[en] Recent inclusive electron-nucleus scattering data have been utilized for precision tests of quark-hadron duality. The data are in the resonance and quasielastic regions and cover a range in Q² from 0.5 to 7 (GeV/c)². The Q² dependence of the moments of the F₂ structure function were investigated and indicate that duality holds for nuclei, even at low Q²

[en] The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) is expected to simultaneously detect many thousands of low-frequency gravitational wave signals. This presents a data analysis challenge that is very different to the one encountered in ground based gravitational wave astronomy. LISA data analysis requires the identification of individual signals from a data stream containing an unknown number of overlapping signals. Because of the signal overlaps, a global fit to all the signals has to be performed in order to avoid biasing the solution. However, performing such a global fit requires the exploration of an enormous parameter space with a dimension upwards of 50 000. Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods offer a very promising solution to the LISA data analysis problem. MCMC algorithms are able to efficiently explore large parameter spaces, simultaneously providing parameter estimates, error analysis, and even model selection. Here we present the first application of MCMC methods to simulated LISA data and demonstrate the great potential of the MCMC approach. Our implementation uses a generalized F-statistic to evaluate the likelihoods, and simulated annealing to speed convergence of the Markov chains. As a final step we supercool the chains to extract maximum likelihood estimates, and estimates of the Bayes factors for competing models. We find that the MCMC approach is able to correctly identify the number of signals present, extract the source parameters, and return error estimates consistent with Fisher information matrix predictions

[en] The A(e,eiK+)YX reaction on H, D, ³He, and ⁴He was investigated in Hall C at CEBAF. Data were obtained for Q² ∼ 0.35 and 0.5 GeV² at 3.245 GeV. The missing mass spectra for both H and D are fitted with Monte-Carlo simulations incorporating peaks corresponding to Lambda production on the proton and Sigma production on both the proton and neutron. For D, the cross section ratio Sigma⁰/Sigma^- ∼ 2, and excess yield close to the thresholds for Lambda and Sigma production can be attributed to final-state interactions; models are compared to the data. The analysis of the data for the He targets is in a more preliminary state with broader quasi-free peaks resulting from the higher Fermi momenta. Evidence for bound Lambda-hypernuclear states is seen and other structure may be present

[en] Kaon electroproduction on hydrogen, deuterium and helium targets has been measured at a beam energy of 3.245 GeV and four-momentum transfer, Q², ranging from 0.34 to 0.5 GeV². Associated hyperon production off a nucleon in the deuteron exhibits a quasifree production mechanism. Excess yield close to the respective thresholds for Λ and Σ production is observed. This can be accounted for by final-state interaction between the electroproduced hyperon and the spectator nucleon. The effects predicted from three different hyperon-nucleon potentials are compared to the data. The measurement on the helium targets is the first ever performed. Very preliminary results are presented

[en] The A(e,eK+)X reaction has been investigated at Jefferson Laboratory. Data were taken for Q² approx. 0.35 GeV² at a beam energy of 3.245 GeV for 1H,3He and 4He targets. Evidence for Lambda-hypernuclear bound states is seen for 3,4He targets. This is the first time that the electroproduction of these hypernuclei has been observed