Particle theory

Abstract:

We discuss recent observations of high energy cosmic ray positrons and electrons in the context of hadronic interactions in supernova remnants, the suspected accelerators of galactic cosmic rays. Diffusive shock acceleration can harden the energy spectrum of secondary positrons relative to that of the primary protons (and electrons) and thus explain the rise in the positron fraction observed by PAMELA above 10 GeV. We normalize the hadronic interaction rate by holding pion decay to be responsible for the gamma-rays detected by HESS from some SNRs. By simulating the spatial and temporal distribution of SNRs in the Galaxy according to their known statistics, we are able to then fit the electron (plus positron) energy spectrum measured by Fermi. It appears that IceCube has good prospects for detecting the hadronic neutrino fluxes expected from nearby SNRs.

Abstract:

We introduce an ensemble of infinite causal triangulations, called the uniform infinite causal triangulation, and show that it is equivalent to an ensemble of infinite trees, the uniform infinite planar tree. It is proved that in both cases the Hausdorff dimension almost surely equals 2. The infinite causal triangulations are shown to be almost surely recurrent or, equivalently, their spectral dimension is almost surely less than or equal to 2. We also establish that for certain reduced versions of the infinite causal triangulations the spectral dimension equals 2 both for the ensemble average and almost surely. The triangulation ensemble we consider is equivalent to the causal dynamical triangulation model of two-dimensional quantum gravity and therefore our results apply to that model.

Abstract:

The excess in the positron fraction measured by PAMELA has been interpreted as due to annihilation or decay of dark matter in the Galaxy. More prosaically it has been ascribed to direct production of positrons by nearby pulsars or due to pion production during diffusive shock acceleration of hadronic cosmic rays in nearby sources. We point out that measurements of secondary cosmic ray nuclei can discriminate between these possibilities. New data on the titanium-to-iron ratio support the hadronic source model above and enable a prediction for the boron-to-carbon ratio at energies above 100 GeV.