11014726
Initial conditions of the universe: how much isocurvature is allowed?
We investigate the constraints imposed by current data on correlated mixtures of adiabatic and nonadiabatic primordial perturbations. We discover subtle flat directions in parameter space that tolerate large (approximately 60%) fractions of nonadiabatic fluctuations. In particular, larger values of the baryon density and a spectral tilt are allowed. The cancellations in the degenerate directions are explored and the role of priors is elucidated.
36591368
Fast and precise map‐making for massively multi‐detector CMB experiments
Future cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarisation experiments aim to measure an unprecedentedly small signal - the primordial gravity wave component of the polarisation field B-mode. To achieve this, they will analyse huge dataset s, involving years worth of timeordered data (TOD) from massively multi-detector focal planes. This creates the need for fast and precise methods to complement the M-L approach in analysis pipelines. In this paper, we investigate fast map-making methods as applied to long duration, massively multi-detector, ground-based experiments, in the context of the search for B-modes. We focus on two alternative map-making approaches: destriping and TOD filtering , comparing their performance on simulated multi-detector polarisation data. We have written an optimised, parallel destriping code, the DEStriping CARTographer (DESCART), that is generalised for massive focal planes, including the potential effect of cross-correlate d TOD 1/f noise. We also determine the scaling of computing time for destriping as applied to a simulated full-season data-set for a realistic experiment. We find that destriping can out-perf orm filtering in estimating both the large-scale E and B-mode angular power spectra. In particular, filtering can produce significant spurious B-mode power via EB mixing. Whilst this can be removed, it contributes to the variance of B-mode bandpower estimates at scales near the primordial B-mode peak. For the experimental configuration we simulate, this has an effect o n the possible detection significance for primordial B-modes. Destriping is a viable alternative fast method to the full M-L approach that does not cause the problems associated with fil tering, and is flexible enough to
889826
Einstein’s Theory of Gravity and the Problem of Missing Mass
Missing Mass Explained? The motion and distribution of galaxies and clusters of galaxies within the universe suggest that there is far more matter than can be seen directly through telescopes. Alternatively, perhaps our understanding of gravity is flawed, leading to a mismatch between the gravitational field inferred from the observed mass distribution in the universe and the observed gravitational field. Ferreira and Starkman (p. 812) review the viability of modifying theories of gravity to solve the problem of missing mass. It emerges that theories of modified gravity remain viable but have become more complex, involving gravitating invisible elements. However, what you see is still not what you get. The observed matter in the universe accounts for just 5% of the observed gravity. A possible explanation is that Newton’s and Einstein’s theories of gravity fail where gravity is either weak or enhanced. The modified theory of Newtonian dynamics (MOND) reproduces, without dark matter, spiral-galaxy orbital motions and the relation between luminosity and rotation in galaxies, although not in clusters. Recent extensions of Einstein’s theory are theoretically more complete. They inevitably include dark fields that seed structure growth, and they may explain recent weak lensing data. However, the presence of dark fields reduces calculability and comes at the expense of the original MOND premise, that the matter we see is the sole source of gravity. Observational tests of the relic radiation, weak lensing, and the growth of structure may distinguish modified gravity from dark matter.
17421918
Living in a void: testing the Copernican principle with distant supernovae.
We show that the local redshift dependence of the luminosity distance can be used to test the Copernican principle that we are not in a central or otherwise special region of the Universe. Future surveys of type Ia supernovae that focus on a redshift range of approximately 0.1-0.4 will be ideally suited to observationally determine the validity of the Copernican principle on new scales, as well as probing the degree to which dark energy must be considered a necessary ingredient in the Universe.
119285987
Cosmology of Axions and Moduli: A Dynamical Systems Approach
xed point attractors, repellers and saddle points, which we analyse in detail. We also provide geometric interpretations of the phase space. The xed points can be used to bound the couplings in the model. A systematic scan of certain regions of parameter space reveals that the future evolution of the universe in this model can be rich, containing multiple epochs of accelerated expansion.
9420614
The Trispectrum of the 4 Year COBE DMR Data
We propose an estimator for the trispectrum of a scalar random field on a sphere, discuss its geometrical and statistical properties, and outline its implementation. By estimating the trispectrum of the 4 yr COBE Differential Microwave Radiometer experiment data (in HEALPix pixelization), we find new evidence of a non-Gaussian signal associated with a known systematic effect. We find that by removing data from the sky maps for those periods of time perturbed by this effect, the amplitudes of the trispectrum coefficients become completely consistent with predictions for a Gaussian sky. These results reinforce the importance of statistical methods based in harmonic space for quantifying non-Gaussianity.
12191340
Charge breaking bounds in the Zee model
We study the possibility that charge breaking (CB) minima occur in the Zee model. We reach very different conclusions from those attained in simpler, two Higgs doublet models, and the reason for this is traced back to the existence of cubic terms in the potential. A scan of the Zee model's parameter space shows that CB is restricted to a narrow region of values of the parameters.
118480062
Landau-Ginzburg Chern-Simons model with Ue(1)xUg(1) Gauge Symmetry and Internal Pseudo-Photons
In this article it is studied, at variational level, a mathematical setup given by the Landau-Ginzburg Chern-Simons model for anyons in 2+1-dimensions within the framework of dimensional reduced Ue(1)xUg(1) extended electromagnetism with both vector gauge fields (photons) and pseudo-vector gauge fields (pseudo-photons) such that both magnetic and electric vortexes coexist in the planar system. This model exhibits explicit planar P and T discrete symmetries being the Hall conductivity consistently a tensor and the Dirac quantization on the electric and magnetic coupling constants is equivalent to the quantization of magnetic flux. It is also discussed a thickening to 4-dimensions of the model with explicit 4-dimensional P violation which allows either for electric and magnetic charge separation, either for the Meissner effect. Although mathematically consistent, the electromagnetic field content for this model does not coincide with the standard Hall effect being present an extra orthogonal electric and longitudinal magnetic fields.
118844551
An expanding locally anisotropic (ELA) metric describing matter in an expanding universe
Abstract It is suggested an expanding locally anisotropic metric (ELA) ansatz describing matter in a flat expanding universe which interpolates between the Schwarzschild (SC) metric near point-like central bodies of mass M and the Robertson–Walker (RW) metric for large radial coordinate: d s 2 = Z c 2 d t 2 − 1 Z ( d r 1 − H r 1 c Z α 2 + 1 2 c d t ) 2 − r 1 2 d Ω , where Z = 1 − U SC with U SC = 2 G M / ( c 2 r 1 ) , G is the Newton constant, c is the speed of light, H = H ( t ) = a ˙ / a is the time-dependent Hubble rate, d Ω = d θ 2 + sin 2 θ d φ 2 is the solid angle element, a is the universe scale factor and we are employing the coordinates r 1 = a r , being r the radial coordinate for which the RW metric is diagonal. For constant exponent α = α 0 = 0 it is retrieved the isotropic McVittie (McV) metric and for α = α 0 = 1 it is retrieved the locally anisotropic Cosmological-Schwarzschild (SCS) metric, both already discussed in the literature. However it is shown that only for constant exponent α = α 0 > 1 exists an event horizon at the SC radius r 1 = 2 G M / c 2 and only for α = α 0 ⩾ 3 space–time is singularity free for this value of the radius. These bounds exclude the previous existing metrics, for which the SC radius is a naked extended singularity. In addition it is shown that for α = α 0 > 5 space–time is approximately Ricci flat in a neighborhood of the event horizon such that the SC metric is a good approximation in this neighborhood. It is further shown that to strictly maintain the SC mass-pole at the origin r 1 = 0 without the presence of more severe singularities it is required a radial coordinate-dependent correction to the exponent α ( r 1 ) = α 0 + α 1 2 G M / ( c 2 r 1 ) with a negative coefficient α 1 0 . The energy-momentum density, pressures and equation of state are discussed.
15523763
Canonical Functional Quantization of Pseudo‐Photons in Planar Systems
Extended Ue(1)×Ug(1) electromagnetism containing both a photon and a pseudo‐photon is introduced at the variational level and is justified by the violation of the Bianchi identities in conceptual systems, either in the presence of magnetic monopoles or non‐regular external fields, not being accounted for by the standard Maxwell Lagrangian. A dimensional reduction is carried out that yields a Ue(1)×Ug(1) Maxwell‐BF type theory and a canonical functional quantization in planar systems is considered which may be relevant in Hall systems.
117960699
The CP-conserving 2HDM after the 8 TeV run
We confront the most common CP-conserving 2HDM with the LHC data analysed so far while taking into account all previously available experimental data. A special allowed corner of the parameter space is analysed - the so-called wrong-sign scenario where the Higgs coupling to down-type quarks changes sign relative to the Standard Model while the coupling to the massive vector bosons does not.