prediction from historical neutrino calculations., Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures

We examine the effect of giant planet migration on the formation of inner terrestrial planet systems. We consider situations in which the giant planet halts migration at semi-major axes in the range 0.13 - 1.7 AU due to gas disk dispersal. An N-body code is employed that is linked to a viscous gas disk algorithm capable of simulating: gas loss via accretion onto the central star and photoevaporation; gap formation by the giant planet; type II migration of the giant; optional type I migration of protoplanets; gas drag on planetesimals. We find that most of the inner system planetary building blocks survive the passage of the giant planet, either by being shepherded inward or scattered into exterior orbits. Systems of one or more hot-Earths are predicted to form and remain interior to the giant planet, especially if type II migration has been limited, or where type I migration has affected protoplanetary dynamics. Habitable planets in low eccentricity warm-Jupiter systems appear possible if the giant planet makes a limited incursion into the outer regions of the habitable zone (HZ), or traverses its entire width and ceases migrating at a radial distance of less than half that of the HZ's inner edge. We conclude that Type II migration does not prevent terrestrial planet formation., Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A; 18 pages, 12 figures, 2 tables

Modern N-body techniques for planetary dynamics are generally based on symplectic algorithms specially adapted to the Kepler problem. These methods have proven very useful in studying planet formation, but typically require the timestep for all objects to be set to a small fraction of the orbital period of the innermost body. This computational expense can be prohibitive for even moderate particle number for many physically interesting scenarios, such as recent models of the formation of hot exoplanets, in which the semimajor axis of possible progenitors can vary by orders of magnitude. We present new methods which retain most of the benefits of the standard symplectic integrators but allow for radial zones with distinct timesteps. These approaches should make simulations of planetary accretion with large dynamical range tractable. As proof of concept we present preliminary science results from an implementation of the algorithm as applied to an oligarchic migration scenario for forming hot Neptunes., Comment: 17 pages, 17 figures. Accepted to MNRAS. Minor copyedits made

A new Radiative Driven Implosion (RDI) model based on Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) technique is developed and applied to investigate the morphological evolutions of molecular clouds under the effect of ionising radiation. This model self-consistently includes the self-gravity of the cloud in the hydrodynamical evolution, the UV radiation component in the radiation transfer equations, the relevant heating and cooling mechanisms in the energy evolution and a comprehensive chemical network. The simulation results reveal that under the effect of ionising radiation, a molecular cloud may evolve through different evolutionary sequences. Dependent on its initial gravitational state, the evolution of a molecular cloud does not necessarily follow a complete morphological evolution sequence from type A to B to C, as described by previous RDI models. When confronted with observations, the simulation results provide satisfactory physical explanations for a series of puzzles derived from Bright-Rimmed Clouds (BRCs) observations. The consistency of the modelling results with observations shows that the self-gravity of a molecular cloud should not be neglected in any investigation on the dynamical evolution of molecular clouds when they are exposed to ionising radiation., Comment: Accepted by ApJ. Figures replaced by low resolution 72 dpi versions

Inelastic neutron scattering and reactions on Pb isotopes can result in gamma rays near the signature endpoint energy in a number of double-beta decay isotopes. In particular, there are gamma-ray transitions in Pb-206,207,208 that might produce energy deposits at the 76-Ge Q value in Ge detectors used for double-beta decay searches. The levels that produce these gamma rays can be excited by (n,n'gamma) or (n,xngamma) reactions, but the cross sections are small and previously unmeasured. This work uses the pulsed neutron beam at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center to directly measure reactions of interest to double-beta decay experiments. The cross section on natural Pb to produce the 2041-keV gamma ray from Pb-206 is measured to be 3.6 +/- 0.7 (stat.) +/- 0.3 (syst.) mb at ~9.6 MeV. The cross section on natural Pb to produce the 3062-keV gamma ray from Pb-207 and Pb-208 is measured to be 3.9 +/- 0.8 (stat.) +/- 0.4 (syst.) mb at the same energy. We report cross sections or place upper limits on the cross sections for exciting some other levels in Pb that have transition energies corresponding to Q value in other double-beta decay isotopes., Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures. v2 resubmitted to Phys. Rev. C with minor changes. v3 with final review changes

We report the first observation of off-axis neutrino interactions in the MiniBooNE detector from the NuMI beamline at Fermilab. The MiniBooNE detector is located 745 m from the NuMI production target, at 110 mrad angle ($6.3^{\circ}$) with respect to the NuMI beam axis. Samples of charged current quasi-elastic $\nu_{\mu}$ and $\nu_e$ interactions are analyzed and found to be in agreement with expectation. This provides a direct verification of the expected pion and kaon contributions to the neutrino flux and validates the modeling of the NuMI off-axis beam., Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, Submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett

We investigate the effect of T-duality on noncommutativity. Starting with open strings ending on a D2-brane wrapped on a $T^2$ torus in the presence of a Kalb Ramond field, we consider Buscher transformations on the coordinates and background. We find that the dual system is commutative. We also study alternative transformations that can preserve noncommutativity., Comment: In this V3: more references included. Version to appear in J.Phys.A

We calculate deep inelastic structure functions for mesons in the D3-D7 brane model, that incorporates flavour to the AdS/CFT correspondence. We consider two different prescriptions for the hadronic current dual: a gauge field in the AdS bulk and a gauge field on the D7 brane. We also calculate elastic form factors in both cases. We compare our results with other holographic models., Comment: V2: We included a new section with several plots comparing the structure functions of the models considered. We moved some calculation details to an appendix. Typos corrected. One reference included. 18 pages. 3 figures containing 9 plots

The MiniBooNE experiment at Fermilab has amassed the largest sample to date of $\pi^0$s produced in neutral current (NC) neutrino-nucleus interactions at low energy. This paper reports a measurement of the momentum distribution of $\pi^0$s produced in mineral oil (CH$_2$) and the first observation of coherent $\pi^0$ production below 2 GeV. In the forward direction, the yield of events observed above the expectation for resonant production is attributed primarily to coherent production off carbon, but may also include a small contribution from diffractive production on hydrogen. Integrated over the MiniBooNE neutrino flux, the sum of the NC coherent and diffractive modes is found to be (19.5 $\pm$1.1 (stat) $\pm$2.5 (sys))% of all exclusive NC $\pi^0$ production at MiniBooNE. These measurements are of immediate utility because they quantify an important background to MiniBooNE's search for $\nu_{\mu} \to \nu_e$ oscillations., Comment: Submitted to Phys. Lett. B

Deep inelastic structure functions can be calculated from supergravity when the Bjorken parameter $x$ satisfies $ x > 1/\sqrt{gN} $. We consider a gauge theory with very large 't Hooft coupling $gN$ in order to investigate the region $x << 1$. In this case the center of mass energy is large enough to increase the number of hadronic constituents of the final state. We calculate the structure functions in terms of the number of final hadronic constituents. At small $x$ we find a scaling law similar to geometric scaling but with $\gamma_s = 0.5 $ and $ \lambda = 1 $., Comment: In V1 we assumed the transversality of the 4-d hadronic tensor but considered a non conserved 5-d current that spoils this property. In this V2 we define a modified conserved 5-d current that solves this problem and preserves our previous results for the structure functions. We also clarify the meaning of our final hadronic state. 14 pgs., 1 latex fig

We discuss the relativistic transformation of the energy of a charged spherical capacitor. The energy stored in the electromagnetic fields observed by an uniformly moving frame is related to that of the rest frame by a factor different from $\gamma $. Considering the energy and the stresses in the capacitor shells we show that the total energy of the system satisfies the expected relativistic transformation., Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures

Deep inelastic structure functions have been calculated by Polchinski and Strassler in gauge/string duality introducing a hard infrared (IR) cut off in AdS space. Here we investigate this problem using a soft IR cut off that leads to linear Regge trajectories for mesons. We calculate the structure functions for scalar particles in the large x regime where supergravity approximation holds and the small x regime where massive string states contribute. We also propose a hybrid model to calculate structure functions for fermions in the supergravity approximation. In the deep inelastic limit our results are in agreement with those obtained using a hard cut off., Comment: V3: Results unchanged. We clarified the differences between the soft and hard wall models regarding the calculation of structure functions in DIS. We included a calculation of elastic form factors. We explained in more detail the hybrid model proposed for fermions. Version accepted for publication in JHEP. 20 pages, 1 Latex figure

We study the thermodynamics of the hard wall model, which consists in the introduction of an infrared cut-off in asymptotically AdS spaces. This is a toy model for confining backgrounds in the context of the gauge/gravity correspondence. We use holographic renormalization and reproduce the existence of a Hawking Page phase transition recently discussed by Herzog. We also show that the entropy jumps from $N^0$ to $N^2$, which reinforces the interpretation of this transition as the gravity dual of confinement/deconfinement. We also show that similar results hold for the phenomenologically motivated soft wall model, underlining the potential universality of our analysis., Comment: 14 pages. V2: We included a new section discussing the soft wall model and new references. V3: We clarified some points and updated the references. Results unchanged. Version published in PRD

The AdS/CFT correspondence is an exact duality between string theory in anti-de Sitter space and conformal field theories on its boundary. Inspired in this correspondence some relations between strings and non conformal field theories have been found. Exact dualities in the non conformal case are intricate but approximations can reproduce important physical results. A simple approximation consists in taking just a slice of the AdS space with a size that can be related to the QCD energy scale. Here we will discuss how this approach can be used to obtain the scaling of high energy QCD scattering amplitudes, glueball masses and Regge trajectories, and the potential energy for a quark anti-quark pair. This set up is modified to include finite temperature effects and obtain a deconfining phase trasition., Comment: 8 pages. Talk presented at the Fifth International Conference on Mathematical Methods in Physics, 24 - 28, April 2006, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. To appear in the proceedings at http://pos.sissa.it/

We correct the energy of the static strings in hep-th/0512295, for large quark anti-quark separation. This energy is a smooth function of the quark separation for any position of the infrared brane. The asymptotic behavior of this energy is that of the Cornell potential as stated in the article. However, this identification does not fixes the AdS radius., Comment: This erratum corrects the article hep-th/0512295 published in Phys. Rev. D73 (2006) 106006. To appear in Phys. Rev. D

We discuss some recent phenomenological models for strong interactions based on the idea of gauge/string duality. A very good estimate for hadronic masses can be found by placing an infrared cut off in AdS space. Considering static strings in this geometry one can also reproduce the phenomenological Cornell potential for a quark anti-quark potential at zero temperature. Placing static strings in an AdS Schwarzschild space with an infrared cut off one finds a transition from a confining to a deconfining phase at some critical horizon radius (associated with temperature)., Comment: Talk presented in "Infrared QCD In Rio: Propagators, Condensates And Topological Effects", (IRQCD 2006), 5-9 Jun 2006, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Revision v2: more references included. Version published in the proceedings. V3: typos corrected

A static string in an AdS Schwarzschild space is dual to a heavy quark anti-quark pair in a gauge theory at high temperature. This space is non confining in the sense that the energy is finite for infinite quark anti-quark separation. We introduce an infrared cut off in this space and calculate the corresponding string energy. We find a deconfining phase transition at a critical temperature T_C. Above T_C the string tension vanishes representing the deconfined phase. Below T_C we find a linear confining behavior for large quark anti-quark separation. This simple phenomenological model leads to the appropriate zero temperature limit, corresponding to the Cornell potential and also describes a thermal deconfining phase transition. However the temperature corrections to the string tension do not recover the expected results for low temperatures., Comment: Revision: V.3: Text improved, typos corrected, results unchanged, references added. We included a comparision between the low temperature corrections to the string tension in our model and the expected results for QCD. V.4: In this version we emphasize that our model is not appropriate for low temperatures. One more reference added

We perform numerical simulations of a disc-planet system using various grid-based and smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) codes. The tests are run for a simple setup where Jupiter and Neptune mass planets on a circular orbit open a gap in a protoplanetary disc during a few hundred orbital periods. We compare the surface density contours, potential vorticity and smoothed radial profiles at several times. The disc mass and gravitational torque time evolution are analyzed with high temporal resolution. There is overall consistency between the codes. The density profiles agree within about 5% for the Eulerian simulations while the SPH results predict the correct shape of the gap although have less resolution in the low density regions and weaker planetary wakes. The disc masses after 200 orbital periods agree within 10%. The spread is larger in the tidal torques acting on the planet which agree within a factor 2 at the end of the simulation. In the Neptune case the dispersion in the torques is greater than for Jupiter, possibly owing to the contribution from the not completely cleared region close to the planet., Comment: 32 pages, accepted for publication in MNRAS

We review some recent results on phenomenological approaches to strong interactions inspired in gauge/string duality. In particular, we discuss how such models lead to very good estimates for hadronic masses., Comment: 5pages, talk presented in I Latin American Workshop on High Energy Phenomenology, Porto Alegre, Brazil, December 2005, to appear in the proceedings

A three dimensional Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamical (SPH) model has been extended to study the radiative driven implosion effect of massive stars on the dynamical evolutions of surrounding molecular clouds. The new elements in the upgraded code are the inclusion of Lyman continuum in the incident radiation flux and the treatment of hydrogen ionisation process; introducing ionisation heating & recombination cooling effects; and adding a proper description of the magnetic and turbulent pressures to the internal pressure of the molecular cloud. The application of this newly developed model to the structure of the middle Eagle Nebula finger suggests that the shock induced by the ionising radiation at the front side of the head precedes an ionisation front moving towards the center of the core, and that the core at the fingertip is at transition stage evolving toward a state of induced star formation. The dynamical evolution of the velocity field of the simulated cloud structure is discussed to illustrate the role of the self-gravity and the different cloud morphologies which appear at different stages in the evolutionary process of the cloud. The modelled gas evaporation rate is consistent with that of current other models and the density, temperature and chemical profiles are agreement with the observed values. The relative lifetimes of different simulated cloud morphologies suggests a possible answer to the question of why more bright-rimmed clouds are observed to possess a flat-core than an elongated-core morphology. [Abridged], Comment: 13 pages, accepted by MNRAS

The discovery of close orbiting extrasolar giant planets led to extensive studies of disk planet interactions and the forms of migration that can result as a means of accounting for their location. Early work established the type I and type II migration regimes for low mass embedded planets and high mass gap forming planets respectively. While providing an attractive means of accounting for close orbiting planets intially formed at several AU, inward migration times for objects in the earth mass range were found to be disturbingly short, making the survival of giant planet cores an issue. Recent progress in this area has come from the application of modern numerical techniques which make use of up to date supercomputer resources. These have enabled higher resolution studies of the regions close to the planet and the initiation of studies of planets interacting with disks undergoing MHD turbulence. This work has led to indications of how the inward migration of low to intermediate mass planets could be slowed down or reversed. In addition, the possibility of a new very fast type III migration regime, that can be directed inwards or outwards, that is relevant to partial gap forming planets in massive disks has been investigated., Comment: 14 pages, 14 figures, to appear in "Protostars and Planets V". A version with high resolution figures is available from http://www.maths.qmul.ac.uk/~rpn/preprints/index.html