arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J. S. Miller.
We propose a QCD motivated theoretical approach to high energy soft interactions, which successfully describes the experimental data on total, elastic and diffraction cross sections. We predict that the survival probability for the diffractive Higgs production at the LHC energy is small (less than 1%), and investigate the influence of suggested corrections e.g. threshhold effects and semi-enhanced diagrams, on this value.
Multi Pomeron interactions are the main source of high mass diffraction. Their role in high energy dynamics greatly influences the predictions for high energy cross sections and survival probabilities of hard diffraction channels, notably, diffractive Higgs production at the LHC. Our approach, is motivated by the fact that we obtain a very small value for the fitted slope of the Pomeron trajectory, which justifies the use of perturbative QCD for soft scattering. Our suggested model differs from the proposal of the Durham KMR group which is based on a parton model interpretation of the Reggeon calculus in the complex J-plane in which multi Pomeron vertices are arbitrarily defined. The theoretical input and predictions of the two groups, as well as their data analysis and procedures are compared and evaluated.
In this paper we develop an approach to soft scattering processes at high energies,which is based on two mechanisms: Good-Walker mechanism for low mass diffractionand multi-Pomeron interactions for high mass diffraction. The pricipal idea, that allows us to specify the theory for Pomeron interactions, is that the so called soft processes occur at rather short distances ($r^2 \propto 1 / ^2 \propto α'_\pom \approx 0.01 GeV^{-2}$), where perturbative QCD is valid. The value of the Pomeron slope $α'_\pom $ was obtained from the fit to experimental data. Using this theoretical approach we suggest a model that fits all soft data in the ISR-Tevatron energy range, the total, elastic, single and double diffractive cross sections, including $t$ dependence of the differential elastic cross section, and the mass dependence of single diffraction. In this model we calculate the survival probability of diffractive Higgs production, and obtained a value for this observable, which is smaller than 1% at the LHC energy range.
The cross section for central diffractive Higgs production is calculated, for the LHC range of energies. The graphs for the possible mechanisms for Higgs production, through pomeron fusion and photon fusions are calculated for all possibilities allowed by the standard model. The cross section for central diffractive Higgs production through pomeron fusion, must be multiplied by a factor for the survival probability, to isolate the Higgs signal and reduce the background. Due to the small value of the survival probability $\Lb 4 \times 10^{-3}\Rb $, the cross sections for central diffractive Higgs production, in the two cases for pomeron fusion and photon fusion, are competitive.
We present optical spectroscopy of the host galaxies of 4 QSO's: PG1444+407, PKS 2349-147, 3C 323.1, and 4C 31.63 having a redshift range (0.1 < z < 0.3). The spectra were obtained at the Keck Observatory with the LRIS instrument offset 2-4 arcseconds from the nucleus at several position angles in each galaxy. The objects close to 3C 323.1 and PKS 2349-147 have the same redshifts of their nearby QSOs and appear to be the nuclei of galaxies in the final states of merging with the host galaxies. The spectra of the hosts show some variety: PKS 2349-147 and 3C 323.1 show strong off-nuclear emission lines plus stellar absorption features, while the other two show only stellar absorption. PKS 2349-147 and PG 1444+407 have a mixture of old and moderately young stars, while 4C 31.63 has the spectrum of a normal giant elliptical, which is very rare in our larger sample. The spectrum of the host of 3C 323.1 appears to dominated by older stars, though our data for it are of lower quality. The redshifts of the off-nucleus emission lines and stellar components are very close to those of the associated QSOs.
The Echellette Spectrograph and Imager (ESI) is a multipurpose instrument which has been delivered by the Instrument Development Laboratory of Lick Observatory for use at the Cassegrain focus of the Keck II telescope. ESI saw first light on August 29, 1999. ESI is a multi-mode instrument that enables the observer to seamlessly switch between three modes during an observation. The three modes of ESI are: An R=13,000-echellette mode; Low-dispersion prismatic mode; Direct imaging mode. ESI contains a unique flexure compensation system which reduces the small instrument flexure to negligible proportions. Long-exposure images on the sky show FWHM spot diameters of 34 microns (0.34") averaged over the entire field of view. These are the best non-AO images taken in the visible at Keck Observatory to date. Maximum efficiencies are measured to be 28% for the echellette mode and greater than 41% for low-dispersion prismatic mode including atmospheric, telescope and detector losses. In this paper we describe the instrument and its development. We also discuss the performance-testing and some observational results.
We have made high-quality measurements of the polarization spectra of 13 FR II radio galaxies and taken polarization images for 11 of these with the Keck telescopes. Seven of the eight narrow-line radio galaxies (NLRG) are polarized, and six of the seven show prominent broad Balmer lines in polarized light. The broad lines are also weakly visible in total flux. Some of the NLRG show bipolar regions with roughly circumferential polarization vectors, revealing a large reflection nebula illuminated by a central source. Our observations powerfully support the hidden quasar hypothesis for some NLRG. Classification as NLRG, broad-line radio galaxy (BLRG), or quasar therefore depends on orientation. However, not all objects fit into this unification scheme. Our sample is biased towards objects known in advance to be polarized, but the combination of our results with those of Hill, Goodrich and DePoy (1996) show that at least 6 out of a complete, volume and flux-limited sample of 9 FR II NLRG have broad lines, seen either in polarization or P_alpha.
We present a spectropolarimetric survey of 36 broad absorption line quasi-stellar objects (BAL QSOs). The continuum, absorption trough, and emission line polarization of BAL QSOs yield clues about their structure. We confirm that BAL QSOs are in general more highly polarized than non-BAL QSOs, consistent with a more equatorial viewing direction for the former than the latter. We have identified two new highly-polarized QSOs in our sample (1232+1325 and 1333+2840). The polarization rises weakly to the blue in most objects, perhaps due to scattering and absorption by dust particles. We find that a polarization increase in the BAL troughs is a general property of polarized BAL QSOs, indicating an excess of scattered light relative to direct light, and consistent with the unification of BAL QSOs and non-BAL QSOs. We have also discovered evidence of resonantly scattered photons in the red wing of the C IV broad emission lines of a few objects. In most cases, the broad emission lines have lower polarization and a different position angle than the continuum. The polarization characteristics of low-ionization BAL QSOs are similar to those of high-ionization BAL QSOs, suggesting a similar BAL wind geometry.
We have discovered scattered broad Balmer emission lines in the spectrum of Cygnus A, using the Keck II telescope. Broad H-alpha appears in polarized flux from components on either side of the nucleus, and to a lesser extent in the nucleus. The full-width at half-maximum of broad H-alpha is 26,000 km/s, comparable to the widest emission lines seen in broad-line radio galaxies. Scattered AGN light provides a significant contribution to the total flux at 3800 Angstroms (rest) of the western component, where the polarization rises to 16%. The spatially integrated flux of Cygnus A at 5500 Angstroms can be decomposed into an elliptical galaxy fraction (Fg=0.70), a highly polarized blue component (FC1=0.15), a less polarized red component (FC=0.09), and a contribution from the nebular continuum (0.06). Imaging polarimetry shows a double fan of polarization vectors with circular symmetry which corresponds to the ionization cone seen in HST images. Our results are consistent with scattering of light from a hidden quasar of modest luminosity by an extended, dusty narrow-line region.