MIMAC : Detection of low energy recoils for Dark Matter search

The MIMAC project is based on a matrix of Micro Time Projection Chambers (micro-TPC) for Dark Matter search, filled with He3 or CF4 and using ionization and tracks. The first measurement of the energy resolution of this micro-TPC is presented as well as its low thresholdComment: Dark Energy and Dark Matter conference, Lyon : France (2008

Agnostic cosmology in the CAMEL framework

Cosmological parameter estimation is traditionally performed in the Bayesian context. By adopting an "agnostic" statistical point of view, we show the interest of confronting the Bayesian results to a frequentist approach based on profile-likelihoods. To this purpose, we have developed the Cosmological Analysis with a Minuit Exploration of the Likelihood ("CAMEL") software. Written from scratch in pure C++, emphasis was put in building a clean and carefully-designed project where new data and/or cosmological computations can be easily included. CAMEL incorporates the latest cosmological likelihoods and gives access from the very same input file to several estimation methods: (i) A high quality Maximum Likelihood Estimate (a.k.a "best fit") using MINUIT ; (ii) profile likelihoods, (iii) a new implementation of an Adaptive Metropolis MCMC algorithm that relieves the burden of reconstructing the proposal distribution. We present here those various statistical techniques and roll out a full use-case that can then used as a tutorial. We revisit the $\Lambda$CDM parameters determination with the latest Planck data and give results with both methodologies. Furthermore, by comparing the Bayesian and frequentist approaches, we discuss a "likelihood volume effect" that affects the optical reionization depth when analyzing the high multipoles part of the Planck data. The software, used in several Planck data analyzes, is available from http://camel.in2p3.fr. Using it does not require advanced C++ skills.Comment: Typeset in Authorea. Online version available at: https://www.authorea.com/users/90225/articles/104431/_show_articl

Relieving tensions related to the lensing of CMB temperature power spectra

The angular power spectra of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) temperature anisotropies reconstructed from Planck data seem to present too much gravitational lensing distortion. This is quantified by the control parameter $A_L$ that should be compatible with unity for a standard cosmology. With the Class Boltzmann solver and the profile-likelihood method, for this parameter we measure a 2.6$\sigma$ shift from 1 using the Planck public likelihoods. We show that, owing to strong correlations with the reionization optical depth $\tau$ and the primordial perturbation amplitude $A_s$, a $\sim2\sigma$ tension on $\tau$ also appears between the results obtained with the low ($\ell\leq 30$) and high ($30<\ell\lesssim 2500$) multipoles likelihoods. With Hillipop, another high-$\ell$ likelihood built from Planck data, this difference is lowered to $1.3\sigma$. In this case, the $A_L$ value is still in disagreement with unity by $2.2\sigma$, suggesting a non-trivial effect of the correlations between cosmological and nuisance parameters. To better constrain the nuisance foregrounds parameters, we include the very high $\ell$ measurements of the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) and South Pole Telescope (SPT) experiments and obtain $A_L = 1.03 \pm 0.08$. The Hillipop+ACT+SPT likelihood estimate of the optical depth is $\tau=0.052\pm{0.035,}$ which is now fully compatible with the low $\ell$ likelihood determination. After showing the robustness of our results with various combinations, we investigate the reasons for this improvement that results from a better determination of the whole set of foregrounds parameters. We finally provide estimates of the $\Lambda$CDM parameters with our combined CMB data likelihood.Comment: accepted by A&

Career guidance in communities

Career guidance in communities, by Rie Thomsen, Aarhus, Denmark, Aarhus University Press, 2012, 256 pp., £34.78 (paperback), ISBN 9788771240122 Reviewed by Tristram Hooley, Reader in Career Development, University of Derby, UK. Email: [email protected]/

Effects of No-Tillage Production Practices on Crop Yields as Influenced by Crop and Growing Environment Factors

This paper evaluated differences between yields of no-tillage compared to conventional or reduced tillage and their associated downside risk. Six crops were evaluated along with how those yields and risks differed by various environmental factors such geographic location, precipitation, soil type and how long the practice had been used.no-tillage, conservation, conventional tillage, downside-risk, yield, Agribusiness, Environmental Economics and Policy, Farm Management, Land Economics/Use, Production Economics, Risk and Uncertainty,

Vortices in atomic-molecular Bose-Einstein condensates

The structure and stability of vortices in hybrid atomic-molecular Bose-Einstein condensates is analyzed in the framework of a two-component Gross-Pitaevskii-type model that describes the stimulated Raman-induced photoassociation process. New types of topological vortex states are predicted to exist in the coherently coupled two-component condensates even without a trap, and their nontrivial dynamics in the presence of losses is demonstrated.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure

MIMAC : a micro-TPC detector for non-baryonic dark matter search

The MIMAC project is multi-chamber detector for Dark Matter search, aiming at measuring both track and ionization with a matrix of micromegas micro-TPC filled with He3 and CF4. Recent experimental results on the first measurements of the Helium quenching factor at low energy (1 keV recoil) are presented.Comment: 7 pages, Proc of Dark Energy and Dark Matter conference, Lyon : France (2008

HFI L2 DPC destripping and mapmaking modules

PoS(CMB2006)049International audienceThe data processing of the data from the High Frequency Instrument (HFI) of the Planck mission will use several modules. Destriping is expected to play a central role in the mapmaking stage. This paper outlines two existing HFI l2 DPC destriping modules together with estimations of their performances. MOKAPIX is a temperature data destriping tool based on scanning redundancies on the sky. We have developped another modules, BOGOPIX , based on the same philosophy, to perform simultaneously destriping and relative intercalibration

Evaluating land cover influences on model uncertainties—A case study of cropland carbon dynamics in the Mid-Continent Intensive Campaign region

tQuantifying spatial and temporal patterns of carbon sources and sinks and their uncertainties acrossagriculture-dominated areas remains challenging for understanding regional carbon cycles. Character-istics of local land cover inputs could impact the regional carbon estimates but the effect has not beenfully evaluated in the past. Within the North American Carbon Program Mid-Continent Intensive (MCI)Campaign, three models were developed to estimate carbon fluxes on croplands: an inventory-basedmodel, the Environmental Policy Integrated Climate (EPIC) model, and the General Ensemble biogeo-chemical Modeling System (GEMS) model. They all provided estimates of three major carbon fluxes oncropland: net primary production (NPP), net ecosystem production (NEP), and soil organic carbon (SOC)change. Using data mining and spatial statistics, we studied the spatial distribution of the carbon fluxesuncertainties and the relationships between the uncertainties and the land cover characteristics. Resultsindicated that uncertainties for all three carbon fluxes were not randomly distributed, but instead formedmultiple clusters within the MCI region. We investigated the impacts of three land cover characteristicson the fluxes uncertainties: cropland percentage, cropland richness and cropland diversity. The resultsindicated that cropland percentage significantly influenced the uncertainties of NPP and NEP, but noton the uncertainties of SOC change. Greater uncertainties of NPP and NEP were found in counties withsmall cropland percentage than the counties with large cropland percentage. Cropland species richnessand diversity also showed negative correlations with the model uncertainties. Our study demonstratedthat the land cover characteristics contributed to the uncertainties of regional carbon fluxes estimates.The approaches we used in this study can be applied to other ecosystem models to identify the areaswith high uncertainties and where models can be improved to reduce overall uncertainties for regionalcarbon flux estimates

Definition, Capabilities, and Components of a Terrestrial Carbon Monitoring System

Research efforts for effectively and consistently monitoring terrestrial carbon are increasing in number. As such, there is a need to define carbon monitoring and how it relates to carbon cycle science and carbon management. There is also a need to identify capabilities of a carbon monitoring system and the system components needed to develop the capabilities. Capabilities that enable the effective application of a carbon monitoring system for monitoring and management purposes may include: reconciling carbon stocks and fluxes, developing consistency across spatial and temporal scales, tracking horizontal movement of carbon, attribution of emissions to originating sources, cross-sectoral accounting, uncertainty quantification, redundancy and policy relevance. Focused research is needed to integrate these capabilities for sustained estimates of carbon stocks and fluxes. Additionally, if monitoring is intended to inform management decisions, management priorities should be considered prior to development of a monitoring system