The Observed Probability Distribution Function, Power Spectrum, and Correlation Function of the Transmitted Flux in the Lyα Forest*
A sample of eight quasars observed at high resolution and signal-to-noise ratio is used to determine the transmitted flux probability distribution function (TFPDF), and the power spectrum and correlation function of the transmitted flux in the Lyα forest, in three redshift bins centered at z = 2.41, 3.00, and 3.89. All the results are presented in tabular form, with full error covariance matrices, to allow for comparisons with any numerical simulations and with other data sets. The observations are compared with a numerical simulation of the Lyα forest of a ΛCDM model with Ω = 0.4, known to agree with other large-scale structure observational constraints. There is excellent agreement for the TFPDF if the mean transmitted flux is adjusted to match the observations. A small difference between the observed and predicted TFPDF is found at high fluxes and low redshift, which may be due to the uncertain effects of fitting the spectral continuum. Using the numerical simulation, we show how the flux power spectrum can be used to recover the initial power spectrum of density fluctuations. From our sample of eight quasars, we measure the amplitude of the mass power spectrum to correspond to a linear variance per unit ln k of Δ(k) = 0.72 ± 0.09 at k = 0.04(km s-1)-1 and z = 3, and the slope of the power spectrum near the same k to be np = -2.55 ± 0.10 (statistical error bars). The results are statistically consistent with those of Croft et al., although our value for the rms fluctuation is lower by a factor of 0.75. For the ΛCDM model we use, the implied primordial slope is n = 0.93 ± 0.10, and the normalization is σ8 = 0.68 + 1.16(0.95 - n) ± 0.04.

title: The Detection of Oxygen in the Low-Density Intergalactic Medium
abstract: The abundances of metals in the intergalactic medium (IGM) can be used to constrain the amount of star formation at high redshift and the spectral shape of the ionizing background radiation. For both purposes, it is essential to measure the abundances in regions of low density, away from local sources of metals and ionizing photons. Here we report the first detection of O VI in the low-density IGM at high redshift. We perform a pixel-by-pixel search for O VI absorption in eight high-quality quasar spectra spanning the redshift range z = 2.0-4.5. At 2 z 3, we clearly detect O VI in the form of a positive correlation between the H I Lyα optical depth and the optical depth in the corresponding O VI pixel, down to τ ~ 10-1. This is an order of magnitude lower in τ than the best C IV measurements can probe, and it constitutes the first clear detection of metals in underdense gas. The nondetection of O VI at z > 3 is consistent with the enhanced photoionization from a hardening of the UV background below z ~ 3 but could also be caused by the high level of contamination from Lyman series lines.

title: Omega (baryon) and the geometry of intermediate redshift Lyman alpha absorption systems
abstract: Estimates of Omega_baryon from primordial nucleosynthesis together with standard assumptions about the ionization state of low column density Lyman alpha forest clouds can be used to determine an upper limit for the cloud thickness along the line of sight. This upper limit provides significant constraints on the axis ratio of the absorbers and on the overall fraction of the baryonic matter contained in these objects if the recently measured large values for their transversal size are representative. The absorbers have to be considerably flattened structures and may possibly contain a substantial fraction of the baryonic matter at high redshift.

title: Constraining reionization using the thermal history of the baryons
abstract: The thermal evolution of the intergalactic medium (IGM) depends on the reionization history of the universe. Numerical simulations indicate that the low density IGM, which is responsible for the low column density Ly-alpha forest, follows a well defined temperature-density relation. This results in a cut-off in the distribution of line widths as a function of column density. We use hydrodynamic simulations to calibrate the relation between the cut-off and the temperature-density relation and apply this relation to Keck spectra spanning a redshift range z=2-4.5. We find that the temperature peaks at z~3 and interpret this as evidence for reheating due to the reionization of helium.

title: Gravitational collapse of small scale structure as the origin of the Lyman alpha forest
abstract: If gravitational clustering is a hierarchical process, the present large-scale structure of the galaxy distribution implies that structures on smaller scales must have formed at high redshift. We simulate the formation of small-scale structure (average cell mass: (delta) bar m(sub b) = 10(sup 4.2) solar mass) and the evolution of photoionized gas, in the specific case of the CDM + Lambda model. The photoionized gas has a natural minimal scale of collapse, the Jeans scale (m(sub b,J) is approximately equal to 10(exp 9) solar mass). We find that low column density (N(sub HI) is less than or equal to 10(exp 14)/sq cm) lines originate in regions resembling Zel'dovich pancakes, where gas with overdensities in the range 3-30 is enclosed by two shocks but is typically reexpanding at approximately the Hubble velocity. However, higher column density lines stem from more overdense regions where the shocked gas is cooling. We show that this model can probably account for the observed number of lines, their distribution in column density and b-parameters, as well as the cloud physical sizes as observed in gravitationally lensed quasars. We find a redshift evolution that is too steep; however, this may be due to insufficient dynamical range in the simulation or because the specific model is incorrect. The model predicts that high signal-to-noise observations should find systematic deviations from Voigt profiles, mainly in the form of broad wings in the line profiles, and that a fluctuating Gunn-Peterson effect will be detected, which can be modeled as a superposition of weak lines with a wide range of b-parameters.

title: A Spectacular Radio Flare from XRF 050416a at 40 Days and Implications for the Nature of X-Ray Flashes
abstract: We present detailed optical, near-infrared, and radio observations of the X-ray flash XRF 050416a obtained with Palomar and Siding Springs Observatories, as well as the HST and VLA, placing this event among the best-studied X-ray flashes to date. In addition, we present an optical spectrum from Keck LRIS from which we measure the redshift of the burst, z = 0.6528. At this redshift the isotropic-equivalent prompt energy release was about 1051 ergs, and using a standard afterglow synchrotron model, we find that the blast wave kinetic energy is a factor of 10 larger, EK,iso ≈ 1052 ergs. The lack of an observed jet break to t ~ 20 days indicates that the opening angle is θj 7° and the total beaming-corrected relativistic energy is 1050 ergs. We further show that the burst produced a strong radio flare at t ~ 40 days accompanied by an observed flattening in the X-ray band, which we attribute to an abrupt circumburst density jump or an episode of energy injection (from either a refreshed shock or off-axis ejecta). Late-time observations with HST show evidence for an associated supernova with peak optical luminosity roughly comparable to that of SN 1998bw. Next, we show that the host galaxy of XRF 050416a is actively forming stars at a rate of at least 2 M☉ yr-1 with a luminosity of LB ≈ 0.5L* and metallicity of Z ~ 0.2-0.8 Z☉. Finally, we discuss the nature of XRF 050416a in the context of short-hard GRBs and under the framework of off-axis and dirty fireball models for X-ray flashes.

title: Measuring Higgs couplings from LHC data.
abstract: Following recent ATLAS and CMS publications we interpret the results of their Higgs searches in terms of standard model operators. For a Higgs boson mass of 125 GeV we determine several Higgs couplings from published 2011 data and extrapolate the results towards different scenarios of LHC running. Even though our analysis is limited by low statistics we already derive meaningful constraints on modified Higgs sectors.

title: Quantum Effects in Higgs-Boson Production Processes at Hadron Colliders
abstract: The search for Higgs bosons and extensions of the Standard Model of Elementary Particle Physics are main tasks of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN which will start operation mid-2007. In this thesis processes which can be used to detect supersymmetric Higgs bosons at the LHC were considered. First a computer program was written which completes the toolbox for automatic calculations of hadronic cross sections. Using this program, the supersymmetric QCD corrections to associated H - W + -production and h 0 -production via vector-boson fusion and in association with heavy quarks were calculated. The corrections partly give significant contributions to the total cross section. Additionally, the possibility to measure the quartic Higgs self-coupling via triple-Higgs production was investigated and found to be challenging.

title: Measuring supersymmetry with heavy scalars
abstract: Supersymmetry with heavy scalars is a model where, at the LHC we have to rely on rate measurements to determine the parameters of the underlying new physics. For this example we show how to combine rate measurements with kinematic endpoints properly, taking into account statistical, systematic and theoretical uncertainties. Provided we observe a sizeable number of events, the LHC should be able to determine many model parameters with small enough error bars to, for example, test unification patterns.

title: ZZ + jet production via gluon fusion at the LHC
abstract: A bstractPair production of Z bosons in association with a hard jet is an important background for new physics searches at the LHC. The loop-induced gluon-fusion process $ gg $ → ZZg contributes formally only at the next-to-next-to-leading order. Nevertheless, it can get enhanced by the large gluon flux at the LHC, and thus should be taken into account in relevant experimental searches. We provide the details and results of this calculation, which involves the manipulation of rank-5 pentagon integrals. Our results show that the gluon-fusion process can contribute more than 10% to the next-to-leading order QCD result and increases the overall scale uncertainty. Moreover, interference effects between Higgs and non-Higgs contributions can become large in phase-space regions where the Higgs is far off-shell.

title: Direct integration and non-perturbative effects in matrix models
abstract: We show how direct integration can be used to solve the closed amplitudes of multicut matrix models with polynomial potentials. In the case of the cubic matrix model, we give explicit expressions for the ring of nonholomorphic modular objects that are needed to express all closed matrix model amplitudes. This allows us to integrate the holomorphic anomaly equation up to holomorphic modular terms that we fix by the gap condition up to genus four. There is an onedimensional submanifold of the moduli space in which the spectral curve becomes the Seiberg-Witten curve and the ring reduces to the nonholomorphic modular ring of the group Γ(2). On that submanifold, the gap conditions completely fix the holomorphic ambiguity and the model can be solved explicitly to very high genus. We use these results to make precision tests of the connection between the large order behavior of the 1/N expansion and nonperturbative effects due to instantons. Finally, we argue that a full understanding of the large genus asymptotics in the multicut case requires a new class of nonperturbative sectors in the matrix model.