QCD-Factorization of inclusive B decays and |Vub|

Recent progress in the theoretical description of inclusive B to X_u l nu decays in the shape-function region is reported. Finite moments of the shape function are related to HQET parameters. Event fractions for several experimental cuts are presented, with a particular emphasis on the hadronic variable P+. The aim of this talk is to introduce the P+ spectrum, to compare it to the hadronic invariant mass spectrum and the charged-lepton energy spectrum, and to study the prospect of evaluating |Vub| in the presence of a large background from B to X_c decays.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, uses espcrc2.sty (included). Talk presented at the Sixth International Conference on Hyperons, Charm and Beauty Hadrons, IIT, Chicago, June 27--July 3 200

A two-loop relation between inclusive radiative and semileptonic B-decay spectra

A shape-function independent relation is derived between the partial B->X_u+l+nu decay rate with a cut on P_+=E_X-P_X<Delta and a weighted integral over the normalized B->X_s+gamma photon-energy spectrum. The leading-power contribution to the weight function is calculated at next-to-next-to-leading order in renormalization-group improved perturbation theory, including exact two-loop matching corrections at the scale mu_i^2 ~ m_b*Lambda_{QCD}. The overall normalization of the weight function is obtained up to yet unknown corrections of order [alpha_s(m_b)]^2. Power corrections from phase-space factors are included exactly, while the remaining subleading contributions are included at first order in 1/m_b. At this level unavoidable hadronic uncertainties enter, which are estimated in a conservative way. The combined theoretical accuracy in the extraction of |V_{ub}| is at the level of 5% if a value of Delta near the charm threshold can be achieved experimentally.Comment: 22 pages, 4 figures; few comments and one reference added; version to appear in JHE

Precision Determination of ∣Vub∣|V_{ub}|

The last two years have seen an impressive improvement in the determination of $|V_{ub}|$, especially from inclusive decays. The error on $|V_{ub}|$ measured with inclusive decays was reduced from 18% (PDG 2004) to 8% (PDG 2006). This progress is a result of combined experimental and theoretical efforts. In this talk, the theoretical framework (BLNP) that enabled such progress is reviewed, as well as other approaches to an inclusive determination of $|V_{ub}|$ (DGE, $M_X-q^2$ etc.). The prospects of improving $|V_{ub}|$ are discussed, addressing issues of weak annihilation, implications of leptonic B decays, and determination of $|V_{ub}|$ with exclusive decays.Comment: Invited talk at International Conference on B-Physics at Hadron Machines (Beauty 2006), Oxford, England, 25-29 Sep 200

Constraints on Assembly Bias from Galaxy Clustering

We constrain the newly-introduced decorated Halo Occupation Distribution (HOD) model using SDSS DR7 measurements of projected galaxy clustering or r-band luminosity threshold samples. The decorated HOD is a model for the galaxy-halo connection that augments the HOD by allowing for the possibility of galaxy assembly bias: galaxy luminosity may be correlated with dark matter halo properties besides mass, Mvir. We demonstrate that it is not possible to rule out galaxy assembly bias using DR7 measurements of galaxy clustering alone. Moreover, galaxy samples with Mr < -20 and Mr < -20.5 favor strong central galaxy assembly bias. These samples prefer scenarios in which high-concentration are more likely to host a central galaxy relative to low-concentration halos of the same mass. We exclude zero assembly bias with high significance for these samples. Satellite galaxy assembly bias is significant for the faintest sample, Mr < -19. We find no evidence for assembly bias in the Mr < -21 sample. Assembly bias should be accounted for in galaxy clustering analyses or attempts to exploit galaxy clustering to constrain cosmology. In addition to presenting the first constraints on HOD models that accommodate assembly bias, our analysis includes several improvements over previous analyses of these data. Therefore, our inferences supersede previously-published results even in the case of a standard HOD analysis.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures. To be submitted to MNRAS. Comments Welcome. Python scripts to perform this analysis and MCMC chains will all be made publicly availabl

Maturing Satellite Kinematics into a Competitive Probe of the Galaxy-Halo Connection

The kinematics of satellite galaxies moving in a dark matter halo are a direct probe of the underlying gravitational potential. Thus, the phase-space distributions of satellites represent a powerful tool to determine the galaxy-halo connection from observations. By stacking the signal of a large number of satellite galaxies this potential can be unlocked even for haloes hosting a few satellites on average. In this work, we test the impact of various modelling assumptions on constraints derived from analysing satellite phase-space distributions in the non-linear, 1-halo regime. We discuss their potential to explain the discrepancy between average halo masses derived from satellite kinematics and gravitational lensing previously reported. Furthermore, we develop an updated, more robust analysis to extract constraints on the galaxy-halo relation from satellite properties in spectroscopic galaxy surveys such as the SDSS. We test the accuracy of this approach using a large number of realistic mock catalogues. Furthermore, we find that constraints derived from such an analysis are complementary and competitive with respect to the commonly used galaxy clustering and galaxy-galaxy lensing observables.Comment: 24 pages, 15 figures; resubmitted to MNRAS after first referee repor

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Updated Results on the Galaxy-Halo Connection from Satellite Kinematics in SDSS

We present new results on the relationship between central galaxies and dark matter haloes inferred from observations of satellite kinematics in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) DR7. We employ an updated analysis framework that includes detailed mock catalogues to model observational effects in SDSS. Our results constrain the colour-dependent conditional luminosity function (CLF) of dark matter haloes, as well as the radial profile of satellite galaxies. Confirming previous results, we find that red central galaxies live in more massive haloes than blue galaxies at fixed luminosity. Additionally, our results suggest that satellite galaxies have a radial profile less centrally concentrated than dark matter but not as cored as resolved subhaloes in dark matter-only simulations. Compared to previous works using satellite kinematics by More et al., we find much more competitive constraints on the galaxy-halo connection, on par with those derived from a combination of galaxy clustering and galaxy-galaxy lensing. We compare our results on the galaxy-halo connection to other studies using galaxy clustering and group catalogues, showing very good agreement between these different techniques. We discuss future applications of satellite kinematics in the context of constraining cosmology and the relationship between galaxies and dark matter haloes.Comment: 18 pages, 10 figures, submitted to MNRAS, comments welcom

Proposal for a Precision Measurement of |Vub|

A new method for a precision measurement of the CKM matrix element |Vub| is discussed, which combines good theoretical control with high efficiency and a powerful discrimination against charm background. The resulting combined theoretical uncertainty on |Vub| is estimated to be 10%.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, RevTe

Brightest galaxies as halo centre tracers in SDSS DR7

Determining the positions of halo centres in large-scale structure surveys is crucial for many cosmological studies. A common assumption is that halo centres correspond to the location of their brightest member galaxies. In this paper, we study the dynamics of brightest galaxies with respect to other halo members in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey DR7. Specifically, we look at the line-of-sight velocity and spatial offsets between brightest galaxies and their neighbours. We compare those to detailed mock catalogues, constructed from high-resolution, dark-matter-only $N$-body simulations, in which it is assumed that satellite galaxies trace dark matter subhaloes. This allows us to place constraints on the fraction $f_{\rm BNC}$ of haloes in which the brightest galaxy is not the central. Compared to previous studies we explicitly take into account the unrelaxed state of the host haloes, velocity offsets of halo cores and correlations between $f_{\rm BNC}$ and the satellite occupation. We find that $f_{\rm BNC}$ strongly decreases with the luminosity of the brightest galaxy and increases with the mass of the host halo. Overall, in the halo mass range $10^{13} - 10^{14.5} h^{-1} M_\odot$ we find $f_{\rm BNC} \sim 30\%$, in good agreement with a previous study by Skibba et al. We discuss the implications of these findings for studies inferring the galaxy--halo connection from satellite kinematics, models of the conditional luminosity function and galaxy formation in general.Comment: 24 pages, 15 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA