Large Scale Structure

This technical note proposes that the observed cosmic acceleration can arise without invoking a cosmological constant. In the Information-Induced Collapse Model (IICM), informational congestion acts as an effective fluid that reproduces the ΛCDM expansion history while predicting Λ = 0. Small deviations from the ideal limit lead to testable departures from standard dark-energy behavior.

We discuss optical associations, spectral energy distributions and photometric redshifts for SWIRE sources in the ELAIS-N1 area and the Lockman Validation Field. The band-merged IRAC (3.6, 4.5, 5.8 and 8.0 µm) and MIPS (24, 70, 160 µm) data have been associated with optical UgriZ data from the INT Wide Field Survey in ELAIS-N1, and with our own optical Ugri data in Lockman-VF. Criteria for eliminating spurious

To study the relevance of mergers for the fueling of QSOs, we are currently conducting an HST imaging campaign of a sample of QSO host galaxies classified as ellipticals in the literature. Here, we present results from a study of the first five QSO host galaxies imaged with HST/ACS. For the majority of objects, strong signs of interactions such as tidal tails, shells, and other fine structure are revealed. We estimate the nature and age of the merger by comparing the images with numerical simulations. The merger ages range between a few hundred Myr up to a Gyr. These timescales are comparable to starburst ages in the QSO hosts previously inferred from Keck spectroscopy, but longer than theoretical estimates of AGN duty cycles. A possible scenario emerging from our results is that most QSO host galaxies experienced mergers with accompanying starbursts but that the activity is triggered with a delay of several hundreds Myr after the merger. To probe whether there is indeed a causal connection between the merger and the QSO activity, we study a control sample of inactive ellipticals. Our preliminary results do not reveal comparable fine structure.

We investigate a scalar field modulated by a spiral-time function as a candidate for a unified dark component, dynamically interpolating between Dark Matter (DM) and Dark Energy (DE). The model proposes that oscillatory regimes reproduce pressureless DM, while slowroll regimes mimic DE with negative pressure. The formulation naturally recovers ΛCDM in the limit of vanishing modulation and provides testable predictions: time-varying w(z), low-ℓ cosmic microwave background (CMB) anomalies, and modified weak lensing spectra. These features make the framework falsifiable with ongoing and upcoming surveys such as Planck, DESI, and Euclid.

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This work addresses one of the central challenges in modern physics: the
reconciliation of quantum theory with general relativity. In standard
approaches, Planck-scale vacuum fluctuations destabilize spacetime and render
gravity non-renormalizable. Our paper introduces a minimal framework based
on a U(3) zero-point energy condensate with intrinsic elasticity, governed by
only three free parameters. 

Key results include: 
- **UV finiteness**: A Gaussian regulator ensures Newton’s constant runs with
scale, saturating at high energies and avoiding divergences. 
- **Cosmological constant**: The smallness of Λ arises naturally from
condensate depletion, without fine-tuning or additional fields. 
- **Cosmological signatures**: The framework predicts early-time acceleration
without an inflaton, a late-time enhancement of the Hubble parameter that may
alleviate the $H_0$ tension, and a suppression of structure growth consistent
with current $S_8$ anomalies. 
- **Testable predictions**: The model yields concrete, falsifiable
signatures—including gravitational-wave dispersion, possible horizon-scale
echoes, and laboratory-scale deviations (Casimir/Eötvös experiments)—within
the reach of near-future observations. 

We believe this paper will be of broad interest to the quantum gravity,
cosmology, and high-energy physics communities. Its parsimony, with only
three parameters spanning micro- to macro-physics, makes it an economical
and testable alternative to more elaborate models.

This work investigates flow structures in Couette-Poiseuille (C-P) flows with the adverse pressure gradient (APG) adjusted to create zero mean skin friction on the stationary wall. The vortical structures are identified as regions with a positive value of the discriminant of the velocity gradient tensor (Chong et al., 1990; Soria et al., 1994). The data used in current study are from direct numerical simulation (DNS). The enstrophy density and the dissipation of kinetic energy carried by flow structures are instigated by examining the second invariants of the symmetric strain rate tensor S i j and the skew-symmetric rate of rotation tensor W i j (Chong et al. (1998)). Some characterizations of the topological flow structures in the near-wall region are similar to a viscous sub-layer in channel flows (Blackburn et al., 1996).

This work is part of the ongoing CFT Framework Project, a program dedicated to the normalization of physics. The present paper develops the mathematical foundations of the Constitutive Flux (CF) Framework, which interprets spacetime as a Constitutive Medium (CM) and reformulates gravitation as the constitutive closure of geometry and flux. The governing equations are derived from a covariant variational action, including higher-derivative terms that generate Korteweg-type stresses. These stresses ensure stability, regularization at small scales, and are not introduced ad hoc but follow directly from the action. The resulting system belongs to the class of first-order symmetric hyperbolic (FOSH) PDEs, guaranteeing causal propagation, finite signal speeds, and local well-posedness. Energy conditions are clearly separated: WEC and NEC are satisfied locally, while SEC may be violated cosmologically, enabling accelerated expansion with effective equation of state weff≈−1w_{eff} ≈ -1weff≈−1. Stability requires λ ≥ 0, which suppresses high-frequency instabilities. Proofs are reformulated as structured programs and sketches, indicating a roadmap for global existence and decay results. Observational consistency checks demonstrate alignment with Solar System tests, binary pulsars, gravitational-wave propagation, and galactic lensing. Thus, CF Theory Math Foundations v2.0 consolidates the framework as mathematically rigorous, observationally viable, and open to falsifiable predictions, supporting the normalization of physics.

We present the large-scale correlation function measured from a spectroscopic sample of 46,748 luminous red galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The survey region covers 0.72h -3 Gpc 3 over 3816 square degrees and 0.16 < z < 0.47, making it the best sample yet for the study of large-scale structure. We find a well-detected peak in the correlation function at 100h -1 Mpc separation that is an excellent match to the predicted shape and location of the imprint of the recombination-epoch acoustic oscillations on the low-redshift clustering of matter. This detection demonstrates the linear growth of structure by gravitational instability between z ≈ 1000 and the present and confirms a firm prediction of the standard cosmological theory. The acoustic peak provides a standard ruler by which we can measure the ratio of the distances to z = 0.35 and z = 1089 to 4% fractional accuracy and the absolute distance to z = 0.35 to 5% accuracy. From the overall shape of the correlation function, we measure the matter density Ω m h 2 to 8% and find agreement with the value from cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropies. Independent of the constraints provided by the CMB acoustic scale, we find Ω m = 0.273 ± 0.025 + 0.123(1 + w 0 ) + 0.137Ω K . Including the CMB acoustic scale, we find that the spatial curvature is Ω K = -0.010 ± 0.009 if the dark energy is a cosmological constant. More generally, our results provide a measurement of cosmological distance, and hence an argument for dark energy, based on a geometric method with the same simple physics as the microwave background anisotropies. The standard cosmological model convincingly passes these new and robust tests of its fundamental properties. Subject headings: cosmology: observations -large-scale structure of the universe -distance scalecosmological parameters -cosmic microwave background -galaxies: elliptical and lenticular, cD

The angular distribution of galaxies encodes a wealth of information about large scale structure. Ultimately, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) will record the angular positions of order 10 8 galaxies in five bands, adding significantly to 1 Based on observations obtained with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

This paper reframes black holes not only as gravitational singularities but as integral components of a cosmic recycling system. Termed the Universal Grinder hypothesis, this model suggests that black holes consume matter, reduce it into fundamental constituents, and facilitate its reuse within the cosmic cycle. The analysis is presented as an application of the principles outlined in The Basalian Unified Theory, which views the universe as governed by multidimensional time and a purposeful cosmological architecture informed by Quranic cosmology. This framework introduces the novel hypothesis that black holes may not only release energy as relativistic jets and Hawking radiation but could also emit low-energy, gaseous ejecta (conceptually analogous to 'cosmic steam'). These outputs are proposed to drift through space, serving as a primordial substrate for the formation of new stars and planets. In this framing, black holes are not merely destructive endpoints but functional mechanisms of renewal and balance within creation.

We introduce a new framework for cosmic acceleration: the Scalar-Cost Dark Energy model. In this approach, dark energy arises not from a cosmological constant but from an energetic cost associated with the expansion of spacetime. This cost is encoded in an additional scalar-field term that remains dormant at high redshift but activates dynamically at late times. The model preserves the ΛCDM background expansion while producing distinct, testable perturbation-level signatures. Specifically, it predicts a ~5% enhancement in the linear growth rate, a ~3-5% increase in weak-lensing shear power at intermediate scales, a ~4% rise in cluster abundance above 10¹⁴ M☉, and a ~0.02 upward shift in S₈-alleviating, though not eliminating, the observed weak-lensing vs. CMB tension. The model is stable (no ghosts, cₛ² > 0), consistent with early-universe constraints, and falsifiable with upcoming large-scale structure surveys.

We study the phenomenology associated to non-minimally coupled dark matter. In particular, we consider the model where the non-minimal coupling arises from the formation of relativistic Bose-Einstein condensates in high density regions of dark matter . This non-minimal coupling is of Horndeski type and leads to a local modification of the speed of gravity with respect to the speed of light. Therefore we can constrain the model by using the joint detection of GW170817 and GRB170817A. We show that the constraints obtained in this way are quite tight, if the dark matter field oscillates freely, whereas they are substantially weakened, if the oscillations are damped by the non-minimal coupling.

We investigate a scalar field modulated by a spiral-time function as a candidate for a unified dark component, dynamically interpolating between Dark Matter (DM) and Dark Energy (DE). The model proposes that oscillatory regimes reproduce pressureless DM, while slowroll regimes mimic DE with negative pressure. The formulation naturally recovers ΛCDM in the limit of vanishing modulation and provides testable predictions: time-varying w(z), low-ℓ cosmic microwave background (CMB) anomalies, and modified weak lensing spectra. These features make the framework falsifiable with ongoing and upcoming surveys such as Planck, DESI, and Euclid.

We collected data on radial velocities and distances of galaxies to elucidate structure and kinematics of the filament attached to the Virgo cluster from south. In the region RA = [12. h 5-13. h 5], Dec. = [-20 • ,0 • ] there are 171 galaxies with radial velocities V LG < 2000 km s -1 , and 98 of them have distance estimates. This galaxy cloud, called as 'Virgo Southern Extension', is situated just on the edge of the Virgo 'zero-velocity surface'. The mean distance to Virgo SEx, 17 ± 2 Mpc, and the average radial velocity, 1172 ± 23 km s -1 , are very close to the Virgo cluster ones. In supergalactic coordinates the Virgo SEx dimensions are 15 × 7 × 2 Mpc, where the major axis is directed along the line of sight, the second major axis is directed towards the Virgo core and the minor one is perpendicular to the supergalactic plane. This flattened cloud consists of a dozen virialized groups with the total K-band luminosity of 1.7 × 10 12 L and the total virial mass of 6.3 × 10 13 M , having a typical dark matter-to-stellar matter ratio of 37. The Hubble diagram for Virgo SEx galaxies exhibits a tendency of a Z-shaped wave with a velocity amplitude of ∼250 km s -1 that may be caused by a mass overdensity of ∼6 × 10 13 M , and in order of magnitude agrees with the sum of virial masses of the groups.

The Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation represents one of the most significant
discoveries in modern astrophysics, serving as a relic radiation from the early universe and
providing empirical support for the Big Bang model. Its nearly perfect blackbody spectrum,
anisotropies, and polarization patterns allow cosmologists to infer the physical conditions of
the early universe, constrain cosmological parameters, and explore fundamental questions
about inflation, dark matter, and dark energy. This dissertation reviews the historical
discovery of the CMB, its physical characteristics, its implications for early-universe
physics, and its role in precision cosmology.

This paper gives a compilation of physical mechanisms which have been proposed to explain the spectral red-shift of distant astronomical objects. Over sixty selected mechanisms are listed for the purpose of quantitative comparisons. Some of these mechanisms may not completely account for all astrophysical observations but are relevant to particular situations such as the solar limb red-shift, the red-shift of quasars or the cosmological red-shift. However, this paper focuses mainly on the 59 mechanisms giving a quantitative description of the cosmological redshift-distance relationship. A description is given for each mechanism including its properties, limits of applicability, functional relationships and comments.

Comparison with the Standard Model. It is important to emphasize how the U(3) ZPE scalar field theory approach differs from the Standard Model (SM) in its treatment of divergences. The SM achieves its extraordinary precision through the machinery of renormalization: bare parameters are redefined order by order so that infinities cancel and finite, measurable predictions remain. While this technique is mathematically consistent and empirically spectacular, it leaves open the question of fundamentality: the underlying bare quantities have no physical meaning, and the theory does not explain why the observed parameters (Yukawa couplings, mixing angles, the cosmological constant) take their particular values. By contrast, in the U(3) condensate framework there is a physical ultraviolet cutoff set by the coherence length of the vacuum. Loop integrals are finite by construction, because the field ceases to behave as pointlike beyond this scale. This eliminates the need for renormalization as a mathematical trick, replacing it with a concrete physical regularization rooted in the microstructure of the vacuum. Moreover, the parameters of the low-energy theory-fermion masses, mixing matrices, and coupling strengths-are not arbitrary inputs but emergent quantities derived from the condensate dynamics. In this sense, the theory is not merely an effective description but aspires to be a fundamental account of why the Standard Model takes the form it does. 0.1 Comparison with Other Approaches to Unification It is useful to situate the U(3) condensate framework in the broader landscape of unification programs. Several major approaches have been pursued over the past decades, each with notable strengths but also limitations that our model addresses in a novel way. String Theory. String theory aspires to a complete quantum gravity, embedding all particles as string excitations in higher-dimensional space-times. Its mathematical structure is elegant and has yielded powerful tools (e.g. AdS/CFT),

he ETCQ framework proposes that dark energy is not a mysterious cosmological constant but the elastic response of a fundamental "frame" of space. Instead of acting at the Planck scale, this frame has a critical coherence length of about 26 µm, corresponding to an energy of ~0.05 eV — intriguingly close to neutrino masses. This links cosmic acceleration, neutrino physics, and galactic dynamics within a single elastic medium. The hypothesis is falsifiable through cosmological data, neutrino correlations, and laboratory-scale short-range experiments.

We discuss the performances of a trigger implemented for the planned neutrino telescope NEMO. This trigger seems capable to discriminate between the signal and the strong background introduced by atmospheric muons and by the β decay of the 40 K nuclei present in the water. The performances of the trigger, as evaluated on simulated data are analyzed in detail.

Several models have been proposed to explain the cosmological constant as a consequence of alterations in the distance-redshift relation caused by the universe's inhomogeneities. We modelled the universe as a spherical galactic mass with a Gaussian radial profile, repeated at the nodes of a periodic 3D-lattice. The Einstein field density equation was solved to the first-order for the scalar field perturbation of the FLRW metric in the Newtonian gauge. The resulting metric solution is free of singularities. The diagonal Einstein spatial field equations exhibit only the subtraction of a constant second-order term. This term corresponds to the cosmological constant in the reference frame comoving with the galaxy positions. This geometrically derived cosmological constant accurately predicts the observed value using a realistic standard galaxy density profile and lattice periodicity, without introducing any additional adjustable parameters. Its value decreases exponentially as the galaxy size approaches the intergalactic distance. When the universe becomes homogeneous, the expansion rate equation reduces to that of the standard FLRW model. The model is Copernican in the sense that all galaxies share similar observational features. This approach opens a track of research to explain the origin of the cosmological constant within the framework of pure general relativity.

“The MBF scaling law (ρ^0.27) has now been derived from a minimal chameleon-modulus sector in string compactification. This suggests MBF scaling is truly universal, with the potential to turn otherwise parameter-dependent theories into predictive frameworks. I invite colleagues in string theory and cosmology to examine, test, and critique this result.”

We develop a falsifiable framework in which the phenomenon attributed to "dark matter" arises from resonant overlap shadows cast by the baryonic sector, of which only ~15% is directly visible (luminous stars, gas, dust). Here a shadow field refers to the non-luminous extension of a baryonic mass's influence-an effective field imprint that emerges from its resonant propagation rather than from new particles. The ~15% visible component is treated as the observational proxy for all baryons, luminous and non-luminous alike. In the Unified Resonant Framework (URF) and Omega Predictive Model (ΩPM), each baryonic source generates a nonlocal, mode-structured extension-its shadow field-whose superposition produces the halo-like mass distributions inferred from galaxy rotation curves and weak gravitational lensing. Mathematically, the shadow density is a convolution of the baryon density with a kernel encoding resonant propagation and geometric screening. The total effective density that sources gravity is then ρ_eff = ρ_b + ρ_shadow. We derive field equations, provide kernel families with tractable Fourier-space forms, obtain closed-form predictions for exponential disks, and outline cross-correlation tests between baryon-overlap maps and lensing convergence. As a direct empirical companion to the Zercon detection program, we define a spectral Overlap Harmonic Index (OHI) and show how cosmogenically forged Zercon detectors can test for ΩPM harmonics tied to baryonic overlap while synthetic controls do not. Clear falsifiers are stated: (i) failure of any positive, causal kernel to fit rotation curves and lensing simultaneously across a representative sample; (ii) absence of sidereal-phase-locked harmonic signals in cosmic Zercons when baryon overlap varies, assuming sufficient sensitivity. The framework converts "missing mass" into a measurable shadow superposition with dual channels-gravitational (metric) and resonant (ΩPM)-and a crisp falsification logic.

The phenomenon of resonant production of particles after inflation has received much attention in the past few years. In a new application of resonant production of particles, we consider the effect of a resonance during inflation. We show that if the inflaton is coupled to a massive particle, resonant production of the particle during inflation modifies the evolution of the inflaton, and may leave an imprint in the form of sharp features in the primordial power spectrum. Precision measurements of microwave background anisotropies and large-scale structure surveys could be sensitive to the features, and probe the spectrum of particles as massive as the Planck scale.

The past, present and future of cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropy research is discussed, with emphasis on the Boomerang and Maxima balloon experiments. These data are combined with large scale structure (LSS) information derived from local cluster abundances and galaxy clustering and high redshift supernova (SN1) observations to explore the inflation-based cosmic structure formation paradigm. Here we primarily focus on a simplified inflation parameter set, After marginalizing over the other cosmic and experimental variables, we find the current CMB+LSS+SN1 data gives Ω tot = 1.04±0.05, consistent with (non-baroque) inflation theory. Restricting to Ω tot = 1, we find a nearly scale invariant spectrum, n s = 1.03 ± 0.07. The CDM density, ω cdm = 0.17 ± 0.02, is in the expected range, but the baryon density, ω b ≡ Ω b h 2 = 0.030 ± 0.004, is slightly larger than the current 0.019 ± 0.002 Big Bang Nucleosynthesis estimate. Substantial dark (unclustered) energy is inferred, Ω Q ≈ 0.68 ± 0.05, and CMB+LSS Ω Q values are compatible with the independent SN1 estimates. The dark energy equation of state, parameterized by a quintessence-field pressure-to-density ratio w Q , is not well determined by CMB+LSS (w Q < -0.3 at 95% CL), but when combined with SN1 the resulting w Q < -0.7 limit is quite consistent with the w Q =-1 cosmological constant case. Though forecasts of statistical errors on parameters for current and future experiments are rosy, rooting out systematic errors will define the true progress.

We present results from our analysis of the Hydra I cluster observed in neutral atomic hydrogen (H ) as part of the Widefield ASKAP L-band Legacy All-sky Blind Survey (WALLABY). These WALLABY observations cover a 60-square-degree field of view with uniform sensitivity and a spatial resolution of 30 arcsec. We use these wide-field observations to investigate the effect of galaxy environment on H gas removal and star formation quenching by comparing the properties of cluster, infall and field galaxies extending up to ∼ 5𝑅 200 from the cluster centre. We find a sharp decrease in the H -detected fraction of infalling galaxies at a projected distance of ∼ 1.5𝑅 200 from the cluster centre from ∼ 0.85% to ∼ 0.35%. We see evidence for the environment removing gas from the outskirts of H -detected cluster and infall galaxies through the decrease in the H to 𝑟-band optical disc diameter ratio. These galaxies lie on the star forming main sequence, indicating that gas removal is not yet affecting the inner star-forming discs and is limited to the galaxy outskirts. Although we do not detect galaxies undergoing galaxy-wide quenching, we do observe a reduction in recent star formation in the outer disc of cluster galaxies, which is likely due to the smaller gas reservoirs present beyond the optical radius in these galaxies. Stacking of H non-detections with H masses below 𝑀 HI 10 8.4 M will be required to probe the H of galaxies undergoing quenching at distances 60 Mpc with WALLABY.

This paper presents the Five-Dimensional Delay Field Model as a comprehensive Theory of Everything (TOE), unifying gravity, quantum mechanics, and the fundamental forces through a dynamical delay scalar field τ. Drawing from the detailed formulations provided, we integrate all aspects of the model, including its minimal ghost-free action, local recovery of General Relativity (GR) and the Standard Model (SM), philosophical interpretations, theoretical framework, quantum correspondences, extensions to electromagnetism, strong and weak interactions, cosmological fits to data such as SPARC rotation curves and Hubble tension resolution, and singularity resolution in black holes. The model resolves dark matter and dark energy phenomena without exotic components, reinterprets quantum indeterminacy as projections of deterministic 5D dynamics, and provides testable predictions. This exposition is exhaustive, incorporating all equations, derivations, stability conditions, and observational checks without word limits, aiming for a self-contained reference exceeding 8000 words.

General relativity and its extensions including torsion identify stress energy momentum as being proportional to the Einstein tensor, thus ensuring both symmetry and conservation. Here we visualize stress energy and momentum by identifying the associated relative fractional accelerations of geodesics encoded in the Einstein tensor. This also provides an intuitive explanation for the vanishing divergence of the Einstein tensor. In order to obtain this same energy and momentum for other actions such as that of Dirac theory including torsion, we then review the various stress energy momentum tensors resulting from the variation of different quantities derived from parallel transport, and detail their interrelationships. This provides an opportunity to revisit some classic material from a geometric point of view, including Einstein-Cartan theory, the Sciama-Kibble formalism, and the Belinfante-Rosenfeld relation, whose derivation in the mostly pluses signature would seem to not be otherwise readily available.

I introduce the Universal Algorithm (UA) as a geometric correction to Friedmann dynamics in a homogeneous and isotropic FLRW spacetime. The UA is modeled by a scalar term U (t) with the same dimension as H 2 , replacing Λ without invoking a dark-energy fluid. The minimal ansatz U = αH 2 (α dimensionless) already yields late-time acceleration for 0.6 < α < 1. Crucially, I show that observations at cosmological distances can be reinterpreted through a Topological Optical Effect: light propagates along geodesics of an effective geometry that includes the tangent dimension encoded by U , producing an apparent acceleration (a geometric "mirage"). This reinterpretation alleviates the "young and massive galaxies" crisis seen with JWST by increasing the real cosmic time available for structure formation relative to the time inferred from H eff. I outline observational consequences and consistency with Bianchi identities.

The dynamics of particles in a gravitational field is investigated using Lagrange mechanics. Dynamic equations are obtained, including the rate of energy and momentum transfer to the gravitational field. The motion of particles in the Schwarzschild field is considered and, in the case of weak gravitation, it is determined the passive gravitational mass of a photon and a massive particle under condition of the relationship between the gravitational potential and its velocity α/r << V 2 /c 2. The active gravitational mass is found for the system special case of two identical bodies moving in opposite directions.

The Curvature-Activation Link (MRAH II) formalizes the idea that physical laws are not instantaneously absolute, but gradually activated in an environment-dependent manner. The activation field A ∈ [0, 1] quantifies law effectiveness: A → 1 restores Einstein's equations and ΛCDM, while A < 1 encodes incomplete activation. Through six equations (E1-E6), activation is tied to curvature, density, and cosmic time, providing a unified, falsifiable explanation for key anomalies: the Hubble tension, the S 8 lensing suppression, BAO scale shifts, CMB anomalies, and environmental differences in star formation. This framework is directly testable with weak lensing, galaxy counts, HI surveys, CMB, and SFH data. It complements ΛCDM rather than replacing it, offering a bridge between quantum persistence in voids and classical stability in clusters.
Cosmology, ACDM, Hubble tension, S8 tension, Cosmic voids, Curvature, Activation field, Black Paper Hypothesis, Dark energy alternatives, Quantum vs classical.

In this work, I have formulated the chaotic inflation theory in the context of Starobinsky gravity, quadratic and quartic potential scenarios are considered. It is shown that the slow roll parameters at Hubble exit are dependent on theory parameters in a complicated manner, on Starobinsky gravity parameter, α, and on inflaton field potential parameter m /λ, this leads to theory parameters dependent tensor to scalar ratio and spectral indices.

The Planck nominal mission cosmic microwave background (CMB) maps yield unprecedented constraints on primordial non-Gaussianity (NG). Using three optimal bispectrum estimators, separable template-fitting (KSW), binned, and modal, we obtain consistent values for the primordial local, equilateral, and orthogonal bispectrum amplitudes, quoting as our final result f local NL = 2.7 ± 5.8, f equil NL = -42 ± 75, and f ortho NL = -25 ± 39 (68% CL statistical). Non-Gaussianity is detected in the data; using skew-C statistics we find a nonzero bispectrum from residual point sources, and the integrated-Sachs-Wolfe-lensing bispectrum at a level expected in the ΛCDM scenario. The results are based on comprehensive crossvalidation of these estimators on Gaussian and non-Gaussian simulations, are stable across component separation techniques, pass an extensive suite of tests, and are confirmed by skew-C , wavelet bispectrum and Minkowski functional estimators. Beyond estimates of individual shape amplitudes, we present model-independent, three-dimensional reconstructions of the Planck CMB bispectrum and thus derive constraints on early-Universe scenarios that generate primordial NG, including general single-field models of inflation, excited initial states (non-Bunch-Davies vacua), and directionally-dependent vector models. We provide an initial survey of scale-dependent feature and resonance models. These results bound both general single-field and multi-field model parameter ranges, such as the speed of sound, c s ≥ 0.02 (95% CL), in an effective field theory parametrization, and the curvaton decay fraction r D ≥ 0.15 (95% CL). The Planck data significantly limit the viable parameter space of the ekpyrotic/cyclic scenarios. The amplitude of the four-point function in the local model τ NL < 2800 (95% CL). Taken together, these constraints represent the highest precision tests to date of physical mechanisms for the origin of cosmic structure.

After many years of speculation, recent observations have confirmed the association of gamma-ray bursts with core-collapse supernova explosions from massive stars. This association carries with it important consequences. The burst relativistic jet has to propagate through the cold dense stellar material before it reaches the transparency radius and the burst photons are produced. This propagation is likely to affect the initial properties of the jet, shaping it and changing its energy composition. The variability injected at the base of the jet is also likely to be erased by the jet-star interaction. Despite this, GRBs seem to have remarkably predictable properties once the radiative phase sets in, as emphasized by the recent discovery of several tight correlation between spectral, geometric and energetic properties of the jet. In this contribution we discuss the jet interaction with the star, emphasizing its time-dependent properties and the resulting energy distribution. We finally emphasize the surprising predictability of jet and radiation properties outside the star and underline its implication for standardizing the GRB candle.

This paper presents a formalism for bimetric global and local time within the framework of teleparallel gravity, introducing dual metric-tetrad pairs to enforce time symmetry and account for torsional distortions. Global chronographic time is governed by cancellation identities that maintain balance between two spin-2 fields, preventing net drift, while local intrinsic proper time exhibits elasticity due to torsion and curvature effects, explaining subjective time dilation phenomena. An operator algebra is developed, including time-shift and proper-time evolution operators, chronographic constraints, and balance projectors, derived variationally from a minisuperspace action. Cosmological implications are explored, such as modeling accelerated expansion without a cosmological constant, biharmonic proton entanglement, and superluminous phase propagation that respects causality. Observational pathways include phase shifts in gravitational waves and torsion-modulated signals. A numerical scheme on a lattice is detailed, with symplectic integration, validation tests for constraint satisfaction and convergence, and an MPI/GPU execution plan to simulate chronographic balance and superluminous effects. The formalism bridges theoretical bimetric gravity with testable predictions in cosmology and astrophysics.

The Higgs Gravitation-Sensitive Transition (HGST) model explores the idea that today’s cosmic acceleration can arise without a fundamental cosmological constant. Instead, the Standard-Model Higgs field undergoes a geometry-conditioned phase transition: nucleation of true-vacuum domains is allowed only inside a narrow near-critical window of very low curvature (e.g., deep cosmic voids). Outside that window the dynamics revert exactly to GR/ΛCDM, with no extra propagating degrees of freedom and gravitational-wave speed unchanged (cₜ=1). The phenomenology is therefore tightly localized in time and environment, and it leaves testable, differential signatures—sharper void lensing profiles (κ, γₜ), a differential ISW imprint around the activation epoch, and brief, bounded departures in late-time growth observables that vanish off-window.
At an effective level the transition can be summarized by a filling fraction of converted regions and a vacuum-energy contrast between false and true vacua; taken together, these reproduce a quasi-Λ background with short, controlled excursions in the effective equation-of-state of the background expansion as a function of redshift, while remaining anchored to GR elsewhere. The model is falsifiable with stacked void profiles, CMB-lensing/ISW cross-correlations, and late-time growth data.
About versions. This V2.1.1 manuscript is a formal, specialist presentation (derivations, gauges, inference workflow). A more descriptive exposition intended for a broad audience is available on Zenodo under HGST V2.0 (full “Extended” version) and as a shorter Research Note; readers seeking an overview with minimal formalism may prefer those companion documents.

This paper presents a comprehensive framework for estimating the population and properties of particles within the observable universe. The methodology synthesizes the Standard Model of Particle Physics with the Lambda-Cold Dark Matter (ΛCDM) cosmological model, leveraging key observational data from the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), large-scale structure surveys, and high-energy astrophysics. We establish that the observable universe is dominated by components that cannot be directly counted: dark energy (∼68%) and dark matter (∼27%). The remaining ∼5% of the mass-energy budget consists of baryonic matter, which is itself outnumbered by relic photons and neutrinos from the Big Bang by orders of magnitude. We provide detailed calculations for estimating the abundance of long-lived particle species: approximately 10⁸⁰ protons and neutrons, a comparable number of electrons, 10⁸⁹ photons, and 10⁸⁹ neutrinos. The framework explicitly addresses the challenge of counting dark matter particles, presenting estimates contingent upon their hypothetical properties (e.g., Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs)), and clarifies why dark energy is not a particulate substance and thus falls outside this inventory. Beyond mere enumeration, this review discusses the spatial distribution, energy spectra, and temporal evolution of these particle populations. We conclude by highlighting the profound implications of these findings-namely, that the matter constituting stars, planets, and life is an exceptionally rare constituent of the cosmos-and outline the future observational and experimental advancements necessary to refine this cosmic census. This work serves as a primer at the intersection of cosmology and particle physics, providing a structured approach to quantifying the fundamental contents of the universe.

This paper presents a comprehensive framework for harmonic resonance architectures within black hole interior metrics, incorporating golden ratio couplings in a teleparallel gravity extension augmented by bimetric structures and electromagnetic interactions. Drawing on fiber bundle geometry with SO(3,1) ⊗ U(1) gauge groups, topological quantization conditions, and a Lagrangian density that includes torsion-EM couplings and golden ratio-modulated terms, we derive field equations governing gravito-torsional and electromagnetic sectors. A three-band partition mechanism facilitates spectral cascades and fractal beta functions, leading to quantum effects such as photon mass generation via vacuum expectation values and torsion-defect quantization. Critical phenomena are characterized by golden ratio exponents for correlation lengths, order parameters, and susceptibility, satisfying hyperscaling relations at a fixed point with fractal dimension. Holographic correspondences yield central charges and scaling dimensions proportional to the golden ratio, with entanglement entropy scaling logarithmically with correlation lengths. The analysis extends to layered black hole interiors modeled as concentric spherically symmetric regions with distinct equations of state, where adiabatic perturbations obey covariant wave equations, yielding resonance spectra, quality factors, and interlayer beat frequencies through junction conditions and WKB approximations. Back-reaction effects from teleparallel perturbations shift resonant frequencies, enabling comparative insights with terrestrial frequency structures in optomechanics and cavity resonances. Experimental signatures, including torsion-EM resonances in GHz-THz regimes, golden ratio birefringence in gamma-ray bursts, and fractal CMB fluctuations, are proposed, alongside future directions in AdS/CFT realizations and non-perturbative quantization.

We study an effective 4-dimensional scalar-tensor field theory, originated from an underlying brane-bulk warped geometry, to explore the scenario of inflation. It is shown that the inflaton potential naturally emerges from the radion energy-momentum tensor which in turn results into an inflationary model of the Universe on the visible brane that is consistent with the recent results from the Planck's experiment. The dynamics of modulus stabilization from the inflaton rolling condition is demonstrated. The implications of our results in the context of recent BICEP2 results are also discussed.

The International X-ray Observatory (IXO) is a joint ESA-JAXA-NASA effort to address fundamental and timely questions in astrophysics: What happens close to a black hole? How did supermassive black holes grow? How does large scale structure form? What is the connection between these processes? To address these questions IXO will employ optics with 3 sq m collecting area and 5 arc sec angular resolution -20 times more collecting area at 1 keV than any previous Xray observatory. Focal plane instruments will deliver a 100-fold increase in effective area for highresolution spectroscopy, deep spectral imaging over a wide field of view, unprecedented polarimetric sensitivity, microsecond spectroscopic timing, and high count rate capability. The mission is being planned for launch in 2021 to an L2 orbit, with a five-year lifetime and consumables for 10 years.

The success of the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission depends on the accurate measurement of the magnetic field on all four spacecraft. To ensure this success, two independently designed and built fluxgate magnetometers were developed, avoiding single-point failures. The magnetometers were dubbed the digital fluxgate (DFG), which uses an ASIC implementation and was supplied by the Space Research Institute of the Austrian Academy of Sciences and the analogue magnetometer (AFG) with a more traditional circuit board design supplied by the

This paper proposes a unified cosmological framework grounded in pressure driven gravity, in which gravitational effects arise from pressure gradients within a compressible, superfluid-like quantum vacuum. By modelling the vacuum as a Bose-Einstein–like condensate of axion-like particles, the framework provides a testable mechanism for the emergence of cosmic structure, cosmic expansion and apparent dark energy like behaviour without invoking exotic new fields or a cosmological constant. The theory offers a hydrodynamic reinterpretation of the gravitational interaction, supported by analogies to superfluid helium vortex dynamics and laboratory Bose-Einstein condensate phonon dispersion. In addition to developing the mathematical and relativistic formalism, this work presents experimental and observational tests, including gravitational wave dispersion and laboratory analogues, that could validate or falsify the pressure-driven paradigm. This approach aims to unify structure formation, cosmic acceleration, and quantum vacuum effects in a coherent, falsifiable and conceptually simpler gravitational theory.

An optically accessible Taylor-Couette flow has been setup to enable experimental investigation of the influence of surface finish and roughness on the transfer of momentum between the wall and the bulk flow. Details of this facility and flow characterisation are presented, demonstrating the ability to explore flow regimes from laminar Taylor vortices to featureless turbulence.

The study of large scale structure (LSS) of the Universe has entered a precision era due to all-sky surveys and numerical simulations. The new data has provided a way to bring new methods to bear to analyze the cosmology as probed by large scale structure. We use wavelet packets to investigate fractal point-processes on galactic scales. In particular, we develop a method to calculate the angular fractal dimension of galaxy distributions as a function of cosmological comoving distance. Taking advantage of the self-similarity and localization properties of discrete wavelets, we compute the angular fractal dimension of galaxies in narrow redshift bins. The narrow bins assure that dynamical evolution in the range being studied has not occurred to a significant extent. We use both real and simulated data from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) and the Mock Galaxy Catalogs produced by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Using the wavelet packet power spectrum, we find areas in the galaxy distribution which have power law like behavior indicating fractal processes are present. The exponent of the power law is the Hurst exponent H, which is directly related to the fractal dimension of spatial point processes. We find the fractal dimension ranges from D = 1.1 to D = 1.4 for BOSS Galaxies while it ranges from D = 1.4 to D = 1.8 for Mock Galaxy Catalogs. The results are mildly dependent on the number of galaxies present in each redshift bin and less so on the resolution at which the data is binned. We conclude that this method can be used to characterize large scale structure and its evolution as a function of redshift. There are hints that the galaxy distribution may be fractal at higher redshifts than previously reported, however more data is necessary before a firmer conclusion is reached.