Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “MATTER”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 991 records · Page 55
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

Probing topological quantum matter with scanning tunnelling microscopy

The search for topological phases of matter is evolving towards strongly interacting systems, including magnets and superconductors, where exotic effects emerge from the quantum-level interplay between geometry, correlation and topology. Over the past decade or so, scanning tunnelling microscopy has become a powerful tool to probe and discover emergent topological matter, because of its unprecedented spatial resolution, high-precision electronic detection and magnetic tunability. Scanning tunnelling microscopy can be used to probe various topological phenomena, as well as complement results from other techniques. We discuss some of these proof-of-principle methodologies applied to probe topology, with particular attention to studies performed under a tunable vector magnetic field, which is a relatively new direction of recent focus. Finally, we then project the future possibilities for atomic-resolution tunnelling methods in providing new insights into topological matter.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2023

Maximum entropy distributions of dark matter in ΛCDM cosmology

Context. Small-scale challenges to ΛCDM cosmology require a deeper understanding of dark matter physics. Aims. This paper aims to develop the maximum entropy distributions for dark matter particle velocity (denoted by X ), speed (denoted by Z ), and energy (denoted by E ) that are especially relevant on small scales where system approaches full virialization. Methods. For systems involving long-range interactions, a spectrum of halos of different sizes is required to form to maximize system entropy. While the velocity in halos can be Gaussian, the velocity distribution throughout the entire system, involving all halos of different sizes, is non-Gaussian. With the virial theorem for mechanical equilibrium, we applied the maximum entropy principle to the statistical equilibrium of entire system, such that the maximum entropy distribution of velocity (the X distribution) could be analytically derived. The halo mass function was not required in this formulation, but it did indeed result from the maximum entropy. Results. The predicted X distribution involves a shape parameter α and a velocity scale, v 0 . The shape parameter α reflects the nature of force ( α → 0 for long-range force or α → ∞ for short-range force). Therefore, the distribution approaches Laplacian with α → 0 and Gaussian with α → ∞. For an intermediate value of α , the distribution naturally exhibits a Gaussian core for v ≪ v 0 and exponential wings for v ≫ v 0 , as confirmed by N -body simulations. From this distribution, the mean particle energy of all dark matter particles with a given speed, v , follows a parabolic scaling for low speeds (∝ v 2 for v ≪ v 0 in halo core region, i.e., “Newtonian”) and a linear scaling for high speeds (∝ v for v ≫ v 0 in halo outskirt, i.e., exhibiting “non-Newtonian” behavior due to long-range gravity). We compared our results against N -body simulations and found a good agreement.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

QSHS: an axion dark matter resonant search apparatus

We describe a resonant cavity search apparatus for axion dark matter constructed by the quantum sensors for the hidden sector collaboration. The apparatus is configured to search for QCD axion dark matter, though also has the capability to detect axion-like particles, dark photons, and some other forms of wave-like dark matter. Initially, a tuneable cylindrical oxygen-free copper cavity is read out using a low noise microwave amplifier feeding a heterodyne receiver. The cavity is housed in a dilution refrigerator (DF) and threaded by a solenoidal magnetic field, nominally 8 T. The apparatus also houses a magnetic field shield for housing superconducting electronics, and several other fixed-frequency resonators for use in testing and commissioning various prototype quantum electronic devices sensitive at a range of axion masses in the range 2.0–40 μ eV c -2 . The apparatus as currently configured is intended as a test stand for electronics over the relatively wide frequency band attainable with TM 010 the cavity mode used for axion searches. We present performance data for the resonator, DF, and magnet, and plans for the first science run.

Physics - Physics of elementary particles and fiel↗
DOE OSTI2016

Heavy right-handed neutrino dark matter and PeV neutrinos at IceCube

We discuss a simple non-supersymmetric model based on the electroweak gauge group SU(2){sub L}×SU(2){sup ′}×U(1){sub B−L} where the lightest of the right-handed neutrinos, which are part of the leptonic doublet of SU(2){sup ′}, play the role of a long-lived unstable dark matter with mass in the multi-PeV range. We use a resonant s-channel annihilation to obtain the correct thermal relic density and relax the unitarity bound on dark matter mass. In this model, there exists a 3-body dark matter decay mode producing tau leptons and neutrinos, which could be the source for the PeV cascade events observed in the IceCube experiment. The model can be tested with more precise flavor information of the highest-energy neutrino events in future data.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2016

ISW-galaxy cross correlation: a probe of dark energy clustering and distribution of dark matter tracers

Cross correlation of the Integrated Sachs-Wolfe signal (ISW) with the galaxy distribution in late time is a promising tool for constraining the dark energy properties. Here, we study the effect of dark energy clustering on the ISW-galaxy cross correlation and demonstrate the fact that the bias parameter between the distribution of the galaxies and the underlying dark matter introduces a degeneracy and complications. We argue that as the galaxy's host halo formation time is different from the observation time, we have to consider the evolution of the halo bias parameter. It will be shown that any deviation from ΛCDM model will change the evolution of the bias as well. Therefore, it is deduced that the halo bias depends strongly on the sub-sample of galaxies which is chosen for cross correlation and that the joint kernel of ISW effect and the galaxy distribution has a dominant effect on the observed signal. In this work, comparison is made specifically between the clustered dark energy models using two samples of galaxies. The first one is a sub-sample of galaxies from Sloan Digital Sky Survey, chosen with the r-band magnitude 18 < r < 21 and the dark matter halo host of mass M ∼10{sup 12} M {sub ⊙} and formation redshift of z {sub f} ∼ 2.5. The second one is the sub-sample of Luminous Red galaxies with the dark matter halo hosts of mass M ∼ 10{sup 13} M {sub ⊙} and formation redshift of z {sub f} ∼ 2.0. Using the evolved bias we improve the χ{sup 2} for the ΛCDM which reconciles the ∼1σ-2σ tension of the ISW-galaxy signal with ΛCDM prediction. Finally, we study the parameter estimation of a dark energy model with free parameters w {sub 0} and w {sub a} in the equation of state w {sub de} = w {sub 0} + w {sub az} /(1+ z ) with the constant bias parameter and also with an evolved bias model with free parameters of galaxy's host halo mass and the halo formation redshift.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Heavy spin-2 Dark Matter

We provide further details on a recent proposal addressing the nature of the dark sectors in cosmology and demonstrate that all current observations related to Dark Matter can be explained by the presence of a heavy spin-2 particle. Massive spin-2 fields and their gravitational interactions are uniquely described by ghost-free bimetric theory, which is a minimal and natural extension of General Relativity. In this setup, the largeness of the physical Planck mass is naturally related to extremely weak couplings of the heavy spin-2 field to baryonic matter and therefore explains the absence of signals in experiments dedicated to Dark Matter searches. It also ensures the phenomenological viability of our model as we confirm by comparing it with cosmological and local tests of gravity. At the same time, the spin-2 field possesses standard gravitational interactions and it decays universally into all Standard Model fields but not into massless gravitons. Matching the measured DM abundance together with the requirement of stability constrains the spin-2 mass to be in the 1 to 100 TeV range.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Studying generalised dark matter interactions with extended halo-independent methods

The interpretation of dark matter direct detection experiments is complicated by the fact that neither the astrophysical distribution of dark matter nor the properties of its particle physics interactions with nuclei are known in detail. To address both of these issues in a very general way we develop a new framework that combines the full formalism of non-relativistic effective interactions with state-of-the-art halo-independent methods. This approach makes it possible to analyse direct detection experiments for arbitrary dark matter interactions and quantify the goodness-of-fit independent of astrophysical uncertainties. We employ this method in order to demonstrate that the degeneracy between astrophysical uncertainties and particle physics unknowns is not complete. Certain models can be distinguished in a halo-independent way using a single ton-scale experiment based on liquid xenon, while other models are indistinguishable with a single experiment but can be separated using combined information from several target elements.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

No need for dark matter in galaxy clusters within Galileon theory

Modified gravity theories with a screening mechanism have acquired much interest recently in the quest for a viable alternative to General Relativity on cosmological scales, given their intrinsic property of being able to pass Solar System scale tests and, at the same time, to possibly drive universe acceleration on much larger scales. Here, we explore the possibility that the same screening mechanism, or its breaking at a certain astrophysical scale, might be responsible of those gravitational effects which, in the context of general relativity, are generally attributed to Dark Matter. We consider a recently proposed extension of covariant Galileon models in the so-called ''beyond Horndeski'' scenario, where a breaking of the Vainshtein mechanism is possible and, thus, some peculiar observational signatures should be detectable and make it distinguishable from general relativity. We apply this model to a sample of clusters of galaxies observed under the CLASH survey, using both new data from gravitational lensing events and archival data from X-ray intra-cluster hot gas observations. In particular, we use the latter to model the gas density, and then use it as the only ingredient in the matter clusters' budget to calculate the expected lensing convergence map. Results show that, in the context of this extended Galileon, the assumption of having only gas and no Dark Matter at all in the clusters is able to match observations. We also obtain narrow and very interesting bounds on the parameters which characterize this model. In particular, we find that, at least for one of them, the general relativity limit is excluded at 2σ confidence level, thus making this model clearly statistically different and competitive with respect to general relativity.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Updated constraints on velocity and momentum-dependent asymmetric dark matter

We present updated constraints on dark matter models with momentum-dependent or velocity-dependent interactions with nuclei, based on direct detection and solar physics. We improve our previous treatment of energy transport in the solar interior by dark matter scattering, leading to significant changes in fits to many observables. Based on solar physics alone, DM with a spin-independent q{sup 4} coupling provides the best fit to data, and a statistically satisfactory solution to the solar abundance problem. Once direct detection limits are accounted for however, the best solution is spin-dependent v{sup 2} scattering with a reference cross-section of 10{sup −35} cm{sup 2} (at a reference velocity of v{sub 0}=220 km s{sup −1}), and a dark matter mass of about 5 GeV.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Supermassive dark-matter Q-balls in galactic centers?

Though widely accepted, it is not proven that supermassive compact objects (SMCOs) residing in galactic centers are black holes. In particular, the Milky Way’s SMCO can be a giant nontopological soliton, Q-ball, made of a scalar field: this fits perfectly all observational data. Similar but tiny Q-balls produced in the early Universe may constitute, partly or fully, the dark matter. This picture explains in a natural way, why our SMCO has very low accretion rate and why the observed angular size of the corresponding radio source is much smaller than expected. Interactions between dark-matter Q-balls may explain how SMCOs were seeded in galaxies and resolve well-known problems of standard (non-interacting) dark matter.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

keV sterile neutrino dark matter from singlet scalar decays: the most general case

We investigate the early Universe production of sterile neutrino Dark Matter by the decays of singlet scalars. All previous studies applied simplifying assumptions and/or studied the process only on the level of number densities, which makes it impossible to give statements about cosmic structure formation. We overcome these issues by dropping all simplifying assumptions (except for one we showed earlier to work perfectly) and by computing the full course of Dark Matter production on the level of non-thermal momentum distribution functions. We are thus in the position to study a broad range of aspects of the resulting settings and apply a broad set of bounds in a reliable manner. We have a particular focus on how to incorporate bounds from structure formation on the level of the linear power spectrum, since the simplistic estimate using the free-streaming horizon clearly fails for highly non-thermal distributions. Our work comprises the most detailed and comprehensive study of sterile neutrino Dark Matter production by scalar decays presented so far.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Measuring the power spectrum of dark matter substructure using strong gravitational lensing

In recent years, it has become possible to detect individual dark matter subhalos near images of strongly lensed extended background galaxies. Typically, only the most massive subhalos in the strong lensing region may be detected this way. In this work, we show that strong lenses may also be used to constrain the much more numerous population of lower mass subhalos that are too small to be detected individually. In particular, we show that the power spectrum of projected density fluctuations in galaxy halos can be measured using strong gravitational lensing. We develop the mathematical framework of power spectrum estimation, and test our method on mock observations. We use our results to determine the types of observations required to measure the substructure power spectrum with high significance. We predict that deep observations (∼10 hours on a single target) with current facilities can measure this power spectrum at the 3σ level, with no apparent degeneracy with unknown clumpiness in the background source structure or fluctuations from detector noise. Upcoming ALMA measurements of strong lenses are capable of placing strong constraints on the abundance of dark matter subhalos and the underlying particle nature of dark matter.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Dark Matter interpretation of low energy IceCube MESE excess

The 2-years MESE IceCube events show a slightly excess in the energy range 10–100 TeV with a maximum local statistical significance of 2.3σ, once a hard astrophysical power-law is assumed. A spectral index smaller than 2.2 is indeed suggested by multi-messenger studies related to p - p sources and by the recent IceCube analysis regarding 6-years up-going muon neutrinos. In the present paper, we propose a two-components scenario where the extraterrestrial neutrinos are explained in terms of an astrophysical power-law and a Dark Matter signal. We consider both decaying and annihilating Dark Matter candidates with different final states (quarks and leptons) and different halo density profiles. We perform a likelihood-ratio analysis that provides a statistical significance up to 3.9σ for a Dark Matter interpretation of the IceCube low energy excess.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2017

CMB and matter power spectra with non-linear dark-sector interactions

An interaction between dark matter and dark energy, proportional to the product of their energy densities, results in a scaling behavior of the ratio of these densities with respect to the scale factor of the Robertson-Walker metric. This gives rise to a class of cosmological models which deviate from the standard model in an analytically tractable way. In particular, it becomes possible to quantify the role of potential dark-energy perturbations. We investigate the impact of this interaction on the structure formation process. Using the (modified) CAMB code we obtain the CMB spectrum as well as the linear matter power spectrum. It is shown that the strong degeneracy in the parameter space present in the background analysis is considerably reduced by considering Planck data. Our analysis is compatible with the ΛCDM model at the 2σ confidence level with a slightly preferred direction of the energy flow from dark matter to dark energy.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Chiral effective theory of dark matter direct detection

We present the effective field theory for dark matter interactions with the visible sector that is valid at scales of O(1 GeV). Starting with an effective theory describing the interactions of fermionic and scalar dark matter with quarks, gluons and photons via higher dimension operators that would arise from dimension-five and dimension-six operators above electroweak scale, we perform a nonperturbative matching onto a heavy baryon chiral perturbation theory that describes dark matter interactions with light mesons and nucleons. This is then used to obtain the coefficients of the nuclear response functions using a chiral effective theory description of nuclear forces. Our results consistently keep the leading contributions in chiral counting for each of the initial Wilson coefficients.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2017

On the stability conditions for theories of modified gravity in the presence of matter fields

We present a thorough stability analysis of modified gravity theories in the presence of matter fields. We use the Effective Field Theory framework for Dark Energy and Modified Gravity to retain a general approach for the gravity sector and a Sorkin-Schutz action for the matter one. Then, we work out the proper viability conditions to guarantee in the scalar sector the absence of ghosts, gradient and tachyonic instabilities. The absence of ghosts can be achieved by demanding a positive kinetic matrix, while the lack of a gradient instability is ensured by imposing a positive speed of propagation for all the scalar modes. In case of tachyonic instability, the mass eigenvalues have been studied and we work out the appropriate expressions. For the latter, an instability occurs only when the negative mass eigenvalue is much larger, in absolute value, than the Hubble parameter. We discuss the results for the minimally coupled quintessence model showing for a particular set of parameters two typical behaviours which in turn lead to a stable and an unstable configuration. Moreover, we find that the speeds of propagation of the scalar modes strongly depend on matter densities, for the beyond Horndeski theories. Our findings can be directly employed when testing modified gravity theories as they allow to identify the correct viability space.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Search for sharp and smooth spectral signatures of μνSSM gravitino dark matter with Fermi-LAT

The μνSSM solves the μ problem of supersymmetric models and reproduces neutrino data, simply using couplings with right-handed neutrinos ν's. Given that these couplings break explicitly R parity, the gravitino is a natural candidate for decaying dark matter in the μνSSM. In this work we carry out a complete analysis of the detection of μνSSM gravitino dark matter through γ-ray observations. In addition to the two-body decay producing a sharp line, we include in the analysis the three-body decays producing a smooth spectral signature. We perform first a deep exploration of the low-energy parameter space of the μνSSM taking into account that neutrino data must be reproduced. Then, we compare the γ-ray fluxes predicted by the model with Fermi -LAT observations. In particular, with the 95% CL upper limits on the total diffuse extragalactic γ-ray background using 50 months of data, together with the upper limits on line emission from an updated analysis using 69.9 months of data. For standard values of bino and wino masses, gravitinos with masses larger than about 4 GeV, or lifetimes smaller than about 10{sup 28} s, produce too large fluxes and are excluded as dark matter candidates. However, when limiting scenarios with large and close values of the gaugino masses are considered, the constraints turn out to be less stringent, excluding masses larger than 17 GeV and lifetimes smaller than 4 × 10{sup 25} s.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Self-interacting inelastic dark matter: a viable solution to the small scale structure problems

Self-interacting dark matter has been proposed as a solution to the small-scale structure problems, such as the observed flat cores in dwarf and low surface brightness galaxies. If scattering takes place through light mediators, the scattering cross section relevant to solve these problems may fall into the non-perturbative regime leading to a non-trivial velocity dependence, which allows compatibility with limits stemming from cluster-size objects. However, these models are strongly constrained by different observations, in particular from the requirements that the decay of the light mediator is sufficiently rapid (before Big Bang Nucleosynthesis) and from direct detection. A natural solution to reconcile both requirements are inelastic endothermic interactions, such that scatterings in direct detection experiments are suppressed or even kinematically forbidden if the mass splitting between the two-states is sufficiently large. Using an exact solution when numerically solving the Schrödinger equation, we study such scenarios and find regions in the parameter space of dark matter and mediator masses, and the mass splitting of the states, where the small scale structure problems can be solved, the dark matter has the correct relic abundance and direct detection limits can be evaded.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗