Vector boson production in association with KK modes of the ADD model to NLO in QCD at LHC

Next-to-leading order QCD corrections to the associated production of vector boson (Z/W) with the the Kaluza-Klein modes of the graviton in large extra dimensional model at the LHC, are presented. We have obtained various kinematic distributions using a Monte Carlo code which is based on the two cut off phase space slicing method that handles soft and collinear singularities appearing at NLO level. We estimate the impact of the QCD corrections on various observables and find that they are significant. We also show the reduction in factorization scale uncertainty when QCD corrections are included.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figure

Direct vs. indirect optical recombination in Ge films grown on Si substrates

The optical emission spectra from Ge films on Si are markedly different from their bulk Ge counterparts. Whereas bulk Ge emission is dominated by the material's indirect gap, the photoluminescence signal from Ge films is mainly associated with its direct band gap. Using a new class of Ge-on-Si films grown by a recently introduced CVD approach, we study the direct and indirect photoluminescence from intrinsic and doped samples and we conclude that the origin of the discrepancy is the lack of self-absorption in thin Ge films combined with a deviation from quasi-equilibrium conditions in the conduction band. The latter is confirmed by a simple model suggesting that the deviation from quasi-equilibrium is caused by the much shorter recombination lifetime in the films relative to bulk Ge

Model Independent Primordial Power Spectrum from Maxima, Boomerang, and DASI Data

A model-independent determination of the primordial power spectrum of matter density fluctuations could uniquely probe physics of the very early universe, and provide powerful constraints on inflationary models. We parametrize the primordial power spectrum $A_s^2(k)$ as an arbitrary function, and deduce its binned amplitude from the cosmic microwave background radiation anisotropy (CMB) measurements of Maxima, Boomerang, and DASI. We find that for a flat universe with $A_s^2(k)=1$ (scale-invariant) for scales $k<0.001$h/Mpc, the primordial power spectrum is marginally consistent with a scale-invariant Harrison-Zeldovich spectrum. However, we deduce a rise in power compared to a scale-invariant power spectrum for 0.001 h/{Mpc} \la k \la 0.01 h/{Mpc}. Our results are consistent with large-scale structure data, and seem to suggest that the current observational data allow for the possibility of unusual physics in the very early universe.Comment: substantially revised and final version, accepted by Ap

Gamma ray constraints on the Galactic supernova rate

We perform Monte Carlo simulations of the expected gamma ray signatures of Galactic supernovae of all types to estimate the significance of the lack of a gamma ray signal due to supernovae occurring during the last millenium. Using recent estimates of the nuclear yields, we determine mean Galactic supernova rates consistent with the historic supernova record and the gamma ray limits. Another objective of these calculations of Galactic supernova histories is their application to surveys of diffuse Galactic gamma ray line emission

Early Star Formation, Nucleosynthesis, and Chemical Evolution in Proto-Galactic Clouds

We present numerical simulations to describe the nucleosynthesis and evolution of pre-Galactic clouds in a model which is motivated by cold dark matter simulations of hierarchical galaxy formation. We adopt a SN-induced star-formation mechanism and follow the chemical enrichment and energy input by Type II and Type Ia SNe. We utilize metallicity-dependent yields and include finite stellar lifetimes. We derive the metallicity distribution functions, the age-metallicity relation, and relative elemental abundances for a number of alpha- and Fe-group elements. We find that the dispersion of the metallicity distribution function of the outer halo is reproduced by contributions from clouds with different initial conditions. Clouds with initial masses greater than that of present globular clusters are found to survive the first 0.1 Gyr, suggesting that such systems may have contributed to the formation of the first stars, and could have been self-enriched. More massive clouds are only stable when one assumes an initial mass function that is not biased towards massive stars. The predicted relative abundances of some alpha- and Fe-group elements show good agreement with the observed values down to metallicities below [Fe/H] = -4 when the iron yields are reduced relative to stellar models. The observed scatter is also reproduced for many elements including the observed bifurcation in [alpha/Fe] for stars with low [Fe/H]. However, the predicted dispersion may be too large for some alpha elements unless a limited range of progenitor masses is assumed. The results suggest that the low-mass SNeII were absent at the very low metallicities, and that the upper mass limit for the first stars that contributed to nucleosynthesis may be < 40 solar masses.Comment: 20 pages, 16 figures, Accepted for publication in J. Phys.

Gamma ray constraints on the galactic supernova rate

Monte Carlo simulations of the expected gamma-ray signatures of galactic supernovae of all types are performed in order to estimate the significance of the lack of a gamma-ray signal due to supernovae occurring during the last millenium. Using recent estimates of nuclear yields, we determine galactic supernova rates consistent with the historic supernova record and the gamma-ray limits. Another objective of these calculations of galactic supernova histories is their application to surveys of diffuse galactic gamma-ray line emission

Late Decaying Dark Matter, Bulk Viscosity and the Cosmic Acceleration

We discuss a cosmology in which cold dark matter begins to decay into relativistic particles at a recent epoch (z < 1). We show that the large entropy production and associated bulk viscosity from such decays leads to an accelerating cosmology as required by observations. We investigate the effects of decaying cold dark matter in a Lambda = 0, flat, initially matter dominated cosmology. We show that this model satisfies the cosmological constraint from the redshift-distance relation for type Ia supernovae. The age in such models is also consistent with the constraints from the oldest stars and globular clusters. Possible candidates for this late decaying dark matter are suggested along with additional observational tests of this cosmological paradigm.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, 1 tabl

Bulk Viscosity, Decaying Dark Matter, and the Cosmic Acceleration

We discuss a cosmology in which cold dark-matter particles decay into relativistic particles. We argue that such decays could lead naturally to a bulk viscosity in the cosmic fluid. For decay lifetimes comparable to the present hubble age, this bulk viscosity enters the cosmic energy equation as an effective negative pressure. We investigate whether this negative pressure is of sufficient magnitude to account fo the observed cosmic acceleration. We show that a single decaying species in a flat, dark-matter dominated cosmology without a cosmological constant cannot reproduce the observed magnitude-redshift relation from Type Ia supernovae. However, a delayed bulk viscosity, possibly due to a cascade of decaying particles may be able to account for a significant fraction of the apparent cosmic acceleration. Possible candidate nonrelativistic particles for this scenario include sterile neutrinos or gauge-mediated decaying supersymmetric particles.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure

Spitzer Observations of Transient, Extended Dust in Two Elliptical Galaxies: New Evidence of Recent Feedback Energy Release in Galactic Cores

Spitzer observations of extended dust in two optically normal elliptical galaxies provide a new confirmation of buoyant feedback outflow in the hot gas atmospheres around these galaxies. AGN feedback energy is required to prevent wholesale cooling and star formation in these group-centered galaxies. In NGC 5044 we observe interstellar (presumably PAH) emission at 8 microns out to about 5 kpc. Both NGC 5044 and 4636 have extended 70 microns emission from cold dust exceeding that expected from stellar mass loss. The sputtering lifetime of this extended dust in the ~1keV interstellar gas, ~10^7 yrs, establishes the time when the dust first entered the hot gas. Evidently the extended dust originated in dusty disks or clouds, commonly observed in elliptical galaxy cores, that were disrupted, heated and buoyantly transported outward. The surviving central dust in NGC 5044 and 4636 has been disrupted into many small filaments. It is remarkable that the asymmetrically extended 8 micron emission in NGC 5044 is spatially coincident with Halpha+[NII] emission from warm gas. A calculation shows that dust-assisted cooling in buoyant hot gas moving out from the galactic core can cool within a few kpc in about ~10^7 yrs, explaining the optical line emission observed. The X-ray images of both galaxies are disturbed. All timescales for transient activity - restoration of equilibrium and buoyant transport in the hot gas, dynamics of surviving dust fragments, and dust sputtering - are consistent with a central release of feedback energy in both galaxies about 10^7 yrs ago.Comment: 13 pages. Accepted by ApJ; minor typos correcte