27 research outputs found
Erratum (astro-ph/0510172): Robust Limits on Lorentz Violation from Gamma-Ray Bursts
We correct the fitting formula used in refs. [1,2] to obtain a robust limit
on a violation of Lorentz invariance that depends linearly on the photon
energy. The correction leads to a slight increase of the limit on the scale of
the violation, to M > 1.4 x 10^{16} GeV.Comment: four pages latex, two eps figures, uses special macro
Lorentz Invariance Violation induced time delays in GRBs in different cosmological models
Lorentz Invariance Violation (LIV) manifesting itself by energy dependent
modification of standard relativistic dispersion relation has recently
attracted a considerable attention. Ellis et al. previously investigated the
energy dependent time offsets in different energy bands on a sample of gamma
ray bursts and, assuming standard cosmological model, they found a weak
indication for redshift dependence of time delays suggestive of LIV. Going
beyond the CDM cosmology we extend this analysis considering also four
alternative models of dark energy (quintessence with constant and variable
equation of state, Chaplygin gas and brane-world cosmology). It turns out that
the effect noticed by Ellis et al. is also present in those models and is the
strongest for quintessence with variable equation of state.Comment: 14 pages, 1 figur
GRB 051221A and Tests of Lorentz Symmetry
Various approaches to quantum gravity suggest the possibility of violation of
Lorentz symmetry at very high energies. In these cases we expect a modification
at low energies of the dispersion relation of photons that contains extra
powers of the momentum suppressed by a high energy scale. These terms break
boost invariance and can be tested even at relatively low energies. We use the
light curves of the very bright short Gamma-Ray Burst GRB 051221A and compare
the arrival times of photons at different energies with the expected time delay
due to a modified dispersion relation. As no time delay was observed, we set a
lower bound of 0.0066 E_{pl} \sim 0.66 10^{17} GeV on the scale of Lorentz
invariance violation.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figure
Probing Lorentz Violation in Neutrino Propagation from a Core-Collapse Supernova
Supernova explosions provide the most sensitive probes of neutrino
propagation, such as the possibility that neutrino velocities might be affected
by the foamy structure of space-time thought to be generated by
quantum-gravitational (QG) effects. Recent two-dimensional simulations of the
neutrino emissions from core-collapse supernovae suggest that they might
exhibit variations in time on the scale of a few milliseconds. We analyze
simulations of such neutrino emissions using a wavelet technique, and consider
the limits that might be set on a linear or quadratic violation of Lorentz
invariance in the group velocities of neutrinos of different energies, v/c = [1
\pm (E/M_{nuLV1})] or [1 \pm (E/M_{\nuLV2})^2], if variations on such short
time scales were to be observed, where the mass scales M_{nuLVi} might appear
in models of quantum gravity. We find prospective sensitivities to M_{nuLV1} ~
2 X 10^{13} GeV and M_{nuLV2} ~ 10^6 GeV at the 95% confidence level, up to two
orders of magnitude beyond estimates made using previous one-dimensional
simulations of core-collapse supernovae. We also analyze the prospective
sensitivities to scenarios in which the propagation times of neutrinos of fixed
energies are subject to stochastic fluctuations.Comment: 29 pages, 9 figures. A subsection added. The version to appear in
Phys. Rev.
Modified Dispersion Relations from the Renormalization Group of Gravity
We show that the running of gravitational couplings, together with a suitable
identification of the renormalization group scale can give rise to modified
dispersion relations for massive particles. This result seems to be compatible
with both the frameworks of effective field theory with Lorentz invariance
violation and deformed special relativity. The phenomenological consequences
depend on which of the frameworks is assumed. We discuss the nature and
strength of the available constraints for both cases and show that in the case
of Lorentz invariance violation, the theory would be strongly constrained.Comment: revtex4, 9 pages, updated to match published versio
Charged-Particle Multiplicity in Proton-Proton Collisions
This article summarizes and critically reviews measurements of
charged-particle multiplicity distributions and pseudorapidity densities in
p+p(pbar) collisions between sqrt(s) = 23.6 GeV and sqrt(s) = 1.8 TeV. Related
theoretical concepts are briefly introduced. Moments of multiplicity
distributions are presented as a function of sqrt(s). Feynman scaling, KNO
scaling, as well as the description of multiplicity distributions with a single
negative binomial distribution and with combinations of two or more negative
binomial distributions are discussed. Moreover, similarities between the energy
dependence of charged-particle multiplicities in p+p(pbar) and e+e- collisions
are studied. Finally, various predictions for pseudorapidity densities, average
multiplicities in full phase space, and multiplicity distributions of charged
particles in p+p(pbar) collisions at the LHC energies of sqrt(s) = 7 TeV, 10
TeV, and 14 TeV are summarized and compared.Comment: Invited review for Journal of Physics G -- version 2: version after
referee's comment
GLAST and Lorentz violation
We study possible Lorentz violations by means of gamma-ray bursts (GRB) with
special focus on the Large Array Telescope (LAT) of GLAST. We simulate bursts
with gtobssim and introduce a Lorentz violating term in the arrival times of
the photons. We further perturb these arrival times and energies with a
Gaussian distribution corresponding to the time resp. energy resolution of
GLAST. We then vary the photon flux in gtobssim in order to derive a relation
between the photon number and the standard deviation of the Lorentz violating
term. We conclude with the fact that our maximum likelihood method as first
developed in [1] is able to make a statement whether Nature breaks the Lorentz
symmetry if the number of bursts with known redshifts is of the order of 100.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures and 2 tables, Accepted for publication by JCAP
after a couple of revision
Probing quantum gravity using photons from a flare of the active galactic nucleus Markarian 501 observed by the MAGIC telescope
We analyze the timing of photons observed by the MAGIC telescope during a
flare of the active galactic nucleus Mkn 501 for a possible correlation with
energy, as suggested by some models of quantum gravity (QG), which predict a
vacuum refractive index \simeq 1 + (E/M_{QGn})^n, n = 1,2. Parametrizing the
delay between gamma-rays of different energies as \Delta t =\pm\tau_l E or
\Delta t =\pm\tau_q E^2, we find \tau_l=(0.030\pm0.012) s/GeV at the 2.5-sigma
level, and \tau_q=(3.71\pm2.57)x10^{-6} s/GeV^2, respectively. We use these
results to establish lower limits M_{QG1} > 0.21x10^{18} GeV and M_{QG2} >
0.26x10^{11} GeV at the 95% C.L. Monte Carlo studies confirm the MAGIC
sensitivity to propagation effects at these levels. Thermal plasma effects in
the source are negligible, but we cannot exclude the importance of some other
source effect.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures, Phys. Lett. B, reflects published versio