Pouring Cold Water on HOT-Theory

2000

It is argued that for hot quantum fields, the necessary effective perturbation theories may be based on a resummation procedure which, contrarily to the zero temperature case, differs substantially from the one ordinarily in use. Important differences show up in the infrared sector of hot quantum field theories.

2000

Over the past decade, Finite Temperature Quantum Field Theories (FTQFT's) have benefitted from impressive developments, while an increasing number of intriguing points were made. Some of them are presented here, recent and older, in a non exhaustive list.

Journal of Consciousness Studies, 2013

The European Physical Journal C, 2019

2002

Fixed target experimentation remains a vigorous and important tool. In many cases it provides the best technique to study elementary physics. Here we explore several areas, where, in the near future, fixed target experiments have the potential to alter our understanding of physics. These include, but are clearly not limited to, high precision tests of CP violation in the Kaon sector, ultra-precise determination of the weak mixing angle and its evolution, and lepton flavor violation.

AIP Conference Proceedings, 2009

The growing body of anomalies in new energy, low energy nuclear reactions, astrophysics, atomic physics, and entanglement, combined with the failure of the Standard Model and string theory to predict many of the most basic fundamental phenomena, all point to a need for major new paradigms. Not Band-Aids, but revolutionary new ways of conceptualizing physics, in the spirit of Thomas

Journal of High Energy Physics, 2014

In this work we complete a model independent analysis of dark matter constraining its mass and interaction strengths with data from astro-and particle physics experiments. We use the effective field theory framework to describe interactions of thermal dark matter particles of the following types: real and complex scalars, Dirac and Majorana fermions, and vector bosons. Using Bayesian inference we calculate posterior probability distributions for the mass and interaction strengths for the various spin particles. The observationally favoured dark matter particle mass region is 10-100 GeV with effective interactions that have a cutoff at 0.1-1 TeV. This mostly comes from the requirement that the thermal abundance of dark matter not exceed the observed value. Thus thermal dark matter coupled with present data implies new physics most likely under 10 TeV.

Physics Letters B, 2012

Journal of Consciousness Studies, 2005

The so-called "higher-order thought" (HOT) theory of consciousness says that what makes a mental state conscious is the presence of a suitable higher-order thought directed at it

Physical Review D, 2012

If the weak phase of B 0 s-B 0 s mixing (2βs) is found to be significantly different from zero, this is a clear signal of new physics (NP). However, if such a signal is found, we would like an unambiguous determination of 2βs in order to ascertain which NP models could be responsible. In addition, in the presence of NP, the width difference ∆Γs between the two Bs mass eigenstates can be positive or negative, and ideally this sign ambiguity should be resolved experimentally. Finally, in order to see if the NP is contributing to Γ s 12 in addition to M s 12 , the precise measurement of |Γ s 12 | is crucial. In this paper, we consider several different methods of measuring B 0 s-B 0 s mixing using two-and three-body decays withb →cus andb →ūcs transitions. We find that the most promising of these is a time-dependent Dalitz-plot analysis of B 0 s (B 0 s) → D 0 CP KK. With these decays, all of the above issues can be addressed, and the measurement of the weak phase γ is also possible. We also note that, with all three-body decays it is possible to resolve the sign ambiguity of ∆Γs even without determining CP phase φs. PACS numbers: where φ s ≡ arg(−M s 12 /Γ s 12) is the CP phase in ∆B = 2 transitions, and 2β s = arg(M s 12). In Eq. (4) the small expansion parameter a is given by a = Γ s 12 M s 12 sin φ s. (5) This is expected to be ≪ 1, and hence can be neglected in the definition of q/p. It is also important to note that the sign of ∆Γ s is equal to the sign of cos φ s , and in the case where there is no NP in Γ s 12 , the CP phase φ s = −2β s. The precise measurement of ∆M s determines |M s 12 | [8]. However, because of hadronic uncertainties, the SM prediction for ∆M s is not very precise-in Ref. [9], it is noted that the theoretical uncertainties still allow newphysics contributions to |M s 12 | of order 20%. In addition, Γ s 12 can be calculated from the absorptive part of the B 0 s-B 0 s mixing box diagram, leading to ∆Γ s. Unlike the B d system, where ∆Γ d is negligibly small, in the B s system ∆Γ s is expected to be reasonably large, which leads to certain advantages for the search for CP-violating effects in the B s system over that of B d system. The updated SM predictions of the width difference and the CP phase φ s are given by [9] ∆Γ SM s ≃ 2|Γ s 12 | = 0.087 ± 0.021 ps −1 , φ s ≈ 0.22 •. (6) Although the SM predictions for ∆M s and ∆Γ s are not precise, the SM does predict that 2β s ≃ 0, which makes it a good observable to use in the search for NP. Consider first the case where the NP contributes only to M s 12. If one measures a value for 2β s that is significantly different from zero, this will indicate NP in B 0 s-B 0 s mixing (in M s 12). However, to cover all bases, one more step must be done. Suppose that NP is present, but it produces 2β s = 180 •. Now indirect CP violation, which measures sin 2β s , will not give a signal. But one can still detect the NP by measuring the sign of ∆Γ sin the SM, ∆Γ s > 0, while it is < 0 if 2β s = 180 •. Also, even if NP is discovered through indirect CP violation (i.e. sin 2β s = 0), this only determines 2β s up to a twofold discrete ambiguity. Since the sign of cos 2β s can be determined by the sign of ∆Γ s , the knowledge of this sign is one possibility to remove this discrete ambiguity. Alternatively, one may try to find a method which allows a direct determination of 2β s without any ambiguity. Now suppose that the NP also contributes to Γ s 12. Since there is NP in M s 12 , its presence can be detected as above. But now the twofold ambiguity in 2β s cannot be removed from the knowledge of the sign of ∆Γ s , since this only determines the sign of cos φ s (and not cos 2β s). Thus, for the case where there is NP in Γ s 12 , one must find another way to remove the twofold ambiguity in 2β s. The CDF [10] and DØ [11] collaborations have measured the CP asymmetry in B 0 s → J/ψφ, and found a hint for indirect CP violation. In general, this result is interpreted as evidence for a nonzero value of 2β ψφ s , and the contributions of various NP models to the B s mixing phase have been explored [12-18]. It has also been pointed out that NP in the decayb →scc could also play an important role [19]. Recently CDF and DØ updated their measurements of the CP-violating phase. The 68% C.L. allowed ranges are [20, 21] 2β ψφ s