Simple Mass Model Research Articles

Testing Primordial Black Hole Dark Matter with Atacama Large Millimeter Array Observations of the Gravitational Lens B1422+231

We examine the flux density ratio anomaly in the quadruply imaged strong gravitational lens, B1422+231, and consider the contribution of 10–103M⊙ primordial black holes (PBHs) as a potential dark matter constituent. We describe the first flux density ratio measurement of B1422+231 in the millimeter-wave band using the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA). The flux density of the quasar at 233 GHz is dominated by synchrotron emission and the source size is estimated to be less than 66.9 pc. The observed flux density ratios at 233 GHz are similar to those measured in other wave bands, which cannot be explained by a simple smooth mass model of the lens galaxy. We examine the probability of the flux density ratio anomaly arising from PBH microlensing using ray tracing simulations. The simulations consider the cases where 10% and 50% of dark matter are 10–103M⊙ PBHs with a power law mass function. The simulated scenarios are consistent with the ALMA observations, so PBH dark matter cannot be ruled out as a cause of flux density ratio anomalies. Our analysis shows that the anomalous flux density ratio for B1422+231 can be explained by a lens model with a significant fraction of dark matter being PBHs. This study demonstrates the potential for new constraints on PBH dark matter using ALMA observations of multiply imaged strong gravitational lenses.

Probing axion dark matter with 21 cm fluctuations from minihalos

If the symmetry breaking inducing the axion occurs after the inflation, the large axion isocurvature perturbations can arise due to a different axion amplitude in each causally disconnected patch. This causes the enhancement of the small-scale density fluctuations which can significantly affect the evolution of structure formation. The epoch of the small halo formation becomes earlier and we estimate the abundance of those minihalos which can host the neutral hydrogen atoms to result in the 21 cm fluctuation signals. We find that the future radio telescopes, such as the Square Kilometer Array, can put the axion mass bound of order ${m}_{a}\ensuremath{\gtrsim}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}13}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{eV}$ for the simple temperature-independent axion mass model, and the bound can be extended to of order ${m}_{a}\ensuremath{\gtrsim}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}8}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{eV}$ for a temperature-dependent axion mass.

Combined explanations of (g−2)μ , RD(*) , RK(*) anomalies in a two-loop radiative neutrino mass model

Motivated by the long-standing tension in the muon anomalous magnetic moment (AMM) and persistent observations of B-physics anomalies in $R_{D^{(\ast)}}$ and $R_{K^{(\ast)}}$ ratios, we construct a simple two-loop radiative neutrino mass model, and propose a combined explanations of all these apparently disjoint phenomena within this framework. Our proposed model consists of two scalar leptoquarks (LQs), a $SU(2)_L$ singlet $S_1\sim (\overline{3},1,1/3)$ and a $SU(2)_L$ triplet $S_3\sim (\overline{3},3,1/3)$ to accommodate $R_{D^{(\ast)}}$ and $R_{K^{(\ast)}}$ anomalies, respectively. The muon receives chirality-enhanced contribution towards its $g-2$ due to the presence of $S_1$ LQ that accounts for the observed deviation from the Standard Model prediction. Furthermore, we introduce a $SU(2)_L$ singlet scalar diquark $\omega\sim (\overline{6},1,2/3)$, which is necessary to break lepton number and generate neutrino mass radiatively with the aid of $S_1$ and $S_3$ LQs. We perform a detailed phenomenological analysis of this set-up and demonstrate its viability by providing benchmark points where a fit to the neutrino oscillation data together with proper explanations of the muon AMM puzzle and flavor anomalies are accomplished while simultaneously meeting all other flavor violation and collider bounds.

Electrostatic quantum dot confinement in phosphorene

We consider states localized by electrostatic potentials in phosphorene using an atomistic tight binding approach. From the results of the tight-binding calculations of the confined states we extract effective masses for the conduction band electrons in the armchair and zigzag directions. The masses derived in this way are used for a simple single-band effective mass model which, as we find, reproduces very well the tight-binding energy spectrum in external magnetic field, the probability densities and the interaction effects. Both methods produce Wigner crystallization for the ground-state of the electron pair with the single-electron islands separated in the armchair direction already for small quantum dots.

Transfer Entropy as a Measure of Brain Connectivity: A Critical Analysis With the Help of Neural Mass Models.

Objective: Assessing brain connectivity from electrophysiological signals is of great relevance in neuroscience, but results are still debated and depend crucially on how connectivity is defined and on mathematical instruments utilized. Aim of this work is to assess the capacity of bivariate Transfer Entropy (TE) to evaluate connectivity, using data generated from simple neural mass models of connected Regions of Interest (ROIs).Approach: Signals simulating mean field potentials were generated assuming two, three or four ROIs, connected via excitatory or by-synaptic inhibitory links. We investigated whether the presence of a statistically significant connection can be detected and if connection strength can be quantified.Main Results: Results suggest that TE can reliably estimate the strength of connectivity if neural populations work in their linear regions, and if the epoch lengths are longer than 10 s. In case of multivariate networks, some spurious connections can emerge (i.e., a statistically significant TE even in the absence of a true connection); however, quite a good correlation between TE and synaptic strength is still preserved. Moreover, TE appears more robust for distal regions (longer delays) compared with proximal regions (smaller delays): an approximate a priori knowledge on this delay can improve the procedure. Finally, non-linear phenomena affect the assessment of connectivity, since they may significantly reduce TE estimation: information transmission between two ROIs may be weak, due to non-linear phenomena, even if a strong causal connection is present.Significance: Changes in functional connectivity during different tasks or brain conditions, might not always reflect a true change in the connecting network, but rather a change in information transmission. A limitation of the work is the use of bivariate TE. In perspective, the use of multivariate TE can improve estimation and reduce some of the problems encountered in the present study.

Investigation of several surfactant use strategies to improve the hydrolysis of glucan in newspaper

Newspaper represent a large quantity of a relatively cheap and available source of lignocellulose. Newspaper could enzymatically be hydrolysed into fermentable sugars for further bioethanol or biochemical production. Low glucan conversions (20-50%) have been generally found in literature, thus this led to the investigations of multiple pre-treatments to improve sugars release. Surfactants such as sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), Tween 80 and polyethylene glycol represent a relatively low-cost pre-treatment to improve newspaper hydrolysability. Several surfactants use strategies were tested using the 3 products mentioned earlier. A simple mass, cost and energy model was developed to determine the optimum surfactant pre-treatment. SDS wash using 0.5% SDS based on total solids (TS) gave the most promising results: it released 82 kg of the cheapest produced sugars (0.7£ kg-1 sugar).

Truth or Delusion? A Possible Gravitational Lensing Interpretation of the Ultraluminous Quasar SDSS J010013.02+280225.8 at z = 6.30

Abstract Gravitational lensing sometimes dominates the observed properties of apparently very bright objects. We present morphological properties in the high-resolution (FWHM ∼ 0.″15) Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) 1 mm map for an ultraluminous quasar at z = 6.30, SDSS J010013.02+280225.8 (hereafter J0100+2802), whose black hole (BH) mass M BH is the most massive (∼1.2 × 1010 M ⊙) at z > 6 ever known. We find that the continuum emission of J0100+2802 is resolved into a quadruple system within a radius of 0.″2, which can be interpreted as either multiple dusty star-forming regions in the host galaxy or multiple images due to strong gravitational lensing. The Mg ii absorption and the potential Lyα line features have been identified at z = 2.33 in the near-infrared spectroscopy toward J0100+2802, and a simple mass model fitting well reproduces the positions and flux densities of the quadruple system, both of which are consistent with the latter interpretation. Although a high-resolution map taken in the Advanced Camera for Survey on board Hubble Space Telescope (HST) shows a morphology with an apparently single component, in our fiducial lens mass model it can simply be explained by a ∼50 pc scale offset between the ALMA and HST emission regions. In this case, the magnification factor for the observed HST emission is obtained to ∼450, reducing the intrinsic M BH estimate to below 109 M ⊙. The confirmation or the rejection of the gravitational lensing scenario is important for our understanding of the supermassive BHs in the early universe.

Discovery of an unusually compact lensed Lyman-break galaxy from the Hyper Suprime-Cam Survey

ABSTRACT We report the serendipitous discovery of HSC J0904–0102, a quadruply lensed Lyman-break galaxy (LBG) in the Survey of Gravitationally-lensed Objects in Hyper Suprime-Cam Imaging (SuGOHI). Owing to its point-like appearance, the source was thought to be a lensed active galactic nucleus. We obtained follow-up spectroscopic data with the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrographs on the Gemini South Telescope, which confirmed this to be a lens system. The deflecting foreground galaxy is a typical early-type galaxy at a high redshift of $z_{\ell}=0.957$ with stellar velocity dispersion $\sigma_v=259\pm56$ km s−1. The lensed source is identified as an LBG at $z_{\rm s}=3.403$, based on the sharp drop bluewards of Lyα and other absorption features. A simple lens mass model for the system, assuming a singular isothermal ellipsoid, yields an Einstein radius of $\theta_{\rm Ein}=1.23$ arcsec and a total mass within the Einstein radius of $M_{\rm Ein}=(5.55\pm0.24)\times10^{11}\rm M_{\odot}$ corresponding to a velocity dispersion of $\sigma_{\rm SIE}=283\pm3$ km s−1, which is in good agreement with the value derived spectroscopically. The most isolated lensed LBG image has a magnification of $\sim 6.5$. In comparison with other lensed LBGs and typical $z\sim4$ LBG populations, HSC J0904–0102 is unusually compact, an outlier at $>2\sigma$ confidence. Together with a previously discovered SuGOHI lens, HSC J1152+0047, which is similarly compact, we believe that the HSC survey is extending LBG studies down to smaller galaxy sizes.

Preliminary Design of a Solar-Powered Hybrid Airship

The feasibility of a solar-powered hybrid airship where lift is generated by both buoyancy and aerodynamics is investigated using aerodynamic shape optimization. The design objective is to minimize the product of envelope root chord and span (which corresponds to the size of the hangar required to house the airship), subject to constraints on the lift, the ratio of solar power produced to power consumed, the airship operational empty weight, the trim, and the static margin. Simple mass models are used to estimate the mass of airship components, including the solar array, drive train components, and envelope fabric. The optimizer has the freedom to vary the envelope section shapes, span, twist, angle of attack, and flap angle. A three-point optimization has produced a feasible envelope geometry that satisfies the design requirements at two cruise-speed operating conditions (each with a center-of-gravity location at either extreme of the design range) and one low-speed operating condition. The results indicate that such an aircraft, which could be well suited to operations in remote areas, is feasible with respect to aerodynamic efficiency. Sensitivity studies indicate that faster hybrid airships will become feasible with future improvements in solar panel irradiance.

Estimating complexity of spike-wave discharges with largest Lyapunov exponent in computational models and experimental data

Here we consider the possibility to characterize the signal complexity of electroencephalo-grams using calculation of largest Lyapunov exponent explicitly from time series. This would help in detection of seizures, understanding and modeling epileptic activity. Baseline activity and spike-wave discharges (SWDs) were considered as regimes. Three channels relevant for absence epilepsy were studied: the parietal cortex, the ventroposterial medial nucleus of thalamus, and the reticular thalamic nucleus. Experimental data and two types of models were investigated. The result show that SWDs often treated as more or less regular oscillations are characterized by large positive Lyapunov expo-nent, not very different from the value obtained for baseline activity. The mesoscale network model of epilepsy is mostly able to reproduce this phenomenon, including absolute values. The more simple neuron mass model exhibits Lyapunov exponent during SWDs twice smaller than in baseline.

All-in-one relaxion: A unified solution to five particle-physics puzzles

We present a unified relaxion solution to the five major outstanding issues in particle physics: the hierarchy problem, dark matter, matter-antimatter asymmetry, neutrino masses and the strong CP problem. The only additional field content in our construction with respect to standard relaxion models is an up-type vector-like fermion pair and three right-handed neutrinos charged under the relaxion shift symmetry. The observed dark matter abundance is generated automatically by oscillations of the relaxion field that begin once it is misaligned from its original stopping point after reheating. The matter-antimatter asymmetry arises from spontaneous baryogenesis induced by the CPT violation due to the rolling of the relaxion after reheating. The CPT violation is communicated to the baryons and leptons via an operator, $\partial_\mu \phi J^\mu$, where $J^\mu$ consists of right-handed neutrino currents arising naturally from a simple neutrino mass model. Finally, the strong CP problem is solved via the Nelson-Barr mechanism, i.e. by imposing CP as a symmetry of the Lagrangian that is broken only spontaneously by the relaxion. The CP breaking is such that although an ${\cal O}(1)$ strong CKM phase is generated, the induced strong CP phase is much smaller, i.e., within experimental bounds.

A novel search for gravitationally lensed radio sources in wide-field VLBI imaging from the mJIVE-20 survey

We present a novel pilot search for gravitational lenses in the mJIVE-20 survey, which observed $24\,903$ radio sources selected from FIRST with the VLBA at an angular resolution of 5 mas. We have taken the visibility data for an initial $3\,640$ sources that were detected by the mJIVE-20 observations and re-mapped them to make wide-field images, selecting fourteen sources that had multiple components separated by $\geq100$ mas, with a flux-ratio of $\leq15$:$1$ and a surface brightness consistent with gravitational lensing. Two of these candidates are re-discoveries of gravitational lenses found as part of CLASS. The remaining twelve candidates were then re-observed at 1.4 GHz and then simultaneously at 4.1 and 7.1 GHz with the VLBA to measure the spectral index and surface brightness of the individual components as a function of frequency. Ten were rejected as core-jet or core-hotspot(s) systems, with surface brightness distributions and/or spectral indices inconsistent with gravitational lensing, and one was rejected after lens modelling demonstrated that the candidate lensed images failed the parity test. The final lens candidate has an image configuration that is consistent with a simple lens mass model, although further observations are required to confirm the lensing nature. Given the two confirmed gravitational lenses in the mJIVE-20 sample, we find a robust lensing-rate of $1$:($318\pm225$) for a statistical sample of 635 radio sources detected on mas-scales, which is consistent with that found for CLASS.

Radiative neutrino masses from order-4 CP symmetry

Generalized CP symmetry of order 4 (CP4) is surprisingly powerful in shaping scalar and quark sectors of multi-Higgs models. Here, we extend this framework to the neutrino sector. We build two simple Majorana neutrino mass models with unbroken CP4, which are analogous to Ma’s scotogenic model. Both models use three Higgs doublets and two or three right-handed (RH) neutrinos. The minimal CP4 symmetric scotogenic model uses only two RH neutrinos, leads to three non-zero light neutrino masses, and contains a built-in mechanism to further suppress them via phase alignment. With three RH neutrinos, one generates a type I seesaw mass matrix of rank 1, which is then corrected by the same scotogenic mechanism, naturally leading to two neutrino mass scales with mild hierarchy. These minimal CP4-based constructions emerge as a primer for introducing additional symmetry structures and exploring their phenomenological consequences.

Probing dark matter substructure in the gravitational lens HE 0435−1223 with the WFC3 grism

Strong gravitational lensing provides a powerful test of Cold Dark Matter (CDM) as it enables the detection and mass measurement of low mass haloes even if they do not contain baryons. Compact lensed sources such as Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) are particularly sensitive to perturbing subhalos, but their use as a test of CDM has been limited by the small number of systems which have significant radio emission which is extended enough avoid significant lensing by stars in the plane of the lens galaxy, and red enough to be minimally affected by differential dust extinction. Narrow-line emission is a promising alternative as it is also extended and, unlike radio, detectable in virtually all optically selected AGN lenses. We present first results from a WFC3 grism narrow-line survey of lensed quasars, for the quadruply lensed AGN HE0435-1223. Using a forward modelling pipeline which enables us to robustly account for spatial blending, we measure the [OIII] 5007 \AA~ flux ratios of the four images. We find that the [OIII] fluxes and positions are well fit by a simple smooth mass model for the main lens. Our data rule out a $M_{600}>10^{8} (10^{7.2}) M_\odot$ NFW perturber projected within $\sim$1\farcs0 (0\farcs1) arcseconds of each of the lensed images, where $M_{600}$ is the perturber mass within its central 600 pc. The non-detection is broadly consistent with the expectations of $\Lambda$CDM for a single system. The sensitivity achieved demonstrates that powerful limits on the nature of dark matter can be obtained with the analysis of $\sim20$ narrow-line lenses.

SUSY dark matter in universal and nonuniversal gaugino mass models

We review the phenomenology of SUSY dark matter in various versions of MSSM, with universal and nonuniversal gaugino masses at the GUT scale. We start with the universal case (CMSSM), where the cosmologically compatible dark matter relic density is achieved only over some narrow regions of parameter space, involving some fine-tuning. Moreover, most of these regions are seriously challenged by the constraints from collider and direct dark matter detection experiments. Then we consider some simple and predictive nonuniversal gaugino mass models, based on SU(5) GUT. Several of these models offer viable SUSY dark matter candidates, which are compatible with the cosmic dark matter relic density and the above mentioned experimental constraints. They can be probed at the present and future collider and dark matter search experiments. Finally, we consider the nonuniversal gaugino mass model arising from anomaly mediated SUSY breaking. In this case the cosmologically compatible dark matter relic density requires dark matter mass of a few TeV, which puts it beyond the scope of collider and direct dark matter detection experiments. However, it has interesting predictions for some indirect dark matter detection experiments.

Increase the feasible step region of biped robots through active vertical flexion and extension motions

SUMMARYThis paper investigates the active vertical motion of biped systems and its significance to the balance of biped robots, which have been commonly neglected by the use of a well-known model called the Linear Inverted Pendulum Model. The feasible step location is theoretically estimated by considering the active vertical movement on a simple point mass model. Based on the estimation, we present two new strategies, namely the flexion strategy and the extension strategy, to enable biped robots to restore balance through active upward and downward motions. The analytical results demonstrate that the robot is able to recover from much larger disturbances using our proposed methods. Simulations of the simple point mass model validate our analysis. Besides, prototype controllers that incorporate our proposed strategies have also been implemented on a simulated humanoid robot. Numerical simulations on both the simple point mass model and the realistic humanoid model prove the effectiveness of proposed strategies.

Orbits of maser stars in the rotating Galactic bar

Maser stars have been found with radial velocities up to +350 km s-1 and down to −350 km s-1 and exclusively within a few degrees from the Galactic centre. They form two spatially separated streams: one stream is at positive longitudes and consists of stars going away from us and the other is at negative longitudes consisting of stars approaching us. I show that closed orbits in a simple mass model for the bar explain quantitatively the existence of the two streams and the velocities observed. The mass of the bar is estimated on dynamical grounds: 3 × 1010 Msun.

Looking at the role of direct and indirect pathways in basal ganglia networks at different levels

The role of basal ganglia in motor action initiation and selection has been well studied and now it is evident that impairment in this structure causes not only causes movement disorders as Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease but also behavioral dysfunctions as addiction, obsessive-compulsive disorder [1-4]. In order to understand the mechanisms giving rise to motor actions, cognitive processes related to these actions as decision making and the diseases occurring due to malfunctioning of these structures, various computational models of direct and indirect pathways have been proposed [5-9]. Here, in order to set a simple relation between models of basal ganglia at different levels, a simple mass model indicating the controversial role of direct and indirect pathways will be introduced first. While dopamine (DA) in direct pathway enhances the activity in Thalamus giving rise to inhibition of action, arise of DA in indirect pathway disinhibits Thalamus activity promoting the action to take place. This activity can be followed from Figure ​Figure11 for different DA levels. Based on the results of this simple mass model, spiking neural network (SNN) is built by point neurons and the relation between the local field potential of this SNN and simple mass model will be discussed. The aim is to build a simple relation between different levels of computational models which would help investigating the mechanisms behind the cognitive processes without engaging in detailed models initially. Thus, the simple mass model proposed would be primary model giving a chance to test the initial interpretation of the concepts formed and lead to setting up more detailed, realistic models. Figure 1 DA level is normal, high and low at top, middle and bottom, respectively. THL activity is normal, high and low similar to STRD1 activity and contrary to STRD2 activity.

Single range observability for cooperative underactuated underwater vehicles

The paper addresses the single range observability analysis of a kinematics model of cooperating underactuated underwater vehicles. Teams of underwater vehicles that communicate with each other may be able to access and exchange their relative distances through, by example, acoustic signal time-of-flight measurements. Such relative distance measurements together with vehicle’s attitude and velocity information may be used onboard to implement a navigation filter to estimate the vehicle’s relative positions and orientations. A pre-requisite for successfully designing such navigation filters is to assess the systems observability properties. Contrary to the majority of existing studies on single range observability, the paper considers a more realistic underactuated kinematics model for slender body autonomous underwater vehicles rather than a simple point mass model. The paper extends previous results building on an augmented state technique allowing to reformulate the nonlinear observability problem in terms of a linear time varying one. As a result, all possible (globally) unobservable motions are characterized in terms of the systems’ initial conditions and velocity commands within the class of interest. The fundamental results reported are also illustrated by numerical simulations providing evidence of different motions generating the same output, namely lacking observability.

Quantum dots with indirect band gap: power-law photoluminescence decay

In this work the experimental effect of a slow decay of the photoluminescence is studied theoretically in the case of quantum dots with an indirect energy band gap. The slow decay of the photoluminescence is considered as decay in time of the luminescence intensity, following the excitation of the quantum dot sample electronic system by a short optical pulse. In the presented theoretical treatment the process is studied as a single dot property. The inter-valley deformation potential interaction of the excited conduction band electrons with lattice vibrations is considered in the self-consistent Born approximation to the electronic self-energy. The theory is built on the non-equilibrium electronic quantum transport theory. The time dependence of the photoluminescence decay is estimated upon using a simple effective mass model. The numerical calculation of the considered model shows the power-law time characteristics of the photoluminescence decay in the long-time limit of the decay. We demonstrate that the nonadiabatic influence of the interaction of the conduction band electrons with the lattice vibrations provides a mechanism giving us the power-law time dependence of the photoluminescence intensity signal. This theoretical result emphasizes the role of the electron-phonon interaction in the nanostructures.