|
|
Bernal, N., Martin-Albo, J., & Palomares-Ruiz, S. (2013). A novel way of constraining WIMPs annihilations in the Sun: MeV neutrinos. J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys., 08(8), 011–19pp.
Abstract: Annihilation of dark matter particles accumulated in the Sun would produce a flux of high-energy neutrinos whose prospects of detection in neutrino telescopes and detectors have been extensively discussed in the literature. However, for annihilations into Standard Model particles, there would also be a flux of neutrinos in the MeV range from the decays at rest of muons and positively charged pions. These low-energy neutrinos have never been considered before and they open the possibility to also constrain dark matter annihilation in the Sun into e(+)e(-), mu(+)mu(-) or light quarks. Here we perform a detailed analysis using the recent Super-Kamiokande data in the few tens of MeV range to set limits on the WIMP-nucleon scattering cross section for different annihilation channels and computing the evaporation rate of WIMPs from the Sun for all values of the scattering cross section in a consistent way.
|
|
|
|
Pierre Auger Collaboration(Aab, A. et al), & Pastor, S. (2014). Reconstruction of inclined air showers detected with the pierre Auger Observatory. J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys., 08(8), 019–32pp.
Abstract: We describe the method devised to reconstruct inclined cosmic-ray air showers with zenith angles greater than 60 degrees detected with the surface array of the Pierre Auger Observatory. The measured signals at the ground level are fitted to muon density distributions predicted with atmospheric cascade models to obtain the relative shower size as an overall normalization parameter. The method is evaluated using simulated showers to test its performance. The energy of the cosmic rays is calibrated using a sub-sample of events reconstructed with both the fluorescence and surface array techniques. The reconstruction method described here provides the basis of complementary analyses including an independent measurement of the energy spectrum of ultra-high energy cosmic rays using very inclined events collected by the Pierre Auger Observatory.
|
|
|
|
Easther, R., Price, L. C., & Rasero, J. (2014). Inflating an inhomogeneous universe. J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys., 08(8), 041–16pp.
Abstract: While cosmological inflation can erase primordial inhomogeneities, it is possible that inflation may not begin in a significantly inhomogeneous universe. This issue is particularly pressing in multifield scenarios, where even the homogeneous dynamics may depend sensitively on the initial configuration. This paper presents an initial survey of the onset of inflation in multifield models, via qualitative lattice-based simulations that do not include local gravitational backreaction. Using hybrid inflation as a test model, our results suggest that small subhorizon inhomogeneities do play a key role in determining whether inflation begins in multifield scenarios. Interestingly, some configurations which do not inflate in the homogeneous limit “succeed” after inhomogeneity is included, while other initial configurations which inflate in the homogeneous limit “fail” when inhomogeneity is added.
|
|
|
|
Pallis, C. (2014). Induced-gravity in inflation no-scale supergravity and beyond. J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys., 08(8), 057–20pp.
Abstract: Supersymmetric versions of induced-gravity inflation are formulated within Supergravity (SUGRA) employing two gauge singlet chiral super fields. The proposed super-potential is uniquely determined by applying a continuous R and a discrete Z(n) symmetry. We select two types of logarithmic Kahler potentials, one associated with a no-scale-type SU(2, 1)/SU(2) x U(1)(R) x Z(n) Kahler manifold and one more generic. In both cases, imposing a lower bound on the parameter c R involved in the coupling between the inflaton and the Ricci scalar curvature – e.g. c(R) greater than or similar to 76, 105, 310 for n – 2, 3 and 6 respectively -, inflation can be attained even for subplanckian values of the inflaton while the corresponding effective theory respects the perturbative unitarity. In the case of no-scale SUGRA we show that, for every n, the inflationary observables remain unchanged and in agreement with the current data while the inflaton mass is predicted to be 3 . 10(13) GeV. Beyond no-scale SUGRA the inflationary observables depend mildly on n and crucially on the coefficient involved in the fourth order term of the Kahler potential which mixes the inflaton with the accompanying non-inflaton field.
|
|
|
|
Achterberg, A., Amoroso, S., Caron, S., Hendriks, L., Ruiz de Austri, R., & Weniger, C. (2015). A description of the Galactic Center excess in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model. J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys., 08(8), 006–27pp.
Abstract: Observations with the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) indicate an excess in gamma rays originating from the center of our Galaxy. A possible explanation for this excess is the annihilation of Dark Matter particles. We have investigated the annihilation of neutralinos as Dark Matter candidates within the phenomenological Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (pMSSM). An iterative particle filter approach was used to search for solutions within the pMSSM. We found solutions that are consistent with astroparticle physics and collider experiments, and provide a fit to the energy spectrum of the excess. The neutralino is a Bino/Higgsino or Bino/Wino/Higgsino mixture with a mass in the range 84-92 GeV or 87-97 GeV annihilating into W bosons. A third solutions is found for a neutralino of mass 174-187 GeV annihilating into top quarks. The best solutions yield a Dark Matter relic density 0.06 < Omega h(2) < 0.13. These pMSSM solutions make clear forecasts for LHC, direct and indirect DM detection experiments. If the pMSSM explanation of the excess seen by Fermi-LAT is correct, a DM signal might be discovered soon.
|
|
