Dense DM clumps seeded by cosmic string loops and DM annihilation

We develop a model of production of the very dense clumps of DM in RD epoch due to the accretion of DM on the loops of cosmic strings as the seeds. At some time the loops disappear, for example due to the gravitational radiation, and the remaining dense clumps produce the enhancement of the annihilation signal. We take into account the velocity distribution of the strings, and consider the two extreme regimes of DM annihilation: fast decay and continuous evaporation. The produced annihilation flux of gamma radiation is detectable, and for some parameters of DM particles and the strings can exceed the extragalactic flux of the gamma-radiation observed by Fermi. For the fixed parameters of DM particles (e.g. neutralino with fixed masses and cross-section of annihilation) one can obtain the limits on the basic string parameter, tension \mu, which is stronger than (more general) limits obtained from WMAP observations, cosmological nucleosynthesis and gravitational lensing. In particular for the neutralino with 100 GeV mass we exclude the interval 5\times10^{-10}<G{\mu}/c^2<5.1\times10^{-9}.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures, published versio

Running Spectral Index and Formation of Primordial Black Hole in Single Field Inflation Models

A broad range of single field models of inflation are analyzed in light of all relevant recent cosmological data, checking whether they can lead to the formation of long-lived Primordial Black Holes (PBHs). To that end we calculate the spectral index of the power spectrum of primordial perturbations as well as its first and second derivatives. PBH formation is possible only if the spectral index increases significantly at small scales, i.e. large wave number $k$. Since current data indicate that the first derivative $\alpha_S$ of the spectral index $n_S(k_0)$ is negative at the pivot scale $k_0$, PBH formation is only possible in the presence of a sizable and positive second derivative ("running of the running") $\beta_S$. Among the three small-field and five large-field models we analyze, only one small-field model, the "running mass" model, allows PBH formation, for a narrow range of parameters. We also note that none of the models we analyze can accord for a large and negative value of $\alpha_S$, which is weakly preferred by current data.Comment: 26 pages, 5 figures, Refs. added, Minor textual change; version to appear in JCA

Active Galactic Nuclei at the Crossroads of Astrophysics

Over the last five decades, AGN studies have produced a number of spectacular examples of synergies and multifaceted approaches in astrophysics. The field of AGN research now spans the entire spectral range and covers more than twelve orders of magnitude in the spatial and temporal domains. The next generation of astrophysical facilities will open up new possibilities for AGN studies, especially in the areas of high-resolution and high-fidelity imaging and spectroscopy of nuclear regions in the X-ray, optical, and radio bands. These studies will address in detail a number of critical issues in AGN research such as processes in the immediate vicinity of supermassive black holes, physical conditions of broad-line and narrow-line regions, formation and evolution of accretion disks and relativistic outflows, and the connection between nuclear activity and galaxy evolution.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figures; review contribution; "Exploring the Cosmic Frontier: Astrophysical Instruments for the 21st Century", ESO Astrophysical Symposia Serie