Abstract: We investigate gravitational -wave backgrounds (GWBs) of primordial origin that would manifest only at ultrahigh frequencies, from kilohertz to 100 gigahertz, and leave no signal at LIGO, the Einstein Telescope, the Cosmic Explorer, LISA, or pulsar -timing arrays. We focus on GWBs produced by cosmic strings and make predictions for the GW spectra scanning over high-energy scale (beyond 10 10 GeV) particle physics parameters. Signals from local string networks can easily be as large as the big bang nucleosynthesis/ cosmic microwave background bounds, with a characteristic strain as high as 10 – 26 in the 10 kHz band, offering prospects to probe grand unification physics in the 10 14 -10 17 GeV energy range. In comparison, GWB from axionic strings is suppressed (with maximal characteristic strain similar to 10 – 31 ) due to the early matter era induced by the associated heavy axions. We estimate the needed reach of hypothetical futuristic GW detectors to probe such GWB and, therefore, the corresponding high-energy physics processes. Beyond the information of the symmetry -breaking scale, the high -frequency spectrum encodes the microscopic structure of the strings through the position of the UV cutoffs associated with cusps and kinks, as well as potential information about friction forces on the string. The IR slope, on the other hand, reflects the physics responsible for the decay of the string network. We discuss possible strategies for reconstructing the scalar potential, particularly the scalar self -coupling, from the measurement of the UV cutoff of the GW spectrum.

Abstract: The direct detection of gravitational waves (GWs) of frequencies above MHz has recently received considerable attention. In this work, we present a precise study of the reach of a cubic cavity resonator to GWs in the microwave range, using for the first time tools allowing to perform realistic simulations. Concretely, the boundary integral -resonant mode expansion (BI-RME) 3D method, which allows us to obtain not only the detected power but also the detected voltage (magnitude and phase), is used here. After analyzing three cubic cavities for different frequencies and working simultaneously with three different degenerate modes at each cavity, we conclude that the sensitivity of the experiment is strongly dependent on the polarization and incidence angle of the GW. The presented experiment can reach sensitivities up to 1 x 10 – 19 at 100 MHz, 2 x 10 – 20 at 1 GHz, and 6 x 10 – 19 at 10 GHz for optimal angles and polarizations, and where in all cases we assumed an integration time of Delta t 1 / 4 1 ms. These results provide a strong case for further developing the use of cavities to detect GWs. Moreover, the possibility of analyzing the detected voltage (magnitude and phase) opens a new interferometric detection scheme based on the combination of the detected signals from multiple cavities.

Abstract: Third -generation dark matter detectors will be fully sensitive to the 8 B solar neutrino flux. Because of this, the characterization of such a background has been the subject of extensive analyses over the last few years. In contrast, little is known about the impact of reactor neutrinos. In this paper, we report on the implications of such a flux for dark matter direct -detection searches. We consider five potential detector deployment sites envisioned by the recently established XLZD Consortium: SURF, SNOLAB, Kamioka, LNGS, and Boulby. By using public reactor data, we construct five reactor clusters -involving about 100 currently operating commercial nuclear reactors each -and determine the net neutrino flux at each detector site. Assuming a xenon -based detector and a 50 ton -year exposure, we show that in all cases the neutrino event rate may be sizable, depending on energy recoil thresholds. Of all possible detector sites, SURF and LNGS are those with the smallest reactor neutrino background. On the contrary, SNOLAB and Boulby are subject to the strongest reactor neutrino fluxes, with Kamioka being subject to a more moderate background. Our findings demonstrate that reactor neutrino fluxes should be taken into account in the next round of dark matter searches. We argue that this background may be particularly relevant for directional detectors, provided they meet the requirements we have employed in this analysis.

Abstract: B+ -> D-s(+) D-s(-) K+ decay is observed for the first time using proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb detector at center-of-mass energies of 7, 8, and 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9 fb-1. Its branching fraction relative to that of the B+ -> D-s(+) D-s(-) K+ decay is measured to be B(B+ -> D-s(+) D-s(-) K+)/(KB+ -> D-s(+) D-s(-) K+) = 0.525 +/- 0.0333 +/- 0.027 +/- 0.034; where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second s D-s Kthornthorn systematic, and the third is due to the uncertainties on the branching fractions of the D-s(+/-) -> (KK +/-)-K--/+pi(+/-) and D-+/- -> K--/+pi(+/-)pi(+/-) decays. This measurement fills an experimental gap in the knowledge of the family of Cabibbo-favored (b) over bar -> (b) over barc (c) over bar transitions and opens the path for unique studies of spectroscopy in future.

Abstract: An analysis of solar neutrino data from the fourth phase of Super-Kamiokande (SK-IV) from October 2008 to May 2018 is performed and the results are presented. The observation time of the dataset of SK- IV corresponds to 2970 days and the total live time for all four phases is 5805 days. For more precise solar neutrino measurements, several improvements are applied in this analysis: lowering the data acquisition threshold in May 2015, further reduction of the spallation background using neutron clustering events, precise energy reconstruction considering the time variation of the PMT gain. The observed number of solar neutrino events in 3.49-19.49 MeV electron kinetic energy region during SK-IV is 65, 443(-388)(+390) (stat.) +/- 925(syst.) events. Corresponding B-8 solar neutrino flux is (2.314 +/- 0.014(stat.) +/- 0.040(syst.)) x 106 cm(-2) s(-1), assuming a pure electron-neutrino flavor component without neutrino oscillations. The flux combined with all SK phases up to SK-IV is (2.336 +/- 0.011(stat.) +/- 0.043(syst.)) x 106 cm(-2) s(-1). Based on the neutrino oscillation analysis from all solar experiments, including the SK 5805 days dataset, the best-fit neutrino oscillation parameters are sin(2)theta(12,solar) = 0.306 +/- 0.013 and Delta m(21,solar)(2) = (6.10(-0.81)(+0.95)) x 10(-5) eV(2), with a deviation of about 1.5 sigma from the Delta m(21)(2) parameter obtained by KamLAND. The best-fit neutrino oscillation parameters obtained from all solar experiments and KamLAND are sin(2)theta(12, global) = 0.307 +/- 0.012 and Delta m(21,) (2)(global) = (7.50(-0.18)(+0.19)) x 10(-5) eV(2).