Tensor Detection Severely Constrains Axion Dark Matter

The recent detection of B-modes by BICEP2 has non-trivial implications for axion dark matter implied by combining the tensor interpretation with isocurvature constraints from Planck. In this paper the measurement is taken as fact, and its implications considered, though further experimental verification is required. In the simplest inflation models $r=0.2$ implies $H_I=1.1\times 10^{14}\text{ GeV}$. If the axion decay constant $f_a<H_I/2\pi$ constraints on the dark matter (DM) abundance alone rule out the QCD axion as DM for $m_a \lesssim 52\chi^{6/7}\,\mu\text{eV}$ (where $\chi>1$ accounts for theoretical uncertainty). If $f_a>H_I/2\pi$ then vacuum fluctuations of the axion field place conflicting demands on axion DM: isocurvature constraints require a DM abundance which is too small to be reached when the back reaction of fluctuations is included. High $f_a$ QCD axions are thus ruled out. Constraints on axion-like particles, as a function of their mass and DM fraction, are also considered. For heavy axions with $m_a\gtrsim 10^{-22}\text{ eV}$ we find $\Omega_a/\Omega_d\lesssim 10^{-3}$, with stronger constraints on heavier axions. Lighter axions, however, are allowed and (inflationary) model-independent constraints from the CMB temperature power spectrum and large scale structure are stronger than those implied by tensor modes.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure. v2: Some discussion and references added. v3 Update on QCD discussion. Version accepted for publication in Physical Review Letter

Future CMB tests of dark matter: ultra-light axions and massive neutrinos

Measurements of cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropies provide strong evidence for the existence of dark matter and dark energy. They can also test its composition, probing the energy density and particle mass of different dark-matter and dark-energy components. CMB data have already shown that ultra-light axions (ULAs) with mass in the range $10^{-32}~{\rm eV} \to 10^{-26}~{\rm eV}$ compose a fraction $< 0.01$ of the cosmological critical density. Here, the sensitivity of a proposed CMB-Stage IV (CMB-S4) experiment (assuming a 1 arcmin beam and $< 1~\mu K{\rm-arcmin}$ noise levels over a sky fraction of 0.4) to the density of ULAs and other dark-sector components is assessed. CMB-S4 data should be $\sim 10$ times more sensitive to the ULA energy-density than Planck data alone, across a wide range of ULA masses $10^{-32}< m_{a}< 10^{-23}~{\rm eV}$, and will probe axion decay constants of $f_{a}\approx 10^{16}~{\rm GeV}$, at the grand unified scale. CMB-S4 could improve the CMB lower bound on the ULA mass from $\sim 10^{-25}~{\rm eV}$ to $10^{-23}~{\rm eV}$, nearing the mass range probed by dwarf galaxy abundances and dark-matter halo density profiles. These improvements will allow for a multi-$\sigma$ detection of percent-level departures from CDM over a wide range of masses. Much of this improvement is driven by the effects of weak gravitational lensing on the CMB, which breaks degeneracies between ULAs and neutrinos. We also find that the addition of ULA parameters does not significantly degrade the sensitivity of the CMB to neutrino masses. These results were obtained using the axionCAMB code (a modification to the CAMB Boltzmann code), presented here for public use.Comment: 16 pages, 12 figures. The axionCAMB code will be available online at http://github.com/dgrin1/axionCAMB from 1 August 201

Axion constraints in non-standard thermal histories

It is usually assumed that dark matter is produced during the radiation dominated era. There is, however, no direct evidence for radiation domination prior to big-bang nucleosynthesis. Two non-standard thermal histories are considered. In one, the low-temperature-reheating scenario, radiation domination begins as late as 1 MeV, and is preceded by significant entropy generation. Thermal axion relic abundances are then suppressed, and cosmological limits to axions are loosened. For reheating temperatures less than 35 MeV, the large-scale structure limit to the axion mass is lifted. The remaining constraint from the total density of matter is significantly relaxed. Constraints are also relaxed for higher reheating temperatures. In a kination scenario, a more modest change to cosmological axion constraints is obtained. Future possible constraints to axions and low-temperature reheating from the helium abundance and next-generation large-scale-structure surveys are discussed.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures, revised to match version published in Phys. Rev. D. Fig. 7 and Eq. (20) modifie

Mars: Noachian hydrology by its statistics and topology

Discrimination between fluvial features generated by surface drainage and subsurface aquifer discharges will provide clues to the understanding of early Mars' climatic history. Our approach is to define the process of formation of the oldest fluvial valleys by statistical and topological analyses. Formation of fluvial valley systems reached its highest statistical concentration during the Noachian Period. Nevertheless, they are a scarce phenomenom in Martian history, localized on the craterized upland, and subject to latitudinal distribution. They occur sparsely on Noachian geological units with a weak distribution density, and appear in reduced isolated surface (around 5 x 10(exp 3)(sq km)), filled by short streams (100-300 km length). Topological analysis of the internal organization of 71 surveyed Noachian fluvial valley networks also provides information on the mechanisms of formation

Separable Structure of Many-Body Ground-State Wave Function

We have investigated a general structure of the ground-state wave function for the Schr\"odinger equation for $N$ identical interacting particles (bosons or fermions) confined in a harmonic anisotropic trap in the limit of large $N$. It is shown that the ground-state wave function can be written in a separable form. As an example of its applications, this form is used to obtain the ground-state wave function describing collective dynamics for $N$ trapped bosons interacting via contact forces.Comment: J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 33 (2000) (accepted for publication

Neutron-diffraction study of field-induced transitions in the heavy-fermion compound Ce2RhIn8

We present neutron diffraction measurements in high magnetic fields (0 to 14.5 T) and at low temperatures (2.5, 2.3, 0.77 and 0.068 K) on single crystals of the tetragonal heavy fermion antiferromagnet Ce2RhIn8. For B//[110] the field dependence of selected magnetic and nuclear reflections reveals that the material undergoes several transitions, the temperature dependence of which suggests a complex B-T phase diagram. We present the detailed evolution of the integrated intensities of selected reflections and discuss the associated field-induced transitions.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures Proceeding Euro-conference "Properties of Condensed Matter probed by x-ray and neutron scattering"; to appear in Physica

Crystal-field effects in the mixed-valence compounds Yb2M3Ga9 (M= Rh, Ir)

Magnetic susceptibility, heat capacity, and electrical resistivity measurements have been carried out on single crystals of the intermediate valence compounds Yb2Rh3Ga9 and Yb2Ir3Ga9. These measurements reveal a large anisotropy due apparently to an interplay between crystalline electric field (CEF) and Kondo effects. The temperature dependence of magnetic susceptibility can be modelled using the Anderson impurity model including CEF within an approach based on the Non-Crossing Approximation.Comment: Accepted to Phys. Rev.

What Influences the Diffusion of Grassroots Innovations for Sustainability? Investigating Community Currency Niches

Community action for sustainability is a promising site of socio-technical innovation. Here we test the applicability of co-evolutionary niche theories of innovation diffusion (Strategic Niche Management, SNM) to the context of ‘grassroots innovations’. We present new empirical findings from an international study of 12 community currency niches (such as LETS, time banks, local currencies). These are parallel systems of exchange, designed to operate alongside mainstream money, meeting additional sustainability needs. Our findings confirm SNM predictions that niche-level activity correlates with diffusion success, but we highlight additional or confounding factors, and how niche theories might be adapted to better fit civil-society innovations. In so doing, we develop a model of grassroots innovation niche diffusion which builds on existing work and tailors it to this specific context. The paper concludes with a series of theoretically-informed recommendations for practitioners and policymakers to support the development and potential of grassroots innovations

A search for ultra-light axions using precision cosmological data

Ultra-light axions (ULAs) with masses in the range 10^{-33} eV <m <10^{-20} eV are motivated by string theory and might contribute to either the dark-matter or dark-energy density of the Universe. ULAs could suppress the growth of structure on small scales, or lead to an enhanced integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect on large-scale cosmic microwave-background (CMB) anisotropies. In this work, cosmological observables over the full ULA mass range are computed, and then used to search for evidence of ULAs using CMB data from the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP), Planck satellite, Atacama Cosmology Telescope, and South Pole Telescope, as well as galaxy clustering data from the WiggleZ galaxy-redshift survey. In the mass range 10^{-32} eV < m <10^{-25.5} eV, the axion relic-density \Omega_{a} (relative to the total dark-matter relic density \Omega_{d}) must obey the constraints \Omega_{a}/\Omega_{d} < 0.05 and \Omega_{a}h^{2} < 0.006 at 95%-confidence. For m> 10^{-24} eV, ULAs are indistinguishable from standard cold dark matter on the length scales probed, and are thus allowed by these data. For m < 10^{-32} eV, ULAs are allowed to compose a significant fraction of the dark energy.Comment: 31 pages, 16 figures, 1 table, updated to have same figure line-types/language as version published in Phys. Rev. D, grammatical corrections made, references added, results unchange

Axiverse cosmology and the energy scale of inflation

Ultra-light axions ($m_a\lesssim 10^{-18}$eV), motivated by string theory, can be a powerful probe of the energy scale of inflation. In contrast to heavier axions the isocurvature modes in the ultra-light axions can coexist with observable gravitational waves. Here it is shown that large scale structure constraints severely limit the parameter space for axion mass, density fraction and isocurvature amplitude. It is also shown that radically different CMB observables for the ultra-light axion isocurvature mode additionally reduce this space. The results of a new, accurate and efficient method to calculate this isocurvature power spectrum are presented, and can be used to constrain ultra-light axions and inflation.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, v3 some references added, matches version published in Physical Review