Model-independent Constraints Research Articles

Evidence for Relativistic Disk Reflection in the Seyfert 1h Galaxy/ULIRG IRAS 05189–2524 Observed by NuSTAR and XMM-Newton

Abstract We present a spectral analysis of the NuSTAR and XMM-Newton observations of the Seyfert 1h galaxy/ULIRG IRAS 05189–2524 taken in 2013. We find evidence for relativistic disk reflection in the broadband X-ray spectrum: a highly asymmetric broad Fe Kα emission line extending down to 3 keV and a Compton scattering component above 10 keV. Physical modeling with a self-consistent disk reflection model suggests that the accretion disk is viewed at an intermediate angle with a supersolar iron abundance, and a mild constraint can be put on the high-energy cutoff of the power-law continuum. We test the disk reflection modeling under different absorption scenarios. A rapid black hole spin is favored; however, we cannot place a model-independent tight constraint on the value. The high reflection fraction ( 2.0–3.2) suggests that the coronal illuminating source is compact and close to the black hole (lying within 8.7 above the central black hole), where light-bending effects are important.

Dynamical Dark Matter from strongly-coupled dark sectors

Dynamical Dark Matter (DDM) is an alternative framework for dark-matter physics in which the dark sector comprises a vast ensemble of particle species whose decay widths are balanced against their cosmological abundances. Previous studies of this framework have focused on a particular class of DDM ensembles --- motivated primarily by KK towers in theories with extra dimensions --- in which the density of states scales roughly as a polynomial of mass. In this paper, by contrast, we study the properties of a different class of DDM ensembles in which the density of states grows exponentially with mass. Ensembles with this Hagedorn-like property arise naturally as the "hadrons" associated with the confining phase of a strongly-coupled dark sector; they also arise naturally as the gauge-neutral bulk states of Type I string theories. We study the dynamical properties of such ensembles, and demonstrate that an appropriate DDM-like balancing between decay widths and abundances can emerge naturally --- even with an exponentially rising density of states. We also study the effective equations of state for such ensembles, and investigate some of the model-independent observational constraints on such ensembles that follow directly from these equations of state. In general, we find that such constraints tend to introduce correlations between various properties of these DDM ensembles such as their associated mass scales, lifetimes, and abundance distributions. For example, we find that these constraints allow DDM ensembles with energy scales ranging from the GeV scale all the way to the Planck scale, but the total present-day cosmological abundance of the dark sector must be spread across an increasing number of different states in the ensemble as these energy scales are dialed from the Planck scale down to the GeV scale. Numerous other correlations and constraints are also discussed.

Physical effects involved in the measurements of neutrino masses with future cosmological data

Future Cosmic Microwave Background experiments together with upcoming galaxy and 21-cm surveys will provide extremely accurate measurements of different cosmological observables located at different epochs of the cosmic history. The new data will be able to constrain the neutrino mass sum with the best precision ever. In order to exploit the complementarity of the different redshift probes, a deep understanding of the physical effects driving the impact of massive neutrinos on CMB and large scale structures is required. The goal of this work is to describe these effects, assuming a summed neutrino mass close to its minimum allowed value. We find that parameter degeneracies can be removed by appropriate combinations, leading to robust and model independent constraints. A joint forecast of the sensitivity of Euclid and DESI surveys together with a CORE-like CMB experiment leads to a 1σ uncertainty of 14 meV on the summed neutrino mass. Finally the degeneracy between Mν and the optical depth at reionization τreio, originating in the combination of CMB and low redshift galaxy probes, might be broken by future 21-cm surveys, thus further decreasing the uncertainty on Mν. For instance, an independent determination of the optical depth with an accuracy of σ(τreio)=0.001 (which might be achievable, although this is subject to astrophysical uncertainties) would decrease the uncertainty down to σ(Mν)=12 meV.

Real- and redshift-space halo clustering in f ( R ) cosmologies

We present two-point correlation function statistics of the mass and the halos in the chameleon $f(R)$ modified gravity scenario using a series of large volume N-body simulations. Three distinct variations of $f(R)$ are considered (F4, F5 and F6) and compared to a fiducial $\Lambda$CDM model in the redshift range $z \in [0,1]$. We find that the matter clustering is indistinguishable for all models except for F4, which shows a significantly steeper slope. The ratio of the redshift- to real-space correlation function at scales $> 20 h^{-1} \mathrm{Mpc}$ agrees with the linear General Relativity (GR) Kaiser formula for the viable $f(R)$ models considered. We consider three halo populations characterized by spatial abundances comparable to that of luminous red galaxies (LRGs) and galaxy clusters. The redshift-space halo correlation functions of F4 and F5 deviate significantly from $\Lambda$CDM at intermediate and high redshift, as the $f(R)$ halo bias is smaller or equal to that of the $\Lambda$CDM case. Finally we introduce a new model independent clustering statistic to distinguish $f(R)$ from GR: the relative halo clustering ratio -- $\mathcal{R}$. The sampling required to adequately reduce the scatter in $\mathcal{R}$ will be available with the advent of the next generation galaxy redshift surveys. This will foster a prospective avenue to obtain largely model-independent cosmological constraints on this class of modified gravity models.

Precision measurements and searches with single and multiple gauge bosons with the ATLAS detector

The ATLAS collaboration has carried out a set of measurements at center-of-mass energies of 8 TeV and 13 TeV, which provide stringent tests of the electroweak sector of the Standard Model, specifically on single, di- and multi-boson production cross sections.This paper gives a review of the latest results on these topics from ATLAS. It covers the inclusive production measurement of single W and Z/γ * bosons and the measurement of the complete set of coefficients that describe the angular distributions of the decay leptons in Z events. Also it includes the review of the inclusive and differential cross sections measurements for the production of two heavy gauge bosons (WW , WZ , ZZ ) in the leptonic channels, the production measurement of the Z boson in association with one or two photons and the search for the WZ production via vector-boson scattering. These measurements are compared to (N)NLO predictions of the Standard Model and provide model-independent constraints on the so-called «new physics», by setting the limits on the anomalous triple or quartic gauge-boson couplings.

MODEL-INDEPENDENT ESTIMATIONS FOR THE CURVATURE FROM STANDARD CANDLES AND CLOCKS

ABSTRACT Model-independent estimations for the spatial curvature of the universe not only provide a test for the fundamental assumption of the Copernican principle, but also can effectively break the degeneracy between curvature and dark-energy properties. In this paper, we propose to achieve model-independent constraints on the spatial curvature from observations of standard candles and standard clocks, without assuming any fiducial cosmology or other priors. We find that, for the popular Union2.1 observations of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia), the spatial curvature is constrained to be . For the latest joint light-curve analysis of SNe Ia observations, we obtain . It is suggested that these results are in excellent agreement with a spatially flat universe. Moreover, compared to other approaches aiming for model-independent estimations of spatial curvature, this method also achieves constraints with competitive precision.

Revision of the LHCb limit on Majorana neutrinos

We revisit the recent limits from LHCb on a Majorana neutrino N in the mass range 250 - 5000 MeV. These limits are among the best currently available, and they will be improved soon by the addition of data from Run 2 of the LHC. LHCb presented a model-independent constraint on the rate of like-sign leptonic decays, and then derived a constraint on the mixing angle V{\mu}4 based on a theoretical model for the B decay width to N and the N lifetime. The model used is unfortunately unsound. We revise the conclusions of the paper based on a decay model similar to the one used for the tau lepton and provide formulae useful for future analyses.

Deuteron electromagnetic structure functions and polarization properties in soft-wall AdS/QCD

We apply a soft-wall AdS/QCD approach to the description of deuteron structure functions and tensor polarized properties. Present work is a completion of our previous study on electromagnetic form factors. By the appropriate choice of two couplings in the effective action we are able to reproduce both the form factors and structure functions in full consistency with model-independent constraints set by perturbative QCD. Our framework is based on a five-dimensional action in AdS space formulated in terms of vector fields dual to the deuteron and the electromagnetic fields. The AdS fields depend on four Minkowski and one holographic coordinate $z$. The scale dependence of the form factors and structure functions is consistent with quark counting rules implying the $1/Q^{10}$ behavior of the charge form factor $G_C(Q^2)$, structure functions $A(Q^2)$ and $B(Q^2)$, and the $1/Q^{12}$ behavior of the magnetic $G_M(Q^2)$ and quadrupole $G_Q(Q^2)$ form factors.

Evolution of CMB spectral distortion anisotropies and tests of primordial non-Gaussianity

Anisotropies in distortions to the frequency spectrum of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) can be created through spatially varying heating processes in the early Universe. For instance, the dissipation of small-scale acoustic modes does create distortion anisotropies, in particular for non-Gaussian primordial perturbations. In this work, we derive approximations that allow describing the associated distortion field. We provide a systematic formulation of the problem using Fourier-space window functions, clarifying and generalizing previous approximations. Our expressions highlight the fact that the amplitudes of the spectral-distortion fluctuations induced by non-Gaussianity depend also on the homogeneous value of those distortions. Absolute measurements are thus required to obtain model-independent distortion constraints on primordial non-Gaussianity. We also include a simple description for the evolution of distortions through photon diffusion, showing that these corrections can usually be neglected. Our formulation provides a systematic framework for computing higher order correlation functions of distortions with CMB temperature anisotropies and can be extended to describe correlations with polarization anisotropies.

Model-independent constraints on modified gravity from current data and from the Euclid and SKA future surveys

The aim of this paper is to constrain modified gravity with redshift space distortion observations and supernovae measurements. Compared with a standard ΛCDM analysis, we include three additional free parameters, namely the initial conditions of the matter perturbations, the overall perturbation normalization, and a scale-dependent modified gravity parameter modifying the Poisson equation, in an attempt to perform a more model-independent analysis. First, we constrain the Poisson parameter Y (also called Geff) by using currently available fσ8 data and the recent SN catalog JLA. We find that the inclusion of the additional free parameters makes the constraints significantly weaker than when fixing them to the standard cosmological value. Second, we forecast future constraints on Y by using the predicted growth-rate data for Euclid and SKA missions. Here again we point out the weakening of the constraints when the additional parameters are included. Finally, we adopt as modified gravity Poisson parameter the specific Horndeski form, and use scale-dependent forecasts to build an exclusion plot for the Yukawa potential akin to the ones realized in laboratory experiments, both for the Euclid and the SKA surveys.

Model-independent limits and constraints on extended theories of gravity from cosmic reconstruction techniques

The onset of dark energy domination depends on the particular gravitational theory driving the cosmic evolution. Model independent techniques are crucial to test the both the present ΛCDM cosmological paradigm and alternative theories, making the least possible number of assumptions about the Universe. In this paper we investigate whether cosmography is able to distinguish between different gravitational theories, by determining bounds on model parameters for three different extensions of General Relativity, namely quintessence, F(\U0001d4af) and f(R) gravitational theories. We expand each class of theories in powers of redshift z around the present time, making no additional assumptions. This procedure is an extension of previous work and can be seen as the most general approach for testing extended theories of gravity through the use of cosmography. In the case of F(\U0001d4af) and f(R) theories, we show that some assumptions on model parameters often made in previous works are superfluous or even unjustified.We use data from the Union 2.1 supernovae catalogue, baryonic acoustic oscillation data and H(z) differential age compilations, which probe cosmology on different scales of the cosmological evolution. We perform a Monte Carlo analysis using a Metropolis-Hastings algorithm with a Gelman-Rubin convergence criterion, reporting 1-σ and 2-σ confidence levels. To do so, we perform two distinct fits, assuming only data within z < 1 first and then without limitations in redshift. We obtain the corresponding numerical intervals in which coefficients span, and find that the data is compatible the ΛCDM limit of all three theories at the 1-σ level, while still compatible with quite a large portion of parameter space. We compare our results to the truncated ΛCDM paradigm, demonstrating that our bounds divert from the expectations of previous works, showing that the permitted regions of coefficients are significantly modified and in general widened with respect to values usually reported in the existing literature. Finally, we test the extended theories through the Bayesian selection criteria AIC and BIC.

AN ECCENTRIC BINARY MILLISECOND PULSAR WITH A HELIUM WHITE DWARF COMPANION IN THE GALACTIC FIELD

ABSTRACT Low-mass white dwarfs (LMWDs) are believed to be exclusive products of binary evolution, as the universe is not old enough to produce them from single stars. Because of the strong tidal forces operating during the binary interaction phase, the remnant systems observed today are expected to have negligible eccentricities. Here, we report on the first unambiguous identification of an LMWD in an eccentric (e = 0.13) orbit around the millisecond pulsar PSR J2234+0511, which directly contradicts this picture. We use our spectra and radio-timing solution (derived elsewhere) to infer the WD temperature ( K), and peculiar systemic velocity relative to the local standard of rest ( km s−1). We also place model-independent constraints on the WD radius ( ) and surface gravity ( dex). The WD and kinematic properties are consistent with the expectations for low-mass X-ray binary evolution and disfavor a dynamic three-body formation channel. In the case of the high eccentricity being the result of a spontaneous phase transition, we infer a mass of ∼1.60 M ⊙ for the pulsar progenitor, which is too low for the quark-nova mechanism proposed by Jiang et al., and too high for the scenario of Freire &amp; Tauris, in which a WD collapses into a neutron star via a rotationally delayed accretion-induced collapse. We find that eccentricity pumping via interaction with a circumbinary disk is consistent with our inferred parameters. Finally, we report tentative evidence for pulsations that, if confirmed, would transform the star into an unprecedented laboratory for WD physics.

Diphoton and dark matter from cascade decay

We propose a simplified model to study the possible new heavy diphoton resonance from cascade decay of a heavier particle at colliders, which may be related to the dark matter or other new physics beyond the standard model. Model-independent constraints and predictions on the allowed couplings for generating the observed diphoton data are studied in detail. We demonstrate that this scenario can be tested by the possible four-photon signal or the $WW/ZZ/Z\gamma$ resonances. Meanwhile, this cascade decay scenario also provides us with the dark matter candidates, which is consistent with the observed dark matter relic density.

Interpreting a 750 GeV diphoton resonance

We discuss the implications of the significant excesses in the diphoton final state observed by the LHC experiments ATLAS and CMS around a diphoton invariant mass of 750 GeV. The interpretation of the excess as a spin-zero s-channel resonance implies model-independent lower bounds on both its branching ratio and its coupling to photons, which stringently constrain dynamical models. We consider both the case where the excess is described by a narrow and a broad resonance. We also obtain model-independent constraints on the allowed couplings and branching fractions to final states other than diphotons, by including the interplay with 8 TeV searches. These results can guide attempts to construct viable dynamical models of the resonance. Turning to specific models, our findings suggest that the anomaly cannot be accounted for by the presence of only an additional singlet or doublet spin-zero field and the Standard Model degrees of freedom; this includes all two-Higgs-doublet models. Likewise, heavy scalars in the MSSM cannot explain the excess if stability of the electroweak vacuum is required, at least in a leading-order analysis. If we assume that the resonance is broad we find that it is challenging to find a weakly coupled explanation. However, we provide an existence proof in the form of a model with vectorlike quarks with large electric charge that is perturbative up to the 100 TeV scale. For the narrow-resonance case a similar model can be perturbative up to high scales also with smaller charges. We also find that, in their simplest form, dilaton models cannot explain the size of the excess. Some implications for flavor physics are briefly discussed.

Curvature constraints from large scale structure

We modified the CLASS code in order to include relativistic galaxy number counts in spatially curved geometries; we present the formalism and study the effect of relativistic corrections on spatial curvature. The new version of the code is now publicly available. Using a Fisher matrix analysis, we investigate how measurements of the spatial curvature parameter ΩK with future galaxy surveys are affected by relativistic effects, which influence observations of the large scale galaxy distribution. These effects include contributions from cosmic magnification, Doppler terms and terms involving the gravitational potential. As an application, we consider angle and redshift dependent power spectra, which are especially well suited for model independent cosmological constraints. We compute our results for a representative deep, wide and spectroscopic survey, and our results show the impact of relativistic corrections on spatial curvature parameter estimation. We show that constraints on the curvature parameter may be strongly biased if, in particular, cosmic magnification is not included in the analysis. Other relativistic effects turn out to be subdominant in the studied configuration. We analyze how the shift in the estimated best-fit value for the curvature and other cosmological parameters depends on the magnification bias parameter, and find that significant biases are to be expected if this term is not properly considered in the analysis.

Model-independent indirect detection constraints on hidden sector dark matter

If dark matter inhabits an expanded ``hidden sector'', annihilations may proceed through sequential decays or multi-body final states. We map out the potential signals and current constraints on such a framework in indirect searches, using a model-independent setup based on multi-step hierarchical cascade decays. While remaining agnostic to the details of the hidden sector model, our framework captures the generic broadening of the spectrum of secondary particles (photons, neutrinos, e+e− and p̄ p) relative to the case of direct annihilation to Standard Model particles. We explore how indirect constraints on dark matter annihilation limit the parameter space for such cascade/multi-particle decays. We investigate limits from the cosmic microwave background by Planck, the Fermi measurement of photons from the dwarf galaxies, and positron data from AMS-02. The presence of a hidden sector can change the constraints on the dark matter by up to an order of magnitude in either direction (although the effect can be much smaller). We find that generally the bound from the Fermi dwarfs is most constraining for annihilations to photon-rich final states, while AMS-02 is most constraining for electron and muon final states; however in certain instances the CMB bounds overtake both, due to their approximate independence on the details of the hidden sector cascade. We provide the full set of cascade spectra considered here as publicly available code with examples at http://web.mit.edu/lns/research/CascadeSpectra.html.

On constraining the speed of gravitational waves following GW150914

We point out that the observed time delay between the detection of the signal at the Hanford and Livingston LIGO sites from the gravitational wave event GW150914 places an upper bound on the speed of propagation of gravitational waves, $c_{gw}\lesssim 1.7$ in the units of speed of light. Combined with the lower bound from the absence of gravitational Cherenkov losses by cosmic rays that rules out most of subluminal velocities, this gives a model-independent double-sided constraint $1\lesssim c_{gw}\lesssim 1.7$. We compare this result to model-specific constraints from pulsar timing and cosmology.

Constraints on the virtual Compton scattering on the nucleon in a new dispersive formalism

The dispersive representation of the virtual Compton forward scattering amplitude has been recently reexamined in connection with the evaluation of the Cottingham formula for the proton-neutron electromagnetic mass difference. The most difficult part of the analysis is related to one of the invariant amplitudes, denoted as $T_1(\nu, Q^2)$, which requires a subtraction in the standard dispersion relation with respect to the energy $\nu$ at fixed photon momentum squared $q^2=-Q^2$. We propose an alternative dispersive framework, which implements analyticity and unitarity by combining the Cauchy integral relation at low and moderate energies with the modulus representation of the amplitude at high energies. Using techniques of functional analysis, we derive a necessary and sufficient condition for the consistency with analyticity of the subtraction function $S_1(Q^2)=T_1(0, Q^2)$, the electron-proton cross sections measured at low and moderate energies and the Regge model assumed to be valid at high energies. From this condition we obtain model-independent constraints on the subtraction function, confronting them with the available information on nucleon magnetic polarizabilities and results reported recently in the literature. The formalism can be used also for testing the existence of a fixed pole at $J=0$ in the angular momentum plane, but more accurate data are necessary for a definite answer.

Flavor and new physics opportunities with rare charm decays into leptons

Updated standard model predictions for $D_{(s)} \to P l^+ l^-$, $l=e,\mu$, $P=\pi,K$ and inclusive decays are presented. Model-independent constraints on $|\Delta C|=|\Delta U|=1$ Wilson coefficients are worked out. New physics (NP) opportunities arise in semileptonic branching ratios for very large couplings only, however, are not excluded outside the resonance regions yet. The NP potential of resonance-assisted CP asymmetries and angular observables is worked out. Predictions are given for leptoquark models, and include lepton flavor violating and dineutrino decays. Whether NP can be seen depends on flavor patterns, and vice versa.

Update of the electroweak precision fit, interplay with Higgs-boson signal strengths and model-independent constraints on new physics

We present updated global fits of the Standard Model and beyond to electroweak precision data, taking into account recent progress in theoretical calculations and experimental measurements. From the fits, we derive model-independent constraints on new physics by introducing oblique and epsilon parameters, and modified Zbb‾ and HVV couplings. Furthermore, we also perform fits of the scale factors of the Higgs-boson couplings to observed signal strengths of the Higgs boson.