240 research outputs found
How to measure redshift-space distortions without sample variance
We show how to use multiple tracers of large-scale density with different
biases to measure the redshift-space distortion parameter
beta=f/b=(dlnD/dlna)/b (where D is the growth rate and a the expansion factor),
to a much better precision than one could achieve with a single tracer, to an
arbitrary precision in the low noise limit. In combination with the power
spectrum of the tracers this allows a much more precise measurement of the
bias-free velocity divergence power spectrum, f^2 P_m - in fact, in the low
noise limit f^2 P_m can be measured as well as would be possible if velocity
divergence was observed directly, with rms improvement factor ~[5.2(beta^2+2
beta+2)/beta^2]^0.5 (e.g., ~10 times better than a single tracer for beta=0.4).
This would allow a high precision determination of f D as a function of
redshift with an error as low as 0.1%. We find up to two orders of magnitude
improvement in Figure of Merit for the Dark Energy equation of state relative
to Stage II, a factor of several better than other proposed Stage IV Dark
Energy surveys. The ratio b_2/b_1 will be determined with an even greater
precision than beta, producing, when measured as a function of scale, an
exquisitely sensitive probe of the onset of non-linear bias. We also extend in
more detail previous work on the use of the same technique to measure
non-Gaussianity. Currently planned redshift surveys are typically designed with
signal to noise of unity on scales of interest, and are not optimized for this
technique. Our results suggest that this strategy may need to be revisited as
there are large gains to be achieved from surveys with higher number densities
of galaxies.Comment: 22 pages, 13 figure
Gravitational lensing as a contaminant of the gravity wave signal in CMB
Gravity waves (GW) in the early universe generate B-type polarization in the
cosmic microwave background (CMB), which can be used as a direct way to measure
the energy scale of inflation. Gravitational lensing contaminates the GW signal
by converting the dominant E polarization into B polarization. By
reconstructing the lensing potential from CMB itself one can decontaminate the
B mode induced by lensing. We present results of numerical simulations of B
mode delensing using quadratic and iterative maximum-likelihood lensing
reconstruction methods as a function of detector noise and beam. In our
simulations we find the quadratic method can reduce the lensing B noise power
by up to a factor of 7, close to the no noise limit. In contrast, the iterative
method shows significant improvements even at the lowest noise levels we
tested. We demonstrate explicitly that with this method at least a factor of 40
noise power reduction in lensing induced B power is possible, suggesting that
T/S=10^-6 may be achievable in the absence of sky cuts, foregrounds, and
instrumental systematics. While we do not find any fundamental lower limit due
to lensing, we find that for high-sensitivity detectors residual lensing noise
dominates over the detector noise.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, submitted to PR
Cosmology from Moduli Dynamics
We investigate moduli field dynamics in supergravity/M-theory like set ups
where we turn on fluxes along some or all of the extra dimensions. As has been
argued in the context of string theory, we observe that the fluxes tend to
stabilize the squashing (or shape) modes. Generically we find that at late
times the shape is frozen while the radion evolves as a quintessence field. At
earlier times we have a phase of radiation domination where both the volume and
the shape moduli are slowly evolving. However, depending on the initial
conditions and the parameters of the theory, like the value of the fluxes,
curvature of the internal manifold and so on, the dynamics of the internal
manifold can be richer with interesting cosmological consequences, including
inflation.Comment: 38 pages, 6 figures; references adde
Cosmic Acceleration in Brans-Dicke Cosmology
We consider Brans-Dicke theory with a self-interacting potential in Einstein
conformal frame. We show that an accelerating expansion is possible in a
spatially flat universe for large values of the Brans-Dicke parameter
consistent with local gravity experiments.Comment: 10 Pages, 3 figures, To appear in General Relativity and Gravitatio
A Space-Time Orbifold: A Toy Model for a Cosmological Singularity
We explore bosonic strings and Type II superstrings in the simplest time
dependent backgrounds, namely orbifolds of Minkowski space by time reversal and
some spatial reflections. We show that there are no negative norm physical
excitations. However, the contributions of negative norm virtual states to
quantum loops do not cancel, showing that a ghost-free gauge cannot be chosen.
The spectrum includes a twisted sector, with strings confined to a ``conical''
singularity which is localized in time. Since these localized strings are not
visible to asymptotic observers, interesting issues arise regarding unitarity
of the S-matrix for scattering of propagating states. The partition function of
our model is modular invariant, and for the superstring, the zero momentum
dilaton tadpole vanishes. Many of the issues we study will be generic to
time-dependent cosmological backgrounds with singularities localized in time,
and we derive some general lessons about quantizing strings on such spaces.Comment: 21 pages, 2 figure
Fundamental constants and tests of general relativity - Theoretical and cosmological considerations
The tests of the constancy of the fundamental constants are tests of the
local position invariance and thus of the equivalence principle. We summarize
the various constraints that have been obtained and then describe the
connection between varying constants and extensions of general relativity. To
finish, we discuss the link with cosmology, and more particularly with the
acceleration of the Universe. We take the opportunity to summarize various
possibilities to test general relativity (but also the Copernican principle) on
cosmological scales.Comment: Proceedings of the workshop ``The nature of gravity, confronting
theory and experiment in space'', ISSI, Bern, october 200
Interacting Open Wilson Lines in Noncommutative Field Theories
In noncommutative field theories, it was known that one-loop effective action
describes propagation of non-interacting open Wilson lines, obeying the flying
dipole's relation. We show that two-loop effective action describes cubic
interaction among `closed string' states created by open Wilson lines. Taking
d-dimensional noncommutative [\Phi^3] theory as the simplest setup, we compute
nonplanar contribution at low-energy and large noncommutativity limit. We find
that the contribution is expressible in a remarkably simple cubic interaction
involving scalar open Wilson lines only and nothing else. We show that the
interaction is purely geometrical and noncommutative in nature, depending only
on sizes of each open Wilson line.Comment: v1: 27 pages, Latex, 7 .eps figures v2: minor wording change +
reference adde
Schwarzschild black hole surrounded by quintessence: Null geodesics
We have studied the null geodesics of the Schwarzschild black hole surrounded
by quintessence matter. Quintessence matter is a candidate for dark energy.
Here, we have done a detailed analysis of the geodesics and exact solutions are
presented in terms of Jacobi-elliptic integrals for all possible energy and
angular momentum of the photons. The circular orbits of the photons are studied
in detail. As an application of the null geodesics, the angle of deflection of
the photons are computed.Comment: 25 pages, 20 figures. typos corrected and some of the notation
change
Signatures of very high energy physics in the squeezed limit of the bispectrum (violation of Maldacena's condition)
We investigate the signatures in the squeezed limit of the primordial scalar
bispectrum due to modifications of the standard theory at high energy. In
particular, we consider the cases of modified dispersion relations and/or
modified initial quantum state (both in the Boundary Effective Field Theory and
in the New Physics Hyper-Surface formulations). Using the in-in formalism we
study in details the squeezed limit of the contributions to the bispectrum from
all possible cubic couplings in the effective theory of single-field inflation.
We find general features such as enhancements and/or non-local shape of the
non-Gaussianities, which are relevant, for example, for measurements of the
halo bias and which distinguish these scenarios from the standard one (with
Bunch-Davies vacuum as initial state and standard kinetic terms). We find that
the signatures change according to the magnitude of the scale of new physics,
and therefore several pieces of information regarding high energy physics could
be obtained in case of detection of these signals, especially bounds on the
scales of new physics.Comment: 37 pages plus bibliography, version matching the one accepted for
publication by JCAP. Increased pedagogical comments, improved presentation
and text, added reference
What we don't know about time
String theory has transformed our understanding of geometry, topology and
spacetime. Thus, for this special issue of Foundations of Physics commemorating
"Forty Years of String Theory", it seems appropriate to step back and ask what
we do not understand. As I will discuss, time remains the least understood
concept in physical theory. While we have made significant progress in
understanding space, our understanding of time has not progressed much beyond
the level of a century ago when Einstein introduced the idea of space-time as a
combined entity. Thus, I will raise a series of open questions about time, and
will review some of the progress that has been made as a roadmap for the
future.Comment: 15 pages; Essay for a special issue of Foundations of Physics
commemorating "Forty years of string theory
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