Comments on: Avignon Day 2: Cosmological Neutrinos http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2011/04/20/avignon-day-2-cosmological-neutrinos/ Random samplings from a universe of ideas. Fri, 25 May 2012 13:10:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Sili http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2011/04/20/avignon-day-2-cosmological-neutrinos/comment-page-1/#comment-160128 Sili Sun, 24 Apr 2011 22:30:20 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/?p=6683#comment-160128 The Christians are gonna be <em>so</em> disappointed if it turns out there are really four generations of fermions. They might have to include Mary in the Quarternity or summat just to stress how much Religion™ has always been in line with science. (<a href="http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2011/04/22/avignon-day-4-dark-matter/" rel="nofollow">Strong enough feeling for ya?</a>) The Christians are gonna be so disappointed if it turns out there are really four generations of fermions.

They might have to include Mary in the Quarternity or summat just to stress how much Religion™ has always been in line with science.

(Strong enough feeling for ya?)

]]> By: Blake Stacey http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2011/04/20/avignon-day-2-cosmological-neutrinos/comment-page-1/#comment-159881 Blake Stacey Fri, 22 Apr 2011 12:26:22 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/?p=6683#comment-159881 As a former minion on a <a href="http://snews.bnl.gov" rel="nofollow">neutrino astrophysics project</a>, I enjoy hearing about recent developments in the field. Here's hoping the fit of Komatsu <i>et al.</i> wasn't just an off-by-one error! :-) As a former minion on a neutrino astrophysics project, I enjoy hearing about recent developments in the field.

Here’s hoping the fit of Komatsu et al. wasn’t just an off-by-one error! :-)

]]> By: eric gisse http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2011/04/20/avignon-day-2-cosmological-neutrinos/comment-page-1/#comment-159708 eric gisse Thu, 21 Apr 2011 07:05:25 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/?p=6683#comment-159708 The analysis of WMAP data is the principle reason I think dark matter could very well take the form of a sterile neutrino. Other folks have their money on one of the many WIMPs, I have mine on the sterile neutrino. It isn't as if it is an outlandish possibility given recent observations, and the general fact that there is room in particle physics for new results given that the reason we have matter in the universe instead of photons hasn't been nailed down yet. The analysis of WMAP data is the principle reason I think dark matter could very well take the form of a sterile neutrino.

Other folks have their money on one of the many WIMPs, I have mine on the sterile neutrino.

It isn’t as if it is an outlandish possibility given recent observations, and the general fact that there is room in particle physics for new results given that the reason we have matter in the universe instead of photons hasn’t been nailed down yet.

]]> By: Alex http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2011/04/20/avignon-day-2-cosmological-neutrinos/comment-page-1/#comment-159677 Alex Wed, 20 Apr 2011 17:37:30 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/?p=6683#comment-159677 Recent He4 data is not only compatible with a fourth neutrino specie but is even suggesting it ! the point is that it can be an extra neutrino, or early dark energy, or anything that behaves like radiation at recombination and BBN. Recent He4 data is not only compatible with a fourth neutrino specie but is even suggesting it ! the point is that it can be an extra neutrino, or early dark energy, or anything that behaves like radiation at recombination and BBN.

]]> By: Doug A http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2011/04/20/avignon-day-2-cosmological-neutrinos/comment-page-1/#comment-159674 Doug A Wed, 20 Apr 2011 16:45:38 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/?p=6683#comment-159674 If you look at additional info besides just WMAP, you can improve the constraints. That includes setting a limit on the sum of the masses of the neutrinos. Check it out: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2010MNRAS.406.1805M Interestingly, the number of neutrino species is consistent with 3 or 4. But we definitely don't have massive neutrinos! If you look at additional info besides just WMAP, you can improve the constraints. That includes setting a limit on the sum of the masses of the neutrinos. Check it out: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2010MNRAS.406.1805M

Interestingly, the number of neutrino species is consistent with 3 or 4. But we definitely don’t have massive neutrinos!

]]> By: Phillip Helbig http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2011/04/20/avignon-day-2-cosmological-neutrinos/comment-page-1/#comment-159655 Phillip Helbig Wed, 20 Apr 2011 11:10:34 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/?p=6683#comment-159655 They point out that the red curve is consistent with the standard value of 3 at "1 sigma". So, doesn't look like a big sensation. The paper itself is 57 pages and contains a huge amount of information. They point out that the red curve is consistent with the standard value of 3 at “1 sigma”. So, doesn’t look like a big sensation.

The paper itself is 57 pages and contains a huge amount of information.

]]> By: Jason Dick http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2011/04/20/avignon-day-2-cosmological-neutrinos/comment-page-1/#comment-159653 Jason Dick Wed, 20 Apr 2011 10:11:59 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/?p=6683#comment-159653 In the paper, they do have a fair amount of discussion of how the helium fraction is affected by the extra neutrino species. Basically, it sounds like the constraints from BBN force an extra neutrino species to reduce the abundance of matter slightly in order to keep BBN results the same. In the paper, they do have a fair amount of discussion of how the helium fraction is affected by the extra neutrino species. Basically, it sounds like the constraints from BBN force an extra neutrino species to reduce the abundance of matter slightly in order to keep BBN results the same.

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