arXiv subjects

T. P. Walker

Publications and source records attributed to T. P. Walker.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2014

Probing the Scale of ALP Interactions with Fermi Blazars

Gamma-rays from cosmological sources contain information about gamma-ray interactions. Standard model and non-standard model photon interactions along the path between the source and the observer can lead to changes in the energy or state of the photons, which in turn alters the observed energy spectrum of the source. In general, these interactions are a function of photon energy as well as source distance. Here we show how existing high energy (50 GeV -- 10TeV) gamma-ray observations of blazars can be used to constrain the coupling of axion-like-particles (ALPs) to the photon. The same ALP-photon coupling that has been invoked to explain the observations of TeV blazars beyond their pair production horizon is shown to have an effect of the data set of \textit{Fermi} blazars.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2013

The TeV Blazar Measurement of the Extragalactic Background Light

Gamma-rays propagating through space are likely to be extinguished via electron-positron pair production off of the ambient extragalactic background light (EBL). The spectrum of the EBL is produced by starlight (and starlight reprocessed by dust) from all galaxies throughout the history of the Universe. The attenuation of 40 - 400 GeV gamma-rays has been observed by \textit{Fermi} and used to measure the EBL spectrum over energies 1 eV -10 eV out to redshift $z\sim 1$. Measurements of several TeV blazers are consistent with attenuation, attributed to the EBL at redshift $z\sim 0.1$. Here we simultaneously analyze a set of TeV blazers at $z\sim 0.1$ to measure the optical depth for 100 GeV - 10 TeV gamma-rays, which interact with EBL of energies 0.05 eV - 5 eV. Using a suite of models for the EBL, we show that the optical depth indicated by TeV blazar attenuation is in good agreement with the optical depths measured by \textit{Fermi} at lower gamma-ray energies and higher redshifts.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2003

Testing two nuclear physics approximations used in the standard leaky box model for the spallogenic production of LiBeB

The spallative production rates of Lithium, Beryllium and Boron (LiBeB) are a necessary component in any calculation of the evolution of these nuclei in the Galaxy. Previous calculations of these rates relied on two assumptions relating to the nuclear physics aspects: the straight-ahead approximation that describes the distribution of fragment energies and the assumption that the major contributor to the production rate arises from single-step reactions between primary cosmic ray projectiles and interstellar medium targets. We examine both assumptions by using a semi-empirical description for the spall's energy distribution and by including the reactions that proceed via intermediary fragments. After relaxing the straight-ahead approximation we find the changes in the production rates and emerging fluxes are small and do not warrant rejection of this approximation. In contrast we discover that two-step reactions can alter the production rate considerably leading to noticeable increases in the efficiency of producing the LiBeB nuclei. Motivated by this result we introduce a cascade technique to compute the production rates exactly and find that the results differ only slightly from those of our two-step calculations. We thus conclude that terminating the reaction network at the two-step order is sufficiently accurate for current studies of spallation.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

Big Bang Nucleosynthesis Constraints on Brane Cosmologies

We examine constraints from Big Bang nucleosynthesis on type II Randall-Sundrum brane cosmologies with both a dark radiation component and a quadratic term that depends on the 5-dimensional Planck mass, M_5. Using limits on the abundances of deuterium and helium-4, we calculate the allowed region in the M_5-dark radiation plane and derive the precise BBN bound on M_5 alone with no dark radiation: M_5 > 13 TeV.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2001

Stellar Mixing and the Primordial Lithium Abundance

We compare the properties of recent samples of the lithium abundances in halo stars to one another and to the predictions of theoretical models including rotational mixing, and we examine the data for trends with metal abundance. We find from a KS test that in the absence of any correction for chemical evolution, the Ryan, Norris, & Beers (1999} sample is fully consistent with mild rotational mixing induced depletion and, therefore, with an initial lithium abundance higher than the observed value. Tests for outliers depend sensitively on the threshold for defining their presence, but we find a 10$--$45% probability that the RNB sample is drawn from the rotationally mixed models with a 0.2 dex median depletion (with lower probabilities corresponding to higher depletion factors). When chemical evolution trends (Li/H versus Fe/H) are treated in the linear plane we find that the dispersion in the RNB sample is not explained by chemical evolution; the inferred bounds on lithium depletion from rotational mixing are similar to those derived from models without chemical evolution. We find that differences in the equivalent width measurements are primarily responsible for different observational conclusions concerning the lithium dispersion in halo stars. The standard Big Bang Nucleosynthesis predicted lithium abundance which corresponds to the deuterium abundance inferred from observations of high-redshift, low-metallicity QSO absorbers requires halo star lithium depletion in an amount consistent with that from our models of rotational mixing, but inconsistent with no depletion.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2000

Global Constraints On Key Cosmological Parameters

Data from Type Ia supernovae, along with X-ray cluster estimates of the universal baryon fraction and Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) determinations of the baryon-to-photon ratio, are used to provide estimates of several global cosmological parameters at epochs near zero redshift. We show that our estimate of the present baryon density is in remarkably good agreement with that inferred from BBN at high redshift, provided the primordial abundance of deuterium is relatively low and the Universe is flat. We also compare these estimates to the baryon density at z = 1100 as inferred from the CMB angular power spectrum.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2000

The Spallagenic Production Rates of Lithium, Beryllium and Boron

We calculate the production rates of Li6, Li7, Be9, B10 and B11 via spallation of Carbon, Nitrogen and Oxygen nuclei by protons and alpha-particles and by alpha-alpha fusion reactions. We include recent measurements of the cross sections of alpha-alpha fusion reactions and find that the computations yield rates of Li6 and Li7 production that are nearly a factor of two smaller than previously calculated. We begin by using the `straight ahead' approximation for the fragment energy and the `leaky-box' model for product capture in the Galaxy. In addition we test the straight ahead approximation by recalculating the production rates using an empirical description of the fragment energy distribution and find that the results closely match. We have also calculated the rates for various cosmic ray spectra and find that the hardest spectra tested decrease the rates with CR CNO by approximately an order of magnitude relative to our chosen standard. Finally we have computed the Population I elemental ratios and the Population II scaling relations for our standard and find that our computations predict an abundance of Lithium for a given abundance of Beryllium that is 1/4 smaller than previously derived.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2000

Nucleosynthesis in Power-Law Cosmologies

We have recently considered cosmologies in which the Universal scale factor varies as a power of the age of the Universe and concluded that they cannot satisfy the observational constraints on the present age, the magnitude-redshift relation for SN Ia, and the primordial element (D, He3, He4, and Li7) abundances. This claim has been challenged in a proposal that suggested a high baryon density model (Omega_B*h*h = 0.3) with an expansion factor varing linearly with time could be consistent with the observed abundance of primoridal helium-4, while satisfying the age and magnitude-redshift constraints. In this paper we further explore primordial nucleosynthesis in generic power-law cosmologies, including the linear case, concluding that models selected to satisfy the other observational constraints are incapable of accounting for all the light element abundances.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2000

The Supernova Relic Neutrino Background

An upper bound to the supernova relic neutrino background from all past Type II supernovae is obtained using observations of the Universal metal enrichment history. We show that an unambiguous detection of these relic neutrinos by the Super-Kamiokande detector is unlikely. We also analyze the event rate in the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (where coincident neutrons from anti-nu_e + D --> n + n + e+ might enhance background rejection), and arrive at the same conclusion. If the relic neutrino flux should be observed to exceed our upper bound and if the observations of the metal enrichment history (for z<1) are not in considerable error, then either the Type II supernova rate does not track the metal enrichment history or some mechanism may be responsible for transforming anti-nu_{mu,tau} --> anti-nu_e.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1998

Observational Constraints On Power-Law Cosmologies

In a class of models designed to solve the cosmological constant problem by coupling scalar or tensor classical fields to the space-time curvature, the universal scale factor grows as a power law in the age, $a \propto t^α$, regardless of the matter content or cosmological epoch. We investigate constraints on such "power-law cosmologies" from the present age of the Universe, the magnitude-redshift relation, and from primordial nucleosynthesis. Constraints from the current age of the Universe and from the high-redshift supernovae data require "large" $α$ ($\approx 1$), while consistency with the inferred primordial abundances of deuterium and helium-4 forces $α$ to lie in a very narrow range around a lower value ($\approx 0.55$). Inconsistency between these independent cosmological constraints suggests that such power-law cosmologies are not viable.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1998

Halo Star Lithium Depletion

The depletion of lithium during the pre-main sequence and main sequence phases of stellar evolution plays a crucial role in the comparison of the predictions of big bang nucleosynthesis with the abundances observed in halo stars. In the past a wide range of possible depletion factors, ranging from minimal in standard (non-rotating) stellar models to as much as an order of magnitude in models including rotational mixing have been suggested. Using recent progress in the study of the angular momentum evolution of low mass stars, which now permits the construction of theoretical models that reproduce the angular momentum evolution of low mass open cluster stars, along with the observed distribution of initial angular momenta inferred from stellar rotation data in young open clusters, we study lithium depletion in main sequence halo stars. We predict a well-defined, nearly flat (in T_eff) halo lithium plateau with modest scatter and a small population of outliers. We also examine the relative depletions of 6Li and 7Li finding that the dispersion in the plateau and the 6Li/7Li depletion ratio scale with the absolute 7Li depletion. Using observational data to bound the 7Li depletion in main sequence halo stars, we find a maximum depletion of 0.4 dex is set by the observed dispersion and the 6Li/7Li depletion ratio, and a minimum depletion of 0.2 dex is required by both the presence of highly overdepleted halo stars and consistency with the solar and open cluster 7Li data. The cosmological implications of these bounds on the primordial abundance of 7Li are discussed. (Abridged)

astro-ph↗

arXiv1997

Rotational Mixing And The Primordial Lithium Abundance

There has been recent progress in the study of the angular momentum evolution of low mass stars (Krishnamurthi et al 1997a). Theoretical models can now be constructed which reproduce the angular momentum evolution of low mass open cluster stars and the distribution of initial conditions can be inferred from young clusters. In this poster we report on the application of these models to the problem of rotational mixing in halo stars. The distribution of initial conditions inferred from young clusters produces a well-defined halo lithium "plateau" with modest scatter and a small population of outliers. Different choices for the solar calibration produce a range of absolute depletion factors. We show that both the dispersion and the ratio of $^6$Li depletion to $^7$Li depletion increase as the absolute $^7$Li depletion increases. The measured $^6$Li in HD 84937 and the dispersion in the plateau set independent upper bounds on the $^7$Li depletion. Consistency with open clusters and the Sun, along with claims of an intrinsic dispersion in the plateau, set a lower bound. We derive a range of 0.2-0.4 dex $^7$Li depletion in halo field stars. Implications for cosmology are discussed.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1995

Predicting Big Bang Deuterium

We present new upper and lower bounds to the primordial abundances of deuterium and helium-3 based on observational data from the solar system and the interstellar medium. Independent of any model for the primordial production of the elements we find (at the 95\% C.L.): $1.5 \times 10^{-5} \le (D/H)_P \le 10.0 \times 10^{-5}$ and $(^3He/H)_P \le 2.6\times 10^{-5}$. When combined with the predictions of standard big bang nucleosynthesis, these constraints lead to a 95\% C.L. bound on the primordial abundance of deuterium: $(D/H)_{best} = (3.5^{+2.7}_{-1.8})\times 10^{-5}$. Measurements of deuterium absorption in the spectra of high redshift QSOs will directly test this prediction. The implications of this prediction for the primordial abundances of helium-4 and lithium-7 are discussed, as well as those for the universal density of baryons.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1995

Big Bang Nucleosynthesis in Crisis?

A new evaluation of the constraint on the number of light neutrino species (N_nu) from big bang nucleosynthesis suggests a discrepancy between the predicted light element abundances and those inferred from observations, unless the inferred primordial 4He abundance has been underestimated by 0.014 +/- 0.004 (1 sigma) or less than 10% (95%C.L.) of 3He survives stellar processing. With the quoted systematic errors in the observed abundances and a conservative chemical evolution parameterization, the best fit to the combined data is N_nu = 2.1 +/- 0.3 (1 sigma) and the upper limit is N_nu < 2.6 (95% C.L.). The data are inconsistent with the Standard Model (N_nu = 3) at the 98.6% C.L.

hep-ph↗