56354581
First CMB Constraints on the Inflationary Reheating Temperature
We present the first Bayesian constraints on the single field inflationary reheating era obtained from cosmic microwave background (CMB) data. After demonstrating that this epoch can be fully characterized by the so-called reheating parameter, we show that it is constrained by the seven years Wilkinson microwave anisotropies probe (WMAP7) data for all large and small field models. An interesting feature of our approach is that it yields lower bounds on the reheating temperature which can be combined with the upper bounds associated with gravitinos production. For large field models, we find the energy scale of reheating to be higher than those probed at the Large Hadron Collider, rho(1/4)(reh) > 17.3 TeV at 95% of the confidence limit. For small field models, we obtain the two-sigma lower limits rho(1/4)(reh) > 890 TeV for a mean equation of state during reheating (w) over bar (reh) = -0.3 and rho(1/4)(reh) > 390 GeV for (w) over bar (reh) = -0.2. The physical origin of these constraints is pedagogically explained by means of the slow-roll approximation. Finally, when marginalizing over all possible reheating history, the WMAP7 data push massive inflation under pressure (p < 2.2 at 95% of the confidence limit where p is the power index of the large field potentials) while they slightly favor super-Planckian field expectation values in the small field models.
118612073
Generation of gravitational waves during early structure formation between cosmic inflation and reheating
In the pre-reheating era, following cosmic inflation and preceding radiation domination, the energy density may be dominated by an oscillating massive scalar condensate, such as is the case for V = m22/2 chaotic inflation. We have found in a previous paper that during this period, a wide range of sub-Hubble scale perturbations are subject to a preheating instability, leading to the growth of density perturbations ultimately collapsing to form non-linear structures. We compute here the gravitational wave signal due to these structures in the linear limit and present estimates for emission in the non-linear limit due to various effects: the collapse of halos, the tidal interactions, the evaporation during the conversion of the inflaton condensate into radiation and finally the ensuing turbulent cascades. The gravitational wave signal could be rather large and potentially testable by future detectors.
15021448
Amplitude of superhorizon cosmological perturbations
We study the influence of reheating on super-horizon density perturbations and gravitational waves. We correct wrong claims [L. P. Grishchuk Phys. Rev. D 50, 7154 (1994) and gr-qc/9801011] about the joining of perturbations at cosmological transitions and about the quantization of cosmological perturbations.
119240885
Constraints on moduli cosmology from the production of dark matter and baryon isocurvature fluctuations
We set constraints on moduli cosmology from the production of dark matter—radiation and baryon— radiation isocurvature fluctuations through modulus decay, assuming the modulus remains light during inflation. We find that the moduli problem becomes worse at the perturbative level as a significant part of the parameter space m σ (modulus mass)—σ inf (modulus vacuum expectation value at the end of inflation) is constrained by the nonobservation of significant isocurvature fluctuations. We discuss in detail the evolution of the modulus vacuum expectation value and perturbations, in particular, the consequences of Hubble scale corrections to the modulus potential, and the stochastic motion of the modulus during inflation. We show, in particular, that a high modulus mass scale m σ ≳ 100 TeV, which allows the modulus to evade big bang nucleosynthesis constraints is strongly constrained at the perturbative level. We find that generically, solving the moduli problem requires the inflationary scale to be much smaller than 10 13 GeV.
14965415
Best unbiased estimators for the three point correlators of the cosmic microwave background radiation
Measuring the three-point correlators of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropies could help to get a handle on the level of non-Gaussianity present in the observational data sets and therefore would strongly constrain models of the early Universe. However, typically, the expected non-Gaussian signal is very small. Therefore, one has to face the problem of extracting it from the noise, in particular from the ``cosmic variance'' noise. For this purpose, one has to construct the best unbiased estimators for the three-point correlators that are needed for concrete detection of non-Gaussian features. In this article, we study this problem for both the CMB third moment and the CMB angular bispectrum. We emphasize that knowledge of the best estimator for the former does not permit one to infer the best estimator for the latter and vice versa. We present the corresponding best unbiased estimators in both cases and compute their corresponding cosmic variances.
31268700
Quintessence with two energy scales
We study quintessence models using low energy supergravity inspired from string theory. We consider effective supergravity with two scales m_S, the string scale, and m_PL, the Planck scale and show that quintessence naturally arises from a supersymmetry breaking hidden sector. As long as supersymmetry is broken by the $F$-term of a Polonyi-like field coupled to the quintessence field in the K\"ahler potential we find that the Ratra-Peebles potential and its supergravity version are generic predictions. This requires that the string scale decouples from the Planck scale, m_S << m_PL. In the context of supergravity, the potential possesses a minimum induced by the supergravity corrections to the Ratra-Peebles potential at low redshifts. We study the physical consequences of the presence of this minimum.
42925836
Design Status of a Separated-Sector Cyclotron Booster Accelerator for the Holifield Heavy Ion Research Facility
A separated-sector cyclotron booster accelerator is being designed for the Holifield Heavy Ion Research Facility as a Phase II project to be started in 1978. Phase I of the HHIRF, now under construction, includes a 25 MV tandem electrostatic accelerator, a beam transport and injection system to enable use of the Oak Ridge Isochronous Cyclotron as an energy booster for tandem beams, and some additional experiment areas and associated beam transport systems. The Phase I facility using the ORIC-25 MV tandem combination will provide energies up to about 25 MeV/amu for light ions such as oxygen and more than 5 MeV/amu up to the region of mass 160. The new Phase II separated-sector cyclotron will provide energies up to 100 MeV/amu for light ions and up to 12 MeV/amu for the heaviest ions such as uranium.
24877696
A Variable Field Magnetic Extraction Channel for ORIC
An improved magnetic beam extraction channel for the Oak Ridge Isochronous Cyclotron (ORIC) has been designed to significantly reduce the external field disturbance and provide uniform in-channel field. This will make beam extraction near ¿r = 1 more predictable. The new channel consists of an iron tube of constant cross section with independently adjustable windings, both inside and outside the iron. The windings have a cos¿ current density distribution. The iron tube is 1 meter long with a bore of 6 cm; aperture for beam is 4 cm. The external field is negligible except for small perturbations in the field arising from the geometry modifications required at the ends so that the beam can enter and leave. The field reduction inside the channel is variable from 0.4 to 0.6 Tesla without significant change in either the internal field uniformity or the external field level.
124286964
INNOVATIONS IN ISOCHRONOUS CYCLOTRONS.
Since the last International Conference on Isochronous Cyclotrons, three major projects have been approved: the 585 MeV proton cyclotron of the Swiss Institute for Nuclear Research (SIN) to be built at Villigen near Zurich; the 500 MeV Hcyclotron of the Tri-University Meson Facility (TRIUMF) at Vancouver, British Columbia; and the 200 MeV variable energy cyclotron of the Indiana University. A much smaller but unique project has been successfully brought into operation, the cyclograaff at Duke University which combines a small cyclotron with a tandem accelerator in a way which enhances the desirable characteristics of both. Finally, the most important happening since the last conference has been the renewed interest in accelerators for very heavy ions. In the United States alone, there will be more than ten major proposals. This paper reviews the activities and progress of the past several years and discusses some of the important innovations accomplished or foreseen.
115477044
Magnet Model Studies for Separated-Sector Heavy Ion Cyclotrons
A four-sector model of a 2400 ton (2200 metric ton), K=440, separated-sector cyclotron magnet has been built to 0.15 scale. The sector angle of the magnet is 52°. Magnetic field measurements have been made using a single Hall-effect element that was positioned by a high-precision numerically controlled table. Magnetic field data and the ion focusing characteristics are presented.
6876413
Coupled Operation Experience at the Holifield Heavy Ion Research Facility
The 25URC Pelletron tandem electrostatic accelerator and the Oak Ridge Isochronous Cyclotron (ORIC) comprise the accelerators of the Holifield Heavy-Ion Research Facility (HHIRF). The two machines may be operated individually or coupled, with ORIC serving as an energy booster for the tandem. In the coupled dode, the ion beam enters the cyclotron through the dee stem and is directed by the inflection magnet so that it is tangent to an orbit suitable for acceleration at a higher charge state. A thin carbon foil, placed at the point of tangency, strips the ions so that a substantial fraction are in the desired higher charge state. This fraction of the beam is then accelerated and extracted in the normal fashion. Full energy performance (25 MeV/A oxygen) was demonstrated during first coupled operation in January 1981. Routine coupled operation for experiments commenced in July 1982.