Astrophysics

Displaying 1189 - 1200 of 2162

CMB as a Probe of New Physics: The Story of Cosmic Birefringence
December 06, 2012

PIRSA:12120019
Astrophysics
Bubble Baryogenesis

Gilly Elor University of California, Berkeley
November 27, 2012

PIRSA:12110091
Astrophysics
Holography for inflation using conformal perturbation theory.

Paul McFadden Durham University
November 22, 2012

PIRSA:12110078
Astrophysics
An exact solution of the Dirac equation with CP violation.

Tomislav Prokopec Utrecht University
November 20, 2012

PIRSA:12110076
Astrophysics
Solid of Inflation: An alternative symmetry breaking pattern for an EFT of inflation

Solomon Endlich Stanford University
November 15, 2012

PIRSA:13010005
Astrophysics
Modified Gravity, Dark Matter and Dark Energy: Deep Mysteries of the Universe

John Moffat Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics
November 14, 2012

PIRSA:12110074
Astrophysics
Massive gravitons, the cosmological constant and new directions in gravity
November 14, 2012

PIRSA:12110061
Astrophysics
Recent progress on de Sitter S-matrix

Ian Morrison West Chester University
November 13, 2012

PIRSA:12110043
Astrophysics
Primordial Magnetic Fields & Non-Gaussianity

Martin Sloth University of Southern Denmark
November 06, 2012

PIRSA:12110040
Astrophysics
Kicking Chameleons: Early Universe Challenges for Chameleon Gravity

Adrienne Erickcek University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
October 25, 2012

PIRSA:12100125
Astrophysics
12/13 PSI Researcher Presentation

Matthew Johnson York University
October 24, 2012

PIRSA:12100050
Astrophysics
Cosmological Constant
- Ivan Arraut University of Saint Joseph
- Stephon Alexander Brown University
- Alejandro Satz
- Maïté Dupuis Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics
- Antonino Marciano Fudan University
October 23, 2012

PIRSA:12100126
Astrophysics

CMB as a Probe of New Physics: The Story of Cosmic Birefringence
December 06, 2012

PIRSA:12120019
Astrophysics
Cosmological birefringence is a postulated rotation of the linear polarization of photons that arises due to a Chern-Simons coupling of a new scalar field to electromagnetism. In particular, it appears as a generic feature of simple quintessence models for Dark Energy, and therefore, should it be detected, could provide insight into the microphysics of cosmic acceleration. Prior work has sought this rotation, assuming the rotation angle to be uniform across the sky, by looking for the parity-violating TB and EB correlations in the CMB temperature/polarization. However, if the scalar field that gives rise to cosmological birefringence has spatial fluctuations, then the rotation angle may vary across the sky. In this talk, I will present the results of the first CMB-based search for direction-dependent cosmological birefringence, using WMAP-7 data, and report the constraint on the rotation-angle power spectrum for all multipoles up to the resolution of the instrument. I will discuss the implications for a specific models for rotation, and show forecasts for Planck and future experiments. I will then conclude with a brief discussion of other exotic physical models, such as chiral gravity, and astrophysical scenarios, such as inhomogeneous reionization, that can be probed using the same analysis.
Bubble Baryogenesis

Gilly Elor University of California, Berkeley
November 27, 2012

PIRSA:12110091
Astrophysics
Holography for inflation using conformal perturbation theory.

Paul McFadden Durham University
November 22, 2012

PIRSA:12110078
Astrophysics
Holographic cosmology maps cosmological time evolution to the inverse RG ﬂow of a dual three-dimensional QFT. In cases where this RG ﬂow connects two closely separated ﬁxed points, QFT correlators may be calculated perturbatively in terms of the conformal ﬁeld theory associated with one of the ﬁxed points, even when the dual QFT is at strong coupling. Realising slow-roll inﬂation in these terms, we show how to derive standard slow-roll inﬂationary power spectra and non-Gaussianities through purely holographic calculations. The form of slow-roll inﬂationary correlators is seen to be determined by the perturbative breaking of conformal symmetry away from the ﬁxed point.
An exact solution of the Dirac equation with CP violation.

Tomislav Prokopec Utrecht University
November 20, 2012

PIRSA:12110076
Astrophysics
After a brief overview of electroweak baryogenesis, I will show how to construct a solution of the Dirac equation for a CP violating kink wall. This solution nicely reduces to the known solution for a CP violating thin (step) wall. The novel solution can be helpful for studies of baryogenesis sources at strong first order phase transitions, which is relevant for electroweak scale baryogenesis studies.
Solid of Inflation: An alternative symmetry breaking pattern for an EFT of inflation

Solomon Endlich Stanford University
November 15, 2012

PIRSA:13010005
Astrophysics
In this talk I will discuss a cosmological model where primordial inflation is driven by a `solid', defined as a system of three derivatively coupled scalar fields obeying certain symmetries and spontaneously breaking a certain subgroup of these. The symmetry breaking pattern differs drastically from that of standard inflationary models: time translations are unbroken. This prevents our model from fitting into the standard effective field theory description of adiabatic perturbations. Consequently, it exhibits a novel non-Gaussian `shape'.
Modified Gravity, Dark Matter and Dark Energy: Deep Mysteries of the Universe

John Moffat Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics
November 14, 2012

PIRSA:12110074
Astrophysics
Massive gravitons, the cosmological constant and new directions in gravity
November 14, 2012

PIRSA:12110061
Astrophysics
The solutions to the cosmological constant problems may involve modifying the very long-range dynamics of gravity by adding new degrees of freedom. As an example of a conservative and minimal such modification, we consider the possibility that the graviton has a very small mass. Massive gravity has received renewed interest due to recent advances which have resolved its traditional problems. This kind of modification has some peculiar and unexpected features, and it points us towards a universe which looks quite unfamiliar.
Support for this colloquium is provided by The Templeton Frontiers Program.
Recent progress on de Sitter S-matrix

Ian Morrison West Chester University
November 13, 2012

PIRSA:12110043
Astrophysics
The de Sitter S-matrix provides a gauge-invariant and field redefinition-invariant window into de Sitter QFTs and may provide a crucial entry in any dS/CFT dictionary. In this talk I will summarize recent progress on developing the S-matrix for theories with gauge fields and perturbative gravity. Nonrenormalization theorems, hints of supersymmetry, and perturbative stability will be discussed.
Primordial Magnetic Fields & Non-Gaussianity

Martin Sloth University of Southern Denmark
November 06, 2012

PIRSA:12110040
Astrophysics
There are indications of a lower bound on magnetic fields in the intergalactic media. Since magnetic fields on such large scales are difficult to generate in the late universe, this might point to inflationary magnetogenesis as the origin of intergalactic magnetic fields. If the magnetic fields are generated during inflation, they are naturally correlated with the inflaton perturbations in a general class of models. This leads to a consistency relation between the power spectrum of primordial magnetic fields and the non-Gaussian three-point cross-correlation of magnetic fields with the inflaton perturbation. The size of non-Gaussianity can be expressed in a new magnetic non-linearity parameter b_NL. In the flattened shape where the non-Gaussianity is maximal, b_NL can be as large as 5000.
Kicking Chameleons: Early Universe Challenges for Chameleon Gravity

Adrienne Erickcek University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
October 25, 2012

PIRSA:12100125
Astrophysics
Chameleon gravity is a scalar-tensor theory that mimics general relativity in the Solar System. The scalar degree of freedom is hidden in high-density environments because the effective mass of the chameleon scalar depends on the trace of the stress-energy tensor. In the early Universe, when the trace of the stress-energy tensor is nearly zero, the chameleon is very light and Hubble friction prevents it from reaching its potential minimum. Whenever a particle species becomes non-relativistic, however, the trace of the stress-energy tensor is temporarily nonzero, and the chameleon begins to roll. I will show that these "kicks" to the chameleon field have catastrophic consequences for chameleon gravity. The velocity imparted to the chameleon is sufficiently large that the chameleon's mass changes rapidly as it slides past its potential minimum. This nonadiabatic process shatters the chameleon field by generating extremely high-energy perturbations, casting doubt on chameleon gravity's viability as an alternative to general relativity.
12/13 PSI Researcher Presentation

Matthew Johnson York University
October 24, 2012

PIRSA:12100050
Astrophysics
Cosmological Constant
- Ivan Arraut University of Saint Joseph
- Stephon Alexander Brown University
- Alejandro Satz
- Maïté Dupuis Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics
- Antonino Marciano Fudan University
October 23, 2012

PIRSA:12100126
Astrophysics
Dark Matter and Dark Energy as a Possible Manifestation of a Fundamental Scale
If we take the idea of the Planck length as a fundamental (minimum) scale and if additionally we impose the Cosmological Constant ($Lambda$) as and infrared (IR) cut-off parameter. Then it is possible to demonstrate that Dark Matter effects can emerge as a consequence of an IR-UV mix effect. This opens the possibility of unifying the Dark Energy and Dark matter effects in a single approach.

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Geometric Operators in Loop Quantum Gravity with a Cosmological Constant
Loop quantum gravity is a candidate to describe the quantum gravity regime with zero cosmological constant. One of its key results is that geometric operators such as area angle volume are quantized. Not much is known when the cosmological constant is not zero. It is usually believed that to introduce this parameter in the game we need to use quantum groups. However due to the complicated algebraic structure inherent to quantum groups the geometric operators are not yet properly defined (except the area operator). I will discuss how the use of tensor operators can circumvent the difficulties and allow to construct a natural set of observables. In particular I will construct the natural geometric observables such as angle or volume and discuss some of their implications.

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Interplay Between Cosmological Constant and DSR Scale
I offer brief remarks on several ways in which the cosmological constant could provide a clue toward quantum gravity. I then focus on how DSR-relativistic theories can be made compatible with spacetime expansion (possibly cosmological-constant-governed spacetime expansion), and how this interplay could manifest itself in data.

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Quantum Gravity RG Flow: A Cosmological Limit Cycle
I will discuss evidence for the existence of a limit cycle in the renormalization group for quantum gravity which is visible in a minisuperspace approximation. The emergence of the limit cycle can be studied through a tuning parameter representing the number of dimensions in which fluctuations of the conformal factor are suppressed. At the critical value of the tuning parameter all RG trajectories reaching the UV fixed point have an extended semiclassical regime with a small positive cosmological constant providing a possible model for a viable cosmology without fine-tuning.

Title	Speaker(s)	Date	Talk Type	Info link
CMB as a Probe of New Physics: The Story of Cosmic Birefringence		2012-12-06	Scientific Series	View details
Bubble Baryogenesis	Gilly Elor	2012-11-27	Scientific Series	View details
Holography for inflation using conformal perturbation theory.	Paul McFadden	2012-11-22	Scientific Series	View details
An exact solution of the Dirac equation with CP violation.	Tomislav Prokopec	2012-11-20	Scientific Series	View details
Solid of Inflation: An alternative symmetry breaking pattern for an EFT of inflation	Solomon Endlich	2012-11-15	Scientific Series	View details
Modified Gravity, Dark Matter and Dark Energy: Deep Mysteries of the Universe	John Moffat	2012-11-14	Other	View details
Massive gravitons, the cosmological constant and new directions in gravity		2012-11-14	Scientific Series	View details
Recent progress on de Sitter S-matrix	Ian Morrison	2012-11-13	Scientific Series	View details
Primordial Magnetic Fields & Non-Gaussianity	Martin Sloth	2012-11-06	Scientific Series	View details
Kicking Chameleons: Early Universe Challenges for Chameleon Gravity	Adrienne Erickcek	2012-10-25	Scientific Series	View details
12/13 PSI Researcher Presentation	Matthew Johnson	2012-10-24	Course	View details
Cosmological Constant	Ivan Arraut, Stephon Alexander, Alejandro Satz, Maïté Dupuis, Antonino Marciano	2012-10-23	Conference	View details

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CMB as a Probe of New Physics: The Story of Cosmic Birefringence

Bubble Baryogenesis

Holography for inflation using conformal perturbation theory.

An exact solution of the Dirac equation with CP violation.

Solid of Inflation: An alternative symmetry breaking pattern for an EFT of inflation

Modified Gravity, Dark Matter and Dark Energy: Deep Mysteries of the Universe

Massive gravitons, the cosmological constant and new directions in gravity

Recent progress on de Sitter S-matrix

Primordial Magnetic Fields & Non-Gaussianity

Kicking Chameleons: Early Universe Challenges for Chameleon Gravity

12/13 PSI Researcher Presentation

Cosmological Constant

CMB as a Probe of New Physics: The Story of Cosmic Birefringence

Bubble Baryogenesis

Holography for inflation using conformal perturbation theory.

An exact solution of the Dirac equation with CP violation.

Solid of Inflation: An alternative symmetry breaking pattern for an EFT of inflation

Modified Gravity, Dark Matter and Dark Energy: Deep Mysteries of the Universe

Massive gravitons, the cosmological constant and new directions in gravity

Recent progress on de Sitter S-matrix

Primordial Magnetic Fields & Non-Gaussianity

Kicking Chameleons: Early Universe Challenges for Chameleon Gravity

12/13 PSI Researcher Presentation

Cosmological Constant