Bound to bounce: a coupled scalar-tachyon model for a smooth bouncing/cyclic universe
We introduce a string-inspired model for a bouncing/cyclic universe, utilizing the scalar-tachyon coupling as well as contribution from curvature in a closed universe. The universe undergoes the locked inflation, tachyon matter dominated rolling expansion, turnaround and contraction, as well as the subsequent deflation and "bounce" in each cycle of the cosmological evolution. We perform extensive analytic and numerical studies of the above evolution process. The minimum size of the universe is nonzero for generic initial values. The smooth bounce are made possible because of the negative contribution to effective energy density by the curvature term. No ghosts are ever generated at any point in the entire evolution of the universe, with the Null, Weak, and Dominant Energy Conditions preserved even at the bounce points, contrary to many bounce models previously proposed. And the Strong Energy Condition is satisfied in periods with tachyon matter domination.

title: Cosmological perturbations from a Spectator field during inflation
abstract: In this paper we will discuss analytically the perturbations created from a slowly rolling subdominant spectator field which decays much before the end of inflation. The quantum fluctuations of such a spectator field can seed perturbations on very large scales and explain the temperature anisotropy in the cosmic microwave background radiation with moderate non-Gaussianity, provided the relevant modes leave the Hubble patch while the spectator is slowly rolling. Furthermore, the perturbations are purely adiabatic since the inflaton decay dominates and creates all the Standard Model degrees of freedom. We will provide two examples for the spectator field potential, one with a step function profile, and the other with an inflection point. In both the cases we will compute higher order curvature perturbations, i.e. local bispectrum and trispectrum, which can be constrained by the forthcoming Planck data.

title: Preheating and locked inflation: an analytic approach towards parametric resonance
abstract: We take an analytic approach towards the framework of parametric resonance and apply it on preheating and locked inflation. A two-scalar toy model is analytically solved for the λ2χ2 coupling for the homogenous modes. The effects of dynamic universe background and backreaction are taken into account. We show the average effect of parametric resonance to be that χ's amplitude doubles for each cycle of . Our framework partly solves the broad resonance for preheating scenario, showing two distinct stages of preheating and making the parameters of preheating analytically calculable. It is demonstrated for slowroll inflation models, preheating is terminated, if by backreaction, typically in the 5th e-fold. Under our framework, a possible inhomogeneity amplification effect is also found during preheating, which both may pose strong constraints on some inflationary models and may amplify tiny existing inhomogeneities to the desired scale. For demonstration, we show it rules out the backreaction end of preheating of the quadratic slowroll inflation model with mass m ~ 10−6. For locked inflation, parametric resonance is found to be inhibited if has more than one real component.

title: Gauge-singlet dark matter in a left-right symmetric model with spontaneous CP violation
abstract: We propose a dark matter (DM) scenario in an extension of a left-right symmetric model with a gauge-singlet scalar field. The gauge-singlet scalar can automatically become a DM candidate, provided that both P and CP symmetries are only broken spontaneously. Thus no extra discrete symmetries are needed to make the DM candidate stable. After constraining the model parameters from the observed relic DM density we make predictions for direct detection experiments. We show that for some parameter range, the predicted weakly interacting massive particle-nucleon elastic scattering cross section can reach the current experimental upper bound, which can be tested by the experiments in the near future.

title: First observation of the isospin violating decay $J/\psi\rightarrow \Lambda\bar{\Sigma}^{0}+c.c.$
abstract: Using a sample of $(225.2\pm 2.8)\times 10^6$ $J/\psi$ events collected with the BESIII detector, we present results of a study of $J/\psi\rightarrow \gamma\Lambda\bar{\Lambda}$ and report the first observation of the isospin violating decay $J/\psi\rightarrow\Lambda\bar{\Sigma}^{0}+c.c.$, in which $\bar{\Sigma}^{0}$ decays to $\gamma \bar{\Lambda}$. The measured branching fractions are $\mathcal{B}(J/\psi\rightarrow\bar{\Lambda}\Sigma^{0}$) = $(1.46\pm0.11\pm0.12) \times10^{-5}$ and $\mathcal{B}(J/\psi\rightarrow\Lambda\bar{\Sigma^{0}}$) = $(1.37\pm0.12\pm0.11) \times10^{-5}$. We search for $\Lambda(1520) \rightarrow \gamma \Lambda$ decay, and find no evident signal, and an upper limit for the product branching fraction $\mathcal{B}(J/\psi\rightarrow\Lambda\bar{\Lambda}(1520)+c.c.)\times \mathcal{B}(\Lambda(1520)\rightarrow\gamma\Lambda)<4.1 \times10^{-6}$ is set at the 90% confidence level. We also report the observation of $\eta_{c}\rightarrow\Lambda\bar{\Lambda}$ in $J/\psi \rightarrow \gamma \eta_{c}$, $\eta_{c}\rightarrow\Lambda\bar{\Lambda}$ and measure the branching fraction $\mathcal{B}(\eta_{c}\rightarrow\Lambda\bar{\Lambda}) =(1.16\pm0.12 (stat)\pm0.19(syst)\pm0.28(PDG))\times10^{-3}$.

title: Decaying dark matter in supersymmetric SU(5) models
abstract: Motivated by recent observations from PAMELA, Fermi and H.E.S.S., we consider dark matter decays in the framework of supersymmetric SU(5) grand unification theories. An SU(5) singlet S is assumed to be the main component of dark matters, which decays into visible particles through dimension six operators suppressed by the grand unification scale. Under certain conditions, S decays dominantly into a pair of sleptons with universal coupling for all generations. Subsequently, electrons and positrons are produced from cascade decays of these sleptons. These cascade decay chains smooth the e + + e − spectrum, which permit naturally a good fit to the Fermi-LAT data. The observed positron fraction upturn by PAMELA can be reproduced simultaneously. We have also calculated diffuse gamma-ray spectra due to the e ± excesses and compared them with the preliminary Fermi-LAT data from 0.1 GeV to 10 GeV in the region 0 ° ⩽ l ⩽ 360 ° , 10 ° ⩽ | b | ⩽ 20 ° . The photon spectrum of energy above 100 GeV, mainly from final state radiations, may be checked in the near future.

title: Observation of $\eta_{c}$ decay into $\Sigma^{+}\bar{\Sigma}^{-}$ and $\Xi^{-}\bar{\Xi}^{+}$ final states
abstract: Using a data sample of $2.25\times10^{8}$ $J/\psi$ events collected with the BESIII detector, we present the first observation of the decays of $\eta_{c}$ mesons to $\Sigma^{+}\bar{\Sigma}^{-}$ and $\Xi^{-}\bar{\Xi}^{+}$. The branching fractions are measured to be $(2.11\pm0.28_{\rm stat.}\pm0.18_{\rm syst.}\pm0.50_{\rm PDG})\times10^{-3}$ and $(0.89\pm0.16_{\rm stat.}\pm0.08_{\rm syst.}\pm0.21_{\rm PDG})\times10^{-3}$ for $\eta_{c} \to \Sigma^{+}\bar{\Sigma}^{-}$ and $\Xi^{-}\bar{\Xi}^{+}$, respectively. These branching fractions provide important information on the helicity selection rule in charmonium-decay processes.

title: Dielectron and diphoton channels in 2HDM
abstract: It was observed recently that [L. Randall, Mark B. Wise,  ], any particle in the Standard Model cannot decay to e + e − and γγ final states with comparably measurable branching ratios. This is also true for most extensions of the Standard Model, with the Randall–Sundrum model as an outstanding exception. In this Letter, we show that two-Higgs-Doublet-Models (2HDM) yield another possible exception if certain parameters are properly chosen. In addition, we have checked that this model survives the tests of low energy processes, including the anomalous magnetic moment and electric dipole moment of leptons, lepton-flavor-violating decays μ − → e − γ and e − e + e − .