53355700
The impact of kinetic effects on the properties of relativistic electron?positron shocks
We assess the impact of non-thermally shock-accelerated particles on the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) jump conditions of relativistic shocks. The adiabatic constant is calculated directly from first-principles particle-in-cell simulation data, enabling a semi-kinetic approach to improve the standard fluid model and allowing for an identification of the key parameters that define the shock structure. We find that the evolving upstream parameters have a stronger impact than the corrections due to non-thermal particles. We find that the decrease in the upstream bulk speed result in deviations from the standard MHD model up to 10%. Furthermore, we obtain a quantitative definition of the shock transition region from our analysis. For Weibel-mediated shocks the inclusion of a magnetic field in the MHD conservation equations is addressed for the first time.
1541538
Weibel-instability-mediated collisionless shocks in the laboratory with ultraintense lasers.
The formation of nonrelativistic collisionless shocks in the laboratory with ultrahigh intensity lasers is studied via ab initio multidimensional particle-in-cell simulations. The microphysics behind shock formation and dissipation and the detailed shock structure are analyzed, illustrating that the Weibel instability plays a crucial role in the generation of strong subequipartition magnetic fields that isotropize the incoming flow and lead to the formation of a collisionless shock, similar to what occurs in astrophysical scenarios. The possibility of generating such collisionless shocks in the laboratory opens the way to the direct study of the physics associated with astrophysical shocks.
12875278
Near-GeV-energy laser-wakefield acceleration of self-injected electrons in a centimeter-scale plasma channel.
The first three-dimensional, particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations of laser-wakefield acceleration of self-injected electrons in a 0.84 cm long plasma channel are reported. The frequency evolution of the initially 50 fs (FWHM) long laser pulse by photon interaction with the wake followed by plasma dispersion enhances the wake which eventually leads to self-injection of electrons from the channel wall. This first bunch of electrons remains spatially highly localized. Its phase space rotation due to slippage with respect to the wake leads to a monoenergetic bunch of electrons with a central energy of 0.26 GeV after 0.55 cm propagation. At later times, spatial bunching of the laser enhances the acceleration of a second bunch of electrons to energies up to 0.84 GeV before the laser pulse intensity is significantly reduced.
121799036
Modeling of laser wakefield acceleration in the Lorentz boosted frame using OSIRIS and UPIC framework
We examine numerical issues related to modeling laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA) in a Lorentz boosted frame. We present some theoretical results on a numerical instability that results from a relativistic plasma drift on a grid. We compare these predictions with results obtained from a finite difference time domain (FDTD) code OSIRIS and a spectral (FFT) time domain code UPIC. Consistent with the theoretical predictions, it is found that the spectral solver has advantages for mitigating the numerical instability when compared against some prevailing (FDTD) solvers. We also compared using finite difference or spectral field solvers in simplified 2D LWFA simulations using a plane wave for the laser. We find that the use of the spectral solver has advantages for mitigating the numerical instability induced by the relativistically drifting plasma.
118459210
A Bright Spatially-Coherent Compact X-ray Synchrotron Source
Author(s): Kneip, S; McGuffey, C; Martins, JL; Martins, SF; Bellei, C; Chvykov, V; Dollar, F; Fonseca, R; Huntington, C; Kalintchenko, G; Maksimchuk, A; Mangles, SPD; Matsuoka, T; Nagel, SR; Palmer, C; Schreiber, J; Phuoc, K Ta; Thomas, AGR; Yanovsky, V; Silva, LO; Krushelnick, K; Najmudin, Z | Abstract: Each successive generation of x-ray machines has opened up new frontiers in science, such as the first radiographs and the determination of the structure of DNA. State-of-the-art x-ray sources can now produce coherent high brightness keV x-rays and promise a new revolution in imaging complex systems on nanometre and femtosecond scales. Despite the demand, only a few dedicated synchrotron facilities exist worldwide, partially due the size and cost of conventional (accelerator) technology. Here we demonstrate the use of a recently developed compact laser-plasma accelerator to produce a well-collimated, spatially-coherent, intrinsically ultrafast source of hard x-rays. This method reduces the size of the synchrotron source from the tens of metres to centimetre scale, accelerating and wiggling a high electron charge simultaneously. This leads to a narrow-energy spread electron beam and x-ray source that is g1000 times brighter than previously reported plasma wiggler and thus has the potential to facilitate a myriad of uses across the whole spectrum of light-source applications.
2877366
Very high Mach-number electrostatic shocks in collisionless plasmas.
The kinetic theory of collisionless electrostatic shocks resulting from the collision of plasma slabs with different temperatures and densities is presented. The theoretical results are confirmed by self-consistent particle-in-cell simulations, revealing the formation and stable propagation of electrostatic shocks with very high Mach numbers (M>>10), well above the predictions of the classical theories for electrostatic shocks.
118698479
Supersymmetric SO(10)-inspired GUTs with sliding scales
This work has been supported in part by EU Network Grant No. UNILHC PITN-GA-2009-237920. M. H. also acknowledges support from the Spanish MICINN Grants No. FPA2011-22975, No. MULTIDARK CSD2009-00064 and by the Generalitat Valenciana Grant No. Prometeo/2009/091. The work of R. M. F has been supported by Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia through the fellowship SFRH/BD/47795/2008. R. M. F. and J. C. R. also acknowledge the financial support from Grants No. CFTP-FCT UNIT 777, No. CERN/FP/123580/2011 and No. PTDC/FIS/102120/2008.
31040253
Calculating the renormalisation group equations of a SUSY model with Susyno
Susyno is a Mathematica package dedicated to the computation of the 2-loop renormalisation group equations of a supersymmetric model based on any gauge group (the only exception being multiple U(1) groups) and for any field content. Supersymmetry (SUSY) is an elegant and well known extension of the Standard Model (SM) which aims at solving or softening some of the SM theoretical and experimental shortcomings. Supersymmetric models based on Grand Unified Theories (GUTs) offer the appealing feature of being described by a unique gauge group and coupling constant; furthermore, the potential new superfields, as well as their dynamics, can provide answers to fundamental problems. For example SO(10) based models offer a natural explanation for neutrino masses and mixings via a type-I seesaw. This occurs since the spinor representation of the group contains a SM singlet superfield (with the appropriate quantum numbers). Even larger and/or more complex groups are often considered, for example E6 in string inspired models. The analysis of the theoretical and phenomenological implications of SUSY GUT models requires a careful study of the evolution of the fundamental parameters from the high-energy scale down to the electroweak scale, at which observables are computed and constraints applied. As such, knowledge of the renormalisation group equations (RGEs) is necessary. Although the RGEs of several models (e.g., MSSM, NMSSM) are already known [1, 3], for other SUSY extensions of the SM complicated general equations must be used [1, 2]. Here we describe Susyno, a Mathematica-based package that addresses this issue. The program takes as input the gauge group, the representations (i.e., the chiral superfield content), the number of flavours/copies 1 of each representation, and any abelian discrete symmetries (e.g., R-parity). Susyno then constructs the most general superpotential and soft SUSY breaking Lagrangian consistent with the field content and symmetries imposed. Once these elements have been derived, Susyno then computes the 2-loop �-functions of all the parameters of the model, which is its main output.
118680546
Revisiting the $\Gamma(K \to e \nu)/\Gamma(K \to \mu \nu)$ ratio in supersymmetric unified models
It has been pointed out that supersymmetric extensions of the Standard Model can induce significant changes to the theoretical prediction of the ratio $\Gamma(K\rightarrow e\nu)/\Gamma (K\rightarrow\mu\nu)\equiv R_{K}$, through lepton flavour violating couplings. In this work we carry out a full computation of all one-loop corrections to the relevant $\nu\ell H^{+}$ vertex, and discuss the new contributions to $R_{K}$ arising in the context of different constrained (minimal supergravity inspired) models which succeed in accounting for neutrino data, further considering the possibility of accommodating a near future observation of a $\mu\to e\gamma$ transition. We also re-evaluate the prospects for $R_{K}$ in the framework of unconstrained supersymmetric models. In all cases, we address the question of whether it is possible to saturate the current experimental sensitivity on $R_{K}$ while in agreement with the recent limits on $B$-meson decay observables (in particular BR($B_{s}\to\mu^+\mu^-$) and R($B_{u}\to\tau\nu$)), as well as BR($\tau\to e \gamma$) and available collider constraints. Our findings reveal that in view of the recent bounds, and even when enhanced by effective sources of flavour violation in the right-handed $\tilde{e}-\tilde{\tau}$ sector, constrained supersymmetric (seesaw) models typically provide excessively small contributions to $R_{K}$. Larger contributions can be found in more general settings, where the charged Higgs mass can be effectively lowered, and even further enhanced in the unconstrained MSSM. However, our analysis clearly shows that even in this last case SUSY contributions to $R_{K}$ are still unable to saturate the current experimental bounds on this observable, especially due to a strong tension with the $B_{u}\to\tau\nu$ bound.
118081166
Renormalization in supersymmetric models
There are reasons to believe that the Standard Model is only an effective theory, with new Physics lying beyond it. Supersymmetric extensions are one possibility: they address some of the Standard Model's shortcomings, such as the instability of the Higgs boson mass under radiative corrections. In this thesis, some topics related to the renormalization of supersymmetric models are analyzed. One of them is the automatic computation of the Lagrangian and the renormalization group equations of these models, which is a hard and error-prone process if carried out by hand. The generic renormalization group equations themselves are extended so as to include those models which have more than a single abelian gauge factor group. Such situations can occur in grand unified theories, for example. For a wide range of SO(10)-inspired supersymmetric models, we also show that the renormalization group imprints on sparticle masses some information on the higher energies behavior of the models. Finally, in some cases these theories introduce charged lepton flavor violating interactions, which can change the ratio $\Gamma\left(K\rightarrow e\nu\right)/\Gamma\left(K\rightarrow\mu\nu\right)$. In light of experimental bounds on other observables, our analysis shows that any change over the Standard Model prediction must be smaller than the current experimental sensitivity on this observable.
199681250
Running soft parameters in SUSY models with multiple U(1) gauge factors
The two-loop renormalization group equations for the parameters of softly broken supersymmetric gauge theories given in the literature are generalized to the case when the gauge group contains more than a single abelian factor. This contribution to the proceedings of the DISCRETE 2012 symposium is based on reference [1].