PAMELA,FGST and sub-TeV dark matter

PAMELA's observation that the cosmic ray positron fraction increases rapidly with energy implies the presence of primary sources of energetic electron–positron pairs. Of particular interest is the possibility that dark matter annihilations in the halo of the Milky Way provide this anomalous flux of antimatter. The recent measurement of the cosmic ray electron spectrum by the Fermi Gamma Ray Space Telescope, however, can be used to constrain the nature of any such dark matter particle. In particular, it has been argued that in order to accommodate the observations of Fermi and provide the PAMELA positron excess, annihilating dark matter particles must be as massive as ∼1 TeV or heavier. In this Letter, we revisit Fermi's electron spectrum measurement within the context of annihilating dark matter, focusing on masses in the range of 100–1000 GeV, and considering effects such as variations in the astrophysical backgrounds from the presence of local cosmic ray accelerators, and the finite energy resolution of the Fermi Gamma Ray Space Telescope. When these factors are taken into account, we find that dark matter particles as light as ∼300 GeV can be capable of generating the positron fraction observed by PAMELA.     

The enrichment of physics and astrophysics: The legacy of Victor Hess

Summary The Third Victor F. Hess Memorial Lecture traces the evolution of the cosmic-ray discipline from Hess' discovery in his balloon flights of 1911. Serendipitously, this led to the genesis of two major fields of research, high-energy elementary-particle physics and cosmic-ray astrophysics. The subsequent development of the latter field is traced from the early decades when its promise was not widely appreciated. Epochal discoveries in the 1930's and 1940's stimulated widespread interest among physicists. Identification of the positron, the ?soft component?, muons, pions, and the elaboration of the electromagnetic theory of shower production were among the major advances. The nuclear character of the main primary component was demonstrated in the forties. Symbiosis with radioastronomy, notably the understanding of the synchrotron radiation emitted from the Crab Nebula, revealed the role of supernova explosions in providing the energy for the galactic cosmic radiation. Fermi's use of magnetohydrodynamics in his acceleration mechanisms, and their subsequest realization in shock-wave theory are sketched. Detailed investigations of composition—especially measurements of the Li−Be−B and of the³He components—yielded knowledge of the propagation and transformations of the relativistic nuclei in passing through the interstellar medium. This, in turn, made possible the evaluation of path length distributions, predictions of the arriving isotopic composition, the source composition, and cosmic-ray age. Finally, some tantalizing problems that remain are mentioned, notably those of the highest-energy and the lowest-energy cosmic rays. Invited talk given at the XXIV International Cosmic-Ray Conference, Rome, August 28–September 8, 1995.     

Cosmic rays through the Higgs portal

We consider electroweak singlet dark matter with a mass comparable to the Higgs mass. The singlet is assumed to couple to standard matter through a perturbative coupling to the Higgs particle. The annihilation of a singlet in the mass range m_Sm_h is dominated by proximity to the W, Z and Higgs peaks in the annihilation cross section. We find that the continuous photon spectrum from annihilation of perturbatively coupled singlets in the galactic halo can reach a level of several per mil of the EGRET diffuse γ ray flux.     

Ultra-high-energy cosmic rays and inflation relics

There are two processes of matter creation after inflation that may be relevant to the resolution of the puzzle of cosmic rays observed with energies beyond GZK cut-off: 1) gravitational creation of superheavy (quasi)stable particles, and 2) non-thermal phase transitions leading to the formation of topological defects. We review both possibilities.     

The large-volume detector (LVD) of the Gran Sasso Laboratory

Summary We describe here the LVD experiment (Large-Volume Detector) of the Gran Sasso Laboratory, which is the natural improvement of the LSD experiment (Liquid Scintillation Detector) running in the Mont Blanc Laboratory. The LVD ((31×13) m² area, height 12 m) consists of ≈1800 tons of liquid scintillator and of a system of streamer tubes on 5 layers for reconstructing tracks of charged particles. As any experiment in an underground laboratory, which has a low statistics of events and requires long running times, the LVD is a multipurpose experiment but with different priorities of the researches. The main goal is neutrino astronomy, firstly detection of neutrinos from collapsing stars and secondly high-energy neutrinos and solar neutrinos. Since the expected number of interactions of neutrinos, from a stellar collapse is very high (of order of 900 for a collapse at the distance of the galactic centre), the LVD is, contrary to the present experiments, a real neutrino observatory, able to make a detailed analysis of the energy and temporal distributions of the burst. In addition to neutrino astrophysics, with the LVD experiment excellent possibilities exist to perform researches in cosmic-ray and high-energy elementary-particle physics.

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Riassunto Si descrive l'esperimento LVD (Large Volume Detector) del laboratorio del Gran Sasso, che rappresenta il naturale sviluppo dell'esperimento LSD (Liquid Scintillation Detector) in funzione nel laboratorio del Monte Bianco. LVD (area (31×13) m², altezza 12 m) consiste di ∼1800 tonnellate di scintillatore liquido e di un sistema di tubi a streamer su 5 piani per la ricostruzione delle tracce di particelle cariche. Come tutti gli esperimenti in laboratori sotterranei, che sono a tempi lunghi ed a bassa statistica, l'esperimento LVD è a multiscopi ma con diverse priorità delle ricerche. L'obiettivo principale è l'astronomia neutrinica, in primo luogo la rivelazione di neutrini da collassi gravitazionali stellari, e poi neutrini di alta energia e neutrini solari. Dato l'alto numero previsto di interazioni di neutrini (∼900 per un collasso alla distanza del centro galattico) da stelle collassanti, l'esperimento LVD costituisce, a differenza degli attuali esperimenti, un vero e proprio osservatorio neutrinico, in grado di compiere un'analisi dettagliata delle distribuzioni energetica e temporale del burst. Oltre all'astrofisica neutrinica, con l'esperimento LVD si possono compiere ricerche in fisica della radiazione cosmica e di particelle elementari ad altissime energie.

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Резюме В данной работе описывается зксперимент LVD (Large Volume Detector), который будет проводиться в лаборатории Гран Cacco. LVD является естественным продолжением эксперимента LSD (Liquid Scintillation Detector) в лаборатории Монблан. LVD (площадь (31×13) м², высота 12 м) содержит 1800 тонн жидкого сцинтиллятора и включает в себя систему стримерных детекторов, размещенных на 5 уровнях. Последние используются для реконструкции треков заряженных частиц. Как и любой длительный эксперимент в подземных условиях, когда статистика событий невелика, LVD имеет многоцелевое назначение. Научные программы, однако, будут обладать различным приоритетом. Основное внимание будет уделяться нейтринной астрономии, и в первую очередь— детектированию нейтрино от коллапсирующих звезд. Кроме того, будут проводиться исследования по регистрации нейтрино высоких энергий и солнечных нейтрино. Поскольку ожидаемое количество взаимодействий в случае прихода потока нейтрино от коллапса очень велико, порядка 900, LVD будет настоящей нейтринной обсерваторией, способной, в отличие от ведущихся сейчас экспериментов, детально исследовать энергетическое временное распределения для вспышки нейтринного излучения. В дополнение к нейтринной астрофизике, имеются очень хорошие перспективы и для исследований в области космических лучей и физики элементарных частиц высоких энергий.

     

The longitudinal asymmetry of the interplanetary perturbation producing Forbush decreases

Summary It is well known that type-IV solar flares occurring between 0° and 40° East of the central meridian can produce the largest Forbush decreases observed at the Earth,i.e. inside the Forbush decrease modulated region the maximum cosmic-ray modulation is observed in the West (∼20° W) of the flare’s meridian plane. A flare-produced perturbation asymmetric in longitude is required in order to explain this asymmetry. The analysis of the two-step Forbush decreases shows that the first step of the decrease is symmetric with respect to the flare’s meridian plane and it is due to the shock wave which is observed ahead of the interplanetary perturbation; on the contrary the second step is strongly asymmetric, the maximum amplitude being observed at ∼30° W of the flare’s meridian plane, and it seems to be due to the magnetic perturbation following the shock; this perturbation is an irregular and compressed magnetic field, the maximum magnetic-field magnitude is found to be placed West of the flare’s meridian plane. The total Forbush decrease amplitude is correlated (correlation coefficient 0.96) with a perturbation parameter which accounts for the ?strength? of the shock and of the following magnetic perturbation. The first step of the decrease is correlated (correlation coefficient 0.88) with the shock ?strength?.

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Riassunto è ben noto che i brillamenti solari accompagnati da radioemissione di tipo IV nell’intervallo 0°–40° est possono produrre le maggiori diminuzioni di Forbush osservate alla terra; cioè, dentro la regione interplanetaria interessata dalla dimizuzione di Forbush la massima modulazione dei raggi cosmici è osservata a circa 20° ovest dal piano meridiano del brillamento solare. Per spiegare questa asimmetria si richiede l’esistenza di una perturbazione interplanetaria generata da brillamento che sia di tipo asimmetrico. L’analisi delle diminuzioni di Forbush ?a due gradini? mostra che la prima diminuzione ha una dipendenza simmetrica rispetto al piano meridiano del brillamento ed è dovuta all’onda d’urto che è osservata all’inizio della perturbazione stessa. La seconda diminuzione, al contrario, è fortemente asimmetrica poiché la massima ampiezza è osservata a circa 30° ovest del piano meridiano del brillamento; essa sembra essere dovuta alla perturbazione magnetica (caratterizzata dal campo magnetico compresso e irregolare) che segue l’onda d’urto; la massima ampiezza del campo magnetico si trova a ovest del piano meridiano del brillamento. L’ampiezza totale delle diminuzioni di Forbush è correlata (coefficiente di correlazione 0.96) con un parametro empirico della perturbazione che tiene conto dell’importanza dell’onda d’urto e della perturbazione magnetica che segue, mentre il primo ?gradino? della diminuzione è correlato (coefficiente di correlazione 0.88) soltanto con il parametro dell’onda d’urto.

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Ррзюме Хорошо известно, что солнечные вспышки типа IV, возникающие в интервале между 0° и 40° к востоку от центрального меридиана, могут порождать большие убывания форбуша, наблюдаемые на Земле, т.е. внутри модулированной области убывания форбуша наблюдается максимальная модуляция космических лучей около 20° к западу от меридианной плоскости солнечной вспышки. Для объяснения этой асимметрии требуется существование межпланетного возмущения, образованного вспышкой, которое является асимметричным по долготе. Анализ двух-ступенчатых убываний форбуша показывает, что первая ступень убывания является симметричной относительно меридианной плоскости вспышки и обусловлена ударной волной, которая наблюдается перед межпланетным возмущением; напротив, вторая ступень является сильно асимметричной, максимум интенсивности наблюдается около 30° к западу от меридианной плоскости вспымки, и, по-видимому, является результатом магнитного возмущения после ударной волны; это возмущение является иррегулярным и вызывает сжатие магнитного поля. Максимум амплитуды магнитного поля расположен к западу от меридианной плоскости вспышки. Полная амплитуда убывания форбуша коррелирует (коэффициент корреляции 0.96) с параметром возмущения, который характеризует ?интенсивность? ударной волны и последующее возмущение магнитного поля. Первая ступень убывания Форбуша коррелирует (коэффициент корреляции 0.88) только с ?интенсивностью? ударной волны.

     

The distribution of atomic hydrogen and diffuse gas in the galaxy

Summary We review the distribution of diffuse gas, both neutral and ionized, in the Galaxy and the galactic halo. Paper presented at the Congress ?Galactic and Extragalactic Dark Matter?, Roma, 28 to 30 June 1983.     

The ground-level cosmic-ray event of September 29, 1989 as recorded by the rome detectors

Summary An extraordinary increase in cosmic-ray intensity has been recorded on September 29, 1989 by the Rome detectors (rigidity threshold ∼6.2 GV). We show the time evolution of the event as recorded at Rome in the nucleonic component and in the total ionizing and muon components; as well as at Campo Imperatore (2300 m a.s.l. near Rome) in the nucleonic component by a special monitor designed for the detection of solar-neutron events. The one-minute time resolution of the Campo Imperatore data offers the possibility to follow in detail the development of the event for most of the time. The possible contribution of solar neutrons to the early phase of the Campo Imperatore event has been not clarified so far, further results may be obtained by the analysis of the multiplicity data registered in the event.     

The behaviour of the cosmic-ray equatorial anisotropy inside fast solar-wind streams ejected by coronal holes

Summary The cosmic-ray equatorial anisotropy inside broad high-speed solar-wind streams ejected by coronal holes,i.e. in quasi-stationary condition, is analysed over the years 1973–1974. From the beginning to the end of the stream the amplitudes of the first and second harmonics of the anisotropy are found to decrease remarkably by factors 2.5 and 2.0, respectively, while the phases do not show systematic variations. The development of the stream structure in the interplanetary space together with the Parker theory on the diurnal anisotropy in stationary condition give a plausible explaination for the large variation observed in the first harmonic of the anisotropy. The behaviour of the second harmonic is tentatively interpreted in the light of current theories. To speed up publication, the authors of this paper have agreed to not receive the proofs for correction.     

Particle asymmetries in the early universe

The total lepton asymmetry l=∑_fl_f in our universe is only poorly constrained by theories and experiments. It might be orders of magnitudes larger than the observed baryon asymmetry b?O(10⁻¹⁰), |l|/b≤O(10⁹). We found that the dynamics of the cosmic QCD transition changes for large asymmetries. Predictions for asymmetries in a single flavour l_f allow even larger values. We find that asymmetries of l_f≤O(1) in single or two flavours may change the relic abundance of WIMPs. However, large lepton and large individual lepton flavour asymmetries influence significantly the dynamics of the early universe between the electroweak phase transition and the onset of neutrino oscillations.     

A review of indirect searches for particle dark matter

The indirect detection of dark matter annihilation and decay using observations of photons, charged cosmic rays and neutrinos offers a promising means of identifying the particle nature of this elusive component of the universe. The last decade has seen substantial advances in observational data-sets, complemented by new insights from numerical simulations, which together have enabled for the first time strong constraints on dark matter particle models, and have revealed several intriguing hints of possible signals. This review provides an introduction to indirect detection methods and an overview of recent results in the field.     

The future of gamma-ray astronomy

The field of gamma-ray astronomy has experienced impressive progress over the last decade. Thanks to the advent of a new generation of imaging air Cherenkov telescopes (H.E.S.S., MAGIC, VERITAS) and thanks to the launch of the Fermi-LAT satellite, several thousand gamma-ray sources are known today, revealing an unexpected ubiquity of particle acceleration processes in the Universe. Major scientific challenges are still ahead, such as the identification of the nature of Dark Matter, the discovery and understanding of the sources of cosmic rays, or the comprehension of the particle acceleration processes that are at work in the various objects. This paper presents some of the instruments and mission concepts that will address these challenges over the next decades.     

The dynamic evolutions of the generalized Hobbit model and structure formation

In this paper a more general phenomenological model is proposed on the basis of the Hobbit model in Cardone et al. (Phys Rev D 69:083517, 2004). The main purpose of constructing our model is to make this model can not only mimic the ΛCDM model, but also describe a four-phase smooth transition of the universe, namely the inflationary phase, a radiation-dominated phase, a matter-dominated phase and a de Sitter-like phase. In order to check whether this model is a viable one, the evolutions of the universe are respectively discussed in the two cases, and the possible physical interpretations for this model are also respectively shown by using the scalar fields. Finally, the structure formations in our model are simply discussed for the both cases, and the results given by us reconfirm that our model can be regarded as a fit to the ΛCDM model, if we choose the proper conditions.     

The imprint of inflation on the cosmic microwave background

The cosmic microwave background is the most precise and the most simple cosmological dataset. This makes it our most prominent window to the physics of the very early Universe. In this article I give an introduction to the physics of the cosmic microwave background and show in some detail how primordial fluctuations from inflation are imprinted in the temperature anisotropy and polarisation spectrum of the CMB. I discuss the main signatures that are suggesting an inflationary phase for the generation of initial fluctuations.     

Particle physics implications of Wilkinson microwave anisotropy project measurements

We present an overview of the implications of the WMAP data for particle physics. The standard parameter set ∈, η and ξ characterising the inflaton potential can be related to the power-law indices characterising deviation of the CMB spectrum from the scale invariant form. Different classes of inflation potentials are in turn naturally associated with different unified schemes. At present WMAP does not exclude any but a few simple unified models. In particular, hybrid models favoured by supersymmetric unification continue to be viable. However future improvement in data leading to better determination of the ‘running’ of power-law indices should help to narrow the possibilities for unified models. The main conclusion is that WMAP is consistent with the paradigm of GUT scale (10¹⁶ GeV) inflation.     

Remarks on the Formulation of the Cosmological Constant/Dark Energy Problems

Associated with the cosmic acceleration are the old and new cosmological constant problems, recently put into the more general context of the dark energy problem. In broad terms, the old problem is related to an unexpected order of magnitude of this component while the new problem is related to this magnitude being of the same order of the matter energy density during the present epoch of cosmic evolution. Current plans to measure the equation of state or density parameters certainly constitute an important approach; however, as we discuss, this approach is faced with serious feasibility challenges and is limited in the type of conclusive answers it could provide. Therefore, is it really too early to seek actively for new tests and approaches to these problems? In view of the difficulty of this endeavor, we argue in this work that a good place to start is by questioning some of the assumptions underlying the formulation of these problems and finding new ways to put this questioning to the test. First, we calculate how much fine tuning the cosmic coincidence problem represents. Next, we discuss the potential of some cosmological probes such as weak gravitational lensing to identify novel tests to probe dark energy questions and assumptions and provide an example of consistency tests. Then, motivated by some theorems in General Relativity, we discuss if the full identification of the cosmological constant with vacuum energy is unquestionable. We discuss some implications of the simplest solution for the principles of General Relativity. Also, we point out the relevance of experiments at the interface of astrophysics and quantum field theory, such as the Casimir effect in gravitational and cosmological contexts. We conclude that challenging some of the assumptions underlying the cosmological constant problems and putting them to the test may prove useful and necessary to make progress on these questions.