LUX Data Research Articles

Quantifying time spent outdoors: A versatile method using any type of global positioning system (GPS) and accelerometer devices.

Spending time outdoors is associated with increased time spent in physical activity, lower chronic disease risk, and wellbeing. Many studies rely on self-reported measures, which are prone to recall bias. Other methods rely on features and functions only available in some GPS devices. Thus, a reliable and versatile method to objectively quantify time spent outdoors is needed. This study sought to develop a versatile method to classify indoor and outdoor (I/O) GPS data that can be widely applied using most types of GPS and accelerometer devices. To develop and test the method, five university students wore an accelerometer (ActiGraph wGT3X-BT) and a GPS device (Canmore GT-730FL-S) on an elastic belt at the right hip for two hours in June 2022 and logged their activity mode, setting, and start time via activity diaries. GPS trackers were set to collect data every 5 seconds. A rule-based point cluster-based method was developed to identify indoor, outdoor, and in-vehicle time. Point clusters were detected using an application called GPSAS_Destinations and classification were done in R using accelerometer lux, building footprint, and park location data. Classification results were compared with the submitted activity diaries for validation. A total of 7,006 points for all participants were used for I/O classification analyses. The overall I/O GPS classification accuracy rate was 89.58% (Kappa = 0.78), indicating good classification accuracy. This method provides reliable I/O clarification results and can be widely applied using most types of GPS and accelerometer devices.

0618 Association between Ambient Light Exposure, Race/Ethnicity, and Vitamin D among Adults in the United States: Analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Abstract Introduction The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (VitD) in the United States is 41 percent, with the highest rate among Blacks 82 percent. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to chronic diseases. The extent to which the association between light exposure and vitamin D serum levels can vary by individual’s race/ethnicity of which has not been studied at a national level. We aim to explore the associations of ambient light exposure between race/ethnicity and vitamin D. Methods The study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013-14). For detection of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D2 nmol/L, ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was performed based on serum samples from adults aged ≥ 18 years. Light levels (lux) data were gathered using 24-hour actigraphic monitoring over /a 7day period. Weighted generalized linear models were fitted examining association between light exposure and VitD adjusting for age, sex, family income/poverty ratio, education, employment, house tenure, marital status, birthplace, number of people in household, smoking, physical activity, and sedentarity. To compare this association across race/ethnicity, a product term between lux and race/ethnicity was included in adjusted models. Results Among 4,251 participants, White adults had the highest levels of VitD (mean=76.0; se=1.3), then other/multiple races (mean=65.1; se=2.2), Asians (mean=62.5; se=1.4); Hispanics (mean=57.4 nmol/L; se=1.6), and Blacks (mean=50.1; se=1.4). Regression analysis revealed estimated mean VitD of 64.9 nmol/L and positive association between light exposure and VitD ( 0.020). Blacks had significantly lower VitD levels ( -19.3) followed by Asians (-12.1) and Hispanics (-12.6) (all p-values <0.001). The association between light exposure and VitD depended on participant’s race/ethnicity Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first study showing associations between objectively measured light exposure and VitD serum levels using a large representative sample of the US population. Although the study revealed racial/ethnic disparities in VitD levels, light exposure was associated with VitD even when race/ethnicity was adjusted for in the model. Further research on racial/ethnic differences in VitD is warranted. Support (If Any) R01HL142066, R01HL095799, RO1MD004113, R01HL152453, R25HL105444

Optimizing Non-Glare Zone Width of Adaptive Driving Beam (ADB) Using Fuzzy Logic Control

Adaptive driving beam (ADB) is an advanced vehicle forward-lighting system that automatically adapts its beam patterns to create a non-glare zone around vehicles, providing good long-range visibility for the driver without causing an uncomfortable glare for other road users. The performance of the ADB system is affected by the non-glare zone width. A narrow non-glare zone could create indirect glare in the side rearview mirrors of preceding vehicles during sharp turns while widening it results in poor road illumination. This research studies the trade-off relationship between glare and road illumination when altering the width of the non-glare zone in different driving scenarios. The study is conducted by using virtual driving simulation tools to simulate an ADB vehicle on four S-curve roads with minimum curvatures varying from 25 m to 100 m. Lux data are collected and processed using a fuzzy logic controller to mimic a human test driver to find the best non-glare zone width for balancing the trade-off. The research developed a design methodology allowing for a better understanding of the effect adjusting the width of the ADB non-glare zone has on ADB performance and improved ADB non-glare zone width optimum control system design.

Constraints on effective field theory couplings using 311.2 days of LUX data

We report here the results of an Effective Field Theory (EFT) WIMP search analysis using LUX data. We build upon previous LUX analyses by extending the search window to include nuclear recoil energies up to $\sim$180 keV$_{nr}$, requiring a reassessment of data quality cuts and background models. In order to use a binned Profile Likelihood statistical framework, the development of new analysis techniques to account for higher-energy backgrounds was required. With a 3.14$\times10^4$ kg$\cdot$day exposure using data collected between 2014 and 2016, we set 90\% C.L. exclusion limits on non-relativistic EFT WIMP couplings to neutrons and protons, providing the most stringent constraints on a significant fraction of the possible EFT WIMP interactions. Additionally, we report world-leading exclusion limits on inelastic EFT WIMP-nucleon recoils.

Spin-3/2 dark matter in a simple t-channel model

We consider a spin-3/2 fermionic dark matter (DM) particle interacting with the Standard Model quarks through the exchange of a charged and coloured scalar or vector mediator in a simple t-channel model. It is found that for the vector mediator case, almost the entire parameter space allowed by the observed relic density is already ruled out by the direct detection LUX data. No such bounds exist on the interaction mediated by scalar particles. Monojet + missing energy searches at the Large Hadron Collider provide the most stringent bounds on the parameters of the model for this case. The collider bounds put a lower limit on the allowed DM masses.

Status of natural supersymmetry from the generalized minimal supergravity in light of the current LHC run-2 and LUX data

We study natural supersymmetry in the Generalized Minimal Supergravity (GmSUGRA). For the parameter space with low energy electroweak fine-tuning measures less than 50, we are left with only the $Z$-pole, Higgs-pole and Higgsino LSP scenarios for dark matter (DM). We perform the focused scans for such parameter space and find that it satisfies various phenomenological constraints and is compatible with the current direct detection bound on neutralino DM reported by the LUX experiment. Such parameter space also has solutions with correct DM relic density besides the solutions with DM relic density smaller or larger than 5$\sigma$ WMAP9 bounds. We present five benchmark points as examples. In these benchmark points, gluino and the first two generations of squarks are heavier than 2 TeV, stop $\tilde t_{1,2}$ are in the mass range $[1,2]$ TeV, while sleptons are lighter than 1 TeV. Some part of the parameter space can explain the muon anomalous magnetic moment within 3$\sigma$ as well. We also perform the collider study of such solutions by implementing and comparing with relevant studies done by the ATLAS and CMS Collaborations. We find that the points with Higgsino dominant $\tilde{\chi}_2^0/\tilde{\chi_1}^\pm$ mass up to $300$ GeV are excluded in $Z$-pole scenario while for Higgs-pole scenario, the points with $\tilde{\chi}_2^0$ mass up to $460$ GeV are excluded. We also notice that the Higgsino LSP points in our present scans are beyond the reach of present LHC searches. Next, we show that for both the $Z$-pole and Higgs-pole scenarios, the points with electroweak fine-tuning measure around 20 do still survive.

Standard model with a complex scalar singlet: Cosmological implications and theoretical considerations

We analyze the theoretical and phenomenological considerations for the electroweak phase transition and dark matter in an extension of the Standard Model with a complex scalar singlet (cxSM). In contrast with earlier studies, we use a renormalization group improved scalar potential and treat its thermal history in a gauge invariant manner. We find that the parameter space consistent with a strong first order electroweak phase transition (SFOEWPT) and present dark matter phenomenological constraints is significantly restricted compared to results of a conventional, gauge non-invariant analysis. In the simplest variant of the cxSM, recent LUX data and a SFOEWPT require a dark matter mass close to half the mass of the Standard Model-like Higgs boson. We also comment on various caveats regarding the perturbative treatment of the phase transition dynamics.

Strongly self-interacting vector dark matter via freeze-in

We study a vector dark matter (VDM) model in which the dark sector couples to the Standard Model sector via a Higgs portal. If the portal coupling is small enough the VDM can be produced via the freeze-in mechanism. It turns out that the electroweak phase transition have a substantial impact on the prediction of the VDM relic density. We further assume that the dark Higgs boson which gives the VDM mass is so light that it can induce strong VDM self-interactions and solve the small-scale structure problems of the Universe. As illustrated by the latest LUX data, the extreme smallness of the Higgs portal coupling required by the freeze-in mechanism implies that the dark matter direct detection bounds are easily satisfied. However, the model is well constrained by the indirect detections of VDM from BBN, CMB, AMS-02, and diffuse γ/X-rays. Consequently, only when the dark Higgs boson mass is at most of mathcal{O} (keV) does there exist a parameter region which leads to a right amount of VDM relic abundance and an appropriate VDM self-scattering while satisfying all other constraints simultaneously.

A combined analysis of PandaX, LUX, and XENON1T experiments within the framework of dark matter effective theory

Weakly interacting massive particles are a widely well-probed dark matter candidate by the dark matter direct detection experiments. Theoretically, there are a large number of ultraviolet completed models that consist of a weakly interacting massive particle dark matter. The variety of models makes the comparison with the direct detection data complicated and often non-trivial. To overcome this, in the non-relativistic limit, the effective theory was developed in the literature which works very well to significantly reduce the complexity of dark matter-nucleon interactions and to better study the nuclear response functions. In the effective theory framework for a spin-1/2 dark matter, we combine three independent likelihood functions from the latest PandaX, LUX, and XENON1T data, and give a joint limit on each effective coupling. The astrophysical uncertainties of the dark matter distribution are also included in the likelihood. We further discuss the isospin violating cases of the interactions. Finally, for both dimension-five and dimension-six effective theories above the electroweak scale, we give updated limits of the new physics mass scales.

Exothermic dark matter with light mediator after LUX and PandaX-II in 2016

Dark matter (DM) direct detections are investigated for models with the following properties: isospin-violating couplings, exothermic scatterings, and/or a light mediator, with the aim to reduce the tension between the CDMS-Si positive signals and other negative searches. In particular, we focus on the non-standard effective operators which could lead to the spin-independent DM-nucleus scatterings with non-trivial dependences on the transfer momentum or DM velocity. As a result, such effective operator choices have the very mild effects on the final fittings. Furthermore, by including the latest constraints from LUX, PandaX-II, XENON1T and PICO-60, we find that, for almost all the considered models, the predicted CDMS-Si signal regions are either severely constrained or completely excluded by the LUX, PandaX-II, XENON1T and PICO-60 data, including the most promising Xe-phobic exothermic DM models with/without a light mediator. Therefore, we conclude that it is very difficult for the present DM framework to explain the CDMS-Si excess.

How light a higgsino or a wino dark matter can become in a compressed scenario of MSSM

Higgsinos and Wino have strong motivations for being Dark Matter (DM) candidates in supersymmetry, but their annihilation cross sections are quite large. For thermal generation and a single component DM setup the higgsinos or wino may have masses of around 1 or 2-3 TeV respectively. For such DM candidates, a small amount of slepton coannihilation may decrease the effective DM annihilation cross section. This, in turn reduces the lower limit of the relic density satisfied DM mass by more than 50%. Almost a similar degree of reduction of the same limit is also seen for squark coannihilations. However, on the contrary, for near degeneracy of squarks and higgsino DM, near its generic upper limit, the associated coannihilations may decrease the relic density, thus extending the upper limit towards higher DM masses. We also compute the direct and indirect detection signals. Here, because of the quasi-mass degeneracy of the squarks and the LSP, we come across a situation where squark exchange diagrams may contribute significantly or more strongly than the Higgs exchange contributions in the spin-independent direct detection cross section of DM. For the higgsino-DM scenario, we observe that a DM mass of 600 GeV to be consistent with WMAP/PLANCK and LUX data for sfermion coannihilations. The LUX data itself excludes the region of 450 to 600 GeV, by a half order of magnitude of the cross-section, well below the associated uncertainty. The similar combined lower limit for a wino DM is about 1.1 TeV. There is hardly any collider bound from the LHC for squarks and sleptons in such a compressed scenario where sfermion masses are close to the mass of a higgsino/wino LSP.

Personalized cumulative UV tracking on mobiles & wearables.

Maintaining a balanced Ultra Violet (UV) exposure level is vital for a healthy living as the excess of UV dose can lead to critical diseases such as skin cancer while the absence can cause vitamin D deficiency which has recently been linked to onset of cardiac abnormalities. Here, we propose a personalized cumulative UV dose (CUVD) estimation system for smartwatch and smartphone devices having the following novelty factors; (a) sensor orientation invariant measurement of UV exposure using a bootstrap resampling technique, (b) estimation of UV exposure using only light intensity (lux) sensor (c) optimal UV exposure dose estimation. Our proposed method will eliminate the need for a dedicated UV sensor thus widen the user base of the proposed solution, render it unobtrusive by eliminating the critical requirement of orienting the device in a direction facing the sun. The system is implemented on android mobile platform and validated on 1200 minutes of lux and UV index (UVI) data collected across several days covering morning to evening time frames. The result shows very impressive final UVI estimation accuracy. We believe our proposed solution will enable the future wearable and smartphone users to obtain a seamless personalized UV exposure dose across a day paving a way for simple yet very useful recommendations such as right skin protective measure for reducing risk factors of long term UV exposure related diseases like skin cancer and, cardiac abnormality.

Analyzing of singlet fermionic dark matter via the updated direct detection data

We revisit the parameter space of singlet fermionic cold dark matter model in order to determine the role of the mixing angle between the standard model Higgs and a new singlet one. Furthermore, we restudy the direct detection constraints with the updated and new experimental data. As an important conclusion, this model is completely excluded by recent XENON100, PandaX II and LUX data.

Status of CMSSM in light of current LHC Run-2 and LUX data

Motivated by the latest results of the LHC Run-2 and LUX experiments, we examine the status of the constrained minimal supersymmetric standard model by performing a global fit. We construct a likelihood function including the electroweak precision observables, B-physics measurements, LHC Run-1 and -2 data of SUSY direct searches, Planck observation of the dark matter relic density and the combined LUX Run-3 and -4 detection limits. Based on the profile likelihood functions of 1 billion samples, we obtain the following observations: (i) The stau coannihilation region has been mostly excluded by the latest LHC Run-2 data; (ii) The focus point region has been largely covered by the LUX-2016 limits while the A-funnel region has been severely restricted by flavor observables like Bs→μ+μ−. The remaining parts of both regions will be totally covered by the future LZ dark matter experiment; (iii) Part of the stop coannihilation region may be detected with higher integrated luminosity LHC; (iv) The StauC&AF hybrid region still survives considering both LHC and dark matter experiments; (v) The masses of the stop, the lightest neutralino and the gluino have been pushed up to 363 GeV, 328 GeV and 1818 GeV, respectively.

Neutrino masses and scalar singlet dark matter

We propose a simple extension of the Standard Model (SM) which has a viable dark matter (DM) candidate, as well as can explain the generation of tiny neutrino masses. The DM is an electroweak (EW) singlet scalar $S$, odd under an imposed exact $Z_2$ symmetry, interacting to SM through `Higgs-portal' coupling, while all other particles are even under $Z_2$. The model also has an EW isospin $3/2$ scalar, $\Delta$ and a pair of EW isospin vector, $\Sigma$ and $\bar{\Sigma}$, responsible for generating tiny neutrino mass via the effective dimension seven operator. Thanks to the additional interactions with $\Delta$, the scalar singlet DM $S$ survives a large region of parameter space by relic density constraints from WMAP/PLANCK and direct search bounds from updated LUX data. Constraints on the model from Large Hadron Collider (LHC) has also been discussed.

New tools for managing daylight exposure of works of art: case study of Hambletonian, Mount Stewart, Northern Ireland

This paper describes a project to reduce the excessive daylight exposure of an oil painting, Hambletonian, Rubbing Down, displayed at Mount Stewart, Northern Ireland. Climate-based daylight modelling (CBDM) was used to understand the light exposure of Hambletonian and to assess the impact of control measures on the annual light exposure and viewing condition of the painting in the winter months. The computer model was used in conjunction with measured lux data to establish the base case light exposure and the effect of the control measures. Light control was implemented through the use of darker paint finishes on the walls and ceiling, which reduced the amount of reflected light reaching Hambletonian; and the addition of a mesh screen to the outside of the glazed dome above the painting. These interventions were cost-effective and straightforward to implement and manage. CBDM suggests the interventions reduced Hambletonian’s annual daylight exposure from 3.5 mlxhr to 0.63 mlxhr.

Direct detection of exothermic dark matter with light mediator

We study the dark matter (DM) direct detection for the models with the effects of the isospin-violating couplings, exothermic scatterings, and/or the lightness of the mediator, proposed to relax the tension between the CDMS-Si signals and null experiments. In the light of the new updates of the LUX and CDMSlite data, we find that many of the previous proposals are now ruled out, including the Ge-phobic exothermic DM model and the Xe-phobic DM one with a light mediator. We also examine the exothermic DM models with a light mediator but without the isospin violation, and we are unable to identify any available parameter space that could simultaneously satisfy all the experiments. The only models that can partially relax the inconsistencies are the Xe-phobic exothermic DM models with or without a light mediator. But even in this case, a large portion of the CDMS-Si regions of interest has been constrained by the LUX and SuperCDMS data.

Results on the Spin-Dependent Scattering of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles on Nucleons from the Run 3 Data of the LUX Experiment.

We present experimental constraints on the spin-dependent WIMP (weakly interacting massive particle)-nucleon elastic cross sections from LUX data acquired in 2013. LUX is a dual-phase xenon time projection chamber operating at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (Lead, South Dakota), which is designed to observe the recoil signature of galactic WIMPs scattering from xenon nuclei. A profile likelihood ratio analysis of 1.4×10^{4} kg day of fiducial exposure allows 90%C.L. upper limits to be set on the WIMP-neutron (WIMP-proton) cross section of σ_{n}=9.4×10^{-41} cm^{2} (σ_{p}=2.9×10^{-39} cm^{2}) at 33 GeV/c^{2}. The spin-dependent WIMP-neutron limit is the most sensitive constraint to date.

Improved Limits on Scattering of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles from Reanalysis of 2013 LUX Data.

We present constraints on weakly interacting massive particles (WIMP)-nucleus scattering from the 2013 data of the Large Underground Xenon dark matter experiment, including 1.4×10^{4} kg day of search exposure. This new analysis incorporates several advances: single-photon calibration at the scintillation wavelength, improved event-reconstruction algorithms, a revised background model including events originating on the detector walls in an enlarged fiducial volume, and new calibrations from decays of an injected tritium β source and from kinematically constrained nuclear recoils down to 1.1keV. Sensitivity, especially to low-mass WIMPs, is enhanced compared to our previous results which modeled the signal only above a 3keV minimum energy. Under standard dark matter halo assumptions and in the mass range above 4 GeV c^{-2}, these new results give the most stringent direct limits on the spin-independent WIMP-nucleon cross section. The 90%C.L. upper limit has a minimum of 0.6zb at 33 GeV c^{-2} WIMP mass.

Composite scalar dark matter from vector-like SU(2) confinement

A toy-model with [Formula: see text] dynamics confined at high scales [Formula: see text] enables to construct Dirac UV completion from the original chiral multiplets predicting a vector-like nature of their weak interactions consistent with electroweak precision tests. In this work, we investigate a potential of the lightest scalar baryon-like (T-baryon) state [Formula: see text] with mass [Formula: see text] predicted by the simplest two-flavor vector-like confinement model as a dark matter (DM) candidate. We show that two different scenarios with the T-baryon relic abundance formation before and after the electroweak (EW) phase transition epoch lead to symmetric (or mixed) and asymmetric DM, respectively. Such a DM candidate evades existing direct DM detection constraints since its vector coupling to [Formula: see text] boson absents at tree level, while one-loop gauge boson mediated contribution is shown to be vanishingly small close to the threshold. The dominating spin-independent (SI) T-baryon–nucleon scattering goes via tree-level Higgs boson exchange in the [Formula: see text]-channel. The corresponding bound on the effective T-baryon–Higgs coupling has been extracted from the recent LUX data and turns out to be consistent with naive expectations from the light technipion case [Formula: see text]. The latter provides the most stringent phenomenological constraint on strongly-coupled [Formula: see text] dynamics so far. Future prospects for direct and indirect scalar T-baryon DM searches in astrophysics as well as in collider measurements have been discussed.