Examples of Semiclassical Instanton-Like Scattering: Massless ϕ4\phi^4 and SU(2) Gauge Theories

Two-parameter sets of solutions to the classical field equations in the massless $\phi^4$ model and SU(2) gauge theory are found, each solution presumably describing a multi-particle instanton-like transition at high energy. In the limit of small number of initial particles, the probability of the transition is suppressed by $\exp(-2S_0)$, where $S_0$ is the instanton action.Comment: 18pp., LaTeX, to be published in Nucl. Phys.

Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays and Diffuse Photon Spectrum

It is argued that if extragalactic magnetic fields are smaller than 2x10^{-12} G the flux of ultra-high energy photons of (a few)x10^{-1} eV cm^{-2}s^{-1}sr^{-1} predicted in the top-down models of UHE CR implies similar flux of the diffuse photons in the energy range 10^{15}-10^{17} eV, which is close to the existing experimental limit.Comment: Talk given at XI Rencontres de Blois. 3 pages, no figure

On the offset of the DM cusp and the interpretation of the 130 GeV line as a DM signal

We show that the cusp in the dark matter (DM) distribution required to explain the recently found excess in the gamma-ray spectrum at energies ~130 GeV in terms of the DM annihilations cannot survive the tidal forces if it is offset by ~1.5^\circ from the Galactic centre as suggested by observations.Comment: 3 pages, replaced with journal versio

Correlations and Charge Composition of UHECR without Knowledge of Galactic Magnetic Field

We develop a formalism which allows to study correlations of charged UHECR with potential sources without using any Galactic Magnetic Field (GMF) model. The method is free of subjective chose of parameters on which the significance of correlations depends strongly. We show that correlations of the AGASA dataset with BL Lacs (found previously after reconstruction of particle trajectories in a specific GMF) are present intrinsically and can be detected without reference to a particular model of magnetic field.Comment: To be published in the Proceedings of the 28th International Cosmic Ray Conferenc

Growth of Black Holes in the interior of Rotating Neutron Stars

Mini-black holes made of dark matter that can potentially form in the interior of neutron stars have been always thought to grow by accreting the matter of the core of the star via a spherical Bondi accretion. However, neutron stars have sometimes significant angulal velocities that can in principle stall the spherical accretion and potentially change the conclusions derived about the time it takes for black holes to destroy a star. We study the effect of the star rotation on the growth of such black holes and the evolution of the black hole spin. Assuming no mechanisms of angular momentum evacuation, we find that even moderate rotation rates can in fact destroy spherical accretion at the early stages of the black hole growth. However, we demonstrate that the viscosity of nuclear matter can alleviate the effect of rotation, making it possible for the black hole to maintain spherical accretion while impeding the black hole from becoming maximally rotating.Comment: 9 page

On (Not)-Constraining Heavy Asymmetric Bosonic Dark Matter

Recently, constraints on bosonic asymmetric dark matter have been imposed based on the existence of old neutron stars excluding the dark matter masses in the range from $\sim 2$ keV up to several GeV. The constraints are based on the star destruction scenario where the dark matter particles captured by the star collapse forming a black hole that eventually consumes the host star. In addition, there were claims in the literature that similar constraints can be obtained for dark matter masses heavier than a few TeV. Here we argue that it is not possible to extend to these constraints. We show that in the case of heavy dark matter, instead of forming a single large black hole that consumes the star, the collapsing dark matter particles form a series of small black holes that evaporate fast without leading to the destruction of the star. Thus, no constraints arise for bosonic asymmetric dark matter particles with masses of a few TeV or higher

Sources of sub-GZK cosmic rays

We analyze the existing evidence that BL Lacertae objects (BL Lacs) are sources of the highest-energy cosmic rays. We argue that three independent signatures observed in the real data -- (1) improvement of correlations with corrections of trajectories for the Galactic magnetic field; (2) connection between gamma-ray and UHECR emissions; (3) non-uniform distribution of correlating rays over the sky -- are consistent with the hypothesis that a substantial fraction of cosmic rays in the energy range 40-60 EeV are protons accelerated in BL Lacs.Comment: Talk at the International Workshop on Extremely High Energy Cosmic Rays, November 5-6, 2002, RIKEN, Japa

Extra dimensions as an alternative to Higgs mechanism?

We show that a pure gauge theory in higher dimensions may lead to an effective lower-dimensional theory with massive vector field, broken gauge symmetry and no fundamental Higgs boson. The mechanism we propose employs the localization of a vector field on a lower-dimensional defect. No non-zero expectation values of the vector field components along extra dimensions are required. New possibilities for the solution to the gauge hierarchy problem are discussed.Comment: Latex, 7 pages, 1 fig. Few references added. Final version to appear in Phys.Lett.

Cuts and penalties: comment on "The clustering of ultra-high energy cosmic rays and their sources"

In a series of papers we have found statistically significant correlations between arrival directions of ultra-high energy cosmic rays and BL Lacertae objects. Recently, our calculations were partly repeated by Evans, Ferrer and Sarkar with different conclusions. We demonstrate that the criticism of Evans, Ferrer and Sarkar is incorrect. We also present the details of our method.Comment: Replaced with version accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Cosmic Rays from the Ankle to the Cut-Off

Recent advances in measuring and interpreting cosmic rays from the spectral ankle to the highest energies are briefly reviewed. The prime question at the highest energies is about the origin of the flux suppression observed at E ~ 4x10^{19} eV. Is this the long awaited GZK-effect or the exhaustion of sources? The key to answering this question will be provided by the largely unknown mass composition at the highest energies. The high level of isotropy observed even at the highest energies challenges models of a proton dominated composition if extragalactic magnetic fields are on the order of a few nG or less. We shall discuss the experimental and theoretical progress in the field and the prospects for the next decade.Comment: Invited review prepared for Comptes Rendus Physique (2014), in pres