First Season QUIET Observations: Measurements of CMB Polarization Power Spectra at 43 GHz in the Multipole Range 25 <= ell <= 475

The Q/U Imaging ExperimenT (QUIET) employs coherent receivers at 43GHz and 95GHz, operating on the Chajnantor plateau in the Atacama Desert in Chile, to measure the anisotropy in the polarization of the CMB. QUIET primarily targets the B modes from primordial gravitational waves. The combination of these frequencies gives sensitivity to foreground contributions from diffuse Galactic synchrotron radiation. Between 2008 October and 2010 December, >10,000hours of data were collected, first with the 19-element 43GHz array (3458hours) and then with the 90-element 95GHz array. Each array observes the same four fields, selected for low foregrounds, together covering ~1000deg^2. This paper reports initial results from the 43GHz receiver which has an array sensitivity to CMB fluctuations of 69uK sqrt(s). The data were extensively studied with a large suite of null tests before the power spectra, determined with two independent pipelines, were examined. Analysis choices, including data selection, were modified until the null tests passed. Cross correlating maps with different telescope pointings is used to eliminate a bias. This paper reports the EE, BB and EB power spectra in the multipole range ell=25-475. With the exception of the lowest multipole bin for one of the fields, where a polarized foreground, consistent with Galactic synchrotron radiation, is detected with 3sigma significance, the E-mode spectrum is consistent with the LCDM model, confirming the only previous detection of the first acoustic peak. The B-mode spectrum is consistent with zero, leading to a measurement of the tensor-to-scalar ratio of r=0.35+1.06-0.87. The combination of a new time-stream double-demodulation technique, Mizuguchi-Dragone optics, natural sky rotation, and frequent boresight rotation leads to the lowest level of systematic contamination in the B-mode power so far reported, below the level of r=0.1Comment: 19 pages, 14 figures, higher quality figures are available at http://quiet.uchicago.edu/results/index.html; Fixed a typo and corrected statistical error values used as a reference in Figure 14, showing our systematic uncertainties (unchanged) vs. multipole; Revision to ApJ accepted version, this paper should be cited as "QUIET Collaboration et al. (2011)

First Season QUIET Observations: Measurements of Cosmic Microwave Background Polarization Power Spectra at 43 GHz in the Multipole Range 25 ≤ ℓ ≤ 475

The Q/U Imaging ExperimenT (QUIET) employs coherent receivers at 43 GHz and 94 GHz, operating on the Chajnantor plateau in the Atacama Desert in Chile, to measure the anisotropy in the polarization of the cosmic microwave background (CMB). QUIET primarily targets the B modes from primordial gravitational waves. The combination of these frequencies gives sensitivity to foreground contributions from diffuse Galactic synchrotron radiation. Between 2008 October and 2010 December, over 10,000 hr of data were collected, first with the 19 element 43 GHz array (3458 hr) and then with the 90 element 94 GHz array. Each array observes the same four fields, selected for low foregrounds, together covering ≈1000 deg^2. This paper reports initial results from the 43 GHz receiver, which has an array sensitivity to CMB fluctuations of 69 μK√s. The data were extensively studied with a large suite of null tests before the power spectra, determined with two independent pipelines, were examined. Analysis choices, including data selection, were modified until the null tests passed. Cross-correlating maps with different telescope pointings is used to eliminate a bias. This paper reports the EE, BB, and EB power spectra in the multipole range ℓ = 25-475. With the exception of the lowest multipole bin for one of the fields, where a polarized foreground, consistent with Galactic synchrotron radiation, is detected with 3σ significance, the E-mode spectrum is consistent with the ΛCDM model, confirming the only previous detection of the first acoustic peak. The B-mode spectrum is consistent with zero, leading to a measurement of the tensor-to-scalar ratio of r = 0.35^(+1.06)_(–0.87). The combination of a new time-stream "double-demodulation" technique, side-fed Dragonian optics, natural sky rotation, and frequent boresight rotation leads to the lowest level of systematic contamination in the B-mode power so far reported, below the level of r = 0.1

Analysis methods for the first KATRIN neutrino-mass measurement

We report on the dataset, data handling, and detailed analysis techniques of the first neutrino-mass measurement by the Karlsruhe Tritium Neutrino (KATRIN) experiment, which probes the absolute neutrino-mass scale via the β-decay kinematics of molecular tritium. The source is highly pure, cryogenic T2 gas. The β electrons are guided along magnetic field lines toward a high-resolution, integrating spectrometer for energy analysis. A silicon detector counts β electrons above the energy threshold of the spectrometer, so that a scan of the thresholds produces a precise measurement of the high-energy spectral tail. After detailed theoretical studies, simulations, and commissioning measurements, extending from the molecular final-state distribution to inelastic scattering in the source to subtleties of the electromagnetic fields, our independent, blind analyses allow us to set an upper limit of 1.1 eV on the neutrino-mass scale at a 90% confidence level. This first result, based on a few weeks of running at a reduced source intensity and dominated by statistical uncertainty, improves on prior limits by nearly a factor of two. This result establishes an analysis framework for future KATRIN measurements, and provides important input to both particle theory and cosmology

Searching for gravitational waves from binary systems in non-stationary data

The gravitational wave detectors at the LIGO Observatories have achieved record sensitivity to gravitational-waves produced by astrophysical systems. The LIGO Scientific Collaboration has analyzed data taken in several science runs, searching for different signals. We describe a search for black holes with less than a solar mass in the LIGO data taken from February 22 to March 24, 2005. No gravitational waves were found, and an upper limit was set on the rate of mergers of such binary systems. This search, as well as other searches for binary systems, are affected by non-stationary noise. We describe the sophisticated pipeline that attempted to reduce the false trigger rate while maximizing the sensitivity to simulated signals. Details regarding this search and interpretation of this search are presented along with new strategies to increase the confidence in detection through signal based vetoes and better template waveforms

Analysis methods for the first KATRIN neutrino-mass measurement

We report on the dataset, data handling, and detailed analysis techniques of the first neutrino-mass measurement by the Karlsruhe Tritium Neutrino (KATRIN) experiment, which probes the absolute neutrino-mass scale via the β-decay kinematics of molecular tritium. The source is highly pure, cryogenic T2 gas. The β electrons are guided along magnetic field lines toward a high-resolution, integrating spectrometer for energy analysis. A silicon detector counts β electrons above the energy threshold of the spectrometer, so that a scan of the thresholds produces a precise measurement of the high-energy spectral tail. After detailed theoretical studies, simulations, and commissioning measurements, extending from the molecular final-state distribution to inelastic scattering in the source to subtleties of the electromagnetic fields, our independent, blind analyses allow us to set an upper limit of 1.1 eV on the neutrino-mass scale at a 90% confidence level. This first result, based on a few weeks of running at a reduced source intensity and dominated by statistical uncertainty, improves on prior limits by nearly a factor of two. This result establishes an analysis framework for future KATRIN measurements, and provides important input to both particle theory and cosmolog

Random finite sets in multi-target tracking - efficient sequential MCMC implementation

Over the last few decades multi-target tracking (MTT) has proved to be a challenging and attractive research topic. MTT applications span a wide variety of disciplines, including robotics, radar/sonar surveillance, computer vision and biomedical research. The primary focus of this dissertation is to develop an effective and efficient multi-target tracking algorithm dealing with an unknown and time-varying number of targets. The emerging and promising Random Finite Set (RFS) framework provides a rigorous foundation for optimal Bayes multi-target tracking. In contrast to traditional approaches, the collection of individual targets is treated as a set-valued state. The intent of this dissertation is two-fold; first to assert that the RFS framework not only is a natural, elegant and rigorous foundation, but also leads to practical, efficient and reliable algorithms for Bayesian multi-target tracking, and second to provide several novel RFS based tracking algorithms suitable for the specific Track-Before-Detect (TBD) surveillance application. One main contribution of this dissertation is a rigorous derivation and practical implementation of a novel algorithm well suited to deal with multi-target tracking problems for a given cardinality. The proposed Interacting Population-based MCMC-PF algorithm makes use of several Metropolis-Hastings samplers running in parallel, which interact through genetic variation. Another key contribution concerns the design and implementation of two novel algorithms to handle a varying number of targets. The first approach exploits Reversible Jumps. The second approach is built upon the concepts of labeled RFSs and multiple cardinality hypotheses. The performance of the proposed algorithms is also demonstrated in practical scenarios, and shown to significantly outperform conventional multi-target PF in terms of track accuracy and consistency. The final contribution seeks to exploit external information to increase the performance of the surveillance system. In multi-target scenarios, kinematic constraints from the interaction of targets with their environment or other targets can restrict target motion. Such motion constraint information is integrated by using a fixed-lag smoothing procedure, named Knowledge-Based Fixed-Lag Smoother (KB-Smoother). The proposed combination IP-MCMC-PF/KB-Smoother yields enhanced tracking

A Celebration of the Ties That Bind Us: Connections Between Actuarial Science and Mathematical Finance

The articles in this volume are contributed by scholars who are not only experts in areas of Actuarial Science (AS) and Mathematical Finance (MF), but also those who present diverse perspectives from both industry and academia. Topics from multiple areas, such as Stochastic Modeling, Credit Risk, Monte Carlo Simulation, and Pension Valuation, among others, that were maybe thought to be the domain of one type of risk manager, are shown time and again to have deep value to other areas of risk management as well. The articles in this collection, in my opinion, contribute techniques, ideas, and overviews of tools that folks in both AS and MF will find useful and interesting to implement in their work. It is also my hope that this collection will inspire future collaboration between those who seek an interdisciplinary approach to risk management

Towards a muon collider

This work was triggered by the Snowmass 2021 Community Planning Exercise [351]. It is based on – and in some cases significantly extends – the Snowmass white papers [352 –357] that have been prepared under the coordination of the IMCC. This work was supported by the EU HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions under the grant agreement number 101094300. Funded by the European Union (EU). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the EU or European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the EU nor the REA can be held responsible for them. The work has been supported by the Fermi Research Alliance, LLC under Contract No. DE-AC02-07CH11359 with the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of High Energy Physics. This work is supported by the Atracción de Talento Grant n. 2022-T1/TIC-24176 of the Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain. G. Stark is supported by the Department of Energy Office of Science grant DE-SC0010107. The work of R. Dermisek was supported in part by the U.S. Department of Energy under Award No. DE-SC0010120. This work is supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft under Germany’s Excellence Strategy EXC 2121 “Quantum Universe” – 390833306, as well as by the grant 491245950. Contributions from T. Holmes and her group are supported by U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences Energy Frontier Research Centers program under Award Number DE-SC0023122. This manuscript has been authored by employees of Brookhaven Science Associates, LLC under Contract No. DE-SC0012704 with the U.S. Department of Energy. J. Zurita is supported by the Generalitat Valenciana (Spain) through the plan GenT program (CIDEGENT/2019/068), by the Spanish Government (Agencia Estatal de Investigación) and ERDF funds from European Commission (MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033, Grant No. PID2020-114473GB-I00). M. Gallinaro and G. Da Molin acknowledge the support from the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT), Portugal. J. Reuter acknowledges the support by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Association) under Germany’s Excellence Strategy-EXC 2121 “Quantum Universe”-3908333. The work of L. Reina has been supported by the U.S. Department of Energy under grant DE-SC0010102. This work was supported by the EU Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programmes: AIDAinnova under Grant Agreement No 101004761, I.FAST under Grant Agreement No 101004730, and the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement number 101006726. The work of N. Kumar is supported by Department of Science and Technology, Government of India under the SRG grant, Grant Agreement Number SRG/2022/000363. We acknowledge financial support for this research from the United Kingdom Science and Technology Facilities Council via the John Adams Institute, University of Oxford. R. Ruiz acknowledges the support of Narodowe Centrum Nauki under Grant No. 2019/34/E /ST2/00186. R.Ruiz also acknowledges the support of the Polska Akademia Nauk (grant agreement PAN.BFD.S.BDN. 613. 022. 2021 – PASIFIC 1, POPSICLE). S. Trifinopoulos is supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation – project n. P500PT 203156 and by the Center of Theoretical Physics at MIT (MIT-CTP/5538). W. Su is supported by the Junior Foundation of Sun Yat-sen University and Shenzhen Science and Technology Program (Grant No. 202206193000001, 20220816094256002). W. Kilian was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) under grant 396021762 – TRR 257. The work of Y. Kahn was supported in part by U.S. Department of Energy grant DE-SC0015655. The work of G. Chachamis was supported by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Portugal) under project CERN/FIS-PAR/0024/2019 and contract ‘Investigador FCT – Individual Call/03216/2017’. The work of J. de Blas has been supported by the FEDER/Junta de Andalucía project grant P18-FRJ-3735. This work is Supported in part by the NSF under Grant No. PHY-2210361 and by the Maryland Center for Fundamental Physics (MCFP). The research activities of K. R. Dienes are supported in part by the U.S. Department of Energy under Grant DE-FG02-13ER41976 DE-SC0009913, and also by the U.S. National Science Foundation through its employee IR/D program. The research activities of B. Thomas are supported in part by the U.S. National Science Foundation under Grant PHY-2014104.A muon collider would enable the big jump ahead in energy reach that is needed for a fruitful exploration of fundamental interactions. The challenges of producing muon collisions at high luminosity and 10 TeV centre of mass energy are being investigated by the recently-formed International Muon Collider Collaboration. This Review summarises the status and the recent advances on muon colliders design, physics and detector studies. The aim is to provide a global perspective of the field and to outline directions for future work.AIDAinnova 101004730, 101004761Atracción de Talento 2022-T1/TIC-24176HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions 101094300H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions 101006726 MSCAFEDERGeneralitat Valenciana CIDEGENT/2019/068 GVAHorizon 2020European Regional Development Fund ERDFJunta de Andalucía P18-FRJ-3735Agencia Estatal de Investigación AE

Towards a muon collider

A muon collider would enable the big jump ahead in energy reach that is needed for a fruitful exploration of fundamental interactions. The challenges of producing muon collisions at high luminosity and 10 TeV centre of mass energy are being investigated by the recently-formed International Muon Collider Collaboration. This Review summarises the status and the recent advances on muon colliders design, physics and detector studies. The aim is to provide a global perspective of the field and to outline directions for future work