title:
HST/WFC3 Imaging of Protostellar Jets in Carina: [Fe II] Emission
  Tracing Massive Jets from Intermediate Mass Protostars

abstract:
  We present narrowband WFC3-UVIS and -IR images of four externally irradiated
protostellar jets in the Carina nebula: HH666, HH901, HH902, and HH1066. These
massive jets are unusual because they are bathed in UV radiation from dozens of
nearby O stars, but despite the strong incident ionizing radiation, portions of
the jet remain neutral. Near-IR [Fe II] images reveal dense, neutral gas that
was not seen in previous studies of H-alpha emission. We show that near-IR [Fe
II] emitting gas must be self-shielded from Lyman continuum photons, regardless
of its excitation mechanism (shocks, FUV radiation, or both). High densities
are required for the survival of Fe+ amid the strong Lyman continuum from Tr14,
raising estimates of the mass-loss rates by an order of magnitude. Higher jet
mass-loss rates require higher accretion rates onto their driving protostars,
implying that these jets are driven by intermediate-mass (IM; ~2-8 Msun) stars.
Indeed, the IR driving sources of two of these outflows have luminosities that
require IM protostars. All four of these HH jets are highly collimated, with
opening angles of only a few degrees, similar to those observed in low-mass
protostars. We propose that these jets reflect essentially the same outflow
phenomenon seen in wide-angle molecular outflows associated with IM and
high-mass protostars, but that the collimated atomic jet core is irradiated and
rendered observable in Carina's harsh radiative environment. In more quiescent
environments, this atomic core remains invisible, and outflows traced by
shock-excited molecules in the outflow cavity give the impression that these
outflows have a wider opening angle. Thus, the externally irradiated jets in
Carina constitute a new view of collimated jets from IM protostars, and offer
strong additional evidence that stars up to at least ~8 Msun form by the same
accretion mechanisms as low-mass stars.


title:
How the Z_c(3900) Reveals the Spectra of Quarkonium Hybrid and
  Tetraquark Mesons

abstract:
  Flavor-exotic tetraquark mesons have recently been observed in the
heavy-quark pair sectors of QCD, including two isospin multiplets in the b
b-bar sector, Z_b(10610) and Z_b(10650), and one isospin multiplet in the c
c-bar sector, Z_c(3900). We identify Z_b and Z_c as tetraquark mesons that are
analogs of quarkonium hybrids with the gluon field replaced by an isospin-1
excitation of the light-quark fields. Given the identification of Y(4260) and
Z_c(3900) as a ground-state charmonium hybrid and tetraquark, respectively,
lattice QCD calculations of the charmonium spectrum can be used to estimate the
masses of the lowest four spin-symmetry multiplets of charmonium hybrids and
tetraquarks. The Z_b(10610) and Z_b(10650) can be assigned to excited-state
multiplets of bottomonium tetraquarks, resulting in estimates of the masses of
the ground-state multiplets of bottomonium hybrids and tetraquarks.


title:
A measure theoretic approach to linear inverse atmospheric dispersion
  problems

abstract:
  Using measure theoretic arguments, we provide a general framework for
describing and studying the general linear inverse dispersion problem where no
a priori assumptions on the source function has been made. We investigate the
source-sensor relationship and rigorously state solvability conditions for when
the inverse problem can be solved using a least-squares optimisation method.
That is, we derive conditions for when the least-squares problem is
well-defined.


title: Superheavy Particle Origin of IceCube PeV Neutrino Events

abstract:
  We interpret the PeV shower events observed by the IceCube collaboration as
an s-channel enhancement of neutrino-quark scattering by a leptoquark that
couples to the tau-flavor and light quarks. With a leptoquark mass of ~ 0.6 TeV
and a steep 1/E^{2.3} neutrino flux, charged-current scattering gives shower
events at ~ 1 PeV and neutral-current scattering gives shower events at ~ 0.5
PeV. This mechanism is also consistent with the paucity of muon-track events
above 100 TeV.


title:
Possible Implications of Asymmetric Fermionic Dark Matter for Neutron
  Stars

abstract:
  We consider the implications of fermionic asymmetric dark matter for a "mixed
neutron star" composed of ordinary baryons and dark fermions. We find examples,
where for a certain range of dark fermion mass -- when it is less than that of
ordinary baryons -- such systems can reach higher masses than the maximal
values allowed for ordinary ("pure") neutron stars. This is shown both within a
simplified, heuristic Newtonian analytic framework with non-interacting
particles and via a general relativistic numerical calculation, under certain
assumptions for the dark matter equation of state. Our work applies to various
dark fermion models such as mirror matter models and to other models where the
dark fermions have self interactions.


title: The Inverse Weibull Survival Distribution and its Proper Application

abstract:
  The peculiar properties of the Inverse Weibull (IW) distribution are shown.
It is proven that the IW distribution is one of the few models having upside-
down bathtub (UBT) shaped hazard function. Three real and typical de generative
mechanisms, which lead exactly to the IW random variable, are formulated. So a
new approach to proper application of this relatively unknown survival model is
supported. However, we consider also the case in which any knowledge about
generative mechanism is unavailable. In this hypothesis, we study a procedure
based on the Anderson-Darling statistic and log-likelihood function to
discriminate between the IW model and others alternative UBT distributions. The
invariant properties of the proposed discriminating criteria have been proven.
Based on Monte Carlo simulations, the probability of the correct selection has
been computed. A real applicative example closes the paper.


title: \alpha_S from $F_\pi$ and Renormalization Group Optimized Perturbation

abstract:
  A variant of variationally optimized perturbation, incorporating
renormalization group properties in a straightforward way, uniquely fixes the
variational mass interpolation in terms of the anomalous mass dimension. It is
used at three successive orders to calculate the nonperturbative ratio
$F_\pi/\Lambda$ of the pion decay constant and the basic QCD scale in the MSbar
scheme. We demonstrate the good stability and (empirical) convergence
properties of this modified perturbative series for this quantity, and provide
simple and generic cures to previous problems of the method, principally the
generally non-unique and non-real optimal solutions beyond lowest order. Using
the experimental $F_\pi$ input value we determine \Lambda^{n_f=2}\simeq
359^{+38}_{-25} \pm 5 MeV and \Lambda^{n_f=3}=317^{+14}_{-7} \pm 13 MeV, where
the first quoted errors are our estimate of theoretical uncertainties of the
method, which we consider conservative. The second uncertainties come from the
present uncertainties in F_\pi/F and F_\pi/F_0, where F (F_0) is $F_\pi$ in the
exact chiral SU(2) (SU(3)) limits. Combining the \Lambda^{n_f=3} results with a
standard perturbative evolution provides a new independent determination of the
strong coupling constant at various relevant scales, in particular \alpha_S
(m_Z) =0.1174 ^{+.0010}_{-.0005} \pm .001 \pm .0005_{evol} and
\alpha_S^{n_f=3}(m_\tau)= 0.308 ^{+.007}_{-.004} \pm .007 \pm .002_{evol}. A
less conservative interpretation of our prescriptions favors central values
closer to the upper limits of the first uncertainties. The theoretical accuracy
is well comparable to the most precise recent {\em single} determinations of
\alpha_S, including some very recent lattice simulation determinations with
fully dynamical quarks.


title: Thermal drag in spin ladders coupled to phonons

abstract:
  We study the spin-phonon drag effect in the magnetothermal transport of
spin-1/2 two-leg ladders coupled to lattice degrees of freedom. Using a bond
operator description for the triplon excitations of the spin ladder and
magnetoelastic coupling to acoustic phonons, we employ the time convolutionless
projection operator method to derive expressions for the diagonal and
off-diagonal thermal conductivities of the coupled two-component triplon-phonon
system. We find that for magnetoelastic coupling strengths and diagonal
scattering rates relevant to copper-oxide spin-ladders the drag heat
conductivity can be of similar magnitude as the diagonal triplon heat
conductivity. Moreover, we show that the drag and diagonal conductivities
display very similar overall temperature dependences. Finally, the drag
conductivity is shown to be rather susceptible to external magnetic fields.


title:
Adaptive Optics Imaging of VY Canis Majoris at 2 - 5 micron with
  LBT/LMIRCam

abstract:
  We present adaptive optics images of the extreme red supergiant VY Canis
Majoris in the Ks, L' and M bands (2.15 to 4.8 micron) made with LMIRCam on the
Large Binocular Telescope (LBT). The peculiar "Southwest Clump" previously
imaged from 1 to 2.2 micron appears prominently in all three filters. We find
its brightness is due almost entirely to scattering, with the contribution of
thermal emission limited to at most 25%. We model its brightness as optically
thick scattering from silicate dust grains using typical size distributions. We
find a lower limit mass for this single feature of 5E-03 Msun to 2.5E-02 Msun
depending on the assumed gas-to-dust ratio. The presence of the Clump as a
distinct feature with no apparent counterpart on the other side of the star is
suggestive of an ejection event from a localized region of the star and is
consistent with VY CMa's history of asymmetric high mass loss events.


title:
Evidence for Fully Gapped Strong Coupling S-wave Superconductivity in
  Bi4O4S3

abstract:
  We report on the superconducting gap and pairing symmetry in layered
superconductor Bi4O4S3. The measurement of temperature dependence of magnetic
penetration depth was carried out using tunnel diode oscillator technique. It
is observed that Bi4O4S3 is a conventional s-wave type superconductor with
fully developed gap. The zero-temperature value of the superconducting energy
gap {\Delta}0 was found to be 1.54 meV, corresponding to the ratio
2{\Delta}0/kBTc=7.2 which is much higher than the BCS value of 3.53. In the
superconducting range, superfluid density is very well described by single gap
s- wave model.


title:
Evaporating Quantum Lukewarm Black Holes Final State From Back-Reaction
  Corrections of Quantum Scalar Fields

abstract:
  We obtain renormalized stress tensor of a mass-less, charge-less dynamical
quantum scalar field, minimally coupled with a spherically symmetric static
Lukewarm black hole. In two dimensional analog the minimal coupling reduces to
the conformal coupling and the stress tensor is found to be determined by the
nonlocal contribution of the anomalous trace and some additional parameters in
close relation to the work presented by Christensen and Fulling. Lukewarm black
holes are a special class of Reissner- Nordstr\"{o}m-de Sitter space times
where its electric charge is equal to its mass. Having the obtained
renormalized stress tensor we attempt to obtain a time-independent solution of
the well known metric back reaction equation. Mathematical derivations predict
that the final state of an evaporating quantum Lukewarm black hole reduces to a
remnant stable mini black hole with moved locations of the horizons. Namely the
perturbed black hole (cosmological) horizon is compressed (extended) to scales
which is smaller (larger) than the corresponding classical radius of the event
horizons. Hence there is not obtained an deviation on the cosmic sensor-ship
hypothesis.


title: Reusing Precisions for Efficient Regression Verification

abstract:
  Continuous testing during development is a well-established technique for
software-quality assurance. Continuous model checking from revision to revision
is not yet established as a standard practice, because the enormous resource
consumption makes its application impractical. Model checkers compute a large
number of verification facts that are necessary for verifying if a given
specification holds. We have identified a category of such intermediate results
that are easy to store and efficient to reuse: abstraction precisions. The
precision of an abstract domain specifies the level of abstraction that the
analysis works on. Precisions are thus a precious result of the verification
effort and it is a waste of resources to throw them away after each
verification run. In particular, precisions are small and thus easy to store;
they are easy to process and have a large impact on resource consumption. We
experimentally show the impact of precision reuse on industrial verification
problems, namely, 59 device drivers with 1119 revisions from the Linux kernel.


title:
Statistical analysis of latent generalized correlation matrix estimation
  in transelliptical distribution

abstract:
  Correlation matrices play a key role in many multivariate methods (e.g.,
graphical model estimation and factor analysis). The current state-of-the-art
in estimating large correlation matrices focuses on the use of Pearson's sample
correlation matrix. Although Pearson's sample correlation matrix enjoys various
good properties under Gaussian models, it is not an effective estimator when
facing heavy-tailed distributions. As a robust alternative, Han and Liu [J. Am.
Stat. Assoc. 109 (2015) 275-287] advocated the use of a transformed version of
the Kendall's tau sample correlation matrix in estimating high dimensional
latent generalized correlation matrix under the transelliptical distribution
family (or elliptical copula). The transelliptical family assumes that after
unspecified marginal monotone transformations, the data follow an elliptical
distribution. In this paper, we study the theoretical properties of the
Kendall's tau sample correlation matrix and its transformed version proposed in
Han and Liu [J. Am. Stat. Assoc. 109 (2015) 275-287] for estimating the
population Kendall's tau correlation matrix and the latent Pearson's
correlation matrix under both spectral and restricted spectral norms. With
regard to the spectral norm, we highlight the role of "effective rank" in
quantifying the rate of convergence. With regard to the restricted spectral
norm, we for the first time present a "sign sub-Gaussian condition" which is
sufficient to guarantee that the rank-based correlation matrix estimator
attains the fast rate of convergence. In both cases, we do not need any moment
condition.


title: Issues and R&D Required for the Intensity Frontier Accelerators

abstract:
  We discuss main issues and R&D Required for the Intensity Frontier
Accelerators and therefore provide input for the 2013 APS/DPF Community Summer
Study (Snowmass-2013).


title:
Video Human Segmentation using Fuzzy Object Models and its Application
  to Body Pose Estimation of Toddlers for Behavior Studies

abstract:
  Video object segmentation is a challenging problem due to the presence of
deformable, connected, and articulated objects, intra- and inter-object
occlusions, object motion, and poor lighting. Some of these challenges call for
object models that can locate a desired object and separate it from its
surrounding background, even when both share similar colors and textures. In
this work, we extend a fuzzy object model, named cloud system model (CSM), to
handle video segmentation, and evaluate it for body pose estimation of toddlers
at risk of autism. CSM has been successfully used to model the parts of the
brain (cerebrum, left and right brain hemispheres, and cerebellum) in order to
automatically locate and separate them from each other, the connected brain
stem, and the background in 3D MR-images. In our case, the objects are
articulated parts (2D projections) of the human body, which can deform, cause
self-occlusions, and move along the video. The proposed CSM extension handles
articulation by connecting the individual clouds, body parts, of the system
using a 2D stickman model. The stickman representation naturally allows us to
extract 2D body pose measures of arm asymmetry patterns during unsupported gait
of toddlers, a possible behavioral marker of autism. The results show that our
method can provide insightful knowledge to assist the specialist's observations
during real in-clinic assessments.


title: YAG nano-light sources with high Ce concentration

abstract:
  We investigate the luminescence properties of 10 nm YAG nanoparticles doped
with Ce ions at 0.2%, 4% and 13% that are designed as active probes for
Scanning Near field Optical Microscopy. They are produced by a physical method
without any subsequent treatment, which is imposed by the desired application.
The structural analysis reveals the amorphous nature of the particles, which we
relate to some compositional defect as indicated by the elemental analysis. The
optimum emission is obtained with a doping level of 4%. The emission of the YAG
nanoparticles doped at 0.2% is strongly perturbed by the crystalline disorder
whereas the 13% doped particles hardly exhibit any luminescence. In the latter
case, the presence of Ce4+ ions is confirmed, indicating that the Ce
concentration is too high to be incorporated efficiently in YAG nanoparticles
in the trivalent state. By a unique procedure combining cathodoluminescence and
Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, we demonstrate that the enhancement of
the particles luminescence yield is not proportional to the doping
concentration, the emission enhancement being larger than the Ce concentration
increase. Time-resolved photoluminescence reveals the presence of quenching
centres likely related to the crystalline disorder as well as the presence of
two distinct Ce ions populations. Eventually, nano-cathodoluminescence
indicates that the emission and therefore the distribution of the doping Ce
ions and of the defects are homogeneous.


title: Derivation of a homogenized two-temperature model from the heat equation

abstract:
  This work studies the heat equation in a two-phase material with spherical
inclusions. Under some appropriate scaling on the size, volume fraction and
heat capacity of the inclusions, we derive a coupled system of partial
differential equations governing the evolution of the temperature of each phase
at a macroscopic level of description. The coupling terms describing the
exchange of heat between the phases are obtained by using homogenization
techniques originating from [D. Cioranescu, F. Murat: Coll\`ege de France
Seminar vol. 2. (Paris 1979-1980) Res. Notes in Math. vol. 60, pp. 98-138.
Pitman, Boston, London, 1982.]


title: Complementarity and Searches for Dark Matter in the pMSSM

abstract:
  The search for and identification of neutralino dark matter in supersymmetry
requires a multi-pronged approach with important roles played by collider,
direct and indirect dark matter detection experiments. In this report, we
summarize the sensitivity of such searches at the 7, 8 (and eventually 14) TeV
LHC, combined with those by Fermi, CTA, IceCube/DeepCore, COUPP and XENON1T, to
such particles within the context of the 19-parameter p(henomenological)MSSM.
This report provides an outline of the current status of our results and our
expectations for future analyses.


title:
Observations of Feedback from Radio-Quiet Quasars - II. Kinematics of
  Ionized Gas Nebulae

abstract:
  The prevalence and energetics of quasar feedback is a major unresolved
problem in galaxy formation theory. In this paper, we present Gemini Integral
Field Unit observations of ionized gas around eleven luminous, obscured,
radio-quiet quasars at z~0.5 out to ~15 kpc from the quasar; specifically, we
measure the kinematics and morphology of [O III]5007 emission. The round
morphologies of the nebulae and the large line-of-sight velocity widths (with
velocities containing 80% of the emission as high as 1000 km/s combined with
relatively small velocity difference across them (from 90 to 520 km/s) point
toward wide-angle quasi-spherical outflows. We use the observed velocity widths
to estimate a median outflow velocity of 760 km/s, similar to or above the
escape velocities from the host galaxies. The line-of-sight velocity dispersion
declines slightly toward outer parts of the nebulae (by 3% per kpc on average).
The majority of nebulae show blueshifted excesses in their line profiles across
most of their extents, signifying gas outflows. For the median outflow
velocity, we find a kinetic energy flow between 4x10^{44} and 3x10^{45} erg/s
and mass outflow rate between 2000 and 20000 Msun/yr. These values are large
enough for the observed quasar winds to have a significant impact on their host
galaxies. The median rate of converting bolometric luminosity to kinetic energy
of ionized gas clouds is ~2%. We report four new candidates for "super-bubbles"
-- outflows that may have broken out of the denser regions of the host galaxy.


title:
How to Zoom: Bias, Contamination, and Lagrange Volumes in Multimass
  Cosmological Simulations

abstract:
  We perform a suite of multimass cosmological zoom simulations of individual
dark matter halos and explore how to best select Lagrangian regions for
resimulation without contaminating the halo of interest with low-resolution
particles. Such contamination can lead to significant errors in the gas
distribution of hydrodynamical simulations, as we show. For a fixed Lagrange
volume, we find that the chance of contamination increases systematically with
the level of zoom. In order to avoid contamination, the Lagrangian volume
selected for resimulation must increase monotonically with the resolution
difference between parent box and the zoom region. We provide a simple formula
for selecting Lagrangian regions (in units of the halo virial volume) as a
function of the level of zoom required. We also explore the degree to which a
halo's Lagrangian volume correlates with other halo properties (concentration,
spin, formation time, shape, etc.) and find no significant correlation. There
is a mild correlation between Lagrange volume and environment, such that halos
living in the most clustered regions have larger Lagrangian volumes.
Nevertheless, selecting halos to be isolated is not the best way to ensure
inexpensive zoom simulations. We explain how one can safely choose halos with
the smallest Lagrangian volumes, which are the least expensive to resimulate,
without biasing one's sample.


title:
Constraining the Minimum Luminosity of High Redshift Galaxies through
  Gravitational Lensing

abstract:
  We simulate the effects of gravitational lensing on the source count of high
redshift galaxies as projected to be observed by the Hubble Frontier Fields
program and the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) in the near future. Taking
the mass density profile of the lensing object to be the singular isothermal
sphere (SIS) or the Navarro-Frenk-White (NFW) profile, we model a lens residing
at a redshift of z_L = 0.5 and explore the radial dependence of the resulting
magnification bias and its variability with the velocity dispersion of the
lens, the photometric sensitivity of the instrument, the redshift of the
background source population, and the intrinsic maximum absolute magnitude
(M_{max}) of the sources. We find that gravitational lensing enhances the
number of galaxies with redshifts z >= 13 detected in the angular region
\theta_E/2 <= \theta <= 2\theta_E (where \theta_E is the Einstein angle) by a
factor of ~ 3 and 1.5 in the HUDF (df/d\nu_0 ~ 9 nJy) and medium-deep JWST
surveys (df/d\nu_0 ~ 6 nJy). Furthermore, we find that even in cases where a
negative magnification bias reduces the observed number count of background
sources, the lensing effect improves the sensitivity of the count to the
intrinsic faint-magnitude cut-off of the Schechter luminosity function. In a
field centered on a strong lensing cluster, observations of z >= 6 and z >= 13
galaxies with JWST can be used to infer this cut-off magnitude for values as
faint as M_{max} ~ -14.4 and -16.1 mag (L_{min} ~ 2.5*10^{26} and 1.2*10^{27}
erg s^{-1} Hz^{-1}) respectively, within the range bracketed by existing
theoretical models. Gravitational lensing may therefore offer an effective way
of constraining the low-luminosity cut-off of high-redshift galaxies.


title:
The Ignition of Carbon Detonations via Converging Shock Waves in White
  Dwarfs

abstract:
  The progenitor channel responsible for the majority of Type Ia supernovae is
still uncertain. One emergent scenario involves the detonation of a He-rich
layer surrounding a C/O white dwarf, which sends a shock wave into the core.
The quasi-spherical shock wave converges and strengthens at an off-center
location, forming a second, C-burning, detonation that disrupts the whole star.
In this paper, we examine this second detonation of the double detonation
scenario using a combination of analytic and numeric techniques. We perform a
spatially resolved study of the imploding shock wave and outgoing detonation
and calculate the critical imploding shock strengths needed to achieve a core C
detonation. We find that He detonations in recent two-dimensional simulations
yield converging shock waves that are strong enough to ignite C detonations in
high-mass C/O cores, with the caveat that a truly robust answer requires
multi-dimensional detonation initiation calculations. We also find that
convergence-driven detonations in low-mass C/O cores and in O/Ne cores are
harder to achieve and are perhaps unrealized in standard binary evolution.


title:
The Effect of Host Star Spectral Energy Distribution and Ice-Albedo
  Feedback on the Climate of Extrasolar Planets

abstract:
  Planetary climate can be affected by the interaction of the host star
spectral energy distribution with the wavelength-dependent reflectivity of ice
and snow. Here we explore this effect using a one dimensional (1-D),
line-by-line, radiative-transfer model to calculate broadband planetary albedos
as input to a seasonally varying, 1-D energy-balance climate model. A
three-dimensional general circulation model is also used to explore the
atmosphere's response to changes in incoming stellar radiation, or
instellation, and surface albedo. Using this hierarchy of models we simulate
planets covered by ocean, land, and water ice of varying grain size, with
incident radiation from stars of different spectral types. Terrestrial planets
orbiting stars with higher near-UV radiation exhibit a stronger ice-albedo
feedback. We find that ice-covered conditions occur on an F-dwarf planet with
only a 2% reduction in instellation relative to the present instellation on
Earth, assuming fixed CO2 (present atmospheric level on Earth). A similar
planet orbiting the Sun at an equivalent flux distance requires an 8% reduction
in instellation, while a planet orbiting an M-dwarf star requires an additional
19% reduction in instellation to become ice-covered, equivalent to 73% of the
modern solar constant. The surface ice-albedo feedback effect becomes less
important at the outer edge of the habitable zone, where atmospheric CO2 can be
expected to be high in order to maintain clement conditions for surface liquid
water. We show that 3-10 bars of CO2 will entirely mask the climatic effect of
ice and snow, leaving the outer limits of the habitable zone unaffected by the
spectral dependence of water ice and snow albedo. However, less CO2 is needed
to maintain open water for a planet orbiting an M-dwarf star, than would be the
case for hotter main-sequence stars.


title:
The Magellanic Quasars Survey. III. Spectroscopic Confirmation of 758
  AGNs Behind the Magellanic Clouds

abstract:
  The Magellanic Quasars Survey (MQS) has now increased the number of quasars
known behind the Magellanic Clouds by almost an order of magnitude. All survey
fields in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and 70% of those in the Small
Magellanic Cloud (SMC) have been observed. The targets were selected from the
third phase of the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE-III) based on
their optical variability, mid-IR and/or X-ray properties. We spectroscopically
confirmed 758 (565 LMC and 193 SMC) quasars behind the Clouds, of which 94%
(527 LMC and 186 SMC) are newly identified. The MQS quasars have long-term (12
years and growing for OGLE), high-cadence light curves, enabling unprecedented
variability studies of quasars. The MQS quasars also provide a dense reference
grid for measuring both the internal and bulk proper motions of the Clouds, and
50 quasars are bright enough (I<18 mag) for absorption studies of the
interstellar/galactic (ISM/IGM) medium of the Clouds.


title:
Cosmology on Ultralarge Scales with Intensity Mapping of the Neutral
  Hydrogen 21 cm Emission: Limits on Primordial Non-Gaussianity

abstract:
  The large-scale structure of the Universe supplies crucial information about
the physical processes at play at early times. Unresolved maps of the intensity
of 21 cm emission from neutral hydrogen HI at redshifts z~1-5 are the best hope
of accessing the ultralarge-scale information, directly related to the early
Universe. A purpose-built HI intensity experiment may be used to detect the
large scale effects of primordial non-Gaussianity, placing stringent bounds on
different models of inflation. We argue that it may be possible to place tight
constraints on the non-Gaussianity parameter f_NL, with an error close to ~1.


title:
S0 galaxies in the Coma cluster: Environmental dependence of the S0
  offset from the Tully-Fisher relation

abstract:
  We present deep GMOS long-slit spectroscopy of 15 Coma cluster S0 galaxies,
and extract kinematic properties along the major axis to several times the disc
scale-length. Supplementing our dataset with previously published data, we
create a combined sample of 29 Coma S0s, as well as a comparison sample of 38
Coma spirals. Using photometry from SDSS and 2MASS, we construct the
Tully-Fisher relation (TFR; luminosity versus maximum rotational velocity) for
S0 galaxies. At fixed rotational velocity, the Coma S0 galaxies are on average
fainter than Coma spirals by 1.10$\pm$0.18, 0.86$\pm$0.19 and 0.83$\pm$0.19 mag
in the g, i and Ks bands respectively. The typical S0 offsets remain unchanged
when calculated relative to large field-galaxy spiral samples. The observed
offsets are consistent with a simple star formation model in which S0s are
identical to spirals until abrupt quenching occurs at some intermediate
redshift. The offsets form a continuous distribution tracing the time since the
cessation of star formation, and exhibit a strong correlation (>6{\sigma}) with
residuals from the optical colour-magnitude relation. Typically, S0s which are
fainter than average for their rotational velocity are also redder than average
for their luminosity. The S0 TFR offset is also correlated with both the
projected cluster-centric radius and the {\Sigma} (projected) local density
parameter. Since current local environment is correlated with time of accretion
into the cluster, our results support a scenario in which transformation of
spirals to S0s is triggered by cluster infall.


title: Theory of post-Newtonian radiation and reaction

abstract:
  We address issues with extant formulations of dissipative effects in the
effective field theory (EFT) which describes the post-Newtonian (PN) inspiral
of two gravitating bodies by (re)formulating several parts of the theory. Novel
ingredients include gauge invariant spherical fields in the radiation zone; a
system zone which preserves time reversal such that its violation arises not
from local odd propagation but rather from interaction with the radiation
sector in a way which resembles the balayage method; 2-way multipoles to
perform zone matching within the EFT action; and a double-field
radiation-reaction action which is the non-quantum version of the Closed Time
Path formalism and generalizes to any theory with directed propagators
including theories which are defined by equations of motion rather than an
action. This formulation unifies the treatment of outgoing radiation and its
reaction force. We demonstrate the theory in the scalar, electromagnetic and
gravitational cases by economizing the following: the expression for the
radiation source multipoles; the derivation of the leading outgoing radiation
and associated reaction force such that it is maximally reduced to mere
multiplication; and the derivation of the gravitational next to leading PN
order. In fact we present a novel expression for the +1PN correction to all
mass multipoles. We introduce useful definitions for multi-index summation, for
the normalization of Bessel functions and for the normalization of the
gravito-magnetic vector potential.


title: Structural Evolution of Early-type Galaxies to z=2.5 in CANDELS

abstract:
  Projected axis ratio measurements of 880 early-type galaxies at redshifts
1<z<2.5 selected from CANDELS are used to reconstruct and model their intrinsic
shapes. The sample is selected on the basis of multiple rest-frame colors to
reflect low star-formation activity. We demonstrate that these galaxies as an
ensemble are dust-poor and transparent and therefore likely have smooth light
profiles, similar to visually classified early-type galaxies. Similar to their
present-day counterparts, the z>1 early-type galaxies show a variety of
intrinsic shapes; even at a fixed mass, the projected axis ratio distributions
cannot be explained by the random projection of a set of galaxies with very
similar intrinsic shapes. However, a two-population model for the intrinsic
shapes, consisting of a triaxial, fairly round population, combined with a flat
(c/a~0.3) oblate population, adequately describes the projected axis ratio
distributions of both present-day and z>1 early-type galaxies. We find that the
proportion of oblate versus triaxial galaxies depends both on the galaxies'
stellar mass, and - at a given mass - on redshift. For present-day and z<1
early-type galaxies the oblate fraction strongly depends on galaxy mass. At z>1
this trend is much weaker over the mass range explored here
(10^10<M*/M_sun<10^11), because the oblate fraction among massive (M*~10^11
M_sun) was much higher in the past: 0.59+-0.10 at z>1, compared to 0.20+-0.02
at z~0.1. In contrast, the oblate fraction among low-mass early-type galaxies
(log(M*/M_sun)<10.5) increased toward the present, from 0.38+-0.11 at z>1 to
0.72+-0.06 at z=0. [Abridged]


title: A giant graviton genealogy

abstract:
  In this article we extend the construction of giant gravitons from
holomorphic surfaces [arXiv:hep-th/0010206] to the ABJM correspondence. We
construct a new class of 1/6-BPS M5-branes wrapping 5-manifolds in S^7/Z_k and
supported by a large angular momentum in the orbifold space. These orbifold
giant gravitons undergo a supersymmetry enhancement to 1/3-BPS and 1/2-BPS
configurations in special cases. The compactification of M-theory on AdS_4 x
S^7/Z_k to type IIA superstring theory on AdS_4 x CP^3 then gives rise to
another new class of 1/6-BPS D4 and NS5-branes wrapping 4 and 5-manifolds in
CP^3. The D4-branes carry a combination of D0-brane charge and angular momentum
in the complex projective space, while the NS5-branes are supported only by
D0-brane charge. Finally, we present a detailed analysis of a one-parameter
family of 1/2-BPS M5-brane orbifold giant gravitons, and their D4 and NS5-brane
CP^3 descendants.


title:
A Line Source In Minkowski For The de Sitter Spacetime Scalar Green's
  Function: Massless Minimally Coupled Case

abstract:
  Motivated by the desire to understand the causal structure of physical
signals produced in curved spacetimes -- particularly around black holes -- we
show how, for certain classes of geometries, one might obtain its retarded or
advanced minimally coupled massless scalar Green's function by using the
corresponding Green's functions in the higher dimensional Minkowski spacetime
where it is embedded. Analogous statements hold for certain classes of curved
Riemannian spaces, with positive definite metrics, which may be embedded in
higher dimensional Euclidean spaces. The general formula is applied to $(d \geq
2)$-dimensional de Sitter spacetime, and the scalar Green's function is
demonstrated to be sourced by a line emanating infinitesimally close to the
origin of the ambient $(d+1)$-dimensional Minkowski spacetime and piercing
orthogonally through the de Sitter hyperboloids of all finite sizes. This
method does not require solving the de Sitter wave equation directly. Only the
zero mode solution to an ordinary differential equation, the "wave equation"
perpendicular to the hyperboloid -- followed by a one dimensional integral --
needs to be evaluated. A topological obstruction to the general construction is
also discussed by utilizing it to derive a generalized Green's function of the
Laplacian on the $(d \geq 2)$-dimensional sphere.


title: Three-body gravitino decays in the MSSM

abstract:
  We present results from a new calculation of two- and three-body decays of
the gravitino including all possible Feynman graphs. The work is done in the
R-parity conserving Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model, assuming that the
gravitino is unstable. We calculate the full width for the three-body decay
process Gravitino -> \chi_1 X Y, where \chi_1 is the lightest neutralino that
plays the role of the lightest supersymmetric particle, and X, Y are standard
model particles. For calculating the squared amplitudes we use the packages
FeynArts and FormCalc, with appropriate extensions to accommodate the gravitino
with spin 3/2. Our code treats automatically the intermediate exchanged
particles that are on their mass shell, using the narrow width approximation.
This method considerably simplifies the complexity of the evaluation of the
total gravitino width and stabilizes it numerically. At various points of the
supersymmetric parameter space, we compare the full two-body and the three-body
results with approximations used in the past. In addition, we discuss the
relative sizes of the full two-body and the three-body gravitino decay widths.
Our results are obtained using the package GravitinoPack, that will be publicly
available soon, including various handy features.


title: On the Origin of R-parity Violation in Supersymmetry

abstract:
  The fate of R-parity in supersymmetric theories is discussed in detail. We
make a strong case for R-parity violation showing that the simplest theories
based on the local B-L symmetry predict the spontaneous breaking of R-parity at
the SUSY scale. The possible implications for the searches at the Large Hadron
Collider are discussed.


title:
Matter around Kerr black holes in scalar-tensor theories: scalarization
  and superradiant instability

abstract:
  In electrovacuum stationary, asymptotically flat black holes in scalar-tensor
theories of gravity are described by the Kerr-Newman family of solutions, just
as in general relativity. We show that there exist two mechanisms which can
render Kerr black holes unstable when matter is present in the vicinity of the
black hole, as this induces an effective mass for the scalar. The first
mechanism is a tachyonic instability that appears when the effective mass
squared is negative, triggering the development of scalar hair --- a black hole
version of "spontaneous scalarization". The second instability is associated
with superradiance and is present when the effective mass squared is positive
and when the black hole spin exceeds a certain threshold. The second mechanism
is also responsible for a resonant effect in the superradiant scattering of
scalar waves, with amplification factors as large as 10^5 or more.


title:
Effects of the interplay between initial state and Hamiltonian on the
  thermalization of isolated quantum many-body systems

abstract:
  We explore the role of the initial state on the onset of thermalization in
isolated quantum many-body systems after a quench. The initial state is an
eigenstate of an initial Hamiltonian $\hat{H}_I$ and it evolves according to a
different final Hamiltonian $\hat{H}_F$. If the initial state has a chaotic
structure with respect to $\hat{H}_F$, i.e., if it fills the energy shell
ergodically, thermalization is certain to occur. This happens when $\hat{H}_I$
is a full random matrix, because its states projected onto $\hat{H}_F$ are
fully delocalized. The results for the observables then agree with those
obtained with thermal states at infinite temperature. However, finite real
systems with few-body interactions, as the ones considered here, are deprived
of fully extended eigenstates, even when described by a nonintegrable
Hamiltonian. We examine how the initial state delocalizes as it gets closer to
the middle of the spectrum of $\hat{H}_F$, causing the observables to approach
thermal averages, be the models integrable or chaotic. Our numerical studies
are based on initial states with energies that cover the entire lower half of
the spectrum of one-dimensional Heisenberg spin-1/2 systems.


title:
Searching for New Physics in the Three-Body Decays of the Higgs-like
  Particle

abstract:
  We show that the three-body decays of the resonance recently discovered at
the LHC are potentially sensitive to effects of new physics. Even if the fully
integrated partial decay widths are consistent with the minimal Standard Model
there is information that is lost upon integration, which can be uncovered in
the differential decay widths. Concentrating on the decay $h \to Z \ell
\bar{\ell}$, we identify the regions in the three-body phase space in which
these effects become especially pronounced and could be detected in future
experiments.


title: Natural Tuning: Towards A Proof of Concept

abstract:
  The cosmological constant problem and the absence of new natural physics at
the electroweak scale, if confirmed by the LHC, may either indicate that the
nature is fine-tuned or that a refined notion of naturalness is required. We
construct a family of toy UV complete quantum theories providing a proof of
concept for the second possibility. Low energy physics is described by a tuned
effective field theory, which exhibits relevant interactions not protected by
any symmetries and separated by an arbitrary large mass gap from the new
"gravitational" physics, represented by a set of irrelevant operators.
Nevertheless, the only available language to describe dynamics at all energy
scales does not require any fine-tuning. The interesting novel feature of this
construction is that UV physics is not described by a fixed point, but rather
exhibits asymptotic fragility. Observation of additional unprotected scalars at
the LHC would be a smoking gun for this scenario. Natural tuning also favors
TeV scale unification.


title: Quantum Objects

abstract:
  In this paper, we suggest an alternative interpretation for the quantum state
vector, which, by considering temporal parts for physical objects, aims to give
an intelligible account of measurement problem in quantum mechanics. We examine
the capacity of this interpretation as for explaining three measurement
problems: the problem of outcome, the problem of statistics and the problem of
effect. We argue that, this interpretation of the state vector, while providing
a satisfactory account, as rationally plausible as its rivals, for the
measurement problem, shows yet another limitation of our perceptual experience,
i.e. our inability to perceive unsharp reality.


title: Positive association and global connectivity in dependent percolation

abstract:
  We study the effect of positive correlations on the critical threshold of
site and bond percolation in a square lattice with d = 2. We propose two
algorithms for generating dependent lattices with minimal correlation length
and non-negative n-point correlations whose critical behavior is then compared
with that of independent lattices. For site percolation, we show numerically
that the introduction of this specific form of positive correlation results in
a lower percolation threshold, i.e., higher connectivity. For bond percolation,
the opposite is observed. In this case, however, we show that the dual lattice
is also totally positively associated, demonstrating that positive association
can result in either an increase or a decrease in global connectivity.


title: Observation of non-Markovian micro-mechanical Brownian motion

abstract:
  All physical systems are to some extent open and interacting with their
environment. This insight, basic as it may seem, gives rise to the necessity of
protecting quantum systems from decoherence in quantum technologies and is at
the heart of the emergence of classical properties in quantum physics. The
precise decoherence mechanisms, however, are often unknown for a given system.
In this work, we make use of an opto-mechanical resonator to obtain key
information about spectral densities of its condensed-matter heat bath. In
sharp contrast to what is commonly assumed in high-temperature quantum Brownian
motion describing the dynamics of the mechanical degree of freedom, based on a
statistical analysis of the emitted light, it is shown that this spectral
density is highly non-Ohmic, reflected by non-Markovian dynamics, which we
quantify. We conclude by elaborating on further applications of opto-mechanical
systems in open system identification.


title:
Epitaxial strain effects on magnetic ordering and spin-phonon couplings
  in the (SrMnO$_3$)$_1$/(LaMnO$_3$)$_1$ superlattice from first principles

abstract:
  We have studied the influence of epitaxial strain on magnetic orderings and
the couplings between the spin and polar phonons in the 1:1 SrMnO$_3$/LaMnO$_3$
superlattice from first principles. Magnetic phase transitions of the
superlattice induced by epitaxial strain are observed, consistent with previous
reports. We find that oxygen octahedral rotations lower the ground state energy
but do not destroy the magnetic phase transitions induced by strain. We compute
zone center phonon frequencies and eigenvectors as functions of epitaxial
strain and magnetic ordering. A substantial increase of the coupling strength
between the spin and the lowest-frequency polar mode is observed for tensile
strains. This increase can be attributed to a change of character of the lowest
mode resulting from different relative couplings of the various polar modes to
epitaxial strain. Finally, spin-phonon coupling strengths are computed in a
Heisenberg formalism. This analysis directly reveals the changes in exchange
couplings due to specific atomic displacements or phonon modes, as well as the
nonequivalence of the out-of-plane exchange couplings across LaO layers and
across SrO layers, the latter being the result of the artificial structuring in
the superlattice.


title: Collisional Effects on Nonlinear Ion Drag Force for Small Grains

abstract:
  The ion drag force arising from plasma flow past an embedded spherical grain
is calculated self-consistently and non-linearly using particle in cell codes,
accounting for ion-neutral collisions. Using ion velocity distribution
appropriate for ion drift driven by a force field gives wake potential and
force greatly different from a shifted Maxwellian distribution, regardless of
collisionality. The low-collisionality forces are shown to be consistent with
estimates based upon cross-sections for scattering in a Yukawa (shielded) grain
field, but only if non-linear shielding length is used. Finite collisionality
initially enhances the drag force, but only by up to a factor of 2. Larger
collisionality eventually reduces the drag force. In the collisional regime,
the drift distribution gives larger drag than the shift distribution even at
velocities where their collisionless drags are equal. Comprehensive practical
analytic formulas for force that fit the calculations are provided.


title: Infinite Tur\'an problems for bipartite graphs

abstract:
  We consider an infinite version of the bipartite Tur\'{a}n problem. Let $G$
be an infinite graph with $V(G) = \mathbb{N}$ and let $G_n$ be the $n$-vertex
subgraph of $G$ induced by the vertices $\{1,2, \dots, n \}$. We show that if
$G$ is $K_{2,t+1}$-free then for infinitely many $n$, $e(G_n) \leq 0.471
\sqrt{t} n^{3/2}$. Using the $K_{2,t+1}$-free graphs constructed by F\"{u}redi,
we construct an infinite $K_{2,t+1}$-free graph with $e(G_n) \geq 0.23
\sqrt{t}n^{3/2}$ for all $n \geq n_0$.


title:
The GraviGUT Algebra Is not a Subalgebra of $E_8$, but $E_8$ Does
  Contain an Extended GraviGUT Algebra

abstract:
  The (real) GraviGUT algebra is an extension of the $\mathfrak{spin}(11,3)$
algebra by a $64$-dimensional Lie algebra, but there is some ambiguity in the
literature about its definition. Recently, Lisi constructed an embedding of the
GraviGUT algebra into the quaternionic real form of $E_8$. We clarify the
definition, showing that there is only one possibility, and then prove that the
GraviGUT algebra cannot be embedded into any real form of $E_8$. We then modify
Lisi's construction to create true Lie algebra embeddings of the extended
GraviGUT algebra into $E_8$. We classify these embeddings up to inner
automorphism.


title: A quantum cosmological model in Ho\v{r}ava-Lifshitz gravity

abstract:
  A Wheeler-DeWitt equation for the Kantowski-Sachs model is derived within the
framework of the minimal quantum gravity theory proposed by Ho\v{r}ava. We
study the solution to this equation in the ultraviolet limit for the specific
case where the {\lambda} parameter of the theory takes its relativistic value
{\lambda} = 1. It is observed that the minisuperspace variables switch their
role compared with their usual infrared (General Relativity) behavior.


title:
Combined topological and Landau order from strong correlations in Chern
  bands

abstract:
  We present a class of states with both topological and conventional Landau
order that arise out of strongly interacting spinless fermions in fractionally
filled and topologically non-trivial bands with Chern number $C=\pm 1$. These
quantum states show the features of fractional Chern insulators, such as
fractional Hall conductivity and interchange of ground-state levels upon
insertion of a magnetic flux. In addition, they exhibit charge order and a
related additional trivial ground-state degeneracy. Band mixing and geometric
frustration of the charge pattern place these lattice states markedly beyond a
single-band description.


title: Twisting the q-deformations of compact semisimple Lie groups

abstract:
  Given a compact semisimple Lie group $G$ of rank $r$, and a parameter $q>0$,
we can define new associativity morphisms in Rep(Gq) using a 3-cocycle $\Phi$
on the dual of the center of G, thus getting a new tensor category
Rep(Gq)$^\Phi$. For a class of cocycles $\Phi$ we construct compact quantum
groups $G^\tau_q$ with representation categories Rep(Gq)$^\Phi$. The
construction depends on the choice of an r-tuple $\tau$ of elements in the
center of G. In the simplest case of G=SU(2) and $\tau=-1$, our construction
produces Woronowicz's quantum group SU_{-q}(2) out of SUq(2). More generally,
for G=SU(n), we get quantum group realizations of the Kazhdan-Wenzl categories.


title: Quantum cosmology in Ho\v{r}ava-Lifshitz gravity

abstract:
  Quantum cosmology is studied within the framework of the minimal quantum
gravity theory proposed by Ho\v{r}ava. For this purpose we choose the
Kantowski-Sachs (KS) model and construct the corresponding Wheeler-DeWitt
equation. We study the solution to this equation in the ultraviolet limit for
different values of the running parameter {\lambda} of the theory. It is
observed that the wave packet for this Universe changes completely compared
with the one observed in the infrared (general relativity) regime. We also look
at the classical solutions by means of a WKB semiclassical approximation. It is
observed that if {\lambda} takes its relativistic value {\lambda} = 1 a
generalized KS metric is obtained which differs from the usual KS solution in
general relativity by an additional term arising from the higher-order
curvature terms in the action and which dominates the behavior of the solution
for very small values of the time parameter. We discuss the physical properties
of this solution by comparing it with the usual KS solution in general
relativity. The resulting solution has no horizons but singularities.


title:
Topological contact dynamics III: uniqueness of the topological
  Hamiltonian and C^0-rigidity of the geodesic flow

abstract:
  We prove that a topological contact isotopy uniquely defines a topological
contact Hamiltonian. Combined with previous results from [MS11], this
generalizes the classical one-to-one correspondence between smooth contact
isotopies and their generating smooth contact Hamiltonians and conformal
factors to the group of topological contact dynamical systems. Applications of
this generalized correspondence include C^0-rigidity of smooth contact
Hamiltonians, a transformation law for topological contact dynamical systems,
and C^0-rigidity of the geodesic flows of Riemannian manifolds.


title:
Top quark pair production cross-section results at LHC in final states
  with tau or no leptons

abstract:
  ATLAS and CMS measured the top quark pair production inclusive cross section
using proton-proton collision data collected at 7 TeV c.m. energy at the LHC
during the year 2011 in several channels. This article presents the
measurements of the cross section using selections of top quark pair production
events with one hadronically decaying {\tau} lepton or no leptons at all.


title: Helical edge states induced by lateral spin-orbit coupling

abstract:
  The presence of edges locally breaks the inversion symmetry of
heterostructures and gives rise to lateral (edge) spin-orbit coupling (SOC),
which, under some conditions, can lead to the formation of helical edge states.
If the edge SOC is strong enough, the helical edge states can penetrate the
band-gap and be energetically isolated from the bulk-like states. As a result
backward scattering is suppressed, dissipationless helical edge channels
protected against time-inversion symmetric perturbations emerge, and the system
behaves as a 2D topological insulator (TI). However, unlike in previous works
on TIs, the mechanism proposed here for the creation of protected helical edge
states relies on the strong edge SOC rather than on band inversion.


title: Greedy type algorithms for RIP matrices. A study of two selection rules

abstract:
  Some consequences of the Restricted Isometry Property (RIP) of matrices have
been applied to develop a greedy algorithm called "ROMP" (Regularized
Orthogonal Matching Pursuit) to recover sparse signals and to approximate
non-sparse ones. These consequences were subsequently applied to other greedy
and thresholding algorithms like "SThresh", "CoSaMP", "StOMP" and "SWCGP". In
this paper, we find another consequence of the RIP property and use it to
analyze the approximation to k-sparse signals with Stagewise Weak versions of
Gradient Pursuit (SWGP), Matching Pursuit (SWMP) and Orthogonal Matching
Pursuit (SWOMP). We combine the above mentioned algorithms with another
selection rule similar to the ones that have appeared in the literature showing
that results are obtained with less restrictions in the RIP constant, but we
need a smaller threshold parameter for the coefficients. The results of some
experiments are shown.


title: A Tree Swaying in a Turbulent Wind: A Scaling Analysis

abstract:
  A tentative scaling theory is presented of a tree swaying in a turbulent
wind. It is argued that the turbulence of the air within the crown is in the
inertial regime. An eddy causes a dynamic bending response of the branches
according to a time criterion. The resulting expression for the penetration
depth of the wind yields an exponent which appears to be consistent with that
pertaining to the morphology of the tree branches. An energy criterion shows
that the dynamics of the branches is basically passive. The possibility of
hydrodynamic screening by the leaves is discussed.


title: The \mu-ordinary Hasse invariant of unitary Shimura varieties

abstract:
  We construct a generalization of the Hasse invariant for any Shimura variety
of PEL type A over a prime of good reduction, whose vanishing locus is the open
and dense \mu-ordinary locus.


title: An upper bound for the Waring rank of a form

abstract:
  In this paper we introduce the open Waring rank of a form of degree d in n
variables and prove the that this rank in bounded from above by
\binom{n+d-2}{d-1} - \binom{n+d-6}{d-3} whenever n, d >= 3. This proves the
same upper bound for the classical Waring rank of a form, improving the result
of [BBS] and giving, as far as we know, the best upper bound known.


title:
Determination through Universals: An Application of Category Theory in
  the Life Sciences

abstract:
  Category theory has foundational importance because it provides conceptual
lenses to characterize what is important and universal in mathematics---with
adjunctions being the primary lense. If adjunctions are so important in
mathematics, then perhaps they will isolate concepts of some importance in the
empirical sciences. But the applications of adjunctions have been hampered by
an overly restrictive formulation that avoids heteromorphisms or hets. By
reformulating an adjunction using hets, it is split into two parts, a left and
a right semiadjunction (or half-adjunuction). Semiadjunctions (essentially a
formulation of a universal mapping property using hets) turn out to be the
appropriate concept for applications in the life sciences. The semiadjunctions
characterize three principal schemes with applications: 1. determination
through a receiving universal (e.g., natural selection, perception, language
acquisition, recursion, and language understanding); 2. determination through a
sending universal (e.g., intentional action, DNA mechanism to build amino
acids, hierarchy of regulatory genes to build organs, stem cells, and language
production), and 3. two-way determination with one universal as both receiving
and sending (e.g., perception/action and language understanding/production).


title:
Charge form factor and sum rules of electromagnetic response functions
  in Carbon-12

abstract:
  An "ab initio" calculation of the Carbon-12 elastic form factor, and sum
rules of longitudinal and transverse response functions measured in inclusive
(e,e') scattering, is reported, based on realistic nuclear potentials and
electromagnetic currents. The longitudinal elastic form factor and sum rule are
found to be in satisfactory agreement with available experimental data. A
direct comparison between theory and experiment is difficult for the transverse
sum rule. However, it is shown that the calculated one has large contributions
from two-body currents, indicating that these mechanisms lead to a significant
enhancement of the quasi-elastic transverse response. This fact may have
implications for the anomaly observed in recent neutrino quasi-elastic
charge-changing scattering data off Carbon-12.


title: Implications of the Higgs discovery for gravity and cosmology

abstract:
  The discovery of the Higgs boson is one of the greatest discoveries in this
century. The standard model is finally complete. Apart from its significance in
particle physics, this discovery has profound implications for gravity and
cosmology in particular. Many perturbative quantum gravity interactions
involving scalars are not suppressed by powers of Planck mass. Since gravity
couples anything with mass to anything with mass, then Higgs must be strongly
coupled to any other fundamental scalar in nature, even if the gauge couplings
are absent in the original Lagrangian. Since the LHC data indicate that the
Higgs is very much standard model-like, there is very little room for
non-standard model processes, e.g. invisible decays. This severely complicates
any model that involves light enough scalar that the Higgs can kinematically
decay to. Most notably, these are the quintessence models, models including
light axions, and light scalar dark matter models.


title: Fluid Mechanics of Strings

abstract:
  We consider conserved currents in an interacting network of one-dimensional
objects (or strings). Singular currents localized on a single string are
considered in general, and a formal procedure for coarse-graining over many
strings is developed. This procedure is applied to strings described by the
Nambu-Goto action such as cosmic strings. In addition to conserved currents
corresponding to the energy-momentum tensor, we consider an antisymmetric
tensor of conserved currents related to the string tangent vector. Under the
assumption of local equilibrium we derive a complete set of hydrodynamic
equations for strings.


title:
Mechanical resonators for storage and transfer of electrical and optical
  quantum states

abstract:
  We study an optomechanical system in which a microwave field and an optical
field are coupled to a common mechanical resonator. We explore methods that use
these mechanical resonators to store quantum mechanical states and to transduce
states between the electromagnetic resonators from the perspective of the
effect of mechanical decoherence. Besides being of fundamental interest, this
coherent quantum state transfer could have important practical implications in
the field of quantum information science, as it potentially allows one to
overcome intrinsic limitations of both microwave and optical platforms. We
discuss several state transfer protocols and study their transfer fidelity
using a fully quantum mechanical model that utilizes quantum state-diffusion
techniques. This work demonstrates that mechanical decoherence should not be an
insurmountable obstacle in realizing high fidelity storage and transduction.


title:
Modelling of the free-free absorption in the starburst galaxy M82 and
  the Sgr A Complex

abstract:
  The radio emission of normal galaxies may become opaque at low radio
frequencies due to thermal ionized gas. We performed modelling of the free-free
absorption to reproduce the ocal spectrum of SgrA Complex and the global
spectrum of the starburst galaxy M82. We show the importance of resolution of
radio observations and the value of filling factor of the absorbing gas for
correct modelling of the absorption.


title:
Open Shell Effects in a Microscopic Optical Potential for Elastic
  Scattering of $^{6(8)}$He

abstract:
  Elastic scattering observables (differential cross section and analyzing
power) are calculated for the reaction $^6$He(p,p)$^6$He at projectile energies
starting at 71 MeV/nucleon. The optical potential needed to describe the
reaction is based on a microscopic Watson first-order folding potential, which
explicitly takes into account that the two neutrons outside the $^4$He-core
occupy an open p-shell. The folding of the single-particle harmonic oscillator
density matrix with the nucleon-nucleon t-matrix leads for this case to new
terms not present in traditional folding optical potentials for closed shell
nuclei. The effect of those new terms on the elastic scattering observables is
investigated. Furthermore, the influence of an exponential tail of the p-shell
wave functions on the scattering observables is studied, as well as the
sensitivity of the observables to variations of matter and charge radius.
Finally elastic scattering observables for the reaction $^8$He(p,p)$^8$He are
presented at selected projectile energies.


title:
Practical aspects of measurement-device-independent quantum key
  distribution

abstract:
  A novel protocol - measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution
(MDI-QKD) - removes all attacks from the detection system, the most vulnerable
part in QKD implementations. In this paper, we present an analysis for
practical aspects of MDI-QKD. To evaluate its performance, we study various
error sources by developing a general system model. We find that MDI-QKD is
highly practical and thus can be easily implemented with standard optical
devices. Moreover, we present a simple analytical method with only two
(general) decoy states for the finite decoy-state analysis. This method can be
used directly by experimentalists to demonstrate MDI-QKD. By combining the
system model with the finite decoy-state method, we present a general framework
for the optimal choice of the intensities of the signal and decoy states.
Furthermore, we consider a common situation, namely asymmetric MDI-QKD, in
which the two quantum channels have different transmittances. We investigate
its properties and discuss how to optimize its performance. Our work is of
interest not only to experiments demonstrating MDI-QKD but also to other
non-QKD experiments involving quantum interference.


title:
The Supernova that Destroyed a Protogalaxy: Prompt Chemical Enrichment
  and Supermassive Black Hole Growth

abstract:
  The first primitive galaxies formed from accretion and mergers by z ~ 15, and
were primarily responsible for cosmological reionization and the chemical
enrichment of the early cosmos. But a few of these galaxies may have formed in
the presence of strong Lyman-Werner UV fluxes that sterilized them of H_2,
preventing them from forming stars or expelling heavy elements into the IGM
prior to assembly. At masses of 10^8 Ms and virial temperatures of 10^4 K,
these halos began to rapidly cool by atomic lines, perhaps forming 10^4 - 10^6
Ms Pop III stars and, later, the seeds of supermassive black holes. We have
modeled the explosion of a supermassive Pop III star in the dense core of a
line-cooled protogalaxy with the ZEUS-MP code. We find that the supernova (SN)
expands to a radius of ~ 1 kpc, briefly engulfing the entire galaxy, but then
collapses back into the potential well of the dark matter. Fallback fully mixes
the interior of the protogalaxy with metals, igniting a violent starburst and
fueling the rapid growth of a massive black hole at its center. The starburst
would populate the protogalaxy with stars in greater numbers and at higher
metallicities than in more slowly-evolving, nearby halos. The SN remnant
becomes a strong synchrotron source that can be observed with eVLA and eMERLIN
and has a unique signature that easily distinguishes it from less energetic SN
remnants. Such explosions, and their attendant starbursts, may well have marked
the birthplaces of supermassive black holes on the sky.


title: Recurrence Statistics of Great Earthquakes

abstract:
  We investigate the sequence of great earthquakes over the past century. To
examine whether the earthquake record includes temporal clustering, we identify
aftershocks and remove those from the record. We focus on the recurrence time,
defined as the time between two consecutive earthquakes. We study the variance
in the recurrence time and the maximal recurrence time. Using these quantities,
we compare the earthquake record with sequences of random events, generated by
numerical simulations, while systematically varying the minimal earthquake
magnitude Mmin. Our analysis shows that the earthquake record is consistent
with a random process for magnitude thresholds 7.0<=Mmin<=8.3, where the number
of events is larger. Interestingly, the earthquake record deviates from a
random process at magnitude threshold 8.4<=Mmin<= 8.5, where the number of
events is smaller; however, this deviation is not strong enough to conclude
that great earthquakes are clustered. Overall, the findings are robust both
qualitatively and quantitatively as statistics of extreme values and moment
analysis yield remarkably similar results.


title: Comments on Hall transport from effective actions

abstract:
  We consider parity-odd transport in 2+1 dimensional charged fluids
restricting attention to the class of non-dissipative fluids. We show that
there is a two parameter family of such non-dissipative fluids which can be
derived from an effective action, in contradistinction with a four parameter
family that can be derived from an entropy current analysis. The effective
action approach allows us to extract the adiabatic transport data, in
particular the Hall viscosity and Hall conductivity amongst others, in terms of
the thermodynamic functions that enter as 'coupling constants'. Curiously, we
find that Hall viscosity is forced to vanish, whilst the Hall conductivity is
generically a non-vanishing function of thermodynamic data determined in terms
of the hydrodynamic couplings.


title: Plasmonic metamaterial enhanced axionic magnetoelectric effect

abstract:
  Axionic electrodynamics predicts many peculiar magnetoelectric-based
properties. Hitherto, simple structures such as one-dimensional multilayers
were employed to explore these axionic magnetoelectric responses, and
Fabry-P\'{e}rot interference mechanism was frequently applied to augment these
effects. In this Letter, we propose a new mechanism, metamaterial-enhanced
axionic magnetoelectric response, by taking advantage of intense enhancement of
localized electromagnetic fields associated with plasmonic resonances. Through
numerical simulations, we show that plasmonic metamaterial can enhance axionic
magnetoelectric effect by two orders of magnitude.


title: The 1-box pattern on pattern avoiding permutations

abstract:
  This paper is continuation of the study of the 1-box pattern in permutations
introduced by the authors in \cite{kitrem4}. We derive a two-variable
generating function for the distribution of this pattern on 132-avoiding
permutations, and then study some of its coefficients providing a link to the
Fibonacci numbers. We also find the number of separable permutations with two
and three occurrences of the 1-box pattern.


title:
Incentive Mechanisms for Internet Congestion Management: Fixed-Budget
  Rebate versus Time-of-Day Pricing

abstract:
  Mobile data traffic has been steadily rising in the past years. This has
generated a significant interest in the deployment of incentive mechanisms to
reduce peak-time congestion. Typically, the design of these mechanisms requires
information about user demand and sensitivity to prices. Such information is
naturally imperfect. In this paper, we propose a \emph{fixed-budget rebate
mechanism} that gives each user a reward proportional to his percentage
contribution to the aggregate reduction in peak time demand. For comparison, we
also study a time-of-day pricing mechanism that gives each user a fixed reward
per unit reduction of his peak-time demand. To evaluate the two mechanisms, we
introduce a game-theoretic model that captures the \emph{public good} nature of
decongestion. For each mechanism, we demonstrate that the socially optimal
level of decongestion is achievable for a specific choice of the mechanism's
parameter. We then investigate how imperfect information about user demand
affects the mechanisms' effectiveness. From our results, the fixed-budget
rebate pricing is more robust when the users' sensitivity to congestion is
"sufficiently" convex. This feature of the fixed-budget rebate mechanism is
attractive for many situations of interest and is driven by its closed-loop
property, i.e., the unit reward decreases as the peak-time demand decreases.


title: Time and dark matter from the conformal symmetries of Euclidean space

abstract:
  The quotient of the conformal group of Euclidean 4-space by its Weyl subgroup
results in a geometry possessing many of the properties of relativistic phase
space, including both a natural symplectic form and non-degenerate Killing
metric. We show that the general solution posesses orthogonal Lagrangian
submanifolds, with the induced metric and the spin connection on the
submanifolds necessarily Lorentzian, despite the Euclidean starting pont. By
examining the structure equations of the biconformal space in an orthonormal
frame adapted to its phase space properties, we also find that two new tensor
fields exist in this geometry, not present in Riemannian geometry. The first is
a combination of the Weyl vector with the scale factor on the metric, and
determines the timelike directions on the submanifolds. The second comes from
the components of the spin connection, symmetric with respect to the new
metric. Though this field comes from the spin connection it transforms
homogeneously. Finally, we show that in the absence of conformal curvature or
sources, the configuration space has geometric terms equivalent to a perfect
fluid and a cosmological constant.


title: Lattice quantum codes and exotic topological phases of matter

abstract:
  This thesis addresses whether it is possible to build a robust memory device
for quantum information. A three-dimensional gapped lattice spin model is found
which demonstrates for the first time that a reliable quantum memory at finite
temperature is possible, at least to some extent. When quantum information is
encoded into a highly entangled ground state of this model and subjected to
thermal errors, the errors remain easily correctable for a long time without
any active intervention, because a macroscopic energy barrier keeps the errors
well localized. As a result, stored quantum information can be retrieved
faithfully for a memory time which grows exponentially with the square of the
inverse temperature. In contrast, for previously known types of topological
quantum storage in three or fewer spatial dimensions the memory time scales
exponentially with the inverse temperature, rather than its square.
  This spin model exhibits a previously unexpected topological quantum order,
in which ground states are locally indistinguishable, pointlike excitations are
immobile, and the immobility is not affected by small perturbations of the
Hamiltonian. The degeneracy of the ground state, though also insensitive to
perturbations, is a complicated number-theoretic function of the system size,
and the system bifurcates into multiple noninteracting copies of itself under
real-space renormalization group transformations. The degeneracy, the
excitations, and the renormalization group flow can be analyzed using a
framework that exploits the spin model's symmetry and some associated free
resolutions of modules over polynomial algebras.


title: Applications of Temporal Graph Metrics to Real-World Networks

abstract:
  Real world networks exhibit rich temporal information: friends are added and
removed over time in online social networks; the seasons dictate the
predator-prey relationship in food webs; and the propagation of a virus depends
on the network of human contacts throughout the day. Recent studies have
demonstrated that static network analysis is perhaps unsuitable in the study of
real world network since static paths ignore time order, which, in turn,
results in static shortest paths overestimating available links and
underestimating their true corresponding lengths. Temporal extensions to
centrality and efficiency metrics based on temporal shortest paths have also
been proposed. Firstly, we analyse the roles of key individuals of a corporate
network ranked according to temporal centrality within the context of a
bankruptcy scandal; secondly, we present how such temporal metrics can be used
to study the robustness of temporal networks in presence of random errors and
intelligent attacks; thirdly, we study containment schemes for mobile phone
malware which can spread via short range radio, similar to biological viruses;
finally, we study how the temporal network structure of human interactions can
be exploited to effectively immunise human populations. Through these
applications we demonstrate that temporal metrics provide a more accurate and
effective analysis of real-world networks compared to their static
counterparts.


title: Fishing out collective memory of migratory schools

abstract:
  Animals form groups for many reasons but there are costs and benefit
associated with group formation. One of the benefits is collective memory. In
groups on the move, social interactions play a crucial role in the cohesion and
the ability to make consensus decisions. When migrating from spawning to
feeding areas fish schools need to retain a collective memory of the
destination site over thousand of kilometers and changes in group formation or
individual preference can produce sudden changes in migration pathways. We
propose a modelling framework, based on stochastic adaptive networks, that can
reproduce this collective behaviour. We assume that three factors control group
formation and school migration behaviour: the intensity of social interaction,
the relative number of informed individuals and the preference that each
individual has for the particular migration area. We treat these factors
independently and relate the individuals' preferences to the experience and
memory for certain migration sites. We demonstrate that removal of knowledgable
individuals or alteration of individual preference can produce rapid changes in
group formation and collective behavior. For example, intensive fishing
targeting the migratory species and also their preferred prey can reduce both
terms to a point at which migration to the destination sites is suddenly
stopped. The conceptual approaches represented by our modelling framework may
therefore be able to explain large-scale changes in fish migration and spatial
distribution.


title:
Norm-preserving discretization of integral equations for elliptic PDEs
  with internal layers I: the one-dimensional case

abstract:
  We investigate the behavior of integral formulations of variable coefficient
elliptic partial differential equations (PDEs) in the presence of steep
internal layers. In one dimension, the equations that arise can be solved
analytically and the condition numbers estimated in various L_p norms. We show
that high-order accurate Nystr\"{o}m discretization leads to well-conditioned
finite dimensional linear systems if and only if the discretization is both
norm-preserving in a correctly chosen L_p space and adaptively refined in the
internal layer.


title: Energy and momentum of the Universe

abstract:
  The Einstein-Cartan-Sciama-Kibble theory of gravity naturally extends general
relativity to include quantum-mechanical, intrinsic angular momentum of matter
by equipping spacetime with torsion. Using the Einstein energy-momentum
pseudotensor for the gravitational field in this theory, we show that the
energy and momentum of the closed Universe are equal to zero. Since the
positive energy from mass and motion of the observed matter in the Universe
exceeds in magnitude the negative energy from gravity, the Universe must
contain another form of matter whose energy is negative. This form, which
cannot be composed from particles, may be the observed dark matter.


title: Lower hybrid to whistler mode conversion on a density striation

abstract:
  When a wave packet composed of short wavelength lower hybrid modes traveling
in an homogeneous plasma region encounters an inhomogeneity, it can resonantly
excite long wavelength whistler waves via a linear mechanism known as mode
conversion. An enhancement of lower hybrid/whistler activity has been often
observed by sounding rockets and satellites in the presence of density
depletions (striations) in the upper ionosphere. We address here the process of
linear mode conversion of lower hybrid to whistler waves, mediated by a density
striation, using a scalar-field formalism (in the limit of cold plasma linear
theory) which we solve numerically. We show that the mode conversion can
effectively transfer a large amount of energy from the short to the long
wavelength modes. We also study how the efficiency scales by changing the
properties (width and amplitude) of the density striation. We present a general
criterion for the width of the striation that, if fulfilled, maximizes the
conversion efficiency. Such a criterion could provide an interpretation of
recent laboratory experiments carried out on the Large Plasma Device at UCLA.


title: Graph cluster randomization: network exposure to multiple universes

abstract:
  A/B testing is a standard approach for evaluating the effect of online
experiments; the goal is to estimate the `average treatment effect' of a new
feature or condition by exposing a sample of the overall population to it. A
drawback with A/B testing is that it is poorly suited for experiments involving
social interference, when the treatment of individuals spills over to
neighboring individuals along an underlying social network. In this work, we
propose a novel methodology using graph clustering to analyze average treatment
effects under social interference. To begin, we characterize graph-theoretic
conditions under which individuals can be considered to be `network exposed' to
an experiment. We then show how graph cluster randomization admits an efficient
exact algorithm to compute the probabilities for each vertex being network
exposed under several of these exposure conditions. Using these probabilities
as inverse weights, a Horvitz-Thompson estimator can then provide an effect
estimate that is unbiased, provided that the exposure model has been properly
specified.
  Given an estimator that is unbiased, we focus on minimizing the variance.
First, we develop simple sufficient conditions for the variance of the
estimator to be asymptotically small in n, the size of the graph. However, for
general randomization schemes, this variance can be lower bounded by an
exponential function of the degrees of a graph. In contrast, we show that if a
graph satisfies a restricted-growth condition on the growth rate of
neighborhoods, then there exists a natural clustering algorithm, based on
vertex neighborhoods, for which the variance of the estimator can be upper
bounded by a linear function of the degrees. Thus we show that proper cluster
randomization can lead to exponentially lower estimator variance when
experimentally measuring average treatment effects under interference.


title:
Study of the recurring dimming region detected at AR 11305 using the
  Coronal Dimming Tracker (CoDiT)

abstract:
  We present a new approach to coronal dimming detection using the COronal
DImming Tracker tool (CODIT), which was found to be successful in locating and
tracking multiple dimming regions. This tool, an extension of a previously
developed coronal hole tracking software, allows us to study the prop- erties
and the spatial evolution of dimming regions at high temporal and spatial
cadence from the time of their appearance to their disappearance. We use the
Solar Dynamics Observatory/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly 193 A wavelength
observations and Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager to study dimmings. As a
demonstration of the detection technique we analyzed six recurrences of a
dimming observed near AR 11305 between 2011 September 29 and October 2. The
dimming repeatedly ap- peared and formed in a similar way, first expanding then
shrinking and occasionally stabilizing in the same location until the next
eruption. The dimming areas were studied in conjunction with the corre-
sponding flare magnitudes and coronal mass ejection (CME) masses. These
properties were found to follow a similar trend during the observation period,
which is consistent with the idea that the mag- nitude of the eruption and the
CME mass affect the relative sizes of the consecutive dimmings. We also present
a hypothesis to explain the evolution of the recurrent single dimming through
interchange reconnection. This process would accommodate the relocation of
quasi-open magnetic field lines and hence allow the CME flux rope footpoint
(the dimming) to expand into quiet Sun regions. By relating the properties of
dimmings, flares, and CMEs we improve our understanding of the magnetic field
reconfiguration caused by reconnection.


title:
Linear-scaling and parallelizable algorithms for stochastic quantum
  chemistry

abstract:
  For many decades, quantum chemical method development has been dominated by
algorithms which involve increasingly complex series of tensor contractions
over one-electron orbital spaces. Procedures for their derivation and
implementation have evolved to require the minimum amount of logic and rely
heavily on computationally efficient library-based matrix algebra and optimized
paging schemes. In this regard, the recent development of exact stochastic
quantum chemical algorithms to reduce computational scaling and memory overhead
requires a contrasting algorithmic philosophy, but one which when implemented
efficiently can often achieve higher accuracy/cost ratios with small random
errors. Additionally, they can exploit the continuing trend for massive
parallelization which hinders the progress of deterministic high-level quantum
chemical algorithms. In the Quantum Monte Carlo community, stochastic
algorithms are ubiquitous but the discrete Fock space of quantum chemical
methods is often unfamiliar, and the methods introduce new concepts required
for algorithmic efficiency. In this paper, we explore these concepts and detail
an algorithm used for Full Configuration Interaction Quantum Monte Carlo
(FCIQMC), which is implemented and available in MOLPRO and as a standalone
code, and is designed for high-level parallelism and linear-scaling with walker
number. Many of the algorithms are also in use in, or can be transferred to,
other stochastic quantum chemical methods and implementations. We apply these
algorithms to the strongly correlated Chromium dimer, to demonstrate their
efficiency and parallelism.


title: Cluster Probes of Dark Energy Clustering

abstract:
  Cluster abundances are oddly insensitive to canonical early dark energy.
Early dark energy with sound speed equal to the speed of light cannot be
distinguished from a quintessence model with the equivalent expansion history
for $z<2$ but negligible early dark energy density, despite the different early
growth rate. However, cold early dark energy, with a sound speed much smaller
than the speed of light, can give a detectable signature. Combining cluster
abundances with cosmic microwave background power spectra can determine the
early dark energy fraction to 0.3 % and distinguish a true sound speed of 0.1
from 1 at 99 % confidence. We project constraints on early dark energy from the
Euclid cluster survey, as well as the Dark Energy Survey, using both current
and projected Planck CMB data, and assess the impact of cluster mass
systematics. We also quantify the importance of dark energy perturbations, and
the role of sound speed during a crossing of $w=-1$.


title: Merger relics of cluster galaxies

abstract:
  Context. Sheen and collaborators recently found that a surprisingly large
portion (38%) of massive early-type galaxies in heavy clusters show strong
merger-related disturbed features. This contradicts the general understanding
that massive clusters are hostile environments for galaxy mergers. Considering
the significance of mergers in galaxy evolution, it is important to understand
this. Aims. We aim to present a theoretical foundation that explains galaxy
mergers in massive clusters. Methods. We used the N-body simulation technique
to perform a cosmological-volume simulation and derive dark-halo merger trees.
Then, we used the semi-analytic modeling technique to populate each halo with
galaxies. We ran hydrodynamic simulations of galaxy mergers to estimate the
lifetime of merger features for the imaging condition used by Sheen and
collaborators. We applied this merger feature lifetime to our semi-analytic
models. Finally, we counted the massive early-type galaxies in heavy model
clusters that would show strong merger features. Results. While there still are
substantial uncertainties, our preliminary results are remarkably close to the
observed fraction of galaxies with merger features. Key ingredients for the
success are twofold: firstly, the subhalo motion in dark haloes has been
accurately traced, and, second, the lifetime of merger features has been
properly estimated. As a result, merger features are expected to last very long
in cluster environments. Many massive early-type galaxies in heavy clusters
therefore show merger features not because they experience mergers in the
current clusters in situ, but because they still carry their merger features
from their previous halo environments. Conclusions. Investigating the merger
relics of cluster galaxies is potentially important, because it uniquely allows
us to backtrack the halo merger history.


title:
Stability Criterion for Superfluidity based on the Density Spectral
  Function

abstract:
  We study a stability criterion hypothesis for superfluids in terms of the the
local density spectral function $I_n (r, \omega)$ applicable both to
homogeneous and inhomogeneous systems. We evaluate the local density spectral
function in the presence of a one-dimensional repulsive/attractive external
potential within the Bogoliubov theory using solutions of the tunneling
problem. We also evaluate the local density spectral function using an
orthogonal basis, and calculate the autocorrelation function $C_n (r,t)$. When
superfluids flow below a threshold, we find that in the $d$-dimensional system,
$I_n (r, \omega) \propto \omega^{d}$ in the low-energy regime and $C_n (r, t)
\propto 1/t^{d+1}$ in the long-time regime hold. When superfluids flow with the
critical current, on the other hand, we find $I_n (r, \omega) \propto
\omega^{\beta}$ in the low-energy regime and $C_n (r,t) \propto 1/t^{\beta+1}$
in the long-time regime with $\beta < d$. These results support the stability
criterion hypothesis recently proposed.


title:
Multi-Color Transit Photometry of GJ 1214b through BJHKs-Bands and a
  Long-Term Monitoring of the Stellar Variability of GJ 1214

abstract:
  We present 5 new transit light curves of GJ 1214b taken in BJHKs-bands. Two
transits were observed in B-band using the Suprime-Cam and the FOCAS
instruments onboard the Subaru 8.2m telescope, and one transit was done in
JHKs-bands simultaneously with the SIRIUS camera on the IRSF 1.4m telescope.
MCMC analyses show that the planet-to-star radius ratios are, Rp/Rs = 0.11651
\pm 0.00065 (B-band, Subaru/Suprime-Cam), Rp/Rs = 0.11601 \pm 0.00117 (B-band,
Subaru/FOCAS), Rp/Rs = 0.11654 \pm 0.00080 (J-band, IRSF/SIRIUS), Rp/Rs =
0.11550 ^{+0.00142}_{-0.00153} (H-band, IRSF/SIRIUS), and Rp/Rs = 0.11547 \pm
0.00127 (Ks-band, IRSF/SIRIUS). The Subaru Suprime-Cam transit photometry shows
a possible spot-crossing feature. Comparisons of the new transit depths and
those from previous studies with the theoretical models by Howe & Burrows
(2012) suggest that the high molecular weight atmosphere (e.g., 1% H$_2$O + 99%
N$_2$) models are most likely, however, the low molecular weight (hydrogen
dominated) atmospheres with extensive clouds are still not excluded. We also
report a long-term monitoring of the stellar brightness variability of GJ 1214
observed with the MITSuME 50cm telescope in g'-, Rc-, and Ic-bands
simultaneously. The monitoring was conducted for 32 nights spanning 78 nights
in 2012, and we find a periodic brightness variation with a period of Ps = 44.3
\pm 1.2 days and semi-amplitudes of 2.1% \pm 0.4% in g'-band, 0.56% \pm 0.08%
in Rc-band, and 0.32% \pm 0.04% in Ic-band.


title: A Reproducing Kernel and Toeplitz Operators in the Quantum Plane

abstract:
  We define and analyze Toeplitz operators whose symbols are the elements of
the complex quantum plane, a non-commutative, infinite dimensional algebra. In
particular, the symbols do not come from an algebra of functions. The process
of forming operators from non-commuting symbols can be considered as a second
quantization. To do this we construct a reproducing kernel associated with the
quantum plane. We also discuss the commutation relations of creation and
annihilation operators which are defined as Toeplitz operators. This paper
extends results of the author for the finite dimensional case.


title:
How large is large? Estimating the critical disorder for the Anderson
  model

abstract:
  Complete localization is shown to hold for the $d$-dimensional Anderson model
with uniformly distributed random potentials provided the disorder strength
$\lambda >\lambda_{And}$ where $\lambda_{\text{And}}$ satisfies
$\lambda_{\text{And}}=\mu_d e \ln \lambda_{\text{And}}$ with $\mu_d$ the
self-avoiding walk connective constant for the lattice $\mathbb{Z}^d$. Notably
$\lambda_{\text{And}}$ is precisely the large disorder threshold proposed by
Anderson in 1958.


title:
Integrals of Higher Binary Options and Defaultable Bond with Discrete
  Default Information

abstract:
  In this article, we study the problem of pricing defaultable bond with
discrete default intensity and barrier under constant risk free short rate
using higher order binary options and their integrals. In our credit risk
model, the risk free short rate is a constant and the default event occurs in
an expected manner when the firm value reaches a given default barrier at
predetermined discrete announcing dates or in an unexpected manner at the first
jump time of a Poisson process with given default intensity given by a step
function of time variable, respectively. We consider both endogenous and
exogenous default recovery. Our pricing problem is derived to a solving problem
of inhomogeneous or homogeneous Black-Scholes PDEs with different coefficients
and terminal value of binary type in every subinterval between the two adjacent
announcing dates. In order to deal with the difference of coefficients in
subintervals we use a relation between prices of higher order binaries with
different coefficients. In our model, due to the inhomogenous term related to
endogenous recovery, our pricing formulae are represented by not only the
prices of higher binary options but also the integrals of them. So we consider
a special binary option called integral of i-th binary or nothing and then we
obtain the pricing formulae of our defaultable corporate bond by using the
pricing formulae of higher binary options and integrals of them.


title:
Constraining smoothness parameter and the DD relation of Dyer-Roeder
  equation with supernovae

abstract:
  Our real universe is locally inhomogeneous. Dyer and Roeder introduced the
smoothness parameter $\alpha$ to describe the influence of local inhomogeneity
on angular diameter distance, and they obtained the angular diameter
distance-redshift approximate relation (Dyer-Roeder equation) for locally
inhomogeneous universe. Furthermore, the Distance-Duality (DD) relation,
$D_L(z)(1+z)^{-2}/D_A(z)=1$, should be valid for all cosmological models that
are described by Riemannian geometry, where $D_L$ and $D_A$ are, respectively,
the luminosity and angular distance distances. Therefore, it is necessary to
test whether if the Dyer-Roeder approximate equation can satisfy the
Distance-Duality relation. In this paper, we use Union2.1 SNe Ia data to
constrain the smoothness parameter $\alpha$ and test whether the Dyer-Roeder
equation satisfies the DD relation. By using $\chi^2$ minimization, we get
$\alpha=0.92_{-0.32}^{+0.08}$ at $1\sigma$ and $0.92_{-0.65}^{+0.08}$ at
$2\sigma$, and our results show that the Dyer-Roeder equation is in good
consistency with the DD relation at $1\sigma$.


title: Interlayer breathing and shear modes in few-trilayer MoS2 and WSe2

abstract:
  Two-dimensional (2D) layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have
recently attracted tremendous interest as potential valleytronic and
nano-electronic materials, in addition to being well-known as excellent
lubricants in the bulk. The interlayer van der Waals (vdW) coupling and low
frequency phonon modes, and how they evolve with the number of layers, are
important for both the mechanical and electrical properties of 2D TMDs. Here we
uncover the ultra-low frequency interlayer breathing and shear modes in
few-layer MoS2 and WSe2, prototypical layered TMDs, using both Raman
spectroscopy and first principles calculations. Remarkably, the frequencies of
these modes can be perfectly described using a simple linear chain model with
only nearest-neighbour interactions. We show that the derived in-plane (shear)
and out-of-plane (breathing) force constants from experiment remain the same
from two-layer 2D crystals to the bulk materials, suggesting that the nanoscale
interlayer frictional characteristics of these excellent lubricants should be
independent of the number of layers.


title: Solution of W-Constraints for R-Spin Intersection Numbers

abstract:
  We present a solution to the W-constraints satisfied by the intersection
numbers on the moduli spaces of r-spin curves. We make use of a grading
suggested by the selection rule for the correlators determined by the geometry
of the moduli space.


title:
Coexistence and Interference Mitigation for Wireless Body Area Networks:
  Improvements using On-Body Opportunistic Relaying

abstract:
  Coexistence, and hence interference mitigation, across multiple wireless body
area networks (WBANs) is an important problem as WBANs become more pervasive.
Here, two-hop relay-assisted cooperative communications using opportunistic
relaying (OR) is proposed for enhancement of coexistence for WBANs. Suitable
time division multiple access (TDMA) schemes are employed for both intra-WBAN
and inter-WBANs access protocols. To emulate actual conditions of WBAN use,
extensive on-body and inter-body "everyday" channel measurements are employed.
In addition, a realistic inter-WBAN channel model is simulated to investigate
the effect of body shadowing and hub location on WBAN performance in enabling
coexistence. When compared with single-link communications, it is found that
opportunistic relaying can provide significant improvement, in terms of
signal-to-interference+noise ratio (SINR), to outage probability and level
crossing rate (LCR) into outages. However, average outage duration (AOD) is not
affected. In addition a lognormal distribution shows a better fit to received
SINR when the channel coherence time is small, and a Nakagami-m distribution is
a more common fit when the channel is more stable. According to the estimated
SINR distributions, theoretical outage probability, LCR and AOD are shown to
match the empirical results well.


title: On The Optimality of Myopic Sensing in Multi-State Channels

abstract:
  We consider the channel sensing problem arising in opportunistic scheduling
over fading channels, cognitive radio networks, and resource constrained
jamming. The communication system consists of N channels. Each channel is
modeled as a multi-state Markov chain (M.C.). At each time instant a user
selects one channel to sense and uses it to transmit information. A reward
depending on the state of the selected channel is obtained for each
transmission. The objective is to design a channel sensing policy that
maximizes the expected total reward collected over a finite or infinite
horizon. This problem can be viewed as an instance of a restless bandit
problem, for which the form of optimal policies is unknown in general. We
discover sets of conditions sufficient to guarantee the optimality of a myopic
sensing policy; we show that under one particular set of conditions the myopic
policy coincides with the Gittins index rule.