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Showing papers in "Physical Review D in 2010"


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors extract new parton distribution functions (PDFs) of the proton by global analysis of hard scattering data in the general-mass framework of perturbative quantum chromodynamics.
Abstract: We extract new parton distribution functions (PDFs) of the proton by global analysis of hard scattering data in the general-mass framework of perturbative quantum chromodynamics Our analysis includes new theoretical developments together with the most recent collider data from deep-inelastic scattering, vector boson production, and single-inclusive jet production Because of the difficulty in fitting both the D0 Run-II W lepton asymmetry data and some fixed-target DIS data, we present two families of PDFs, CT10 and CT10W, without and with these high-luminosity W lepton asymmetry data included in the global analysis With both sets of PDFs, we study theoretical predictions and uncertainties for a diverse selection of processes at the Fermilab Tevatron and the CERN Large Hadron Collider

2,349 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors consider the Lagrangian of gravity covariantly amended by the mass and polynomial interaction terms with arbitrary coefficients and investigate the consistency of such a theory in the decoupling limit, up to the fifth order in the nonlinearities.
Abstract: We consider the Lagrangian of gravity covariantly amended by the mass and polynomial interaction terms with arbitrary coefficients and reinvestigate the consistency of such a theory in the decoupling limit, up to the fifth order in the nonlinearities. We calculate explicitly the self-interactions of the helicity-0 mode, as well as the nonlinear mixing between the helicity-0 and -2 modes. We show that ghostlike pathologies in these interactions disappear for special choices of the polynomial interactions and argue that this result remains true to all orders in the decoupling limit. Moreover, we show that the linear and some of the nonlinear mixing terms between the helicity-0 and -2 modes can be absorbed by a local change of variables, which then naturally generates the cubic, quartic, and quintic Galileon interactions, introduced in a different context. We also point out that the mixing between the helicity-0 and -2 modes can be at most quartic in the decoupling limit. Finally, we discuss the implications of our findings for the consistency of the effective field theory away from the decoupling limit, and for the Boulware-Deser problem.

1,300 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the fraction of the universe going into primordial black holes in the mass range was studied and the effects of their evaporations on big bang nucleosynthesis and the extragalactic photon background were discussed.
Abstract: We update the constraints on the fraction of the Universe going into primordial black holes in the mass range ${10}^{9}--{10}^{17}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{g}$ associated with the effects of their evaporations on big bang nucleosynthesis and the extragalactic photon background. We include for the first time all the effects of quark and gluon emission by black holes on these constraints and account for the latest observational developments. We then discuss the other constraints in this mass range and show that these are weaker than the nucleosynthesis and photon background limits, apart from a small range ${10}^{13}--{10}^{14}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{g}$, where the damping of cosmic microwave background anisotropies dominates. Finally we review the gravitational and astrophysical effects of nonevaporating primordial black holes, updating constraints over the broader mass range $1--{10}^{50}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{g}$.

1,074 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
Peter Skands1
TL;DR: In this article, the p{sub perpendicular}-ordered shower and underlying event model in Pythia 6.4 is updated and supersede the older "S0" family, and a set of 8 related "Perugia variations" that attempt to systematically explore soft, hard, parton density, and color structure variations in the theoretical parameters.
Abstract: We present 9 new tunes of the p{sub perpendicular}-ordered shower and underlying-event model in Pythia 6.4. These 'Perugia' tunes update and supersede the older 'S0' family. The data sets used to constrain the models include hadronic Z{sup 0} decays at LEP, Tevatron min-bias data at 630, 1800, and 1960 GeV, Tevatron Drell-Yan data at 1800 and 1960 GeV, and SPS min-bias data at 200, 546, and 900 GeV. In addition to the central parameter set, called 'Perugia 0', we introduce a set of 8 related 'Perugia variations' that attempt to systematically explore soft, hard, parton density, and color structure variations in the theoretical parameters. Based on these variations, a best-guess prediction of the charged track multiplicity in inelastic, nondiffractive minimum-bias events at the LHC is made. Note that these tunes can only be used with Pythia 6, not with Pythia 8.

1,056 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a general mechanism for chaotic inflation driven by monodromy-extended closed-string axions is proposed, compatible with moduli stabilization and can be realized in many types of compactifications, including warped Calabi-Yau manifolds and more general Ricci-curved spaces.
Abstract: Wrapped branes in string compactifications introduce a monodromy that extends the field range of individual closed-string axions to beyond the Planck scale. Furthermore, approximate shift symmetries of the system naturally control corrections to the axion potential. This suggests a general mechanism for chaotic inflation driven by monodromy-extended closed-string axions. We systematically analyze this possibility and show that the mechanism is compatible with moduli stabilization and can be realized in many types of compactifications, including warped Calabi-Yau manifolds and more general Ricci-curved spaces. In this broad class of models, the potential is linear in the canonical inflaton field, predicting a tensor to scalar ratio $r\ensuremath{\approx}0.07$ accessible to upcoming cosmic microwave background observations.

1,007 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, an extension of teleparallel, or torsion scalar T, gravity to f(T) theories is considered, where the field equations are naturally second order, avoiding pathologies.
Abstract: Spacetime curvature plays the primary role in general relativity but Einstein later considered a theory where torsion was the central quantity. Just as the Einstein-Hilbert action in the Ricci curvature scalar R can be generalized to f(R) gravity, we consider extensions of teleparallel, or torsion scalar T, gravity to f(T) theories. The field equations are naturally second order, avoiding pathologies, and can give rise to cosmic acceleration with unique features.

982 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The RT formula predicts a phase transition in the entanglement entropy as a function of their separation, and that the mutual information between the intervals vanishes for separations larger than the phase transition point.
Abstract: Ryu and Takayanagi conjectured a formula for the entanglement (von Neumann) entropy of an arbitrary spatial region in an arbitrary holographic eld theory. The von Neumann entropy is a special case of a more general class of entropies called R enyi entropies. Using Euclidean gravity, Fursaev computed the entanglement R enyi entropies (EREs) of an arbitrary spatial region in an arbitrary holographic eld theory, and thereby derived the RT formula. We point out, however, that his EREs are incorrect, since his putative saddle points do not in fact solve the Einstein equation. We remedy this situation in the case of two-dimensional CFTs, considering regions consisting of one or two intervals. For a single interval, the EREs are known for a general CFT; we reproduce them using gravity. For two intervals, the RT formula predicts a phase transition in the entanglement entropy as a function of their separation, and that the mutual information between the intervals vanishes for separations larger than the phase transition point. By computing EREs using gravity and CFT techniques, we nd evidence supporting both predictions. We also nd evidence that large-N symmetric-product theories have the same EREs as holographic ones.

782 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present results for the two-loop soft anomalous dimensions for associated production of a single top quark with a W boson or a charged Higgs boson.
Abstract: I present results for the two-loop soft anomalous dimensions for associated production of a single top quark with a W boson or a charged Higgs boson. The calculation uses expressions for the massive cusp anomalous dimension, which are presented in different forms, and it allows soft-gluon resummation at next-to-next-to-leading-logarithm (NNLL) accuracy. From the NNLL resummed cross section I derive approximate NNLO cross sections for bg{yields}tW{sup -} and bg{yields}tH{sup -} at LHC energies of 7, 10, and 14 TeV.

776 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, it was shown that colliders can impose strong constraints on models of dark matter, in particular when the dark matter is light, and that the LHC can outperform spin-dependent searches by an order of magnitude or better over much of the parameter space.
Abstract: We show that colliders can impose strong constraints on models of dark matter, in particular, when the dark matter is light. We analyze models where the dark matter is a fermion or scalar interacting with quarks and/or gluons through an effective theory containing higher dimensional operators which represent heavier states that have been integrated out of the effective field theory. We determine bounds from existing Tevatron searches for monojets as well as expected LHC reaches for a discovery. We find that colliders can provide information which is complementary or in some cases even superior to experiments searching for direct detection of dark matter through its scattering with nuclei. In particular, both the Tevatron and the LHC can outperform spin-dependent searches by an order of magnitude or better over much of the parameter space, and if the dark matter couples mainly to gluons, the LHC can place bounds superior to any spin-independent search.

682 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the early part of the gravitational wave signal of binary neutron-star inspirals can potentially yield robust information on the nuclear equation of state, and the authors calculate the deformation of a star's quadrupole deformation in response to the perturbing tidal field.
Abstract: The early part of the gravitational wave signal of binary neutron-star inspirals can potentially yield robust information on the nuclear equation of state. The influence of a star's internal structure on the waveform is characterized by a single parameter: the tidal deformability $\ensuremath{\lambda}$, which measures the star's quadrupole deformation in response to the companion's perturbing tidal field. We calculate $\ensuremath{\lambda}$ for a wide range of equations of state and find that the value of $\ensuremath{\lambda}$ spans an order of magnitude for the range of equation of state models considered. An analysis of the feasibility of discriminating between neutron-star equations of state with gravitational wave observations of the early part of the inspiral reveals that the measurement error in $\ensuremath{\lambda}$ increases steeply with the total mass of the binary. Comparing the errors with the expected range of $\ensuremath{\lambda}$, we find that Advanced LIGO observations of binaries at a distance of 100 Mpc will probe only unusually stiff equations of state, while the proposed Einstein Telescope is likely to see a clean tidal signature.

620 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined holographic renormalization group flows in a framework where the bulk gravity contains higher curvature interactions and derived a universal coefficient appearing in the entanglement entropy of the fixed point conformal theories in any (including an odd) number of dimensions.
Abstract: Using the anti-de Sitter conformal theory correspondence, we examine holographic renormalization group flows in a framework where the bulk gravity contains higher curvature interactions. This holographic model allows us to distinguish the flow of the different central charges in dual theory. For example, in four dimensions, one finds that the flow of the central charge a is naturally monotonic but that of c is not. Our results agree with Cardy's proposal to extend Zamolodchikov's c-theorem to higher dimensions. We are also led to formulate a novel c-theorem for a universal coefficient appearing in the entanglement entropy of the fixed point conformal theories in any (including an odd) number of dimensions.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, it was shown that the duality between color and kinematics implies that diagrammatic numerators in gravity are just the product of two corresponding gauge-theory numerators, as previously conjectured.
Abstract: We explore consequences of the recently discovered duality between color and kinematics, which states that kinematic numerators in a diagrammatic expansion of gauge-theory amplitudes can be arranged to satisfy Jacobi-like identities in one-to-one correspondence to the associated color factors. Using on-shell recursion relations, we give a field-theory proof showing that the duality implies that diagrammatic numerators in gravity are just the product of two corresponding gauge-theory numerators, as previously conjectured. These squaring relations express gravity amplitudes in terms of gauge-theory ingredients, and are a recasting of the Kawai, Lewellen, and Tye relations. Assuming that numerators of loop amplitudes can be arranged to satisfy the duality, our tree-level proof immediately carries over to loop level via the unitarity method. We then present a Yang-Mills Lagrangian whose diagrams through five points manifestly satisfy the duality between color and kinematics. The existence of such Lagrangians suggests that the duality also extends to loop amplitudes, as confirmed at two and three loops in a concurrent paper. By ''squaring'' the novel Yang-Mills Lagrangian we immediately obtain its gravity counterpart. We outline the general structure of these Lagrangians for higher points. We also write down various new representations of gauge-theory and gravity amplitudes that follow frommore » the duality between color and kinematics.« less

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present the resumption of soft and collinear gluon corrections to single top quark production in the s channel for the s-channel.
Abstract: I present the next-to-next-to-leading-logarithm (NNLL) resummation of soft and collinear gluon corrections to single top quark production in the s channel. Attaining NNLL accuracy involves the calculation of the two-loop soft anomalous dimension for the partonic subprocesses. Finite-order expansions of the resummed cross section are calculated through next-to-next-to-leading order. Numerical results are presented for s-channel single top quark production at the Tevatron and the LHC, including the dependence of the cross sections on the top quark mass and the uncertainties in the theoretical prediction. The higher-order corrections are significant for energies at both colliders and they decrease the theoretical uncertainty.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a technique, called pruning, was proposed to identify heavy particle decays into single jets and distinguish them from QCD jets, which may be useful in a search for heavy particles.
Abstract: We discuss jet substructure in recombination algorithms for QCD jets and single jets from heavy particle decays. We demonstrate that the jet algorithm can introduce significant systematic effects into the substructure. By characterizing these systematic effects and the substructure from QCD, splash-in, and heavy particle decays, we identify a technique, pruning, to better identify heavy particle decays into single jets and distinguish them from QCD jets. Pruning removes protojets typical of soft, wide-angle radiation, improves the mass resolution of jets reconstructing heavy particle decays, and decreases the QCD background to these decays. We show that pruning provides significant improvements over unpruned jets in identifying top quarks and $W$ bosons and separating them from a QCD background, and may be useful in a search for heavy particles.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, it was shown that small-scale perturbations (near the baryonic Jeans scale) by large-scale velocity flows are important for the formation of the first structures.
Abstract: At the time of recombination, baryons and photons decoupled and the sound speed in the baryonic fluid dropped from relativistic, ~c/√3, to the thermal velocities of the hydrogen atoms, ~2×10^(-5)c. This is less than the relative velocities of baryons and dark matter computed via linear perturbation theory, so we infer that there are supersonic coherent flows of the baryons relative to the underlying potential wells created by the dark matter. As a result, the advection of small-scale perturbations (near the baryonic Jeans scale) by large-scale velocity flows is important for the formation of the first structures. This effect involves a quadratic term in the cosmological perturbation theory equations and hence has not been included in studies based on linear perturbation theory. We show that the relative motion suppresses the abundance of the first bound objects, even if one only investigates dark matter haloes, and leads to qualitative changes in their spatial distribution, such as introducing scale-dependent bias and stochasticity. We further discuss the possible observable implications of this effect for high-redshift galaxy clustering and reionization.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, an improved prescription for the matter power spectrum in redshift space taking proper account of both nonlinear gravitational clustering and redshift distortion was presented for accurately modeling baryon acoustic oscillations (BAOs).
Abstract: We present an improved prescription for the matter power spectrum in redshift space taking proper account of both nonlinear gravitational clustering and redshift distortion, which are of particular importance for accurately modeling baryon acoustic oscillations (BAOs). Contrary to the models of redshift distortion phenomenologically introduced but frequently used in the literature, the new model includes the corrections arising from the nonlinear coupling between the density and velocity fields associated with two competitive effects of redshift distortion, i.e., Kaiser and Finger-of-God effects. Based on the improved treatment of perturbation theory for gravitational clustering, we compare our model predictions with the monopole and quadrupole power spectra of $N$-body simulations, and an excellent agreement is achieved over the scales of BAOs. Potential impacts on constraining dark energy and modified gravity from the redshift-space power spectrum are also investigated based on the Fisher-matrix formalism, particularly focusing on the measurements of the Hubble parameter, angular diameter distance, and growth rate for structure formation. We find that the existing phenomenological models of redshift distortion produce a systematic error on measurements of the angular diameter distance and Hubble parameter by 1%--2% , and the growth-rate parameter by $\ensuremath{\sim}5%$, which would become non-negligible for future galaxy surveys. Correctly modeling redshift distortion is thus essential, and the new prescription for the redshift-space power spectrum including the nonlinear corrections can be used as an accurate theoretical template for anisotropic BAOs.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a perturbative calculation of the equation of state of cold but dense QCD matter with two massless and one massive quark flavor was performed, and it was shown that perturbation theory converges reasonably well for quark chemical potentials above 1 GeV.
Abstract: We perform an $\mathcal{O}({\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{s}^{2})$ perturbative calculation of the equation of state of cold but dense QCD matter with two massless and one massive quark flavor, finding that perturbation theory converges reasonably well for quark chemical potentials above 1 GeV. Using a running coupling constant and strange quark mass, and allowing for further nonperturbative effects, our results point to a narrow range where absolutely stable strange quark matter may exist. Absent stable strange quark matter, our findings suggest that quark matter in (slowly rotating) compact star cores becomes confined to hadrons only slightly above the density of atomic nuclei. Finally, we show that equations of state including quark matter lead to hybrid star masses up to $M\ensuremath{\sim}2{M}_{\ensuremath{\bigodot}}$, in agreement with current observations. For strange stars, we find maximal masses of $M\ensuremath{\sim}2.75{M}_{\ensuremath{\bigodot}}$ and conclude that confirmed observations of compact stars with $Mg2{M}_{\ensuremath{\bigodot}}$ would strongly favor the existence of stable strange quark matter.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors studied the production of a single resonance at the LHC and its decay into a pair of Z bosons. And they demonstrated how full reconstruction of the final states allowed them to determine the spin and parity of the resonance and restrict its coupling to vector gauge bosons, and they showed the implications for analysis of a resonance decaying to other final states.
Abstract: We study the production of a single resonance at the LHC and its decay into a pair of Z bosons. We demonstrate how full reconstruction of the final states allows us to determine the spin and parity of the resonance and restricts its coupling to vector gauge bosons. Full angular analysis is illustrated with the simulation of the production and decay chain including all spin correlations and the most general couplings of spin-zero, -one, and -two resonances to Standard Model matter and gauge fields. We note implications for analysis of a resonance decaying to other final states.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors studied the slow-roll inflation model, where the inflaton slowrolls along a trajectory whose orthogonal directions are lifted by potentials with masses of order the Hubble parameter.
Abstract: We study the slow-roll inflation models, where the inflaton slow-rolls along a trajectory whose orthogonal directions are lifted by potentials with masses of order the Hubble parameter. In these models large non-Gaussianities can be generated through the transformation from the isocurvature modes to the curvature mode, once the inflaton trajectory turns. We find large bispectra with a one-parameter family of novel shapes, interpolating between the equilateral and local shape. According to the in-in formalism, the shapes of these non-Gaussianities are different from a simple projection from the isocurvature non-Gaussian correlation functions.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, it was shown that the 2D conformal symmetry of the scalar wave equation at low frequencies persists for generic nonextreme values of the mass of a Kerr black hole.
Abstract: Extreme and very-near-extreme spin $J$ Kerr black holes have been conjectured to be holographically dual to two-dimensional (2D) conformal field theories (CFTs) with left and right central charges ${c}_{L}={c}_{R}=12J$. In this paper it is observed that the 2D conformal symmetry of the scalar wave equation at low frequencies persists for generic nonextreme values of the mass $M\ensuremath{ e}\sqrt{J}$. Interestingly, this conformal symmetry is not derived from a conformal symmetry of the spacetime geometry except in the extreme limit. The $2\ensuremath{\pi}$ periodic identification of the azimuthal angle $\ensuremath{\phi}$ is shown to correspond to a spontaneous breaking of the conformal symmetry by left and right temperatures ${T}_{L}={M}^{2}/2\ensuremath{\pi}J$ and ${T}_{R}=\sqrt{{M}^{4}\ensuremath{-}{J}^{2}}/2\ensuremath{\pi}J$. The well-known low-frequency scalar-Kerr scattering amplitudes coincide with correlators of a 2D CFT at these temperatures. Moreover, the CFT microstate degeneracy inferred from the Cardy formula agrees exactly with the Bekenstein-Hawking area law for all $M$ and $J$. These observations provide evidence for the conjecture that the Kerr black hole is dual to a ${c}_{L}={c}_{R}=12J$ 2D CFT at temperatures (${T}_{L},{T}_{R}$) for every value of $M$ and $J$.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a frequency-domain matching of post-Newtonian inspiral waveforms with numerical relativity based binary black hole coalescence waveforms is proposed to quantify the various possible sources of systematic errors that arise in matching post-newtonian and numerical relativity waveforms, and use a matching criteria based on minimizing these errors.
Abstract: We present a new phenomenological gravitational waveform model for the inspiral and coalescence of nonprecessing spinning black hole binaries. Our approach is based on a frequency-domain matching of post-Newtonian inspiral waveforms with numerical relativity based binary black hole coalescence waveforms. We quantify the various possible sources of systematic errors that arise in matching post-Newtonian and numerical relativity waveforms, and we use a matching criteria based on minimizing these errors; we find that the dominant source of errors are those in the post-Newtonian waveforms near the merger. An analytical formula for the dominant mode of the gravitational radiation of nonprecessing black hole binaries is presented that captures the phenomenology of the hybrid waveforms. Its implementation in the current searches for gravitational waves should allow cross-checks of other inspiral-merger-ringdown waveform families and improve the reach of gravitational-wave searches.

Journal ArticleDOI
Markus Ackermann1, Marco Ajello1, W. B. Atwood2, Luca Baldini  +205 moreInstitutions (31)
TL;DR: In this paper, the results of analysis of cosmic-ray electrons using about 8 x 10(6) electron candidates detected in the first 12 months on-orbit by the Fermi Large Area Telescope were presented.
Abstract: We present the results of our analysis of cosmic-ray electrons using about 8 x 10(6) electron candidates detected in the first 12 months on-orbit by the Fermi Large Area Telescope. This work extend ...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the creation and evolution of boost-invariant anisotropic, strongly-coupled N=4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills plasma was studied using gauge/gravity duality.
Abstract: Using gauge/gravity duality, we study the creation and evolution of boost-invariant anisotropic, strongly-coupled N=4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills plasma. In the dual gravitational description, this corresponds to horizon formation in a geometry driven to be anisotropic by a time-dependent change in boundary conditions.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors studied a charged dilatonic black hole derived from a Lagrangian involving a gauge field whose kinetic term is modified by the exponential of a neutral scalar.
Abstract: We study a charged dilatonic black hole in ${\mathrm{AdS}}_{5}$, derived from a Lagrangian involving a gauge field whose kinetic term is modified by the exponential of a neutral scalar. This black hole has two properties which one might reasonably demand of the dual of a Fermi liquid: Its entropy is proportional to temperature at low temperature, and its extremal limit supports normal modes of massless, charged bulk fermions. The black hole we study has a simple analytic form because it can be embedded in type IIB string theory as the near-horizon limit of D3-branes with equal spins in two of the three independent transverse planes. Two further properties can be deduced from this embedding: There is a thermodynamic instability, reminiscent of ferromagnetism, at low temperatures; and there is an ${\mathrm{AdS}}_{3}$ factor in the extremal near-horizon geometry which accounts for the linear dependence of entropy on temperature. Altogether, it is plausible that the dilatonic black hole we study, or a relative of it with similar behavior in the infrared, is the dual of a Fermi liquid; however, the particular embedding in string theory that we consider is unlikely to have such a dual description, unless through some unexpected boson-fermion equivalence at large $N$.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors reexamine the constraints placed on the axion parameter space in the light of the new mass function and find an accurate and updated constraint that axions can have masses as high as 0.01--1$\units{meV}, covering the whole thermal axion range.
Abstract: The misalignment mechanism for axion production depends on the temperature-dependent axion mass. The latter has recently been determined within the interacting instanton liquid model (IILM), and provides for the first time a well-motivated axion mass for all temperatures. We reexamine the constraints placed on the axion parameter space in the light of this new mass function. We find an accurate and updated constraint $ f_a \le 2.8(\pm2)\times 10^{11}\units{GeV}$ or $m_a \ge 21(\pm2) \units{\mu eV}$ from the misalignment mechanism in the classic axion window (thermal scenario). However, this is superseded by axion string radiation which leads to $ f_a \lesssim 3.2^{+4}_{-2} \times 10^{10} \units{GeV}$ or $m_a \gtrsim 0.20 ^{+0.2}_{-0.1} \units{meV}$. In this analysis, we take care to precisely compute the effective degrees of freedom and, to fill a gap in the literature, we present accurate fitting formulas. We solve the evolution equations exactly, and find that analytic results used to date generally underestimate the full numerical solution by a factor 2-3. In the inflationary scenario, axions induce isocurvature fluctuations and constrain the allowed inflationary scale $H_I$. Taking anharmonic effects into account, we show that these bounds are actually weaker than previously computed. Considering the fine-tuning issue of the misalignment angle in the whole of the anthropic window, we derive new bounds which open up the inflationary window near $\theta_a \to \pi$. In particular, we find that inflationary dark matter axions can have masses as high as 0.01--1$\units{meV}$, covering the whole thermal axion range, with values of $H_I$ up to $10^9$GeV. Quantum fluctuations during inflation exclude dominant dark matter axions with masses above $m_a\lesssim 1$meV.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, it was shown that, even for a steep potential, natural inflation can occur if the coupling between axion and gauge fields is taken into account, and a possible way out of this problem was discussed.
Abstract: In models of natural inflation, the inflaton is an axionlike particle. Unfortunately, axion potentials in UV-complete theories appear to be too steep to drive inflation. We show that, even for a steep potential, natural inflation can occur if the coupling between axion and gauge fields is taken into account. Because of this coupling, quanta of the gauge field are produced by the rolling of the axion. If the coupling is large enough, such a dissipative effect slows down the axion, leading to inflation even for a steep potential. The spectrum of perturbations is quasiscale invariant, but in the simplest construction its amplitude is larger than ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}5}$. We discuss a possible way out of this problem.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the effect of Sommerfeld enhancement on the freezing of thermal relic dark matter has been investigated, and it was shown that the cutoff of resonant enhancement, the equilibration of force carriers, the temperature of kinetic decoupling, and the efficiency of self-interactions for preserving thermal velocity distributions all play a role.
Abstract: The annihilation cross section of thermal relic dark matter determines both its relic density and indirect detection signals. We determine how large indirect signals may be in scenarios with Sommerfeld-enhanced annihilation, subject to the constraint that the dark matter has the correct relic density. This work refines our previous analysis through detailed treatments of resonant Sommerfeld enhancement and the effect of Sommerfeld enhancement on freeze out. Sommerfeld enhancements raise many interesting issues in the freeze out calculation, and we find that the cutoff of resonant enhancement, the equilibration of force carriers, the temperature of kinetic decoupling, and the efficiency of self-interactions for preserving thermal velocity distributions all play a role. These effects may have striking consequences; for example, for resonantly-enhanced Sommerfeld annihilation, dark matter freezes out but may then chemically recouple, implying highly suppressed indirect signals, in contrast to naive expectations. In the minimal scenario with standard astrophysical assumptions, and tuning all parameters to maximize the signal, we find that, for force-carrier mass ${m}_{\ensuremath{\phi}}=250\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{MeV}$ and dark matter masses ${m}_{X}=0.1$, 0.3, and 1 TeV, the maximal Sommerfeld enhancement factors are ${S}_{\mathrm{eff}}=7$, 30, and 90, respectively. Such boosts are too small to explain both the PAMELA and Fermi excesses. Nonminimal models may require smaller boosts, but the bounds on ${S}_{\mathrm{eff}}$ could also be more stringent, and dedicated freeze out analyses are required. For concreteness, we focus on $4\ensuremath{\mu}$ final states, but we also discuss $4e$ and other modes, deviations from standard astrophysical assumptions and nonminimal particle physics models, and we outline the steps required to determine if such considerations may lead to a self-consistent explanation of the PAMELA or Fermi excesses.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present results for top quark production in hadronic collisions at LHC and Tevatron energies, where the soft-gluon corrections to the differential cross section are resummed at next-next-to-leading-logarithm (NNLL) accuracy via the two-loop soft anomalous dimension matrices.
Abstract: I present results for top quark production in hadronic collisions at LHC and Tevatron energies. The soft-gluon corrections to the differential cross section are resummed at nextto-next-to-leading-logarithm (NNLL) accuracy via the two-loop soft anomalous dimension matrices. Approximate next-to-next-to-leading-order (NNLO) differential and total cross

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors presented the first astrophysical measurement of the pressure of cold matter above nuclear saturation density, based on recently determined masses and radii of three neutron stars.
Abstract: We present the first astrophysical measurement of the pressure of cold matter above nuclear saturation density, based on recently determined masses and radii of three neutron stars. The pressure at higher densities is below the predictions of equations of state that account only for nucleonic degrees of freedom, and thus present a challenge to the microscopic theory of neutron star matter.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, it was shown that the Love numbers of self-bound quark matter stars are qualitatively different from those of normal quark stars, and that such stars are not detectable with Advanced LIGO.
Abstract: Gravitational waves from the final stages of inspiraling binary neutron stars are expected to be one of the most important sources for ground-based gravitational wave detectors. The masses of the components are determinable from the orbital and chirp frequencies during the early part of the evolution, and large finite-size (tidal) effects are measurable toward the end of inspiral, but the gravitational wave signal is expected to be very complex at this time. Tidal effects during the early part of the evolution will form a very small correction, but during this phase the signal is relatively clean. The accumulated phase shift due to tidal corrections is characterized by a single quantity related to a star's tidal Love number. The Love number is sensitive, in particular, to the compactness parameter $M/R$ and the star's internal structure, and its determination could provide an important constraint to the neutron star radius. We show that Love numbers of self-bound strange quark matter stars are qualitatively different from those of normal neutron stars. Observations of the tidal signature from coalescing compact binaries could therefore provide an important, and possibly unique, way to distinguish self-bound strange quark stars from normal neutron stars. Tidal signatures from self-bound strange quark stars with masses smaller than $1{M}_{\ensuremath{\bigodot}}$ are substantially smaller than those of normal stars owing to their smaller radii. Thus tidal signatures of stars less massive than $1{M}_{\ensuremath{\bigodot}}$ are probably not detectable with Advanced LIGO. For stars with masses in the range $1--2{M}_{\ensuremath{\bigodot}}$, the anticipated efficiency of the proposed Einstein telescope would be required for the detection of tidal signatures.