3223093
Accurate estimators of power spectra in N-body simulations
A method to rapidly estimate the Fourier power spectrum of a point distribution is presented. This method relies on a Taylor expansion of the trigonometric functions. It yields the Fourier modes from a number of fast Fourier transforms (FFTs), which is controlled by the order N of the expansion and by the dimension D of the system. In three dimensions, for the practical value N= 3, the number of FFTs required is 20. 
 
 
 
We apply the method to the measurement of the power spectrum of a periodic point distribution that is a local Poisson realization of an underlying stationary field. We derive an explicit analytic expression for the spectrum, which allows us to quantify – and correct for – the biases induced by discreteness and by the truncation of the Taylor expansion, and to bound the unknown effects of aliasing of the power spectrum. We show that these aliasing effects decrease rapidly with the order N. For N= 3, they are expected to be, respectively, smaller than ∼10−4 and 0.02 at half the Nyquist frequency and at the Nyquist frequency of the grid used to perform the FFTs. The only remaining significant source of errors is reduced to the unavoidable cosmic/sample variance due to the finite size of the sample. 
 
 
 
The analytical calculations are successfully checked against a cosmological N-body experiment. We also consider the initial conditions of this simulation, which correspond to a perturbed grid. This allows us to test a case where the local Poisson assumption is incorrect. Even in that extreme situation, the third-order Fourier–Taylor estimator behaves well, with aliasing effects restrained to at most the per cent level at half the Nyquist frequency. 
 
 
 
We also show how to reach arbitrarily large dynamic range in Fourier space (i.e. high wavenumber), while keeping statistical errors in control, by appropriately ‘folding’ the particle distribution.
119468667
Gravitational Waves Probe the Coalescence Rate of Massive Black Hole Binaries
We calculate the expected nHz-μHz gravitational wave (GW) spectrum from coalescing massive black hole (MBH) binaries resulting from mergers of their host galaxies. We consider detection of this spectrum by precision pulsar timing and a future pulsar timing array. The spectrum depends on the merger rate of massive galaxies, the demographics of MBHs at low and high redshift, and the dynamics of MBH binaries. We apply recent theoretical and observational work on all of these fronts. The spectrum has a characteristic strain hc(f) ~ 10-15(f/yr-1)-2/3, just below the detection limit from recent analysis of precision pulsar timing measurements. However, the amplitude of the spectrum is still very uncertain owing to approximations in the theoretical formulation of the model, to our lack of knowledge of the merger rate and MBH population at high redshift, and to the dynamical problem of removing enough angular momentum from the MBH binary to reach a GW-dominated regime.
15621530
Constraining large–scale structure theories with the cosmic background radiation
The case is strong that cosmic microwave background (CMB) and large scale structure (LSS) observations can be combined to determine the theory of structure formation and the cosmological parameters that define it. We review: the relevant (10+) parameters associated with the inflation model of fluctuation generation and the matter content of the universe; the relation between LSS and primary and secondary CMB anisotropy probes as a function of wavenumber; how COBE constraints on energy injection rule out explosions as a dominant source of LSS; and how current anisotropy band–powers in multipole–space, at levels ca. 10−5)2, strongly support the gravitational instability theory and suggest the universe could not have reionized too early. We use Bayesian analysis methods to determine what current CMB and CMB+LSS data imply for inflation–based Gaussian fluctuations in tilted &Lgr;CDM, &Lgr;hCDM and oCDM model sequences with cosmological age 11 – 15 Gyr, consisting of mixtures of baryons, cold ‘c’ (and possibly hot ‘h’) dark matter, vacuum energy &Lgr;, and curvature energy ‘o’ in open cosmologies. For example, we find the slope of the initial spectrum is within about 5% of the (preferred) scale–invariant form when just the CMB data are used, and for &Lgr;CDM when LSS data are combined with CMB; with both, a non–zero value of Ω&Lgr; is strongly preferred (ca. ⅔ for a 13 Gyr sequence, similar to the value from SNIa). The oCDM sequence prefers Ωtot < 1, but is overall much less likely than the flat Ω&Lgr; ≠ 0 sequence with CMB+LSS. We also review the rosy forecasts of angular power spectra and parameter estimates from future balloon and satellite experiments when foreground and systematic effects are ignored to show where cosmic parameter determination can go with CMB information alone.
119408227
CMB likelihood functions for beginners and experts
Although the broad outlines of the appropriate pipeline for cosmological likelihood analysis with CMB data has been known for several years, only recently have we had to contend with the full, large-scale, computationally challenging problem involving both highly-correlated noise and extremely large datasets (N>1000). In this talk we concentrate on the beginning and end of this process. First, we discuss estimating the noise covariance from the data itself in a rigorous and unbiased way; this is essentially an iterated minimum-variance mapmaking approach. We also discuss the unbiased determination of cosmological parameters from estimates of the power spectrum or experimental bandpowers.
122687802
Imaging the early universe with the BOOMERanG Experiment
The BOOMERanG experiment has recently detected temperature fluctuations the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), the otherwise isotropic radiation coming from the early Universe. These anisotropies have a low contrast (about 30 ppm) and feature a peculiar angular power spectrum at angles corresponding to sub-horizon scales at recombination. In the current cosmological model, these structures result from acoustic oscillations in the primeval plasma. In the framework of the Hot Big Bang theory with the inflationary hypothesis, the statistical properties of the image of the CMB allow us to measure most of the cosmological parameters.
17460509
Simultaneous Estimation of Noise and Signal in Cosmic Microwave Background Experiments
To correctly analyse data sets from current microwave detection technology, one is forced to estimate the sky signal and experimental noise simultaneously. Given a time-ordered data set we propose a formalism and method for estimating the signal and associated errors without prior knowledge of the noise power spectrum. We derive the method using a Bayesian formalism and relate it to the standard methods; in particular we show how this leads to a change in the estimate of the noise covariance matrix of the sky signal. We study the convergence and accuracy of the method on two mock observational strategies and discuss its application to a currently-favoured calibration procedure.
122859727
Charges, vortices and confinement
Abstract We study the confinement phase transition. We point out the relation between the decay rates of the Wilson loop integral, Osterwalder and Seiler's n -ality restriction, and Polyakov and 't Hooft's analysis of the center of the gauge group. Vortices and merons are analyzed as possible mechanisms to produce disorder in the center. We show how to realize the 't Hooft commutation relations, and we estimate the critical coupling for vortices to be in approximate agreement with the critical coupling determined by Callan, Dashen and Gross from the analysis of instantons.
14969784
Quantum Invariants
Abstract:In earlier work, we derived an expression for a partition function ?(λ), and gave a set of analytic hypotheses under which ?(λ) does not depend on a parameter λ. The proof that ?(λ) is invariant involved entire cyclic cohomology and K-theory. Here we give a direct proof that . The considerations apply to non-commutative geometry, to super-symmetric quantum theory, to string theory, and to generalizations of these theories to underlying quantum spaces.
120239182
Quantum Field Theory Models
Quantum fields are believed to provide a correct description of the interactions between particles. In the case of quantum electrodynamics, calculations based on perturbation theory provide exact agreement between theory and experiment within the limits of experimental accuracy. These calculations rely on infinite renormalizations and therefore reveal that quantum fields are highly singular. In these lectures, we will be concerned with the qualitative structure of quantum fields. Given a classical Lagrangian, we seek a mathematically complete construction of the corresponding quantum fields. Because of the difficulty of this problem, we have restricted ourselves to two space time dimensions. With this restriction, the program has been successful. Quantum fields have been constructed for the o2n and Yukawa interactions in two dimensions. Many properties of the fields have been verified for these models, and the o2n theory obeys all the Haag-Kastler axioms. Two major unanswered questions are: 
 
a) 
 
Can the existence of local quantum fields be extended to three space time dimensions? 
 
 
 
 
b) 
 
For the two dimensional models, can detailed properties of the fields be established in order to describe elementary particles and their bound states? Is standard perturbation theory asymptotic to the exact solution of the models? Do standard dispersion relations hold for the cross sections?
117116150
Exact Renormalization Group for Gauge Theories
Renormalization group ideas have been extremely important to progress in our understanding of gauge field theory. Particularly the idea of asymptotic freedom leads us to hope that nonabelian gauge theories exist in four dimensions and yet are capable of producing the physics we observe — quarks confined in meson and baryon states. For a thorough understanding of the ultraviolet behavior of gauge theories, we need to go beyond the approximation of the theory at some momentum scale by theories with one or a small number of coupling constants. In other words, we need a method of performing exact renormalization group transformations, keeping control of higher order effects, nonlocal effects, and large field effects that are usually ignored.
15299742
Complex Classical Fields: A Framework for Reflection Positivity
We explore a framework for complex classical fields, appropriate for describing quantum field theories. Our fields are linear transformations on a Hilbert space, so they are more general than random variables for a probability measure. Our method generalizes Osterwalder and Schrader’s construction of Euclidean fields. We allow complex-valued classical fields in the case of quantum field theories that describe neutral particles.From an analytic point-of-view, the key to using our method is reflection positivity. We investigate conditions on the Fourier representation of the fields to ensure that reflection positivity holds. We also show how reflection positivity is preserved by various spacetime compactifications of $${\mathbb{R}^{d}}$$Rd in different coordinate directions.