Surface Event Rejection Using Phonon Information in CDMS
The published CDMS analyses have used the shape of the phonon signal rising edge to reject low-ionization-yield surface events which produce acoustic phonons more quickly than bulk events do. To achieve better WIMP sensitivity with future larger exposures, we are using a simplified model of phonon production and propagation to construct event position estimators that help us to find more efficient surface event rejection cuts. We describe this model and the resulting new cuts, and summarize the surface event leakage rates and the sensitivity figures of merit of the five surface event rejection methods developed in the second CDMS II Soudan run data analysis.

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: 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: 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: 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: 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: X-ray selected galaxy clusters in the Pan-STARRS Medium Deep Survey
abstract: We present the results of a pilot study for the extended Massive Cluster Survey (eMACS), a comprehensive search for distant, X-ray luminous galaxy clusters at z > 0.5. Our pilot study applies the eMACS concept to the 71 deg2 area extended by the 10 fields of the Pan-STARRS1 (PS1) Medium Deep Survey (MDS). Candidate clusters are identified by visual inspection of PS1 images in the g, r, i and z bands in a 5 × 5 arcmin2 region around X-ray sources detected in the ROSAT All-Sky Survey (RASS). To test and optimize the eMACS X-ray selection criteria, our pilot study uses the largest possible RASS data base, i.e. all RASS sources listed in the Bright and Faint Source Catalogues (BSC and FSC) that fall within the MDS footprint. We apply no additional constraints regarding X-ray flux, spectral hardness ratio or photon statistics and lower the redshift threshold to z > 0.3 to extend the probed luminosity range to poorer systems. Scrutiny of PS1/MDS images for 41 BSC and 200 FSC sources combined with dedicated spectroscopic follow-up observations results in a sample of 11 clusters with estimated or spectroscopic redshifts of z > 0.3. In order to assess and quantify the degree of point source contamination of the observed RASS fluxes, we examine archival Chandra data obtained in targeted and serendipitous observations of six of the 11 clusters found. As expected, the diffuse emission from all six systems is contaminated by point sources to some degree, and for half of them active galactic nucleus emission dominates. X-ray follow-up observations will thus be crucial in order to establish robust cluster luminosities for eMACS clusters. Although the small number of distant X-ray luminous clusters in the MDS does not allow us to make firm predictions for the over 20 000 deg2 of extragalactic sky covered by eMACS, the identification of two extremely promising eMACS cluster candidates at z ≳ 0.6 (both yet to be observed with Chandra) in such a small solid angle is encouraging. Representing a tremendous gain over the presently known two dozen such systems from X-ray, optical and Sunyaev–Zel’dovich cluster surveys combined, the sample of over 100 extremely massive clusters at z > 0.5 expected from eMACS would be invaluable for the identification of the most powerful gravitational lenses in the Universe, as well as for in-depth and statistical studies of the physical properties of the most massive galaxy clusters out to z ∼ 1.

title: Central and noncentral components of the effective sd-shell interaction
abstract: The contributions of central as well as noncentral two-body interactions to the matrix elements of various effective interactions for the $\mathrm{sd}$ shell are studied in an SU(3) two-particle basis. The results show that their central parts agree rather well and exhibit an approximate SU(3) symmetry. However, large differences are found between the noncentral parts of microscopic and phenomenological interactions, respectively. The influence of noncentral components of the matrix elements of Glaudemans et al. on experimental data is investigated for the case of $^{28}\mathrm{Si}$, with the result that the $\mathrm{LS}$ component is very important to reproduce the correct ground state binding energy. Some effects introduced by higher order two-body interactions and many-body interactions are discussed.

title: OPTICAL CROSS-CORRELATION FILTERS: AN ECONOMICAL APPROACH FOR IDENTIFYING SNe Ia AND ESTIMATING THEIR REDSHIFTS
abstract: Large photometric surveys of transient phenomena, such as Panoramic Survey Telescope & Rapid Response System and Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, will locate thousands to millions of Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) candidates per year, a rate prohibitive for acquiring spectroscopy to determine each candidate's type and redshift. In response, we have developed an economical approach to identifying SNe Ia and their redshifts using an uncommon type of optical filter which has multiple, discontinuous passbands on a single substrate. Observation of a supernova through a specially designed pair of these "cross-correlation filters" measures the approximate amplitude and phase of the cross-correlation between the spectrum and a SN Ia template, a quantity typically used to determine the redshift and type of a high-redshift SN Ia. Simulating the use of these filters, we obtain a sample of SNe Ia which is ~98% pure with individual redshifts measured to σ z = 0.01 precision. The advantages of this approach over standard broadband photometric methods are that it is insensitive to reddening, independent of the color data used for subsequent distance determinations which reduce selection or interpretation bias, and because it makes use of the spectral features its reliability is greater. A great advantage over long-slit spectroscopy comes from increased throughput, enhanced multiplexing, and reduced setup time resulting in a net gain in speed of up to ~30 times. This approach is also insensitive to host galaxy contamination. Prototype filters were built and successfully used on Magellan with LDSS-3 to characterize three SuperNova Legacy Survey candidates. We discuss how these filters can provide critical information for the upcoming photometric supernova surveys.

title: Lower dimensional Yang-Mills theory as a laboratory to study the infrared regime
abstract: Lattice studies of the infrared regime of gauge theories are complicated by the required extensive limits, the performed gauge fixing and the demand for high statistics. Using a general power counting scheme for the infrared limit of Landau gauge SU(N) Yang-Mills theory in arbitrary dimensions we show that the infrared behavior of Greens functions is both qualitatively and quantitatively similar in two, three and four spacetime dimensions. Therefore, lower dimensional lattice simulations can serve as a simplified laboratory to analyze the presently applied approximations and to obtain first results for higher correlation functions.

title: Testing LMC Microlensing Scenarios: The Discrimination Power of the SuperMACHO Microlensing Survey
abstract: Characterizing the nature and spatial distribution of the lensing objects that produce the previously measured microlensing optical depth toward the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) remains an open problem. We present an appraisal of the ability of the SuperMACHO Project, a next-generation microlensing survey directed toward the LMC, to discriminate between various proposed lensing populations. We consider two scenarios: lensing by a uniform foreground screen of objects and self-lensing by LMC stars. The optical depth for screen lensing is essentially constant across the face of the LMC, whereas the optical depth for self-lensing shows a strong spatial dependence. We have carried out extensive simulations, based on data obtained during the first year of the project, to assess the SuperMACHO survey's ability to discriminate between these two scenarios. In our simulations we predict the expected number of observed microlensing events for various LMC models for each of our fields by adding artificial stars to the images and estimating the spatial and temporal efficiency of detecting microlensing events using Monte Carlo methods. We find that the event rate itself shows significant sensitivity to the choice of the LMC luminosity function, limiting the conclusions that can be drawn from the absolute rate. If instead we determine the differential event rate across the LMC, we will decrease the impact of these systematic biases and render our conclusions more robust. With this approach the SuperMACHO Project should be able to distinguish between the two categories of lens populations. This will provide important constraints on the nature of the lensing objects and their contributions to the Galactic dark matter halo.