Searching for cosmological preferred axis using cosmographic approach

Recent released Planck data and other astronomical observations show that the universe may be anisotropic on large scales. This hints a cosmological privileged axis in our anisotropic expanding universe. This paper proceeds a modified redshift in anisotropic cosmological model as \( 1+\tilde{z}(t,\hat{\mathbf{p }})=\frac{a(t_{0)}}{a(t)}(1-A(\hat{\mathbf{n }}.\hat{\mathbf{p }}))\) (where A is the magnitude of anisotropy, \(\hat{\mathbf{n }}\) is the direction of privileged axis, and \(\hat{\mathbf{p }}\) is the direction of each SNe Ia sample to galactic coordinates) along with anisotropic parameter \(\delta =\frac{A(\hat{\mathbf{n }}.\hat{\mathbf{p }})}{1+A(\hat{\mathbf{n }}.\hat{\mathbf{p }})}\). The luminosity distance is expanded with model-independent cosmographic parameters as a function of modified redshift \(\tilde{z}\). As the transformation matrix \(M(n\times n)\) is obtained to convert the Taylor series coefficients of isotropic luminosity distance to corresponding anisotropic parameters. These results culminate the magnitude of anisotropy about \(\mid A\mid \simeq 10^{-3}\) and the direction of preferred axis as \((l,b)=\left( 297^{-34}_{+34},3^{-28}_{+28}\right) \), which are consistent with other studies in \(1-\sigma \) confidence level.     

A Note on Expansiveness and Hyperbolicity for Generic Geodesic Flows

In this short note we contribute to the generic dynamics of geodesic flows associated to metrics on compact Riemannian manifolds of dimension ≥?2. We prove that there exists a C²-residual subset \(\mathscr{R}\) of metrics on a given compact Riemannian manifold such that if \(g\in \mathscr{R}\), then its associated geodesic flow \({\varphi ^{t}_{g}}\) is expansive if and only if the closure of the set of periodic orbits of \({\varphi ^{t}_{g}}\) is a uniformly hyperbolic set. For surfaces, we obtain a stronger statement: there exists a C²-residual \(\mathscr{R}\) such that if \(g\in \mathscr{R}\), then its associated geodesic flow \({\varphi ^{t}_{g}}\) is expansive if and only if \({\varphi ^{t}_{g}}\) is an Anosov flow.     

Kinetically modified non-minimal inflation with exponential frame function

We consider supersymmetric (SUSY) and non-SUSY models of chaotic inflation based on the \(\phi ^n\) potential with \(n=2\) or 4. We show that the coexistence of an exponential non-minimal coupling to gravity \(f_\mathcal{R}=\mathrm{e}^{c_\mathcal{R}\phi ^{p}}\) with a kinetic mixing of the form \(f_{\mathrm{K}}=c_{\mathrm{K}}f_\mathcal{R}^m\) can accommodate inflationary observables favored by the Planck and Bicep2/Keck Array results for \(p=1\) and 2, \(1\le m\le 15\) and \(2.6\times 10^{-3}\le r_{\mathcal {R}\mathrm{K}}=c_\mathcal{R}/c_{\mathrm{K}}^{p/2}\le 1,\) where the upper limit is not imposed for \(p=1\). Inflation is of hilltop type and it can be attained for subplanckian inflaton values with the corresponding effective theories retaining the perturbative unitarity up to the Planck scale. The supergravity embedding of these models is achieved employing two chiral gauge singlet supefields, a monomial superpotential and several (semi)logarithmic or semi-polynomial Kähler potentials.     

Test the mergers of the primordial black holes by high frequency gravitational-wave detector

The black hole could have a primordial origin if its mass is less than \(1M_\odot \). The mergers of these black hole binaries generate stochastic gravitational-wave background (SGWB). We investigate the SGWB in high frequency band \(10^{8}\)–\(10^{10}\,\mathrm {Hz}\). It can be detected by high frequency gravitational-wave detector. Energy density spectrum and amplitude of the SGWB are derived. The upper limit of the energy density spectrum is around \(10^{-7}\). Also, the upper limit of the amplitude ranges from \(10^{-31.5}\) to \(10^{-29.5}\). The fluctuation of spacetime origin from gravitational wave could give a fluctuation of the background electromagnetic field in a high frequency gravitational-wave detector. The signal photon flux generated by the SGWB in the high frequency band \(10^{8}\)–\(10^{10}\,\mathrm {Hz}\) is derived, which ranges from 1 to \(10^2\,\mathrm {s^{-1}}\). The comparison between the signal photon flux generated by relic gravitational waves (RGWs) and the SGWB is also discussed in this paper. It is shown that the signal photon flux generated by the RGW, which is predicted by the canonical single-field slow-roll inflation models, is sufficiently lower than the one generated by the SGWB in the high frequency band \(10^{8}\)–\(10^{10}\,\mathrm {Hz}\). Our results indicate that the SGWB in the high frequency band \(10^{8}\)–\(10^{10}\,\mathrm {Hz}\) is more likely to be detected by the high frequency gravitational-wave detector.     

Search of the neutrino-less double beta decay of $$^{}$$Se into the excited states of $$^{}$$Kr with CUPID-0

The CUPID-0 experiment searches for double beta decay using cryogenic calorimeters with double (heat and light) read-out. The detector, consisting of 24 ZnSe crystals 95\(\%\) enriched in \(^{82}\)Se and two natural ZnSe crystals, started data-taking in 2017 at Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso. We present the search for the neutrino-less double beta decay of \(^{82}\)Se into the 0\(_1^+\), 2\(_1^+\) and 2\(_2^+\) excited states of \(^{82}\)Kr with an exposure of 5.74 kg\(\cdot \)yr (2.24\(\times \)10\(^{25}\) emitters\(\cdot \)yr). We found no evidence of the decays and set the most stringent limits on the widths of these processes: \(\varGamma \)(\(^{82}\)Se \(\rightarrow ^{82}\)Kr\(_{0_1^+}\))8.55\(\times \)10\(^{-24}\) yr\(^{-1}\), \(\varGamma \) (\(^{82}\) Se \(\rightarrow ^{82}\) Kr \(_{2_1^+}\))\(\,{<}\,6.25 \,{\times }\,10^{-24}\) yr\(^{-1}\), \(\varGamma \)(\(^{82}\)Se \(\rightarrow ^{82}\)Kr\(_{2_2^+}\))8.25\(\times \)10\(^{-24}\) yr\(^{-1}\) (90\(\%\) credible interval).     

$$\varvec{B^0\rightarrow K^{*0}\mu ^+\mu ^-}$$ decay in the aligned two-Higgs-doublet model

In the aligned two-Higgs-doublet model, we perform a complete one-loop computation of the short-distance Wilson coefficients \(C_{7,9,10}^{(\prime )}\), which are the most relevant ones for \(b\rightarrow s\ell ^+\ell ^-\) transitions. It is found that, when the model parameter \(\left| \varsigma _{u}\right| \) is much smaller than \(\left| \varsigma _{d}\right| \), the charged scalar contributes mainly to chirality-flipped \(C_{9,10}^\prime \), with the corresponding effects being proportional to \(\left| \varsigma _{d}\right| ^2\). Numerically, the charged-scalar effects fit into two categories: (A) \(C_{7,9,10}^\mathrm {H^\pm }\) are sizable, but \(C_{9,10}^{\prime \mathrm {H^\pm }}\simeq 0\), corresponding to the (large \(\left| \varsigma _{u}\right| \), small \(\left| \varsigma _{d}\right| \)) region; (B) \(C_7^\mathrm {H^\pm }\) and \(C_{9,10}^{\prime \mathrm {H^\pm }}\) are sizable, but \(C_{9,10}^\mathrm {H^\pm }\simeq 0\), corresponding to the (small \(\left| \varsigma _{u}\right| \), large \(\left| \varsigma _{d}\right| \)) region. Taking into account phenomenological constraints from the inclusive radiative decay \(B\rightarrow X_{s}{\gamma }\), as well as the latest model-independent global analysis of \(b\rightarrow s\ell ^+\ell ^-\) data, we obtain the much restricted parameter space of the model. We then study the impact of the allowed model parameters on the angular observables \(P_2\) and \(P_5'\) of \(B^0\rightarrow K^{*0}\mu ^+\mu ^-\) decay, and we find that \(P_5'\) could be increased significantly to be consistent with the experimental data in case B.     

Rapid communication: $$K_{S}^{0}$$ Production from beryllium target using 120 $$\hbox {GeV}/\hbox {c}$$GeV/c protons beam interactions at the MIPP experiment

We have measured the cross-section for the \(K_{S}^{0}\) production from beryllium target using 120 \(\hbox {GeV}/\hbox {c}\) protons beam interactions at the main injector particle production (MIPP) experiment at Fermilab. The data were collected with target having a thickness of 0.94% of the nuclear interaction length. The \(K_{S}^{0}\) inclusive differential cross-section in bins of momenta is presented covering momentum range from \(0.4\,\hbox {GeV}/\hbox {c}\) to \(30\,\hbox {GeV}/\hbox {c}\). The measured inclusive \(K_{S}^{0}\) production cross-section amounts to \(39.54\pm 1.46\delta _{\mathrm {stat}}\pm 6.97\delta _{\mathrm {syst}}\) mb and the value is compared with the prediction of FLUKA hadron production model.     

Spin density matrix of the $$\omega $$ in the reaction $${\bar{p}p}\,\rightarrow \,\omega \pi ^0$$p¯p→π0

The spin density matrix of the \(\omega \) has been determined for the reaction \({\bar{p}p}\,\rightarrow \,\omega \pi ^0\) with unpolarized in-flight data measured by the Crystal Barrel LEAR experiment at CERN. The two main decay modes of the \(\omega \) into \(\pi ^0 \gamma \) and \(\pi ^+ \pi ^- \pi ^0\) have been separately analyzed for various \({\bar{p}}\)momenta between 600 and 1940 MeV/c. The results obtained with the usual method by extracting the matrix elements via the \(\omega \) decay angular distributions and with the more sophisticated method via a full partial wave analysis are in good agreement. A strong spin alignment of the \(\omega \) is clearly visible in this energy regime and all individual spin density matrix elements exhibit an oscillatory dependence on the production angle. In addition, the largest contributing orbital angular momentum of the \({\bar{p}p~}\)system has been identified for the different beam momenta. It increases from \(L^{max}_{{\bar{p}p~}}\) \(=\) 2 at 600 MeV/c to \(L^{max}_{{\bar{p}p~}}\) \(=\) 5 at 1940 MeV/c.     

Consequences of R-parity violating interactions for anomalies in $${\bar{B}}\rightarrow D^{(*)} \tau {\bar{\nu }}$$ and $$b\rightarrow s \mu ^+\mu ^-$$b→sμ+μ-

We investigate the possibility of explaining the enhancement in semileptonic decays of \({\bar{B}} \rightarrow D^{(*)} \tau {\bar{\nu }}\), the anomalies induced by \(b\rightarrow s\mu ^+\mu ^-\) in \({\bar{B}}\rightarrow (K, K^*, \phi )\mu ^+\mu ^-\) and violation of lepton universality in \(R_K = \mathrm{Br}({\bar{B}}\rightarrow K \mu ^+\mu ^-)/\mathrm{Br}({\bar{B}}\rightarrow K e^+e^-)\) within the framework of R-parity violating MSSM. The exchange of down type right-handed squark coupled to quarks and leptons yields interactions which are similar to leptoquark induced interactions that have been proposed to explain the \({\bar{B}} \rightarrow D^{(*)} \tau {\bar{\nu }}\) by tree level interactions and \(b\rightarrow s \mu ^+\mu ^-\) anomalies by loop induced interactions, simultaneously. However, the Yukawa couplings in such theories have severe constraints from other rare processes in B and D decays. Although this interaction can provide a viable solution to the \(R(D^{(*)})\) anomaly, we show that with the severe constraint from \({\bar{B}} \rightarrow K \nu {\bar{\nu }}\), it is impossible to solve the anomalies in the \(b\rightarrow s \mu ^+\mu ^-\) process simultaneously.     

Likelihood analysis of the pMSSM11 in light of LHC 13-TeV data

We use MasterCode to perform a frequentist analysis of the constraints on a phenomenological MSSM model with 11 parameters, the pMSSM11, including constraints from \(\sim 36\)/fb of LHC data at 13 TeV and PICO, XENON1T and PandaX-II searches for dark matter scattering, as well as previous accelerator and astrophysical measurements, presenting fits both with and without the \((g-2)_\mu \) constraint. The pMSSM11 is specified by the following parameters: 3 gaugino masses \(M_{1,2,3}\), a common mass for the first-and second-generation squarks \(m_{\tilde{q}}\) and a distinct third-generation squark mass \(m_{\tilde{q}_3}\), a common mass for the first-and second-generation sleptons \(m_{\tilde{\ell }}\) and a distinct third-generation slepton mass \(m_{\tilde{\tau }}\), a common trilinear mixing parameter A, the Higgs mixing parameter \(\mu \), the pseudoscalar Higgs mass \(M_A\) and \(\tan \beta \). In the fit including \((g-2)_\mu \), a Bino-like \(\tilde{\chi }^0_{1}\) is preferred, whereas a Higgsino-like \(\tilde{\chi }^0_{1}\) is mildly favoured when the \((g-2)_\mu \) constraint is dropped. We identify the mechanisms that operate in different regions of the pMSSM11 parameter space to bring the relic density of the lightest neutralino, \(\tilde{\chi }^0_{1}\), into the range indicated by cosmological data. In the fit including \((g-2)_\mu \), coannihilations with \(\tilde{\chi }^0_{2}\) and the Wino-like \(\tilde{\chi }^\pm _{1}\) or with nearly-degenerate first- and second-generation sleptons are active, whereas coannihilations with the \(\tilde{\chi }^0_{2}\) and the Higgsino-like \(\tilde{\chi }^\pm _{1}\) or with first- and second-generation squarks may be important when the \((g-2)_\mu \) constraint is dropped. In the two cases, we present \(\chi ^2\) functions in two-dimensional mass planes as well as their one-dimensional profile projections and best-fit spectra. Prospects remain for discovering strongly-interacting sparticles at the LHC, in both the scenarios with and without the \((g-2)_\mu \) constraint, as well as for discovering electroweakly-interacting sparticles at a future linear \(e^+ e^-\) collider such as the ILC or CLIC.     

Spin-label Order Parameter Calibrations for Slow Motion

Calibrations are given to extract orientation order parameters from pseudo-powder electron paramagnetic resonance line shapes of ¹⁴N-nitroxide spin labels undergoing slow rotational diffusion. The nitroxide z-axis is assumed parallel to the long molecular axis. Stochastic-Liouville simulations of slow-motion 9.4-GHz spectra for molecular ordering with a Maier–Saupe orientation potential reveal a linear dependence of the splittings, \(2A_{\hbox{max} }\) and \(2A_{\hbox{min} }\), of the outer and inner peaks on order parameter \(S_{zz}\) that depends on the diffusion coefficient \(D_{{{\text{R}} \bot }}\) which characterizes fluctuations of the long molecular axis. This results in empirical expressions for order parameter and isotropic hyperfine coupling: \(S_{zz} = s_{1} \times \left( {A_{\hbox{max} } - A_{\hbox{min} } } \right) - s_{o}\) and \(a_{o}^{{}} = \tfrac{1}{3}\left( {f_{\hbox{max} } A_{\hbox{max} } + f_{\hbox{min} } A_{\hbox{min} } } \right) + \delta a_{o}\), respectively. Values of the calibration constants \(s_{1}\), \(s_{\text{o}}\), \(f_{\hbox{max} }\), \(f_{\hbox{min} }\) and \(\delta a_{o}\) are given for different values of \(D_{{{\text{R}} \bot }}\) in fast and slow motional regimes. The calibrations are relatively insensitive to anisotropy of rotational diffusion \((D_{{{\text{R}}//}} \ge D_{{{\text{R}} \bot }} )\), and corrections are less significant for the isotropic hyperfine coupling than for the order parameter.     

Induced-gravity GUT-scale Higgs inflation in supergravity

Models of induced-gravity inflation are formulated within Supergravity employing as inflaton the Higgs field which leads to a spontaneous breaking of a \(U(1)_{B-L}\) symmetry at \(M_\mathrm{GUT}=2\cdot 10^{16}~{\mathrm{GeV}}\). We use a renormalizable superpotential, fixed by a U(1) R symmetry, and Kähler potentials which exhibit a quadratic non-minimal coupling to gravity with or without an independent kinetic mixing in the inflaton sector. In both cases we find inflationary solutions of Starobinsky type whereas in the latter case, others (more marginal) which resemble those of linear inflation arise too. In all cases the inflaton mass is predicted to be of the order of \(10^{13}~{\mathrm{GeV}}\). Extending the superpotential of the model with suitable terms, we show how the MSSM \(\mu \) parameter can be generated. Also, non-thermal leptogenesis can be successfully realized, provided that the gravitino is heavier than about \(10~{\mathrm{TeV}}\).     

Structural and optical properties of BaZrO$$_{}$$:Eu$$^{+}$$+phosphor

BaZrO\(_{3}\):Eu\(^{3+}\) perovskite phosphors were successfully synthesized by employing combustion method. The structure, morphology and optical properties of material have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and fluorescence spectrometry. The XRD results indicate that crystals of BaZrO\(_{3}\):Eu\(^{3+}\) belongs to cubic perovskite system. The phosphors can be effectively excited by UV light and the emission spectra results indicate that reddish-orange luminescence dominates due to parity allowed magnetic dipole transition \(^{5}\)D\(_{0}\rightarrow ^{7}\)F\(_{1}\) located at 593 nm. The prepared phosphor show remarkable luminescent properties which find applications in field emission displays and plasma display panels.     

Decay widths of the spin-2 partners of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">X</Emphasis>(3872)

We consider the X(3872) resonance as a \(J^\mathrm{{PC}}=1^{++}\) \(D\bar{D}^*\) hadronic molecule. According to heavy quark spin symmetry, there will exist a partner with quantum numbers \(2^{++}\), \(X_{2}\), which would be a \(D^*\bar{D}^*\) loosely bound state. The \(X_{2}\) is expected to decay dominantly into \(D\bar{D}\), \(D\bar{D}^*\) and \(\bar{D} D^*\) in d-wave. In this work, we calculate the decay widths of the \(X_{2}\) resonance into the above channels, as well as those of its bottom partner, \(X_{b2}\), the mass of which comes from assuming heavy flavor symmetry for the contact terms. We find partial widths of the \(X_{2}\) and \(X_{b2}\) of the order of a few MeV. Finally, we also study the radiative \(X_2\rightarrow D\bar{D}^{*}\gamma \) and \(X_{b2} \rightarrow \bar{B} B^{*}\gamma \) decays. These decay modes are more sensitive to the long-distance structure of the resonances and to the \(D\bar{D}^{*}\) or \(B\bar{B}^{*}\) final state interaction.     

On the Convexity of the KdV Hamiltonian

Motivated by perturbation theory, we prove that the nonlinear part \({H^{*}}\) of the KdV Hamiltonian \({H^{kdv}}\), when expressed in action variables \({I = (I_{n})_{n \geqslant 1}}\), extends to a real analytic function on the positive quadrant \({\ell^{2}_{+}(\mathbb{N})}\) of \({\ell^{2}(\mathbb{N})}\) and is strictly concave near \({0}\). As a consequence, the differential of \({H^{*}}\) defines a local diffeomorphism near 0 of \({\ell_{\mathbb{C}}^{2}(\mathbb{N})}\). Furthermore, we prove that the Fourier-Lebesgue spaces \({\mathcal{F}\mathcal{L}^{s,p}}\) with \({-1/2 \leqslant s \leqslant 0}\) and \({2 \leqslant p < \infty}\), admit global KdV-Birkhoff coordinates. In particular, it means that \({\ell^{2}_+(\mathbb{N})}\) is the space of action variables of the underlying phase space \({\mathcal{F}\mathcal{L}^{-1/2,4}}\) and that the KdV equation is globally in time \({C^{0}}\)-well-posed on \({\mathcal{F}\mathcal{L}^{-1/2,4}}\).     

Likelihood analysis of the minimal AMSB model

We perform a likelihood analysis of the minimal anomaly-mediated supersymmetry-breaking (mAMSB) model using constraints from cosmology and accelerator experiments. We find that either a wino-like or a Higgsino-like neutralino LSP, \(\tilde{\chi }^0_{1}\), may provide the cold dark matter (DM), both with similar likelihoods. The upper limit on the DM density from Planck and other experiments enforces \(m_{\tilde{\chi }^0_{1}} \lesssim 3 \,\, \mathrm {TeV}\) after the inclusion of Sommerfeld enhancement in its annihilations. If most of the cold DM density is provided by the \(\tilde{\chi }^0_{1}\), the measured value of the Higgs mass favours a limited range of \(\tan \beta \sim 5\) (and also for \(\tan \beta \sim 45\) if \(\mu > 0\)) but the scalar mass \(m_0\) is poorly constrained. In the wino-LSP case, \(m_{3/2}\) is constrained to about \(900\,\, \mathrm {TeV}\) and \(m_{\tilde{\chi }^0_{1}}\) to \(2.9\pm 0.1\,\, \mathrm {TeV}\), whereas in the Higgsino-LSP case \(m_{3/2}\) has just a lower limit \(\gtrsim 650\,\, \mathrm {TeV}\) (\(\gtrsim 480\,\, \mathrm {TeV}\)) and \(m_{\tilde{\chi }^0_{1}}\) is constrained to \(1.12 ~(1.13) \pm 0.02\,\, \mathrm {TeV}\) in the \(\mu >0\) (\(\mu <0\)) scenario. In neither case can the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon, \((g-2)_\mu \), be improved significantly relative to its Standard Model (SM) value, nor do flavour measurements constrain the model significantly, and there are poor prospects for discovering supersymmetric particles at the LHC, though there are some prospects for direct DM detection. On the other hand, if the \(\tilde{\chi }^0_{1}\) contributes only a fraction of the cold DM density, future LHC Open image in new window -based searches for gluinos, squarks and heavier chargino and neutralino states as well as disappearing track searches in the wino-like LSP region will be relevant, and interference effects enable \(\mathrm{BR}(B_{s, d} \rightarrow \mu ^+\mu ^-)\) to agree with the data better than in the SM in the case of wino-like DM with \(\mu > 0\).     

Studying the Fourth Generation Quark Contributions to the Double Charm Decays B(s)→D(s)(∗)Ds(∗)

Almost all branching ratios and longitudinal polarization fractions of the double charm decays \(B_{(s)} \to D_{(s)}^{(*)} D_{s}^{(*)}\) have been measured, and the experimental central value of \(f_{L}({B^{0}_{s}}\to D^{*+}_{s}D^{*-}_{s})\) is quite small comparing to its Standard Model prediction. We study the fourth generation quark contributions to the double charm decays \(B_{(s)} \to D_{(s)}^{(*)} D_{s}^{(*)}\). We find that the loop diagrams involving the fourth generation quark t′ have great effects on all branching ratios and CP asymmetries, which are very sensitive to the fourth generation parameter \(\lambda ^{s}_{t^{\prime }}\) and \(\phi _{t^{\prime }}\). Nevertheless, the experimental measurements of all branching ratios can not give effective constraints on relevant new physics parameters. In addition, they have no obvious effect on the relevant polarization fractions. These results could be used to search for the fourth heavy quark t′ via its indirect manifestations in loop diagrams.     

Reexploration of interacting holographic dark energy model: cases of interaction term excluding the Hubble parameter

In this paper, we make a deep analysis for the five typical interacting holographic dark energy models with the interaction terms \(Q=3\beta H_{0}\rho _\mathrm{{de}}\), \(Q=3\beta H_{0}\rho _\mathrm{{c}}\), \(Q=3\beta H_{0}(\rho _\mathrm{{de}}+\rho _\mathrm{c})\), \(Q=3\beta H_{0}\sqrt{\rho _\mathrm{{de}}\rho _\mathrm{c}}\), and \(Q=3\beta H_{0}\frac{\rho _\mathrm{{de}}\rho _{c}}{\rho _\mathrm{{de}}+\rho _\mathrm{c}}\), respectively. We obtain observational constraints on these models by using the type Ia supernova data (the Joint Light-Curve Analysis sample), the cosmic microwave background data (Planck 2015 distance priors), the baryon acoustic oscillations data, and the direct measurement of the Hubble constant. We find that the values of \(\chi _\mathrm{min}^2\) for all the five models are almost equal (around 699), indicating that the current observational data equally favor these IHDE models. In addition, a comparison with the cases of an interaction term involving the Hubble parameter H is also made.