An outstanding goal of physics is to find solutions that describe hadrons in the theory of strong interactions, Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). For this goal, the light-front Hamiltonian formulation of QCD (LFQCD) is a complementary approach to the wel
l-established lattice gauge method. LFQCD offers access to the hadrons nonperturbative quark and gluon amplitudes, which are directly testable in experiments at existing and future facilities. We present an overview of the promises and challenges of LFQCD in the context of unsolved issues in QCD that require broadened and accelerated investigation. We identify specific goals of this approach and address its quantifiable uncertainties.
We present a new measurement of CP violation induced by B0 B0bar oscillations, based on the full data set collected by the BaBar experiment at the PEPII collider. We use a sample of about 6 million B0->D* l nu decays selected with partial reconstruct
ion of the D* meson. The charged lepton identifies the flavor of the first B meson at its decay time, the flavor of the other B is determined by kaon tagging. We determine the parameter dCP = 1 - |q/p| = (0.29+-0.84+1.78/-1.61) 10^-3.
The ALICE experiment studies nucleus-nucleus collisions at the LHC in order to investigate the properties of QCD matter at extreme energy densities. The measurement of open charm and open beauty production allows one to probe the mechanisms of heavy-
quark propagation, energy loss and hadronization in the hot and dense medium formed in high-energy nucleus-nucleus collisions. In particular, in-medium energy loss is predicted to be different for massless partons (light quarks and gluons) and heavy quarks at moderate momentum. The ALICE apparatus allows us to measure open heavy-flavour particles in several decay channels and with a wide phase-space coverage. We present the results on the nuclear modification factors for heavy-flavour particle production in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrtsNN=2.76 TeV. Using proton-proton and lead-lead collision samples at sqrts=2.76 and 7 TeV and at sqrtsNN=2.76 TeV, respectively, nuclear modification factors R_AA(pT) were measured for D mesons at central rapidity (via displaced decay vertex reconstruction), and for electrons and muons from heavy-flavour decays, at central and forward rapidity, respectively. A large suppression is observed, by a factor 2.5-4 in central Pb--Pb collisions with respect to the pp reference, in the high-pT region, indicating a strong in-medium energy loss of heavy quarks.
Recent progress in studies of globular clusters has shown that they are not simple stellar populations, being rather made of multiple generations. Evidence stems both from photometry and spectroscopy. A new paradigm is then arising for the formation
of massive star clusters, which includes several episodes of star formation. While this provides an explanation for several features of globular clusters, including the second parameter problem, it also opens new perspectives about the relation between globular clusters and the halo of our Galaxy, and by extension of all populations with a high specific frequency of globular clusters, such as, e.g., giant elliptical galaxies. We review progress in this area, focusing on the most recent studies. Several points remain to be properly understood, in particular those concerning the nature of the polluters producing the abundance pattern in the clusters and the typical timescale, the range of cluster masses where this phenomenon is active, and the relation between globular clusters and other satellites of our Galaxy.
We analyze the effect of Proca mass and orbital angular momentum of photons imposed by a structured plasma in Kerr-Newman and Reissner-Nordstrom-de Sitter spacetimes. The presence of characteristic lengths in a turbulent plasma converts the virtual P
roca photon mass on orbital angular momentum, with the result of decreasing the virtual photon mass. The combination of this plasma effect and that of the gravitational field leads to a new astrophysical phenomenon that imprints a specific distribution of orbital angular momentum into different frequencies of the light emitted from the neighborhood of such a black hole. The determination of the orbital angular momentum spectrum of the radiation in different frequency bands leads to a complete characterization of the electrostatic and gravitational field of the black hole and of the plasma turbulence, with fundamental astrophysical and cosmological implications.
We present the first results from the ALICE experiment on the nuclear modification factors for heavy-flavour hadron production in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt{s_NN}=2.76 TeV. Using proton-proton and lead-lead collision samples at sqrt{s}=7 TeV and sqrt{s
_NN}=2.76 TeV, respectively, nuclear modification factors R_AA(pt) were measured for D mesons at central rapidity (via displaced decay vertex reconstruction), and for electrons and muons, at central and forward rapidity, respectively.
The ALICE detector recorded Pb-Pb collisions at sqrtsNN = 2.76 TeV at the LHC in November-December 2010. We present the results of the measurements that provide a first characterization of the hot and dense state of strongly-interacting matter produc
ed in heavy-ion collisions at these energies. In particular, we describe the measurements of the particle multiplicity, collective flow, Bose-Einstein correlations, high-momentum suppression, and their dependence on the collision centrality. These observables are related to the energy density, the size, the viscosity, and the opacity of the system. Finally, we give an outlook on the upcoming results, with emphasis on heavy flavour production.
Collisions of heavy ions (nuclei) at ultra-relativistic energies (sqrt(s_NN) >> 10 GeV per nucleon-nucleon collision in the centre of mass system) are regarded as a unique tool to produce in the laboratory a high energy density and high temperature s
tate of strongly-interacting matter. In this short review, we will discuss the expected features of this hot and dense state, describe indications on its properties emerged from the experimental programs at the CERN-SPS and BNL-RHIC accelerators, and finally outlook the perspectives for the forthcoming heavy-ion runs at the CERN-LHC.
ALICE is the dedicated heavy-ion experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. The experiment has also a broad program of QCD measurements in proton-proton (pp) collisions, which have two-fold interest: the study of particle production at the highest ener
gy frontier, and the definition of references for the corresponding measurements in the upcoming Pb-Pb run. We present the first results on the pseudorapidity and transverse-momentum dependence of charged particle production in pp collisions at LHC energies, on the anti-p/p ratio and on the Bose-Einstein particle correlations. As an outlook, we report on the status of the ongoing analyses for strangeness and heavy-flavour production measurements.
The measurement of the heavy-flavour production cross sections in pp collisions at the LHC will allow to test perturbative QCD calculations in a new energy domain. Moreover, within the physics program of the ALICE experiment, it will provide the refe
rence for the study of medium effects in Pb-Pb collisions, where heavy quarks are regarded as sensitive probes of parton-medium interaction dynamics. We present the status and first preliminary results of charm and beauty production measurements with the ALICE experiment, using hadronic D meson decays and semi-leptonic D and B meson decays, including the first cross section measurement of muons from heavy flavour decays at forward rapidity. We also describe the preliminary cross section measurement for J/psi production, obtained using the di-electron decay channel at central rapidity and the di-muon decay channel at forward rapidity.
