61 research outputs found
New constraints for heavy axion-like particles from supernovae
We derive new constraints on the coupling of heavy pseudoscalar (axion-like)
particles to photons, based on the gamma ray flux expected from the decay of
these particles into photons. After being produced in the supernova core, these
heavy axion-like particles would escape and a fraction of them would decay into
photons before reaching the Earth. We have calculated the expected flux on
Earth of these photons from the supernovae SN 1987A and Cassiopeia A and
compared our results to data from the Fermi Large Area Telescope. This analysis
provides strong constraints on the parameter space for axion-like particles.
For a particle mass of 100 MeV, we find that the Peccei-Quinn constant, f_a,
must be greater than about 10^{15} GeV. Alternatively, for fa=10^{12} GeV, we
exclude the mass region between approximately 100 eV and 1 GeV.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures. Version published in JCAP. Major changes in the
exposition. Added a figure. Added appendix. Minor changes in the results.
Some changes in the bibliograph
Exploring Minimal Scenarios to Produce Transversely Bright Electron Beams Using the Eigen-Emittance Concept
Next generation hard X-ray free electron lasers require electron beams with
low transverse emittance. One proposal to achieve these low emittances is to
exploit the eigen-emittance values of the beam. The eigen-emittances are
invariant under linear beam transport and equivalent to the emittances in an
uncorrelated beam. If a correlated beam with two small eigen-emittances can be
produced, removal of the correlations via appropriate optics will lead to two
small emittance values, provided non-linear effects are not too large. We study
how such a beam may be produced using minimal linear correlations. We find it
is theoretically possible to produce such a beam, however it may be more
difficult to realize in practice. We identify linear correlations that may lead
to physically realizable emittance schemes and discuss promising future
avenues.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, to appear in NIM
Testing Lorentz invariance of dark matter
We study the possibility to constrain deviations from Lorentz invariance in
dark matter (DM) with cosmological observations. Breaking of Lorentz invariance
generically introduces new light gravitational degrees of freedom, which we
represent through a dynamical timelike vector field. If DM does not obey
Lorentz invariance, it couples to this vector field. We find that this coupling
affects the inertial mass of small DM halos which no longer satisfy the
equivalence principle. For large enough lumps of DM we identify a (chameleon)
mechanism that restores the inertial mass to its standard value. As a
consequence, the dynamics of gravitational clustering are modified. Two
prominent effects are a scale dependent enhancement in the growth of large
scale structure and a scale dependent bias between DM and baryon density
perturbations. The comparison with the measured linear matter power spectrum in
principle allows to bound the departure from Lorentz invariance of DM at the
per cent level.Comment: 42 pages, 9 figure
Astrophysical Axion Bounds
Axion emission by hot and dense plasmas is a new energy-loss channel for
stars. Observational consequences include a modification of the solar
sound-speed profile, an increase of the solar neutrino flux, a reduction of the
helium-burning lifetime of globular-cluster stars, accelerated white-dwarf
cooling, and a reduction of the supernova SN 1987A neutrino burst duration. We
review and update these arguments and summarize the resulting axion
constraints.Comment: Contribution to Axion volume of Lecture Notes in Physics, 20 pages, 3
figure
Gradient models of the axion-photon coupling
We establish an extended version of the Einstein - Maxwell - axion model by
introducing into the Lagrangian cross-terms, which contain the gradient
four-vector of the pseudoscalar (axion) field in convolution with the Maxwell
tensor. The gradient model of the axion-photon coupling is applied to
cosmology: we analyze the Bianchi-I type Universe with an initial magnetic
field, electric field induced by the axion-photon interaction, cosmological
constant and dark matter, which is described in terms of the pseudoscalar
(axion) field. Analytical, qualitative and numerical results are presented in
detail for two distinguished epochs: first, for the early Universe with
magnetic field domination; second, for the stage of late-time accelerated
expansion.Comment: 26 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in The European
Physical Journal
Extended search for the invisible axion with the axion dark matter experiment
This Letter reports on a cavity haloscope search for dark matter axions in the Galactic halo in the mass range 2.81–3.31μeV. This search utilizes the combination of a low-noise Josephson parametric amplifier and a large-cavity haloscope to achieve unprecedented sensitivity across this mass range. This search excludes the full range of axion-photon coupling values predicted in benchmark models of the invisible axion that solve the strong CP problem of quantum chromodynamics
Autoantibodies against type I IFNs in patients with life-threatening COVID-19
Interindividual clinical variability in the course of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is vast. We report that at least 101 of 987 patients with life-threatening coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia had neutralizing immunoglobulin G (IgG) autoantibodies (auto-Abs) against interferon-w (IFN-w) (13 patients), against the 13 types of IFN-a (36), or against both (52) at the onset of critical disease; a few also had auto-Abs against the other three type I IFNs. The auto-Abs neutralize the ability of the corresponding type I IFNs to block SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro. These auto-Abs were not found in 663 individuals with asymptomatic or mild SARS-CoV-2 infection and were present in only 4 of 1227 healthy individuals. Patients with auto-Abs were aged 25 to 87 years and 95 of the 101 were men. A B cell autoimmune phenocopy of inborn errors of type I IFN immunity accounts for life-threatening COVID-19 pneumonia in at least 2.6% of women and 12.5% of men
Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries
Background
Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres.
Methods
This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries.
Results
In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia.
Conclusion
This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries
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Beam-line cryopump
A cryopumping module using metallic surfaces at liquid helium temperature for condensation of hydrogen and deuterium gas has been constructed. This pump, a prototype of four units which will provide pumping for the Livermore 200 kV test stand, will be used to verify the concept and establish engineering parameters. Upon completion of engineering tests and evaluation the pump will be installed in an operating beam line. The design point pumping capacity is 80,000 liters per second for hydrogen and deuterium at 10 torr based on sticking coefficients of 0.15 and 0.25, respectively. Both the liquid helium temperature pumping surface and the liquid nitrogen temperature radiation shields are constructed of quilted double wall cylindrical shells. The pumping shell dimensions are 1.5 meters dia. x 0.6 meters long. Cryogen circulation is convection current driven in both cases. Liquid helium is supplied from an overhead Dewar through bayonet coupling. In the 200 kV beam line, pumping modules will be supplied via transfer lines from a central Dewar. Voltage standoff will be accomplished in the transfer lines. (auth
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