Cosmological Implications of a Possible Class of Particles Able to Travel Faster than Light

We discuss the possible cosmological implications of a class of superluminal particles, in a scenario where: a) Lorentz invariance is only an approximate property of the equations of a sector of matter; b) several critical speeds of matter in vacuum exist. The Big Bang scenario and the evolution of the very early universe, as well as large scale structure, can be strongly influenced by the new particles.Comment: 5 pages, to be published in the Proceedings of the Fourth International Workshop on Theoretical and Phenomenological Aspects of Underground Physics, Toledo (Spain) September 17-21 199

Invariance Violation Extends the Cosmic Ray Horizon ?

We postulate in the present paper that the energy-momentum relation is modified for very high energy particles to violate Lorentz invariance and the speed of photon is changed from the light velocity c. The violation effect is amplified, in a sensitive way to detection, through the modified kinematical constraints on the conservation of energy and momentum, in the absorption process of gamma-rays colliding against photons of longer wavelengths and converting into an electron-positron pair. For gamma-rays of energies higher than 10 TeV, the minimum energy of the soft photons for the reaction and then the absorption mean free path of gamma-rays are altered by orders of magnitude from the ones conventionally estimated. Consideration is similarly applied to high energy cosmic ray protons. The consequences may require the standard assumptions on the maximum distance that very high energy radiation can travel from to be revised.Comment: 14 pages, 1 figure, to be published in Ap J Letter

Inspecting absorption in the spectra of extra-galactic gamma-ray sources for insight into Lorentz invariance violation

We examine what the absorbed spectra of extra-galactic TeV gamma-ray sources, such as blazars, would look like in the presence of Lorentz invariance violation (LIV). Pair-production with the extra-galactic background light modifies the observed spectra of such sources, and we show that a violation of Lorentz invariance would generically have a dramatic effect on this absorption feature. Inspecting this effect, an experimental task likely practical in the near future, can provide unique insight on the possibility of LIV.Comment: Published in Phys. Rev.

Pre-Big Bang, fundamental Physics and noncyclic cosmologies

Contribution à la conférence ICFP 2012, International Conference on New Frontiers in Physics, Kolymbari, Crete 10-16 juin 2012International audienceDetailed analyses of WMAP and Planck data can have significant implications for noncyclic pre-Big Bang approaches incorporating a new fundamental scale beyond the Planck scale and, potentially, new ultimate constituents of matter with unconventional basic properties as compared to standard particles. Cosmic-ray experiments at the highest energies can also yield relevant information. Hopefully, future studies will be able to deal with alternatives: i) to standard physics for the structure of the physical vacuum, the nature of space-time, the validity of quantum field theory and conventional symmetries, the interpretation of string-like theories...; ii) to standard cosmology concerning the origin and evolution of our Universe, unconventional solutions to the cosmological constant problem, the validity of inflationary scenarios, the need for dark matter and dark energy... Lorentz-like symmetries for the properties of matter can then be naturally stable space-time configurations resulting from more general primordial scenarios that incorporate physics beyond the Planck scale and describe the formation and evolution of the physical vacuum. A possible answer to the question of the origin of half-integer spins can be provided by a primordial spinorial space-time with two complex coordinates instead of the conventional four real ones, leading to a really new cosmology. We discuss basic questions and phenomenological topics concerning noncyclic pre-Big Bang cosmologies and potentially related physics. (Contribution to the International Conference on New Frontiers in Physics, ICFP 2012, Kolymbari, Crete, June 10-16 2012

Testing the Special Relativity Theory with Neutrino interactions

A recent measurement of neutrino velocity by the OPERA experiment and prediction of energy loss of superluminal neutrino via the pair creation process $\nu\to \nu e^+e^-$ stimulated a search of isolated $e^+e^-$ pairs in detectors with good tracking capability traversed by a large flux of high energy neutrino like NOMAD. NOMAD has already searched for similar topologies. These results can be reinterpreted to provide stringent limits on special relativity violating parameters separately for each $\nu$ species.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figures, 1 table Accepted by EPL (Europhysics Letters

Endocarditis trombótica no bacteriana (Libman-Sacks)

Mujer de 47 años ingresada en 2002 por ictus. Se diagnosticó masa valvular aórtica. Se intervino realizándose exéresis de trombo no bacteriano (Fig 1a, b). Durante el estudio de trombofilia fue diagnosticada de síndrome antifosfolípido primario (SAP), inciándose anticoagulación. Hasta la fecha, ha padecido múltiples accidentes cerebrovasculares, isquémicos y hemorrágicos. Está en diálisis peritoneal con probable origen en SAP. SAP es un trastorno autoinmune caracterizado por fenómenos trombóticos iterativos y alargamiento de tiempos de coagulación. La cirugía cardiaca conlleva morbimortalidad por tromboembolias, suponiendo un reto en el manejo de la circulación extracorpórea. Las complicaciones tromboembólicas son frecuentes durante el seguimiento.A 47-year-old woman was admitted in 2002 due to stroke. An aortic valve mass was diagnosed and surgical removal of non-bacterial thrombus performed (Fig. 1a, b). During the study for thrombophilia, primary antiphospholipidic syndrome (PSA) was diagnosed and oral anticoagulation started. Up to date, she presented with multiple episodes of cerebrovascular accident, ischemic and hemorrhagic. She is on peritoneal dialysis. PAS is an autoimmune disorder characterized by recurrent thrombotic phenomena and prolonged coagulation time. Cardiac surgery carries morbidity and mortality due to thromboembolic events, representing a challenge in the management of extracorporeal circulation. Thromboembolic complications are frequent during the follow-up

Synthesis, thermogravimetric and high temperature X-ray diffraction analyses of zinc-substituted nickel manganites

Stoichiometric spinel phases Mn2.352xNi0.65ZnxO4 were prepared by thermal decomposition of mixed oxalate precursor powders Mn0.782aNi0.22ZnaC2O4znH2O (with 0 # a # 0.53) at 900°C. Cation-deficient phases Mn2.352xNi0.65Znxh3d/4O41d were identified in the temperature range 350–500°C. The nonstoichiometric coefficient d was found to strongly depend on the zinc content and the decomposition temperature. We showed that the introduction of zinc into the spinel phase enlarges the stability domain of the structure and inhibits oxidation at least up to 900°C. A cubic single-phase was observed for x # 1.00. The lattice parameter variation of the oxides in the composition range 0 # x # 0.60 can be explained using Poix’s method, in terms of the distribution of Zn21 cations on the tetrahedral sites. However, for higher zinc content (x . 0.6) a detailed analysis of data showed that a small fraction of Zn21 is located on octahedral sites

Analysis of γ-rays induced chromosome aberrations : A fingerprint evaluation with a combination of pan-centromeric and pan-telomeric probes

Altres ajuts: This research received financial support from the Spanish "Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear" (SPR/04/4550)Purpose: To evaluate the types of induced chromosome aberrations after the exposure of peripheral blood to γ-rays by the simultaneous detection of all centromeres and telomeres; and to analyse the suitability of different radiation fingerprints for the assessment of radiation quality in cases of recent exposures. Material and methods: Peripheral blood samples were irradiated at 2, 4 and 6 Gy of γ-rays. Cytogenetic analysis was carried out by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique with pan-centromeric and peptide nucleic acid (PNA)-telomeric DNA probes. Cells were analysed using a Cytovision® FISH workstation, chromosome aberrations and the length of the acentric fragments were recorded. Results: The total number of the incomplete chromosome elements was 276. The ratio between incomplete elements and multicentrics was 0.38. The number of acentrics was 1096, 71% were complete acentrics, 15% incomplete acentrics, and 14% interstitial fragments. The relative length of complete, incomplete and interstitial acentrics fragments were 2.70 ± 0.04, 1.91 ± 0.07, and 1.42 ± 0.04 respectively. The mean value of the F-ratio was 11.5 higher than the one, 5.5, previously obtained for α-particles. For the G-ratio there was no difference between γ-rays and α-particles, 2.8 and 2.8 respectively. The mean value of the H-ratio for γ-rays, 0.25, was lower than for α-particles 0.40. Conclusion: The results support that the percentage of incomplete chromosome aberrations depends on radiation type; low-linear energy transfer (LET) radiation would produces less incomplete aberrations than high-LET radiation. The F- and H-ratios seem to be good indicators of radiation quality, although a real estimation of the H-ratio is only possible using pan-telomeric probes

Cryogenic detectors for particle physics

École thématiqu

Spatially Offset Raman Spectroscopic (SORS) Analysis of Wine Alcoholic Fermentation: A Preliminary Study

Spatially offset Raman spectroscopy (SORS) is a non-invasive analytical technique that allows the analysis of samples through a container. This makes it an effective tool for studying food and beverage products, as it can measure the sample without being affected by the packaging or the container. In this study, a portable SORS equipment was used for the first time to analyse the alcoholic fermentation process of white wine. Different sample measurement arrangements were tested in order to determine the most effective method for monitoring the fermentation process and predicting key oenological parameters. The best results were obtained when the sample was directly measured through the glass container in which the fermentation was occurring. This allowed for the accurate monitoring of the process and the prediction of density and pH with a root mean square error of cross-validation (RMSECV) of 0.0029 g·L−1 and 0.04, respectively, and R2 values of 0.993 and 0.961 for density and pH, respectively. Additionally, the sources of variability depending on the measurement arrangements were studied using ANOVA-Simultaneous Component Analysis (ASCA)