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Cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarization observations will require superb control of systematic errors in order to achieve their full scientific potential, particularly in the case of attempts to detect the B modes that may provide a…
We re-analyze the Cepheid data used to infer the value of $H_0$ by calibrating SnIa. We do not enforce a universal value of the empirical Cepheid calibration parameters $R_W$ (Cepheid Wesenheit color-luminosity parameter) and $M_H^{W}$…
We formulate a renormalizable quantum gravity in $2+\epsilon$ dimensions by generalizing the nonlinear sigma model approach to string theory. We find that the theory possesses the ultraviolet stable fixed point if the central charge of the…
We provide a proof of the first correction to the leading asymptotics of the minimal energy of pseudo-relativistic molecules in the presence of magnetic fields, the so-called "relativistic Scott correction", when $\max{Z_k\alpha} \leq…
We present new calibrations of stellar parameters of O stars at solar metallicity taking non-LTE, wind, and line-blanketing effects into account. Gravities and absolute visual magnitudes are derived from results of recent spectroscopic…
The cosmological constant $\Lambda$ is usually interpreted as Dark Energy (DE) or modified gravity (MG). Here we propose instead that $\Lambda$ corresponds to a boundary term in the action of classical General Relativity. The action is zero…
General Relativity receives quantum corrections relevant at cosmological distance scales from the conformal scalar degrees of freedom required by the trace anomaly of the quantum stress tensor in curved space. In the theory including the…
We propose a novel approach for estimating the location of block boundaries (change-points) in a random matrix consisting of a block wise constant matrix observed in white noise. Our method consists in rephrasing this task as a variable…
Lack of knowledge about the background expansion history of the Universe from independent observations makes it problematic to obtain a precise and accurate estimation of the Hubble constant $H_0$ from gravitational wave standard sirens,…
High precision astrometry requires an accurate geometric distortion solution. In this work, we present an average correction for the Blue Camera of the Large Binocular Telescope which enables a relative astrometric precision of ~15 mas for…
Stellar photometric variability offers a novel probe of the interior structure and evolutionary state of stars. Here we present a census of stellar variability on day to decade timescales across the color-magnitude diagram for 73,000 stars…
Gaussianity of temperature fluctuations in the Cosmic Microwave Background(CMB) implies that the statistical properties of the temperature field can be completely characterized by its two point correlation function. The two point…
In a concordant $\Lambda$ Cold Dark Matter ($\Lambda$CDM) model, large-angle Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) temperature anisotropy due to linear perturbations in the local universe is not negligible. We explore a possible role of an…
The decay constants of the pseudoscalar mesons B and B_s are evaluated from QCD sum rules for the pseudoscalar two-point function. Recently calculated perturbative three-loop QCD corrections are incorporated into the sum rule. An analysis…
A cosmological observable measured in a range of redshifts can be used as a probe of a set of cosmological parameters. Given the cosmological observable and the cosmological parameter, there is an optimum range of redshifts where the…
One of the topical problems of contemporary physics is a possible variability of the fundamental constants. Here we consider possible variability of two dimensionless constants which are most important for calculation of atomic and…
While it is often stated that the notion of electroweak (EW) naturalness in supersymmetric models is subjective, fuzzy and model-dependent, here we argue the contrary: electroweak naturalness can be elevated to a {\it principle} which is…
Imperfect photometric calibration of galaxy surveys due to either astrophysical or instrumental effects leads to biases in measuring galaxy clustering and in the resulting cosmological parameter measurements. More interestingly (and…
Two groups recently deduced the positive value for the cosmological constant, concluding at a high (>= 99%) confidence level that the Universe should be accelerating. This conclusion followed from the statistical analysis of dozens of…
The effective coupling `constants' of physics, especially the cosmological constant, are observed to have highly biophilic values. If this is not a hugely improbable accident, or a consequence of some mysterious logical necessity or of some…