34 research outputs found
Neutralino Dark Matter from MSSM Flat Directions in light of WMAP Result
The minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM) has a truly supersymmetric
way to explain both the baryon asymmetry and cold dark matter in the present
Universe, that is, ``Affleck-Dine baryo/DM-genesis.'' The associated late-time
decay of Q-balls directly connects the origins of the baryon asymmetry and dark
matter, and also predicts a specific nature of the LSP. In this paper, we
investigate the prospects for indirect detection of these dark matter
candidates observing high energy neutrino flux from the Sun, and hard positron
flux from the halo. We also update the previous analysis of the direct
detection in hep-ph/0205044 by implementing the recent result from WMAP
satellite.Comment: 32 pages, including 40 figure
Models of quintessence coupled to the electromagnetic field and the cosmological evolution of alpha
We study the change of the effective fine structure constant in the
cosmological models of a scalar field with a non-vanishing coupling to the
electromagnetic field. Combining cosmological data and terrestrial observations
we place empirical constraints on the size of the possible coupling and explore
a large class of models that exhibit tracking behavior. The change of the fine
structure constant implied by the quasar absorption spectra together with the
requirement of tracking behavior impose a lower bound of the size of this
coupling. Furthermore, the transition to the quintessence regime implies a
narrow window for this coupling around in units of the inverse Planck
mass. We also propose a non-minimal coupling between electromagnetism and
quintessence which has the effect of leading only to changes of alpha
determined from atomic physics phenomena, but leaving no observable
consequences through nuclear physics effects. In doing so we are able to
reconcile the claimed cosmological evidence for a changing fine structure
constant with the tight constraints emerging from the Oklo natural nuclear
reactor.Comment: 13 pages, 10 figures, RevTex, new references adde
Dark matter and Colliders searches in the MSSM
We study the complementarity between dark matter experiments (direct
detection and indirect detections) and accelerator facilities (the CERN LHC and
a TeV Linear Collider) in the framework of the
constrained Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM). We show how
non--universality in the scalar and gaugino sectors can affect the experimental
prospects to discover the supersymmetric particles. The future experiments will
cover a large part of the parameter space of the MSSM favored by WMAP
constraint on the relic density, but there still exist some regions beyond
reach for some extreme (fine tuned) values of the supersymmetric parameters.
Whereas the Focus Point region characterized by heavy scalars will be easily
probed by experiments searching for dark matter, the regions with heavy
gauginos and light sfermions will be accessible more easily by collider
experiments. More informations on both supersymmetry and astrophysics
parameters can be thus obtained by correlating the different signals.Comment: 25 pages, 10 figures, corrected typos and reference adde
Superimposed Oscillations in the WMAP Data?
The possibility that the cosmic variance outliers present in the recently
released WMAP multipole moments are due to oscillations in the primordial power
spectrum is investigated. Since the most important contribution to the WMAP
likelihood originates from the outliers at relatively small angular scale
(around the first Doppler peak), special attention is paid to these in contrast
with previous studies on the subject which have concentrated on the large
scales outliers only (i.e. the quadrupole and octupole). As a physically
motivated example, the case where the oscillations are of trans-Planckian
origin is considered. It is shown that the presence of the oscillations causes
an important drop in the WMAP chi square of about fifteen. The F-test reveals
that such a drop has a probability less than 0.06% to occur by chance and can
therefore be considered as statistically significant.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures, uses RevTex 4, references added, matches
published versio
Antiprotons in cosmic rays from neutralino annihilation
We calculate the antiproton flux due to relic neutralino annihilations, in a
two-dimensional diffusion model compatible with stable and radioactive cosmic
ray nuclei. We find that the uncertainty in the primary flux induced by the
propagation parameters alone is about two orders of magnitude at low energies,
and it is mainly determined by the lack of knowledge on the thickness of the
diffusive halo. On the contrary, different dark matter density profiles do not
significantly alter the flux: a NFW distribution produces fluxes which are at
most 20% higher than an isothermal sphere. The most conservative choice for
propagation parameters and dark matter distribution normalization, together
with current data on cosmic antiprotons, cannot lead to any definitive
constraint on the supersymmetric parameter space, neither in a low-energy
effective MSSM, or in a minimal SUGRA scheme. However, if the best choice for
propagation parameters - corresponding to a diffusive halo of L=4 kpc - is
adopted, some supersymmetric configurations with the neutralino mass of about
100 GeV should be considered as excluded. An enhancement flux factor - due for
instance to a clumpy dark halo or to a higher local dark matter density - would
imply a more severe cut on the supersymmetric parameters.Comment: 23 pages, 2 tables and 19 figures, typeset with ReVTeX4. The paper
may also be found at http://www.to.infn.it/~fornengo/papers/pbar03.ps.gz or
through http://www.to.infn.it/astropart/index.html A subsection added. Final
version to appear in PR
Phylogenomic analysis of a 55.1 kb 19-gene dataset resolves a monophyletic Fusarium that includes the Fusarium solani Species Complex
Scientific communication is facilitated by a data-driven, scientifically sound taxonomy that considers the end-user¿s needs and established successful practice. In 2013, the Fusarium community voiced near unanimous support for a concept of Fusarium that represented a clade comprising all agriculturally and clinically important Fusarium species, including the F. solani species complex (FSSC). Subsequently, this concept was challenged in 2015 by one research group who proposed dividing the genus Fusarium into seven genera, including the FSSC described as members of the genus Neocosmospora, with subsequent justification in 2018 based on claims that the 2013 concept of Fusarium is polyphyletic. Here, we test this claim and provide a phylogeny based on exonic nucleotide sequences of 19 orthologous protein-coding genes that strongly support the monophyly of Fusarium including the FSSC. We reassert the practical and scientific argument in support of a genus Fusarium that includes the FSSC and several other basal lineages, consistent with the longstanding use of this name among plant pathologists, medical mycologists, quarantine officials, regulatory agencies, students, and researchers with a stake in its taxonomy. In recognition of this monophyly, 40 species described as genus Neocosmospora were recombined in genus Fusarium, and nine others were renamed Fusarium. Here the global Fusarium community voices strong support for the inclusion of the FSSC in Fusarium, as it remains the best scientific, nomenclatural, and practical taxonomic option availabl