The upper bound on the tensor-to-scalar ratio consistent with quantum gravity

We consider the polynomial inflation with the tensor-to-scalar ratio as large as possible which can be consistent with the quantum gravity(QG) corrections and effective field theory(EFT). To get a minimal field excursion Δ? for enough e-folding number N, the inflaton field traverses an extremely flat part of the scalar potential, which results in the Lyth bound to be violated. We get a CMB signal consistent with Planck data by numerically computing the equation of motion for inflaton ? and using Mukhanov–Sasaki formalism for primordial spectrum. Inflation ends at Hubble slow-roll parameter ■. Interestingly, we find an excellent practical bound on the inflaton excursion in the format ■, where a is a tiny real number and b is at the order 1. To be consistent with QG/EFT and suppress the high-dimensional operators, we show that the concrete condition on inflaton excursion is ■. For n_s= 0.9649,N_e= 55, and ■0.632 MPl, we predict that the tensor-to-scalar ratio is smaller than 0.0012 for such polynomial inflation to be consistent with QG/EFT.     

Using Pantheon and Hubble parameter data to constrain the Ricci dark energy in a Bianchi I Universe

In this work, we use the most recent publicly available type Ia supernova (SNIa) compilations and H(z) data. A well formulated cosmological model based on Bianchi type I (BI) metric is implemented in the presence of the Ricci dark energy model. Using the maximum likelihood technique, we estimate the present value of Hubble's constant H₀ = 70.339 ± 0.743, matter density parameter ${{\rm{\Omega }}}_{{m}_{0}}=0.297\pm 0.031$, anisotropy parameter ${{\rm{\Omega }}}_{{\sigma }_{0}}=\,$−0.004 01 ± 0.001 07 within $1\sigma ^{\prime} $ confidence level by bounding our derived model with recent joint Pantheon and H(z) data. We have constrained the present value of the equation of state parameter as ω_de = −1.17 joint with the observational data. The present value of the deceleration parameter of the Universe in the derived model is obtained as ${q}_{0}=-{0.749}_{-0.086}^{+0.076}$. Transition redshift is also derived as ${z}_{\mathrm{tr}}\sim 0.551$ with the recent observations (Pantheon + H(z)) datasets. Finally, we compare the anisotropy effects on the evolution of H(z) for the proposed model under consideration with different observational datasets.     

Constraints on neutrino mass in the scenario of vacuum energy interacting with cold dark matter after Planck 2018

In this work, we investigate the constraints on the total neutrino mass in the scenario of vacuum energy interacting with cold dark matter (abbreviated as IΛCDM) by using the latest cosmological observations. We consider four typical interaction forms, i.e. $Q=\beta H{\rho }_{\mathrm{de}}$, $Q=\beta H{\rho }_{{\rm{c}}}$, $Q=\beta {H}_{0}{\rho }_{\mathrm{de}}$, and $Q=\beta {H}_{0}{\rho }_{{\rm{c}}}$, in the IΛCDM scenario. To avoid the large-scale instability problem in interacting dark energy models, we employ the extended parameterized post-Friedmann method for interacting dark energy to calculate the perturbation evolution of dark energy in these models. The observational data used in this work include the cosmic microwave background (CMB) measurements from the Planck 2018 data release, the baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) data, the type Ia supernovae (SN) observation (Pantheon compilation), and the 2019 local distance ladder measurement of the Hubble constant H₀ from the Hubble Space Telescope. We find that, compared with those in the ΛCDM+$\sum {m}_{\nu }$ model, the constrains on $\sum {m}_{\nu }$ are looser in the four IΛCDM+$\sum {m}_{\nu }$ models. When considering the three mass hierarchies of neutrinos, the constraints on $\sum {m}_{\nu }$ are tightest in the degenerate hierarchy case and loosest in the inverted hierarchy case. In addition, in the four IΛCDM+$\sum {m}_{\nu }$ models, the values of coupling parameter β are larger using the CMB+BAO+SN+H₀ data combination than that using the CMB+BAO+SN data combination, and β>0 is favored at more than 1σ level when using CMB+BAO+SN+H₀ data combination. The issue of the H₀ tension is also discussed in this paper. We find that, compared with the ΛCDM+$\sum {m}_{\nu }$ model, the H₀ tension can be alleviated in the IΛCDM+$\sum {m}_{\nu }$ model to some extent.     

A measurement of semileptonic B decaysto narrow orbitally-excited charm mesons

The decay chain is identified in a sample of 3.9 million hadronic Z decays collected with the OPAL detector at LEP. The branching ratio BR is measured to be for the J ^P =1⁺ (D⁰ ₁) state. For decays into the J ^P =2⁺ (D₂ ^*0) state, an upper limit of 1.4 x 10^-3 is placed on the branching ratio at the 95% confidence level.Received: 20 December 2002, Revised: 15 April 2003, Published online: 12 September 2003     

Searching for isotropic stochastic gravitational-wave background in the international pulsar timing array second data release

We search for isotropic stochastic gravitational-wave background (SGWB) in the International Pulsar Timing Array second data release. By modeling the SGWB as a power-law, we find very strong Bayesian evidence for a common-spectrum process, and further this process has scalar transverse (ST) correlations allowed in general metric theory of gravity as the Bayes factor in favor of the ST-correlated process versus the spatially uncorrelated common-spectrum process is 30 ± 2. The median and the 90% equal-tail amplitudes of ST mode are ${{ \mathcal A }}_{\mathrm{ST}}={1.29}_{-0.44}^{+0.51}\times {10}^{-15}$, or equivalently the energy density parameter per logarithm frequency is ${{\rm{\Omega }}}_{\mathrm{GW}}^{\mathrm{ST}}={2.31}_{-1.30}^{+2.19}\times {10}^{-9}$, at frequency of 1 year⁻¹. However, we do not find any statistically significant evidence for the tensor transverse (TT) mode and then place the 95% upper limits as ${{ \mathcal A }}_{\mathrm{TT}}\lt 3.95\times {10}^{-15}$, or equivalently ${{\rm{\Omega }}}_{\mathrm{GW}}^{\mathrm{TT}}\lt 2.16\times {10}^{-9}$, at frequency of 1 year⁻¹.     

Mono-top signature from stop decay at the HE-LHC

Searching for the top squark(stop)is a key task to test the naturalness of SUSY.Different from stop pair production,single stop production relies on its electroweak properties and can provide some unique signatures.Following the single production process pp→t^~1X(~)1→tX^~1⁰X^~1^-,the top quark has two decay channels:leptonic channel and hadronic channel.In this paper,we probe the observability of these two channels in a simplified minimal supersymmetric standard model scenario.We find that,at the 27 TeV LHC with the integrated luminosity of L=15 ab^-1,mt^-1<1900 GeV andμ<750 GeV can be excluded at 2σthrough the leptonic mono-top channel,while m_t^-1<1200 GeV andμ<350 GeV can be excluded at 2σthrough the hadronic channel.     

Impurity effects of the Λhyperon in the hypernuclear systems ${}_{{\rm{\Lambda }}}^{25}\mathrm{Mg}$ and ${}_{{\rm{\Lambda }}}^{29}\mathrm{Si}$

Based on the beyond-mean-field Skyrme–Hartree–Fock model, impurity effects of the Λhyperon in the hypernuclear systems ${}_{\,{\rm{\Lambda }}}^{25}$ Mg and ${}_{\,{\rm{\Lambda }}}^{29}$ Si are investigated, respectively. Four cases, in which the Λhyperon occupies the single-particle orbitals ${\rm{\Lambda }}$[000]${\tfrac{1}{2}}^{+}$, ${\rm{\Lambda }}$[110]${\tfrac{1}{2}}^{-}$, ${\rm{\Lambda }}$[101]${\tfrac{3}{2}}^{-}$ and ${\rm{\Lambda }}$[101]${\tfrac{1}{2}}^{-}$, are focused. In each case, the potential energy surface and the energy curves projected on certain angular momenta are employed to show the influence of the Λhyperon on the nuclear core. Beside the shrinkage effect that is induced by the Λhyperon occupying the s_Λ orbital, it is found that the Λhyperon on the p_Λ orbital, ${\rm{\Lambda }}$[110]${\tfrac{1}{2}}^{-}$, drives the nuclear core toward a prolate shape, while the ones on the other two p_Λ orbitals, ${\rm{\Lambda }}$[101]${\tfrac{3}{2}}^{-}$ and ${\rm{\Lambda }}$[101]${\tfrac{1}{2}}^{-}$, drive the nuclear core toward an oblate shape. The energy spectra and the corresponding intra-band E2 transition rates for the rotational bands are given as a prediction for future experiments.     

Impacts of dark energy on constraining neutrino mass after Planck 2018

Considering the mass splittings of three active neutrinos, we investigate how the properties of dark energy affect the cosmological constraints on the total neutrino mass $\sum {m}_{\nu }$ using the latest cosmological observations. In this paper, several typical dark energy models, including ΛCDM, wCDM, CPL, and HDE models, are discussed. In the analysis, we also consider the effects from the neutrino mass hierarchies, i.e. the degenerate hierarchy (DH), the normal hierarchy (NH), and the inverted hierarchy (IH). We employ the current cosmological observations to do the analysis, including the Planck 2018 temperature and polarization power spectra, the baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO), the type Ia supernovae (SNe), and the Hubble constant H₀ measurement. In the ΛCDM+$\sum {m}_{\nu }$ model, we obtain the upper limits of the neutrino mass $\sum {m}_{\nu }\lt 0.123\,\mathrm{eV}$ (DH), $\sum {m}_{\nu }\lt 0.156\,\mathrm{eV}$ (NH), and $\sum {m}_{\nu }\lt 0.185\,\mathrm{eV}$ (IH) at the 95% C.L., using the Planck+BAO+SNe data combination. For the wCDM+$\sum {m}_{\nu }$ model and the CPL+$\sum {m}_{\nu }$ model, larger upper limits of $\sum {m}_{\nu }$ are obtained compared to those of the ΛCDM+$\sum {m}_{\nu }$ model. The most stringent constraint on the neutrino mass, $\sum {m}_{\nu }\lt 0.080\,\mathrm{eV}$ (DH), is derived in the HDE+$\sum {m}_{\nu }$ model. In addition, we find that the inclusion of the local measurement of the Hubble constant in the data combination leads to tighter constraints on the total neutrino mass in all these dark energy models.     

A precise measurement of the tau lifetime

The tau lepton lifetime has been measured with the events collected by the DELPHI detector at LEP in the years 1991-1995. Three different methods have been exploited, using both one-prong and three-prong decay channels. Two measurements have been made using events in which both taus decay to a single charged particle. Combining these measurements gave . A third measurement using taus which decayed to three charged particles yielded These were combined with previous DELPHI results to measure the tau lifetime, using the full LEP1 data sample, to be .Received: 12 November 2003, Revised: 1 June 2004, Published online: 20 July 2004     

Observational constraints on the accelerating universe in the framework of a 5D bounce cosmological model

In the framework of a five-dimensional (5D) bounce cosmological model, a useful function f(z) is obtained by giving a concrete expression of deceleration parameter q(z)=q₁+{q₂}/{1+ln (1+ z)}. Then using the obtained Hubble parameter H(z) according to the function f(z), we constrain the accelerating universe from recent cosmic observations: the 192 ESSENCE SNe Ia and the 9 observational H(z) data. The best fitting values of transition redshift z_T and current deceleration parameter q₀ are given as z_T= 0.65_-0.12^0.25 and q₀ = - 0.76_-0.15^+0.15 (1σ). Furthermore, in the 5D bounce model it can be seen that the evolution of equation of state (EOS) for dark energy w_de can cross over -1 at about z=0.23 and the current value w_0de= - 1.15<- 1. On the other hand, by giving a concrete expression of model-independent EOS of dark energy w_de, in the 5D bounce model we obtain the best fitting values z_T= 0.66_0.08^+0.11 and q₀ = - 0.69_0.10^+0.10 (1σ) from the recently observed data: the 192 ESSENCE SNe Ia, the observational H(z) data, the 3-year Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP), the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) baryon acoustic peak and the x-ray gas mass fraction in clusters.     

Integrated silicon-based suspended racetrack micro-resonator for biological solution sensing with high-order mode

A biological sensing structure with a high-order mode ($\mathrm{E}_{21}^{y}$) is designed, which is composed of a suspended racetrack micro-resonator (SRTMR) and a microfluidic channel. The mode characteristics, coupling properties, and sensing performances are simulated by using the finite element method (FEM). To analyze the mode confinement property, the confinement factors in the core and cladding of the suspended waveguide for the $\mathrm{E}_{11}^{x}$, $\mathrm{E}_{11}^{y}$, and $\mathrm{E}_{21}^{y}$ are calculated. The simulation results show that the refractive index (RI) sensitivity of the proposed sensing structure can be improved by using the high-order mode ($\mathrm{E}_{21}^{y}$). The RI sensitivity for the $\mathrm{E}_{21}^{y}$ mode is ～ 201 nm/RIU, which is twice to thrice higher than those for the $\mathrm{E}_{11}^{x}$ mode and the $\mathrm{E}_{11}^{y}$ mode. Considering a commercial spectrometer, the proposed sensing structure based on the SRTMR achieves a limit of detection (LOD) of ～ 4.7×10^-6 RIU. Combined with the microfluidic channel, the SRTMR can possess wide applications in the clinical diagnostic assays and biochemical detections.     

Study of spin and decay-plane correlations of W bosons in the e + e$^-\rightarrow$ W + W- process at LEP

Data collected at LEP at centre-of-mass energies GeV are used to study correlations of the spin of W bosons using events. Spin correlations are favoured by data, and found to agree with the Standard Model predictions. In addition, correlations between the W-boson decay planes are studied in and events. Decay-plane correlations are measured to be consistent with the Standard Model predictions.Received: 26 October 2004, Revised: 15 January 2005, Published online: 3 March 2005     

Exact solutions of the D-dimensional Schrödinger equation for a ring-shaped pseudoharmonic potential

A new non-central potential, consisting of a pseudoharmonic potential plus another recently proposed ring-shaped potential, is solved. It has the form $ V(r,\theta ) = \tfrac{1} {8}\kappa r_e^2 \left( {\tfrac{r} {{r_e }} - \tfrac{{r_e }} {r}} \right)^2 + \tfrac{{\beta cos^2 \theta }} {{r^2 sin^2 \theta }} A new non-central potential, consisting of a pseudoharmonic potential plus another recently proposed ring-shaped potential, is solved. It has the form . The energy eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the bound-states for the Schr?dinger equation in D-dimensions for this potential are obtained analytically by using the Nikiforov-Uvarov method. The radial and angular parts of the wave functions are obtained in terms of orthogonal Laguerre and Jacobi polynomials. We also find that the energy of the particle and the wave functions reduce to the energy and the wave functions of the bound-states in three dimensions.      

Constraint on nuclear symmetry energy imposed by f-mode oscillation of neutron stars

Due to improvements in the sensitivity of gravitational wave (GW) detectors, the detection of GWs originating from the fundamental quasi-normal mode (f-mode) of neutron stars has become possible. The future detection of GWs originating from the f-mode of neutron stars will provide a potential way to improve our understanding of the nature of nuclear matter inside neutron stars. In this work, we investigate the constraint imposed by the f-mode oscillation of neutron stars on the symmetry energy of nuclear matter using Bayesian analysis and parametric EOS. It is shown that if the frequency of the f-mode of a neutron star of known mass is observed precisely, the symmetry energy at twice the saturation density (E_sym(2ρ₀)) of nuclear matter can be constrained within a relatively narrow range. For example, when all the following parameters are within the given intervals: 220 ≤ K₀ ≤ 260 MeV, 28 ≤ E_sym(ρ₀) ≤ 36 MeV, 30 ≤ L ≤ 90 MeV, −800 ≤ J₀ ≤ 400 MeV, − 400 ≤ K_sym ≤ 100 MeV, −200 ≤ J_sym ≤ 800 MeV, E_sym(2ρ₀) will be constrained to within ${48.8}_{-5.5}^{+6.6}$ MeV if the f-mode frequency of a canonical neutron star (1.4 M_⊙) is observed to be 1.720 kHz with a 1% relative error. Furthermore, if only f-mode frequency detection is available, i.e. there is no stellar mass measurement, a precisely detected f-mode frequency can also impose an accurate constraint on the symmetry energy. For example, given the same parameter space and the same assumed observed f-mode frequency mentioned above, and assuming that the stellar mass is in the range of 1.2–2.0 M_⊙, E_sym(2ρ₀) will be constrained to within ${49.5}_{-6.8}^{+8.1}\,\mathrm{MeV}$. In addition, it is shown that a higher slope of 69 ≤ L ≤ 143 MeV will give a higher posterior distribution of E_sym(2ρ₀), ${53.8}_{-6.4}^{+7.0}\,\mathrm{MeV}$.     

Medium effects on high p_{\rm T} particle production measured with the PHENIX experiment

Transverse momentum ( ) spectra measured by the PHENIX experiment at RHIC in Au + Au, d + Au and pp collisions at and in Au + Au collisions at are presented. A suppression of the yield of high hadrons in central Au + Au collisions by a factor 4-5 at is found relative to the pp reference scaled by the nuclear overlap function . In contrast, direct photons are not suppressed in central Au + Au collisions and no suppression of high particles can be seen in d + Au collisions. This leads to the conclusion that the dense medium formed in central Au + Au collisions is responsible for the suppression. Arrival of the final proofs: 30 June 2005 PACS: 25.75.Dw     

Scalar one-loop four-point integral with one massless vertex in loop regularization

The scalar one-loop four-point function with one massless vertex is evaluated analytically by employing the loop regularization method. According to the method, a characteristic scale μ_s is introduced to regularize the divergent integrals. The infrared divergent parts, which take the form of ln~2(λ~2/μ_s~2)and ln(λ~2/μ_s~2)as μ_s→ 0 where λ is a constant and expressed in terms of masses and Mandelstam variables, and the infrared stable parts are well separated. The result is shown explicitly via 44 dilogarithms in the kinematic sector in which our evaluation is valid.     

Ab initio calculations on the α^3∑u^＋ state properties of dimer ^7Li2

The comparison between single-point energy scanning （SPES） and geometry optimization （OPT） in determining the equilibrium geometry of the α^3∑u^＋ state for ^7Li2 is made at numerous basis sets such as 6-311＋＋G（2df）, cc-PVTZ, 6-311＋＋G（2df, p）, 6-311G（3df,3pd）, 6-311＋＋G（2df,2pd）, D95（3df,3pd）, 6-311＋＋G, DGDZVP, 6-311＋＋G（3df,2pd）, 6-311G（2df,2pd）, D95V＋＋, CEP-121G, 6-311＋＋G（d,p）, 6-311＋＋G（2df, pd） and 6-311＋＋G（3df,3pd） in full active space using a symmetry-adapted-cluster/ symmetry-adapted-cluster configuration-interaction （SAC/SAC=CI） method presented in Gaussian03 program package. The difference of the equilibrium geometries obtained by SPES and by OPT is reported. Analyses show that the results obtained by SPES are more reasonable than those obtained by OPT. We have calculated the complete potential energy curves at those sets over a wide internuclear distance range from about 3.0α0 to 37.0α0, and the conclusion is that the basis set cc-PVTZ is the most suitable one. With the potential obtained at ccopVTZ, the spectroscopic data （Te, De, D0, ωe,ωeХe, αe and Be） are computed and they are 1.006 eV, 338.71 cm^-1, 307.12 cm^-1, 64.88 cm^-1, 3.41 cm^-1, 0.0187 cm^-1 and 0.279 cm^-1, respectively, which are in good agreement with recent measurements. The total 11 vibrational states are found at J=0. Their corresponding vibrational levels and classical turning points are computed and compared with available RKR data, and good agreement is found. One inertial rotation constant （By） and six centrifugal distortion constants （Dr Hv, Lv, My, Nv, and Ov） are calculated. The scattering length is calculated to be -27.138α0, which is in good accord with the experimental data.     

NLO contributions to <Emphasis Type="Italic">B</Emphasis>→<Emphasis Type="Italic">KK</Emphasis><Superscript>*</Superscript> decays in the pQCD approach

We calculate the important next-to-leading-order (NLO) contributions to the B→KK ^* decays from the vertex corrections, the quark loops, and the magnetic penguins in the perturbative QCD (pQCD) factorization approach. The pQCD predictions for the CP-averaged branching ratios are , , and Br(B ⁰→K ⁺ K ^*−+K ⁻ K ^*+)≈1.3×10⁻⁷, which agree well with both the experimental upper limits and the predictions based on the QCD factorization approach. Furthermore, the CP violating asymmetries of the considered decay modes are also evaluated. The NLO pQCD predictions for and decays are and .     

Study of Z pair production and anomalous couplingsin e + e- collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ between 190 GeV and 209 GeV

A study of Z-boson pair production in e ⁺ e^- annihilation at center-of-mass energies between 190 GeV and 209 GeV is reported. Final states containing only leptons, ( and ), quark and lepton pairs, ( , ) and only hadrons ( ) are considered. In all states with at least one Z boson decaying hadronically, lifetime, lepton and event-shape tags are used to separate pairs from final states. Limits on anomalous ZZ and ZZZ couplings are derived from the measured cross sections and from event kinematics using an optimal observable method. Limits on low scale gravity with large extra dimensions are derived from the cross sections and their dependence on polar angle.Received: 14 July 2003, Published online: 18 December 2003     

Flavour-independent h<Superscript>0</Superscript>A<Superscript>0</Superscript> search and two Higgs doublet model interpretation of neutral Higgs boson searches at LEP

Upper limits on the cross-section of the pair-production process , assuming 100 branching fraction to hadrons, are derived from a new search for the hadrons final state, independently of the hadronic flavour of the decay products. This study, combined with previously published searches for the neutral Higgs bosons h⁰ and A⁰, is used to constrain the Type II Two Higgs Doublet Model (2HDM(II)) with no CP violation in the Higgs sector and no additional non-Standard Model particles besides the five Higgs bosons. The analysis combines LEP1 and LEP2 data collected with the OPAL detector up to the highest available centre-of-mass energies. The searches are sensitive to the and decay modes of the Higgs bosons. A benchmark scan of the 2HDM(II) parameter space is performed. Large regions of the 2HDM(II) parameter space explored are excluded at the 95% CL in the ( and planes, using both direct neutral Higgs boson searches and indirect limits derived from Standard Model high precision measurements. The region GeV and GeV is excluded at 95 % CL, independently of and for selected values of which are representative of a complete -scan.Received: 28 July 2004, Revised: 4 January 2005, Published online: 3 March 2005