Characterization, performance, and future advanced analysis of detectors in the cryogenic dark matter search (CDMS-II)
We present the techniques and results of the calibrations and surface-event rejection cut for the current CDMS-II data set, along with proposals for future analysis of CDMS-II data.

title: Combined limits on WIMPs from the CDMS and EDELWEISS experiments
abstract: The CDMS and EDELWEISS collaborations have combined the results of their direct searches for dark matter using cryogenic germanium detectors. The total data set represents 614  kg·days equivalent exposure. A straightforward method of combination was chosen for its simplicity before data were exchanged between experiments. The results are interpreted in terms of limits on spin-independent weakly interacting, massive particle (WIMP)-nucleon cross section. For a WIMP mass of 90  GeV/c^2, where this analysis is most sensitive, a cross section of 3.3×10^(-44)  cm^2 is excluded at 90% C.L. At higher WIMP masses, the combination improves the individual limits, by a factor 1.6 above 700  GeV/c^2. Alternative methods of combining the data provide stronger constraints for some ranges of WIMP masses and weaker constraints for others.

title: Search for inelastic dark matter with the CDMS II experiment
abstract: Results are presented from a reanalysis of the entire five-tower data set acquired with the Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (CDMS II) experiment at the Soudan Underground Laboratory, with an exposure of 969 kg-days. The analysis window was extended to a recoil energy of 150 keV, and an improved surface-event background-rejection cut was defined to increase the sensitivity of the experiment to the inelastic dark matter (iDM) model. Three dark matter candidates were found between 25 keV and 150 keV. The probability to observe three or more background events in this energy range is 11%. Because of the occurrence of these events, the constraints on the iDM parameter space are slightly less stringent than those from our previous analysis, which used an energy window of 10-100 keV.

title: Limit on the flux of cosmic-ray magnetic monopoles from operation of an eight-loop superconducting detector.
abstract: An eight-loop superconducting magnetic monopole detector has been in continuous operation for 547 days, starting 4 March 1987. Its sensing area is 1.1 m{sup 2} for double-coincident events. The data, which contain no candidate events, set an upper limit of 7.2{times}10{sup {minus}13} cm{sup  s{sup {minus}1} sr{sup {minus}1} (90% confidence level) on the flux of monopoles of any mass and at any velocity passing through the Earth's surface.

title: Report on Stanford Superconductive Monopole Detectors
abstract: Since January, 1983 we have been operating a three loop superconducting detector with a signal to noise ratio of 100 for the direct detection of Dirac magnetic  Its sensing area averaged over solid angle is nearly 500 cm2 for double coincidence events. To date, the data contain no candidate events and set an upper flux limit of 2 × 10−11 cm−2 s−1 sr−1 at 90% C.L., 70 times lower than that suggested by the single candidate event2 seen on the prototype single loop detector. If supermassive magnetic monopoles exist they are rare and the need for cost-efficient larger area superconductive detectors is evident if we are to push forward a definitive search in the cosmic rays. Superconducting loop detectors can be constructed with 1 to 10 m2 planar areas coupled to a single SQUID while achieving a signal to noise ratio of 10 for the detection of a Dirac magnetic charge. A 100 m2 sensing area array of such detectors, which would reach the Parker flux bound in one year of operation, can be built at a cost comparable to that of typical high energy experiments. It remains quite possible that a monopole particle flux significantly higher than the Parker bound exists within our galaxy. In this paper the most recent results from low noise operation of the three loop detector are presented. Also discussed are our plans to build a larger fixed loop detector with a sensing area of 1.5 m2. It is designed as a prototype for a future yet larger 100 m2 array.

title: Low-threshold analysis of CDMS shallow-site data
abstract: Data taken during the final shallow-site run of the first tower of the Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (CDMS II) detectors have been reanalyzed with improved sensitivity to small energy depositions. Four {approx}224 g germanium and two {approx}105 g silicon detectors were operated at the Stanford Underground Facility (SUF) between December 2001 and June 2002, yielding 118 live days of raw exposure. Three of the germanium and both silicon detectors were analyzed with a new low-threshold technique, making it possible to lower the germanium and silicon analysis thresholds down to the actual trigger thresholds of {approx}1 and  Limits on the spin-independent cross section for weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) to elastically scatter from nuclei based on these data exclude interesting parameter space for WIMPs with masses below 9 GeV/c{sup 2}. Under standard halo assumptions, these data partially exclude parameter space favored by interpretations of the DAMA/LIBRA and CoGeNT experiments data as WIMP signals, and exclude new parameter space for WIMP masses between 3 and 4 GeV/c{sup 2}.

title: Relativistic effects and the constituent quark model of heavy quarkonia
abstract: AbstractCharmonium
$$c\bar c$$
 and bottomonium
$$b\bar b$$
 are investigated in the framework of a constituent quark model. A scalar confining and a one-gluon exchange (OGE) potential are used in a nonrelativistic reduction to order (p/m)2. Therefore the model includes spin dependent as well as spin independent terms. Their influence on the meson mass spectra and decay widths is analysed. We find that the experimental spectra can be reproduced by using a full model as well as by using a reduced version neglecting the spin independent terms. For both versions we calculate leptonic and radiative decay widths including relativistic corrections for the current operators. We find that for leptonic decays inclusion of all terms of the OGE potential gives better results than the non-relativistic formulas. For radiative transitions relativistic corrections are important.

title: Non-perturbative analysis of the Gribov-Zwanziger action
abstract: In the non‐perturbative regime the usual gauge fixing is not sufficient due to the Gribov problem. To deal with it one can restrict the integration in the path integral to the first Gribov region by using the Gribov‐Zwanziger action. In its local form it features additional auxiliary fields which mix with the gluon at the two‐point level. We present an explicit infrared analysis of this action. We show that from the two possible scaling solutions obtained previously only one remains: It coincides exactly with the results from the Faddeev‐Popov action, i.e., the ghost propagator is infrared enhanced and the gluon propagator infrared suppressed and the corresponding power law behavior is described by only one parameter κ = 0.5953…. This corroborates the argument by Zwanziger that for functional equations it suffices to take into account the appropriate boundary conditions and no explicit restriction in the path integral measure is required.

title: On the infrared scaling solution of SU(N) Yang–Mills theories in the maximally Abelian gauge
abstract: An improved method for extracting infrared exponents from functional equations is presented. The generalizations introduced allow for an analysis of quite complicated systems such as Yang–Mills theory in the maximally Abelian gauge. Assuming the absence of cancellations in the appropriately renormalized integrals the only consistent scaling solution yields an infrared enhanced diagonal gluon propagator in support of the Abelian dominance hypothesis. This is explicitly shown for SU(2) and subsequently verified for SU(N), where additional interactions exist. We also derive the most infrared divergent scaling solution possible for vertex functions in terms of the propagators’ infrared exponents. We provide general conditions for the existence of a scaling solution for a given system and comment on the cases of linear covariant gauges and ghost–anti-ghost symmetric gauges.

title: On two- and three-point functions of Landau gauge Yang-Mills theory
abstract: We present results for the gluon and ghost propagators and the ghost-gluon vertex obtained from Dyson-Schwinger equations. In the zero temperature case we elaborate on the role of the three-gluon vertex and discuss a model that can capture its qualitative features like its anomalous dimensions and a zero crossing of the dressing function. Our results compare well with lattice data. At non-zero temperature we calculated the ghost propagator which agrees rather well with lattice results already within our simple truncation. These results are used to obtain the temperature dependence of the ghost-gluon vertex. We also explain why the ghost propagator does not react to the phase transition despite its direct coupling to the chromoelectric gluon.

title: PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES OF CONVENTIONAL CORE-COLLAPSE SUPERNOVAE: THE EXTREMELY ENERGETIC SUPERNOVA SN 2003ma
abstract: We report the discovery of a supernova (SN) with the highest apparent energy output to date and conclude that it represents an extreme example of the Type IIn subclass. The SN, which was discovered behind the Large Magellanic Cloud at z = 0.289 by the SuperMACHO microlensing survey, peaked at MR = –21.5 mag and only declined by 2.9 mag over 4.7 years after the peak. Over this period, SN 2003ma had an integrated bolometric luminosity of 4 × 1051 erg, more than any other SN to date. The radiated energy is close to the limit allowed by conventional core-collapse explosions. Optical spectra reveal that SN 2003ma has persistent single-peaked intermediate-width hydrogen lines, a signature of interaction between the SN and a dense circumstellar medium. The light curves show further evidence for circumstellar interaction, including a long plateau with a shape very similar to the classic SN IIn 1988Z—however, SN 2003ma is 10 times more luminous at all epochs. The fast velocity measured for the intermediate-width Hα component (~6000 km s–1) points toward an extremely energetic explosion (>1052 erg), which imparts a faster blast-wave speed to the post-shock material and a higher luminosity from the interaction than is observed in typical SNe IIn. Mid-infrared observations of SN 2003ma suggest an infrared light echo is produced by normal interstellar dust at a distance ~0.5 pc from the SN.