34982894
Flavored quantum Boltzmann equations
We derive from first principles, using nonequilibrium field theory, the quantum Boltzmann equations that describe the dynamics of flavor oscillations, collisions, and a time-dependent mass matrix in the early universe. Working to leading nontrivial order in ratios of relevant time scales, we study in detail a toy model for weak-scale baryogenesis: two scalar species that mix through a slowly varying time-dependent and CP-violating mass matrix, and interact with a thermal bath. This model clearly illustrates how the CP asymmetry arises through coherent flavor oscillations in a nontrivial background. We solve the Boltzmann equations numerically for the density matrices, investigating the impact of collisions in various regimes.
122534296
Peeking inside jets for clues of new physics
Observables probing jet structure and substructure help uncover clues about the energetic particles which originated them, such as ordinary light quarks and gluons or from decays of heavy particles in and beyond the Standard Model. This talk overviews such recently introduced methods.
119204877
Consistent Factorization of Jet Observables in Exclusive Multijet Cross-Sections
Abstract We demonstrate the consistency at the next-to-leading-logarithmic (NLL) level of a factorization theorem based on Soft-Collinear Effective Theory (SCET) for jet shapes in e + e − collisions. We consider measuring jet observables in exclusive multijet final states defined with cone and k T -type jet algorithms. Consistency of the factorization theorem requires that the renormalization group evolution of hard, jet, and soft functions is such that the physical cross section is independent of the factorization scale μ . The anomalous dimensions of the various factorized pieces, however, depend on the color representation of jets, choice of jet observable, the number of jets whose shapes are measured, and the jet algorithm, making it highly nontrivial to satisfy the consistency condition. We demonstrate the intricate cancellations between anomalous dimensions that occur at the NLL level, so that, up to power corrections that we identify, our factorization of the jet shape distributions is consistent for any number of quark and gluon jets, for any number of jets whose shapes are measured or unmeasured, for any angular size R of the jets, and for any of the algorithms we consider. Corrections to these results are suppressed by the SCET expansion parameter λ (set by the ratio of the typical momentum in a jet transverse to the jet axis to the total jet energy) and in the jet separation measure 1 / t 2 = tan 2 ( R / 2 ) / tan 2 ( ψ / 2 ) , where ψ is the angular separation between jets. Our results can be used to calculate a wide variety of jet observables in multijet final states to NLL accuracy.
119187963
Jet shapes and jet algorithms in SCET
Jet shapes are weighted sums over the four-momenta of the constituents of a jet and reveal details of its internal structure, potentially allowing discrimination of its partonic origin. In this work we make predictions for quark and gluon jet shape distributions in N-jet final states in e+e− collisions, defined with a cone or recombination algorithm, where we measure some jet shape observable on a subset of these jets. Using the framework of Soft-Collinear Effective Theory, we prove a factorization theorem for jet shape distributions and demonstrate the consistent renormalization-group running of the functions in the factorization theorem for any number of measured and unmeasured jets, any number of quark and gluon jets, and any angular size R of the jets, as long as R is much smaller than the angular separation between jets. We calculate the jet and soft functions for angularity jet shapes τα to one-loop order $ \left( {\mathcal{O}\left( {{\alpha_s}} \right)} \right) $ and resum a subset of the large logarithms of τα needed for next-to-leading logarithmic (NLL) accuracy for both cone and kT-type jets. We compare our predictions for the resummed τα distribution of a quark or a gluon jet produced in a 3-jet final state in e+e− annihilation to the output of a Monte Carlo event generator and find that the dependence on a and R is very similar.
26881716
Resonant relaxation in electroweak baryogenesis
We compute the leading, chiral charge-changing relaxation term in the quantum transport equations that govern electroweak baryogenesis using the closed time path formulation of nonequilibrium quantum field theory. We show that the relaxation transport coefficients may be resonantly enhanced under appropriate conditions on electroweak model parameters and that such enhancements can mitigate the impact of similar enhancements in the CP-violating source terms. We also develop a power counting in the time and energy scales entering electroweak baryogenesis and include effects through second order in ratios epsilon of the small and large scales. We illustrate the implications of the resonantly enhanced [script O](epsilon 2) terms using the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model, focusing on the interplay between the requirements of baryogenesis and constraints obtained from collider studies, precision electroweak data, and electric dipole moment searches.
118867883
Enhanced nonperturbative effects in Z decays to hadrons
We use soft collinear effective field theory (SCET) to study nonperturbative strong interaction effects in Z decays to hadronic final states that are enhanced in corners of phase space. These occur, for example, in the jet energy distribution for two jet events near E_J=M_Z/2, the thrust distribution near unity and the jet invariant mass distribution near zero. The extent to which such nonperturbative effects for different observables are related is discussed.
119216120
Speculative Physics: the Ontology of Theory and Experiment in High Energy Particle Physics and Science Fiction
The dissertation brings together approaches across the fields of physics, critical theory, literary studies, philosophy of physics, sociology of science, and history of science to synthesize a hybrid approach for instigating more rigorous and intense cross-disciplinary interrogations between the sciences and the humanities. There are two levels of conversations going on in the dissertation; at the first level, the discussion is centered on a critical historiography and philosophical implications of the discovery Higgs boson in relation to its position at the intersection of old (current) and the potential for new possibilities in quantum physics; I then position my findings on the Higgs boson in connection to the double-slit experiment that represents foundational inquiries into quantum physics, to demonstrate the bridge between fundamental physics and high energy particle physics. The conceptualization of the variants of the double-slit experiment informs the aforementioned critical comparisons. At the second level of the conversation, theories are produced from a close study of the physics objects as speculative engine for new knowledge generation that are then reconceptualized and re-articulated for extrapolation into the speculative ontology of hard science fiction, particularly the hard science fiction written with the double intent of speaking to the science while producing imaginative and socially conscious science through the literary affordances of science fiction. The works of science fiction examined here demonstrate the tension between the internal values of physics in the practice of theory and experiment and questions on ethics, culture, and morality.
17997328
Diffuse gamma-ray background and primordial black hole constraints on the spectral index of density fluctuations
We calculate the flux of $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays emitted from primordial black holes (PBHs) which are formed by a ``blue'' power-law spectrum of density fluctuations in the early universe. Gamma-ray emission from such PBHs may contribute significantly to the observed extragalactic diffuse $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray background (DGB). Using the observed DGB flux from the imaging Compton Telescope (COMPTEL) and the Energetic Gamma Ray Experiment Telescope (EGRET) as the upper limit of $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray flux from PBHs, we derive the upper limit on the spectral index n of the density fluctuations. The range of initial PBH masses which can contribute to the DGB is $2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{13} \mathrm{g}\ensuremath{-}5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{14} \mathrm{g},$ corresponding to a cosmic reheating temperature of $7\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{7} \mathrm{GeV}\ensuremath{-}4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{8} \mathrm{GeV}.$ In this range, we find the upper limit to be $n\ensuremath{\lesssim}1.23\ensuremath{-}1.25.$ This limit is stronger than those derived from the energy density in PBHs or PBH relics and matches the value of n required to explain the cosmic microwave background anisotropy.
118895124
Line-broadening in gravitational radiation from gamma-ray burst-supernovae
Core-collapse in massive stars is believed to produce a rapidly spinning black hole surrounded by a compact disk or torus. This forms an energetic MeV-nucleus inside a remnant He-core, powered by black hole-spin energy. The output produces a GRB-supernova, while most of the energy released is in gravitational radiation. The intrinsic gravitational-wave spectrum is determined by multipole mass-moments in the torus. Quadrupole gravitational radiation is radiated at about twice the Keplerian frequency of the torus, which is non-axisymmetric when sufficiently slender, representing a ``{\em black hole-blob}" binary system or a "{\em blob-blob}" binary bound to the central black hole. We here discuss line-broadening in the observed spectrum due to Lense-Thirring precession, which modulates the orientation of the torus to the line-of-sight. This spectral feature is long-lived, due to weak damping of precessional motion. These events are believed to occur perhaps once per year within a distance of 100Mpc, which provides a candidate source for Advanced LIGO.
117905421
The nucleation of false vacuum bubbles with compact geometries
We investigate and classify the possible types of false vacuum bubbles in Einstein gravity. The false vacuum bubbles can occur only if gravity is taken into account. We show that there exist solutions only with compact geometries. The analytic computations for the radius and nucleation rate of a vacuum bubble are evaluated using the thin-wall approximation. We discuss possible cosmological implications of our new solutions.
1357101
Pulsar magnetospheres: a general relativistic treatment
A fully general relativistic description of pulsar magnetospheres is provided. To be more specific, a study of pulsar magnetospheres is performed in the context of general relativistic magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) employing the so-called Grad–Shafranov approach. Not surprisingly, the resulting Grad–Shafranov equations and all the other related general relativistic MHD equations turn out to take essentially the same structures as those for a (rotating) black hole magnetosphere. Other different natures between the two cases including the structure of singular surfaces of MHD flows in each magnetosphere are essentially encoded in the different space–time (metric) contents. In this way, pulsar and black hole magnetospheres can be described in a unified fashion. Particularly, the direction of poloidal currents circulating in the neutron star magnetosphere turns out to be the same as that of currents circulating in a black hole magnetosphere, which in turn leads to pulsar and black hole spin-down via ‘magnetic braking’.