Generic description of CMB power spectra

Taking advantage of the smoothness of CMB Cl power spectra, we derive a simple and model-independent parameterization of their measurement. It allows to describe completely the spectrum, ie. provide an estimate of the value and the error for any real l point at the percent level, down to low l multipole. We provide this parameterization for WMAP first year data and show that the spectrum is consistent with the smoothness hypothesis. We also show how such a parameterization allows to retrieve the Cl spectra from the measurement of Fourier rings on the sky (Gamma(m)) or from the angular correlation function (c(theta)

A novel estimator of the polarization amplitude from normally distributed Stokes parameters

We propose a novel estimator of the polarization amplitude from a single measurement of its normally distributed $(Q,U)$ Stokes components. Based on the properties of the Rice distribution and dubbed 'MAS' (Modified ASymptotic), it meets several desirable criteria:(i) its values lie in the whole positive region; (ii) its distribution is continuous; (iii) it transforms smoothly with the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) from a Rayleigh-like shape to a Gaussian one; (iv) it is unbiased and reaches its components' variance as soon as the SNR exceeds 2; (v) it is analytic and can therefore be used on large data-sets. We also revisit the construction of its associated confidence intervals and show how the Feldman-Cousins prescription efficiently solves the issue of classical intervals lying entirely in the unphysical negative domain. Such intervals can be used to identify statistically significant polarized regions and conversely build masks for polarization data. We then consider the case of a general $[Q,U]$ covariance matrix and perform a generalization of the estimator that preserves its asymptotic properties. We show that its bias does not depend on the true polarization angle, and provide an analytic estimate of its variance. The estimator value, together with its variance, provide a powerful point-estimate of the true polarization amplitude that follows an unbiased Gaussian distribution for a SNR as low as 2. These results can be applied to the much more general case of transforming any normally distributed random variable from Cartesian to polar coordinates.Comment: Accepted by MNRA

Neutrino matter with PLANCK

After reviewing the main mechanisms by which cosmological measurements constrain the sum of neutrino masses, I give the current reached upper limits, emphasizing the level of model-dependence. A large improvement is to be expected with PLANCK's satellite data, on which I give some news, in particular due to the characterization of the CMB-lensing effect. It will however require a thorough control of many systematics effects upon which progress has been made recently.Comment: Invited Talk at Identification of Dark Matter 2010-IDM2010, July 26-30, 2010, Montpellier France. This paper has been temporarily withdrawn until it receives approval from the Planck Editorial Boar

DIRC for a Higher Luminosity B Factory

The DIRC, a novel type of Cherenkov ring imaging device, is the primary hadronic particle identification system for the BaBar detector at the asymmetric B-factory Pep-II at SLAC. It is based on total internal reflection and uses long, rectangular bars made from synthetic fused silica as Cherenkov radiators and light guides. BaBar began taking data with colliding beams in late spring 1999. This paper describes the challenges for the DIRC in a higher luminosity environment and shows solutions to these challenges.Comment: 16 page

A hybrid approach to CMB lensing reconstruction on all-sky intensity maps

Based on realistic simulations, we propose an hybrid method to reconstruct the lensing potential power spectrum, directly on PLANCK-like CMB frequency maps. It implies using a large galactic mask and dealing with a strong inhomogeneous noise. For l < 100, we show that a full-sky inpainting method, already described in a previous work, still allows a minimal variance reconstruction, with a bias that must be accounted for by a Monte-Carlo method, but that does not couple to the deflection field. For l>100 we develop a method based on tiling the cut-sky with local 10x10 degrees overlapping tangent planes (referred to in the following as "patches"). It requires to solve various issues concerning their size/position, non-periodic boundaries and irregularly sampled data after the sphere-to-plane projection. We show how the leading noise term of the quadratic lensing estimator applied onto an apodized patch can still be taken directly from the data. To not loose spatial accuracy, we developed a tool that allows the fast determination of the complex Fourier series coefficients from a bi-dimensional irregularly sampled dataset, without performing an interpolation. We show that the multi-patch approach allows the lensing power spectrum reconstruction with a very small bias, thanks to avoiding the galactic mask and lowering the noise inhomogeneities, while still having almost a minimal variance. The data quality can be assessed at each stage and simple bi-dimensional spectra build, which allows the control of local systematic errors.Comment: A&A version. Mostly english correction

Impact of Bottom-Quark Measurements on our Knowledge of the Standard Model

In this decade, B-decay experiments will allow stringent tests of the Standard-Model description of CP violation. After a classification of the main strategies and a discussion of the most recent results on benchmark decay modes of $B^\pm$ and $B_d$ mesons, we focus on the "El Dorado" for hadron colliders, the $B_s$-meson system, discussing the differences between the $B_d$ and $B_s$ systems, as well as prominent $B_s$ modes. First access to these decays is already provided by run II of the Tevatron. In the LHC era, it will be possible to fully exploit their physics potential, in particular at LHCb and BTeV.Comment: 19 pages, 4 figures. Invited talk at the 14th Topical Conference on Hadron Collider Physics, Karlsruhe, Germany, 29 September - 4 October 2002. To appear in the Proceeding