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DOE OSTI2021

Bayesian model averaging for analysis of lattice field theory results

Statistical modeling is a key component in the extraction of physical results from lattice field theory calculations. Although the general models used are often strongly motivated by physics, many model variations can frequently be considered for the same lattice data. Model averaging, which amounts to a probability-weighted average over all model variations, can incorporate systematic errors associated with model choice without being overly conservative. We discuss the framework of model averaging from the perspective of Bayesian statistics, and give useful formulae and approximations for the particular case of least-squares fitting, commonly used in modeling lattice results. In addition, we frame the common problem of data subset selection (e.g. choice of minimum and maximum time separation for fitting a two-point correlation function) as a model selection problem and study model averaging as a straightforward alternative to manual selection of fit ranges. Numerical examples involving both mock and real lattice data are given.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2021

Lattice determination of 𝐼=0 and 2 𝜋⁢𝜋 scattering phase shifts with a physical pion mass

Phase shifts for 𝑠-wave 𝜋⁢𝜋 scattering in both the 𝐼 =0 and 𝐼 =2 channels are determined from a lattice QCD calculation performed on 741 gauge configurations obeying G-parity boundary conditions with a physical pion mass and lattice size of 32 3 ×64. These results support our recent 2021 study of direct 𝐶⁢𝑃 violation in 𝐾 → 𝜋⁢𝜋 decay, improving our earlier 2015 calculation. The phase shifts are determined for both stationary and moving 𝜋⁢𝜋 systems, at three (𝐼 = 0) and four (𝐼 = 2) different total momenta. We implement several 𝜋⁢𝜋 interpolating operators including a scalar bilinear “𝜎” operator and paired single-pion bilinear operators with the constituent pions carrying various relative momenta. Several techniques, including correlated fitting and a bootstrap determination of p-values have been used to refine the results and a comparison with the generalized eigenvalue problem method is given. A detailed systematic error analysis is performed which allows phase shift results to be presented at a fixed energy.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2022

Comprehensive symmetric-hybrid ring design for a proton EDM experiment at below 10 –29 e · cm

A concise demonstrative summary of the Symmetric Hybrid ring design for the storage ring proton electric dipole moment experiment is presented. In this paper, critical issues such as lattice design, background electrical fields, geometrical phase, general relativity, spin coherence time and polarimeter systematics are presented. Overall, we find that with the currently proposed design iteration, systematic error sources are reduced by orders of magnitude and that the ring alignment requirements are within the currently available technology.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2022

BOSS DR12 full-shape cosmology: Λ CDM constraints from the large-scale galaxy power spectrum and bispectrum monopole

Here, we present a full Λ CDM analysis of the BOSS DR12 dataset, including information from the power spectrum multipoles, the real-space power spectrum, the reconstructed power spectrum and the bispectrum monopole. This is the first analysis to feature a complete treatment of the galaxy bispectrum, including a consistent theoretical model and without large-scale cuts. Unlike previous works, the statistics are measured using window-free estimators: this greatly reduces computational costs by removing the need to window-convolve the theory model. Our pipeline is tested using a suite of high-resolution mocks and shown to be robust and precise, with systematic errors far below the statistical thresholds. Inclusion of the bispectrum yields consistent parameter constraints and shrinks the σ 8 posterior by 13% to reach < 5 % precision; less conservative analysis choices would reduce the error bars further. Our constraints are broadly consistent with Planck: in particular, we find H 0 = 69.6$^{+1.1}_{–1.3}$ km s –1 Mpc –1 , σ 8 = 0.692$^{+0.035}_{–0.041}$ and n s = 0.870$^{+0.067}_{–0.064}$, including a BBN prior on the baryon density. When n s is set by Planck, we find H 0 = 68.31$^{+0.83}_{–0.86}$ km s –1 Mpc –1 and σ 8 = 0.722$^{+0.032}_{–0.036}$. Our S 8 posterior, 0.751 ± 0.039, is consistent with weak lensing studies, but lower than Planck. Constraints on the higher-order bias parameters are significantly strengthened from the inclusion of the bispectrum, and we find no evidence for deviation from the dark matter halo bias relations. These results represent the most complete full-shape analysis of BOSS DR12 to-date, and the corresponding spectra will enable a variety of beyond-Λ CDM analyses, probing phenomena such as the neutrino mass and primordial non-Gaussianity.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2023

Study of e + e - → η Φ via initial state radiation at Belle

Using 980 fb -1 of data collected on and around the (n = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) resonances with the Belle detector at the KEKB collider, we measure the cross section of e + ⁢e - → η⁢Φ from threshold to 3.95 GeV via initial state radiation. There are clear Φ⁡(1680) and J/ψ signals but no significant Φ⁡(2170) signal in the ηΦ final state. The branching fraction $\mathscr{B}$⁡[J/ψ →η⁢Φ] is measured to be (7.2 ±0.8 ±0.5) ×10 -4 . The resonant parameters of Φ⁡(1680) are determined to be m Φ(1680) = (1696±8±10) MeV/c 2 (statistical and systematic errors, respectively), Γ Φ⁡(1680) =(175±13±16) MeV and, depending on the possible presence of predominantly constructive or destructive interference between Φ⁡(1680) and continuum production, Γ$^{e^+e^-}_{Φ⁡(1680)}$·$\mathscr{B}$⁡[Φ⁡(1680)→ηΦ] and $\mathscr{B}$⁡[Φ(1680)→η⁢Φ] are determined to be (75 ±10 ±11) eV and (25±12±2)% or (207±16±20) eV and (23 ±10 ±2)%, respectively. The upper limit for Γ$^{e^+e^-}_{Φ⁡(2170)}$·$\mathscr{B}$⁡[Φ⁡(2170) → ηΦ] is determined to be either 0.17 or 18.6 eV at the 90% confidence level.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2023

Dark Energy Survey Year 3 results: Constraints on extensions to Λ CDM with weak lensing and galaxy clustering

We constrain six possible extensions to the Λ cold dark matter (CDM) model using measurements from the Dark Energy Survey’s first three years of observations, alone and in combination with external cosmological probes. The DES data are the two-point correlation functions of weak gravitational lensing, galaxy clustering, and their cross-correlation. We use simulated data vectors and blind analyses of real data to validate the robustness of our results to astrophysical and modeling systematic errors. In many cases, constraining power is limited by the absence of theoretical predictions beyond the linear regime that are reliable at our required precision. The Λ CDM extensions are dark energy with a time-dependent equation of state, nonzero spatial curvature, additional relativistic degrees of freedom, sterile neutrinos with eV-scale mass, modifications of gravitational physics, and a binned σ 8 ( z ) model which serves as a phenomenological probe of structure growth. For the time-varying dark energy equation of state evaluated at the pivot redshift we find ( w p , w a ) = ( - 0.9 9 - 0.17 + 0.28 , - 0.9 ± 1.2 ) at 68% confidence with z p = 0.24 from the DES measurements alone, and ( w p , w a ) = ( - 1.0 3 - 0.03 + 0.04 , - 0. 4 - 0.3 + 0.4 ) with z p = 0.21 for the combination of all data considered. Curvature constraints of Ω k = 0.0009 ± 0.0017 and effective relativistic species N eff = 3.1 0 - 0.16 + 0.15 are dominated by external data, though adding DES information to external low-redshift probes tightens the Ω k constraints that can be made without cosmic microwave background observables by 20%. For massive sterile neutrinos, DES combined with external data improves the upper bound on the mass m eff by a factor of 3 compared to previous analyses, giving 95% limits of ( Δ N eff , m eff ) ≤ ( 0.28 , 0.20 eV ) when using priors matching a comparable Planck analysis. For modified gravity, we constrain changes to the lensing and Poisson equations controlled by functions Σ ( k , z ) = Σ 0 Ω Λ ( z ) / Ω Λ , 0 and μ ( k , z ) = μ 0 Ω Λ ( z ) / Ω Λ , 0 , respectively, to Σ 0 = 0. 6 - 0.5 + 0.4 from DES alone and ( Σ 0 , μ 0 ) = ( 0.04 ± 0.05 , 0.0 8 - 0.19 + 0.21 ) for the combination of all data, both at 68% confidence. Overall, we find no significant evidence for physics beyond Λ CDM .

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Extraction of the neutron F 2 structure function from inclusive proton and deuteron deep-inelastic scattering data

The available world deep-inelastic scattering (DIS) data on proton and deuteron structure functions F 2 p , F 2 d , and their ratios are leveraged to extract the free neutron F 2 n structure function, the F 2 n / F 2 p ratio, and associated uncertainties using the latest nuclear effect calculations in the deuteron. Special attention is devoted to the normalization of the proton and deuteron experimental datasets and to the treatment of correlated systematic errors, as well as the quantification of procedural and theoretical uncertainties. The extracted F 2 n dataset is utilized to evaluate the Q 2 dependence of the Gottfried sum rule and the nonsinglet F 2 p − F 2 n moments. To facilitate replication of our study, as well as for general applications, we provide a comprehensive DIS database including all recent Jefferson Lab 6 GeV measurements, the extracted F n 2 , a modified CTEQ-JLab global parton distribution function fit named CJ15nlo_mod, and grids with calculated proton, neutron, and deuteron DIS structure functions. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Constraining gravity with a new precision 𝐸 𝐺 estimator using Planck + SDSS BOSS data

The 𝐸 𝐺 statistic is a discriminating probe of gravity developed to test the prediction of general relativity (GR) for the relation between gravitational potential and clustering on the largest scales in the observable Universe. We present a novel high-precision estimator for the 𝐸 𝐺 statistic using CMB lensing and galaxy clustering correlations that carefully matches the effective redshifts across the different measurement components to minimize corrections. A suite of detailed tests is performed to characterize the estimator’s accuracy, its sensitivity to assumptions and analysis choices, and the non-Gaussianity of the estimator’s uncertainty is characterized. After finalization of the estimator, it is applied to Planck CMB lensing and SDSS CMASS and LOWZ galaxy data. We report the first harmonic space measurement of 𝐸 𝐺 using the LOWZ sample and CMB lensing and also updated constraints using the final CMASS sample and the latest Planck CMB lensing map. We find $\hat{𝐸}$$^{Planck+CMASS}_{𝐺}$ = 0.3⁢6$^{+0.06}_{−0.05}$⁢(68.27%) and $\hat{𝐸}$$^{Planck+LOWZ}_{𝐺}$ = 0.4⁢0$^{+0.11}_{−0.09}$⁢(68.27%), with additional subdominant systematic error budget estimates of 2% and 3%, respectively. Using Ω m,0 constraints from Planck and SDSS BAO observations, Λ⁢CDM-GR predicts 𝐸$^{GR}_ {𝐺}$⁡(𝑧 =0.555) = 0.401 ± 0.005 and 𝐸$^{GR}_{𝐺}$⁡(𝑧 =0.316) = 0.452 ± 0.005 at the effective redshifts of the CMASS and LOWZ based measurements. We report the measurement to be in good statistical agreement with the Λ⁢CDM-GR prediction and report that the measurement is also consistent with the more general GR prediction of scale independence for 𝐸 𝐺 . Furthermore, this work provides a carefully constructed and calibrated statistic with which 𝐸 𝐺 measurements can be confidently and accurately obtained with upcoming survey data.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Trace anomaly form factors from lattice QCD

The hadron mass can be obtained through the calculation of the trace of the energy-momentum tensor in the hadron which includes the trace anomaly and sigma terms. The anomaly due to conformal symmetry breaking is believed to be an important ingredient for hadron mass generation and confinement. In this work, we will present the calculation of the glue part of the trace anomaly form factors of the pion up to Q 2 ∼ 4.3 GeV 2 and the nucleon up to Q 2 ∼ 1 GeV 2 . The calculations are performed on a domain wall fermion ensemble with overlap valence quarks at seven valence pion masses varying from ∼ 250 to ∼ 540 MeV , including the unitary point ∼ 340 MeV . We calculate the radius of the glue trace anomaly for the pion and the nucleon from the z expansion. By performing a two-dimensional Fourier transform on the glue trace anomaly form factors in the infinite momentum frame with no energy transfer, we also obtain their spatial distributions for several valence quark masses. The results are qualitatively extrapolated to the physical valence pion mass with systematic errors from the unphysical sea quark mass, discretization effects in the renormalization sum rule, and finite-volume effects to be addressed in the future. We find the pion’s form factor changes sign, as does its spatial distribution, for light quark masses. This explains how the trace anomaly contribution to the pion mass approaches zero toward the chiral limit. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Kaon mixing beyond the standard model with physical masses

We present nonperturbative results for beyond the standard model kaon mixing matrix elements in the isospin symmetric limit ( m u = m d ) of QCD, including a complete estimate of all dominant sources of systematic error. Our results are obtained from numerical simulations of lattice QCD with N f = 2 + 1 flavors of dynamical domain wall fermions. For the first time, these quantities are simulated directly at the physical pion mass m π ∼ 139 MeV for two different lattice spacings. We include data at three lattice spacings in the range a = 0.11 – 0.07 fm and with pion masses ranging from the physical value up to 450 MeV. Compared to our earlier work, we have added both direct calculations at physical quark masses and a third lattice spacing making the removal of discretization effects significantly more precise and eliminating the need for any significant mass extrapolation beyond the range of simulated data. We renormalize the lattice operators nonperturbatively using RI-SMOM off-shell schemes. These schemes eliminate the need to model and subtract nonperturbative pion poles that arises in the RI-MOM scheme and, since the calculations are performed with domain wall fermions, the unphysical mixing between chirality sectors is suppressed. Our results for the bag parameters in the MS ¯ scheme at 3 GeV are B K ≡ B 1 = 0.5240 ( 17 ) ( 54 ) , B 2 = 0.4794 ( 25 ) ( 35 ) , B 3 = 0.746 ( 13 ) ( 17 ) , B 4 = 0.897 ( 02 ) ( 10 ) and B 5 = 0.6882 ( 78 ) ( 94 ) , where the first error is from lattice uncertainties and the second is the uncertainty due to the perturbative matching to MS ¯ . Published by the American Physical Society 2024

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Exploration of the polarization angle variability of the Crab Nebula with POLARBEAR and its application to the search for axionlike particles

The Crab Nebula, also known as Tau A, is a polarized astronomical source at millimeter wavelengths. It has been used as a stable light source for polarization angle calibration in millimeter-wave astronomy. However, it is known that its intensity and polarization vary as a function of time at a variety of wavelengths. Thus, it is of interest to verify the stability of the millimeter-wave polarization. If detected, polarization variability may be used to better understand the dynamics of Tau A, and for understanding the validity of Tau A as a calibrator. One intriguing application of such observation is to use it for the search of axionlike particles (ALPs). Ultralight ALPs couple to photons through a Chern-Simons term, and induce a temporal oscillation in the polarization angle of linearly polarized sources. After assessing a number of systematic errors and testing for internal consistency, we evaluate the variability of the polarization angle of the Crab Nebula using 2015 and 2016 observations with the 150 GHz P instrument. We place a median 95% upper bound of polarization oscillation amplitude A < 0.06 5 ° over the oscillation frequencies from 0.75 year − 1 to 0.66 hour − 1 . Assuming that no sources other than ALP are causing Tau A’s polarization angle variation, that the ALP constitutes all the dark matter, and that the ALP field is a stochastic Gaussian field, this bound translates into a median 95% upper bound of ALP-photon coupling g a γ γ < 2.16 × 10 − 12 GeV − 1 × ( m a / 10 − 21 eV ) in the mass range from 9.9 × 10 − 23 eV to 7.7 × 10 − 19 eV . This demonstrates that this type of analysis using bright polarized sources is as competitive as those using the polarization of cosmic microwave background in constraining ALPs. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Adachi, Shunsuke (ORCID:0000000204007555)↗

DOE OSTI2024

Asymptotic-state prediction for fast flavor transformation in neutron star mergers

Neutrino flavor instabilities appear to be omnipresent in dense astrophysical environments, thus presenting a challenge to large-scale simulations of core-collapse supernovae and neutron star mergers (NSMs). Subgrid models offer a path forward, but require an accurate determination of the local outcome of such conversion phenomena. Focusing on “fast” instabilities, related to the existence of a crossing between neutrino and antineutrino angular distributions, we consider a range of analytical mixing schemes, including a new, fully three-dimensional one, and also introduce a new machine learning (ML) model. We compare the accuracy of these models with the results of several thousands of local dynamical calculations of neutrino evolution from the conditions extracted from classical NSM simulations. Our ML model shows good overall performance, but struggles to generalize to conditions from a NSM simulation not used for training. The multidimensional analytic model performs and generalizes even better, while other analytic models (which assume axisymmetric neutrino distributions) do not have reliably high performances, as they notably fail as expected to account for effects resulting from strong anisotropies. As a result, the ML and analytic subgrid models extensively tested here are both promising, with different computational requirements and sources of systematic errors.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2025

Moving lens effect: Simulations, forecasts, and foreground mitigation

The peculiar motion of massive objects across the line of sight imprints a dipolar temperature anisotropy pattern on the cosmic microwave background known as the moving lens effect. This effect provides a unique probe of the transverse components of the peculiar velocity field, but has not yet been detected due to its small size. We implement and validate a stacking estimator for the moving lens signal using a galaxy catalog as a tracer of massive haloes combined with reconstructed velocities from the galaxy number density field. Using simulations, we forecast detection prospects for the moving lens signal from current and upcoming microwave background and galaxy surveys. Here, we demonstrate a new foreground mitigation strategy likely sufficient for current datasets, and discuss various sources of systematic error and noise. Upcoming galaxy surveys will provide high-significance statistical detections of the moving lens effect.

Astrophysical & cosmological simulations↗

DOE OSTI2025

Atacama Cosmology Telescope: DR6 gravitational lensing and SDSS BOSS cross-correlation measurement and constraints on gravity with the 𝐸 𝐺 statistic

We derive new constraints on the 𝐸 𝐺 statistic as a test of gravity, combining the cosmic microwave background (CMB) lensing map estimated from Data Release 6 (DR6) of the Atacama Cosmology Telescope with Sloan Digital Sky Survey III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (SDSS BOSS) CMASS and LOWZ galaxy data. We develop an analysis pipeline to measure the cross-correlation between CMB lensing maps and galaxy data, following a blinding policy and testing the approach through null and consistency checks. By testing the equivalence of the spatial and temporal gravitational potentials, the 𝐸 𝐺 statistic can distinguish Λ⁢ CDM from alternative models of gravity. We find 𝐸 𝐺 ⁡(𝑧 eff = 0.555) = 0.3⁢1$^{+0.06}_{−0.05}$ for Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) and CMASS data at 68.28% confidence level, and 𝐸 𝐺 ⁡(𝑧 eff = 0.316) = 0.4⁢9$^{+0.14}_{−0.11}$ for the ACT and LOWZ. Systematic errors are estimated to be 3% and 4%, respectively. Including CMB lensing information from Planck PR4 results in 𝐸 𝐺 ⁡(𝑧 eff = 0.555) = 0.3⁢4$^{+0.05}_{−0.05}$ with CMASS and 𝐸 𝐺 ⁡(𝑧 eff = 0.316) = 0.4⁢3$^{+0.11}_{−0.09}$ with LOWZ. These are consistent with predictions for the Λ⁢ CDM model that best fits the Planck CMB anisotropy and SDSS BOSS baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO), where 𝐸$^{GR}_{𝐺⁡}$(𝑧 eff =0.555) =0.401 ± 0.005 for CMB lensing combined with CMASS and 𝐸$^{GR}_{𝐺}$⁡(𝑧 eff = 0.316) = 0.452 ± 0.005 combined with LOWZ. We also find 𝐸 𝐺 to be scale independent, with probability to exceed >5%, as predicted by general relativity. The methods developed in this work are also applicable to improved future analyses with upcoming spectroscopic galaxy samples and CMB lensing measurements.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2013

Measurement of the decays B s 0 → J / ψ Φ ( 1020 ) , B s 0 → J / ψ f 2 ' ( 1525 ) and B s 0 → J / ψ K + K – at Belle

In this paper, we report a measurement of the branching fraction of the decay B s 0 → J / ψ Φ ( 1020 ) , evidence and a branching fraction measurement for B s 0 → J / ψ f 2 ' ( 1525 ) , and the determination of the total B s 0 → J / ψ K + K – branching fraction, including the resonant and non-resonant contributions to the K+K– channel. We also determine the S-wave contribution within the Φ(1020) mass region. The absolute branching fractions are B[ B s 0 → J / ψ Φ ( 1020 ) ] = (1.25 ± 0.07(stat) ± 0.08(syst) ± 0.22(fs)) × 10 –3 , B[ B s 0 → J / ψ f 2 ' ( 1525 ) ] = (0.26 ± 0.06(stat) ± 0.02(syst) ± 0.05(fs)) × 10 –3 and B[ B s 0 → J / ψ K + K – ] = (1.01 ± 0.09(stat) ± 0.10(syst) ± 0.18(fs)) × 10 –3 , where the last systematic error is due to the branching fraction of bb¯→ B$^{(*)}_{s}$B$^{(*)}_{s}$. The branching fraction ratio is found to be B[ B s 0 → J / ψ f 2 ' ( 1525 ) ]/B[ B s 0 → J / ψ Φ ( 1020 ) ] = (21.5 ± 4.9(stat) ± 2.6(syst)). All results are based on a 121.4 fb –1 data sample collected at the Υ(5S) resonance by the Belle experiment at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e + e – collider.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2015

Extraction of the proton radius from electron-proton scattering data

We perform a new analysis of electron-proton scattering data to determine the proton electric and magnetic radii, enforcing model-independent constraints from form factor analyticity. A wide-ranging study of possible systematic effects is performed. An improved analysis is developed that rebins data taken at identical kinematic settings and avoids a scaling assumption of systematic errors with statistical errors. Employing standard models for radiative corrections, our improved analysis of the 2010 Mainz A1 Collaboration data yields a proton electric radius r E = 0.895(20) fm and magnetic radius r M = 0.776(38) fm. A similar analysis applied to world data (excluding Mainz data) implies r E = 0.916(24) fm and r M = 0.914(35) fm. The Mainz and world values of the charge radius are consistent, and a simple combination yields a value r E = 0.904(15) fm that is 4σ larger than the CREMA Collaboration muonic hydrogen determination. The Mainz and world values of the magnetic radius differ by 2.7σ, and a simple average yields r M = 0.851(26) fm. As a result, the circumstances under which published muonic hydrogen and electron scattering data could be reconciled are discussed, including a possible deficiency in the standard radiative correction model which requires further analysis.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2015

$|V_{ub}|$ from $B\to\pi\ell\nu$ decays and (2+1)-flavor lattice QCD

We present a lattice-QCD calculation of the B → πℓν semileptonic form factors and a new determination of the CKM matrix element |V ub |. We use the MILC asqtad (2+1)-flavor lattice configurations at four lattice spacings and light-quark masses down to 1/20 of the physical strange-quark mass. We extrapolate the lattice form factors to the continuum using staggered chiral perturbation theory in the hard-pion and SU(2) limits. We employ a model-independent z parametrization to extrapolate our lattice form factors from large-recoil momentum to the full kinematic range. We introduce a new functional method to propagate information from the chiral-continuum extrapolation to the z expansion. We present our results together with a complete systematic error budget, including a covariance matrix to enable the combination of our form factors with other lattice-QCD and experimental results. To obtain |V ub |, we simultaneously fit the experimental data for the B → πℓν differential decay rate obtained by the BABAR and Belle collaborations together with our lattice form-factor results. We find |V ub |=(3.72±0.16) × 10 –3 , where the error is from the combined fit to lattice plus experiments and includes all sources of uncertainty. Our form-factor results bring the QCD error on |V ub | to the same level as the experimental error. We also provide results for the B → πℓν vector and scalar form factors obtained from the combined lattice and experiment fit, which are more precisely determined than from our lattice-QCD calculation alone. Lastly, these results can be used in other phenomenological applications and to test other approaches to QCD.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2015

POLARBEAR constraints on cosmic birefringence and primordial magnetic fields

Here, we constrain anisotropic cosmic birefringence using four-point correlations of even-parity E-mode and odd-parity B-mode polarization in the cosmic microwave background measurements made by the POLARization of the Background Radiation (POLARBEAR) experiment in its first season of observations. We find that the anisotropic cosmic birefringence signal from any parity-violating processes is consistent with zero. The Faraday rotation from anisotropic cosmic birefringence can be compared with the equivalent quantity generated by primordial magnetic fields if they existed. The POLARBEAR nondetection translates into a 95% confidence level (C.L.) upper limit of 93 nanogauss (nG) on the amplitude of an equivalent primordial magnetic field inclusive of systematic uncertainties. This four-point correlation constraint on Faraday rotation is about 15 times tighter than the upper limit of 1380 nG inferred from constraining the contribution of Faraday rotation to two-point correlations of B-modes measured by Planck in 2015. Metric perturbations sourced by primordial magnetic fields would also contribute to the B-mode power spectrum. Using the POLARBEAR measurements of the B-mode power spectrum (two-point correlation), we set a 95% C.L. upper limit of 3.9 nG on primordial magnetic fields assuming a flat prior on the field amplitude. This limit is comparable to what was found in the Planck 2015 two-point correlation analysis with both temperature and polarization. Finally, we perform a set of systematic error tests and find no evidence for contamination. This work marks the first time that anisotropic cosmic birefringence or primordial magnetic fields have been constrained from the ground at subdegree scales.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗