arXiv subjects

A. Kusaka

Publications and source records attributed to A. Kusaka.

29 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2014

Modulation of CMB polarization with a warm rapidly-rotating half-wave plate on the Atacama B-Mode Search (ABS) instrument

We evaluate the modulation of Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) polarization using a rapidly-rotating, half-wave plate (HWP) on the Atacama B-Mode Search (ABS). After demodulating the time-ordered-data (TOD), we find a significant reduction of atmospheric fluctuations. The demodulated TOD is stable on time scales of 500-1000 seconds, corresponding to frequencies of 1-2 mHz. This facilitates recovery of cosmological information at large angular scales, which are typically available only from balloon-borne or satellite experiments. This technique also achieves a sensitive measurement of celestial polarization without differencing the TOD of paired detectors sensitive to two orthogonal linear polarizations. This is the first demonstration of the ability to remove atmospheric contamination at these levels from a ground-based platform using a rapidly-rotating HWP.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2013

Second Season QUIET Observations: Measurements of the CMB Polarization Power Spectrum at 95 GHz

The Q/U Imaging ExperimenT (QUIET) has observed the cosmic microwave background (CMB) at 43 and 95GHz. The 43-GHz results have been published in QUIET Collaboration et al. (2011), and here we report the measurement of CMB polarization power spectra using the 95-GHz data. This data set comprises 5337 hours of observations recorded by an array of 84 polarized coherent receivers with a total array sensitivity of 87 uK sqrt(s). Four low-foreground fields were observed, covering a total of ~1000 square degrees with an effective angular resolution of 12.8', allowing for constraints on primordial gravitational waves and high-signal-to-noise measurements of the E-modes across three acoustic peaks. The data reduction was performed using two independent analysis pipelines, one based on a pseudo-Cl (PCL) cross-correlation approach, and the other on a maximum-likelihood (ML) approach. All data selection criteria and filters were modified until a predefined set of null tests had been satisfied before inspecting any non-null power spectrum. The results derived by the two pipelines are in good agreement. We characterize the EE, EB and BB power spectra between l=25 and 975 and find that the EE spectrum is consistent with LCDM, while the BB power spectrum is consistent with zero. Based on these measurements, we constrain the tensor-to-scalar ratio to r=1.1+0.9-0.8 (r<2.8 at 95% C.L.) as derived by the ML pipeline, and r=1.2+0.9-0.8 (r<2.7 at 95% C.L.) as derived by the PCL pipeline. In one of the fields, we find a correlation with the dust component of the Planck Sky Model, though the corresponding excess power is small compared to statistical errors. Finally, we derive limits on all known systematic errors, and demonstrate that these correspond to a tensor-to-scalar ratio smaller than r=0.01, the lowest level yet reported in the literature.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2012

The QUIET Instrument

The Q/U Imaging ExperimenT (QUIET) is designed to measure polarization in the Cosmic Microwave Background, targeting the imprint of inflationary gravitational waves at large angular scales (~ 1 degree). Between 2008 October and 2010 December, two independent receiver arrays were deployed sequentially on a 1.4 m side-fed Dragonian telescope. The polarimeters which form the focal planes use a highly compact design based on High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) that provides simultaneous measurements of the Stokes parameters Q, U, and I in a single module. The 17-element Q-band polarimeter array, with a central frequency of 43.1 GHz, has the best sensitivity (69 uK sqrt(s)) and the lowest instrumental systematic errors ever achieved in this band, contributing to the tensor-to-scalar ratio at r < 0.1. The 84-element W-band polarimeter array has a sensitivity of 87 uK sqrt(s) at a central frequency of 94.5 GHz. It has the lowest systematic errors to date, contributing at r < 0.01. The two arrays together cover multipoles in the range l= 25-975. These are the largest HEMT-based arrays deployed to date. This article describes the design, calibration, performance of, and sources of systematic error for the instrument.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2012

First Season QUIET Observations: Measurements of CMB Polarization Power Spectra at 43 GHz in the Multipole Range 25 <= ell <= 475

The Q/U Imaging ExperimenT (QUIET) employs coherent receivers at 43GHz and 95GHz, operating on the Chajnantor plateau in the Atacama Desert in Chile, to measure the anisotropy in the polarization of the CMB. QUIET primarily targets the B modes from primordial gravitational waves. The combination of these frequencies gives sensitivity to foreground contributions from diffuse Galactic synchrotron radiation. Between 2008 October and 2010 December, >10,000hours of data were collected, first with the 19-element 43GHz array (3458hours) and then with the 90-element 95GHz array. Each array observes the same four fields, selected for low foregrounds, together covering ~1000deg^2. This paper reports initial results from the 43GHz receiver which has an array sensitivity to CMB fluctuations of 69uK sqrt(s). The data were extensively studied with a large suite of null tests before the power spectra, determined with two independent pipelines, were examined. Analysis choices, including data selection, were modified until the null tests passed. Cross correlating maps with different telescope pointings is used to eliminate a bias. This paper reports the EE, BB and EB power spectra in the multipole range ell=25-475. With the exception of the lowest multipole bin for one of the fields, where a polarized foreground, consistent with Galactic synchrotron radiation, is detected with 3sigma significance, the E-mode spectrum is consistent with the LCDM model, confirming the only previous detection of the first acoustic peak. The B-mode spectrum is consistent with zero, leading to a measurement of the tensor-to-scalar ratio of r=0.35+1.06-0.87. The combination of a new time-stream double-demodulation technique, Mizuguchi-Dragone optics, natural sky rotation, and frequent boresight rotation leads to the lowest level of systematic contamination in the B-mode power so far reported, below the level of r=0.1

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2010

Fast and precise map-making for massively multi-detector CMB experiments

Future cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarisation experiments aim to measure an unprecedentedly small signal - the primordial gravity wave component of the polarisation field B-mode. To achieve this, they will analyse huge datasets, involving years worth of time-ordered data (TOD) from massively multi-detector focal planes. This creates the need for fast and precise methods to complement the M-L approach in analysis pipelines. In this paper, we investigate fast map-making methods as applied to long duration, massively multi-detector, ground-based experiments, in the context of the search for B-modes. We focus on two alternative map-making approaches: destriping and TOD filtering, comparing their performance on simulated multi-detector polarisation data. We have written an optimised, parallel destriping code, the DEStriping CARTographer DESCART, that is generalised for massive focal planes, including the potential effect of cross-correlated TOD 1/f noise. We also determine the scaling of computing time for destriping as applied to a simulated full-season data-set for a realistic experiment. We find that destriping can out-perform filtering in estimating both the large-scale E and B-mode angular power spectra. In particular, filtering can produce significant spurious B-mode power via EB mixing. Whilst this can be removed, it contributes to the variance of B-mode bandpower estimates at scales near the primordial B-mode peak. For the experimental configuration we simulate, this has an effect on the possible detection significance for primordial B-modes. Destriping is a viable alternative fast method to the full M-L approach that does not cause the problems associated with filtering, and is flexible enough to fit into both M-L and Monte-Carlo pseudo-Cl pipelines.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2008

Unphysical Gauge Fixing in Higgs Mechanism

The unitary gauge in the Higgs mechanism is to impose the condition of $ϕ=ϕ^\dagger $ on the Higgs fields. However, this is not the gauge fixing but simply a procedure for producing the massive vector boson fields by hand. The Lagrangian density of the weak interactions should be reconsidered by starting from the massive vector boson fields which couple to the fermion currents as the initial ingredients.

physics.gen-ph↗

arXiv2008

Measurement of CP Asymmetries and Branching Fractions in a Time-Dependent Dalitz Analysis of B^0-->(rho pi)^0 and a Constraint on the Quark Mixing Angle phi_2

We present the results of a time-dependent Dalitz plot analysis of B0 --> pi+ pi- pi0 decays based on a 414/fb data sample that contains 449 x 10^6 BB pairs. The data was collected on the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric energy e+e- collider. Combining our analysis with information on charged B decay modes, we perform a full Dalitz and isospin analysis and obtain a constraint on the quark mixing angle phi_2, 68deg. < phi_2 < 95deg. at the 68.3% confidence level for the phi_2 solution consistent with the standard model (SM). A large SM-disfavored region also remains. The branching fractions for the decay processes of B0 --> rho+-(770) pi-+ and B0 --> rho0(770) pi0 are measured to be (22.6 +- 1.1[stat.] +- 4.4 [syst.]) x 10^{-6} and (3.0 +- 0.5 [stat.] +- 0.7 [syst.]) x 10^{-6}, respectively. These are the first branching fraction measurements of the process B0 --> rho(770)pi with the lowest resonance rho(770) explicitly separated from the radial excitations.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2007

Detectors and flux instrumentation for future neutrino facilities

This report summarises the conclusions from the detector group of the International Scoping Study of a future Neutrino Factory and Super-Beam neutrino facility. The baseline detector options for each possible neutrino beam are defined as follows: 1. A very massive (Megaton) water Cherenkov detector is the baseline option for a sub-GeV Beta Beam and Super Beam facility. 2. There are a number of possibilities for either a Beta Beam or Super Beam (SB) medium energy facility between 1-5 GeV. These include a totally active scintillating detector (TASD), a liquid argon TPC or a water Cherenkov detector. 3. A 100 kton magnetized iron neutrino detector (MIND) is the baseline to detect the wrong sign muon final states (golden channel) at a high energy (20-50 GeV) neutrino factory from muon decay. A 10 kton hybrid neutrino magnetic emulsion cloud chamber detector for wrong sign tau detection (silver channel) is a possible complement to MIND, if one needs to resolve degeneracies that appear in the $δ$-$θ_{13}$ parameter space.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2007

Measurement of CP Asymmetry in a Time-Dependent Dalitz Analysis of B^0 \to (ρπ)^0 and a Constraint on the Quark Mixing Matrix Angle ϕ_2

We present a measurement of CP asymmetry using a time-dependent Dalitz plot analysis of B0 --> pi+pi-pi0 decays based on a 414/fb data sample containing 449M BB pairs. The data was collected on the $Υ$(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric energy e+e- collider. Combining our analysis with information on charged B decay modes, we perform a full Dalitz and isospin analysis and obtain a constraint on the CKM angle $ϕ_2$, 68 deg. < $ϕ_2$ < 95 deg. as the 68.3% confidence interval for the $ϕ_2$ solution consistent with the standard model (SM). A large SM-disfavored region also remains.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2006

Mistery of Real Scalar Klein-Gordon Field

The mystery that the real scalar Klein-Gordon field has vanishing current densities is resolved. The scalar field is shown to be a complex field due to the condition of possessing a proper non-relativistic limit. Like the Schrödinger field, one component complex Klein-Gordon field corresponds to a boson with one flavor, and therefore there exists no physical real scalar field. As a good example, we present the Schwinger model Hamiltonian which is naturally described by the complex scalar field with one flavor. The non-existence of the real scalar field indicates that the Higgs mechanism should be reconsidered.

physics.gen-ph↗

arXiv2002

Design of UHECR telescope with 1 arcmin resolution and 50 degree field of view

A new telescope design based on Baker-Nunn optics is proposed for observation of ultra high-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs). The optical system has an image resolution of smaller than 0.02$^\circ$ within a wide field of view of 50$^\circ$ angular diameter. When combined with a high-quality imaging device, the proposed design enables the directions of UHECRs and high-energy neutrinos to be determined with accuracy of better than 1 arcmin. The outstanding resolution of this telescope allows charge-separated cosmic-rays to be resolved and the source to be determined accurately. This marked improvement in angular resolution will allow the multi-wavelength and ``multi-particle'' observations of astronomical objects through collaboration with established astronomical observations.

astro-ph↗