Low-Scale Leptogenesis in the Scotogenic Neutrino Mass Model

The scotogenic model proposed by Ernest Ma represents an attractive and minimal example for the generation of small Standard Model neutrino masses via radiative corrections in the dark matter sector. In this paper, we demonstrate that, in addition to neutrino masses and dark matter, the scotogenic model also allows to explain the baryon asymmetry of the Universe via low-scale leptogenesis. First, we consider the case of two right-handed neutrinos (RHNs) N_{1,2}, for which we provide an analytical argument why it is impossible to push the RHN mass scale below M_1^min ~ 10^10 GeV, which is identical to the value in standard thermal leptogenesis in the type-I seesaw scenario with the same washout strength. Then, we present a detailed study of the three-RHN case based on both an analytical and a numerical analysis. In the case of three RHNs, we obtain a lower bound on the N_1 mass of around 10 TeV. Remarkably enough, successful low-scale leptogenesis can be achieved without any degeneracy in the RHN mass spectrum. The only necessary condition is a suppression in the N_1 Yukawa couplings, which results in suppressed washout and a small active neutrino mass of around 10^-12 eV. This leads to the fascinating realization that low-scale leptogenesis in the scotogenic model can be tested in experiments that aim at measuring the absolute neutrino mass scale.Comment: 13 pages, 2 figures; v2: minor changes to the text, updated discussion on direct detection bounds; content matches published versio

Low-scale leptogenesis assisted by a real scalar singlet

Standard thermal leptogenesis in the type-I seesaw model requires very heavy right-handed neutrinos (RHNs). This makes it hard to probe this scenario experimentally and results in large radiative corrections to the Higgs boson mass. In this paper, we demonstrate that the situation is considerably different in models that extend the Higgs sector by a real scalar singlet. Based on effective-theory arguments, the extra scalar is always allowed to couple to the heavy neutrinos via singlet Yukawa terms. This opens up new RHN decay channels leading to larger $CP$ violation as well as to a stronger departure from thermal equilibrium during leptogenesis. As a consequence, the baryon asymmetry can be generated for a lightest RHN mass as low as 500 GeV and without the need for a highly degenerate RHN mass spectrum. In fact, the requirement of successful leptogenesis via the Higgs portal coupling singles out an interesting parameter region that can be probed in on-going and future experiments. We derive a semianalytical fit function for the final baryon asymmetry that allows for an efficient study of parameter space, thus enabling us to identify viable parameter regions. Our results are applicable to a wide range of models featuring an additional real scalar singlet.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figures. v2 matches the published versio

You will take care of me when I am old: Norms on children's caregiver obligations - An analysis with data from the European Values Study

Objective: We explore gender differences in support of the norm that children must provide care for their parents. Background: Society's values and norms play a crucial role in deciding whether to provide family care. We investigate these values and norms on family care by analyzing which individual and country level factors affect them. Method: We use data from the European Values Study wave 5 and multilevel regression techniques. The question, "Adult children have the duty to provide long-term care for their parents", serves as our dependent variable. The explanatory variables at the individual level are gender and further socio-demographic variables. At the country level, we include expenditures on health care, and the female labor force participation rate. Results: The results show that women, as well as those living in countries with high expenditure on health care and high female labor force participation rates, are less supportive of the norm that children have an obligation to provide care for their parents. Furthermore, the gender effect is stronger in countries with a higher female labor force participation rate. Conclusion: Norms and values on family care are not fixed and can change, as suggested by the differences between countries. They are also not shared by all social groups equally, as the differences between women and men and along other socio-demographics show. Replication files: https://ubp.uni-bamberg.de/jfr/index.php/jfr/article/view/854/704

A fresh look at the gravitational-wave signal from cosmological phase transitions

Many models of physics beyond the Standard Model predict a strong first-order phase transition (SFOPT) in the early Universe that leads to observable gravitational waves (GWs). In this paper, we propose a novel method for presenting and comparing the GW signals that are predicted by different models. Our approach is based on the observation that the GW signal has an approximately model-independent spectral shape. This allows us to represent it solely in terms of a finite number of observables, that is, a set of peak amplitudes and peak frequencies. As an example, we consider the GW signal in the real-scalar-singlet extension of the Standard Model (xSM). We construct the signal region of the xSM in the space of observables and show how it will be probed by future space-borne interferometers. Our analysis results in sensitivity plots that are reminiscent of similar plots that are typically shown for dark-matter direct-detection experiments, but which are novel in the context of GWs from a SFOPT. These plots set the stage for a systematic model comparison, the exploration of underlying model-parameter dependencies, and the construction of distribution functions in the space of observables. In our plots, the experimental sensitivities of future searches for a stochastic GW signal are indicated by peak-integrated sensitivity curves. A detailed discussion of these curves, including fit functions, is contained in a companion paper [2002.04615]. The data and code that we used in our analysis can be downloaded from Zenodo [https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3699415].Comment: 19+1+5 pages main text / appendix / references, 4 figures. Companion paper: 2002.04615. Data and code available on Zenodo: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3699415. v2: New section added, comparing our method with existing approaches in the literature. The content of v2 matches the version published in JHE

Педагогические технологии как дидактический инструментарий подготовки специалиста в инженерном вузе

Рассмотрено понятие педагогической технологии, раскрыта сущность контекстной и задачной технологий, обоснован выбор технологий, адекватных профилю инженерного образования

Wie können sozial situierte Subjekte objektive Standards bereitstellen? Überlegungen in Anschluss an die Methodologie Sandra Hardings

Der vorliegende Beitrag reagiert auf die zunehmende Kritik aus unterschiedlichen Richtungen, die die Geschlechterforschung gemeinsam der Unwissenschaftlichkeit beschuldigen und sie so auf ihren gesellschaftspolitischen Gehalt reduzieren. Dies nehmen wir zum Anlass, uns in kritischer Weise mit den methodologischen Implikationen der Konzepte der Wissenschaftstheoretikerin Sandra Hardings auseinanderzusetzen. Diese erheben den Anspruch, von einem intersektionalen Standpunkt aus objektive(re), da nicht an die Wertfreiheit gebundene, Erkenntnisse für die wissenschaftliche Forschung zu gewinnen. Wir erörtern dazu den analytischen Gehalt, wie auch die immanenten Restriktionen ihrer Konzepte der strong objectivity und strong reflexivity sowie der outsiders within. Darauf aufbauend schlagen wir eine konsequent relationale Re-Konzeption der Figur der outsiders within vor, die drei Deutungsperspektiven impliziert: ein erkenntnistheoretischer Ausgangspunkt, ein konkretes Forschungsprogramm, wie auch ein normatives Postulat

Разработка осветительной установки молочной фермы с использованием автоматической системы управления освещением

В ходе выполнения ВКР решалось несколько основных задач: улучшение светового климата внутри помещений для содержания крупного рогатого скота и, как следствие, увеличение производительности молочных коров; повышение эффективности системы искусственного освещения на молочных фермах с использованием энергосберегающих осветительных средств (реконструкция осветительной установки и внедрение автоматической системы управления освещением по протоколу DALI), позволяющих снизить расход электрической энергии на процесс освещения.During the implementation of the graduation work, several main tasks were solved: improving the light climate within the premises for cattle and, as a consequence, increasing the productivity of dairy cows; increasing the efficiency of the artificial lighting system on dairy farms using energy-saving lighting (reconstruction of the lighting system and the introduction of an automatic lighting control system using the DALI protocol), which allow to reduce the electric energy consumption for the lighting process

Monophyly of social wasps

20 p. : ill. ; 26 cm.Includes bibliographical references (p. 12-13).The alignment of molecular sequence data published by Schmitz and Moritz (1998. Molecular phylogeny of Vespidae (Hymenoptera) and the evolution of sociality in wasps, Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 9: 183-191) supported closer phylogenetic relationship of Eumeninae to Polistinae + Vespinae than Stenogastrinae, from which they concluded that social behavior has independently evolved twice in the wasp family Vespidae. However, their analyses also showed the Vespidae as paraphyletic in terms of the bee family Apidae. Simultaneous analysis of these molecular data with published morphological and behavioral characters is presented. The resulting cladograms support monophyly of Vespidae, as well as monophyly of social wasps, with the primitively social Stenogastrinae being more closely related to the highly social Polistinae + Vespinae than the solitary Eumeninae. A realignment of the sequence data is also presented, which is more parsimonious than that published by Schmitz and Moritz. Analysis of the realigned sequences also supports monophyly of Vespidae, as well as monophyly of social wasps, with the Stenogastrinae being more closely related to Polistinae + Vespinae than are Eumeninae