804 research outputs found
A Tentative Gamma-Ray Line from Dark Matter Annihilation at the Fermi Large Area Telescope
The observation of a gamma-ray line in the cosmic-ray fluxes would be a
smoking-gun signature for dark matter annihilation or decay in the Universe. We
present an improved search for such signatures in the data of the Fermi Large
Area Telescope (LAT), concentrating on energies between 20 and 300 GeV. Besides
updating to 43 months of data, we use a new data-driven technique to select
optimized target regions depending on the profile of the Galactic dark matter
halo. In regions close to the Galactic center, we find a 4.6 sigma indication
for a gamma-ray line at 130 GeV. When taking into account the look-elsewhere
effect the significance of the observed excess is 3.2 sigma. If interpreted in
terms of dark matter particles annihilating into a photon pair, the
observations imply a dark matter mass of 129.8\pm2.4^{+7}_{-13} GeV and a
partial annihilation cross-section of = 1.27\pm0.32^{+0.18}_{-0.28}
x 10^-27 cm^3 s^-1 when using the Einasto dark matter profile. The evidence for
the signal is based on about 50 photons; it will take a few years of additional
data to clarify its existence.Comment: 23 pages, 9 figures, 3 tables; extended discussion; matches published
versio
Background model systematics for the Fermi GeV excess
The possible gamma-ray excess in the inner Galaxy and the Galactic center
(GC) suggested by Fermi-LAT observations has triggered a large number of
studies. It has been interpreted as a variety of different phenomena such as a
signal from WIMP dark matter annihilation, gamma-ray emission from a population
of millisecond pulsars, or emission from cosmic rays injected in a sequence of
burst-like events or continuously at the GC. We present the first comprehensive
study of model systematics coming from the Galactic diffuse emission in the
inner part of our Galaxy and their impact on the inferred properties of the
excess emission at Galactic latitudes and 300 MeV to 500
GeV. We study both theoretical and empirical model systematics, which we deduce
from a large range of Galactic diffuse emission models and a principal
component analysis of residuals in numerous test regions along the Galactic
plane. We show that the hypothesis of an extended spherical excess emission
with a uniform energy spectrum is compatible with the Fermi-LAT data in our
region of interest at CL. Assuming that this excess is the extended
counterpart of the one seen in the inner few degrees of the Galaxy, we derive a
lower limit of ( CL) on its extension away from the GC. We
show that, in light of the large correlated uncertainties that affect the
subtraction of the Galactic diffuse emission in the relevant regions, the
energy spectrum of the excess is equally compatible with both a simple broken
power-law of break energy GeV, and with spectra predicted by the
self-annihilation of dark matter, implying in the case of final
states a dark matter mass of GeV.Comment: 65 pages, 28 figures, 7 table
Filaments in the southern giant lobe of Centaurus A : Constraints on nature and origin from modelling and GMRT observations
Date of acceptance: 22/05/2014We present results from imaging of the radio filaments in the southern giant lobe of CentaurusA using data from Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope observations at 325 and 235 MHz, and outcomes from filament modelling. The observations reveal a rich filamentary structure, largely matching the morphology at 1.4 GHz. We find no clear connection of the filaments to the jet. We seek to constrain the nature and origin of the vertex and vortex filaments associated with the lobe and their role in high-energy particle acceleration. We deduce that these filaments are at most mildly overpressuredwith respect to the global lobe plasma showing no evidence of largescale efficient Fermi I-type particle acceleration, and persist for ~2-3 Myr. We demonstrate that the dwarf galaxy KK 196 (AM 1318-444) cannot account for the features, and that surface plasma instabilities, the internal sausage mode and radiative instabilities are highly unlikely. An internal tearing instability and the kink mode are allowed within the observational and growth time constraints and could develop in parallel on different physical scales. We interpret the origin of the vertex and vortex filaments in terms of weak shocks from transonic magnetohydrodynamical turbulence or from a moderately recent jet activity of the parent AGN, or an interplay of both.Peer reviewe
The MeV spectral tail in Cyg X-1 and optically-thin emission of jets
We study the average X-ray and soft gamma-ray spectrum of Cyg X-1 in the hard
spectral state, using data from INTEGRAL. We compare these results with those
from CGRO, and find a good agreement. Confirming previous studies, we find the
presence of a high-energy MeV tail beyond a thermal-Comptonization spectrum;
however, the tail is much softer and weaker than that recently published by
Laurent et al. In spite of this difference, the observed high-energy tail could
still be due to the synchrotron emission of the jet of Cyg X-1, as claimed by
Laurent et al.
To test this possibility, we study optically-thin synchrotron and
self-Compton emission from partially self-absorbed jets. We develop formalisms
for calculating both emission of the jet base (which we define here as the
region where the jet starts its emission) and emission of the entire jet. We
require the emission to match that observed at the turnover energy. The
optically thin emission is dominated by that from the jet base, and it has to
become self-absorbed within it at the turnover frequency. We find this implies
the magnetic field strength at the jet base of B_0 prop. to z_0^4, where z_0 is
the distance of the base from the black-hole centre. The value of B_0 is then
constrained from below by the condition that the self-Compton emission is below
an upper limit in the GeV range, and from above by the condition that the
Poynting flux does not exceed the jet kinetic power. This yields B_0 of the
order of ~10^4 G and the location of the jet base at ~10^3 gravitational radii.
Using our formalism, we find the MeV tail can be due to jet synchrotron
emission, but this requires the electron acceleration at a rather hard
power-law index, p~1.3-1.6. For acceleration indices of p> 2, the amplitude of
the synchrotron component is much below that of MeV tail, and its origin is
likely to be due to hybrid Comptonization in the accretion flow.Comment: MNRAS, in press, 13 page
A giant radio flare from Cygnus X-3 with associated Gamma-ray emission
With frequent flaring activity of its relativistic jets, Cygnus X-3 is one of
the most active microquasars and is the only Galactic black hole candidate with
confirmed high energy Gamma-ray emission, thanks to detections by Fermi/LAT and
AGILE. In 2011, Cygnus X-3 was observed to transit to a soft X-ray state, which
is known to be associated with high-energy Gamma-ray emission. We present the
results of a multi-wavelength campaign covering a quenched state, when radio
emission from Cygnus X-3 is at its weakest and the X-ray spectrum is very soft.
A giant (~ 20 Jy) optically thin radio flare marks the end of the quenched
state, accompanied by rising non-thermal hard X-rays. Fermi/LAT observations (E
>100 MeV) reveal renewed Gamma-ray activity associated with this giant radio
flare, suggesting a common origin for all non-thermal components. In addition,
current observations unambiguously show that the Gamma-ray emission is not
exclusively related to the rare giant radio flares. A 3-week period of
Gamma-ray emission is also detected when Cygnus X-3 was weakly flaring in
radio, right before transition to the radio quenched state. No Gamma rays are
observed during the ~ one-month long quenched state, when the radio flux is
weakest. Our results suggest transitions into and out of the ultrasoft X-ray
(radio quenched) state trigger Gamma-ray emission, implying a connection to the
accretion process, and also that the Gamma-ray activity is related to the level
of radio flux (and possibly shock formation), strengthening the connection to
the relativistic jets.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. 10 pages 5 figures, 1 tabl
Angular and Current-Target Correlations in Deep Inelastic Scattering at HERA
Correlations between charged particles in deep inelastic ep scattering have
been studied in the Breit frame with the ZEUS detector at HERA using an
integrated luminosity of 6.4 pb-1. Short-range correlations are analysed in
terms of the angular separation between current-region particles within a cone
centred around the virtual photon axis. Long-range correlations between the
current and target regions have also been measured. The data support
predictions for the scaling behaviour of the angular correlations at high Q2
and for anti-correlations between the current and target regions over a large
range in Q2 and in the Bjorken scaling variable x. Analytic QCD calculations
and Monte Carlo models correctly describe the trends of the data at high Q2,
but show quantitative discrepancies. The data show differences between the
correlations in deep inelastic scattering and e+e- annihilation.Comment: 26 pages including 10 figures (submitted to Eur. J. Phys. C
Genome-Wide Discovery of Somatic Regulatory Variants in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is an aggressive cancer originating from mature B-cells. Prognosis is strongly associated with molecular subgroup, although the driver mutations that distinguish the two main subgroups remain poorly defined. Through an integrative analysis of whole genomes, exomes, and transcriptomes, we have uncovered genes and non-coding loci that are commonly mutated in DLBCL. Our analysis has identified novel cis-regulatory sites, and implicates recurrent mutations in the 3′ UTR of NFKBIZ as a novel mechanism of oncogene deregulation and NF-κB pathway activation in the activated B-cell (ABC) subgroup. Small amplifications associated with over-expression of FCGR2B (the Fcγ receptor protein IIB), primarily in the germinal centre B-cell (GCB) subgroup, correlate with poor patient outcomes suggestive of a novel oncogene. These results expand the list of subgroup driver mutations that may facilitate implementation of improved diagnostic assays and could offer new avenues for the development of targeted therapeutics. 
Plastisol Foaming Process. Decomposition of the Foaming Agent, Polymer Behavior in the Corresponding Temperature Range and Resulting Foam Properties
The decomposition of azodicarbonamide, used as foaming agent in PVC - plasticizer (1/1) plastisols was studied by DSC. Nineteen different plasticizers, all belonging to the ester family, two being polymeric (polyadipates), were compared. The temperature of maximum decomposition rate (in anisothermal regime at 5 K min-1 scanning rate), ranges between 434 and 452 K. The heat of decomposition ranges between 8.7 and 12.5 J g -1. Some trends of variation of these parameters appear significant and are discussed in terms of solvent (matrix) and viscosity effects on the decomposition reactions. The shear modulus at 1 Hz frequency was determined at the temperature of maximum rate of foaming agent decomposition, and differs significantly from a sample to another. The foam density was determined at ambient temperature and the volume fraction of bubbles was used as criterion to judge the efficiency of the foaming process. The results reveal the existence of an optimal shear modulus of the order of 2 kPa that corresponds roughly to plasticizer molar masses of the order of 450 ± 50 g mol-1. Heavier plasticizers, especially polymeric ones are too difficult to deform. Lighter plasticizers such as diethyl phthalate (DEP) deform too easily and presumably facilitate bubble collapse
Measurement of the Forward-Backward Asymmetry in the B -> K(*) mu+ mu- Decay and First Observation of the Bs -> phi mu+ mu- Decay
We reconstruct the rare decays , , and in a data sample
corresponding to collected in collisions at
by the CDF II detector at the Fermilab Tevatron
Collider. Using and decays we report the branching ratios. In addition, we report
the measurement of the differential branching ratio and the muon
forward-backward asymmetry in the and decay modes, and the
longitudinal polarization in the decay mode with respect to the squared
dimuon mass. These are consistent with the theoretical prediction from the
standard model, and most recent determinations from other experiments and of
comparable accuracy. We also report the first observation of the {\mathcal{B}}(B^0_s \to
\phi\mu^+\mu^-) = [1.44 \pm 0.33 \pm 0.46] \times 10^{-6}27 \pm 6B^0_s$ decay observed.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, 3 tables. Submitted to Phys. Rev. Let
Measurements of the properties of Lambda_c(2595), Lambda_c(2625), Sigma_c(2455), and Sigma_c(2520) baryons
We report measurements of the resonance properties of Lambda_c(2595)+ and
Lambda_c(2625)+ baryons in their decays to Lambda_c+ pi+ pi- as well as
Sigma_c(2455)++,0 and Sigma_c(2520)++,0 baryons in their decays to Lambda_c+
pi+/- final states. These measurements are performed using data corresponding
to 5.2/fb of integrated luminosity from ppbar collisions at sqrt(s) = 1.96 TeV,
collected with the CDF II detector at the Fermilab Tevatron. Exploiting the
largest available charmed baryon sample, we measure masses and decay widths
with uncertainties comparable to the world averages for Sigma_c states, and
significantly smaller uncertainties than the world averages for excited
Lambda_c+ states.Comment: added one reference and one table, changed order of figures, 17
pages, 15 figure
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