107 research outputs found
Chiral fermion mass and dispersion relations at finite temperature in the presence of hypermagnetic fields
We study the modifications to the real part of the thermal self-energy for
chiral fermions in the presence of a constant external hypermagnetic field. We
compute the dispersion relation for fermions occupying a given Landau level to
first order in g'^2, g^2 and g_phi^2 and to all orders in g'B, where g' and g
are the U(1)_Y and SU(2)_L couplings of the standard model, respectively, g_phi
is the fermion Yukawa coupling, and B is the hypermagnetic field strength. We
show that in the limit where the temperature is large compared to sqrt{g'B},
left- and right-handed modes acquire finite and different B-dependent masses
due to the chiral nature of their coupling with the external field. Given the
current bounds on the strength of primordial magnetic fields, we argue that the
above is the relevant scenario to study the effects of magnetic fields on the
propagation of fermions prior and during the electroweak phase transition.Comment: 11 pages 4 figures, published versio
Stringent Constraints on Cosmological Neutrino-Antineutrino Asymmetries from Synchronized Flavor Transformation
We assess a mechanism which can transform neutrino-antineutrino asymmetries
between flavors in the early universe, and confirm that such transformation is
unavoidable in the near bi-maximal framework emerging for the neutrino mixing
matrix. We show that the process is a standard Mikheyev-Smirnov-Wolfenstein
flavor transformation dictated by a synchronization of momentum states. We also
show that flavor ``equilibration'' is a special feature of maximal mixing, and
carefully examine new constraints placed on neutrino asymmetries. In
particular, the big bang nucleosynthesis limit on electron neutrino degeneracy
xi_e < 0.04 does not apply directly to all flavors, yet confirmation of the
large-mixing-angle solution to the solar neutrino problem will eliminate the
possibility of degenerate big bang nucleosynthesis.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures; minor changes to match PRD versio
Reexamining nonstandard interaction effects on supernova neutrino flavor oscillations
Several extensions of the standard electroweak model allow new four-fermion
interactions (nu_a nu_b * ff) with strength eps_ab*G_F, where (a,b) are flavor
indices. We revisit their effects on flavor oscillations of massive
(anti)neutrinos in supernovae, in order to achieve, in the region above the
protoneutron star, an analytical treatment valid for generic values of the
neutrino mixing angles (omega,phi,psi)=(theta_12,theta_13,theta_23). Assuming
that eps_ab<<1, we find that the leading effects on the flavor transitions
occurring at high (H) and low (L) density along the supernova matter profile
can be simply embedded through the replacements phi-->phi+eps_H and
omega-->omega+eps_L, respectively, where eps_H and eps_L are specific linear
combinations of the eps_ab's. Similar replacements hold for eventual
oscillations in the Earth matter. From a phenomenological point of view, the
most relevant consequence is a possible uncontrolled bias (phi-->phi+eps_H) in
the value of the mixing angle phi inferred by inversion of supernova neutrino
data. Such a drawback, however, does not preclude the discrimination of the
neutrino mass spectrum hierarchy (direct or inverse) through supernova neutrino
oscillations.Comment: Text clarified, one figure added. To appear in PR
Neutrino Propagation in a Strongly Magnetized Medium
We derive general expressions at the one-loop level for the coefficients of
the covariant structure of the neutrino self-energy in the presence of a
constant magnetic field. The neutrino energy spectrum and index of refraction
are obtained for neutral and charged media in the strong-field limit () using the lowest Landau level
approximation. The results found within the lowest Landau level approximation
are numerically validated, summing in all Landau levels, for strong and weakly-strong fields. The neutrino energy in
leading order of the Fermi coupling constant is expressed as the sum of three
terms: a kinetic-energy term, a term of interaction between the magnetic field
and an induced neutrino magnetic moment, and a rest-energy term. The leading
radiative correction to the kinetic-energy term depends linearly on the
magnetic field strength and is independent of the chemical potential. The other
two terms are only present in a charged medium. For strong and weakly-strong
fields, it is found that the field-dependent correction to the neutrino energy
in a neutral medium is much larger than the thermal one. Possible applications
to cosmology and astrophysics are considered.Comment: 23 pages, 4 figures. Corrected misprints in reference
The First Magnetic Fields
We review current ideas on the origin of galactic and extragalactic magnetic
fields. We begin by summarizing observations of magnetic fields at cosmological
redshifts and on cosmological scales. These observations translate into
constraints on the strength and scale magnetic fields must have during the
early stages of galaxy formation in order to seed the galactic dynamo. We
examine mechanisms for the generation of magnetic fields that operate prior
during inflation and during subsequent phase transitions such as electroweak
symmetry breaking and the quark-hadron phase transition. The implications of
strong primordial magnetic fields for the reionization epoch as well as the
first generation of stars is discussed in detail. The exotic, early-Universe
mechanisms are contrasted with astrophysical processes that generate fields
after recombination. For example, a Biermann-type battery can operate in a
proto-galaxy during the early stages of structure formation. Moreover, magnetic
fields in either an early generation of stars or active galactic nuclei can be
dispersed into the intergalactic medium.Comment: Accepted for publication in Space Science Reviews. Pdf can be also
downloaded from http://canopus.cnu.ac.kr/ryu/cosmic-mag1.pd
Anisotropy studies around the galactic centre at EeV energies with the Auger Observatory
Data from the Pierre Auger Observatory are analyzed to search for
anisotropies near the direction of the Galactic Centre at EeV energies. The
exposure of the surface array in this part of the sky is already significantly
larger than that of the fore-runner experiments. Our results do not support
previous findings of localized excesses in the AGASA and SUGAR data. We set an
upper bound on a point-like flux of cosmic rays arriving from the Galactic
Centre which excludes several scenarios predicting sources of EeV neutrons from
Sagittarius . Also the events detected simultaneously by the surface and
fluorescence detectors (the `hybrid' data set), which have better pointing
accuracy but are less numerous than those of the surface array alone, do not
show any significant localized excess from this direction.Comment: Matches published versio
The exposure of the hybrid detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory
The Pierre Auger Observatory is a detector for ultra-high energy cosmic rays.
It consists of a surface array to measure secondary particles at ground level
and a fluorescence detector to measure the development of air showers in the
atmosphere above the array. The "hybrid" detection mode combines the
information from the two subsystems. We describe the determination of the
hybrid exposure for events observed by the fluorescence telescopes in
coincidence with at least one water-Cherenkov detector of the surface array. A
detailed knowledge of the time dependence of the detection operations is
crucial for an accurate evaluation of the exposure. We discuss the relevance of
monitoring data collected during operations, such as the status of the
fluorescence detector, background light and atmospheric conditions, that are
used in both simulation and reconstruction.Comment: Paper accepted by Astroparticle Physic
Relativistic Wigner Function Approach to Neutrino Propagation in Matter
In this work we study the propagation of massive Dirac neutrinos in matter
with flavor mixing, using statistical techniques based on Relativistic Wigner
Functions. First, we consider neutrinos in equilibrium within the Hartree
approximation, and obtain the corresponding relativistic dispersion relations
and effective masses. After this, we analyze the same system out of
equilibrium. We verify that, under the appropiate physical conditions, the well
known equations for the MSW effect are recovered. The techniques we used here
appear as an alternative to describe neutrino properties and transport
equations in a consistent way.Comment: 18 pages, no figures. Revte
Evidence for a mixed mass composition at the `ankle' in the cosmic-ray spectrum
We report a first measurement for ultra-high energy cosmic rays of the
correlation between the depth of shower maximum and the signal in the water
Cherenkov stations of air-showers registered simultaneously by the fluorescence
and the surface detectors of the Pierre Auger Observatory. Such a correlation
measurement is a unique feature of a hybrid air-shower observatory with
sensitivity to both the electromagnetic and muonic components. It allows an
accurate determination of the spread of primary masses in the cosmic-ray flux.
Up till now, constraints on the spread of primary masses have been dominated by
systematic uncertainties. The present correlation measurement is not affected
by systematics in the measurement of the depth of shower maximum or the signal
in the water Cherenkov stations. The analysis relies on general characteristics
of air showers and is thus robust also with respect to uncertainties in
hadronic event generators. The observed correlation in the energy range around
the `ankle' at differs significantly from
expectations for pure primary cosmic-ray compositions. A light composition made
up of proton and helium only is equally inconsistent with observations. The
data are explained well by a mixed composition including nuclei with mass . Scenarios such as the proton dip model, with almost pure compositions, are
thus disfavoured as the sole explanation of the ultrahigh-energy cosmic-ray
flux at Earth.Comment: Published version. Added journal reference and DOI. Added Report
Numbe
Techniques for measuring aerosol attenuation using the Central Laser Facility at the Pierre Auger Observatory
The Pierre Auger Observatory in Malargüe, Argentina, is designed to study the properties of ultra-high energy cosmic rays with energies above 10(18) eV. It is a hybrid facility that employs a Fluorescence Detector to perform nearly calorimetric measurements of Extensive Air Shower energies. To obtain reliable calorimetric information from the FD, the atmospheric conditions at the observatory need to be continuously monitored during data acquisition. In particular, light attenuation due to aerosols is an important atmospheric correction. The aerosol concentration is highly variable, so that the aerosol attenuation needs to be evaluated hourly. We use light from the Central Laser Facility, located near the center of the observatory site, having an optical signature comparable to that of the highest energy showers detected by the FD. This paper presents two procedures developed to retrieve the aerosol attenuation of fluorescence light from CLF laser shots. Cross checks between the two methods demonstrate that results from both analyses are compatible, and that the uncertainties are well understood. The measurements of the aerosol attenuation provided by the two procedures are currently used at the Pierre Auger Observatory to reconstruct air shower data
- …