1,705 research outputs found
The Lyman-alpha Forest Power Spectrum from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey
We measure the power spectrum, P_F(k,z), of the transmitted flux in the
Ly-alpha forest using 3035 high redshift quasar spectra from the Sloan Digital
Sky Survey. This sample is almost two orders of magnitude larger than any
previously available data set, yielding statistical errors of ~0.6% and ~0.005
on, respectively, the overall amplitude and logarithmic slope of P_F(k,z). This
unprecedented statistical power requires a correspondingly careful analysis of
the data and of possible systematic contaminations in it. For this purpose we
reanalyze the raw spectra to make use of information not preserved by the
standard pipeline. We investigate the details of the noise in the data,
resolution of the spectrograph, sky subtraction, quasar continuum, and metal
absorption. We find that background sources such as metals contribute
significantly to the total power and have to be subtracted properly. We also
find clear evidence for SiIII correlations with the Ly-alpha forest and suggest
a simple model to account for this contribution to the power. While it is
likely that our newly developed analysis technique does not eliminate all
systematic errors in the P_F(k,z) measurement below the level of the
statistical errors, our tests indicate that any residual systematics in the
analysis are unlikely to affect the inference of cosmological parameters from
P_F(k,z). These results should provide an essential ingredient for all future
attempts to constrain modeling of structure formation, cosmological parameters,
and theories for the origin of primordial fluctuations.Comment: 92 pages, 45 of them figures, submitted to ApJ, data available at
http://feynman.princeton.edu/~pmcdonal/LyaF/sdss.htm
The Linear Theory Power Spectrum from the Lyman-alpha Forest in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey
We analyze the SDSS Ly-alpha forest P_F(k,z) measurement to determine the
linear theory power spectrum. Our analysis is based on fully hydrodynamic
simulations, extended using hydro-PM simulations. We account for the effect of
absorbers with damping wings, which leads to an increase in the slope of the
linear power spectrum. We break the degeneracy between the mean level of
absorption and the linear power spectrum without significant use of external
constraints. We infer linear theory power spectrum amplitude
Delta^2_L(k_p=0.009s/km,z_p=3.0)=0.452_{-0.057-0.116}^{+0.069+0.141} and slope
n_eff=-2.321_{-0.047-0.102}^{+0.055+0.131} (possible systematic errors are
included through nuisance parameters in the fit - a factor >~5 smaller errors
would be obtained on both parameters if we ignored modeling uncertainties). The
errors are correlated and not perfectly Gaussian, so we provide a chi^2 table
to accurately describe the results. The result corresponds to sigma_8=0.85,
n=0.94, for a LCDM model with Omega_m=0.3, Omega_b=0.04, and h=0.7, but is most
useful in a combined fit with the CMB. The inferred curvature of the linear
power spectrum and the evolution of its amplitude and slope with redshift are
consistent with expectations for LCDM models, with the evolution of the slope,
in particular, being tightly constrained. We use this information to constrain
systematic contamination, e.g., fluctuations in the UV background. This paper
should serve as a starting point for more work to refine the analysis,
including technical improvements such as increasing the size and number of the
hydrodynamic simulations, and improvements in the treatment of the various
forms of feedback from galaxies and quasars.Comment: Improved presentation, including fit results for (z). Simple code
to produce LyaF chi^2 given linear power spectrum available at:
http://www.cita.utoronto.ca/~pmcdonal/code.htm
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Long-lived neutralino NLSPs
We investigate the collider signatures of heavy, long-lived, neutral particles that decay to charged particles plus missing energy. Specifically, we focus on the case of a neutralino NLSP decaying to Z and gravitino within the context of General Gauge Mediation. We show that a combination of searches using the inner detector and the muon spectrometer yields a wide range of potential early LHC discoveries for NLSP lifetimes ranging from 10−1 − 105 mm. We further show that events from Z(`+`−) can be used for detailed kinematic reconstruction, leading to accurate determinations of the neutralino mass and lifetime. In particular, we examine the prospects for detailed event study at ATLAS using the ECAL (making use of its timing and pointing capabilities) together with the TRT, or using the muon spectrometer alone. Finally, we also demonstrate that there is a region in parameter space where the Tevatron could potentially discover new physics in the delayed Z(`+`−) + 6ET channel. While our discussion centers on gauge mediation, many of the results apply to any scenario with a long-lived neutral particle decaying to charged particles.Physic
Prompt decays of general neutralino NLSPs at the Tevatron
Recent theoretical developments have shown that gauge mediation has a much larger parameter space of possible spectra and mixings than previously considered. Motivated by this, we explore the collider phenomenology of gauge mediation models where a general neutralino is the lightest MSSM superpartner (the NLSP), focusing on the potential reach from existing and future Tevatron searches. Promptly decaying general neutralino NLSPs can give rise to final states involving missing energy plus photons, Zs, Ws and/or Higgses. We survey the final states and determine those where the Tevatron should have the most sensitivity. We then estimate the reach of existing Tevatron searches in these final states and discuss new searches (or optimizations of existing ones) that should improve the reach. Finally we comment on the potential for discovery at the LHC.Physic
Subgroup-specific structural variation across 1,000 medulloblastoma genomes
Abstract
Medulloblastoma, the most common malignant paediatric brain tumour, is currently treated with nonspecific cytotoxic therapies including surgery, whole-brain radiation, and aggressive chemotherapy. As medulloblastoma exhibits marked intertumoural heterogeneity, with at least four distinct molecular variants, previous attempts to identify targets for therapy have been underpowered because of small samples sizes. Here we report somatic copy number aberrations (SCNAs) in 1,087 unique medulloblastomas. SCNAs are common in medulloblastoma, and are predominantly subgroup-enriched. The most common region of focal copy number gain is a tandem duplication of SNCAIP, a gene associated with Parkinson's disease, which is exquisitely restricted to Group 4α. Recurrent translocations of PVT1, including PVT1-MYC and PVT1-NDRG1, that arise through chromothripsis are restricted to Group 3. Numerous targetable SCNAs, including recurrent events targeting TGF-β signalling in Group 3, and NF-κB signalling in Group 4, suggest future avenues for rational, targeted therapy
Annulus Amplitudes and ZZ Branes in Minimal String Theory
We study the annulus amplitudes of (p,q) minimal string theory. Focusing on
the ZZ-FZZT annulus amplitude as a target-space probe of the ZZ brane, we use
it to confirm that the ZZ branes are localized in the strong-coupling region.
Along the way we learn that the ZZ-FZZT open strings are fermions, even though
our theory is bosonic! We also provide a geometrical interpretation of the
annulus amplitudes in terms of the Riemann surface M_{p,q} that emerges from
the FZZT branes. The ZZ-FZZT annulus amplitude measures the deformation of
M_{p,q} due to the presence of background ZZ branes; each kind of ZZ-brane
deforms only one A-period of the surface. Finally, we use the annulus
amplitudes to argue that the ZZ branes can be regarded as "wrong-branch"
tachyons which violate the bound \alpha<Q/2.Comment: 33 pages, new results in appendix, minor change
How Do Black Holes Predict the Sign of the Fourier Coefficients of Siegel Modular Forms?
Single centered supersymmetric black holes in four dimensions have
spherically symmetric horizon and hence carry zero angular momentum. This leads
to a specific sign of the helicity trace index associated with these black
holes. Since the latter are given by the Fourier expansion coefficients of
appropriate meromorphic modular forms of Sp(2,Z) or its subgroup, we are led to
a specific prediction for the signs of a subset of these Fourier coefficients
which represent contributions from single centered black holes only. We
explicitly test these predictions for the modular forms which compute the index
of quarter BPS black holes in heterotic string theory on T^6, as well as in Z_N
CHL models for N=2,3,5,7.Comment: LaTeX file, 17 pages, 1 figur
A New Generation of IMiDs as Treatments for Neuroinflammatory and Neurodegenerative Disorders
Acknowledgements The authors acknowledge support from their associated institutions which included: (i) the Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Aging, NIH, USA, (ii) the Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, (iii) Aevisbio Inc., USA, (iv) Aevis Bio Inc., Republic of Korea, (v) G. d’Annunzio University of Chieti and Pescara, Italy, and (vi) University of Aberdeen, Scotland, UK. Funding The generation of this article was supported by: (i) the Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Aging, NIH: AG000994. (ii) The Technology Development Program of MSS, Republic of Korea (S2782046). (iii) The National Research Foundation (NRF) grant funded by the Republic of Korea Government (2021M3A9G2015889).Peer reviewedPublisher PD
Open/Closed String Duality for Topological Gravity with Matter
The exact FZZT brane partition function for topological gravity with matter
is computed using the dual two-matrix model. We show how the effective theory
of open strings on a stack of FZZT branes is described by the generalized
Kontsevich matrix integral, extending the earlier result for pure topological
gravity. Using the well-known relation between the Kontsevich integral and a
certain shift in the closed-string background, we conclude that these models
exhibit open/closed string duality explicitly. Just as in pure topological
gravity, the unphysical sheets of the classical FZZT moduli space are
eliminated in the exact answer. Instead, they contribute small, nonperturbative
corrections to the exact answer through Stokes' phenomenon.Comment: 23 pages, 1 figure, harvma
General Neutralino NLSPs at the Early LHC
Gauge mediated supersymmetry breaking (GMSB) is a theoretically
well-motivated framework with rich and varied collider phenomenology. In this
paper, we study the Tevatron limits and LHC discovery potential for a wide
class of GMSB scenarios in which the next-to-lightest superpartner (NLSP) is a
promptly-decaying neutralino. These scenarios give rise to signatures involving
hard photons, 's, 's, jets and/or higgses, plus missing energy. In order
to characterize these signatures, we define a small number of minimal spectra,
in the context of General Gauge Mediation, which are parameterized by the mass
of the NLSP and the gluino. Using these minimal spectra, we determine the most
promising discovery channels for general neutralino NLSPs. We find that the
2010 dataset can already cover new ground with strong production for all NLSP
types. With the upcoming 2011-2012 dataset, we find that the LHC will also have
sensitivity to direct electroweak production of neutralino NLSPs.Comment: 26 page
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