Three-dimensional Black Holes and Liouville Field Theory

A quantization of (2+1)-dimensional gravity with negative cosmological constant is presented and quantum aspects of the (2+1)-dimensional black holes are studied thereby. The quantization consists of two procedures. One is related with quantization of the asymptotic Virasoro symmetry. A notion of the Virasoro deformation of 3-geometry is introduced. For a given black hole, the deformation of the exterior of the outer horizon is identified with a product of appropriate coadjoint orbits of the Virasoro groups $\hat{diff S^1}_{\pm}$. Its quantization provides unitary irreducible representations of the Virasoro algebra, in which state of the black hole becomes primary. To make the quantization complete, holonomies, the global degrees of freedom, are taken into account. By an identification of these topological operators with zero modes of the Liouville field, the aforementioned unitary representations reveal, as far as $c \gg 1$, as the Hilbert space of this two-dimensional conformal field theory. This conformal field theory, living on the cylinder at infinity of the black hole and having continuous spectrums, can recognize the outer horizon only as a it one-dimensional object in $SL_2({\bf R})$ and realize it as insertions of the corresponding vertex operator. Therefore it can not be a conformal field theory on the horizon. Two possible descriptions of the horizon conformal field theory are proposed.Comment: 39 pages, LaTeX, 8 figures are added. Section 4.3 is revised and enlarged to include the case of conical singularities. Several typos are corrected. References are adde

Subaru weak-lensing study of A2163: bimodal mass structure

We present a weak-lensing analysis of the merging cluster A2163 using Subaru/Suprime-Cam and CFHT/Mega-Cam data and discuss the dynamics of this cluster merger, based on complementary weak-lensing, X-ray, and optical spectroscopic datasets. From two dimensional multi-component weak-lensing analysis, we reveal that the cluster mass distribution is well described by three main components, including a two component main cluster A2163-A with mass ratio 1:8, and its cluster satellite A2163-B. The bimodal mass distribution in A2163-A is similar to the galaxy density distribution, but appears as spatially segregated from the brightest X-ray emitting gas region. We discuss the possible origins of this gas-dark matter offset and suggest the gas core of the A2163-A subcluster has been stripped away by ram pressure from its dark matter component. The survival of this gas core to the tidal forces exerted by the main cluster let us infer a subcluster accretion with a non-zero impact parameter. Dominated by the most massive component of A2163-A, the mass distribution of A2163 is well described by a universal Navarro-Frenk-White profile as shown by a one-dimensional tangential shear analysis, while the singular-isothermal sphere profile is strongly ruled out. Comparing this cluster mass profile with profiles derived assuming intracluster medium hydrostatic equilibrium (H.E.) in two opposite regions of the cluster atmosphere has allowed us to confirm the prediction of a departure from H.E. in the eastern cluster side, presumably due to shock heating. Yielding a cluster mass estimate of M_{500}=11.18_{-1.46}^{+1.64}\times10^{14}h^{-1}Msun, our mass profile confirm the exceptionally high mass of A2163, consistent with previous analyses relying on the cluster dynamical analysis and Yx mass proxy.Comment: 17 pages, 11 figures, ApJ, in press. Full resolution version is available at http://www.asiaa.sinica.edu.tw/~okabe/files/a2163_WL_astroph.pd

Asthma diagnosis and treatment - 1012. The efficacy of budesonide in the treatmetn of acute asthma in children: a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial.

Background Current evidence suggests that inhaled glucocorticoids (IGC) have a more profound topical none genomic effect on bronchial airways as compared to systemic glucocorticoids. The value of adding IGC to current therapy of acute asthma is not well established. Methods We conducted a double-blind, randomized, two-arm, parallel groups, controlled clinical trial to compare the addition of budesonide 1500 mcg or placebo (normal saline) to standard acute asthma treatment (albuterol and ipratropium bromide) administered in 3 divided mixed doses within 1 hour in the emergency department (ED). Children 2-12 years of age with moderate or severe acute asthma, scoring 8-15/15 on a well-validated scoring system were included. Both groups received a single dose of prednisone 2 mg/kg/day (max. 60 mg) at the beginning of therapy. The primary outcome was admission rate within 2-4 hours from starting therapy. Results A total of 723 children were enrolled in the study over 17 months duration, of whom 139 were allowed to re-enroll and be randomized to constitute 906 randomization assignments (458 on the treatment group and 448 on the control group); with baseline mean + SD asthma score of 10.63 + 1.73; age 5.52 + 2.76 years; 35% girls; 30.8% (16.5%) with baseline severe asthma score of ≥12 (≥ 13). Statistical Analysis plan allowed for the potential dependency in response due to reenrollments of a subset of children, using Generalized Linear Mixed Modeling (GLMM) techniques. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were not significantly different between the two randomized groups. Seventy-five out of 458 (16.4%) of the treatment group vs. 82/448 (18.3%) of the control group were admitted, (OR 0.85, CI: 0.59-1.23, p-value=0.39). Among the severe asthmatics with baseline score ≥13, treatment vs. placebo group, GLMM adjusted admission rate was 30% vs. 47%, indicating a 17% difference in admission rate in favor of the treatment group (adjusted OR of 0.49, CI: 0.25-0.95; p-value= 0.035) that indicated a 51% reduction in the risk of admission for the treatment vs. control group. Conclusions Children with baseline severe asthma score ≥13 who were treated with budesonide had a significant reduction in their admission rate

A Free-Form Lensing Grid Solution for A1689 with New Mutiple Images

Hubble Space Telescope imaging of the galaxy cluster Abell 1689 has revealed an exceptional number of strongly lensed multiply-imaged galaxies, including high-redshift candidates. Previous studies have used this data to obtain the most detailed dark matter reconstructions of any galaxy cluster to date, resolving substructures ~25 kpc across. We examine Abell 1689 (hereafter, A1689) non-parametrically, combining strongly lensed images and weak distortions from wider field Subaru imaging, and we incorporate member galaxies to improve the lens solution. Strongly lensed galaxies are often locally affected by member galaxies, however, these perturbations cannot be recovered in grid based reconstructions because the lensing information is too sparse to resolve member galaxies. By adding luminosity-scaled member galaxy deflections to our smooth grid we can derive meaningful solutions with sufficient accuracy to permit the identification of our own strongly lensed images, so our model becomes self consistent. We identify 11 new multiply lensed system candidates and clarify previously ambiguous cases, in the deepest optical and NIR data to date from Hubble and Subaru. Our improved spatial resolution brings up new features not seen when the weak and strong lensing effects are used separately, including clumps and filamentary dark matter around the main halo. Our treatment means we can obtain an objective mass ratio between the cluster and galaxy components, for examining the extent of tidal stripping of the luminous member galaxies. We find a typical mass-to-light ratios of M/L_B = 21 inside the r<1 arcminute region that drops to M/L_B = 17 inside the r<40 arcsecond region. Our model independence means we can objectively evaluate the competitiveness of stacking cluster lenses for defining the geometric lensing-distance-redshift relation in a model independent way.Comment: 23 pages with 25 figures Replced with MNRAS submitted version. Some figures have been corrected and minor text edit

Generalized Gauge Theories and Weinberg-Salam Model with Dirac-K\"ahler Fermions

We extend previously proposed generalized gauge theory formulation of Chern-Simons type and topological Yang-Mills type actions into Yang-Mills type actions. We formulate gauge fields and Dirac-K\"ahler matter fermions by all degrees of differential forms. The simplest version of the model which includes only zero and one form gauge fields accommodated with the graded Lie algebra of $SU(2|1)$ supergroup leads Weinberg-Salam model. Thus the Weinberg-Salam model formulated by noncommutative geometry is a particular example of the present formulation.Comment: 33 pages, LaTe

The Surprisingly Steep Mass Profile of Abell 1689, from a Lensing Analysis of Subaru Images

Subaru observations of A1689 (z=0.183) are used to derive an accurate, model-independent mass profile for the entire cluster, r<2 Mpc/h, by combining magnification bias and distortion measurements. The projected mass profile steepens quickly with increasing radius, falling away to zero at r~1.0 Mpc/h, well short of the anticipated virial radius. Our profile accurately matches onto the inner profile, r<200 kpc/h, derived from deep HST/ACS images. The combined ACS and Subaru information is well fitted by an NFW profile with virial mass, (1.93 \pm 0.20)10^15 M_sun, and surprisingly high concentration, c_vir=13.7^{+1.4}_{-1.1}, significantly larger than theoretically expected (c_vir~4), corresponding to a relatively steep overall profile. A slightly better fit is achieved with a steep power-law model that has its 2D logarithmic slope -3 and core radius theta_c~1.7' (r_c~210 kpc/h), whereas an isothermal profile is strongly rejected. These results are based on a reliable sample of background galaxies selected to be redder than the cluster E/S0 sequence. By including the faint blue galaxy population a much smaller distortion signal is found, demonstrating that blue cluster members significantly dilute the true signal for r~400 kpc/h. This contamination is likely to affect most weak lensing results to date.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, to appear in ApJ

Weak Lensing Mass Measurements of Substructures in COMA Cluster with Subaru/Suprime-Cam

We obtain the projected mass distributions for two Subaru/Suprime-Cam fields in the southwest region (r\simlt 60') of the Coma cluster (z=0.0236) by weak lensing analysis and detect eight subclump candidates. We quantify the contribution of background large-scale structure (LSS) on the projected mass distributions using SDSS multi-bands and photometric data, under the assumption of mass-to-light ratio for field galaxies. We find that one of eight subclump candidates, which is not associated with any member galaxies, is significantly affected by LSS lensing. The mean projected mass for seven subclumps extracted from the main cluster potential is = (5.06\pm1.30)10^12h^-1 M_sun after a LSS correction. A tangential distortion profile over an ensemble of subclumps is well described by a truncated singular-isothermal sphere model and a truncated NFW model. A typical truncated radius of subclumps, r_t\simeq 35 h^-1 kpc, is derived without assuming any relations between mass and light for member galaxies. The radius coincides well with the tidal radius, \sim42 h^-1 kpc, of the gravitational force of the main cluster. Taking into account the incompleteness of data area, a projection effect and spurious lensing peaks, it is expected that mass of cluster substructures account for 19 percent of the virial mass, with 13 percent statistical error. The mass fraction of cluster substructures is in rough agreement with numerical simulations.Comment: ApJ, accepted, 16 pages, 10 figures and 4 tables. High-resolution pictures available at http://www.asiaa.sinica.edu.tw/~okabe/files/comaWL.pd

Planck Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Cluster Mass Calibration using Hyper Suprime-Cam Weak Lensing

Using $\sim$140 deg$^2$ Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) survey data, we stack the weak lensing (WL) signal around five Planck clusters found within the footprint. This yields a 15$\sigma$ detection of the mean Planck cluster mass density profile. The five Planck clusters span a relatively wide mass range, $M_{\rm WL,500c} = (2-30)\times10^{14}\,M_\odot/h$ with a mean mass of $M_{\rm WL,500c} = (4.15\pm0.61)\times10^{14}\,M_\odot/h$. The ratio of the stacked Planck Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) mass to the stacked WL mass is $\langle M_{\rm SZ}\rangle/\langle M_{\rm WL}\rangle = 1-b = 0.80\pm0.14$. This mass bias is consistent with previous WL mass calibrations of Planck clusters within the errors. We discuss the implications of our findings for the calibration of SZ cluster counts and the much discussed tension between Planck SZ cluster counts and Planck $\Lambda$CDM cosmology.Comment: 12 pages, 2 tables, 7 figures, accepted to PASJ special issu