Limits on dark matter proton scattering from neutrino telescopes using micrOMEGAs

Limits on dark matter spin dependent elastic scattering cross section on protons derived from IceCube data are obtained for different dark matter annihilation channels using micrOMEGAs. The uncertainty on the derived limits, estimated by using different neutrino spectra, can reach a factor two. For all dark matter annihilation channels except for quarks, the limits on the spin dependent cross section are more stringent than those obtained in direct detection experiments. The new functions that allow to derive those limits are described.Comment: 23 pages, 7 figures; v2: references added; v3 and v4: clarifications added; The code can be downloaded from https://lapth.cnrs.fr/micromega

Strong Reduction of the Field-Dependent Microwave Surface Resistance in YBCO with BaZrO_3 Inclusions

We present measurements of the magnetic field dependent microwave surface resistance in laser-ablated YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-\delta}$ films on SrTiO$_3$ substrates. BaZrO$_3$ crystallites were included in the films using composite targets containing BaZrO$_3$ inclusions with mean grain size smaller than 1 $\mu$m. X-ray diffraction showed single epitaxial relationship between BaZrO$_3$ and YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-\delta}$. The effective surface resistance was measured at 47.7 GHz for 60$< T <$90 K and 0$< \mu_0H <$0.8 T. The magnetic field had a very different effect on pristine YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-\delta}$ and YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-\delta}$/BaZrO$_3$, while for $\mu_0H=$0 only a reduction of $T_c$ in the YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-\delta}$/BaZrO$_3$ film was observed, consistent with dc measurements. At low enough $T$, in moderate fields YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-\delta}$/BaZrO$_3$ exhibited an intrinsic thin film resistance lower than the pure film. The results clearly indicate that BaZrO$_3$ inclusions determine a strong reduction of the field-dependent surface resistance. From the analysis of the data in the framework of simple models for the microwave surface impedance in the mixed state we argue that BaZrO$_3$ inclusions determine very steep pinning potentials.Comment: LaTeX, 6 pages, 4 figures, uses jpconf.cls and jpconf11.clo class files, talk given at EUCAS 2007, submitted to J. Phys.: Conf. Serie

Slow down of a globally neutral relativistic e−e+e^-e^+ beam shearing the vacuum

The microphysics of relativistic collisionless sheared flows is investigated in a configuration consisting of a globally neutral, relativistic $e^-e^+$ beam streaming through a hollow plasma/dielectric channel. We show through multidimensional PIC simulations that this scenario excites the Mushroom instability (MI), a transverse shear instability on the electron-scale, when there is no overlap (no contact) between the $e^-e^+$ beam and the walls of the hollow plasma channel. The onset of the MI leads to the conversion of the beam's kinetic energy into magnetic (and electric) field energy, effectively slowing down a globally neutral body in the absence of contact. The collisionless shear physics explored in this configuration may operate in astrophysical environments, particularly in highly relativistic and supersonic settings where macroscopic shear processes are stable

Inter-El Niño variability and its impact on the South American low-level jet east of the Andes during austral summer ? two case studies

International audienceThe impact of the maximum convection location over eastern and central Equatorial Pacific over the intensity and positioning of the South American Low-Level Jet east of the Andes (SALLJ) during the austral summer was investigated. The Bonner criteria 1 was applied to the NCEP-NCAR circulation fields during the El Niño of 1997/1998 and 2002/2003 to identify the SALLJ episodes. The composites of the atmospheric circulation over the South America during El Niño events showed that the SALLJ can be influenced by small displacements of the quasi-stationary Rossby waves position. During the strong El Niño event of 1997/1998 the SALLJ is maintained by the eastern trade winds. A low-level anomalous anticyclonic circulation over the central part of Brazil enhanced the wind in the nucleus of the jet and displaced its axis to the Northern Argentina and South of Brazil. However, the northern trade winds seem to maintain the SALLJ during the weak El Niño of 2002/2003. The jet was weaker and displaced more southeastward of Brazil than during the strong event

Quantitative chemical tagging, stellar ages and the chemo-dynamical evolution of the Galactic disc

The early science results from the new generation of high-resolution stellar spectroscopic surveys, such as GALAH and the Gaia-ESO survey, will represent major milestones in the quest to chemically tag the Galaxy. Yet this technique to reconstruct dispersed coeval stellar groups has remained largely untested until recently. We build on previous work that developed an empirical chemical tagging probability function, which describes the likelihood that two field stars are conatal, that is, they were formed in the same cluster environment. In this work we perform the first ever blind chemical tagging experiment, i.e., tagging stars with no known or otherwise discernable associations, on a sample of 714 disc field stars with a number of high quality high resolution homogeneous metal abundance measurements. We present evidence that chemical tagging of field stars does identify coeval groups of stars, yet these groups may not represent distinct formation sites, e.g. as in dissolved open clusters, as previously thought. Our results point to several important conclusions, among them that group finding will be limited strictly to chemical abundance space, e.g. stellar ages, kinematics, colors, temperature and surface gravity do not enhance the detectability of groups. We also demonstrate that in addition to its role in probing the chemical enrichment and kinematic history of the Galactic disc, chemical tagging represents a powerful new stellar age determination technique.Comment: 12 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (MNRAS