arXiv subjects

Bo Feng

Publications and source records attributed to Bo Feng.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

arXiv2007

Counting Gauge Invariants: the Plethystic Program

We propose a programme for systematically counting the single and multi-trace gauge invariant operators of a gauge theory. Key to this is the plethystic function. We expound in detail the power of this plethystic programme for world-volume quiver gauge theories of D-branes probing Calabi-Yau singularities, an illustrative case to which the programme is not limited, though in which a full intimate web of relations between the geometry and the gauge theory manifests herself. We can also use generalisations of Hardy-Ramanujan to compute the entropy of gauge theories from the plethystic exponential. In due course, we also touch upon fascinating connections to Young Tableaux, Hilbert schemes and the MacMahon Conjecture.

hep-th↗

arXiv2007

Unitarity cuts and reduction to master integrals in d dimensions for one-loop amplitudes

We present an alternative reduction to master integrals for one-loop amplitudes using a unitarity cut method in arbitrary dimensions. We carry out the reduction in two steps. The first step is a pure four-dimensional cut-integration of tree amplitudes with a mass parameter, and the second step is applying dimensional shift identities to master integrals. This reduction is performed at the integrand level, so that coefficients can be read out algebraically.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2006

Weighing neutrinos in the presence of a running primordial spectral index

The three-year WMAP(WMAP3), combined with other cosmological observations from galaxy clustering and Type Ia Supernova (SNIa), prefers a non-vanishing running of the primordial spectral index independent of the low CMB multipoles. Motivated by this feature we study cosmological constraint on the neutrino mass, which severely depends on what prior we adopt for the spectral shape of primordial fluctuations, taking possible running into account. As a result we find a more stringent constraint on the sum of the three neutrino masses, m_ν< 0.76eV (2 σ), compared with m_ν< 0.90eV (2 σ) for the case where power-law prior is adopted to the primordial spectral shape.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

Features in Dark Energy Equation of State and Modulations in the Hubble Diagram

We probe the time dependence of the dark energy equation of state (EOS) in light of three-year WMAP (WMAP3) and the combination with other tentative cosmological observations from galaxy clustering (SDSS) and Type Ia Supernova (SNIa). We mainly focus on cases where the EOS is oscillating or with local bumps. By performing a global analysis with the Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method, we find the current observations, in particular the WMAP3 + SDSS data combination, allow large oscillations of the EOS which can leave oscillating features on the (residual) Hubble diagram, and such oscillations are potentially detectable by future observations like SNAP, or even by the CURRENTLY ONGOING SNIa observations. Local bumps of dark energy EOS can also leave imprints on CMB, LSS and SNIa. In cases where the bumps take place at low redshifts and the effective EOS are close to -1, CMB and LSS observations cannot give constraints on such possibilities. However, geometrical observations like (future) SNIa can possibly detect such features. On the other hand when the local bumps take place at higher redshifts beyond the detectability of SNIa, future precise observations like Gamma-ray bursts, CMB and LSS may possibly detect such features. In particular, we find that bump-like dark energy EOS on high redshifts might be responsible for the features of WMAP on ranges l \sim 30-50, which is interesting and deserves addressing further.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

Probing Inflation and Dark Energy with Current Cosmological Observations

It is commonly believed that our Universe has experienced two different stages of accelerated expansion. The early stage is known as inflation and the current acceleration is driven by dark energy. Observing inflation and dark energy dynamics are among the most important aspects of the current cosmological research. In this paper we make a first detailed probe of possible degeneracies between dynamical inflation and dark energy in light of current cosmological observations. We find the inclusion of inflation and dark energy parameters together make the parameter spaces broader, but interestingly deviation from scale-invariant primordial spectrum is sightly more favored by current cosmological observations when one marginalizes over dynamical dark energy models.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

D-dimensional unitarity cut method

We develop a unitarity method to compute one-loop amplitudes with massless propagators in d=4-2*epsilon dimensions. We compute double cuts of the loop amplitudes via a decomposition into a four-dimensional and a -2*epsilon-dimensional integration. The four-dimensional integration is performed using spinor integration or other efficient techniques. The remaining integral in -2*epsilon dimensions is cast in terms of bubble, triangle, box, and pentagon master integrals using dimensional shift identities. The method yields results valid for arbitrary values of epsilon.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2006

The imaginary part of the gap function in color superconductivity

We clarify general properties of the energy gap regarding its functional dependence on the energy-momentum dictated by the invariance under a space inversion or a time reversal. Then we derive perturbatively the equation of the imaginary part of the gap function for dense QCD in weak coupling and generalize our results from 2SC case to CFL case. We confirm that the imaginary part is down by $g$ relative to the real part in weak coupling. The numerical results show that, up to the leading order, the imaginary part is no larger than one MeV at extremely large densities and can be as large as several MeV the densities are of physical interest.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2006

Counting BPS Operators in Gauge Theories: Quivers, Syzygies and Plethystics

We develop a systematic and efficient method of counting single-trace and multi-trace BPS operators with two supercharges, for world-volume gauge theories of $N$ D-brane probes for both $N \to \infty$ and finite $N$. The techniques are applicable to generic singularities, orbifold, toric, non-toric, complete intersections, et cetera, even to geometries whose precise field theory duals are not yet known. The so-called ``Plethystic Exponential'' provides a simple bridge between (1) the defining equation of the Calabi-Yau, (2) the generating function of single-trace BPS operators and (3) the generating function of multi-trace operators. Mathematically, fascinating and intricate inter-relations between gauge theory, algebraic geometry, combinatorics and number theory exhibit themselves in the form of plethystics and syzygies.

hep-th↗

arXiv2006

Scale dependence of the primordial spectrum from combining the three-year WMAP, Galaxy Clustering, Supernovae, and Lyman-alpha forests

We probe the scale dependence of the primordial spectrum in the light of the three-year WMAP (WMAP3) alone and WMAP3 in combination with the other cosmological observations such as galaxy clustering and Type Ia Supernova (SNIa). We pay particular attention to the combination with the Lyman $α$ (Ly$α$) forest. Different from the first-year WMAP (WMAP1), WMAP3's preference on the running of the scalar spectral index on the large scales is now fairly independent of the low CMB multipoles $\ell$. A combination with the galaxy power spectrum from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) prefers a negative running to larger than 2$σ$, regardless the presence of low $\ell$ CMB ($2\le \ell \le 23$) or not. On the other hand if we focus on the Power Law $Λ$CDM cosmology with only six parameters (matter density $Ω_m h^2$, baryon density $Ω_b h^2$, Hubble Constant $H_0$, optical depth $τ$, the spectral index, $n_s$, and the amplitude, $A_s$, of the scalar perturbation spectrum) when we drop the low $\ell$ CMB contributions WMAP3 is consistent with the Harrison-Zel'dovich-Peebles scale-invariant spectrum ($n_s=1$ and no tensor contributions) at $\sim 1σ$. When assuming a simple power law primordial spectral index or a constant running, in case one drops the low $\ell$ contributions ($2\le \ell \le 23$) WMAP3 is consistent with the other observations better, such as the inferred value of $σ_8$. We also find, using a spectral shape with a minimal extension of the running spectral index model, LUQAS$+$ CROFT Ly$α$ and SDSS Ly$α$ exhibit somewhat different preference on the spectral shape.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

Searching for CPT Violation with Cosmic Microwave Background Data from WMAP and BOOMERANG

We search for signatures of Lorentz and $CPT$ violations in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) temperature and polarization anisotropies by using the WMAP and the 2003 flight of BOOMERANG (B03) data. We note that if the Lorentz and $CPT$ symmetries are broken by a Chern-Simons term in the effective lagrangian, which couples the dual electromagnetic field strength tensor to an external four-vector, the polarization vectors of propagating CMB photons will get rotated. Using the WMAP data alone, one could put an interesting constraint on the size of such a term. Combined with the B03 data, we found that a nonzero rotation angle of the photons is mildly favored: $Δα= -6.0^{+4.0}_{-4.0}$ $^{+3.9}_{-3.7}$ deg (1, 2 $σ$).

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

Supernova Constraints on Models of Neutrino Dark Energy

In this paper we use the recently released Type Ia Supernova (SNIa) data to constrain the interactions between the neutrinos and the dark energy scalar fields. In the analysis we take the dark energy scalars to be either Quintessence-like or Phantom-like. Our results show the data mildly favor a model where the neutrinos couple to a phantom-like dark energy scalar, which implies the equation of state of the coupled system behaves like Quintom scenario in the sense of parameter degeneracy. We find future observations like SNAP are potentially promising to measure the couplings between neutrino and dark energy.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

All Split Helicity Tree-Level Gluon Amplitudes

Recently a new recursion relation for tree-level gluon amplitudes in gauge theory has been discovered. We solve this recursion to obtain explicit formulas for the closed set of amplitudes with arbitrarily many positive and negative helicity gluons in a split helicity configuration. The solution admits a simple diagrammatic expansion in terms of zigzag diagrams. We comment on generalizations of this result.

hep-th↗

arXiv2006

Probing Dynamics of Dark Energy with Supernova, Galaxy Clustering and the Three-Year Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) Observations

Using the Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method we perform a global analysis constraining the dynamics of dark energy in light of the supernova (Riess "Gold" samples), galaxy clustering (SDSS 3D power spectra and SDSS lyman-αforest information) and the latest three-year Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) observations. We have allowed the dark energy equation of state to get across -1 and pay particular attention to the effects when incorrectly neglecting dark energy perturbations. We find the parameter space of dynamical dark energy is now well constrained and neglecting dark energy perturbations will make the parameter space significantly smaller. Dynamical dark energy model where the equation of state crosses -1 is mildly favored and the standard \LambdaCDM model is still a good fit to the current data.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

One-Loop Amplitudes Of Gluons In SQCD

One-loop amplitudes of gluons in supersymmetric Yang-Mills are four-dimensional cut-constructible. This means that they can be determined from their unitarity cuts. We present a new systematic procedure to explicitly carry out any finite unitarity cut integral. The procedure naturally separates the contributions from bubble, triangle and box scalar integrals. This technique allows the systematic calculation of N=1 amplitudes of gluons. As an application we compute all next-to-MHV six-gluon amplitudes in N=1 super-Yang-Mills.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2006

Oscillating Quintom and the Recurrent Universe

Current observations seem to mildly favor an evolving dark energy with the equation of state getting across -1. This form of dark energy, dubbed Quintom, is studied phenomenologically in this paper with an oscillating equation of state. We find oscillating Quintom can unify the early inflation and current acceleration of the universe, leading to oscillations of the Hubble constant and a recurring universe. Our oscillating Quintom would not lead to a big crunch nor big rip. The scale factor keeps increasing from one period to another and leads naturally to a highly flat universe. The universe in this model recurs itself and we are only staying among one of the epochs, in which sense the coincidence problem is reconciled.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

The Cut-Constructible Part of QCD Amplitudes

Unitarity cuts are widely used in analytic computation of loop amplitudes in gauge theories such as QCD. We expand upon the technique introduced in hep-ph/0503132 to carry out any finite unitarity cut integral. This technique naturally separates the contributions of bubble, triangle and box integrals in one-loop amplitudes and is not constrained to any particular helicity configurations. Loop momentum integration is reduced to a sequence of algebraic operations. We discuss the extraction of the residues at higher-order poles. Additionally, we offer concise algebraic formulas for expressing coefficients of three-mass triangle integrals. As an application, we compute all remaining coefficients of bubble and triangle integrals for nonsupersymmetric six-gluon amplitudes.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2006

The Quintom Model of Dark Energy

In this paper I give a brief review on the recently proposed new scenario of dark energy model dubbed $Quintom$. Quintom describes the dynamical dark energy models where the equation of state getting across the cosmological constant boundary during evolutions. I discuss some aspects on the quintom model buildings and the observational consequences.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

Observing Dark Energy Dynamics with Supernova, Microwave Background and Galaxy Clustering

Observing dark energy dynamics is the most important aspect of the dark energy research. In this paper we perform an analysis of the constraints on the property of dark energy from the current astronomical observations. We pay particular attention to the effects of dark energy perturbations. Using the data from SNIa (157 "gold" sample), WMAP and SDSS we find that the best fitting dark energy model is given by the dynamical model with the equation of state across -1. Nevertheless the standard \LambdaCDM models are still a very good fit to the current data and evidence for dynamics is currently not very strong. We also consider the constraints from SNLS.

astro-ph↗