arXiv subjects

Antoine Letessier-Selvon

Publications and source records attributed to Antoine Letessier-Selvon.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Direct and Indirect searches for DM-electron interactions in sub-GeV DM models

We analyze the complementarity between direct detection (DD) and indirect detection (ID) searches of sub-GeV dark matter (DM) in the context of two realistic models: the vector-portal (dark photon) and scalar-portal (higgs-portal) models. For DD we focus on the latest constraints on the DM-electron scattering from the present DAMIC-M experiment as well as its future projection. For ID we consider several existing X-rays/gamma-rays and cosmic-ray ($e^\pm$) observations as well as the upcoming MeV telescope COSI to obtain the corresponding bounds and projections on the DM annihilation rate, which are then translated in terms of the DM-electron scattering cross-section and compared with the DD bounds/projections. We properly take into account astrophysical and galactic propagation uncertainties. We find that the complementarity between DAMIC-M and ID works best for the vector-portal model, especially for the case where the vector mediator is heavier than the DM particle: in this case, the present DAMIC-M bound becomes comparable to (or better than, for some astrophysical configurations) the combined ID limit for $3\,{\rm MeV} \lesssim m_{\rm DM} \lesssim 20\,{\rm MeV}$. For other cases and mass ranges, the ID is in general more constraining and can also, for some mass ranges, constrain the parameter space below the neutrino floor, which is inaccessible to DD experiments.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2017

GIGAS: a set of microwave sensor arrays to detect molecular bremsstrahlung radiation from extensive air shower

We present the GIGAS (Gigahertz Identification of Giant Air Shower) microwave radio sensor arrays of the EASIER project (Extensive Air Shower Identification with Electron Radiometers), deployed at the site of the Pierre Auger cosmic ray observatory. The aim of these novel arrays is to probe the intensity of the molecular bremsstrahlung radiation expected from the development of the extensive air showers produced by the interaction of ultra high energy cosmic rays in the atmosphere. In the designed setup, the sensors are embedded within the surface detector array of the Pierre Auger observatory allowing us to use the particle signals at ground level to trigger the radio system. A series of seven, then 61 sensors have been deployed in the C-band, followed by a new series of 14 higher sensitivity ones in the C-band and the L-band. The design, the operation, the calibration and the sensitivity to extensive air showers of these arrays are described in this paper.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2014

Layered water Cherenkov detector for the study of ultra high energy cosmic rays

We present a new design for the water Cherenkov detectors that are in use in various cosmic ray observatories. This novel design can provide a significant improvement in the independent measurement of the muonic and electromagnetic component of extensive air showers. From such multi-component data an event by event classification of the primary cosmic ray mass becomes possible. According to popular hadronic interaction models, such as EPOS-LHC or QGSJetII-04, the discriminating power between iron and hydrogen primaries reaches Fisher values of $\sim$ 2 or above for energies in excess of $10^{19}$ eV with a detector array layout similar to that of the Pierre Auger Observatory.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2013

Highlights from the Pierre Auger Observatory

The Pierre Auger Observatory is the world's largest cosmic ray observatory. Our current exposure reaches nearly 40,000 km$^2$ str and provides us with an unprecedented quality data set. The performance and stability of the detectors and their enhancements are described. Data analyses have led to a number of major breakthroughs. Among these we discuss the energy spectrum and the searches for large-scale anisotropies. We present analyses of our X$_{max}$ data and show how it can be interpreted in terms of mass composition. We also describe some new analyses that extract mass sensitive parameters from the 100% duty cycle SD data. A coherent interpretation of all these recent results opens new directions. The consequences regarding the cosmic ray composition and the properties of UHECR sources are briefly discussed.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2011

Ultrahigh Energy Cosmic Rays

This is a review of the most resent results from the investigation of the Ultrahigh Energy Cosmic Rays, particles of energy exceeding 10$^{18}$ eV. After a general introduction to the topic and a brief review of the lower energy cosmic rays and the detection methods, the two most recent experiments, the High Resolution Fly's Eye (HiRes) and the Southern Auger Observatory are described. We then concentrate on the results from these two experiments on the cosmic ray energy spectrum, the chemical composition of these cosmic rays and on the searches for their sources. We conclude with a brief analysis of the controversies in these results and the projects in development and construction that can help solve the remaining problems with these particles.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2007

A coverage independent method to analyze large scale anisotropies

The arrival time distribution of cosmic ray events is well suited to extract information regarding sky anisotropies. For an experiment with nearly constant exposure, the frequency resolution one can achieve is given by the inverse of the time $T$ during which the data was recorded. For $T$ larger than one calendar year the resolution becomes sufficient to resolve the sidereal and diurnal frequencies. Using a Fourier expansion on a modified time parameter, we show in this note that one can accurately extract sidereal modulations without knowledge of the experimental coverage. This procedure also gives the full frequency pattern of the event sample under studies which contains important information about possible systematics entering in the sidereal analysis. We also show how this method allows to correct for those systematics. Finally, we show that a two dimensional analysis, in the form of the spherical harmonic ($Y_l^m$) decomposition, can be performed under the same conditions for all $m\ne 0$.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

Anisotropy studies around the galactic center

We present the first results for anisotropy searches around the galactic center at EeV energies using data from the Pierre Auger Observatory. Our analysis, based on a substantially larger data set, do not support previous claim of anisotropy found in this region by the AGASA and Sugar experiment. Furthermore we place un upper limit on a possible point like source located at the galactic center which exclude several scenarios predicting neutron sources in this location.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays and the Auger Observatory

In this proceeding we present the construction status and the performances of the Pierre Auger Observatory together with the first results obtained with our initial 18 month of data. In particular, we discuss our search for anisotropy near the Galactic Center, our limit on the photon fraction at the highest energies and our first estimate of the cosmic ray spectrum above 3 EeV. All of the material presented in this proceeding was extracted from the numerous Auger contributions to the 29th ICRC proceedings.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

The GZK cutoff behind a Magnetized Universe

We study the effect of random extra-galactic magnetic fields on the propagation of protons of energy larger than $10^{19}$ eV. We show that for reasonable field values (in the 100 nG range) the transition between diffusive and ballistic regimes occurs in the same energy range as the GZK cutoff (a few $10^{19}$ eV). The usual interpretation of the flux reduction above the GZK energy in terms of a sudden reduction of the visible horizon is modified. Moreover, since the size of the diffusion sphere of a continuous source of cosmic rays is of the order of 10 Mpc, the local structure of the Universe and therefore of potential local astrophysical sources plays a dominant role in the expected spectrum. Under reasonable assumptions on the sources configurations the expected GZK cutoff is reduced.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

Auger : A Large Air Shower Array and Neutrino Telescope

Detection of Ultra High Energy Neutrinos (UHEN), with energy above 0.l EeV (10**18 eV) is one of the most exciting challenges of high energy astrophysics and particle physics. In this article we show that the Auger Observatories, built to study ultra high energy cosmic rays, are one of the most sensitive neutrino telescopes that will be available in the next decade. Furthermore, we point out that the Waxman-Bahcall upper bound for high energy neutrino fluxes below 1 EeV turns into a lower bound above a few EeV. In this framework and given the experimental evidences for nu_mu <--> nu_tau oscillations with large mixing, we conclude that observation of Tau UHEN in the southern Auger Observatory should most certainly occur within the next five years.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2000

Establishing The GZK Cutoff With Ultra High Energy Tau Neutrinos

The cosmic ray spectrum has been shown to extend well beyond 10^20 eV. With nearly 20 events observed in the last 40 years, it is now established that particles are accelerated or produced in the universe with energy near 10^21 eV. In all production models neutrinos and photons are part of the cosmic ray flux. In acceleration models (bottom-up models), they are produced as secondaries of the possible interactions of the accelerated charged particle, in direct production models (top-down models) they are a dominant fraction of the decay chain. In addition, hadrons above the GZK threshold energy will also produce, along their path in the Universe, neutrinos and photons as secondaries of the pion photo-production processes. Therefore, photons and in particular neutrinos, are very distinctive signatures of the nature and distribution of the potential sources of ultra high energy cosmic rays. In the following we expose the identification capabilities of the Auger observatories. In the hypothesis of nu_mu-->nu_tau oscillations with full mixing, special emphasis is placed on the observation of tau neutrinos, with which Auger is able to establish the GZK cutoff as well as to provide a strong and model independant constraint on the top-down sources of ultra high energy cosmic rays.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2000

Neutrinos and the Highest Energy Cosmic Rays

Observation of Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECR) -whose energy exceeds $10^20$eV- is still a puzzle for modern astrophysics. The transfer of more than 16 Joules to a microscopic particle can hardly be achieved, even in the most powerful cosmic accelerators such as AGN's, GRB's or FR-II radio galaxy lobes. Potential sources must also lie within 100 Mpc of the Earth as the interaction length of protons, nuclei or photons is less than 10Mpc. However no visible counterpart of those sources has been observed. Calling upon new physics such as Topological Defect interactions or Super Massive Relic Particle decays is therefore very tempting, but such objects are yet to be proven to exist. Due to the very low flux of UHECR only very large dedicated experiments, such as the Auger observatories, will allow to shed some light on the origin of those cosmic rays. In this quest neutrinos, if they can be detected, are an invaluable messengers of the nature of the sources.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2000

Physics of Extremely High Energy Cosmic Rays

Over the last third of the century, a few tens of events, detected by ground-based cosmic ray detectors, have opened a new window in the field of high-energy astrophysics. These events have macroscopic energies, unobserved sources, an unknown chemical composition and a production and transport mechanism yet to be explained. With a flux as low as one particle per century per square kilometer, only dedicated detectors with huge apertures can bring in the high-quality and statistically significant data needed to answer those questions. In this article, we review the present status of the field both from an experimental and theoretical point of view. Special attention is given to the next generation of detectors devoted to the thorough exploration of the highest energy ranges

astro-ph↗

arXiv2000

Note on the Origin of the Highest Energy Cosmic Rays

In this note we argue that the galactic model chosen by E.-J. Ahn, G. Medina-Tanco, P.L. Bierman and T. Stanev in their paper discussing the origin of the highest energy cosmic rays, is alone responsible for the focussing of positive particles towards the North galactic pole. We discuss the validity of this model, in particular in terms of field reversals and radial extensions. We conclude that with such a model one cannot retreive any directional information from the observed direction of the cosmic rays. In particular one cannot identify point sources at least up to energies of about 200 EeV. Therefore the apparent clustering of the back-traced highest energy cosmic rays observed to date cannot be interpreted as an evidence for a point source nor for the identification of M87, which happens to be close to the North pole, as being such a source.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1999

Kalman Filter Track Fits and Track Breakpoint Analysis

We give an overview of track fitting using the Kalman filter method in the NOMAD detector at CERN, and emphasize how the wealth of by-product information can be used to analyze track breakpoints (discontinuities in track parameters caused by scattering, decay, etc.). After reviewing how this information has been previously exploited by others, we describe extensions which add power to breakpoint detection and characterization. We show how complete fits to the entire track, with breakpoint parameters added, can be easily obtained from the information from unbroken fits. Tests inspired by the Fisher F-test can then be used to judge breakpoints. Signed quantities (such as change in momentum at the breakpoint) can supplement unsigned quantities such as the various chisquares. We illustrate the method with electrons from real data, and with Monte Carlo simulations of pion decays.

physics.data-an↗