Matter Clustering Research Articles

Emulation of Cosmological Mass Maps with Conditional Generative Adversarial Networks.

Weak gravitational lensing mass maps play a crucial role in understanding the evolution of structures in the Universe and our ability to constrain cosmological models. The prediction of these mass maps is based on expensive N-body simulations, which can create a computational bottleneck for cosmological analyses. Simulation-based emulators of map summary statistics, such as the matter power spectrum and its covariance, are starting to play increasingly important role, as the analytical predictions are expected to reach their precision limits for upcoming experiments. Creating an emulator of the cosmological mass maps themselves, rather than their summary statistics, is a more challenging task. Modern deep generative models, such as Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN), have demonstrated their potential to achieve this goal. Most existing GAN approaches produce simulations for a fixed value of the cosmological parameters, which limits their practical applicability. We propose a novel conditional GAN model that is able to generate mass maps for any pair of matter density Ωm and matter clustering strength σ 8, parameters which have the largest impact on the evolution of structures in the Universe, for a given source galaxy redshift distribution n(z). Our results show that our conditional GAN can interpolate efficiently within the space of simulated cosmologies, and generate maps anywhere inside this space with good visual quality high statistical accuracy. We perform an extensive quantitative comparison of the N-body and GAN -generated maps using a range of metrics: the pixel histograms, peak counts, power spectra, bispectra, Minkowski functionals, correlation matrices of the power spectra, the Multi-Scale Structural Similarity Index (MS-SSIM) and our equivalent of the Fréchet Inception Distance. We find a very good agreement on these metrics, with typical differences are <5% at the center of the simulation grid, and slightly worse for cosmologies at the grid edges. The agreement for the bispectrum is slightly worse, on the <20% level. This contribution is a step toward building emulators of mass maps directly, capturing both the cosmological signal and its variability. We make the code 1 and the data 2 publicly available.

Avoiding baryonic feedback effects on neutrino mass measurements from CMB lensing

A measurement of the sum of neutrino masses is one of the main applications of upcoming measurements of gravitational lensing of the cosmic microwave background (CMB). This measurement can be confounded by modelling uncertainties related to so-called "baryonic effects" on the clustering of matter, arising from gas dynamics, star formation, and feedback from active galactic nuclei and supernovae. In particular, a wrong assumption about the form of baryonic effects on CMB lensing can bias a neutrino mass measurement by a significant fraction of the statistical uncertainty. In this paper, we investigate three methods for mitigating this bias: (1) restricting the use of small-scale CMB lensing information when constraining neutrino mass; (2) using an external tracer to remove the low-redshift contribution to a CMB lensing map; and (3) marginalizing over a parametric model for baryonic effects on large-scale structure. We test these methods using Fisher matrix forecasts for experiments resembling the Simons Observatory and CMB-S4, using a variety of recent hydrodynamical simulations to represent the range of possible baryonic effects, and using cosmic shear measured by the Rubin Observatory's LSST as the tracer in method (2). We find that a combination of (1) and (2), or (3) on its own, will be effective in reducing the bias induced by baryonic effects on a neutrino mass measurement to a negligible level, without a significant increase in the associated statistical uncertainty.

Euclid: Impact of non-linear and baryonic feedback prescriptions on cosmological parameter estimation from weak lensing cosmic shear

Upcoming surveys will map the growth of large-scale structure with unprecented precision, improving our understanding of the dark sector of the Universe. Unfortunately, much of the cosmological information is encoded on small scales, where the clustering of dark matter and the effects of astrophysical feedback processes are not fully understood. This can bias the estimates of cosmological parameters, which we study here for a joint analysis of mock Euclid cosmic shear and Planck cosmic microwave background data. We use different implementations for the modelling of the signal on small scales and find that they result in significantly different predictions. Moreover, the different non-linear corrections lead to biased parameter estimates, especially when the analysis is extended into the highly non-linear regime, with the Hubble constant, H0, and the clustering amplitude, σ8, affected the most. Improvements in the modelling of non-linear scales will therefore be needed if we are to resolve the current tension with more and better data. For a given prescription for the non-linear power spectrum, using different corrections for baryon physics does not significantly impact the precision of Euclid, but neglecting these correction does lead to large biases in the cosmological parameters. In order to extract precise and unbiased constraints on cosmological parameters from Euclid cosmic shear data, it is therefore essential to improve the accuracy of the recipes that account for non-linear structure formation, as well as the modelling of the impact of astrophysical processes that redistribute the baryons.

On N-body simulations of globular cluster streams

ABSTRACT Stellar tidal streams are sensitive tracers of the properties of the gravitational potential in which they orbit and detailed observations of their density structure can be used to place stringent constraints on fluctuations in the potential caused by, e.g. the expected populations of dark matter subhaloes in the standard cold dark matter (CDM) paradigm. Simulations of the evolution of stellar streams in live N-body haloes without low-mass dark matter subhaloes, however, indicate that streams exhibit significant perturbations on small scales even in the absence of substructure. Here, we demonstrate, using high-resolution N-body simulations combined with sophisticated semi-analytical and simple analytical models, that the mass resolutions of 104–$10^5\, \rm {M}_{\odot }$ commonly used to perform such simulations cause spurious stream density variations with a similar magnitude on large scales as those expected from a CDM-like subhalo population and an order of magnitude larger on small, yet observable, scales. We estimate that mass resolutions of ${\approx}100\, \rm {M}_{\odot }$ (${\approx}1\, \rm {M}_{\odot }$) are necessary for spurious, numerical density variations to be well below the CDM subhalo expectation on large (small) scales. That streams are sensitive to a simulation’s particle mass down to such small masses indicates that streams are sensitive to dark matter clustering down to these low masses if a significant fraction of the dark matter is clustered or concentrated in this way, for example, in MACHO models with masses of 10–$100\, \rm {M}_{\odot }$.

КОМПОНЕНТ ТЕМНОЇ МАТЕРІЇ І СОНЦЕ

Some consequences from the hypothesis of the origin of particles of one of the components of dark matter are presented. The reason for the hypothesis was the observational data of stellar radiation, considered through the prism of the relationship of all phenomena in Nature and the law of conservation of energy. It is argued that a part of the stellar electromagnetic radiation, which does not participate in the interaction with baryonic matter, will not wander forever in space. This radiation will interact with a subtle level of matter, continuously giving it its energy, shifting to the microwave region. In this frequency region, two quanta of close energies can form a neutral boson of spin 0, or spin 2, on opposite “courses”. Based on the observed spectrum of cosmic microwave radiation, it is assumed that these Bose particles have a continuous mass spectrum. These light nonrelativistic bosons are precisely the component of the thin medium that interacts with stellar radiation, taking energy from it. Bose particles participate in gravitational interactions. This means that in addition to the distribution of dark matter around galaxies, an increased concentration of particles in the form of large clouds can be observed in it. If an internal shock wave appears in such a cloud, located far from galactic streams of baryon particles, it will destroy the particles of the cloud, creating “strange radio circles” visible exclusively in the radio range. The gravitational interaction causes dark particles to drift towards large clusters of visible matter. The process of their drift to massive objects will be accompanied by resistance from the outgoing stellar radiation. Therefore, near the surface of a burning star, these particles themselves will resist the outgoing radiation, shifting it towards longer wavelengths. The plasma ejected by the star, with sufficient energy of its particles, is capable of destroying the particles of the dark component, creating pairs of photons and providing itself with "seed" quanta for bremsstrahlung. Free quanta remaining from the decay of dark particles will give microwave radiation. Therefore, burning stars should exhibit a redshift in the emission spectra and microwave radiation. Taking a certain model in the distribution of the dark component of matter near the Sun, it is possible to predict the nature of the redshift in the spectra of its radiation as the observation point moves along the solar disk from its center to the limb. A similar conclusion is made regarding the intensity of microwave radiation near the surface of the star. The galactic movement of the Sun should lead to some temperature effects associated with a denser counter flow of dark particles to the corresponding area of the solar surface. Knowing the direction of motion of the Sun in the Galaxy, based on the results of the temperature deviation on the surface of the star, one can determine the local speed and direction of movement of the cloud of the dark component of matter.

Galaxy formation in the brane world I: overview and first results

ABSTRACT We carry out ‘full-physics’ hydrodynamical simulations of galaxy formation in the normal-branch Dvali–Gabadadze–Porrati (nDGP) braneworld model using a new modified version of the arepo code and the IllustrisTNG galaxy formation model. We simulate two nDGP models (N5 and N1) that represent, respectively, weak and moderate departures from general relativity (GR), in boxes of sizes $62$ and $25\, h^{-1}{\rm Mpc}$ using 2 × 5123 dark matter particles and initial gas cells. This allows us to explore, for the first time, the impact of baryonic physics on galactic scales in braneworld models of modified gravity and to make predictions on the stellar content of dark matter haloes and galaxy evolution through cosmic time in these models. We find significant differences between the GR and nDGP models in the power spectra and correlation functions of gas, stars and dark matter of up to ∼25 per cent on large scales. Similar to their impact in the standard cosmological model (Λ cold dark matter), baryonic effects can have a significant influence over the clustering of the overall matter distribution, with a sign that depends on scale. Studying the degeneracy between modified gravity and galactic feedback in these models, we find that these two physical effects on matter clustering can be cleanly disentangled, allowing for a method to accurately predict the matter power spectrum with baryonic effects included, without having to run hydrodynamical simulations. Depending on the braneworld model, we find differences compared with GR of up to ∼15 per cent in galaxy properties such as the stellar-to-halo-mass ratio, galaxy stellar mass function, gas fraction, and star formation rate density. The amplitude of the fifth force is reduced by the presence of baryons in the very inner part of haloes, but this reduction quickly becomes negligible above ∼0.1 times the halo radius.

Mapping the inhomogeneous Universe with standard sirens: degeneracy between inhomogeneity and modified gravity theories

ABSTRACT The detection of gravitational waves (GWs) and an accompanying electromagnetic (E/M) counterpart have been suggested as a future probe for cosmology and theories of gravity. In this paper, we present calculations of the luminosity distance of sources taking into account inhomogeneities in the matter distribution that are predicted in numerical simulations of structure formation. In addition, we show that inhomogeneities resulting from clustering of matter can mimic certain classes of modified gravity theories, or other effects that dampen GW amplitudes, and deviations larger than $\delta \nu \sim \mathcal {O}(0.1)\ (99{{\ \rm per\ cent}}\ \rm {C.L.})$ to the extra friction term ν, from zero, would be necessary to distinguish them. For these, we assume mock GWs sources, with known redshift, based on binary population synthesis models, between redshifts z = 0 and z = 5. We show that future GW detectors, like Einstein Telescope or Cosmic Explorer, will be needed for strong constraints on the inhomogeneity parameters and breaking the degeneracy between modified gravity effects and matter anisotropies by measuring ν at $5 {{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ and $1 {{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ level with 100 and 350 events, respectively.

The cosmic neutrino background as a collection of fluids in large-scale structure simulations

A significant challenge for modelling the massive neutrino as a hot dark matter is its large velocity dispersion. In this work, we investigate and implement a multi-fluid perturbation theory that treats the cosmic neutrino population as a collection of fluids with a broad range of bulk velocities. These fluids respond linearly to the clustering of cold matter, which may be linear and described by standard linear perturbation theory, or non-linear, described using either higher-order perturbation theory or N-body simulations. We verify that such an alternative treatment of neutrino perturbations agrees closely with state-of-the-art neutrino linear response calculations in terms of power spectrum and bispectrum predictions. Combining multi-fluid neutrino linear response with a non-linear calculation for the cold matter clustering, we find for a reference νΛCDM cosmology with neutrino mass sum ∑ m ν = 0.93 eV an enhancement of the small-scale neutrino power by an order of magnitude relative to a purely linear calculation. The corresponding clustering enhancement in the cold matter, however, is a modest ∼ 0.05%. Importantly, our multi-fluid approach uniquely enables us to identify that the slowest-moving 25% of the neutrino population clusters strongly enough to warrant a non-linear treatment. Such a precise calculation of neutrino clustering on small scales accompanied by fine-grained velocity information would be invaluable for experiments such as PTOLEMY that probe the local neutrino density and velocity in the solar neighbourhood.

Velocity-dependent interacting dark energy and dark matter with a Lagrangian description of perfect fluids

We consider a cosmological scenario where the dark sector is described by two perfect fluids that interact through a velocity-dependent coupling. This coupling gives rise to an interaction in the dark sector driven by the relative velocity of the components, thus making the background evolution oblivious to the interaction and only the perturbed Euler equations are affected at first order. We obtain the equations governing this system with the Schutz-Sorkin Lagrangian formulation for perfect fluids and derive the corresponding stability conditions to avoid ghosts and Laplacian instabilities. As a particular example, we study a model where dark energy behaves as a radiation fluid at high redshift while it effectively becomes a cosmological constant in the late Universe. Within this scenario, we show that the interaction of both dark components leads to a suppression of the dark matter clustering at late times. We also argue the possibility that this suppression of clustering together with the additional dark radiation at early times can simultaneously alleviate the σ8 and H0 tensions.

Cosmology with Galaxy Cluster Weak Lensing: Statistical Limits and Experimental Design

Abstract We forecast constraints on the amplitude of matter clustering σ 8(z) achievable with the combination of cluster weak lensing and number counts, in current and next-generation weak lensing surveys. We advocate for an approach, analogous to galaxy–galaxy lensing, in which the observables in each redshift bin are the mean number counts and the mean weak lensing profile of clusters above a mass proxy threshold. The primary astrophysical nuisance parameter is the logarithmic scatter between the mass proxy and true mass near the threshold. For surveys similar to the Dark Energy Survey (DES), the Roman Space Telescope High Latitude Survey (HLS), and the Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), we forecast aggregate precision on σ 8 of 0.26%, 0.24%, and 0.10%, respectively, if the mass–observable scatter is known externally to . These constraints would be degraded by about 20% for in the case of DES or HLS and for for LSST. A 1 month observing program with Roman Space Telescope targeting ∼2500 massive clusters could achieve a ∼ 0.5% constraint on σ 8(z = 0.7) on its own, or a ∼ 0.33% constraint in combination with the HLS. Realizing the constraining power of clusters Requires accurate knowledge of the mass–observable relation and stringent control of systematics. We provide analytic approximations to our numerical results that allow for easy scaling to other survey assumptions or other methods of cluster mass estimation.

Optimizing large-scale structure data analysis with the theoretical error likelihood

An important aspect of large-scale structure data analysis is the presence of non-negligible theoretical uncertainties, which become increasingly important on small scales. We show how to incorporate these uncertainties in realistic power spectrum likelihoods by an appropriate change of the fitting model and the covariance matrix. The inclusion of the theoretical error has several advantages over the standard practice of using the sharp momentum cut ${k}_{\mathrm{max}}$. First, the theoretical error covariance gradually suppresses the information from the short scales as the employed theoretical model becomes less reliable. This allows one to avoid laborious measurements of ${k}_{\mathrm{max}}$, which is an essential part of the standard methods. Second, the theoretical error likelihood gives unbiased constraints with reliable error bars that are not artificially shrunk due to overfitting. In realistic settings, the theoretical error likelihood yields essentially the same parameter constraints as the standard analysis with an appropriately selected ${k}_{\mathrm{max}}$, thereby effectively optimizing the choice of ${k}_{\mathrm{max}}$. We demonstrate these points using the large-volume $N$-body data for the clustering of matter and galaxies in real and redshift space. In passing, we validate the effective field theory description of the redshift space distortions and show that the use of the one-parameter phenomenological Gaussian damping model for fingers-of-God causes significant biases in parameter recovery.

CFHTLenS: Galaxy bias as function of scale, stellar mass, and colour

Galaxy models predict a tight relation between the clustering of galaxies and dark matter on cosmological scales, but predictions differ notably in the details. We used this opportunity and tested two semi-analytic models by the Munich and Durham groups with data from the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Lensing Survey (CFHTLenS). For the test we measured the scale-dependent galaxy bias factor b(k) and correlation factor r(k) from linear to non-linear scales of k ≈ 10 h Mpc−1 at two redshifts z̄ = 0.35, 0.51 for galaxies with stellar mass between 5 × 109 and 3 × 1011 h70−2 M⊙. Our improved gravitational lensing technique accounts for the intrinsic alignment of sources and the magnification of lens galaxies for better constraints for the galaxy-matter correlation r(k). Galaxy bias in CFHTLenS increases with k and stellar mass; it is colour-dependent, revealing the individual footprints of galaxy types. Despite a reasonable model agreement for the relative change with both scale and galaxy properties, there is a clear conflict for b(k) with no model preference: the model galaxies are too weakly clustered. This may flag a model problem at z ≳ 0.3 for all stellar masses. As in the models, however, there is a high correlation r(k) between matter and galaxy density on all scales, and galaxy bias is typically consistent with a deterministic bias on linear scales. Only our blue and low-mass galaxies of about 7 × 109 h70−2 M⊙ at z̄ = 0.51 show, contrary to the models, a weak tendency towards a stochastic bias on linear scales where rls = 0.75 ± 0.14 (stat.) ± 0.06 (sys.). This result is of interest for cosmological probes, such as EG, that rely on a deterministic galaxy bias. We provide Monte Carlo realisations of posterior constraints for b(k) and r(k) in CFHTLenS for every galaxy sample in this paper at the CDS.

Formation of α clusters in dilute neutron-rich matter.

The surface of neutron-rich heavy nuclei, with a neutron skin created by excess neutrons, provides an important terrestrial model system to study dilute neutron-rich matter. By using quasi-free α cluster-knockout reactions, we obtained direct experimental evidence for the formation of α clusters at the surface of neutron-rich tin isotopes. The observed monotonous decrease of the reaction cross sections with increasing mass number, in excellent agreement with the theoretical prediction, implies a tight interplay between α-cluster formation and the neutron skin. This result, in turn, calls for a revision of the correlation between the neutron-skin thickness and the density dependence of the symmetry energy, which is essential for understanding neutron stars. Our result also provides a natural explanation for the origin of α particles in α decay.

A Conceptual Model to Explain Dark Matter and Dark Energy

This paper considers a conceptual model that attempts to explain ‘Dark Matter’ and ‘Dark Energy’. The model is based on considering a gravitational field to be the result of a mass (a Higgs field) scattering pre-existing cosmic background space-time waves or ‘Uber-waves’. The term ‘Uber’ is used to denote an outstanding or supreme example of a particular kind of gravitational wave with cosmic-scale wavelengths that are far in excess of those associated with the gravitational waves generated by accelerating masses. Such waves are taken to be the very lowest frequency components associated with the spectrum of space-time waves generated by the ‘Big Bang’ and are supported by the expanding fabric of space-time produced at the point of the big bang, i.e. the lowest frequency components of a cosmological spectrum whose bandwidth is the a Planck frequency (～10∧43 Hz). Like electromagnetic waves, Uber waves are taken to propagate with an upper velocity consistent with the speed of light and interact with, and are scattered by, a Higgs field. This interaction produces the effect of a mass locally curving space-time, an idea that is contrary to the conventional model associated with General Relativity where mass is taken to curve space-time directly which otherwise remains ‘flat’. By assuming the pre-existence of background Uber waves, we consider the concave curvature of such waves to generate an apparent attractive gravitational force. This interaction produces the effect of a mass locally curving space-time, an idea that is contrary to the conventional model associated with General Relativity where mass is taken to curve space-time directly which otherwise remains ‘flat’. By assuming the pre-existence of background Uber waves, we consider the concave curvature of such waves to generate an apparent attractive gravitational force. This attractive force is taken to govern the formation of large scale structures of matter (galaxies and super-clusters of galaxies, for example) in the conventional sense but surrounded by a residual background gravitational field. It is this residual field that gives rise to the effect known as dark matter where more gravity (as an attractive only force) appears to be available than that which can be accounted for by the observed (luminous) mass, a luminosity that is generated primarily by nuclear fusion in stars. The convex curvature of Uber waves is considered to account for cosmic voids within which gravity is a repulsive force and where large scale structures of matter can therefore not be formed. This is considered to explain the super-large cosmic voids or super voids that are observed. These are regions of the universe where there is an absence of rich super clusters of matter. In these anti-gravity zones, only relatively small structures of matter can be formed by electrostatic forces alone which are then repelled from each other when their mass becomes significant enough for the force of anti-gravity to become significant. In such regions of an Uber wave, the matter generated from electrostatic forces builds up to produce a weak gravitational repulsive field due to the low mass density within a void. However, due to the immense size of these cosmic voids, they are taken to generate a net repulsive force which is considered to be the reason for the acceleration associated with the expansion of the universe; the effect of dark energy. This effect also accounts for the cosmic web structure in which luminescent matter appears to exist in relatively thin connective filaments. The purpose of this paper is to provide a conceptual model and not to investigate the ideas proposed in any significant mathematical detail. This is accomplished by building up the ideas on a case-by-case basis, coupled with a series of thought experiments but without resorting to specific physical scales or the physical parameters associated with these scales other than, by default, the speed of light and Newton’s gravitational constant.

Biogeochemical evolution and organic carbon deposition on the Northwestern European Shelf during the Toarcian Ocean Anoxic Event

The Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event (T-OAE, ~183 Ma) represents a well-known episode of organic-rich deposition, which is accompanied by a substantial negative carbon-isotope excursion (CIE). Underpinning the relationships between the carbon-cycle perturbation, ocean anoxia, primary productivity feedbacks and the enrichment of sedimentary organic carbon remains a major challenge. Here, we present high-resolution geochemical, palynological and organofacies data from three lower Toarcian successions from the NW European shelf, spanning the T-OAE. Chronostratigraphic calibration of the successions is achieved through organic carbon isotope (δ13C) records. Iron-speciation and major and trace-element data indicate that bottom-waters were euxinic and intermittently anoxic-ferruginous prior to, throughout and beyond the CIE. In terms of organofacies and palynological composition, the CIE-interval is dominated by dense clusters of amorphous organic matter containing abundant small spherical prasinophyte cysts (Halosphaeropsis liassica). The peak CIE is bracketed by a major increase in abundance of prasinophycean vegetative cysts (Tasmanites and Pleurozonaria spp.). On the basis of their modern physiology, this suggests shoaling of the chemocline into the photic zone. The combined proxy data suggest a scenario in which anoxygenic photosynthetic productivity proliferated in nutrient-rich, anoxic to seasonally euxinic surface-waters of the stratified NW-European shelf during the CIE. A return to oxic-marine conditions is recorded by the recurrence of organic-walled dinoflagellate cysts in accordance with enhanced water column mixing post CIE. This is concurrent with a gradual termination of strongly stratified conditions across the NW-European shelf.

Forecasting cosmological constraints from the weak lensing magnification of type Ia supernovae measured by the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope

The weak lensing magnification of Type Ia Supernovae (SNe Ia) is sensitive to the clustering of matter, and provides an independent cosmological probe complementary to SN Ia distance measurements. The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is uniquely sensitive to this measurement as it can discover high redshift SNe Ia and measure them with high precision. We present a methodology for reconstructing the probability distribution of the weak lensing magnification $\mu$ of SNe Ia, $p(\mu)$, from observational data, and using it to constrain cosmological parameters. We find that the reconstructed $p(\mu)$ can be fitted accurately by a stretched Gaussian distribution, and used to measure the variance of $\mu$, $\xi_\mu$, which can be compared to theoretical predictions in a likelihood analysis. Applying our methodology to a set of realistically simulated SNe Ia expected from the Roman Space Telescope, we find that using the weak lensing magnification of the SNe Ia constrains a combination of matter density $\Omega_m$ and matter clustering amplitude $\sigma_8$. SN Ia distances alone lead to a better than 1\% measurement of $\Omega_m$. The combination of SN Ia weak lensing magnification and distance measurements result in a $\sim$ 10\% measurement on $\sigma_8$. The SNe Ia from Roman will be powerful in constraining the cosmological model.

Chemical characterization of fine particulate matter, source apportionment and long-range transport clusters in Thohoyandou, South Africa

This paper presents a chemical characterization of fine particulate matter in air masses passing through Thohoyandou and further determines their sources. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was collected and quantified using gravimetric method. X-ray fluorescence, Smoke stain reflectometer, Optical Transmissometer and Scanning Electron Microscopy- Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy were used to determine the chemical and morphological composition of the particulate matter. The source apportionment was done using principal component analysis while the HYSPLIT model was used to depict the long-range transport clusters. The mean of concentrations of PM2.5, soot, black carbon and UVPM were 10.9 μg/m3, 0.69x10-5 m-1, 1.22 μg/m3 and 1.40 μg/m3, respectively. A total of 24 elements were detected in the PM2.5 with Pd, Sn, Sb, Mg, Al and Si being the dominant elements. SEM-EDS have shown the presence of irregular, flat and spherical particles which is associated with crustal material and industrial emissions. Source apportionment analysis revealed six major sources of PM2.5 in Thohoyandou namely, crustal materials, industrial emissions, vehicular emissions, urban emissions, fossil fuel combustion and fugitive-Pd. Air parcels that pass-through Thohoyandou were clustered into four. The major pathways were from the SW Indian Ocean, Atlantic Ocean and inland trajectories. Clusters from the ocean are associated with low concentration, while inland clusters are associated with high concentration of PM2.5. The PM2.5 occasionally exceeds the WHO daily guideline in Thohoyandou and the sources of PM2.5 extend beyond the borders. This study recommends that further studies need to be carried out to assess the health impacts of PM2.5 in Thohoyandou.

Machine phenotyping of cluster headache and its response to verapamil.

Cluster headache is characterized by recurrent, unilateral attacks of excruciating pain associated with ipsilateral cranial autonomic symptoms. Although a wide array of clinical, anatomical, physiological, and genetic data have informed multiple theories about the underlying pathophysiology, the lack of a comprehensive mechanistic understanding has inhibited, on the one hand, the development of new treatments and, on the other, the identification of features predictive of response to established ones. The first-line drug, verapamil, is found to be effective in only half of all patients, and after several weeks of dose escalation, rendering therapeutic selection both uncertain and slow. Here we use high-dimensional modelling of routinely acquired phenotypic and MRI data to quantify the predictability of verapamil responsiveness and to illuminate its neural dependants, across a cohort of 708 patients evaluated for cluster headache at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery between 2007 and 2017. We derive a succinct latent representation of cluster headache from non-linear dimensionality reduction of structured clinical features, revealing novel phenotypic clusters. In a subset of patients, we show that individually predictive models based on gradient boosting machines can predict verapamil responsiveness from clinical (410 patients) and imaging (194 patients) features. Models combining clinical and imaging data establish the first benchmark for predicting verapamil responsiveness, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.689 on cross-validation (95% confidence interval: 0.651 to 0.710) and 0.621 on held-out data. In the imaged patients, voxel-based morphometry revealed a grey matter cluster in lobule VI of the cerebellum (−4, −66, −20) exhibiting enhanced grey matter concentrations in verapamil non-responders compared with responders (familywise error-corrected P = 0.008, 29 voxels). We propose a mechanism for the therapeutic effect of verapamil that draws on the neuroanatomy and neurochemistry of the identified region. Our results reveal previously unrecognized high-dimensional structure within the phenotypic landscape of cluster headache that enables prediction of treatment response with modest fidelity. An analogous approach applied to larger, globally representative datasets could facilitate data-driven redefinition of diagnostic criteria and stronger, more generalizable predictive models of treatment responsiveness.

Nearest neighbour distributions: New statistical measures for cosmological clustering

ABSTRACT The use of summary statistics beyond the two-point correlation function to analyse the non-Gaussian clustering on small scales, and thereby, increasing the sensitivity to the underlying cosmological parameters, is an active field of research in cosmology. In this paper, we explore a set of new summary statistics – the k-Nearest Neighbour Cumulative Distribution Functions (kNN-CDF). This is the empirical cumulative distribution function of distances from a set of volume-filling, Poisson distributed random points to the k-nearest data points, and is sensitive to all connected N-point correlations in the data. The kNN-CDF can be used to measure counts in cell, void probability distributions, and higher N-point correlation functions, all using the same formalism exploiting fast searches with spatial tree data structures. We demonstrate how it can be computed efficiently from various data sets – both discrete points, and the generalization for continuous fields. We use data from a large suite of N-body simulations to explore the sensitivity of this new statistic to various cosmological parameters, compared to the two-point correlation function, while using the same range of scales. We demonstrate that the use of kNN-CDF improves the constraints on the cosmological parameters by more than a factor of 2 when applied to the clustering of dark matter in the range of scales between 10 and $40\, h^{-1}\, {\rm Mpc}$. We also show that relative improvement is even greater when applied on the same scales to the clustering of haloes in the simulations at a fixed number density, both in real space, as well as in redshift space. Since the kNN-CDF are sensitive to all higher order connected correlation functions in the data, the gains over traditional two-point analyses are expected to grow as progressively smaller scales are included in the analysis of cosmological data, provided the higher order correlation functions are sensitive to cosmology on the scales of interest.

Non-linear spherical collapse in tachyon models and a comparison of collapse in tachyon and quintessence models of dark energy

We study evolution of perturbations in dark matter and dark energy for spherical collapse using a completely self consistent, relativistic approach. We study tachyon models of dark energy using the approach outlined in Rajvanshi and Bagla (2018). We work with models that are allowed by current observations. We find that as with quintessence models allowed by observations, dark energy perturbations do not affect evolution of perturbations in dark matter in a significant manner. Perturbations in dark energy remain small for such models. We then take two different Lagrangians for dark energy: tachyon and quintessence models, reconstruct potentials to have same expansion history and then compare if two can be distinguished in the nonlinear regime. Any variations we find are only due to a different Lagrangian density, and allow a comparison of different classes of models in a fair manner. We find that dark matter perturbations carry no imprint of the class of dark energy models for the same expansion history: this is significant in that we can work with any convenient model to study clustering of dark matter. We find that the evolution of dark energy perturbations carries an imprint of the class of models and dark energy perturbations grow differently in tachyon models and quintessence models for the same expansion history. However, the difference between these diminishes for (1 + w) ≪ 1 and hence prospects for differentiating between models using characteristics of perturbations are limited in our Universe.