15427484
Observing gravitational radiation with QSO proper motions and the SKA
Abstract We discuss the ability of the SKA to observe QSO proper motions induced by long-wavelength gravitational radiation. We find that the SKA, configured for VLBI with multiple beams at high frequency (8 GHz), is sensitive to a dimensionless characteristic strain of roughly 10 −13 , comparable to (and with very different errors than) other methods in the 1/yr frequency band such as pulsar timing.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
119588441
Response to comments on ``Theoretical Mathematics''
The authors discuss various objections and rejoinders in the collected responses [math.HO/9404229,math.HO/9404236] to their original article on the relationship between mathematics and theoretical physics [math.HO/9307227].
124187143
On the approach to the critical point
The mass perturbation yields a new construction for Even + Linear quantum field models. For rp4 models, the Schwinger functions are differentiable in the parameter 6 = 5y~, in the single phase region, and are continuous ac. For the Isingd model, d >_ 2 classical bounds on the critical exponents, e. g. 1 y 2v, are a consequence of an Ornstein-Zernike type upper bound on the two point function.
119396887
Multiple Meron Solutions of the Classical Yang-Mills Equation
Abstract We give a construction for multiple meron-antimeron solutions to the classical SU(2) Yang-Mills field equations. The corresponding charge density is Q(x) = 1 2 ∑ ± γ(x−x i ) , with the xi distinct points on a line. The problem is reduced to the solution of a scalar φ4 equation. We obtain a model with merons connected in pairs.
120686550
Instantons in aU(1) lattice gauge theory: A Coulomb dipole gas
We study the decompositionA=AI+ASW of aU(1) lattice gauge field into instanton and spin wave parts. The action also decomposes,A=AI+ASW+R. HereAI is a Coulomb dipole gas,ASW is a zero mass free field, andR is a higher order remainder. We studyAI in detail, ford≧4, in the dilute gas case (which corresponds to the low temperature limit of the gauge field theory). We establish the leading behavior of the free energy:f ∼ ɛ−daζ. Here ɛ is the lattice spacing,a is a geometrical constant and ζ is an activity defined in terms of a small number of instanton configurations. Our methods suggest the absence of screening in the dilute dipole gas,d≧4, in contrast to Debye screening for the dilute monopole gas.
73521036
Heat kernel regularization of quantum fields
We discuss some consequences of the existence of a heat kernel regularization (HKR) for quantum fields. We demonstrate that HKR applies in certain examples, using methods which should be useful more generally.