Particle theory

Abstract:

Data collected by the Pierre Auger Observatory provide evidence for anisotropy in the arrival directions of the cosmic rays with the highest energies, which are correlated with the positions of relatively nearby active galactic nuclei (AGN) \cite{science}. The correlation has maximum significance for cosmic rays with energy greater than ~ 6x10^{19}$ eV and AGN at a distance less than ~ 75 Mpc. We have confirmed the anisotropy at a confidence level of more than 99% through a test with parameters specified {\em a priori}, using an independent data set. The observed correlation is compatible with the hypothesis that cosmic rays with the highest energies originate from extra-galactic sources close enough so that their flux is not significantly attenuated by interaction with the cosmic background radiation (the Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuz'min effect). The angular scale of the correlation observed is a few degrees, which suggests a predominantly light composition unless the magnetic fields are very weak outside the thin disk of our galaxy. Our present data do not identify AGN as the sources of cosmic rays unambiguously, and other candidate sources which are distributed as nearby AGN are not ruled out. We discuss the prospect of unequivocal identification of individual sources of the highest-energy cosmic rays within a few years of continued operation of the Pierre Auger Observatory.

Abstract:

Detailed analyses of the WMAP data indicate possible oscillatory features in the primordial curvature perturbation, which moreover appears to be suppressed beyond the present Hubble radius. Such deviations from the usual inflationary expectation of an approximately Harrison-Zeldovich spectrum are expected in the supergravity-based 'multiple inflation' model wherein phase transitions during inflation induce sudden changes in the mass of the inflaton, thus interrupting its slow-roll. In a previous paper we calculated the resulting curvature perturbation and showed how the oscillations arise. Here we perform a Markov Chain Monte Carlo fitting exercise using the 3-year WMAP data to determine how the fitted cosmological parameters vary when such a primordial spectrum is used as an input, rather than the usually assumed power-law spectrum. The 'concordance' LCDM model is still a good fit when there is just a 'step' in the spectrum. However if there is a 'bump' in the spectrum (due e.g. to two phase transitions in rapid succession), the precision CMB data can be well-fitted by a flat Einstein-de Sitter cosmology without dark energy. This however requires the Hubble constant to be h ~ 0.44 which is lower than the locally measured value. To fit the SDSS data on the power spectrum of galaxy clustering requires a ~10% component of hot dark matter, as would naturally be provided by 3 species of neutrinos of mass ~0.5 eV. This CHDM model cannot however fit the position of the baryon acoustic peak in the LRG redshift two-point correlation function. It may be possible to overcome these difficulties in an inhomogeneous Lemaitre-Tolman-Bondi cosmological model with a local void, which can potentially also account for the SN Ia Hubble diagram without invoking cosmic acceleration.

Abstract:

Detailed analyses of the WMAP data indicate possible oscillatory features in the primordial curvature perturbation, which moreover appears to be suppressed beyond the present Hubble radius. Such deviations from the usual inflationary expectation of an approximately Harrison-Zeldovich spectrum are expected in the supergravity-based "multiple inflation" model wherein phase transitions during inflation induce sudden changes in the mass of the inflaton, thus interrupting its slow roll. In a previous paper we calculated the resulting curvature perturbation and showed how the oscillations arise. Here we perform a Markov chain Monte Carlo fitting exercise using the 3-year WMAP data to determine how the fitted cosmological parameters vary when such a primordial spectrum is used as an input, rather than the usually assumed power-law spectrum. The concordance ΛCDM model is still a good fit when there is just a step in the spectrum. However, if there is a bump in the spectrum (due e.g. to two phase transitions in rapid succession), the precision cosmic microwave background data can be well fitted by a flat Einstein-de Sitter cosmology without dark energy. This however requires the Hubble constant to be h0.44 which is lower than the locally measured value. To fit the Sloane Digital Sky Survey data on the power spectrum of galaxy clustering requires a ∼10% component of hot dark matter, as would naturally be provided by 3 species of neutrinos of mass ∼0.5eV. This cold+hot dark matter model cannot however fit the position of the baryon acoustic peak in the luminous red galaxies redshift two-point correlation function. It may be possible to overcome these difficulties in an inhomogeneous Lemaître-Tolman-Bondi cosmological model with a local void, which can potentially also account for the SN Ia Hubble diagram without invoking cosmic acceleration. © 2007 The American Physical Society.

Abstract:

The Pierre Auger Observatory (PAO) has measured the spectrum and composition of the ultrahigh energy cosmic rays with unprecedented precision. We use these measurements to constrain their spectrum and composition as injected from their sources and, in turn, use these results to estimate the spectrum of cosmogenic neutrinos generated in their propagation through intergalactic space. We find that the PAO spectrum and elongation rate measurements can be well fitted if the injected cosmic rays consist entirely of nuclei with masses in the intermediate (carbon, nitrogen, or oxygen) to heavy (iron, silicon) range. A mixture of protons and heavier species is also acceptable but (on the basis of existing hadronic interaction models) injection of pure light nuclei (protons, helium) results in unacceptable fits to the new elongation rate data. The expected spectrum of cosmogenic neutrinos can vary considerably, depending on the precise spectrum and chemical composition injected from the cosmic ray sources. In the models where heavy nuclei dominate the cosmic ray spectrum and few dissociated protons exceed GZK energies, the cosmogenic neutrino flux can be suppressed by up to 2 orders of magnitude relative to the all-proton prediction, making its detection beyond the reach of current and planned neutrino telescopes. Other models consistent with the data, however, are proton-dominated with only a small (1%-10%) admixture of heavy nuclei and predict an associated cosmogenic flux within the reach of upcoming experiments. Thus a detection or nondetection of cosmogenic neutrinos can assist in discriminating between these possibilities. © 2007 The American Physical Society.