Metallicity of the Intergalactic Medium Using Pixel Statistics. II. The Distribution of Metals as Traced by C IV
We measure the distribution of carbon in the intergalactic medium as a function of redshift z and overdensity δ. Using a hydrodynamical simulation to link the H I absorption to the density and temperature of the absorbing gas, and a model for the UV background radiation, we convert ratios of C IV to H I pixel optical depths into carbon abundances. For the median metallicity this technique was described and tested in Paper I of this series. Here we generalize it to reconstruct the full probability distribution of the carbon abundance and apply it to 19 high-quality quasar absorption spectra. We find that the carbon abundance is spatially highly inhomogeneous and is well described by a lognormal distribution for fixed δ and z. Using data in the range log δ = -0.5-1.8 and z = 1.8-4.1, and a renormalized version of the 2001 Haardt & Madau model for the UV background radiation from galaxies and quasars, we measure a median metallicity of [C/H] = -3.47 + 0.08(z - 3) + 0.65(log δ - 0.5) and a lognormal scatter of σ([C/H]) = 0.76 + 0.02(z - 3) - 0.23(log δ - 0.5). Thus, we find significant trends with overdensity but no evidence for evolution. These measurements imply that gas in this density range accounts for a cosmic carbon abundance of [C/H] = -2.80 ± 0.13 (ΩC ≈ 2 × 10-7), with no evidence for evolution. The dominant source of systematic error is the spectral shape of the UV background, with harder spectra yielding higher carbon abundances. While the systematic errors due to uncertainties in the spectral hardness may exceed the quoted statistical errors for δ < 10, we stress that UV backgrounds that differ significantly from our fiducial model give unphysical results. The measured lognormal scatter is strictly independent of the spectral shape, provided the background radiation is uniform. We also present measurements of the C III/C IV ratio (which rule out temperatures high enough for collisional ionization to be important for the observed C IV) and of the evolution of the effective Lyα optical depth.

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: The Observed Probability Distribution Function, Power Spectrum, and Correlation Function of the Transmitted Flux in the Lyα Forest*
abstract: 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: 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: 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: Measuring the Higgs boson couplings
abstract: Once a Higgs boson has been discovered, it is also important to know what are its properties, in particular its couplings to the other particles. At the LHC, there will be many observable channels that can be used to measure the relevant parameters. Using the SFitter framework, we project these measurements onto a weak-scale effective theory with general Higgs boson couplings. Thereby, our analysis profits from the error treatment and the parameter determination tools already used for new-physics searches. We use this to study both the individual couplings and their associated errors as well as correlations between them.

title: Measuring Hidden Higgs and Strongly-Interacting Higgs Scenarios
abstract: Higgs couplings can be affected by physics beyond the Standard Model. We study modifications through interactions with a hidden sector and in specific composite Higgs models accessible at the LHC. Both scenarios give rise to congruent patterns of universal, or partially universal, shifts. In addition, Higgs decays to the hidden sector may lead to invisible decay modes which we also exploit. Experimental bounds on such potential modifications will measure the concordance of an observed Higgs boson with the Standard Model.

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: Interpretation of precision tests in the Higgs sector in terms of physics beyond the Standard Model
abstract: We demonstrate how the measurements of the Higgs-fermion and Higgs-gauge boson couplings can be interpreted in terms of physics beyond the Standard Model in a model-independent way. That is, we describe deviations from the Standard Model by effective $d=6$ operators made of Higgs fields and gauge fields, under the hypothesis that the new physics may show up in the Higgs sector only and the effective operators are generated at tree level. While the effective operator coefficients are independent in general, the completion of the theory at high energies will lead to specific correlations which will be recovered between Higgs-fermion and Higgs-gauge boson couplings. We demonstrate that the current measurement of these couplings in terms of tree-level new physics requires several new mediators with specific relationships among different couplings. New insights in the effective theory and mediator spaces can be expected for improved measurements from the inclusive $H \rightarrow \tau \tau$ and the exclusive vector boson fusion-dominated $H \rightarrow \gamma \gamma$ search channels, as well as the measurement of the Higgs self-couplings, including higher order couplings which do not exist in the Standard Model.

title: SFitter : Determining Supersymmetric Parameters
abstract: If supersymmetry (or similar complex models) is found at the LHC, the goal for all colliders over the coming decades will be to extract its fundamental parameters from the measurements. Dedicated state–of–the–art tools will be necessary to link a wealth of measurements to an e.g. 20–dimensional MSSM parameter space. Starting from a general log–likelihood function of this hig hdimensional parameter space we show how we can find the best–fit paramete r values and determine their errors. Beyond a single best–fit point we illustra te how distinct secondary minima occur in complex parameter spaces. In cases where there are flat dimensions in the likelihood we comment on the benefits and limitations of marginalizing over additional dimensions.