Calabrian and Ionian： A proposal for the definition of Mediterranean stages for the Lower and Middle Pleistocene

The need to standardise stratigraphical subdivisions of continuous marine sedimentary successions that outcrop for hundreds metres, using clearly defined points fixed in the field is strongly felt. A proposal is presented here to formalize regional stages for the Lower Pleistocene （Calabrian） and for the Middle Pleistocene （Ionian） in Italy. The sections are well exposed, carefully investigated using multiple criteria （an integrated stratigraphical approach） and located in the central part of the Mediterranean. This area is recognized worldwide as a classical region for the Neogene and the Pleistocene sequences. The terrestrial record is directly correlated with the deep-sea record, as determined from ODP Sites 653 （Tyrrhenian Sea）, 963 （Sicily Channel） and 964 （Ionian Sea）from the central Mediterranean. The present formal proposal is consistent with the INQUA and ICS decision to define and correlate the Plio/Pleistocene boundary （GSSP at Vrica） within the Olduvai Subchron, at 1.81 My, the Lower/Middle Pleistocene boundary at the Matuyama/Brunhes reversal at 0. 78 My and the Middle/ Upper Pleistocene boundary with the base of MIS 5, approximately 0. 13My. The present proposal also is consistent with the call for stage unit stratotypes that emphasize both the physical content of a stage and its boundaries （Hilgen et al., 2006）.

Non-Topological Domain Walls in a Model with Broken Supersymmetry

We study non-topological, charged planar walls （Q-walls） in the context of a particle physics model with supersymmetry broken by low-energy gauge mediation. Analytical properties are derived within the fiat-potential approximation for the flat-direction raising potential, while a numerical study is performed using the fall two-loop supersymmetric potential. We analyze the energetics of finite-size Q-walls and compare them to Q-balls, non-topological solitons possessing spherical symmetry and arising in the same supersymmetric model. This allows us to draw a phase diagram in the charge-transverse length plane, which shows a region where Q-wall solutions are energetically favored over Q-balls. However, due to their finiteness, such finite-size Q-walls are dynamically unstable and decay into Q-balls in a time which is less than their typical scale-length.

A Second Order Finite-Difference Ghost-Point Method for Elasticity Problems on Unbounded Domains with Applications to Volcanology

We propose a finite-difference ghost-point approach for the numerical solution of Cauchy-Navier equations in linear elasticity problems on arbitrary unbounded domains.The technique is based on a smooth coordinate transformation,which maps an unbounded domain into a unit square.Arbitrary geometries are defined by suitable level-set functions.The equations are discretized by classical nine-point stencil on interior points,while boundary conditions and high order reconstructions are used to define the field variables at ghost-points,which are grid nodes external to the domain with a neighbor inside the domain.The linear system arising from such discretization is solved by a multigrid strategy.The approach is then applied to solve elasticity problems in volcanology for computing the displacement caused by pressure sources.The method is suitable to treat problems in which the geometry of the source often changes(explore the effects of different scenarios,or solve inverse problems in which the geometry itself is part of the unknown),since it does not require complex re-meshing when the geometry is modified.Several numerical tests are successfully performed,which asses the effectiveness of the present approach.

A Lattice Boltzmann Study of Phase Separation in Liquid-Vapor Systems with Gravity

Phase separation of a two-dimensional van der Waals fluid subject to a grav-itational force is studied by numerical simulations based on lattice Boltzmann methodsimplemented with a finite difference scheme. A growth exponent α=1 is measured inthe direction of the external force.

Study of the production of Λ_b^0 band ~0 hadrons in pp collisions and first measurement of the Λ_b^0→J/ψpK^- branching fraction

The product of the ∧0/b （-B/0） differential production cross-section and the branching fraction of the decay ∧0/b→ J/ψ pK-（-B/0→ J/ψ-K＊（892）0）is measured as a function of the beauty hadron transverse momentum, PT, and rapidity, y. The kinematic region of the measurements is pT〈20 GeV/c and 2.0 〈g〈4.5.The measurements use a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3fb-1 collected by the LHCb detector in pp collisions at centre-of-mass energies √s=7 TeV in 2011 and √s=8 TeV in 2012. Based on previous LHCb results of the fragmentation fraction ratio,f∧0/b/fd,the branching fraction of the decay ∧0/b→ J/ψ pK-is measured to be B（∧0/b→ J/ψ pK-）=（3.17±0.04±0.07±0.34＋0.45/-0.28）×10-4,where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic, the third is due to the uncertainty on the branching fraction of the decay -B/0 →J/ψ-K＊（892）0,and the fourth is due to the knowledge of f∧0/b/fd.The sum of the asymmetries in the production and decay between ∧0/b and ∧0/bis also measured as a function of PT and y.The previously published branching fraction of ∧0/b→ J/ψ pπ-,relative to that of ∧0/b→ J/ψ pK-,is updated. The branching fractions of ∧0/b→P＋c（→ J/ψp）K-are determined.

Search for the rare decay B^(0)→J/ψФ

A search for the rare decay B^(0)→J/ψФis performed using Pp collision data collected with the LHCb dete-ctor at centre-of-mass energies of 7,8 and 13 TeV,corresponding to an integrated luminosity of9 fb.No significant signal of the decay is observed and an upper limitof 1.1x 10^(-7)at 90%confidence level is set on the branching fraction.