PyCOOL - a Cosmological Object-Oriented Lattice code written in Python

Abstract: There are a number of different phenomena in the early universe that have to be studied numerically with lattice simulations. This paper presents a graphics processing unit (GPU) accelerated Python program called PyCOOL that solves the evolution of scalar fields in a lattice with very precise symplectic integrators. The program has been written with the intention to hit a sweet spot of speed, accuracy and user friendliness. This has been achieved by using the Python language with the PyCUDA interface to make a program that is easy to adapt to different scalar field models. In this paper we derive the symplectic dynamics that govern the evolution of the system and then present the implementation of the program in Python and PyCUDA. The functionality of the program is tested in a chaotic inflation preheating model, a single field oscillon case and in a supersymmetric curvaton model which leads to Q-ball production. We have also compared the performance of a consumer graphics card to a professional Tesla compute card in these simulations. We find that the program is not only accurate but also very fast. To further increase the usefulness of the program we have equipped it with numerous post-processing functions that provide useful information about the cosmological model. These include various spectra and statistics of the fields. The program can be additionally used to calculate the generated curvature perturbation. The program is publicly available under GNU General Public License at https://github.com/jtksai/PyCOOL . Some additional information can be found from http://www.physics.utu.fi/tiedostot/theory/particlecosmology/pycool/ .

early universe
https://github.com/jtksai/pycool
pycool


cosmoabc: Likelihood-free inference via Population Monte Carlo Approximate Bayesian Computation

Abstract: Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC) enables parameter inference for complex physical systems in cases where the true likelihood function is unknown, unavailable, or computationally too expensive. It relies on the forward simulation of mock data and comparison between observed and synthetic catalogues. Here we present cosmoabc, a Python ABC sampler featuring a Population Monte Carlo (PMC) variation of the original ABC algorithm, which uses an adaptive importance sampling scheme. The code is very flexible and can be easily coupled to an external simulator, while allowing to incorporate arbitrary distance and prior functions. As an example of practical application, we coupled cosmoabc with the numcosmo library and demonstrate how it can be used to estimate posterior probability distributions over cosmological parameters based on measurements of galaxy clusters number counts without computing the likelihood function. cosmoabc is published under the GPLv3 license on PyPI and GitHub and documentation is available at http://goo.gl/SmB8EX


No evidence for anomalously low variance circles on the sky

Abstract: In a recent paper, Gurzadyan Penrose claim to have found directions on the sky centred on which are circles of anomalously low variance in the cosmic microwave background (CMB). These features are presented as evidence for a particular picture of the very early Universe. We attempted to repeat the analysis of these authors, and we can indeed confirm that such variations do exist in the temperature variance for annuli around points in the data. However, we find that this variation is entirely expected in a sky which contains the usual CMB anisotropies. In other words, properly simulated Gaussian CMB data contain just the sorts of variations claimed. Gurzadyan Penrose have not found evidence for pre-Big Bang phenomena, but have simply re-discovered that the CMB contains structure.


Flavor Oscillation Modes In Dense Neutrino Media

Abstract: We study two-flavor neutrino oscillations in homogeneous neutrino gases in which neutrinos and anti-neutrinos are in nearly pure weak interaction states initially. We find that the monopole and dipole oscillation modes can trigger flavor instabilities in the opposite neutrino mass hierarchies in a nearly isotropic neutrino gas. For a class of simple neutrino systems we are able to identify the normal modes of neutrino oscillations in the linear regime. Our results provide new insights into the recently discovered multi-azimuthal angle (MAA) instability of neutrino oscillations in supernovae.

axial symmetry
neutrino-neutrino interaction
flavor conversion
multi-azimuthal-angle instability


Cosmological diagrammatic rules

Abstract: A simple set of diagrammatic rules is formulated for perturbative evaluation of “in-in" correlators, as is needed in cosmology and other nonequilibrium problems. These rules are both intuitive, and efficient for calculational purposes.

diagrammatic rule
correlator
in-in formalism


Dusty Planetary Systems

Abstract: Extensive photometric stellar surveys show that many main sequence stars show emission at infrared and longer wavelengths that is in excess of the stellar photosphere; this emission is thought to arise from circumstellar dust. The presence of dust disks is confirmed by spatially resolved imaging at infrared to millimeter wavelengths (tracing the dust thermal emission), and at optical to near infrared wavelengths (tracing the dust scattered light). Because the expected lifetime of these dust particles is much shorter than the age of the stars (>10 Myr), it is inferred that this solid material not primordial, i.e. the remaining from the placental cloud of gas and dust where the star was born, but instead is replenished by dust-producing planetesimals. These planetesimals are analogous to the asteroids, comets and Kuiper Belt objects (KBOs) in our Solar system that produce the interplanetary dust that gives rise to the zodiacal light (tracing the inner component of the Solar system debris disk). The presence of these "debris disks" around stars with a wide range of masses, luminosities, and metallicities, with and without binary companions, is evidence that planetesimal formation is a robust process that can take place under a wide range of conditions. This chapter is divided in two parts. Part I discusses how the study of the Solar system debris disk and the study of debris disks around other stars can help us learn about the formation, evolution and diversity of planetary systems by shedding light on the frequency and timing of planetesimal formation, the location and physical properties of the planetesimals, the presence of long-period planets, and the dynamical and collisional evolution of the system. Part II reviews the physical processes that affect dust particles in the gas-free environment of a debris disk and their effect on the dust particle size and spatial distribution.


Big-Bounce with Finite-time Singularity: The F(R) Gravity Description

Abstract: An alternative to the Big Bang cosmologies is obtained by the Big Bounce cosmologies. In this paper, we study a bounce cosmology with a Type IV singularity occurring at the bouncing point, in the context of F(R) modified gravity. We investigate the evolution of the Hubble radius and we examine the issue of primordial cosmological perturbations in detail. As we demonstrate, for the singular bounce, the primordial perturbations originating from the cosmological era near the bounce, do not produce a scale invariant spectrum and also the short wavelength modes, after these exit the horizon, do not freeze, but grow linearly with time. After presenting the cosmological perturbations study, we discuss the viability of the singular bounce model, and our results indicate that the singular bounce must be combined with another cosmological scenario, or should be modified appropriately, in order that it leads to a viable cosmology. The study of the slow-roll parameters leads to the same result, indicating the singular bounce theory is unstable at the singularity point, for certain values of the parameters. We also conformally transform the Jordan frame singular bounce, and as we demonstrate, the Einstein frame metric leads to a Big Rip singularity. Therefore, the Type IV singularity in the Jordan frame, becomes a Big Rip singularity in the Einstein frame. Finally, we briefly study a generalized singular cosmological model, which contains two Type IV singularities, with quite appealing features.

finite-time singularity
cosmology
singular bounce
primordial perturbation


Confirmation of Asymmetric Iron Absorption in WASP-76b with HARPS

Abstract: Hot Jupiters are predicted to have hot, clear daysides and cooler, cloudy nightsides. Recently, an asymmetric signature of iron absorption has been resolved in the transmission spectrum of WASP-76b using ESPRESSO on ESO's Very large Telescope. This feature is interpreted as being due to condensation of iron on the nightside, resulting in a different absorption signature from the evening than from the morning limb of the planet. It represents the first time that a chemical gradient has been observed across the surface of a single exoplanet. In this work, we confirm the presence of the asymmetric iron feature using archival HARPS data of four transits. The detection shows that such features can also be resolved by observing multiple transits on smaller telescopes. By increasing the number of planets where these condensation features are detected, we can make chemical comparisons between exoplanets and map condensation across a range of parameters for the first time.


Efficient sampling of fast and slow cosmological parameters

Abstract: Physical parameters are often constrained from the data likelihoods using sampling methods. Changing some parameters can be much more computationally expensive (`slow') than changing other parameters (`fast parameters'). I describe a method for decorrelating fast and slow parameters so that parameter sampling in the full space becomes almost as efficient as sampling in the slow subspace when the covariance is well known and the distributions are simple. This gives a large reduction in computational cost when there are many fast parameters. The method can also be combined with a fast 'dragging' method proposed by Neal (2005) that can be more robust and efficient when parameters cannot be fully decorrelated a priori or have more complicated dependencies. I illustrate these methods for the case of cosmological parameter estimation using data likelihoods from the Planck satellite observations with dozens of fast nuisance parameters, and demonstrate a speed up by a factor of five or more. In more complicated cases, especially where the fast subspace is very fast but complex or highly correlated, the fast-slow sampling methods can in principle give arbitrarily large performance gains. The new samplers are implemented in the latest version of the publicly available CosmoMC code.


Is there a Size Difference between Red and Blue Globular Clusters?

Abstract: Blue (metal-poor) globular clusters are observed to have half-light radii that are 20 this enhancement is not clear and differences in either the luminosity function or in the actual size of the clusters have been proposed. I analyze a set of dynamically self-consistent Monte Carlo globular cluster simulations to determine the origin of this enhancement. I find that my simulated blue clusters have larger half-light radii due to differences in the luminosity functions of metal-poor and metal-rich stars. I find that the blue clusters can also be physically larger, but only if they have a substantial number of black holes heating their central regions. In this case the difference between half-light radii is significantly larger than observed. I conclude that the observed difference in half-light radii between red and blue globular clusters is due to differences in their luminosity functions and that half-light radius is not a reliable proxy for cluster size.


Local instabilities in magnetized rotational flows: A short-wavelength approach

Abstract: We perform a local stability analysis of rotational flows in the presence of a constant vertical magnetic field and an azimuthal magnetic field with a general radial dependence. Employing the short-wavelength approximation we develop a unified framework for the investigation of the standard, the helical, and the azimuthal version of the magnetorotational instability, as well as of current-driven kink-type instabilities. Considering the viscous and resistive setup, our main focus is on the case of small magnetic Prandtl numbers which applies, e.g., to liquid metal experiments but also to the colder parts of accretion disks. We show that the inductionless versions of MRI that were previously thought to be restricted to comparably steep rotation profiles extend well to the Keplerian case if only the azimuthal field slightly deviates from its current-free (in the fluid) profile. We find an explicit criterion separating the pure azimuthal inductionless magnetorotational instability from the regime where this instability is mixed with the Tayler instability. We further demonstrate that for particular parameter configurations the azimuthal MRI originates as a result of a dissipation-induced instability of the Chandrasekhar's equipartition solution of ideal magnetohydrodynamics.

rotational flow
magnetic field
accretion disk


The Gaia-ESO Public Spectroscopic Survey: Motivation, implementation, GIRAFFE data processing, analysis, and final data products

Abstract: The Gaia-ESO Public Spectroscopic Survey is an ambitious project designed to obtain astrophysical parameters and elemental abundances for 100,000 stars, including large representative samples of the stellar populations in the Galaxy, and a well-defined sample of 60 (plus 20 archive) open clusters. We provide internally consistent results calibrated on benchmark stars and star clusters, extending across a very wide range of abundances and ages. This provides a legacy data set of intrinsic value, and equally a large wide-ranging dataset that is of value for homogenisation of other and future stellar surveys and Gaia's astrophysical parameters. This article provides an overview of the survey methodology, the scientific aims, and the implementation, including a description of the data processing for the GIRAFFE spectra. A companion paper (arXiv:2206.02901) introduces the survey results. Gaia-ESO aspires to quantify both random and systematic contributions to measurement uncertainties. Thus all available spectroscopic analysis techniques are utilised, each spectrum being analysed by up to several different analysis pipelines, with considerable effort being made to homogenise and calibrate the resulting parameters. We describe here the sequence of activities up to delivery of processed data products to the ESO Science Archive Facility for open use. The Gaia-ESO Survey obtained 202,000 spectra of 115,000 stars using 340 allocated VLT nights between December 2011 and January 2018 from GIRAFFE and UVES. The full consistently reduced final data set of spectra was released through the ESO Science Archive Facility in late 2020, with the full astrophysical parameters sets following in 2022.


The Origin and Evolution of Saturn, with Exoplanet Perspective

Abstract: Saturn formed beyond the snow line in the primordial solar nebula that made it possible for it to accrete a large mass. Disk instability and core accretion models have been proposed for Saturn's formation, but core accretion is favored on the basis of its volatile abundances, internal structure, hydrodynamic models, chemical characteristics of protoplanetary disk, etc. The observed frequency, properties and models of exoplanets provide additional supporting evidence for core accretion. The heavy elements with mass greater than 4He make up the core of Saturn, but are presently poorly constrained, except for carbon. The C/H ratio is super-solar, and twice that in Jupiter. The enrichment of carbon and other heavy elements in Saturn and Jupiter requires special delivery mechanisms for volatiles to these planets. In this chapter we will review our current understanding of the origin and evolution of Saturn and its atmosphere, using a multi-faceted approach that combines diverse sets of observations on volatile composition and abundances, relevant properties of the moons and rings, comparison with the other gas giant planet, Jupiter, analogies to the extrasolar giant planets, as well as pertinent theoretical models.


Fast neutrino flavor conversion, ejecta properties, and nucleosynthesis in newly-formed hypermassive remnants of neutron-star mergers

Abstract: Neutrinos emitted in the coalescence of two neutron stars affect the dynamics of the outflow ejecta and the nucleosynthesis of heavy elements. In this work, we analyze the neutrino emission properties and the conditions leading to the growth of flavor instabilities in merger remnants consisting of a hypermassive neutron star and an accretion disk during the first 10 ms after the merger. The analyses are based on hydrodynamical simulations that include a modeling of neutrino emission and absorption effects via the "Improved Leakage-Equilibration-Absorption Scheme" (ILEAS). We also examine the nucleosynthesis of the heavy elements via the rapid neutron-capture process (r-process) inside the material ejected during this phase. The dominant emission of ν̅_e over ν_e from the merger remnant leads to favorable conditions for the occurrence of fast pairwise flavor conversions of neutrinos, independent of the chosen equation of state or the mass ratio of the binary. The nucleosynthesis outcome is very robust, ranging from the first to the third r-process peaks. In particular, more than 10^-5 M_⊙ of strontium are produced in these early ejecta that may account for the GW170817 kilonova observation. We find that the amount of ejecta containing free neutrons after the r-process freeze-out, which may power early-time UV emission, is reduced by roughly a factor of 10 when compared to simulations that do not include weak interactions. Finally, the potential flavor equipartition between all neutrino flavors is mainly found to affect the nucleosynthesis outcome in the polar ejecta within ≲ 30^∘, by changing the amount of the produced iron-peak and first-peak nuclei, but it does not alter the lanthanide mass fraction therein.


Observational constraints on the LLTB model

Abstract: We directly compare the concordance LCDM model to the inhomogeneous matter-only alternative represented by LTB void models. To achieve a "democratic" confrontation we explore LLTB models with non-vanishing cosmological constant and perform a global likelihood analysis in the parameter space of cosmological constant and void radius. In our analysis we carefully consider SNe, Hubble constant, CMB and BAO measurements, marginalizing over spectral index, age of the universe and background curvature. We find that the LCDM model is not the only possibility compatible with the observations, and that a matter-only void model is a viable alternative to the concordance model only if the BAO constraints are relaxed. Moreover, we will show that the areas of the parameter space which give a good fit to the observations are always disconnected with the result that a small local void does not significantly affect the parameter extraction for LCDM models.

lltb model
observational result
dark energy component


Stochastic Approach to Flat Direction during Inflation

Abstract: We revisit the time evolution of a flat and non-flat direction system during inflation. In order to take into account quantum noises in the analysis, we base on stochastic formalism and solve coupled Langevin equations numerically. We focus on a class of models in which tree-level Hubble-induced mass is not generated. Although the non-flat directions can block the growth of the flat direction's variance in principle, the blocking effects are suppressed by the effective masses of the non-flat directions. We find that the fate of the flat direction during inflation is determined by one-loop radiative corrections and non-renormalizable terms as usually considered, if we remove the zero-point fluctuation from the noise terms.


A Multi-Year Search For Transits Of Proxima Centauri. I: Light Curves Corresponding To Published Ephemerides

Abstract: Proxima Centauri has become the subject of intense study since the radial-velocity discovery by Anglada-Escudé et al. 2016 of a planet orbiting this nearby M-dwarf every 11.2 days. If Proxima Centauri b transits its host star, independent confirmation of its existence is possible, and its mass and radius can be measured in units of the stellar host mass and radius. To date, there have been three independent claims of possible transit-like event detections in light curve observations obtained by the MOST satellite (in 2014-15), the BSST telescope in Antarctica (in 2016), and the Las Campanas Observatory (in 2016). The claimed possible detections are tentative, due in part to the variability intrinsic to the host star, and in the case of the ground-based observations, also due to the limited duration of the light curve observations. Here, we present preliminary results from an extensive photometric monitoring campaign of Proxima Centauri, using telescopes around the globe and spanning from 2006 to 2017, comprising a total of 329 observations. Considering our data that coincide directly and/or phased with the previously published tentative transit detections, we are unable to independently verify those claims. We do, however, verify the previously reported ubiquitous and complex variability of the host star. We discuss possible interpretations of the data in light of the previous claims, and we discuss future analyses of these data that could more definitively verify or refute the presence of transits associated with the radial-velocity discovered planet.


Acoustic Dark Energy: Potential Conversion of the Hubble Tension

Abstract: We discuss the ability of a dark fluid becoming relevant around the time of matter radiation equality to significantly relieve the tension between local measurements of the Hubble constant and CMB inference, within the ΛCDM model. We show that the gravitational impact of acoustic oscillations in the dark fluid balance the effects on the CMB and result in an improved fit to CMB measurements themselves while simultaneously raising the Hubble constant. The required balance favors a model where the fluid is a scalar field that converts its potential to kinetic energy around matter radiation equality which then quickly redshifts away. We derive the requirements on the potential for this conversion mechanism and find that a simple canonical scalar with two free parameters for its local slope and amplitude robustly improves the fit to the combined data by Δχ^2 ≈ 12.7 over ΛCDM. We uncover the CMB polarization signatures that can definitively test this scenario with future data.

scalar field
acoustic dark energy
matter-radiation equality
universe


Magnetic Fields in the Milky Way

Abstract: This chapter presents a review of observational studies to determine the magnetic field in the Milky Way, both in the disk and in the halo, focused on recent developments and on magnetic fields in the diffuse interstellar medium. I discuss some terminology which is confusingly or inconsistently used and try to summarize current status of our knowledge on magnetic field configurations and strengths in the Milky Way. Although many open questions still exist, more and more conclusions can be drawn on the large-scale and small-scale components of the Galactic magnetic field. The chapter is concluded with a brief outlook to observational projects in the near future.

milky way
strength
magnetic field
spiral arm


Realistic uncertainties on Hapke model parameters from photometric measurement

Abstract: Hapke proposed a convenient and widely used analytical model to describe the spectro-photometry of granular materials. Using a compilation of the published data, Hapke (2012, Icarus, 221, 1079-1083) recently studied the relationship of b and c for natural examples and proposed the hockey stick relation (excluding b>0.5 and c>0.5). For the moment, there is no theoretical explanation for this relationship. One goal of this article is to study a possible bias due to the retrieval method. We expand here an innovative Bayesian inversion method in order to study into detail the uncertainties of retrieved parameters. On Emission Phase Function (EPF) data, we demonstrate that the uncertainties of the retrieved parameters follow the same hockey stick relation, suggesting that this relation is due to the fact that b and c are coupled parameters in the Hapke model instead of a natural phenomena. Nevertheless, the data used in the Hapke (2012) compilation generally are full Bidirectional Reflectance Diffusion Function (BRDF) that are shown not to be subject to this artifact. Moreover, the Bayesian method is a good tool to test if the sampling geometry is sufficient to constrain the parameters (single scattering albedo, surface roughness, b, c, opposition effect). We performed sensitivity tests by mimicking various surface scattering properties and various single image-like/disk resolved image, EPF-like and BRDF-like geometric sampling conditions. The second goal of this article is to estimate the favorable geometric conditions for an accurate estimation of photometric parameters in order to provide new constraints for future observation campaigns and instrumentations.


WIMP searches with gamma rays in the Fermi era: challenges, methods and results

Abstract: The launch of the gamma-ray telescope Fermi Large Area Telescope (Fermi-LAT) started a pivotal period in indirect detection of dark matter. By outperforming expectations, for the first time a robust and stringent test of the paradigm of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) is within reach. In this paper, we discuss astrophysical targets for WIMP detection and the challenges they present, review the analysis tools which have been employed to tackle these challenges, and summarize the status of constraints on and the claimed detections in the WIMP parameter space. Methods and results will be discussed in comparison to Imaging Air Cherenkov Telescopes. We also provide an outlook on short term and longer term developments.

massive particle
wimp search
astrophysical environment


Unbound or Distant Planetary Mass Population Detected by Gravitational Microlensing

Abstract: Since 1995, more than 500 exoplanets have been detected using different techniques, of which 11 were detected with gravitational microlensing. Most of these are gravitationally bound to their host stars. There is some evidence of free-floating planetary mass objects in young star-forming regions, but these objects are limited to massive objects of 3 to 15 Jupiter masses with large uncertainties in photometric mass estimates and their abundance. Here, we report the discovery of a population of unbound or distant Jupiter-mass objects, which are almost twice (1.8_-0.8^+1.7) as common as main-sequence stars, based on two years of gravitational microlensing survey observations toward the Galactic Bulge. These planetary-mass objects have no host stars that can be detected within about ten astronomical units by gravitational microlensing. However a comparison with constraints from direct imaging suggests that most of these planetary-mass objects are not bound to any host star. An abrupt change in the mass function at about a Jupiter mass favours the idea that their formation process is different from that of stars and brown dwarfs. They may have formed in proto-planetary disks and subsequently scattered into unbound or very distant orbits.

gravitational microlensing
mass object
galactic bulge
planet


New tracker models of dark energy

Abstract: We describe a new class of dark energy (DE) models which behave like cosmological trackers at early times. These models are based on the α-attractor set of potentials, originally discussed in the context of inflation. The new models allow the current acceleration of the universe to be reached from a wide class of initial conditions. Prominent examples of this class of models are the potentials φ and coshφ. A remarkable feature of this new class of models is that they lead to large enough negative values of the equation of state at the present epoch, consistent with the observations of accelerated expansion of the universe, from a very large initial basin of attraction. They therefore avoid the fine tuning problem which afflicts many models of DE.

tracker
dark energy
prominent example
accelerated expansion


Supernovae as probes of cosmic parameters: estimating the bias from under-dense lines of sight

Abstract: Correctly interpreting observations of sources such as type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) require knowledge of the power spectrum of matter on AU scales - which is very hard to model accurately. Because under-dense regions account for much of the volume of the universe, light from a typical source probes a mean density significantly below the cosmic mean. The relative sparsity of sources implies that there could be a significant bias when inferring distances of SNe Ia, and consequently a bias in cosmological parameter estimation. While the weak lensing approximation should in principle give the correct prediction for this, linear perturbation theory predicts an effectively infinite variance in the convergence for ultra-narrow beams. We attempt to quantify the effect typically under-dense lines of sight might have in parameter estimation by considering three alternative methods for estimating distances, in addition to the usual weak lensing approximation. We find in each case this not only increases the errors in the inferred density parameters, but also introduces a bias in the posterior value.

under-dense line
universe
cosmological parameter


Accelerating universe as a result of an adjustment mechanism

Abstract: In this essay we propose that the theory of gravity's vacuum is described by a de Sitter geometry. Under this assumption we consider an adjustment mechanism able to screen any value of the vacuum energy of the matter fields. We discuss the most general scalar-tensor cosmological models with second order equations of motion that have a fixed de Sitter critical point for any kind of material content. These models give rise to interesting cosmological evolutions that we shall discuss.

adjustment mechanism
vacuum energy
cosmological model


Detection of high frequency oscillations and damping from multi-slit spectroscopic observations of the corona

Abstract: During the total solar eclipse of 11 July 2010, multi-slit spectroscopic observations of the solar corona were performed from Easter Island, Chile. To search for high-frequency waves, observations were taken at a high cadence in the green line at 5303 A due to [Fe xiv] and the red line at 6374 A due to [Fe x]. The data are analyzed to study the periodic variations in the intensity, Doppler velocity and line width using wavelet analysis. The data with high spectral and temporal resolution enabled us to study the rapid dynamical changes within coronal structures. We find that at certain locations each parameter shows significant oscillation with periods ranging from 6 - 25 s. For the first time, we could detect damping of high-frequency oscillations with periods of the order of 10 s. If the observed damped oscillations are due to magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves then they can contribute significantly in the heating of the corona. From a statistical study we try to characterize the nature of the observed oscillations while looking at the distribution of power in different line parameters.

multi-slit spectroscopic observation
solar eclipse
coronal structure
significant oscillation


Abstract: The Cosmology Large Angular Scale Surveyor (CLASS) is a four telescope array designed to characterize relic primordial gravitational waves from inflation and the optical depth to reionization through a measurement of the polarized cosmic microwave background (CMB) on the largest angular scales. The frequencies of the four CLASS telescopes, one at 38 GHz, two at 93 GHz, and one dichroic system at 145/217 GHz, are chosen to avoid spectral regions of high atmospheric emission and span the minimum of the polarized Galactic foregrounds: synchrotron emission at lower frequencies and dust emission at higher frequencies. Low-noise transition edge sensor detectors and a rapid front-end polarization modulator provide a unique combination of high sensitivity, stability, and control of systematics. The CLASS site, at 5200 m in the Chilean Atacama desert, allows for daily mapping of up to 70% of the sky and enables the characterization of CMB polarization at the largest angular scales. Using this combination of a broad frequency range, large sky coverage, control over systematics, and high sensitivity, CLASS will observe the reionization and recombination peaks of the CMB E- and B-mode power spectra. CLASS will make a cosmic variance limited measurement of the optical depth to reionization and will measure or place upper limits on the tensor-to-scalar ratio, r, down to a level of 0.01 (95% C.L.).

large angular scale
gravitational wave
reionization
upper limit
tensor-to-scalar ratio


Relativistic Mean-Field Models with Scaled Hadron Masses and Couplings: Hyperons and Maximum Neutron Star Mass

Abstract: An equation of state of cold nuclear matter with an arbitrary isotopic composition is studied within a relativistic mean-field approach with hadron masses and coupling constants depending self-consistently on the scalar mean-field. All hadron masses decrease universally with the scalar field growth, whereas meson-nucleon coupling constants can vary differently. More specifically we focus on two modifications of the KVOR model studied previously. One extension of the model (KVORcut) demonstrates that the equation of state stiffens if the increase of the scalar-field magnitude with the density is bounded from above at some value for baryon densities above the saturation nuclear density. This can be realized if the nucleon vector-meson coupling constant changes rapidly as a function of the scalar field slightly above the desired value. The other version of the model (MKVOR) utilizes a smaller value of the nucleon effective mass at the nuclear saturation density and a saturation of the scalar field in the isospin asymmetric matter induced by a strong variation of the nucleon isovector-meson coupling constant as function of the scalar field. A possibility of hyperonization of the matter in neutron star interiors is incorporated. Our equations of state fulfill majority of known empirical constraints including the pressure-density constraint from heavy-ion collisions, direct Urca constraint, gravitational-baryon mass constraint for the pulsar J0737-3039B, and the constraint on the maximum mass of the neutron stars.

hadron masse
scalar field
hyperon puzzle
gravitational wave physics
nearby pulsar


Probing Oort clouds around Milky Way stars with CMB surveys

Abstract: Long-period comets observed in our solar system are believed to originate from the Oort cloud, which is estimated to extend from roughly a few thousand to 10^5 AU from the Sun. Despite many theoretical arguments for its existence, no direct observations of the cloud have been reported. Here, we explore the possibility of measuring Oort clouds around other stars through their emission at submillimeter wavelengths. Observations with the 545 and 857 GHz bands of the Planck satellite are well matched to the expected temperatures of Oort cloud bodies (on the order of 10 K). By correlating the Planck maps with catalogs of stars observed by the Gaia mission, we are able to constrain interesting regions of the exo-Oort cloud parameter space, placing limits on the total mass and the minimum size of grains in the cloud. We compare our measurements with known debris disk systems – in the case of Vega and Fomalhaut we find a significant excess that is in agreement with measurements from Herschel. We use the measurements around Fomalhaut to constrain a possible exo-Oort cloud of that system. We explore an observed excess around the brightest and nearest stars in our sample as arising from possible exo-Oort clouds or other extended sources of thermal emission. We argue that future CMB surveys and targeted observations with far-infrared and millimeter wavelength telescopes have the potential to detect exo-Oort clouds or other extended sources of thermal emission beyond ∼ 1000 AU from the parent stars.


Gravitational waves from dark matter collapse in a star

Abstract: We investigate the collapse of clusters of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) in the core of a Sun-like star and the possible formation of mini-black holes and the emission of gravitational waves. When the number of WIMPs is small, thermal pressure balances the WIMP cluster's self gravity. If the number of WIMPs is larger than a critical number, thermal pressure cannot balance gravity and the cluster contracts. If WIMPs are collisionless and bosonic, the cluster collapses directly to form a mini-black hole. For fermionic WIMPs, the cluster contracts until it is sustained by Fermi pressure, forming a small compact object. If the fermionic WIMP mass is smaller than 4× 10^2 GeV, the radius of the compact object is larger than its Schwarzschild radius and Fermi pressure temporally sustains its self gravity, halting the formation of a black hole. If the fermionic WIMP mass is larger than 4× 10^2 GeV, the radius is smaller than its Schwarzschild radius and the compact object becomes a mini-black hole. If the WIMP mass is 1 TeV, the size of the black hole will be approximately 2.5 cm and ultra high frequency gravitational waves will be emitted during black hole formation. The central frequency f_c of ringdown gravitational waves emitted from the black hole will be approximately 2 GHz. To detect the ringdown gravitational waves, the detector's noise must be below √(S_h(f_c))≈ 10^-30/√( Hz).

sun-like star
mini-black hole
gravitational wave


Fast Automated Analysis of Strong Gravitational Lenses with Convolutional Neural Networks

Abstract: Quantifying image distortions caused by strong gravitational lensing and estimating the corresponding matter distribution in lensing galaxies has been primarily performed by maximum likelihood modeling of observations. This is typically a time and resource-consuming procedure, requiring sophisticated lensing codes, several data preparation steps, and finding the maximum likelihood model parameters in a computationally expensive process with downhill optimizers. Accurate analysis of a single lens can take up to a few weeks and requires the attention of dedicated experts. Tens of thousands of new lenses are expected to be discovered with the upcoming generation of ground and space surveys, the analysis of which can be a challenging task. Here we report the use of deep convolutional neural networks to accurately estimate lensing parameters in an extremely fast and automated way, circumventing the difficulties faced by maximum likelihood methods. We also show that lens removal can be made fast and automated using Independent Component Analysis of multi-filter imaging data. Our networks can recover the parameters of the Singular Isothermal Ellipsoid density profile, commonly used to model strong lensing systems, with an accuracy comparable to the uncertainties of sophisticated models, but about ten million times faster: 100 systems in approximately 1s on a single graphics processing unit. These networks can provide a way for non-experts to obtain lensing parameter estimates for large samples of data. Our results suggest that neural networks can be a powerful and fast alternative to maximum likelihood procedures commonly used in astrophysics, radically transforming the traditional methods of data reduction and analysis.

convolutional neural networks
lens
astronomy


The FIRST Classifier: Compact and Extended Radio Galaxy Classification using Deep Convolutional Neural Networks

Abstract: Upcoming surveys with new radio observatories such as the Square Kilometer Array will generate a wealth of imaging data containing large numbers of radio galaxies. Different classes of radio galaxies can be used as tracers of the cosmic environment, including the dark matter density field, to address key cosmological questions. Classifying these galaxies based on morphology is thus an important step toward achieving the science goals of next generation radio surveys. Radio galaxies have been traditionally been classified as Fanaroff-Riley (FR) I and II, although some exhibit more complex 'bent' morphologies arising from environmental factors or intrinsic properties. In this work we present the FIRST Classifier, an on-line system for automated classification of Compact and Extended radio sources. We developed the FIRST Classifier based on a trained Deep Convolutional Neural Network Model to automate the morphological classification of compact and extended radio sources observed in the FIRST radio survey. Our model achieved an overall accuracy of 97 galaxies respectively. The current version of the FIRST classifier is able to predict the morphological class for a single source or for a list of sources as Compact or Extended (FRI, FRII and BENT).

first classifier
convolutional neural network
astronomical object


Collisional super-Penrose process and Wald inequalities

Abstract: We consider collision of two massive particles in the equatorial plane of an axially symmetric stationary spacetime that produces two massless particles afterwards. It is implied that the horizon is absent but there is a naked singularity or another potential barrier that makes possible the head-on collision. The relationship between the energy in the center of mass frame E_c.m. and the Killing energy E measured at infinity is analyzed. It follows immediately from the Wald inequalities that unbounded E is possible for unbounded E_c.m. only. This can be realized if the spacetime is close to the threshold of the horizon formation. Different types of spacetimes (black holes, naked singularities, wormholes) correspond to different possible relations between E_c.m. and E. We develop a general approach that enables us to describe the collision process in the frames of the stationary observer and ZAMO (zero angular momentum observer). The escape cone and escape fraction are derived. A simple explanation of the existence of the bright spot is given. For the particular case of the Kerr metric, our results agree with the previous ones found in M. Patil, T. Harada, K. Nakao, P.S. Joshi, and M. Kimura, Phys. Rev. D 93, 104015 (2016).

wald inequality
naked singularity
black hole


Implication of the Hubble tension for the primordial Universe in light of recent cosmological data

Abstract: In prerecombination resolutions of the Hubble tension, such as early dark energy, new physics before recombination shifts the values of relevant cosmological parameters so that the models can fit with cosmic microwave background and baryon acoustic oscillations observations as well as ΛCDM does. In this paper, we clarify how the parameter shifts are related with δ H_0, particularly we find the shift of primordial scalar spectral index scales as δ n_s≃ 0.4δ H_0 H_0 by performing the Monte Carlo Markov chain analysis with the Planck2018+BAO+Pantheon+R19+Keck Array/BICEP dataset. A novel point of our result is that if the current H_0 measured locally is correct, complete resolution of the Hubble tension seems to be pointing to a scale invariant Harrison-Zeldovich spectrum, i.e. n_s= 1 for H_0∼ 73km/s/Mpc.


Determining the Dominant Acceleration Mechanism during Relativistic Magnetic Reconnection in Large-scale Systems

Abstract: While a growing body of research indicates that relativistic magnetic reconnection is a prodigious source of particle acceleration in high-energy astrophysical systems, the dominant acceleration mechanism remains controversial. Using a combination of fully kinetic simulations and theoretical analysis, we demonstrate that Fermi-type acceleration within the large-scale motional electric fields dominates over direct acceleration from non-ideal electric fields within small-scale diffusion regions. This result has profound implications for modeling particle acceleration in large-scale astrophysical problems, since it opens up the possiblity of modeling the energetic spectra without resolving microscopic diffusion regions.

relativistic magnetic reconnection
particle acceleration
non-ideal electric field
high energy


A Relativistic view on large scale N-body simulations

Abstract: We discuss the relation between the output of Newtonian N-body simulations on scales that approach or exceed the particle horizon to the description of General Relativity. At leading order, the Zeldovich approximation is correct on large scales, coinciding with the General Relativistic result. At second order in the initial metric potential, the trajectories of particles deviate from the second order Newtonian result and hence the validity of 2LPT initial conditions should be reassessed when used in very large simulations. We also advocate using the expression for the synchronous gauge density as a well behaved measure of density fluctuations on such scales.

large scale
simulation
general relativity
newtonian result


Full-Shape Galaxy Power Spectra and the Curvature Tension

Abstract: With recent evidence for a possible "curvature tension" among early and late universe cosmological probes, Effective Field Theories of Large Scale Structure (EFTofLSS) have emerged as a promising new framework to generate constraints on Ω_k that are independent of both CMB measurements, and some of the assumptions of flatness that enter into other large-scale structure analyses. In this work we use EFTofLSS to simultaneously constrain measurements from the 6dFGS, BOSS, and eBOSS catalogues, representing the most expansive full-shape investigation of curvature to date. Fitting the full-shape data with a BBN prior on Ω_b h^2 and fixed n_s, we measure Ω_k = -0.089^+0.049_-0.046, corresponding to a ∼ 2 σ preference for curvature. We argue that this result cannot be biased towards flatness by assumptions in the fitting methodology. Using the Bayesian evidence ratio our full-shape data assigns betting odds of 2:1 in favour of curvature, indicating present measurements remain broadly compatible with both flat and curved cosmological models. When our full-shape sample is combined with Planck 2018 CMB measurements, we break the geometric degeneracy and recover a joint fit on Ω_k of -0.0041^+0.0026_-0.0021. Using the suspiciousness statistic (built on the standard Bayes factor), we find evidence for a moderate tension between Planck 2018 and our suite of full-shape measurements, at a significance of 1.76 ^+0.14_-0.11σ (p ∼ 0.08 ± 0.02). These results demonstrate the usefulness of full-shape clustering measurements as a CMB independent probe of curvature in the ongoing curvature tension debate.

curvature tension
field theories
large scale structure


Scattering-Induced Disk Polarization By Millimeter-Sized Grains

Abstract: Spatially resolved (sub)millimeter polarization has been detected by ALMA in an increasing number of disks around young stellar objects. The majority of the observations show polarization patterns that are consistent with self-scattering, especially at ALMA Band 7. The inferred sizes of the grains are typically of order 100 microns, which is very different from the millimeter size commonly inferred from the dust opacity index beta. In an effort to resolve this discrepancy, we first introduced the so-called "Coplanar Isotropic Radiation Field" approximation, which enables the computation of the (signed) polarization fraction analytically. With an oft-adopted dust composition (used, e.g., by DSHARP), we find that models with big dust grains produce very small polarization with reversed orientation, which hasn't been observed. The semi-analytic results are validated through Monte Carlo radiative transfer simulations. In these models, the "correct" polarization orientation and the small beta index are mutually exclusive. To resolve this tension, we explore a wide range of dust models, parameterized by their complex refractive index. We find that both the fraction of the polarization and whether it is reversed or not depend on the refractive index in a complex way, and this dependence is mapped out on an n-k plane for a representative dust size distribution (MRN with amax=3mm) and wavelength of 870 microns. In particular, refractory organics dust grains produce reversed polarization, whereas grains of the same size but made of absorptive carbonaceous materials can produce a percent-level polarization that is not reversed; the latter may alleviate the tension between the grain sizes inferred from the scattering-induced polarization and the opacity index beta. We conclude that scattering-induced polarization has the potential to probe not only the sizes of the grains but also their composition.

polarization pattern
dust grain
refractive index
small spectral index


Three-dimensional Spontaneous Magnetic Reconnection

Abstract: Magnetic reconnection is best known from observations of the Sun where it causes solar flares. Observations estimate the reconnection rate a small, but non-negligible fraction of the Alfvén speed, so-called fast reconnection. Until recently, the prevailing pictures of reconnection were referring to either resistivity or plasma microscopic effects, which was contradictory to the observed rates. The alternative picture was either reconnection due to the stochasticity of magnetic field lines in turbulence or the tearing instability of the thin current sheet. In this paper I simulated long-term three-dimensional nonlinear evolution of a thin, planar current sheet subject to fast oblique tearing instability using direct numerical simulations of resistive-viscous MHD. The late-time evolution resembles generic turbulence with -5/3 power spectrum and scale-dependent anisotropy, so I conclude that the tearing-driven reconnection becomes turbulent reconnection. The turbulence is local in scale, so microscopic diffusivity should not affect large-scale quantities. This is confirmed by convergence of the reconnection rate towards ∼ 0.015 v_A with increasing Lundquist number. In this spontaneous reconnection with mean field and without driving the dissipation rate per unit area also converge to ∼ 0.006 ρ v_A^3, the dimensionless constants 0.015 and 0.006 are governed only by self-driven nonlinear dynamics of the sheared magnetic field. Remarkably, this also means that thin current sheet has a universal fluid resistance depending only on its length to width ratio and to v_A/c.

magnetic reconnection
reconnection
turbulence
current sheet


Generating PBHs and small-scale GWs in two-field models of inflation

Abstract: Primordial black holes (PBHs) generated by gravitational collapse of large primordial overdensities can be a fraction of the observed dark matter. In this paper, we introduce a mechanism to produce a large peak in the primordial power spectrum (PPS) in two-field inflationary models characterized by two stages of inflation based on a large non-canonical kinetic coupling. This mechanism is generic to several two-field inflationary models, due to a temporary tachyonic instability of the isocurvature perturbations at the transition between the two stages of inflation. We numerically compute the primordial perturbations from largest scales to the small scales corresponding to that of PBHs using an extension of BINGO (BI-spectra and Non-Gaussianity Operator). Moreover we numerically compute the stochastic background of gravitational waves (SBGW) produced by second order scalar perturbations within frequencies ranging from nano-Hz to KHz that covers the observational scales corresponding to Pulsar Timing Arrays, Square Kilometer Array to that of Einstein telescope. We discuss the prospect of its detection by these proposed and upcoming gravitational waves experiments.

two-field model
primordial black hole
curvature perturbation


Relativistic virial relation for cosmological structures

Abstract: Starting with the relativistic Boltzmann equation for a system of particles defined by a distribution function, we have derived the virial relation for a spherical structure within an expanding background in the context of general relativity. This generalized form of the virial relation is then applied to the static case of a spherically symmetric structure to see the difference in the simplest case to the Newtonian relation. A relativistic Mass-Temperature relation for this simple case is also derived which can be applied to compact objects in astrophysics. Our general virial relation is then applied to the non-static case of a structure within an expanding universe where an extra term, usually missed in studies of structures in the presence of the dark energy, appears.

virial relation
cosmological structure observable
exact relativistic calculation
einstein equation
second order perturbation


How does the cosmic web impact assembly bias?

Abstract: The mass, accretion rate and formation time of dark matter haloes near proto-filaments (identified as saddle points of the potential) are analytically predicted using a conditional version of the excursion set approach in its so-called "upcrossing" approximation. The model predicts that at fixed mass, mass accretion rate and formation time vary with orientation and distance from the saddle, demonstrating that assembly bias is indeed influenced by the tides imposed by the cosmic web. Starved, early forming haloes of smaller mass lie preferentially along the main axis of filaments, while more massive and younger haloes are found closer to the nodes. Distinct gradients for distinct tracers such as typical mass and accretion rate occur because the saddle condition is anisotropic, and because the statistics of these observables depend on both the conditional means and their covariances. The theory is extended to other critical points of the potential field. The response of the mass function to variations of the matter density field (the so-called large scale bias) is computed, and its trend with accretion rate is shown to invert along the filament. The signature of this model should correspond at low redshift to an excess of reddened galactic hosts at fixed mass along preferred directions, as recently reported in spectroscopic and photometric surveys and in hydrodynamical simulations. The anisotropy of the cosmic web emerges therefore as a significant ingredient to describe jointly the dynamics and physics of galaxies, e.g. in the context of intrinsic alignments or morphological diversity.

cosmic web
assembly bias
formation time
halo


QPOs from Random X-ray Bursts around Rotating Black Holes

Abstract: We continue our earlier studies of quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) in the power spectra of accreting, rapidly-rotating black holes that originate from the geometric "light echoes" of X-ray flares occurring within the black hole ergosphere. Our present work extends our previous treatment to three-dimensional photon emission and orbits to allow for arbitrary latitudes in the positions of the distant observers and the X-ray sources in place of the mainly equatorial positions and photon orbits of the earlier consideration. Following the trajectories of a large number of photons we calculate the response functions of a given geometry and use them to produce model light curves which we subsequently analyze to compute their power spectra and autocorrelation functions. In the case of an optically-thin environment, relevant to advection-dominated accretion flows, we consistently find QPOs at frequencies of order of kHz for stellar-mass black hole candidates while order of mHz for typical active galactic nuclei ( 10^7 Msun) for a wide range of viewing angles (30 to 80deg) from X-ray sources predominantly concentrated toward the equator within the ergosphere. As in our previous treatment, here too, the QPO signal is produced by the frame-dragging of the photons by the rapidly-rotating black hole, which results in photon "bunches" separated by constant time-lags, the result of multiple photon orbits around the hole. Our model predicts for various source/observer configurations the robust presence of a new class of QPOs, which is inevitably generic to curved spacetime structure in rotating black hole systems.

quasi-periodic oscillation
x-ray source
qpos


Gravitational lensing by exotic objects

Abstract: This paper reviews a phenomenological approach to the gravitational lensing by exotic objects such as the Ellis wormhole lens, where exotic lens objects may follow a non-standard form of the equation of state or may obey a modified gravity theory. A gravitational lens model is proposed in the inverse powers of the distance, such that the Schwarzschild lens and exotic lenses can be described in a unified manner as a one parameter family. As observational implications, the magnification, shear, photo-centroid motion and time delay in this lens model are discussed.

exotic object
gravity theory
exotic lense


Modeling GW170817 based on numerical relativity and its implications

Abstract: Gravitational-wave observation together with a large number of electromagnetic observations shows that the source of the latest gravitational-wave event, GW170817, detected primarily by advanced LIGO, is the merger of a binary neutron star. We attempt to interpret this observational event based on our results of numerical-relativity simulations performed so far paying particular attention to the optical and infra-red observations. We finally reach a conclusion that this event is described consistently by the presence of a long-lived hypermassive or supramassive neutron star as the merger remnant, because (i) significant contamination by lanthanide elements along our line of sight to this source can be avoided by the strong neutrino irradiation from it and (ii) it could play a crucial role to produce an ejecta component of appreciable mass with fast motion in the post-merger phase. We also point out that (I) the neutron-star equation of state has to be sufficiently stiff (i.e., the maximum mass of cold spherical neutron stars, M_max, has to be appreciably higher than 2M_sun in order that a long-lived massive neutron star can be formed as the merger remnant for the binary systems of GW170817, for which the initial total mass is > 2.73M_sun and (II) no detection of relativistic optical counterpart suggests a not-extremely high value of M_max approximately as 2.15-2.25M_sun.

numerical relativity
merger remnant
total mass
black hole


Late and early time phenomenology of Higgs-dependent cutoff

Abstract: The analysis of theories with non-minimal coupling of Higgs field to gravity revealed that they enter into strong coupling regime above certain Higgs-dependent cutoff, which may be considerably below the Planck scale. Assuming that the effective theory, complementing the Standard Model or its minimal extension–the nuMSM–contains a set of higher dimensional operators suppressed by the Higgs-dependent cutoff, we analyse the reheating of the Universe after the Higgs inflation. We show that extra terms do not spoil the Higgs inflation, but can lead to baryogenesis and to warm sterile neutrino dark matter production at the reheating stage of the Universe expansion. They can also result in neutrino mass generation and proton decay.

higgs-dependent cutoff
higgs inflation
sterile neutrino


Non-Gaussianities in the Cosmological Perturbation Spectrum due to Primordial Anisotropy II

Abstract: We continue to investigate possible signatures of a pre-inflationary anisotropic phase in two-point and three point correlation functions of the curvature perturbation for high-momentum modes which exit the horizon well after isotropization. The late time dynamics of these modes is characterized by a non-Bunch Davies vacuum state which encodes all the information about initial anisotropy in the background space-time. We observe that, unlike the non-planar momenta, there exist regimes of planar momenta for which scale invariance of the power spectrum is strongly broken. This regime of planar momenta gives rise to enhanced non-Gaussianity in certain squeezed triangle configurations, although the enhancement of the f_NL parameter is limited by the breakdown of linear perturbation theory at "exact planarity". Finally, we demonstrate that for the range of planar modes for which scale invariance of the power spectrum is preserved, non-Gaussianity in the curvature perturbation spectrum is naturally constrained to be extremely small.

high-momentum mode
initial anisotropy
non-gaussianitie


Equilibrium thermodynamics in modified gravitational theories

Abstract: We show that it is possible to obtain a picture of equilibrium thermodynamics on the apparent horizon in the expanding cosmological background for a wide class of modified gravity theories with the Lagrangian density f(R, ϕ, X), where R is the Ricci scalar and X is the kinetic energy of a scalar field ϕ. This comes from a suitable definition of an energy momentum tensor of the "dark" component that respects to a local energy conservation in the Jordan frame. In this framework the horizon entropy S corresponding to equilibrium thermodynamics is equal to a quarter of the horizon area A in units of gravitational constant G, as in Einstein gravity. For a flat cosmological background with a decreasing Hubble parameter, S globally increases with time, as it happens for viable f(R) inflation and dark energy models. We also show that the equilibrium description in terms of the horizon entropy S is convenient because it takes into account the contribution of both the horizon entropy Ŝ in non-equilibrium thermodynamics and an entropy production term.

apparent horizon
gravity theory
energy momentum tensor
dark energy model
equilibrium thermodynamic


Strong Lensing Time Delay Constraints on Dark Energy: a Forecast

Abstract: Measurements of time delays between multiple quasar images produced by strong lensing are reaching a sensitivity that makes them a promising cosmological probe. Future surveys will provide significantly more measurements, reaching unprecedented depth in redshift, making strong lensing time delay (SLTD) observations competitive with other background probes. We forecast constraints on the nature of dark energy from upcoming SLTD surveys, simulating future catalogues with different numbers of lenses distributed up to redshift z∼ 1 and focusing on cosmological parameters such as the Hubble constant H_0 and parametrisations of the dark energy equation of state. We also explore the impact of our ability to precisely model the lens mass profile and its environment, on the forecasted constraints. We find that in the most optimistic cases, SLTD will constrain H_0 at the level of ∼ 0.1%, while the CPL equation of state parameters, w_0 and w_a, can be determined with errors σ_w_0∼ 0.05 and σ_w_a∼ 0.3, respectively. Furthermore, we investigate the bias introduced when a wrong cosmological model is assumed for the analysis. We find that the value of H_0 could be biased up to 10 σ, assuming a perfect knowledge of the lens profile, when a ΛCDM model is used to analyse data that really belong to a wCDM cosmology with w=-0.9. Based on these findings, we identify a consistency check of the assumed cosmological model in future SLTD surveys, by splitting the dataset in several redshift bins. Depending on the characteristics of the survey, this could provide a smoking gun for dark energy.

lensing time delay
dark energy
cosmological parameter
lens mass profile


Color Magnetic Flux Tubes in Dense QCD

Abstract: QCD is expected to be in the color-flavor locking phase in high baryon density, which exhibits color superconductivity. The most fundamental topological objects in the color superconductor are non-Abelian vortices which are topologically stable color magnetic flux tubes. We present numerical solutions of the color magnetic flux tube for diverse choices of the coupling constants. We also analytically study its asymptotic profiles and find that they are different from the case of usual superconductors. We propose the width of color magnetic fluxes and find that it is larger than naive expectation of the Compton wave length of the massive gluon when the gluon mass is larger than the scalar mass.

numerical solution
diverse choice
vortex
non-abelian vortex


Inflation and primordial non-Gaussianities of "generalized Galileons"

Abstract: We set up cosmological perturbation theory and study the cosmological implications of the so-called “generalized Galileon” developed in <cit.>. This is the most general scalar field theory whose Lagrangian contains derivatives up to second order while keeping second order equations of motion, and contains as sub-cases k-inflation, G-inflation and many other models. We calculate the power spectrum of the primordial curvature perturbation, finding a modification of the usual consistency relation of the tensor-to-scalar ratio in k-inflation or perfect fluid models. Finally we also calculate the bispectrum, which contains no new shapes beyond those of k-inflation.

generalized galileon
scalar field
cosmological application


Mars sedimentary rock erosion rates constrained using crater counts, with applications to organic matter preservation and to the global dust cycle

Abstract: Small-crater counts on Mars light-toned sedimentary rock are often inconsistent with any isochron; these data are usually plotted then ignored. We show (using an 18-HiRISE-image, >10^4 crater dataset) that these non-isochron crater counts are often well-fit by a model where crater production is balanced by crater obliteration via steady exhumation. For these regions, we fit erosion rates. We infer that Mars light-toned sedimentary rocks typically erode at 10^2 nm/yr, when averaged over 10 km^2 scales and 10^7-10^8 yr timescales. Crater-based erosion-rate determination is consistent with independent techniques, but can be applied to nearly all light-toned sedimentary rocks on Mars. Erosion is swift enough that radiolysis cannot destroy complex organic matter at some locations (e.g. paleolake deposits at SW Melas), but radiolysis is a severe problem at other locations (e.g. Oxia Planum). The data suggest that the relief of the Valles Marineris mounds is currently being reduced by wind erosion, and that dust production on Mars <3 Gya greatly exceeds the modern reservoir of mobile dust.


An introduction to the physics of Cartan gravity

Abstract: A distance can be measured by monitoring how much a wheel has rotated when rolled without slipping. This simple idea underlies the mathematics of Cartan geometry. The Cartan-geometric description of gravity consists of a SO(1,4) gauge connection A^AB(x) and a symmetry-breaking field V^A(x). The clear similarity with symmetry-broken Yang-Mills theory suggests strongly the existence of a new field in nature: the gravitational Higgs field V^A. By treating V^A as a genuine dynamical field we arrive at a natural generalization of General Relativity with a wealth of new phenomenology and with General Relativity reproduced exactly in the limit where V^2 tends to a positive constant. We show that in regions wherein V^2(x) varies, but has a definite sign, the Cartan-geometric formulation is a form of a scalar-tensor theory. A specific choice of action yields the Peebles-Ratra quintessence model whilst more general actions are shown to exhibit propagation of torsion. Regions where the sign of V^2 changes correspond to a change in signature of the geometry; a simple choice of action with FRW symmetry yields, without any additional ad hoc assumptions, a classical analogue of the Hartle-Hawking no-boundary proposal. Solutions from more general actions are discussed. A gauge prescription for coupling matter to gravity is described and matter actions are presented which reduce to standard ones in the limit V^2→ const. It becomes clear that Cartan geometry may function as a novel platform for inspiring and exploring modified theories of gravity with applications to dark energy, black holes, and early-universe cosmology. We end by listing a set of open problems.

introduction
cartan geometry
cosmology
antisymmetric tensor field


Localized Features in Non-Gaussianity from Heavy Physics

Abstract: We discuss the possibility that we could obtain some hints of the heavy physics during inflation by analyzing local features of the primordial bispectrum. A heavy scalar field could leave large signatures in the primordial spectra through the parametric resonance between its background oscillation and the fluctuations. Since the duration of the heavy-mode oscillations is finite, the effect of the resonance is localized in momentum space. In this paper, we show that the bispectrum is amplified when such a resonance occurs, and that the peak amplitude of the feature can be O(10^1-2), or as large as O(10^5) depending on the type of interactions. In particular, the resonance can give large contributions in finitely squeezed configurations, while the bispectrum cannot be large in the exact squeezed limit. We also find that there is a relation between the scales at which the features appear in the bispectrum and the power spectrum, and that the feature in the bispectrum can be much larger than that in the power spectrum. If correlated features are observed at characteristic scales in the primordial spectra, it will indicate the presence of heavy degrees of freedom. By analyzing these features, we may be able to obtain some information on the physics behind inflation.

heavy physics
bispectrum
resonance
oscillation
local feature


Numerical Tests of Fast Reconnection in Weakly Stochastic Magnetic Fields

Abstract: We study the effects of turbulence on magnetic reconnection using 3D numerical simulations. This is the first attempt to test a model of fast magnetic reconnection in the presence of weak turbulence proposed by Lazarian Vishniac (1999). This model predicts that weak turbulence, generically present in most of astrophysical systems, enhances the rate of reconnection by reducing the transverse scale for reconnection events and by allowing many independent flux reconnection events to occur simultaneously. As a result the reconnection speed becomes independent of Ohmic resistivity and is determined by the magnetic field wandering induced by turbulence. To quantify the reconnection speed we use both an intuitive definition, i.e. the speed of the reconnected flux inflow, as well as a more sophisticated definition based on a formally derived analytical expression. Our results confirm the predictions of the Lazarian Vishniac model. In particular, we find that Vrec Pinj^(1/2), as predicted by the model. The dependence on the injection scale for some of our models is a bit weaker than expected, i.e. l^(3/4), compared to the predicted linear dependence on the injection scale, which may require some refinement of the model or may be due to the effects like finite size of the excitation region. The reconnection speed was found to depend on the expected rate of magnetic field wandering and not on the magnitude of the guide field. In our models, we see no dependence on the guide field when its strength is comparable to the reconnected component. More importantly, while in the absence of turbulence we successfully reproduce the Sweet-Parker scaling of reconnection, in the presence of turbulence we do not observe any dependence on Ohmic resistivity, confirming that our reconnection is fast.

turbulence
magnetic reconnection
numerical simulation
reconnection rate


Illuminating Low-Surface-Brightness Galaxies with the Hyper Suprime-Cam Survey

Abstract: We present a catalog of extended low-surface-brightness galaxies (LSBGs) identified in the Wide layer of the Hyper Suprime-Cam Subaru Strategic Program (HSC-SSP). Using the first ∼200 deg^2 of the survey, we have uncovered 781 LSBGs, spanning red (g-i≥0.64) and blue (g-i<0.64) colors and a wide range of morphologies. Since we focus on extended galaxies (r_eff=2.5-14^''), our sample is likely dominated by low-redshift objects. We define LSBGs to have mean surface brightnesses μ̅_eff(g)>24.3 mag arcsec^-2, which allows nucleated galaxies into our sample. As a result, the central surface brightness distribution spans a wide range of μ_0(g)=18-27.4 mag arcsec^-2, with 50 respectively. Furthermore, the surface brightness distribution is a strong function of color, with the red distribution being much broader and generally fainter than that of the blue LSBGs, and this trend shows a clear correlation with galaxy morphology. Red LSBGs typically have smooth light profiles that are well-characterized by single-component Sérsic functions. In contrast, blue LSBGs tend to have irregular morphologies and show evidence for ongoing star formation. We crossmatch our sample with existing optical, HI, and ultraviolet catalogs to gain insight into the physical nature of the LSBGs. We find that our sample is diverse, ranging from dwarf spheroidals and ultra-diffuse galaxies in nearby groups to gas-rich irregulars to giant LSB spirals, demonstrating the potential of the HSC-SSP to provide a truly unprecedented view of the LSBG population.

galaxy
hyper suprime-cam
view
lsbg catalog


Athena Wide Field Imager Key Science Drivers

Abstract: The Wide Field Imager (WFI) is one of two instruments for the Advanced Telescope for High-ENergy Astrophysics (Athena). In this paper we summarise three of the many key science objectives for the WFI - the formation and growth of supermassive black holes, non-gravitational heating in clusters of galaxies, and spin measurements of stellar mass black holes - and describe their translation into the science requirements and ultimately instrument requirements. The WFI will be designed to provide excellent point source sensitivity and grasp for performing wide area surveys, surface brightness sensitivity, survey power, and absolute temperature and density calibration for in-depth studies of the outskirts of nearby clusters of galaxies and very good high-count rate capability, throughput, and low pile-up, paired with very good spectral resolution, for detailed explorations of bright Galactic compact objects.

growth
outskirt
good spectral resolution
detailed exploration


PAMELA, DAMA, INTEGRAL and Signatures of Metastable Excited WIMPs

Abstract: Models of dark matter with GeV scale force mediators provide attractive explanations of many high energy anomalies, including PAMELA, ATIC, and the WMAP haze. At the same time, by exploiting the MeV scale excited states that are automatically present in such theories, these models naturally explain the DAMA/LIBRA and INTEGRAL signals through the inelastic dark matter (iDM) and exciting dark matter (XDM) scenarios, respectively. Interestingly, with only weak kinetic mixing to hypercharge to mediate decays, the lifetime of excited states with delta < 2 m_e is longer than the age of the universe. The fractional relic abundance of these excited states depends on the temperature of kinetic decoupling, but can be appreciable. There could easily be other mechanisms for rapid decay, but the consequences of such long-lived states are intriguing. We find that CDMS constrains the fractional relic population of 100 keV states to be < 10^-2, for a 1 TeV WIMP with sigma_n = 10^-40 cm^2. Upcoming searches at CDMS, as well as xenon, silicon, and argon targets, can push this limit significantly lower. We also consider the possibility that the DAMA excitation occurs from a metastable state into the XDM state, which decays via e+e- emission, which allows lighter states to explain the INTEGRAL signal due to the small kinetic energies required. Such models yield dramatic signals from down-scattering, with spectra peaking at high energies, sometimes as high as 1 MeV, well outside the usual search windows. Such signals would be visible at future Ar and Si experiments, and may be visible at Ge and Xe experiments. We also consider other XDM models involving 500 keV metastable states, and find they can allow lighter WIMPs to explain INTEGRAL as well.


Constraining strangeness in dense matter with GW170817

Abstract: Particles with strangeness content are predicted to populate dense matter, modifying the equation of state of matter inside neutron stars as well as their structure and evolution. In this work, we show how the modeling of strangeness content in dense matter affects the properties of isolated neutrons stars and the tidal deformation in binary systems. For describing nucleonic and hyperonic stars we use the many-body forces model (MBF) at zero temperature, including the ϕ mesons for the description of repulsive hyperon-hyperon interactions. Hybrid stars are modeled using the MIT Bag Model with vector interaction (vMIT) in both Gibbs and Maxwell constructions, for different values of bag constant and vector interaction couplings. A parametrization with a Maxwell construction, which gives rise to third family of compact stars (twin stars), is also investigated. We calculate the tidal contribution that adds to the post-Newtonian point-particle corrections, the associated love number for sequences of stars of different composition (nucleonic, hyperonic, hybrid and twin stars), and determine signatures of the phase transition on the gravitational waves in the accumulated phase correction during the inspirals among different scenarios for binary systems. On the light of the recent results from GW170817 and the implications for the radius of ∼1.4 M_⊙ stars, our results show that hybrid stars can only exist if a phase transition takes place at low densities close to saturation.

dense matter
hyperon puzzle
nearby pulsar


Swope Supernova Survey 2017a (SSS17a), the Optical Counterpart to a Gravitational Wave Source

Abstract: On 2017 August 17, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) and the Virgo interferometer detected gravitational waves emanating from a binary neutron star merger, GW170817. Nearly simultaneously, the Fermi and INTEGRAL telescopes detected a gamma-ray transient, GRB 170817A. 10.9 hours after the gravitational wave trigger, we discovered a transient and fading optical source, Swope Supernova Survey 2017a (SSS17a), coincident with GW170817. SSS17a is located in NGC 4993, an S0 galaxy at a distance of 40 megaparsecs. The precise location of GW170817 provides an opportunity to probe the nature of these cataclysmic events by combining electromagnetic and gravitational-wave observations.

neutron star merger
optical afterglow
merger gw170817
host galaxy


HATS-19b, HATS-20b, HATS-21b: Three Transiting Hot-Saturns Discovered by the HATSouth Survey

Abstract: We report the discovery by the HATSouth exoplanet survey of three hot-Saturn transiting exoplanets: HATS-19b, HATS-20b, and HATS-21b. The planet host HATS-19 is a slightly evolved V = 13.0 G0 star with [Fe/H] = 0.240, a mass of 1.303 Msun, and a radius of 1.75 Rsun. HATS-19b is in an eccentric orbit (e = 0.30) around this star with an orbital period of 4.5697 days and has a mass of 0.427 Mjup and a highly inflated radius of 1.66 Rjup. The planet HATS-20b has a Saturn-like mass and radius of 0.273 Mjup and 0.776 Rjup respectively. It orbits the V = 13.8 G9V star HATS-20 (Ms = 0.910 Msun; Rs = 0.892 Rsun) with a period of 3.7993 days. Finally, HATS-21 is a V = 12.2 G4V star with [Fe/H] = 0.300, a mass of 1.080 Msun, and a radius of 1.021 Rsun. Its accompanying planet HATS-21b has a 3.5544-day orbital period, a mass of 0.332 Mjup, and a moderately inflated radius of 1.123 Rjup. With the addition of these three very different planets to the growing sample of hot-Saturns, we re-examine the relations between the observed giant planet radii, stellar irradiation, and host metallicity. We find a significant positive correlation between planet equilibrium temperature and radius, and a weak negative correlation between host metallicity and radius. To assess the relative influence of various physical parameters on observed planet radii, we train and fit models using Random Forest regression. We find that for hot-Saturns (0.1 < Mp < 0.5 Mjup), the planetary mass and equilibrium temperature play dominant roles in determining radii. For hot-Jupiters (0.5 < Mp < 2.0 Mjup), the most important parameter is equilibrium temperature alone. Finally, for irradiated higher-mass planets (Mp > 2.0 Mjup), we find that equilibrium temperature dominates in influence, with smaller contributions from planet mass and host metallicity.

hats-21b
exoplanet
equilibrium temperature
planetary mass


Primordial Black Holes from String Inflation

Abstract: We present a single-field string inflationary model which allows for the generation of primordial black holes in the low mass region where they can account for a significant fraction of the dark matter abundance. The potential is typical of type IIB fibre inflation models and features a plateau at CMB scales and a near inflection point at large distance scales where the power spectrum is enhanced due to a period of ultra slow-roll. The tunability of the underlying parameters is guaranteed by scanning through the string landscape and their stability against quantum corrections is ensured by an effective shift symmetry.

primordial black hole
inflaton field
string theory


Omniscopes: Large Area Telescope Arrays with only N log N Computational Cost

Abstract: We show that the class of antenna layouts for telescope arrays allowing cheap analysis hardware (with correlator cost scaling as N log N rather than N^2 with the number of antennas N) is encouragingly large, including not only previously discussed rectangular grids but also arbitrary hierarchies of such grids, with arbitrary rotations and shears at each level. We show that all correlations for such a 2D array with an n-level hierarchy can be efficiently computed via a Fast Fourier Transform in not 2 but 2n dimensions. This can allow major correlator cost reductions for science applications requiring exquisite sensitivity at widely separated angular scales, for example 21cm tomography (where short baselines are needed to probe the cosmological signal and long baselines are needed for point source removal), helping enable future 21cm experiments with thousands or millions of cheap dipole-like antennas. Such hierarchical grids combine the angular resolution advantage of traditional array layouts with the cost advantage of a rectangular Fast Fourier Transform Telescope. We also describe an algorithm for how a subclass of hierarchical arrays can efficiently use rotation synthesis to produce global sky maps with minimal noise and a well-characterized synthesized beam.

antenna
grid
fast fourier transform
omniscope


Wide-Field InfraRed Survey Telescope-Astrophysics Focused Telescope Assets WFIRST-AFTA Final Report

Abstract: The Astro2010 Decadal Survey recommended a Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) as its top priority for a new large space mission. As conceived by the decadal survey, WFIRST would carry out a dark energy science program, a microlensing program to determine the demographics of exoplanets, and a general observing program utilizing its ultra wide field. In October 2012, NASA chartered a Science Definition Team (SDT) to produce, in collaboration with the WFIRST Project Office at GSFC and the Program Office at JPL, a Design Reference Mission (DRM) for an implementation of WFIRST using one of the 2.4-m, Hubble-quality mirror assemblies recently made available to NASA. This DRM builds on the work of the earlier WFIRST SDT, reported by Green et al. (2012). The 2.4-m primary mirror enables a mission with greater sensitivity and higher angular resolution than the 1.3-m and 1.1-m designs considered previously, increasing both the science return of the primary surveys and the capabilities of WFIRST as a Guest Observer facility. The option of adding an on-axis, coronagraphic instrument would enable imaging and spectroscopic studies of planets around nearby stars. This document presents the final report of the SDT.

telescope
angular resolution
planet
space-based mission
galaxy survey


The Virgo Overdensity Explained

Abstract: We suggest that the Virgo Overdensity (VOD) of stars in the stellar halo is the result of a radial dwarf galaxy merger that we call the Virgo Radial Merger. Because the dwarf galaxy passed very near to the Galactic center, the debris has a large range of energies but nearly zero L_z angular momentum. The debris appears to extend from 5 to 50 kpc from the Sun in the Virgo region. We connect different parts of this merger debris to the Perpendicular and Parallel Streams (the Virgo Stellar Stream is associated with either or both of these streams), the Hercules-Aquila Cloud (HAC), and possibly the Eridanus Phoenix Overdensity (EriPhe). This radial merger can explain the majority of the observed moving groups of RR Lyrae and blue horizontal branch stars that have previously been identified in Virgo. This merger also produces debris in the Solar neighborhood similar to that identified as the Gaia-Enceladus or it Gaia-sausage merger. Orbits are provided for components of the Virgo Radial Merger progenitor and for debris that appears to be related to the Cocytos Stream, which was also recovered in the Virgo region.

virgo overdensity
vod
debris
hac
solar neighborhood


Reconciling the local void with the CMB

Abstract: In the standard cosmological model, the dimming of distant Type Ia supernovae is explained by invoking the existence of repulsive `dark energy' which is causing the Hubble expansion to accelerate. However this may be an artifact of interpreting the data in an (oversimplified) homogeneous model universe. In the simplest inhomogeneous model which fits the SNe Ia Hubble diagram without dark energy, we are located close to the centre of a void modelled by a Lemaítre-Tolman-Bondi metric. It has been claimed that such models cannot fit the CMB and other cosmological data. This is however based on the assumption of a scale-free spectrum for the primordial density perturbation. An alternative physically motivated form for the spectrum enables a good fit to both SNe Ia (Constitution/Union2) and CMB (WMAP 7-yr) data, and to the locally measured Hubble parameter. Constraints from baryon acoustic oscillations and primordial nucleosynthesis are also satisfied.

void
dark energy
such model
density perturbation


Photodissociation and X-Ray Dominated Regions

Abstract: The radiation from stars and active galactic nuclei (AGN) creates photodissociation regions (PDRs) and X-ray dominated regions (XDRs), where the chemistry or heating are dominated by far-ultraviolet (FUV) radiation or X-ray radiation, respectively. PDRs include a wide range of environments from the diffuse interstellar medium to dense star-forming regions. XDRs are found in the center of galaxies hosting AGN, in protostellar disks, and in the vicinity of X-ray binaries. In this review, we describe the dominant thermal, chemical, and radiation transfer processes in PDRs and XDRs, as well as a brief description of models and their use to analyze observations. We then present recent results from Milky Way, nearby extragalactic, and high-redshift observations. Several important results are: ∙ Velocity resolved PDR lines reveal the kinematics of the neutral atomic gas and provide constraints on the stellar feedback process. Their interpretation is, however, in dispute as observations suggest a prominent role for stellar winds while they are much less important in theoretical models. ∙ A significant fraction of molecular mass resides in CO-dark gas especially in low-metallicity/highly irradiated environments. ∙ The CO ladder and CI/CII ratios can determine if FUV or X-rays dominate the ISM heating of extragalactic sources. ∙ With ALMA, PDR and XDR tracers are now routinely detected on galactic scales over cosmic time. This makes it possible to link the star formation history of the Universe to the evolution of the physical and chemical properties of the gas.

radiation
star
interstellar medium
stellar feedback process
photo-dissociation regions


Non-thermal particle acceleration in collisionless relativistic electron-proton reconnection

Abstract: Magnetic reconnection in relativistic collisionless plasmas can accelerate particles and power high-energy emission in various astrophysical systems. Whereas most previous studies focused on relativistic reconnection in pair plasmas, less attention has been paid to electron-ion plasma reconnection, expected in black hole accretion flows and relativistic jets. We report a comprehensive particle-in-cell numerical investigation of reconnection in an electron-ion plasma, spanning a wide range of ambient ion magnetizations σ_i, from the semirelativistic regime (ultrarelativistic electrons but nonrelativistic ions, 0.001<<σ_i<<1) to the fully relativistic regime (both species are ultrarelativistic, σ_i>>1). We investigate how the reconnection rate, electron and ion plasma flows, electric and magnetic field structures, electron/ion energy partitioning, and nonthermal particle acceleration depend on σ_i. Our key findings are: (1) the reconnection rate is about 0.1 of the Alfvenic rate across all regimes; (2) electrons can form concentrated moderately relativistic outflows even in the semirelativistic, small-σ_i regime; (3) while the released magnetic energy is partitioned equally between electrons and ions in the ultrarelativistic limit, the electron energy fraction declines gradually with decreased σ_i and asymptotes to about 0.25 in the semirelativistic regime; (4) reconnection leads to efficient nonthermal electron acceleration with a σ_i-dependent power-law index, p(σ_i) ≃const+0.7 σ_i^-1/2. These findings are important for understanding black hole systems and lend support to semirelativistic reconnection models for powering nonthermal emission in blazar jets, offering a natural explanation for the spectral indices observed in these systems.

particle acceleration
high-energy emission
relativistic reconnection
electron-ion plasma


Reconstructing large-scale structure with neutral hydrogen surveys

Abstract: Upcoming 21-cm intensity surveys will use the hyperfine transition in emission to map out neutral hydrogen in large volumes of the universe. Unfortunately, large spatial scales are completely contaminated with spectrally smooth astrophysical foregrounds which are orders of magnitude brighter than the signal. This contamination also leaks into smaller radial and angular modes to form a foreground wedge, further limiting the usefulness of 21-cm observations for different science cases, especially cross-correlations with tracers that have wide kernels in the radial direction. In this paper, we investigate reconstructing these modes within a forward modeling framework. Starting with an initial density field, a suitable bias parameterization and non-linear dynamics to model the observed 21-cm field, our reconstruction proceeds by combining the likelihood of a forward simulation to match the observations (under given modeling error and a data noise model) with the Gaussian prior on initial conditions and maximizing the obtained posterior. For redshifts z=2 and 4, we are able to reconstruct 21cm field with cross correlation, r_c > 0.8 on all scales for both our optimistic and pessimistic assumptions about foreground contamination and for different levels of thermal noise. The performance deteriorates slightly at z=6. The large-scale line-of-sight modes are reconstructed almost perfectly. We demonstrate how our method also reconstructs baryon acoustic oscillations, outperforming standard methods on all scales. We also describe how our reconstructed field can provide superb clustering redshift estimation at high redshifts, where it is otherwise extremely difficult to obtain dense spectroscopic samples, as well as open up cross-correlation opportunities with projected fields (e.g. lensing) which are restricted to modes transverse to the line of sight.

neutral hydrogen survey
large spatial scale
density field
high redshift
area


Circular dichroism, magnetic knots and the spectropolarimetry of the Cosmic Microwave Background

Abstract: When the last electron-photon scattering takes place in a magnetized environment, the degree of circular polarization of the outgoing radiation depends upon the magnetic field strength. After deriving the scattering matrix of the process, the generalized radiative transfer equations are deduced in the presence of the relativistic fluctuations of the geometry and for all the four brightness perturbations. The new system of equations is solved under the assumption that the incident radiation is not polarized. The induced V-mode polarization is analyzed both analytically and numerically. The corresponding angular power spectra are calculated and compared with the measured (or purported) values of the linear polarizations (i.e. E-mode and B-mode) as they arise in the concordance model and in its neighboring extensions. Possible connections between the V-mode polarization of the Cosmic Microwave background and the topological properties of the magnetic flux lines prior to equality are outlined and briefly explored in analogy with the physics of magnetized sun spots.

cosmic microwave background
circular polarization
magnetic field
brightness perturbation


SCORCH I: The Galaxy-Halo Connection in the First Billion Years

Abstract: SCORCH (Simulations and Constructions of the Reionization of Cosmic Hydrogen) is a new project to study the Epoch of Reionization (EoR). In this first paper, we probe the connection between observed high-redshift galaxies and simulated dark matter halos to better understand the abundance and evolution of the primary source of ionizing radiation. High-resolution N-body simulations are run to quantify the abundance of dark matter halos as a function of mass M, accretion rate Ṁ, and redshift z. A new fit for the halo mass function dn/dM is ≈ 20% more accurate at the high-mass end where bright galaxies are expected to reside. A novel approach is used to fit the halo accretion rate function dn/dṀ in terms of the halo mass function. Abundance matching against the observed galaxy luminosity function is used to estimate the luminosity-mass relation and the luminosity-accretion-rate relation. The inferred star formation efficiency is not monotonic with M nor Ṁ, but reaches a maximum value at a characteristic mass ∼ 2 × 10^11 M_⊙ and a characteristic accretion rate ∼ 6 × 10^2M_⊙/ yr at z ≈ 6. We find a universal EoR luminosity-accretion-rate relation and construct a fiducial model for the galaxy luminosity function. The Schechter parameters evolve such that ϕ_⋆ decreases, M_⋆ is more positive (fainter), and α is more negative (steeper) at higher redshifts. We forecast for the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope and show that with apparent magnitude limit m_ AB≈ 31 (32), it can observe ≳ 11 (24) unlensed galaxies per square degree per unit redshift at least down to M_⋆ at z ≲ 13(14).


The distinguishing signature of Magnetic Penrose Process

Abstract: In this Letter, we wish to point out that the distinguishing feature of Magnetic Penrose process (MPP) is its super high efficiency exceeding 100% (which was established in mid 1980s for discrete particle accretion) of extraction of rotational energy of a rotating black hole electromagnetically for a magnetic field of milli Gauss order. Another similar process, which is also driven by electromagnetic field, is Blandford-Znajek mechanism (BZ), which could be envisaged as high magnetic field limit MPP as it requires threshold magnetic field of order 10^4G. Recent simulation studies of fully relativistic magnetohydrodynamic flows have borne out super high efficiency signature of the process for high magnetic field regime; viz BZ. We would like to make a clear prediction that similar simulation studies of MHD flows for low magnetic field regime, where BZ would be inoperative, would also have super efficiency.

magnetic penrose process
mpp
high efficiency
black hole
magnetic field


Deep learning from 21-cm tomography of the Cosmic Dawn and Reionization

Abstract: The 21-cm power spectrum (PS) has been shown to be a powerful discriminant of reionization and cosmic dawn astrophysical parameters. However, the 21-cm tomographic signal is highly non-Gaussian. Therefore there is additional information which is wasted if only the PS is used for parameter recovery. Here we showcase astrophysical parameter recovery directly from 21-cm images, using deep learning with convolutional neural networks (CNN). Using a database of 2D images taken from 10,000 21-cm lightcones (each generated from different cosmological initial conditions), we show that a CNN is able to recover parameters describing the first galaxies: (i) Tvir , their minimum host halo virial temperatures (or masses) capable of hosting efficient star formation; (ii) ζ , their typical ionizing efficiencies; (iii) LX/SFR , their typical soft-band X-ray luminosity to star formation rate; and (iv) E0 , the minimum X-ray energy capable of escaping the galaxy into the IGM. For most of their allowed ranges, log Tvir and log LX/SFR are recovered with < 1 uncertainty, while ζ and E0 are recovered within 10 results are roughly comparable to the accuracy obtained from Monte Carlo Markov Chain sampling of the PS with 21CMMC for the two mock observations analyzed previously, although we caution that we do not yet include noise and foreground contaminants in this proof-of-concept study.

cosmic dawn
convolutional neural network
slice


Gravitational waves from color-magnetic `mountains' in neutron stars

Abstract: Neutron stars may harbour the true ground state of matter in the form of strange quark matter. If present, this type of matter is expected to be a color superconductor, a consequence of quark pairing with respect to the color/flavor degrees of freedom. The stellar magnetic field threading the quark core becomes a color-magnetic admixture and, in the event that superconductivity is of type II, leads to the formation of color-magnetic vortices. In this Letter we show that the volume-averaged color-magnetic vortex tension force should naturally lead to a significant degree of non-axisymmetry in systems like radio pulsars. We show that gravitational radiation from such color-magnetic `mountains' in young pulsars like the Crab and Vela could be observable by the future Einstein Telescope, thus becoming a probe of paired quark matter in neutron stars. The detectability threshold can be pushed up toward the sensitivity level of Advanced LIGO if we invoke an interior magnetic field about a factor ten stronger than the surface polar field.

neutron star
color superconductor
magnetic field
pulsar