The sign of the day-night asymmetry for solar neutrinos

A qualitative understanding of the day-night asymmetry for solar neutrinos is provided. The greater night flux in nu_e is seen to be a consequence of the fact that the matter effect in the sun and that in the earth have the same sign. It is shown in the adiabatic approximation for the sun that for all values of the mixing angle theta_V between 0 and pi/2, the night flux of neutrinos is greater than the day flux. Only for small values of theta_V where the adiabatic approximation badly fails does the sign of the day-night asymmetry reverse.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figures, typos corrected and references adde

Span programs and quantum time complexity

Span programs are an important model of quantum computation due to their correspondence with quantum query and space complexity. While the query complexity of quantum algorithms obtained from span programs is well-understood, it is not generally clear how to implement certain query-independent operations in a time-efficient manner. In this work, we prove an analogous connection for quantum time complexity. In particular, we show how to convert a sufficiently-structured quantum algorithm for f with time complexity T into a span program for f such that it compiles back into a quantum algorithm for f with time complexity Õ(T). This shows that for span programs derived from algorithms with a time-efficient implementation, we can preserve the time efficiency when implementing the span program, which means that span programs capture time, query and space complexities and are a complete model of quantum algorithms. One practical advantage of being able to convert quantum algorithms to span programs in a way that preserves time complexity is that span programs compose very nicely. We demonstrate this by improving Ambainis's variable-time quantum search result using our construction through a span program composition for the OR function

Global Analysis with SNO: Toward the Solution of the Solar Neutrino Problem

We perform a global analysis of the latest solar neutrino data including the SNO result on the CC-event rate. This result further favors the LMA solution of the solar neutrino problem. The best fit values of parameters we find are: \Delta m^2 = (4.8 - 5.0)10^{-5} eV^2, tan^2 \theta = 0.35 - 0.38, f_B = 1.08 - 1.12, and f_{hep} = 1 - 4. With respect to this best fit the LOW solution is accepted at 90% C.L.. The Vacuum oscillation solution with \Delta m^2 = 1.4 10^{-10} eV^2, gives good fit of the data provided that the boron neutrino flux is substantially smaller than the SSM flux (f_B \sim 0.5). The SMA solution is accepted only at 3\sigma level. We find that vacuum oscillations to sterile neutrino, VAC(sterile), with f_B \sim 0.5 also give rather good global fit of the data. All other sterile solutions are strongly disfavored. We check the quality of the fit by constructing the pull-off diagrams of observables. Predictions for the day-night asymmetry, spectrum distortion and NC/CC ratio at SNO are calculated. In the best fit points of the global solutions we find: A_{DN}^{CC} \approx (7 - 8)% for LMA, \sim 3% for LOW, and (2 - 3)% for SMA. It will be difficult to see the distortion of the spectrum expected for LMA as well as LOW solutions. However, future SNO spectral data can significantly affect the VAC and SMA solutions. We also calculate expectations for the BOREXINO rate.Comment: 35 pages, latex, 9 figures; results of analysis slightly changed due to different treatment of the hep neutrino flux; predictions for NC/CC ratio and Borexino rate adde

Series Expansions for three-dimensional QED

Strong-coupling series expansions are calculated for the Hamiltonian version of compact lattice electrodynamics in (2+1) dimensions, with 4-component fermions. Series are calculated for the ground-state energy per site, the chiral condensate, and the masses of `glueball' and positronium states. Comparisons are made with results obtained by other techniques.Comment: 13 figure

Three-Neutrino Mixing and Combined Vacuum Oscillations and MSW Transitions of Solar Neutrinos

Assuming three flavour neutrino mixing takes place in vacuum, we investigate the possibility that the solar nu_e take part in MSW transitions in the Sun due to Delta m^2_{31} from 10^{-7} eV^2 to 10^{-4} eV^2, followed by long wave length vacuum oscillations on the way to the Earth, triggered by Delta m^2_{21} (or Delta m^2_{32}) from 10^{-12} eV^2 to 10^{-10} eV^2, Delta m^2_{31} and Delta m^2_{21} (Delta m^2_{32}) being the corresponding neutrino mass squared differences. The solar nu_e survival probability is shown to be described in this case by a simple analytic expression. Depending on whether the vacuum oscillations are due to Delta m^2_{21} or Delta m^2_{32} there are two very different types of interplay between the MSW transitions and the vacuum oscillations of the solar nu_e. Performing an analysis of the most recently published solar neutrino data we have found several qualitatively new solutions of the solar neutrino problem of the hybrid MSW transitions + vacuum oscillations type. The solutions differ in the way the pp, 7Be and 8B neutrino fluxes are affected by the transitions in the Sun and the oscillations in vacuum. The specific features of the new solutions are discussed.Comment: 37 pages Latex, 16 Postscript Figure

Defects and glassy dynamics in solid He-4: Perspectives and current status

We review the anomalous behavior of solid He-4 at low temperatures with particular attention to the role of structural defects present in solid. The discussion centers around the possible role of two level systems and structural glassy components for inducing the observed anomalies. We propose that the origin of glassy behavior is due to the dynamics of defects like dislocations formed in He-4. Within the developed framework of glassy components in a solid, we give a summary of the results and predictions for the effects that cover the mechanical, thermodynamic, viscoelastic, and electro-elastic contributions of the glassy response of solid He-4. Our proposed glass model for solid He-4 has several implications: (1) The anomalous properties of He-4 can be accounted for by allowing defects to freeze out at lowest temperatures. The dynamics of solid He-4 is governed by glasslike (glassy) relaxation processes and the distribution of relaxation times varies significantly between different torsional oscillator, shear modulus, and dielectric function experiments. (2) Any defect freeze-out will be accompanied by thermodynamic signatures consistent with entropy contributions from defects. It follows that such entropy contribution is much smaller than the required superfluid fraction, yet it is sufficient to account for excess entropy at lowest temperatures. (3) We predict a Cole-Cole type relation between the real and imaginary part of the response functions for rotational and planar shear that is occurring due to the dynamics of defects. Similar results apply for other response functions. (4) Using the framework of glassy dynamics, we predict low-frequency yet to be measured electro-elastic features in defect rich He-4 crystals. These predictions allow one to directly test the ideas and very presence of glassy contributions in He-4.Comment: 33 pages, 13 figure

Planck intermediate results. VIII. Filaments between interacting clusters

About half of the baryons of the Universe are expected to be in the form of filaments of hot and low density intergalactic medium. Most of these baryons remain undetected even by the most advanced X-ray observatories which are limited in sensitivity to the diffuse low density medium. The Planck satellite has provided hundreds of detections of the hot gas in clusters of galaxies via the thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (tSZ) effect and is an ideal instrument for studying extended low density media through the tSZ effect. In this paper we use the Planck data to search for signatures of a fraction of these missing baryons between pairs of galaxy clusters. Cluster pairs are good candidates for searching for the hotter and denser phase of the intergalactic medium (which is more easily observed through the SZ effect). Using an X-ray catalogue of clusters and the Planck data, we select physical pairs of clusters as candidates. Using the Planck data we construct a local map of the tSZ effect centered on each pair of galaxy clusters. ROSAT data is used to construct X-ray maps of these pairs. After having modelled and subtracted the tSZ effect and X-ray emission for each cluster in the pair we study the residuals on both the SZ and X-ray maps. For the merging cluster pair A399-A401 we observe a significant tSZ effect signal in the intercluster region beyond the virial radii of the clusters. A joint X-ray SZ analysis allows us to constrain the temperature and density of this intercluster medium. We obtain a temperature of kT = 7.1 +- 0.9, keV (consistent with previous estimates) and a baryon density of (3.7 +- 0.2)x10^-4, cm^-3. The Planck satellite mission has provided the first SZ detection of the hot and diffuse intercluster gas.Comment: Accepted by A&

Planck early results V : The Low Frequency Instrument data processing

Peer reviewe

Planck early results III : First assessment of the Low Frequency Instrument in-flight performance

Peer reviewe