The mass-hierarchy and CP-violation discovery reach of the LBNO long-baseline neutrino experiment
A bstractThe next generation neutrino observatory proposed by the LBNO collaboration will address fundamental questions in particle and astroparticle physics. The experiment consists of a far detector, in its first stage a 20 kt LAr double phase TPC and a magnetised iron calorimeter, situated at 2300 km from CERN and a near detector based on a highpressure argon gas TPC. The long baseline provides a unique opportunity to study neutrino flavour oscillations over their 1st and 2nd oscillation maxima exploring the L/E behaviour, and distinguishing effects arising from δCP and matter.In this paper we have reevaluated the physics potential of this setup for determining the mass hierarchy (MH) and discovering CP-violation (CPV), using a conventional neutrino beam from the CERN SPS with a power of 750 kW. We use conservative assumptions on the knowledge of oscillation parameter priors and systematic uncertainties. The impact of each systematic error and the precision of oscillation prior is shown. We demonstrate that the first stage of LBNO can determine unambiguously the MH to > 5σ C.L. over the whole phase space. We show that the statistical treatment of the experiment is of very high importance, resulting in the conclusion that LBNO has ~ 100% probability to determine the MH in at most 4-5 years of running. Since the knowledge of MH is indispensable to extract δCP from the data, the first LBNO phase can convincingly give evidence for CPV on the 3σ C.L. using today’s knowledge on oscillation parameters and realistic assumptions on the systematic uncertainties.

title: Constraining scalar singlet dark matter with CDMS, XENON and DAMA and prediction for direct detection rates
abstract: We consider a simplest extension of the Standard Model (SM) through the incorporation of a real scalar singlet and an additional discrete Z2 symmetry. The model admits the neutral scalar singlet to be stable and thus, a viable component of dark matter. We explore the parameter space of the model keeping in view the constraints arise from different dark matter direct detection experiments through WIMP -nucleon scattering. First of all, we have utilised the data obtained from CDMS, XENON-10 and XENON-100 collaborations. We further constraint the parameter space from the DAMA collaboration results (both with and without channelling) and CoGeNT collaboration results. Throughout our analysis, the constraint arises due to the observed relic density of dark matter reported by WMAP experiment, is also incorporated. Utilising all those constraints, on the model parameter space, we calculate the event rates and the annual variation of event rates in the context of a Liquid Argon Detector experiment.

title: Observing supernova neutrino light curve in future dark matter detectors
abstract: The possibility of observing supernova (SN) neutrinos through the process of coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CENNS) in future ton scale detectors designed primarily for direct detection of dark matter is investigated. In particular, we focus on the possibility of distinguishing the various phases of the SN neutrino emission. The neutrino emission rates from the recent long term Basel/Darmstadt simulations are used to calculate the expected event rates. The recent state-of-the-art SN simulations predict closer fluxes among different neutrino flavors and lower average energies compared to the earlier simulation models. We find that our estimated total event rates are typically a factor of two lower than those predicted using older simulation models. We further find that, with optimistic assumptions on the detector's time resolution (~ 10 ms) and energy threshold (~ 0.1 keV), the neutrinos associated with the accretion phase of the SN can in principle be demarcated out with, for example, a 10-ton Xe detector, although distinguishing the neutrinos associated with the neutronization burst phase of the explosion would typically require several tens of ton detectors. We also comment on the possibility of studying the properties of non-electron flavor neutrinos from the CENNS of SN neutrinos.

title: Stringent constraint on neutrino Lorentz-invariance violation from the two IceCube PeV neutrinos
abstract: LAPTh,  As a consequence, particles may not travel at the universal speed of light. Inparticular, superluminal extragalactic neutrinos would rapidly lose energy via the bremssthralung ofelectron-positron pairs (ν → ν e

title: Stability analysis of collective neutrino oscillations in the supernova accretion phase with realistic energy and angle distributions
abstract: We revisit our previous results on the matter suppression of self-induced neutrino flavor conversions during a supernova (SN) accretion phase, performing a linearized stability analysis of the neutrino equations of motion, in the presence of realistic SN density profiles. In our previous numerical study, we used a simplified model based on an isotropic neutrino emission with a single typical energy. Here, we take into account realistic neutrino energy and angle distributions. We find that multi-energy effects have a sub-leading impact in the flavor stability of the SN neutrino fluxes with respect to our previous single-energy results. Conversely, realistic forward-peaked neutrino angular distributions would enhance the matter suppression of the self-induced oscillations with respect to an isotropic neutrino emission. As a result, in our models for iron-core SNe, collective flavor conversions have a negligible impact on the characterization of the observable neutrino signal during the accretion phase. Instead, for a low-mass O-Ne-Mg core SN model, with lower matter density profile and less forward-peaked angular distributions, collective conversions are possible also at early times.

title: Upper limit on the cosmic gamma-ray burst rate from high energy diffuse neutrino background
abstract: We derive upper limits on the ratio f{sub GRB/CCSN}(z){identical_to}R{sub GRB}(z)/R{sub CCSN}(z){identical_to}f{sub GRB/CCSN}(0)(1+z){sup {alpha}}, the ratio of the rate, R{sub GRB}, of long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) to the rate, R{sub CCSN}, of core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe) in the Universe (z being the cosmological redshift and {), by using the upper limit on the diffuse TeV-PeV neutrino background given by the AMANDA-II experiment in the South Pole, under the assumption that GRBs are sources of TeV-PeV neutrinos produced from decay of charged pions produced in p{gamma} interaction of protons accelerated to ultrahigh energies at internal shocks within GRB jets. For the assumed ''concordance model'' of cosmic star formation rate, R{sub SF}, with R{sub CCSN}(z){proportional_to}R{sub SF}(z), our conservative upper limits are f{sub GRB/CCSN}(0){ =}1, already more restrictive than) the current upper limit on this ratio inferred from other astronomical considerations, thus providing a useful independent probe of and constraint on the CCSN-GRB connection. Nondetection of a diffuse TeV-PeV neutrino background by the upcoming IceCube detector in the South Pole after three years of operation, for example, will bring down the upper limit on f{sub GRB/CCSN}(0)more » to below a few x10{sup -5} level, while a detection will confirm the hypothesis of proton acceleration to ultrahigh energies in GRBs and will potentially also yield the true rate of occurrence of these events in the Universe.« less

title: THERMODYNAMICS OF THE UNIVERSE WITH MODIFIED CHAPLYGIN GAS
abstract: We investigate the thermodynamics of the universe filled with modified Chaplygin gas (MCG) considering the integrability condition of the laws of thermodynamics. In principle, all thermal variables can be expressed as functions of either volume or temperature. A new equation of state for MCG is obtained during thermal process. The asymptotic analysis shows that the thermal evolution of the universe is possible from radiation era to ΛCDM model, i.e. the thermal history of MCG gives a unified picture of dark matter and dark energy and as a result the universe cools down through expansion without any phase transition (no critical point).

title: Quasi-Spherical Gravitational Collapse in Any Dimension
abstract: We study the occurrence and nature of naked singularities for a dust model with non-zero cosmological constant in (n+2)-dimensional Szekeres space-times (which possess no Killing vectors) for n ≥ 2. We find that central shell-focusing singularities may be locally naked in higher dimensions but depend sensitively on the choice of initial data. In fact, the nature of the initial density determines the possibility of naked singularity in space-times with more than five dimensions. The results are similar to the collapse in spherically symmetric Tolman-Bondi-Lemaître space-times.

title: Cosmic No-Hair Conjecture in brane scenarios: constraint on bulk matter
abstract: In this work, the Cosmic No-Hair Conjecture (CNHC) has been examined in the context of Randall–Sundrum type-II braneworld model. Instead of considering the usual anti-de Sitter bulk, a general form of the bulk matter has been taken into account. The effective Einstein equation on the brane has been derived. In order to obey the CNHC, some restrictions are obtained on the quadratic correction term as well as on the projected part of the bulk energy momentum tensor on the brane. It is found that for the validity of the conjecture on the brane, the bulk matter need not satisfy the standard energy conditions.

title: 7 keV sterile neutrino dark matter in U(1)R-lepton number model
abstract: A bstractWe study the phenomenology of a keV sterile neutrino in a supersymmetric model with U(1)R-lepton number in the light of a very recent observation of an X-ray line signal at around 3.5 keV, detected in the X-ray spectra of Andromeda galaxy and various galaxy clusters including the Perseus galaxy cluster. This model not only provides a small tree level mass to one of the active neutrinos but also renders a suitable warm dark matter candidate in the form of a sterile neutrino with negligible active-sterile mixing. Light neutrino masses and mixing can be explained once one-loop radiative corrections are taken into account. The scalar sector of this model can accommodate a Higgs boson with a mass of ∼125 GeV. In this model gravitino is the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP) and we also study the cosmological implications of this light gravitino with mass ∼OGeV$$ \sim \mathcal{O}\left(\mathrm{GeV}\right) $$.

title: Non-standard interaction in neutrino oscillations and recent Daya Bay, T2K experiments
abstract: We study the possible constraints on non-standard interaction(NSIs) in a model independent way by considering the recent results from T2K and Daya Bay neutrino oscillations experiments. Using perturbation method we present generic formulas (suitable for T2K baseline and for large $\theta_{13}$ as evident from Daya Bay) for the probability of oscillation for $\nu_\mu \rightarrow \nu_e$, taking into account NSIs at source ($\epsilon^s$), detector ($\epsilon^d$) and during propagation ($\epsilon^m$) of neutrinos through matter. Two separate cases of perturbation with small (slightly large) NSI ($\epsilon_{\alpha\beta}^m \sim 0.03(0.18)$) are discussed in detail. Using various possible presently allowed NSI values we reanalyze numerically the $\theta_{13} - \delta$ allowed region given by recent T2K experimental data. We obtain model independent constraints on NSIs in the $\delta-\epsilon_{\alpha\beta}^m$ plane using the $\theta_{13}$ value as measured by Daya Bay, where $\delta$ is the CP violating phase. Depending on $\delta$ values significant constraints on $\epsilon_{e\tau}$ and $\epsilon_{\tau\tau}$, in particular, are possible for both hierarchies of neutrino masses. Corresponding to T2K's 66% confidence level result, the constraints on $\epsilon_{\tau\tau}$ is shown to be independent of any $\delta$ value.