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The phenomenon of magnification bias can induce a non-negligible angular correlation between two samples of galaxies with nonoverlapping redshift distributions. This signal is particularly clear when background submillimeter galaxies are used, and has been shown to constitute an independent cosmological probe. This work extends prior studies on the submillimeter galaxy magnification bias to the massive neutrino scenario, with the aim being to assess its sensitivity as a cosmological observable to the sum of neutrino masses. The measurements of the angular cross-correlation function between moderate redshift GAMA galaxies and high-redshift submillimeter H-ATLAS galaxies are fit to the weak lensing prediction down to the arcmin scale. The signal is interpreted under the halo model, which is modified to accommodate massive neutrinos. We discuss the impact of the choice of cosmological parametrization on the sensitivity to neutrino masses. The currently available data on the magnification bias affecting submillimeter galaxies are sensitive to neutrino masses when a cosmological parametrization in terms of the primordial amplitude of the power spectrum $(A_s$) is chosen over the local root mean square of smoothed linear density perturbations $(\sigma_8$). A clear upper limit on the sum of neutrino masses can be derived if the value of $A_s$ is either fixed or assigned a narrow Gaussian prior, a behavior that is robust against changes to the chosen value., Comment: Accepted in A&A

Gravitational lensing is a powerful tool for studying the distribution of mass in the Universe. Understanding the magnification bias effect in gravitational lensing and its impact on the flux of sub-millimetre galaxies (SMGs) is crucial for accurate interpretations of observational data. This study aims to investigate the magnification bias effect and analyse the mass density profiles of different types of foreground lenses, including quasi-stellar objects, galaxies, and clusters. The specific goals are to compare the lens types, assess the impact of angular resolution on the analysis, and determine the adequacy of theoretical mass density profiles in explaining the observed data, using four different theoretical mass density profiles. The magnification bias was estimated using the cross-correlation function between the positions of background SMGs and foreground lens samples. Stacking techniques were employed to enhance the signal at smaller angular separations, and the more precise positions from the WISE catalogue were utilised to improve positional accuracy. The cross-correlation measurements revealed distinctive central excess and outer power-law profiles, with a lack of signal in the intermediate region. The analysis of mass density profiles indicated limitations in the selected profiles' ability to explain the observed data, highlighting the need for additional considerations. The results suggest the presence of isolated galactic halos and the importance of considering environmental factors and close satellites in future investigations. The derived masses and best-fit parameters contribute to our understanding of lensing systems and provide constraints on the nature of central galaxies. Notably, the intriguing lack of signal around 10 arcsec challenges current understanding and calls for further quantitative analysis and confirmation of the observed feature.

Recovering the polarized cosmic microwave background (CMB) is crucial for shading light on Cosmic Inflation. Methods with different characteristics should be developed and optimized. We aim to use a neural network called CENN and train it for recovering the E and B modes of the CMB. We train the network with realistic simulations of 256x256 pixel squared patches at 100, 143 and 217 GHz Planck channels, which contain the CMB, thermal dust, synchrotron, PS and noise. We make several trainings sets: 30, 25 and 20 arcmin resolution patches at the same position in the sky. After being trained, CENN is able to recover the CMB signal at 143 GHz in Q and U patches. Then, we use NaMaster for estimating the EE and BB power spectrum for each input and output patches in the test dataset, as well as the difference between input and output power spectra and the residuals. We also test the methodology using a different foreground model at 5 arcmin resolution without noise. We recover the E-mode generally founding residuals bellow the input signal at all scales. In particular, we found a value of about 0.1 muK2 at l<200, decreasing below 0.01 muK2 at smaller scales. For the B-mode, we similarly recover the CMB with residuals between 0.01 and 0.001 muK2. We also train the network with 5 arcmin Planck simulations without noise, obtaining clearly better results with respect the previous cases. For a different foreground model, the recovery is similar, although B-mode residuals increase above the input signal. In general, we found that, the network performs better when training with the same resolution used for testing. Based on the results, CENN seems to be a promising for recovering both E and B modes at sub-degree scales in ground-base experiments such as POLARBEAR, SO and CMB-S4. Once extending its applicability at all sky, it could be an alternative component separation method for LiteBIRD satellite., Comment: 11 pages, 10 figures, Submitted to A&A

The definition of a consistent evolution equation for statistical hybrid quantum-classical systems is still an open problem. In this paper we analyze the case of Ehrenfest dynamics on systems defined by a probability density and identify the relations of the non-linearity of the dynamics with the obstructions to define a consistent dynamics for the first quantum moment of the distribution. This first quantum moment represents the physical states as a family of classically-parametrized density matrices $\hat \rho(\xi)$, for $\xi$ a classical point; and it is the most common representation of hybrid systems in the literature. Due to this obstruction, we consider higher order quantum moments, and argue that only a finite number of them are physically measurable. Because of this, we propose an effective solution for the hybrid dynamics problem based on approximating the distribution by those moments and representing the states by them., Comment: 21 pages. Minor correction in the list of affiliations

We generalize the Hamiltonian picture of General Relativity coupled to classical matter, known as geometrodynamics, to the case where such matter is described by a Quantum Field Theory in Curved Spacetime, but gravity is still described by a classical metric tensor field over a spatial hypersurface and its associated momentum. Thus, in our approach there is no non-dynamic background structure, apart from the manifold of events, and the gravitational and quantum degrees of freedom have their dynamics inextricably coupled. Given the Hamiltonian natureof the framework, we work with the generators of hypersurface deformations over the manifold of quantum states. The construction relies heavily on the differential geometry of a fibration of the set of quantum states over the set of gravitational variables. An important feature of this work is the use of Gaussian measures over the space of matter fields and of Hida distributions to define a common superspace to all possible Hilbert spaces with different measures, to properly characterize the Schrodinger wave functional picture of QFT in curved spacetime. This allows us to relate states within different Hilbert spaces in the case of vacuum states or measures that depend on the gravitational degrees of freedom, as the ones associated to Ashtekar's complex structure. This is achieved through the inclusion of a quantum Hermitian connection for the fibration, which will have profound physical implications. The most remarkable physical features of the construction are norm conservation of the quantum state (even if the total dynamics are non-unitary), the clear identification of the hybrid conserved quantities and the description of a dynamical backreaction of quantum matter on geometry and vice versa, which shall modify the physical properties the gravitational field would have in the absence of backreaction.

Based on Koopman formalism for classical statistical mechanics, we propose a formalism to define hybrid quantum-classical dynamical systems by defining (outer) automorphisms of the C*-algebra of hybrid operators and realizing them as linear transformations on the space of hybrid states. These hybrid states are represented as density matrices on the Hilbert space obtained from the hybrid C*-algebra by the GNS formalism. We also classify all possible dynamical systems which are unitary and obtain the possible hybrid Hamiltonian operators., Comment: 21 pages. Final version

This paper is the third in a series on submillimeter galaxy magnification bias, focusing on the tomographic scenario. It refines the methodology used to constrain the halo occupation distribution model and cosmological parameters within a flat $\Lambda$CDM model, using updated data. The study aims to optimize CPU time, explore strategies for analyzing different redshift bins, and assess the impact of excluding the GAMA15 field. The tomographic approach involves dividing the redshift range into bins and analyzing cross-correlation measurements between submillimeter and foreground galaxies. The results show good agreement between the mean-redshift and full model cases, with an increase in the minimum mass of lenses at higher redshifts. The inferred cosmological parameters have narrower posterior distributions, indicating reduced measurement uncertainties compared to previous studies. Excluding the GAMA15 field reduces the cross-correlation signal, suggesting sample variance within the large-scale structure. Extending the redshift range improves robustness against sample variance and produces similar but tighter constraints. The study highlights the importance of sample variance and redshift binning in tomographic analyses, and suggests using additional wide-area fields and updated foreground catalogues for more effective implementation., Comment: This work is the third of a series of three. 17 pages and 19 figures. Accepted A&A

The measurement of the cross-correlation function is crucial to assess magnification bias in galaxy surveys. Previous works used mini-tile subsampling, but accurately determining the integral constraint (IC) correction for unbiased estimation is challenging due to various factors. We present a new methodology for estimating the cross-correlation function, utilizing full field area and reducing statistical uncertainty. Covariance matrices were estimated by dividing each field into at least five patches using a k-mean clustering algorithm. Robustness was assessed by comparing spectroscopic and photometric lens samples, yielding compatible results. Cross-correlation and auto-correlation analyses in the GAMA fields revealed a stronger signal in GAMA15, likely due to rare large-scale structure combinations. Our findings highlight the robustness of the new methodology and suggest sample-specific effects. Subsequent papers in this series will explore other aspects of magnification bias and address potential biases from the GAMA15 signal on cosmological parameter constraints., Comment: This work contains the methodological details of the magnification bias cross-correlation function (It is the first of a series of three) . 14 pages, 9 figures

Constraining the polarisation properties of extragalactic point sources is a relevant task not only because they are one of the main contaminants for primordial cosmic microwave background B-mode detection if the tensor-to-scalar ratio is lower than r = 0.001, but also for a better understanding of the properties of radio-loud active galactic nuclei. We develop and train a machine learning model based on a convolutional neural network to learn how to estimate the polarisation flux density and angle of point sources embedded in cosmic microwave background images knowing only their positions. To train the neural network, we use realistic simulations of patches of area 32x32 pixels at the 217 GHz Planck channel with injected point sources at their centres. The patches also contain a realistic background composed by dust, the CMB and instrumental noise. Firstly, we study the comparison between true and estimated polarisation flux densities for P, Q and U. Secondly, we analyse the comparison between true and estimated polarisation angles. Finally, we study the performance of our model with real data and we compare our results against the PCCS2. We obtain that our model is reliable to constrain the polarisation flux above 80 mJy. For this limit, we obtain errors lower than 30%. Training the same network with Q and U, the reliability limit is above +-250 mJy for determining the polarisation angle of both Q and U sources with a 1sigma uncertainty of +-29deg and +-32deg for Q and U sources respectively. We obtain similar results to the PCCS2 for some sources, although we also find discrepancies in the 300-400 mJy flux density range with respect to the Planck catalogue. Based on these results, our model seems to be a promising tool to give estimations of the polarisation flux densities and angles of point sources above 80 mJy in any catalogue with practically null computational time., Comment: 9 pages, 9 Figures. Forthcoming article Astronomy & Astrophysics journal

This letter is about confinement in QCD. At the moment we have pictures of confinement to complete our understanding of the physics of strongly interacting particles, interaction which asks for confinement. As it is said in [1] : " In principle it should be possible to derive the confinement hypothesis from the QCD Lagrangian. At this time, no rigorous derivation exists, so it is not absolutely clear that the confinement hypothesis is a bone fide prediction of QCD" . In this letter we show that a sufficient (of course not necessary) condition for confinement is that topological structure of vacuum in Nature does not correspond to the $\theta$-vacuum. Therefore, if different vacua with nontrivial winding number cannot be connected by tunneling, we obtain confinement as a consequence., Comment: 10 pages

In this work, we want to exploit the magnification bias of the SMGs using two different foreground samples, quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) and galaxies. Our aim is to study and compare their mass density profiles and estimate their masses and concentrations. The background SMG sample consists of objects observed by \textit{Herschel} with 1.2

Component separation is the process with which emission sources in astrophysical maps are generally extracted by taking multi-frequency information into account. It is crucial to develop more reliable methods for component separation for future CMB experiments. We aim to develop a new method based on fully convolutional neural networks called the Cosmic microwave background Extraction Neural Network (CENN) in order to extract the CMB signal in total intensity. The frequencies used are the Planck channels 143, 217 and 353 GHz. We validate the network at all sky, and at three latitude intervals: lat1=0^{\circ}

Aims. The main goal of this paper is to derive observational constraints on the halo mass fuction (HMF) by performing a tomographic analysis of the magnification bias signal on a sample of background submillimeter galaxies. The results can then be compared with those from a non-tomographic study. Methods. We measure the cross-correlation function between a sample of foreground GAMA galaxies with spectroscopic redshifts in the range $0.1 < z < 0.8$ (and divided up into four bins) and a sample of background submillimeter galaxies from H-ATLAS with photometric redshifts in the range $1.2 < z < 4.0$. We model the weak lensing signal within the halo model formalism and carry out a Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm to obtain the posterior distribution of all HMF parameters, which we assume to follow the Sheth and Tormen (ST) three-parameter and two-parameter fits. Results. While the observational constraints on the HMF from the non-tomographic analysis are not stringent, there is a remarkable improvement in terms of uncertainty reduction when tomography is adopted. Moreover, with respect to the traditional ST triple of values from numerical simulations, the results from the three-parameter fit predict a higher number density of halos at masses below $10^{12}M_{\odot}/h$ at 95% credibility. The two-parameter fit yields even more restricting results, with a larger number density of halos below $10^{13}M_{\odot}/h$ and a lower one above $10^{14}M_{\odot}/h$, this time at more than 3$\sigma$ credibility. Our results are therefore in disagreement with the standard N-body values for the ST fit at 2$\sigma$ and 3$\sigma$, respectively.

In this work we want to study the average mass density profile of tens to hundreds of clusters of galaxies acting as lenses that produce a magnification bias on the SMGs, and to estimate their associated masses and concentrations for different richness ranges. The background sample is composed of SMGs observed by Herschel with 1.2

Point Source (PS) detection is an important issue for future Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) experiments since they are one of the main contaminants to the recovery of CMB signal at small scales. Improving its multifrequency detection would allow to take into account valuable information otherwise neglected when extracting PS using a channel-by-channel approach. We develop a method based on Neural Networks (NNs) to detect PS in multifrequency realistic simulations and compare its performance against one of the most popular methods, the matrix filters. The frequencies used are 143, 217 and 353 GHz and we impose a Galactic cut of 30 degrees. We produce simulations by adding contaminating signals to the PS maps as the CMB, the Cosmic Infrared Background, the Galactic thermal emission, the thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect and the instrumental noise. These simulations are used to train two NNs called Flat and Spectral MultiPoSeIDoN. The first one considers PS with a flat spectrum and the second one is more realistic because it takes into account the spectral behavior of the PS. Using a detection limit of 60 mJy, Flat MultiPoSeIDoN reachs the 90% of completeness level at 58 mJy and at 79, 71 and 60 for the spectral case at 143, 217 and 353 GHz respectively, while the matrix filters reach it at 84, 79 and 123 mJy. Using safer 4{\sigma} detection limit does not help to improve these results. In all cases, MultiPoSeIDoN obtain a much lower number of spurious sources than the filter. The NNs recover the flux density of the detections with a relative error of 10% above 100 mJy, while the filter above 150 mJy. Based on the results, NNs are the perfect candidates to substitute filters to detect multifrequency PS in future CMB experiments. Moreover, we have shown that a multifrequency approach can detect sources with higher accuracy than single-frequency approaches also based on NNs., Comment: Forthcoming article Astronomy and Astrophysics since 23 November 2021. Received: 26 July 2021 / Accepted: 05 November 2021

As in Gonzalez-Nuevo et al. 2017 and Bonavera et al. 2019, the high-z sub-millimetre galaxies can be used as background sample for gravitational lensing studies thanks to their magnification bias. In particular, as in Bonavera et al. 2020 the magnification bias can be exploited in order to constrain the free parameters of a Halo Occupation Distribution (HOD) model and some of the main cosmological parameters. In this work the magnification bias has been evaluated as cosmological tool in a tomographic set up. The cross-correlation function (CCF) data have been used to jointly constrain the astrophysical parameters $M_{min}$, $M_{1}$ and $\alpha$ in each one of the selected redshift bins and the $\Omega_{M}$, $\sigma_{8}$, and $H_0$ cosmological ones ($\Lambda$CDM). Moreover, we explore the possible time evolution of the dark energy density introducing also the $\omega_0, \omega_a$ parameters in the joint analysis ($\omega_0$CDM and $\omega_0\omega_a$CDM). The CCF has been measured between a foreground spectroscopic sample of GAMA galaxies that has been divided into four redshift bins (0.1-0.2, 0.2-0.3, 0.3-0.5 and 0.5-0.8) and a sample of H-ATLAS galaxies with photometric redshifts >1.2. The CCF is modelled using a description that depends on HOD and cosmological parameters that are estimated with MCMC in different cases. For the $\Lambda$CDM model, the analysis yields a maximum posterior value at 0.26 with $[0.17,0.41]$ 68\% C.I. for $\Omega_M$ and at 0.87 with $[0.75,1]$ 68\% C.I. for $\sigma_8$. With our current results $H_0$ is not yet constrained. With the $\omega_0$CDM model, the constraints on $\Omega_M$ and $\sigma_8$ are similar, but we found a maximum posterior value for $\omega_0$ at -1 with $[-1.56, -0.47]$ 68\% C.I. In the $\omega_0\omega_a$CDM model, the results are -1.09 with $[-1.72, -0.66]$ 68\% C.I. for $\omega_0$ and -0.19 with $[-1.88, 1.48]$ 68\% C.I. for $\omega_a$., Comment: accepted A&A

Ultrathin passive films effectively prevent the chemical attack of stainless steel grades in corrosive environments; their stability critically depends on the interplay between structure and chemistry of the constituents Fe-Cr-Mo. In particular, nanoscale inhomogeneities along the surface can have a tremendous impact on material failure, but are yet barely understood. Addressing a stainless-type glass-forming Fe50Cr15Mo14C15B6 alloy and utilizing a combination of complementary high-resolution analytical techniques, we relate near-atomistic insight into different gradual nanostructures with time- and element-resolved dissolution behavior. The progressive elemental segregation on the nanoscale is followed in its influence on the concomitant degree of passivity. A detrimental transition from Cr-controlled passivity to Mo-controlled breakdown is dissected atom-by-atom demonstrating the importance of nanoscale knowledge for understanding corrosion.

The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), whose final version AMS-02 is to be installed on the International Space Station (ISS) for at least 3 years, is a detector designed to measure charged cosmic ray spectra with energies up to the TeV region and with high energy photon detection capability up to a few hundred GeV. It is equipped with several subsystems, one of which is a proximity focusing RICH detector with a dual radiator (aerogel+NaF) that provides reliable measurements for particle velocity and charge. The assembly and testing of the AMS RICH is currently being finished and the full AMS detector is expected to be ready by the end of 2008. The RICH detector of AMS-02 is presented. Physics prospects are briefly discussed., Comment: 5 pages. Contribution to the 10th ICATPP Conference on Astroparticle, Particle, Space Physics, Detectors and Medical Physics Applications (Como 2007). Presenter: Rui Pereira

The AMS detector, to be installed on the International Space Station, includes a Ring Imaging Cerenkov detector with two different radiators, silica aerogel (n=1.05) and sodium fluoride (n=1.334). This detector is designed to provide very precise measurements of velocity and electric charge in a wide range of cosmic nuclei energies and atomic numbers. The detector geometry, in particular the presence of a reflector for acceptance purposes, leads to complex Cerenkov patterns detected in a pixelized photomultiplier matrix. The results of different reconstruction methods applied to test beam data as well as to simulated samples are presented. To ensure nominal performances throughout the flight, several detector parameters have to be carefully monitored. The algorithms developed to fulfill these requirements are presented. The velocity and charge measurements provided by the RICH detector endow the AMS spectrometer with precise particle identification capabilities in a wide energy range. The expected performances on light isotope separation are discussed., Comment: Contribution to the ICRC07, Merida, Mexico (2007); Presenter: F. Barao