Currently one of the most exciting problems in cosmology is the nature of dark energy, which is responsible for the late time accelerated expansion of the universe. Dark energy modifies the distance-redshift relation, and governs the late time evolution of gravitational potentials in the universe. Therefore by observing large scale structure we can gain valuable information on the nature of dark energy. In this thesis we examine a particular theory of dark energy, known as elastic dark energy. Using weak lensing and the ISW effect, coupled with CMB and SNIa data, we find lower bounds for the sound speed of elastic dark energy. We also explore how this model behaves in the presence of collapsing matter.

Reuse of historic buildings has become commonplace, but what should be done when a building has a history related to death and tragedy? Society has to determine its psychological approach to dealing with the past. This is commonly achieved through remembrance, converting the site into a museum or memorial, or denial, demolishing it. These actions unnecessarily allow the past to dictate the future. This thesis will look at an alternative solution through which adaptive reuse promotes a different approach to society's psychological understanding of collective memory. Adaptive reuse can honor the past while moving forward into a better future, encouraging society to come to terms with a difficult part of their collective history, but understanding that it should not define them. In recent years there has been a drastic increase in the popularity of 'dark tourism', the visitation to sites associated with death and tragedy. There is a spectrum of darkness that classifies the darkest places, such as Auschwitz-Birkenau, as sites where death and suffering physically occurred and the lightest places, like the United States Holocaust Museum, that are only associated. The most challenging sites are those that lie somewhere in between these two extremes. Communities should embrace the value of 'dark tourism' while maintaining an identity outside of the event and the architecture of the site should reflect this. Architecture can inspire the limitation and prevention of future sordid events if new program is introduced that is directly in response to the event through which the past can be remembered, but a better future embraced. / 0 / SPK / specialcollections@tulane.edu

Galaxies, galaxy groups and galaxy clusters are embedded in large dark matter halos. Most galaxies in the local universe are found in the galaxy group environment. Locating the centres of galaxy groups is crucial in order to study their properties such as their halo masses. It is often assumed that the most massive galaxy (or brightest galaxy) resides at the centre of the gravitational potential. With the aim of evaluating the validity of this paradigm in galaxy groups, we used two different methods to probe the centres of galaxy group halos: the weak gravitational lensing and dynamical methods. We use these two methods to determine the best definition of galaxy group centres. Our sample is composed of 49 optically (spectroscopically) selected groups and 36 high quality X-ray-selected groups. In total our sample is composed of 78 distinct groups in the redshift range 0.1 < z < 0.9 from the GEEC sample. Our weak lensing analysis suggests that the weighted centre is a better definition than the most massive galaxy position. We address the question of whether or not the result is significantly different for X-ray and optically selected systems. For optically selected systems, the weighted centre is a significantly better assumption of the group centre than the most massive galaxies position. For the X-ray selected groups, the weighted centre and the most massive galaxy appear to trace the centre equally well, although the best definition is the location of the peak in X-ray emission. We evaluate, for the first time, the impact of dynamically complex groups on weak lensing analysis. Once we removed dynamically complex systems from our sample, the lensing signals for all centre definitions are in better agreement suggesting that groups with large offsets between the centre definitions are unevolved systems. For the dynamical method, velocity dispersion profiles suffer from large uncertainties and, therefore, we are unable to place any constraint on the centre definition from this technique. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

The Standard Model of particle physics is a phenomenologically successful description of the strong, weak, and electromagnetic interactions at all currently accessible energy scales with few exceptions \cite{Agashe:2014kda}. The notable deficiencies of the Standard Model are its inability to explain the matter anti-matter asymmetry, the existence of neutrino oscillations \cite{Fukuda:1998mi,Ahmad:2002jz}, the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon \cite{Bennett:2006fi,Hagiwara:2011af}, and its failure to provide a suitable candidate for the gravitationally observed dark matter \citep{Dolgov:1995np}. We explore an extension of the Standard Model that introduces a new gauge symmetry $L_\mu-L_\tau$ along with three right-handed neutrinos, and a symmetry breaking scalar field. The inclusion of right-handed neutrinos are motivated by the aforementioned neutrino oscillation data while the scalar field is motivated by cosmological bounds on a new $Z'$. We attempt to fit our model to the observed neutrino mass textures in the see-saw limit. Despite having a Lagrangian density with three Yukawa couplings, and four right-handed mass parameters we found the left handed neutrino mass matrix was controlled by only four independent quantities. We were attempting to fit to a set of five measured parameters $\{ \Delta m_{12}^2,\Delta m_{13}^2,\theta_{12},\theta_{23},\theta_{13} \}$. This was found to be impossible with our proposed model. Higher dimensional operators were introduced to allow the model to generate neutrino textures that agree with experiment. Our first minimal model was able to reproduce the correct neutrino textures with the exception of one of either $\theta_{13}$ or $\theta_{12}$ the disagreements was at the level of $25\%$. We found that our model was able to fit to the central value of neutrino data after the introduction of various combinations of dimension-five operators. The parametric dependence of these solutions were found to be incompatible with the $Z'$ as a progenitor of dark matter scenario proposed by Shuve and Yavin \cite{Shuve:2014doa}. The $Z'$ progenitor scenario and the see-saw mechanism seem to be distinct entities in the sense that for the former to be viable the dark matter candidate cannot play a significant role in the generation of neutrino textures. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

Astounding evidence for invisible "dark" matter has been found from galaxy clusters, cosmic and stellar gas motion, gravitational lensing studies, cosmic microwave background analysis, and large scale galaxy surveys. Although all studies indicate that there is a dominant presence of non-luminous matter in the universe (about 22 percent of the total energy density with 5 times more dark matter than baryonic matter), its identity and its "direct" detection (through non-gravitational effects) has not yet been achieved. Dark matter in the form of massive, weakly interacting particles (WIMPs) could be detected through their collisions with target nuclei. This requires detectors to be sensitive to very low-energy (less than 100 keV) nuclear recoils with very low expected rates (a few interactions per year per ton of target). Reducing the background in a direct dark matter detector is the biggest challenge. A detector capable of seeing such low-energy nuclear recoils is difficult to build because of the necessary size and the radio- and chemical- purity. Therefore it is imperative to first construct small-scale prototypes to develop the necessary technology and systems, before attempting to deploy large-scale detectors in underground laboratories. Our collaboration, the DarkSide Collaboration, utilizes argon in two-phase time projection chambers (TPCs). We have designed, built, and commissioned DarkSide-10, a 10 kg prototype detector, and are designing and building DarkSide-50, a 50 kg dark matter detector. The present work is an account of my contribution to these efforts. The two-phase argon TPC technology allows powerful discrimination between dark matter nuclear recoils and background events. Presented here are simulations, designs, and analyses involving the electroluminescence in the gas phase from extracted ionization charge for both DarkSide-10 and DarkSide-50. This work involves the design of the HHV systems, including field cages, that are responsible for producing the electric fields that drift, accelerate, and extract ionization electrons. Detecting the ionization electrons is an essential element of the background discrimination and gives event location using position reconstruction. Based on using COMSOL multiphysics software, the TPC electric fields were simulated. For DarkSide-10 the maximum radial displacement a drifting electron would undergo was found to be 0.2 mm and 1 mm for DarkSide-50. Using the electroluminescence signal from an optical Monte Carlo, position reconstruction in these two-phase argon TPCs was studied. Using principal component analysis paired with a multidimensional fit, position reconstruction resolution for DarkSide-10 was found to be less than 0.5 cm and less than 2.5 cm for DarkSide-50 for events occurring near the walls. DarkSide-10 is fully built and has gone through several campaigns of operation and upgrading both at Princeton University and in an underground laboratory (Gran Sasso National Laboratory in Assergi, Italy). Key DarkSide two-phase argon TPC technologies, such as a successful HHV system, have been demonstrated. Specific studies from DarkSide-10 data including analysis of the field homogeneity and the field dependence on the electroluminescence signal are reported here. / Physics

The children in this study were tested in their normal environment and without any effort to change this environment. It was felt that only through such an experiment could any evidence be gained regarding the influence of climatic conditions on the dark adaption of adolescents.

Background: The development of Dark Tourism has evolved much over recent years. The term Dark Tourism is too general for a subject matter that is multilayered and complex. Aim of the Thesis and Research Question: Is to present the consistencies, vagueness, and disagreements of the different categorizations in Dark Tourism. It is my intent to provide a new understanding of the Theory and Empirical Material of Dark Tourism. What lies beyond Dark Tourism and its categorizations? Which values this phenomenon can offer to the Dark Tourists and residents of Dark Sites?  Method: In this chapter I am going to present a qualitative method with thematic analysis, hermeneutics, and criticism. Previous Research: This section should be seen as literature review, as well as a presentation and thematization of my empirical material.  Analysis: General analysis of the categorizations, highlighting the vagueness, strengths, and disagreements.  Discussion: Through utilization of a critical analysis of Dark Tourism sites in terms of their selection and interpretation I can contribute to the debate, discussion and move towards a new procedure of seeing Dark Tourism. Conclusion: Dark Tourism is not only a touristic activity. The description "dark" does not, however, adequately convey the multifaceted nature of this phenomenon.

This thesis investigates the possibility that the gauge boson in a certain hypothetical SU(2) gauged sector can constitute all the non-baryonic dark matter. The gauge bosons acquire mass from the Higgs mechanism as in the Standard Model and scatter elastically among themselves non-gravitationally. It is expected that this self interaction of the dark gauge bosons would resolve the various discrepancies between the ΛCDM model and astrophysical observations on small (e.g. galactic or galaxy cluster) scales. Parameter space within the domain of validity of perturbation theory satisfying the constraints of dark matter abundance, the elastic self-scattering momentum transfer cross-section suggested by recent astrophysical observations, and consideration of the Big-Bang nucleosynthesis was found to be non-empty in the “forbidden” regime where the mass of the dark Higgs boson is greater than the mass of the dark gauge boson. / Graduate

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Montana, 2006 / Title from PDF title page (viewed on Mar. 18, 2007). Includes bibliographical references.

This thesis is devoted to the study of the nature of Dark Matter (DM). To this end we investigate both its generation mechanisms and detection possibilities. We mainly focus on interesting simple models and follow closely experimental constraints, in order to reveal the features of DM as model-independently as possible.<p><p><p><p><p>Throughout the whole thesis, we consider the framework of standard cosmology, which is first introduced in Chapter.1 (and supplemented in Appendices). Background knowledges of DM physics from the cosmological and experimental aspects are given in Chapter.2 and Chapter.3, respectively. <p><p><p>Following the scenario that a hidden sector, including DM particles, might decouple from the Standard Model (SM) sector at a very early time of the Universe, we study how through a portal interaction such a hidden sector can be created by the SM sector to yield the proper relic density of dark matter. In Chapter.4 we discuss the case of a massless portal using the gauge kinetic mixing model. It turns out that there are four basic ways to achieve the observed DM relic density for both massless and massive mediator cases: freeze-in from SM sector, reannihilation determined by the balance of the two sectors, freeze-out with hidden or portal interactions. Various models with massive portals, especially $Z'$ and scalar portals, are then explored in Chapter.5. Provided that DM annihilation within the hidden sector is kinetically allowed, similar conclusions would appear. If there is no hidden annihilation for DM, only the first and last ways are allowed. Nevertheless, chemical thermalization in hidden sector can still influence the results significantly.<p><p>In Chapter.6, we explore the hypothesis that dark matter particles partially annihilate to photons via a new heavy charged particle which is also "gauged" under SU(3)_C. By applying this hypothesis to the claimed<p>Fermi-LAT 130 GeV gamma line, it is showed that the correct dark matter relic density could be naturally obtained from the gluon channel and how for such a class of models the cosmic antiproton, diffuse gamma-ray, direct detection and LHC constraints<p>are fully correlated. <p><p><p>In Chapter.8, concluding remarks and perspectives for future DM research are presented. / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished