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This article is dedicated to the use the MICROSCOPE mission's data to test chameleon theory of gravity. We take advantage of the technical sessions aimed to characterize the electrostatic stiffness of MICROSCOPE's instrument intrinsic to its capacitive measurement system. Any discrepancy between the expected and measured stiffness may result from unaccounted-for contributors, i.e., extra forces. This work considers the case of chameleon gravity as a possible contributor. It was previously shown that, in situations similar to these measurement sessions, a chameleon fifth force appears and acts as a stiffness for small displacements. The magnitude of this new component of the stiffness is computed over the chameleon's parameter space. It allows us to derive constraints by excluding any force inconsistent with the MICROSCOPE data. As expected---since MICROSCOPE was not designed for the purpose of such an analysis---these new bounds are not competitive with state-of-the-art constraints, but they could be improved by a better estimation of all effects at play in these sessions. Hence, our work illustrates this novel technique as a new way of constraining fifth forces.

This article describes the dynamics of a charge particle in a electromagnetic field in presence of a scalar fifth force. Focusing to the fifth force that would be induced by a chameleon field, the profile of which can be designed properly in the laboratory, it draws its physical effects on the cyclotron motion of a particle in a static and uniform magnetic field. The fifth force induces a drift of the trajectory that is estimated analytically and compared to numerical computations for profiles motivated by the ones of a chameleon field within two nested cylinders. The magnitude of the effect and the detectability of this drift are discussed to argue that this may offer a new experimental design to test small fifth force in the laboratory. More important, at the macroscopic level it induces a current that can in principle also be measured, and would even allow one to access the transverse profile of the scalar field within the cavity. In both cases, aligning the magnetic field with the local gravity field suppresses the effects of Newtonian gravity that would be several order larger than the ones of the fifth force otherwise and the Newtonian gravity of the cavity on the particle is also argued to be negligible. Given this insight, this experimental set-up, with its two effects -- on a single particle and at the macroscopic level -- may require attention to demonstrate its actual feasability in the laboratory., 16 pages, 21 figures

Primordial or big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) is one of the three historically strong evidences for the big bang model. Standard BBN is now a parameter-free theory, since the baryonic density of the Universe has been deduced with an unprecedented precision from observations of the anisotropies of the cosmic microwave background radiation. There is a good agreement between the primordial abundances of He4, D, He3, and Li7 deduced from observations and from primordial nucleosynthesis calculations. However, the Li7 calculated abundance is significantly higher than the one deduced from spectroscopic observations and remains an open problem. In addition, recent deuterium observations have drastically reduced the uncertainty on D/H, to reach a value of 1.6%. It needs to be matched by BBN predictions whose precision is now limited by thermonuclear reaction rate uncertainties. This is especially important as many attempts to reconcile Li observations with models lead to an increased D prediction. Here, we reevaluate the d(p,γ)He3, d(d,n)He3, and d(d,p)H3 reaction rates that govern deuterium destruction, incorporating new experimental data and carefully accounting for systematic uncertainties. Contrary to previous evaluations, we use theoretical ab initio models for the energy dependence of the S factors. As a result, these rates increase at BBN temperatures, leading to a reduced value of D/H=(2.45±0.10)×10-5 (2σ), in agreement with observations.

The Lorentzian metric structure used in any field theory allows one to implement the relativistic notion of causality and to define a notion of time dimension. This article investigates the possibility that at the microscopic level the metric is Riemannian, i.e. locally Euclidean, and that the Lorentzian structure, that we usually consider as fundamental, is in fact an effective property that emerges in some regions of a 4-dimensional space with a positive definite metric. In such a model, there is no dynamics nor signature flip across some hypersurface; instead, all the fields develop a Lorentzian dynamics in these regions because they propagate in an effective metric. It is shown that one can construct a decent classical field theory for scalars, vectors and (Dirac) spinors in flat spacetime. It is then shown that gravity can be included but that the theory for the effective Lorentzian metric is not general relativity but of the covariant Galileon type. The constraints arising from stability, the equivalence principle and the constancy of fundamental constants are detailed and a phenomenological picture of the emergence of the Lorentzian metric is also given. The construction, while restricted to classical fields in this article, offers a new view on the notion of time., 19 pages, 2 figures; published version

This article derives a multipolar hierarchy for the propagation of the weak-lensing shear and convergence in a general spacetime. The origin of B-modes, in particular on large angular scales, is related to the local isotropy of space. Known results assuming a Friedmann-Lema\^itre background are naturally recovered. The example of a Bianchi I spacetime illustrates our formalism and its implications for future observations are stressed., Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures. Replaced to match published version

We investigate the effect of a variation of fundamental constants on primordial element production in big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN). We focus on the effect of a possible change in the nucleon-nucleon interaction on nuclear reaction rates involving the $A=5$ ($^{5}\mathrm{Li}$ and $^{5}\mathrm{He}$) and $A=8$ ($^{8}\mathrm{Be}$) unstable nuclei. The reaction rates for $^{3}\mathrm{He}(\mathrm{d},\mathrm{p})^{4}\mathrm{He}$ and $^{3}\mathrm{H}(\mathrm{d},\mathrm{n})^{4}\mathrm{He}$ are dominated by the properties of broad analog resonances in $^{5}\mathrm{He}$ and $^{5}\mathrm{Li}$ compound nuclei, respectively. While the triple alpha process $^{4}\mathrm{He}(\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{\alpha},\ensuremath{\gamma})^{12}\mathrm{C}$ is normally not effective in BBN, its rate is very sensitive to the position of the ``Hoyle state'' and could in principle be drastically affected if $^{8}\mathrm{Be}$ were stable during BBN. The nuclear properties (resonance energies in $^{5}\mathrm{He}$ and $^{5}\mathrm{Li}$ nuclei, and the binding energies of $^{8}\mathrm{Be}$ and D) are all computed in a consistent way using a microscopic cluster model. The $\mathrm{n}(\mathrm{p},\ensuremath{\gamma})\mathrm{d}$, $^{3}\mathrm{He}(\mathrm{d},\mathrm{p})^{4}\mathrm{He}$, $^{3}\mathrm{H}(\mathrm{d},\mathrm{n})^{4}\mathrm{He}$, and $^{4}\mathrm{He}(\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{\alpha},\ensuremath{\gamma})^{12}\mathrm{C}$ reaction rates are subsequently calculated as a function of the nucleon-nucleon interaction that can be related to the fundamental constants. We found that the effect of the variation of constants on the $^{3}\mathrm{He}(\mathrm{d},\mathrm{p})^{4}\mathrm{He}$, $^{3}\mathrm{H}(\mathrm{d},\mathrm{n})^{4}\mathrm{He}$, and $^{4}\mathrm{He}(\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{\alpha},\ensuremath{\gamma})^{12}\mathrm{C}$ reaction rates is not sufficient to induce a significant effect on BBN, even if $^{8}\mathrm{Be}$ was stable. In particular, no significant production of carbon by the triple alpha reaction is found when compared to standard BBN. Finally, we complement our earlier work on the effect of coupled variation of fundamental constants inducing variations of the binding energy of deuterium, the Fermi constant, and the neutron--proton mass difference, that affect the weak rates and the $\mathrm{n}(\mathrm{p},\ensuremath{\gamma})\mathrm{d}$, $A=2$ bottleneck reaction.

This article provides a general study of the Hamiltonian stability and the hyperbolicity of vector field models involving both a general function of the Faraday tensor and its dual, $f(F^2,F\tilde F)$, as well as a Proca potential for the vector field, $V(A^2)$. In particular it is demonstrated that theories involving only $f(F^2)$ do not satisfy the hyperbolicity conditions. It is then shown that in this class of models, the cosmological dynamics always dilutes the vector field. In the case of a nonminimal coupling to gravity, it is established that theories involving $R f(A^2)$ or $Rf(F^2)$ are generically pathologic. To finish, we exhibit a model where the vector field is not diluted during the cosmological evolution, because of a nonminimal vector field-curvature coupling which maintains second-order field equations. The relevance of such models for cosmology is discussed., Comment: 17 pages, no figure

Preheating after inflation involves large, time-dependent field inhomogeneities, which act as a classical source of gravitational radiation. The resulting spectrum might be probed by direct detection experiments if inflation occurs at a low enough energy scale. In this paper, we develop a theory and algorithm to calculate, analytically and numerically, the spectrum of energy density in gravitational waves produced from an inhomogeneous background of stochastic scalar fields in an expanding universe. We derive some generic analytical results for the emission of gravity waves by stochastic media of random fields, which can test the validity/accuracy of numerical calculations. We contrast our method with other numerical methods in the literature, and then we apply it to preheating after chaotic inflation. In this case, we are able to check analytically our numerical results, which differ significantly from previous works. We discuss how the gravity wave spectrum builds up with time and find that the amplitude and the frequency of its peak depend in a relatively simple way on the characteristic spatial scale amplified during preheating. We then estimate the peak frequency and amplitude of the spectrum produced in two models of preheating after hybrid inflation, which for some parameters may be relevant for gravity wave interferometric experiments., Comment: 28 pages, 10 figures, refs added, published version

This note derives the analogue of the Mukhanov-Sasaki variables both for scalar and tensor perturbations in the 1+3 covariant formalism. The possibility of generalizing them to non-flat Friedmann-Lemaitre universes is discussed., Comment: 4 pages: v2 has minor changes to match published version

This article investigates the signature of the seventeen multi-connected flat spaces in cosmic microwave background (CMB) maps. For each such space it recalls a fundamental domain and a set of generating matrices, and then goes on to find an orthonormal basis for the set of eigenmodes of the Laplace operator on that space. The basis eigenmodes are expressed as linear combinations of eigenmodes of the simply connected Euclidean space. A preceding work, which provides a general method for implementing multi-connected topologies in standard CMB codes, is then applied to simulate CMB maps and angular power spectra for each space. Unlike in the 3-torus, the results in most multi-connected flat spaces depend on the location of the observer. This effect is discussed in detail. In particular, it is shown that the correlated circles on a CMB map are generically not back-to-back, so that negative search of back-to-back circles in the WMAP data does not exclude a vast majority of flat or nearly flat topologies., Comment: 33 pages, 19 figures, 1 table. Submitted to PRD

We present the expressions of the three- and four-point correlation functions of a self interacting light scalar field in a de Sitter spacetime at tree order respectively for a cubic and a quartic potential. Exact expressions are derived and their limiting behaviour on super-horizon scales are presented. Their essential features are shown to be similar to those obtained in a classical approach., 8 pages, 4 figures

International audience; This article describes the cosmic microwave background anisotropies expected in a closed universe with the topology of a lens space L(p,q) and with a density parameter Ω0 close to 1. It provides the first simulated maps for such spaces along with their corresponding power spectra. In spite of our initial expectations that increasing p (and thus decreasing the size of the fundamental domain) should suppress the quadrupole, we find just the opposite: increasing p elevates the relative power of the low multipoles, for reasons that have since become clear. For Ω0=1.02, an informal “by eye” examination of the simulated power spectra suggests that p must be less than 15 for consistency with WMAP’s data, while geometric considerations imply that matching circles will exist (potentially revealing the multiconnected topology) only if p>7. These bounds become less stringent for values of Ω0 closer to 1.

We construct explicit models of multi-field inflation in which the primordial metric fluctuations do not necessarily obey Gaussian statistics. These models are realizations of mechanisms in which non-Gaussianity is first generated by a light scalar field and then transferred into curvature fluctuations. The probability distribution functions of the metric perturbation at the end of inflation are computed. This provides a guideline for designing strategies to search for non-Gaussian signals in future CMB and large scale structure surveys., 4 pages, 7 figures

It has recently been proposed by Mersini et al. 01, Bastero-Gil and Mersini 02 that the dark energy could be attributed to the cosmological properties of a scalar field with a non-standard dispersion relation that decreases exponentially at wave-numbers larger than Planck scale (k_phys > M_Planck). In this scenario, the energy density stored in the modes of trans-Planckian wave-numbers but sub-Hubble frequencies produced by amplification of the vacuum quantum fluctuations would account naturally for the dark energy. The present article examines this model in detail and shows step by step that it does not work. In particular, we show that this model cannot make definite predictions since there is no well-defined vacuum state in the region of wave-numbers considered, hence the initial data cannot be specified unambiguously. We also show that for most choices of initial data this scenario implies the production of a large amount of energy density (of order M_Planck^4) for modes with momenta of order M_Planck, far in excess of the background energy density. We evaluate the amount of fine-tuning in the initial data necessary to avoid this back-reaction problem and find it is of order H/M_Planck. We also argue that the equation of state of the trans-Planckian modes is not vacuum-like. Therefore this model does not provide a suitable explanation for the dark energy., RevTeX - 15 pages, 7 figures: final version to appear in PRD, minor changes, 1 figure added

This article investigates the generation of non-Gaussianity during inflation. In the context of multi-field inflation, we detail a mechanism that can create significant primordial non-Gaussianities in the adiabatic mode while preserving the scale invariance of the power spectrum. This mechanism is based on the generation of non-Gaussian isocurvature fluctuations which are then transfered to the adiabatic modes through a bend in the classical inflaton trajectory. Natural realizations involve quartic self-interaction terms for which a full computation can be performed. The expected statistical properties of the resulting metric fluctuations are shown to be the superposition of a Gaussian and a non-Gaussian contribution of the same variance. The relative weight of these two contributions is related to the total bending in field space. We explicit the non-Gaussian probability distribution function which appears to be described by a single new parameter. Only two new parameters therefore suffice in describing the non-Gaussianity., Comment: 19 pages, RevTeX, 5 figures included

Recently Csaki, Kaloper and Terning (hep-ph/0111311) suggested that the observed dimming of distant type Ia supernovae may be a consequence of mixing of the photons with very light axions. We point out that the effect of the plasma, in which the photons are propagating, must be taken into account. This effect changes the oscillation probability and renders the dimming frequency-dependent, contrary to observations. One may hope to accommodate the data by averaging the oscillations over many different coherence domains. We estimate the effect of coherence loss, either due to the inhomogeneities of the magnetic field or of the intergalactic plasma. These estimates indicate that the achromaticity problem can be resolved only with very specific, and probably unrealistic, properties of the intergalactic medium., 12 pages, 1 figure

We construct an explicit model to describe fermions confined on a four dimensional brane embedded in a five dimensional anti-de Sitter spacetime. We extend previous works to accommodate massive bound states on the brane and exhibit the transverse structure of the fermionic fields. We estimate analytically and calculate numerically the fermion mass spectrum on the brane, which we show to be discrete. The confinement life-time of the bound states is evaluated, and it is shown that existing constraints can be made compatible with the existence of massive fermions trapped on the brane for durations much longer than the age of the Universe., Comment: 20 pages, LaTeX-RevTex, 15 figures, submitted to PRD

This article presents the derivation of the stress-energy tensor of a free scalar field with a general non-linear dispersion relation in curved spacetime. This dispersion relation is used as a phenomelogical description of the short distance structure of spacetime following the conventional approach of trans-Planckian modes in black hole physics and in cosmology. This stress-energy tensor is then used to discuss both the equation of state of trans-Planckian modes in cosmology and the magnitude of their backreaction during inflation. It is shown that gravitational waves of trans-Planckian momenta but subhorizon frequencies cannot account for the form of cosmic vacuum energy density observed at present, contrary to a recent claim. The backreaction effects during inflation are confirmed to be important and generic for those dispersion relations that are liable to induce changes in the power spectrum of metric fluctuations. Finally, it is shown that in pure de Sitter inflation there is no modification of the power spectrum except for a possible magnification of its overall amplitude independently of the dispersion relation., Comment: 18 pages, 2 figures. Version to appear in PRD (minor modifications)

In presence of a magnetic field, photons can mix with any particle having a two-photon vertex. In theories with large compact extra-dimensions, there exists a hierachy of massive Kaluza-Klein gravitons that couple to any photon entering a magnetic field. We study this mixing and show that, in comparison with the four dimensional situation where the photon couples only to the massless graviton, the oscillation effect may be enhanced due to the existence of a large number of Kaluza-Klein modes. We give the conditions for such an enhancement and then investigate the cosmological and astrophysical consequences of this phenomenon; we also discuss some laboratory experiments. Axions also couple to photons in the same way; we discuss the effect of the existence of bulk axions in universes with large extra-dimensions. The results can also be applied to neutrino physics with extra-dimensions., 41 pages, LaTex, 6 figures

We compute the skewness of the matter distribution arising from non-linear evolution and from non-Gaussian initial perturbations. We apply our result to a very generic class of models with non-Gaussian initial conditions and we estimate analytically the ratio between the skewness due to non-linear clustering and the part due to the intrinsic non-Gaussianity of the models. We finally extend our estimates to higher moments., 5 pages, 2 ps-figs., accepted for publication in PRD, rapid comm

We study the existence and stability of cosmological scaling solutions of a non-minimally coupled scalar field evolving in either an exponential or inverse power law potential. We show that for inverse power law potentials there exist scaling solutions the stability of which does not depend on the coupling constant $\xi$. We then study the more involved case of exponential potentials and show that the scalar field will assymptotically behaves as a barotropic fluid when $\xi\ll 1$. The general case $\xi\not\ll 1$ is then discussed an we illustrate these results by some numerical examples., Comment: 14 pages, Revtex, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. D

When the topology of the universe is non trivial, it has been shown that there are constraints on the network of domain walls, cosmic strings and monopoles. I generalize these results to textures and study the cosmological implications of such constraints. I conclude that a large class of multi-connected universes with topological defects accounting for structure formation are ruled out by observation of the cosmic microwave background., Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, accepted for publication as a brief report in Phys. Rev. D