Study of the neutron quantum states in the gravity field
We have studied neutron quantum states in the potential well formed by the earth’s gravitational field and a horizontal mirror. The estimated characteristic sizes of the neutron wave functions in the two lowest quantum states correspond to expectations with an experimental accuracy. A position-sensitive neutron detector with an extra-high spatial resolution of $\sim 2 \mathrm{\mu} $m was developed and tested for this particular experiment, to be used to measure the spatial density distribution in a standing neutron wave above a mirror for a set of some of the lowest quantum states. The present experiment can be used to set an upper limit for an additional short-range fundamental force. We studied methodological uncertainties as well as the feasibility of improving further the accuracy of this experiment.

title: Gauge unification in extra dimensions: power corrections vs. higher dimension operators
abstract: Power-like loop corrections to gauge couplings are a generic feature of higher-dimensional field theories. In supersymmetric grand unified theories in d = 5 dimensions, such corrections arise only in the presence of a vacuum expectation value of the adjoint scalar of the gauge multiplet. We show that, using the analysis of the exact quantum effective action by Intriligator, Morrison and Seiberg, these power corrections can be understood as the effect of higher dimension operators. Such operators, both classical and quantum, are highly constrained by gauge symmetry and supersymmetry. As a result, even non-perturbatively large contributions to gauge coupling unification can be unambiguously determined within 5d low-energy effective field theory. Since no massive hypermultiplet matter exists in 6 dimensions, the predictivity is further enhanced by embedding the 5d model in a 6d gauge theory relevant at smaller distances. Thus, large and quantitatively controlled power-law contributions to gauge couplings arise naturally and can, in the most extreme case, lead to calculable TeV-scale power law unification. We identify a simple 5d SU(5) model with one massless 10 in the bulk where the power-law effect is exactly MSSM-like.

title: Measurement of quantum states of neutrons in the earth's gravitational field
abstract: The lowest stationary quantum state of neutrons in the Earth's gravitational field is identified in the measurement of neutron transmission between a horizontal mirror on the bottom and an absorber/scatterer on top. Such an assembly is not transparent for neutrons if the absorber height is smaller than the ``height'' of the lowest quantum state.

title: Power Spectrum of Inflationary Attractors
abstract: Inflationary attractors predict the spectral index and tensor-to-scalar ratio to take specific values that are consistent with Planck. An example is the universal attractor for models with a generalised non-minimal coupling, leading to Starobinsky inflation. In this paper we demonstrate that it also predicts a specific relation between the amplitude of the power spectrum and the number of e-folds. The length and height of the inflationary plateau are related via the non-minimal coupling: in a wide variety of examples, the observed power normalisation leads to at least 55 flat e-foldings. Prior to this phase, the inflationary predictions vary and can account for the observational indications of power loss at large angular scales.

title: Hierarchical axion inflation.
abstract: We propose a new field theory mechanism for generating an effective trans-Planckian decay constant from sub-Planckian ones. Using the minimal two axions and a hierarchy between two axion decay constants is sufficient for realizing inflation through nonperturbative effects only and with minimal tuning. The inflationary motion is kept entirely within a sub-Planckian domain. We outline possible strategies of embedding the model in a string theory setup.

title: Lifetime of stringy de Sitter vacua
abstract: In this note we perform a synopsis of the life-times from vacuum decay of several de Sitter vacuum constructions in string/M-theory which have a single dS minimum arising from lifting a pre-existing AdS extremum and no other local minima existent after lifting. For these vacua the decay proceeds via a Coleman-De Luccia instanton towards the universal Minkowski minimum at infinite volume. This can be calculated using the thin-wall approximation, provided the cosmological constant of the local dS minimum is tuned sufficiently small. We compare the estimates for the different model classes and find them all stable in the sense of exponentially long life times as long as they have a very small cosmological constant and a scale of supersymmetry breaking TeV.

title: Aerogel keystones: Extraction of complete hypervelocity impact events from aerogel collectors
abstract: In January 2006, the Stardust mission will return the first samples from a solid solar system body beyond the Moon and the first samples of contemporary interstellar dust ever collected. Although sophisticated laboratory instruments exist for the analysis of Stardust samples, techniques for the recovery of particles and particle residues from aerogel collectors remain primitive. Here, we describe our recent progress in developing techniques for extracting small volumes of aerogel, which we have called "keystones," which completely contain particle impacts but minimize the damage to the surrounding aerogel collector. These keystones can be fixed to custom-designed micromachined silicon fixtures (so called "microforklifts"). In this configuration, the samples are self-supporting, which can be advantageous in situations where interference from a supporting substrate is undesirable. The keystones may also be extracted and placed onto a substrate without a fixture. We have also demonstrated the capability of homologously crushing these unmounted keystones for analysis techniques that demand flat samples.

title: Observation of muons using the polar ice cap as a Cerenkov detector
abstract: DETECTION of the small flux of extraterrestrial neutrinos expected at energies above 1 TeV, and identification of their astrophysical point sources, will require neutrino telescopes with effective areas measured in square kilometres—much larger than detectors now existing1–3. Such a device can be built only by using some naturally occurring detecting medium of enormous extent: deep Antarctic ice is a strong candidate. A neutrino telescope could be constructed by drilling holes in the ice with hot water into which photomultiplier tubes could be placed to a depth of 1 km. Neutrinos would be recorded, as in underground neutrino detectors using water as the medium, by the observation of Cerenkov radiation from secondary muons. We have begun the AMANDA (Antarctic Muon and Neutrino Detector Array) project to test this idea, and here we describe a pilot experiment using photomultiplier tubes placed into Arctic ice in Greenland. Cerenkov radiation from muons was detected, and a comparison of count rate with the expected muon flux indicates that the ice is very transparent, with an absorption length greater than 18 m. Our results suggest that a full-scale Antarctic ice detector is technically quite feasible.

title: Probing the structure of the cold dark matter halo using ancient mica
abstract: Mica can store (for {gt}1thinspGyr) etchable tracks caused by atoms recoiling from WIMPs. Ancient mica is a directional detector despite the complex motions it makes with respect to the WIMP {open_quotes}wind.{close_quotes} We can exploit the properties of directionality and long integration time to probe for structure in the dark matter halo of our galaxy. We compute a sample of possible signals in mica for a plausible model of halo structure. {copyright} {ital 1998}

title: AMANDA: Antarctic Muon And Neutrino Detector Array
abstract: Enormous detectors with unprecedented sensitivity will be required to search for astrophysical sources of neutrinos. If the transparency of deep polar ice is similar to that measured in the laboratory, then AMANDA (Antarctic Muon And Neutrino Detector Array) may be the most cost-effective way to reach the detector volumes required to search for astrophysical sources of high energy neutrinos or WIMP annihilation within the sun.

title: UNIQUE SIGNATURE OF DARK MATTER IN ANCIENT MICA
abstract: Mica can store (for >1 Gy) etchable tracks caused by atoms recoiling from WIMPs. Because a background from fission neutrons will eventually limit this technique, a unique signature for WIMPs in ancient mica is needed. Our motion around the center of the Galaxy causes WIMPs, unlike neutrons, to enter the mica from a preferred direction on the sky. Mica is a directional detector and despite the complex rotations that natural mica crystals make with respect to this WIMP ``wind,'' there is a substantial dependence of etch pit density on present day mica orientation.