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We present the results of deep Chandra and XMM-Newton X-ray imaging and spatially-resolved spectroscopy of Abell 2256, a nearby (z=0.058) galaxy cluster experiencing multiple mergers and displaying a rich radio morphology dominated by a large relic. The X-ray data reveals three subclusters: (i) the `main cluster'; (ii) the remnant of an older merger in the east of the cluster with a ~ 600 kpc long tail; (iii) a bright, bullet-like, low-entropy infalling system, with a large line-of-sight velocity component. The low-entropy system displays a 250 kpc long cold front with a break and an intriguing surface brightness decrement. Interestingly, the infalling gas is not co-spatial with bright galaxies and the radio loud brightest cluster galaxy of the infalling group appears dissociated from the low entropy plasma by 50 kpc in projection, to the south of the eastern edge of the cold front. Assuming that the dark matter follows the galaxy distribution, we predict that it is also significantly offset from the low-entropy gas. Part of the low frequency radio emission near the cold front might be revived by magnetic field amplification due to differential gas motions. Using analytical models and numerical simulations, we investigate the possibility that the supersonic infall of the subcluster generates a large scale shock along our line-of-sight, which can be detected in the X-ray temperature map but is not associated with any clear features in the surface brightness distribution., Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. The online supplement is available at https://bit.ly/ShockSupplement

The ATLAS experiment will undergo a major upgrade of the tracker system in view of the high luminosity phase of the LHC (HL-LHC) foreseen to start around 2025. Thin planar pixel modules are promising candidates to instrument the new pixel system, thanks to the reduced contribution to the material budget and their high charge collection efficiency after irradiation. New designs of the pixel cells, with an optimized biasing structure, have been implemented in n-in-p planar pixel productions with sensor thicknesses of 270 um. Using beam tests, the gain in hit efficiency is investigated as a function of the received irradiation fluence. The outlook for future thin planar pixel sensor productions will be discussed, with a focus on thin sensors with a thickness of 100 and 150 um and a novel design with the optimized biasing structure and small pixel cells (50 um x 50 um and 25 um x 100 um). These dimensions are foreseen for the new ATLAS read-out chip in 65 nm CMOS technology and the fine segmentation will represent a challenge for the tracking in the forward region of the pixel system at HL-LHC. To predict the performance of 50 um x 50 um pixels at high eta, FE-I4 compatible planar pixel sensors have been studied before and after irradiation in beam tests at high incidence angle with respect to the short pixel direction. Results on cluster shapes, charge collection- and hit efficiency will be shown.

We prove that the fluctuations of mesocopic linear statistics for orthogonal polynomial ensembles are universal in the sense that two measures with asymptotic recurrence coefficients have the same asymptotic mesoscopic fluctuations (under an additional assumption on the local regularity of one of the measures). The convergence rate of the recurrence coefficients determines the range of scales on which the limiting fluctuations are identical. Our main tool is an analysis of the Green's function for the associated Jacobi matrices. As a particular consequence we obtain a Central Limit Theorem for the modified Jacobi Unitary Ensembles on all mesosopic scales., Comment: 51 pages