New Cosmological Structures on Medium Angular Scales Detected with the Tenerife Experiments

We present observations at 10 and 15 GHz taken with the Tenerife experiments in a band of the sky at Dec.=+35 degrees. These experiments are sensitive to multipoles in the range l=10-30. The sensitivity per beam is 56 and 20 microK for the 10 and the 15 GHz data, respectively. After subtraction of the prediction of known radio-sources, the analysis of the data at 15 GHz at high Galactic latitude shows the presence of a signal with amplitude Delta Trms ~ 32 microK. In the case of a Harrison-Zeldovich spectrum for the primordial fluctuations, a likelihood analysis shows that this signal corresponds to a quadrupole amplitude Q_rms-ps=20.1+7.1-5.4 microK, in agreement with our previous results at Dec.+=40 degrees and with the results of the COBE DMR. There is clear evidence for the presence of individual features in the RA range 190 degrees to 250 degrees with a peak to peak amplitude of ~110 microK. A preliminary comparison between our results and COBE DMR predictions for the Tenerife experiments clearly indicates the presence of individual features common to both. The constancy in amplitude over such a large range in frequency (10-90 GHz) is strongly indicative of an intrinsic cosmological origin for these structures.Comment: ApJ Letters accepted, 13 pages Latex (uses AASTEX) and 4 encapsulated postscript figures

An exploratory study of the experiences of wheelchair users as aircraft passengers – implications for policy and practice

Air travel has grown steadily in the region of 5–6% every year since 1970 meaning that in the UK alone, around 750,000 people use flying as a means of transport every day. Disability rates are also increasing in the UK, with over 13 million people having at least one. Air travel for the mobility impaired has been relatively unexplored, but with increasing rates of disability and passenger numbers, it is crucial to know what the most severely disabled people think of the current process. This study used qualitative interviews of a semi-structured nature with eight wheelchair-using participants who were invited to discuss their experiences of air travel as well as offering opinions. Key findings showed notable issues when wheelchair users interact with the aircraft. The manual handling, the equipment used, seating, communication and accessing the toilet on the aircraft led to physical pain and discomfort and in turn emotional distress. Recommendations include developing consistency, further disability training and a review of the equipment involved

The Tenerife Cosmic Microwave Background Maps: Observations and First Analysis

The results of the Tenerife Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) experiments are presented. These observations cover 5000 and 6500 square degrees on the sky at 10 and 15 GHz respectively centred around Dec.~ +35 degrees. The experiments are sensitive to multipoles l=10-30 which corresponds to the Sachs-Wolfe plateau of the CMB power spectra. The sensitivity of the results are ~31 and \~12 microK at 10 and 15 GHz respectively in a beam-size region (5 degrees FWHM). The data at 15 GHz show clear detection of structure at high Galactic latitude; the results at 10 GHz are compatible with these, but at lower significance. A likelihood analysis of the 10 and 15 GHz data at high Galactic latitude, assuming a flat CMB band power spectra gives a signal Delta T_l=30+10-8 microK (68 % C.L.). Including the possible contaminating effect due to the diffuse Galactic component, the CMB signal is Delta T_l=30+15-11 microK. These values are highly stable against the Galactic cut chosen. Assuming a Harrison-Zeldovich spectrum for the primordial fluctuations, the above values imply an expected quadrupole Q_RMS-PS=20+10-7 microK which confirms previous results from these experiments, and which are compatible with the COBE DMR.Comment: 17 pages, 7 figures. Submitted to Ap

Thermal Relics in Modified Cosmologies: Bounds on Evolution Histories of the Early Universe and Cosmological Boosts for PAMELA

Alternative cosmologies, based on extensions of General Relativity, predict modified thermal histories in the Early Universe during the pre Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) era, epoch which is not directly constrained by cosmological observations. When the expansion rate is enhanced with respect to the standard case, thermal relics typically decouple with larger relic abundances. The correct value of the relic abundance is therefore obtained for larger annihilation cross--sections, as compared to standard cosmology. A direct consequence is that indirect detection rates are enhanced. Extending previous analyses of ours, we derive updated astrophysical bounds on the dark matter annihilation cross sections and use them to constrain alternative cosmologies in the pre--BBN era. We also determine the characteristics of these alternative cosmologies in order to provide the correct value of relic abundance for a thermal relic for the (large) annihilation cross--section required to explain the PAMELA results on the positron fraction, therefore providing a "cosmological boost" solution to the dark matter interpretation of the PAMELA data.Comment: 19 pages, 27 figures, matches published versio

Spin resonance in the superconducting state of Li1−x_{1-x}Fex_{x}ODFe1−y_{1-y}Se observed by neutron spectroscopy

We have performed inelastic neutron scattering measurements on a powder sample of the superconductor lithium iron selenide hydroxide Li$_{1-x}$Fe$_{x}$ODFe$_{1-y}$Se ($x \simeq 0.16, y \simeq 0.02$, $T_{\rm c} = 41$\,K). The spectrum shows an enhanced intensity below $T_{\rm c}$ over an energy range $0.64\times2\Delta < E < 2\Delta$, where $\Delta$ is the superconducting gap, with maxima at the wave vectors $Q_1 \simeq 1.46$\,\AA$^{-1}$ and $Q_2 \simeq 1.97$\,\AA$^{-1}$. The behavior of this feature is consistent with the spin resonance mode found in other unconventional superconductors, and strongly resembles the spin resonance observed in the spectrum of the molecular-intercalated iron selenide, Li$_{0.6}$(ND$_{2}$)$_{0.2}$(ND$_{3}$)$_{0.8}$Fe$_{2}$Se$_{2}$. The signal can be described with a characteristic two-dimensional wave vector $(\pi, 0.67\pi)$ in the Brillouin zone of the iron square lattice, consistent with the nesting vector between electron Fermi sheets

The Complexity of Identifying Ryu-Takayanagi Surfaces in AdS_3/CFT_2

We present a constructive algorithm for the determination of Ryu-Takayanagi surfaces in AdS_3/CFT_2 which exploits previously noted connections between holographic entanglement entropy and max-flow/min-cut. We then characterize its complexity as a polynomial time algorithm