The Qweak experiment has precisely determined the weak charge of the proton Qp w by measuring the parity-violating asymmetry in elastic electron-proton scattering at a low momentum transfer of Q2 = 0.0249 (GeV/c)2 . Qpw has a definite prediction in the Standard Model, and a value of sin2 θW can be extracted from it for comparison with other neutral current observables. Qweak measured the weak charge of the proton to be Qpw(P V ES) = 0.0719 ± 0.0045, which is consistent with the Standard Model value of Qp w(SM) = 0.0708 ± 0.0003. Qweak ran at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility for two and a half years and was installed in experimental Hall C. A 180µA beam of longitudinally polarized electrons at 1.16 GeV scattered off a liquid hydrogen target of unpolarized protons. The electrons were collimated to an acceptance of 5.8◦ to 11.6◦ and then passed through a magnetic spectrometer and onto quartz Čerenkov detector bars. A detailed description of the theory and motivation behind the Qweak experiment is given. An overview of the Qweak apparatus and an in-depth discussion of the luminosity monitor performance is presented. A general overview of the Qweak analysis is also presented, with a focus on the beamline background correction, the nonlinearity measurement, and the simulation to constrain error for a rescattering effect. Also detailed here is the final, unblinded Qweak result, which determined Qpw to 6.2% and provided the highest precision measurement of sin2θW at low energy. / PHD / Q_weak is a precision-frontier accelerator driven experiment that took place at Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. Precision-frontier exists alongside the better known energy-frontier (which includes well known labs like the Large Hadron Collider) and refers to experiments which precisely measure values which are predicted by the latest theory. Deviations in these measurements help rule out theories and are used by energy-frontier experiments to know where to look for new physics. The Q_weak experiment measured the weak charge of the proton, which can be though of as the weak analog to electric charge. This value has never been measured before, and, since it is predicted to be small by current theory, is a good place to look for new physics. The value measured by this experiment indicates good agreement with the current theory. Even though there is good agreement with theory, Q_weak is an important result which will help define future physics models. In this thesis is an overview of the theoretical motivation of Q_weak, a general overview of the experimental design, in-depth discussion of the background detectors, general overview of the analysis with detailed descriptions of the several important corrections.

This paper examines the long-run relationship between exchange rates and prices in ten countries in Southwest Asia, Africa, and the Pacific Rim for the post-Bretton Woods period. It uses cointegration tests to investigate the thesis that relative purchasing power parity exists as a long-run equilibrium condition between country-pairs. It expands upon tests for relative purchasing power parity suggested by previous authors by pretesting price index time series for structural breaks, in addition to pretesting the price indices and exchange rates for compatible stochastic properties. It compares the results of conventional cointegration tests for parity with a weaker form of the relationship suggested by Pippenger (1993) and Patel (1990), and finally, examines purchasing power parity by testing real bilateral exchange rates for stationarity. / Master of Arts

Portfolio optimization is a process in which the capital is allocated among the portfolio assets such that the return on investment is maximized while the risk is minimized. Portfolio construction and optimization is a complex process and has been an active research area in finance for a long time. For the portfolios with highly correlated assets, the performance of traditional risk-based asset allocation methods such as, the mean-variance (MV) method is limited because it requires an inversion of the covariance matrix of the portfolio to distribute weight among the portfolio assets. Alternatively, a hierarchical clustering-based machine learning method can provide a possible solution to these limitations in portfolio construction because it uses hierarchical relationships between the covariance of assets in a portfolio to distribute the weight and an inversion of the covariance matrix is not required. A comparison of the performance and analyses of the difference in weight distribution of two optimization strategies, the traditional MV method and the hierarchical risk parity method (HRP), which is a machine learning method, on real price historical data has been performed. Also, a comparison of the performance of a simple non-optimization technique called the equal-weight (EW) method to the two optimization methods, the Mean-variance method and HRP method has also been performed. This research supports the idea that HRP is a feasible method to construct portfolios with correlated assets because the performance of HRP is comparable to the performances of the traditional optimization method and the non-optimization method.

The first Chapter investigates Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) price convergence across U.S. states using a 1963-2018 panel dataset. We focus on precise measurements of the convergence rate towards PPP. The methodological sequence includes a benchmark AR (1) model, corrected for cross-sectional dependence and assessments for cross-sectional heterogeneity, yielding a more rapid rate of convergence via unbiased estimations of price level convergence. Specifically, in our major price-level indicator, we find a mean reversion rate of 3.29 years after correcting for cross-sectional dependence, as against 12.12 years before the correction. In addition, we examined the possibility of some states in certain region exhibiting faster price convergence relative to the others. We find a slower convergence rate in the Northern states relative to Southern states. Chapter two investigates the transmission of monetary policy into financial markets during the COVID-19 pandemic, examining the impact on interest rates, exchange rates, stock market indices, and long-term government bond yields across 17 advanced economies. Leveraging panel data spanning from 2002 to 2022, we employ interacted panel vector autoregression (PVAR) methodology to analyze differences in policy transmission between the pandemic period and normal times. Our findings indicate that the emergence of pandemic has weakened the transmission of monetary policy to financial markets to a large extent. Thus we see a notable difference in the effectiveness of conventional monetary policy during the pandemic, with policy rate changes exhibiting diminished impact on financial market variables compared to normal times. We attribute this divergence to heightened uncertainty, cautious investor behavior, and the unprecedented economic complexities brought about by the pandemic. Chapter three examines the persistence of productivity shocks across different U.S. states, employing the autoregressive coefficient to measure the extent to which past productivity levels influence current levels. The methodological sequence includes a benchmark AR (1) model, correction for cross-sectional dependence via the Dynamic Common Correlated Effects Model (DCCE), and assessments for cross-sectional heterogeneity. Our analysis reveals significant variation among states, with Pennsylvania displaying very high persistence and Virginia much lower persistence when using Minnesota as the numeraire. We also examine the half-life of productivity shocks, defined as the time required for the impact of a shock to reduce by half. Pennsylvania's half-life of 22.34 years suggests highly persistent shocks, whereas Virginia's 0.76 years indicates rapid dissipation. Minnesota's half-life is 1.93 years, providing a reference point for the comparison.

付記する学位プログラム名: 京都大学卓越大学院プログラム「先端光・電子デバイス創成学」 / 京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(理学) / 甲第25103号 / 理博第5010号 / 新制||理||1715(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院理学研究科物理学・宇宙物理学専攻 / (主査)教授 柳瀬 陽一, 教授 石田 憲二, 准教授 北川 俊作 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Agricultural Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

Atomic parity violation measurements provide a way to probe physics beyond the Standard Model. They can provide constraints on conjectures of a massive Z′ bosonor a light boson, or searches of dark energy. Using the two-pathway coherent control technique, our group plans to make a new measurement of the weak interaction induced parity non-conservation (PNC) transition moment (<i>E_PNC</i>) on the cesium 6S→7S transition. We will coherently interfere a 2-photon transition with the Stark and PNC transitions to amplify and extract the PNC amplitude. Previously, our lab has measured the magnetic dipole transition moment on the same 6S→7S transition to about 0.4% uncertainty using this technique. In this dissertation, I discuss improvements made to the system, and review what future upgrades are needed for a new<i> E</i>_{<i>PNC </i>}measurement. Key systematics are also described. For an accurate determination of <i>E_PNC</i>, properties of cesium such as the scalar (<i>α</i>) and vector (<i>β</i>) transition polarizabilities are needed. I present improved determinations of keyelectric dipole matrix elements, and calculate new high precision determinations of <i>α</i> and <i>β</i>. Finally, using <i>β</i> and the previously measured value of <i>E_PNC/β</i>, I calculate new values for the weak charge of the cesium nucleus Q_w.<br>

Window decoding schedules are very attractive for message passing decoding of spatially coupled LDPC codes. They take advantage of the inherent convolutional code structure and allow continuous transmission with low decoding latency and complexity. In this paper we show that the decoding complexity can be further reduced if suitable message passing schedules are applied within the decoding window. An improvement based schedule is presented that easily adapts to different ensemble structures, window sizes, and channel parameters. Its combination with a serial (on-demand) schedule is also considered. Results from a computer search based schedule are shown for comparison.

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Professors Bela Balassa and Paul Samuelson (1964) have made a significant contribution to the theories of exchange rate by bringing a new thinking to the most popular exchange rate model, Purchasing Power Parity (PPP). They have elucidated the contribution of productivity in the determination of PPP. Accordingly, the emphasis of this thesis is Balassa and Samuelson’s Productivity Bias Hypothesis (PBH) in Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) and the application thereof to South Africa and Switzerland for the period 1994Q1 -2003Q4. The productivity bias hypothesis that explains real exchange rate movements in terms of sectoral productivities rests on two components: firstly, it implies that the relative price of non-traded goods in each country should reflect the relative productivity of labour in the traded and non-traded goods sectors. Secondly, it assumes that purchasing power parity holds for traded goods. The deviation of PPP from the equilibrium exchange rate or the real exchange rate is directly related to the ratio of productivity in a counter country over that of the base country. With inter-country productivity differences believed to be smaller in the service sector than in the sectors producing goods and with the prices of traded goods equalised through arbitrage, the relative prices of non-traded goods (services) would be directly correlated with productivity levels in individual countries. The thesis employs stationarity and cointegration tests in order to determine the presence of long-term, equilibrium, relationship between PPP and productivity variables of the above-mentioned two countries. The overall finding of this thesis is supportive of the productivity bias hypothesis in purchasing power parity concerning the two countries, South Africa and Switzerland. Accordingly, it has been found out that the deviation from equilibrium exchange rate can be explained by differences in productivity. Though currently being challenged by the service sector, South Africa’s manufacturing sector is assuming an important place in the economy. Given the need for improved competitiveness in the manufacturing sector, it is imperative that policy analysis and formulation render increased emphasis on efficiency and costeffectiveness. Such an integrated approach may aid not only in raising productivity but also in managing the intertwined socio-economic challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.

Le Modèle Standard, qui décrit les interactions entre les particules à l’échelle quantique, est une théorie imparfaite. Il possède plusieurs problèmes théoriques non-résolus et ne permet pas d’expliquer certaines observations astrophysiques comme celles de la matière noire et de l’asymétrie baryonique. Plusieurs théories, dites au-delà du Modèle Standard, ont été proposées afin de résoudre certains de ces problèmes, et une grande partie d’entre elles prévoient l’apparition de nouveaux phénomènes à haute énergie. L’objectif principal de cette thèse est de rechercher ces phénomènes dans les collisions proton-proton produites par le Large Hadron Collider à une énergie de centre de masse de 13 TeV. Une partie des travaux présentés dans cette thèse a en particulier été dédiée à la recherche de processus de production de quarks top de même signe, c’est-à-dire de même charge électrique, qui sont prédits par des modèles de supersymétrie à R-parité violée. Ces processus engendrent des évènements composés de leptons de même charge accompagnés de b-jets, lesquels ont l’avantage d’être faiblement contaminer par le bruit de fond provenant du Modèle Standard.Les travaux présentés dans cette thèse ont essentiellement porté sur deux analyses, chacune recherchant des phénomènes de nouvelle physique de nature différente dans les évènements composés de leptons de même charge dans les données enregistrées par le détecteur ATLAS. Une première analyse a porté sur la recherche de processus supersymétriques sur les données enregistrées en 2015 et en 2016 avec 36.1 fb$^{-1}$ de luminosité intégrée. Des signaux de production de quarks top de même signe ont été implémentés en se basant sur des processus supersymétriques violant la R-parité, et des régions de signal associées à ces processus ont été optimisées. Une deuxième analyse a porté sur la recherche de processus non-supersymétriques, dits exotiques, dans les données enregistrées en 2015 avec 3.2 fb$^{-1}$ de luminosité intégrée. Cette analyse a surtout été motivée par les résultats obtenus à 8 TeV, dans lesquels un modeste excès de nombre d’évènements par rapport aux prédictions du Modèle Standard a été observé dans deux régions de signal. Une partie des études relatives à cette analyse a été dédiée au développement et à la validation des méthodes d’estimation des différentes sources de bruit de fond.Aucune déviation par rapport aux prédictions du Modèle Standard n’a été observée dans chacune des régions de signal considérées dans les deux analyses. L’excès qui avait été observé dans les résultats obtenus à 8 TeV n’est donc pas confirmé. Des limites d’exclusion sur les modèles de nouvelle physique ont de plus été extraites à partir des résultats obtenus, en particulier sur les modèles de supersymétrie à R-parité violée utilisés pour produire les processus de production de quarks top de même signe. / The Standard Model, which describes the particle interactions at quantum level, is an imperfect theory. It has several theoretical problems and is unable to explain astrophysical observations like the dark matter and the baryonic asymmetry of the universe. Several beyond-standard models have been proposed to solve some of these issues, and predict new-physics phenomena at high energy. The aim of this thesis is to search for these phenomena in proton-proton collisions produced by the Large Hadron Collider at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. Part of the studies presented in this thesis was dedicated to the search for production of same-sign top quarks based on R-parity violating supersymmetric models. These processes lead to a signature of same-sign leptons and b-jets, which have the advantage to be lowly contaminated by the Standard Model background.The studies presented in this thesis focused on two analyses, both searching for new-physics phenomena of different nature in same-sign leptons events in data recorded by the ATLAS detector. A first analysis focused on supersymmetric processes with data recorded in 2015 and in 2016 with 36.1 fb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity. Same-sign top quarks signals were implemented using R-parity violating supersymmetric processes, and signal regions associated to these processes were optimized. A second analysis focused on exotic (non-supersymmetric) processes with data recorded in 2015 with 3.2 fb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity. This analysis was motivated by a modest excess seen in two signal regions in the 8 TeV results. Several studies were focused on the development and the validation of background estimation methods.No deviations from the Standard Model predictions were observed the signal regions considered in both analyses. The 8 TeV excess is therefore not confirmed with the most recent data. Exclusion limits on new-physics models were extracted, in particular for the R-parity violating supersymmetric models that were used to produce the same-sign top quarks processes.