Cosmoparticle Physics of Dark Universe

The physics of the dark Universe goes beyond the standard model (BSM) of fundamental interactions. The now-standard cosmology involves inflation, baryosynthesis and dark matter/energy corresponding to BSM physics. Cosmoparticle physics offers cross disciplinary study of the fundamental relationship of cosmology and particle physics in the combination of its physical, astrophysical and cosmological signatures. Methods of cosmoparticle physics in studies of BSM physics in its relationship with inevitably nonstandard features of dark universe cosmology are discussed. In the context of these methods, such exotic phenomena as primordial black holes, antimatter stars in baryon asymmetrical Universe or multi-charged constituents of nuclear interacting atoms of composite dark matter play the role of sensitive probes for BSM models and their parameters.

Are There Inclusive, Accessible Reference Tools for the Post-Pandemic Era?

Attempts to integrate the twain (i.e., social justice [SJ] and civic engagement [CE]) are slowly emerging. This chapter critically explores the tools for inclusivity and engagement -- to facilitate developing digital literacies for an integrated program. Among the roles of LAM, such as, literacy, collaboration, outreach, advocacy, etc. this chapter deals with digital literacies -- the aim is to reduce the digital divide between haves and have-nots. The digital divide became most obvious during COVID-19, and therefore this dimension is the focus. The method adopted is a semi-automated strategy to support a rationale for analysis and validation of its findings. Strongly recommends the need to conduct COVID-19's impacted digital exclusion areas -- with due consideration for the work done at New Literacies Research Lab at the University of Connecticut. A combined quantitative and qualitative assessment will be required to remove the digital inequalities.. An innovative approach for data visualization is provided. It is a faceted technique developed by Dr. S R Ranganathan (viz., PMEST – personality, matter, energy, space, and time).

Discretization and degeometrization: A new relational quantum physics and an alternate path to quantum gravity

A novel quantum mechanical framework in discrete space and time leads to the derivation of the relativistic energy equation and a potential path toward quantum gravity. A unique approach to geometry is also derived where pregeometric points containing intrinsic compactified geometries generate a topologically 4D cosmos with a local dynamical 3D geometry. An interpretation of the quantum mechanics wavefunction is considered as longitudinal density waves traveling through dynamical pregeometric points. Similarly, general relativity can be described as density variations of the pregeometric points caused by matter-energy distribution. A primordial quantum (Higgs) field emerging at the big bang that generates all the other quantum fields is considered. A four-dimensional structure of black holes, and dark matter and energy are discussed.

Bulk entropy is crucial to validate the second law of the extended black hole thermodynamics

The extended black hole thermodynamics in which the cosmological constant plays the role of pressure significantly enriches the phase structure of the theory. In order to understand the extended black hole thermodynamics more precisely, we let the value of the cosmological constant vary dynamically via tunneling from one vacuum to another in a black hole induced vacuum decay. In this process, entropy of the matter/energy released by a black hole is crucial to validate the second law of thermodynamics. In other words, without taking this bulk entropy into account, entropy associated with the black hole and cosmological horizons may not always increase. Since the bulk entropy is not represented by the black hole and the cosmological horizons, this result calls for a more careful interpretation of the holographic principle in which environmental effects are taken into account.

Fermionic singlet dark matter in one-loop solutions to the $$R_K$$ anomaly: a systematic study

We study the dark matter phenomenology of Standard Model extensions addressing the reported anomaly in the $$R_K$$ R K observable at one-loop. The article covers the case of fermionic singlet DM coupling leptophilically, quarkphilically or amphiphilically to the SM. The setup utilizes a large coupling of the new particle content to the second lepton generation to explain the $$R_K$$ R K anomaly, which in return tends to diminish the dark matter relic density. Further, dark matter direct detection experiments provide stringent bounds even in cases where the dark matter candidate only contributes a small fraction of the observed dark matter energy density. In fact, direct detection rules out all considered models as an explanation for the $$R_K$$ R K anomaly in the case of Dirac dark matter. Conversely, for Majorana dark matter, the $$R_K$$ R K anomaly can be addressed in agreement with direct detection in coannihilation scenarios. For leptophilic dark matter this region only exists for $$M_\text {DM} \lesssim 1000 \, \mathrm {GeV}$$ M DM ≲ 1000 GeV and dark matter is underabundant. Quarkphilic and amphiphilic scenarios even provide narrow regions of parameter space where the observed relic density can be reproduced while offering an explanation to $$R_K$$ R K in agreement with direct detection experiments.

Einstein Versus Bohr on Reality

Ontology is integral to the two most fundamental scientific theories of the twentieth century: quantum theory and the special and general theories of relativity. Issues that drove the development of quantum theory include the reality of quanta, the simultaneous wave- and particle-like nature of matter and energy, determinism, probability and randomness, Schrodinger’s wave equation, and Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle. So did the reality of the predictions about space, time, matter, energy, and the universe itself that were deduced from the special and general theories of relativity. Dirac’s prediction of antimatter based solely on the mathematics of his theory of the electron and Pauli’s prediction of the neutrino based on his belief in quantum mechanics are cases in point. Ontological interpretations of the uncertainty principle, of quantum vacuum energy fields, and of Schrodinger’s probability waves in the form of multiple universe theories further illustrate this point.

A Diagnosis of Students’ Misconceptions of Photosynthesis and Plant Respiration

This study aims to identify common misconceptions about photosynthesis and plant respiration among Form Four (Grade 10) students by developing two-tier multiple-choice test questions. This descriptive survey research was carried out using a quantitative approach, with 500 study samples. The items in Photosynthesis and Plant Respiration Diagnostic Test (PRDT) was designed in two parts; Part One tested the students’ knowledge of concepts, and Part Two tested the students’ understanding and reasoning. Rasch analysis was used to obtain the option probability curves for each item. The option probability curves present a visual image of the distribution of correct answers and misconceptions across the spectrum of student knowledge. The findings showed that students had 43 common misconceptions, which can be categorised into the inability to trace matter, energy as well as scale and location. The findings brought significant implications on the progress of the teaching and learning of Biology.

Dark Matter Sterile Neutrino from Scalar Decays

We place constraints on DM sterile neutrino scalar decay production (SDP) assuming that sterile neutrinos representa fraction from the total Cold Dark Matter energy density. For the cosmological analysis we complement the CMB anisotropy measurements with CMB lensing gravitational potential measurements, that are sensitive to the DM distribution to high redshifts and with the cosmic shear data that constrain the gravitational potential at lower redshifts than CMB. We also use the most recent low-redshift BAO measurements that are insensitive to the non-linear effects, providing robust geometrical tests. We show that our datasets have enough sensitivity to constrain the sterile neutrino mass mνs and the mass fraction fS inside the co-moving free-streaming horizon. We find that the best fit value mνs=7.88±0.73 keV (68% CL) is in the parameter space of interest for DM sterile neutrino decay interpretation of the 3.5 keV X-ray line and that fS=0.86±0.07 (68% CL) is in agreement with the upper limit constraint on fS from the X-ray non-detection and Ly-α forest measurements that rejects fS=1 at 3σ. However, we expect that the future BAO and weak lensing surveys, such as EUCLID, will provide much more robust constraints.