The Cosmic Neutrino Background on the Surface of the Earth

We argue that the reflection of relic neutrinos from the surface of the Earth results in a significant local $\nu-\bar{\nu}$ asymmetry, far exceeding the expected primordial lepton asymmetry. The net fractional electron neutrino number $\frac{n_{\nu_e}-n_{\bar{\nu}_e}}{n_{\nu_e}}$ is up to $\mathcal{O}(10^5) \sqrt{\frac{m_\nu}{0.1~\text{eV}}}$ larger than that implied by the baryon asymmetry. This enhancement is due to the weak 4-Fermi repulsion of the $\nu_e$ from ordinary matter which slows down the $\nu_e$ near the Earth's surface, and to the resulting evanescent neutrino wave that penetrates below the surface. This repulsion thus creates a net $\nu_e$ overdensity in a shell $\sim 7~\text{meters} \sqrt{\frac{0.1~\text{eV}}{m_\nu}}$ thick around the Earth's surface. Similarly the repulsion between $\bar{\nu}_\mu$ or $\bar{\nu}_\tau$ and ordinary matter creates an overdensity of $\bar{\nu}_{\mu, \tau}$ of similar size. These local enhancements increase the size of $\mathcal{O}(G_F)$ torques of the $C\nu B$ on spin-polarized matter by a factor of order $10^5$. In addition, they create a gradient of the net neutrino density which naturally provides a way out of the forty-year-old ``no-go'' theorems on the vanishing of $\mathcal{O}(G_F)$ forces. The torque resulting from such a gradient force can be $10^8$ times larger than that of earlier proposals. Although the size of these effects is still far from current reach, they may point to new directions for $C\nu B$ detection.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figures, references update

Mini-Split

The lack of evidence for new physics beyond the standard model at the LHC points to a paucity of new particles near the weak scale. This suggests that the weak scale is tuned and that supersymmetry, if present at all, is realized at higher energies. The measured Higgs mass constrains the scalar sparticles to be below 10^5 TeV, while gauge coupling unification favors Higgsinos below 100 TeV. Nevertheless, in many models gaugino masses are suppressed and remain within reach of the LHC. Tuning the weak scale and the renormalization group evolution of the scalar masses constrain Split model building. Due to the small gaugino masses, either the squarks or the up-higgs often run tachyonic; in the latter case, successful electroweak breaking requires heavy higgsinos near the scalar sparticles. We discuss the consequences of tuning the weak scale and the phenomenology of several models of Split supersymmetry including anomaly mediation, U(1)_(B-L) mediation, and Split gauge mediation.Comment: 26 pages, 12 figures; v2:discussion and figure on the status of fine-tuning in SUSY added, pheno section extende

Detecting high-frequency gravitational waves with optically-levitated sensors

We propose a tunable resonant sensor to detect gravitational waves in the frequency range of 50-300 kHz using optically trapped and cooled dielectric microspheres or micro-discs. The technique we describe can exceed the sensitivity of laser-based gravitational wave observatories in this frequency range, using an instrument of only a few percent of their size. Such a device extends the search volume for gravitational wave sources above 100 kHz by 1 to 3 orders of magnitude, and could detect monochromatic gravitational radiation from the annihilation of QCD axions in the cloud they form around stellar mass black holes within our galaxy due to the superradiance effect.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, 2 tables, submitted to PRL -- v2: GR calculation corrected, size of the signal and experimental geometry unaffected, cavity response included in sensitivity plot and LIGO sensitivity curves update

Indirect Signals from Dark Matter in Split Supersymmetry

We study the possibilities for the indirect detection of dark matter in Split Supersymmetry from gamma-rays, positrons, and antiprotons. The most promising signal is the gamma-ray line, which may be observable at the next generation of detectors. For certain halo profiles and a high mass neutralino, the line can even be visible in current experiments. The continuous gamma-ray signal may be observable, if there is a central spike in the galactic halo density. The signals are found to be similar to those in MSSM models. These indirect signals complement other experiments, being most easily observable for regions of parameter space, such as heavy wino and higgsino dominated neutralinos, which are least accessible for direct detection and accelerator searches.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures; experimental sensitivities added to figure 2, revised version to appear in Phys. Rev.