Model-independent comparison of direct versus indirect detection of supersymmetric dark matter

On the impacts of higher tobacco taxes in Argentina: a computable general equilibrium approach

OBJECTIVES

We analyse the employment effects of increasing tobacco taxation in Argentina by building a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model.

METHODS

In line with recent changes in tobacco taxation in the country, the CGE model simulates an increase in excise tax on cigarettes.

RESULTS

The results show that even a substantial increase in tobacco taxation induces a zero-net change in overall employment in the economy when the newly raised tax revenues are spent by the government on education, health or public infrastructure. Increased tobacco taxes may shift jobs from tobacco-related sectors to other sectors of the economy, but the overall impact on the total number of jobs is negligible.

CONCLUSIONS

The widely documented positive effects of higher tobacco taxes (including a healthier population, more productive workers, savings from avoided costs of medical treatment for tobacco-related diseases, reductions in the number of new young smokers, among others) would far outweigh the nearly null effect of higher taxes on total net employment.

Galactic substructure and energetic neutrinos from the sun and earth

We consider the effects of Galactic substructure on energetic neutrinos from annihilation of weakly interacting massive particles that have been captured by the Sun and Earth. Substructure gives rise to a time-varying capture rate and thus to time variation in the annihilation rate and resulting energetic-neutrino flux. However, there may be a time lag between the capture and annihilation rates. The energetic-neutrino flux may then be determined by the density of dark matter in the Solar System's past trajectory, rather than the local density. The signature of such an effect may be sought in the ratio of the direct- to indirect-detection rates.