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ATLAS Collaboration(Aad, G. et al), Aikot, A., Amos, K. R., Aparisi Pozo, J. A., Bailey, A. J., Bouchhar, N., et al. (2024). Search for non-resonant production of semi-visible jets using Run 2 data in ATLAS. Phys. Lett. B, 848, 138324–23pp.
Abstract: Semi-visible jets, with a significant contribution to the event's missing transverse momentum, can arise in strongly interacting dark sectors. This results in an event topology where one of the jets can be aligned with the direction of the missing transverse momentum. The first search for semi-visible jets produced via a t-channel mediator exchange is presented. The analysis uses proton-proton collisions with an integrated luminosity of 139 fb-1 and a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, collected with the ATLAS detector during the Run 2 of the LHC. No excess over Standard Model predictions is observed. Assuming a coupling strength of unity between the mediator, a Standard Model quark and a dark quark, mediator masses up to 2.7 TeV are excluded at the 95% confidence level. Upper limits on the coupling strength are also derived.
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ATLAS Collaboration(Aad, G. et al), Aikot, A., Amos, K. R., Aparisi Pozo, J. A., Bailey, A. J., Bouchhar, N., et al. (2024). Search for New Phenomena in Two-Body Invariant Mass Distributions Using Unsupervised Machine Learning for Anomaly Detection at root s=13 TeV with the ATLAS Detector. Phys. Rev. Lett., 132(8), 081801–23pp.
Abstract: Searches for new resonances are performed using an unsupervised anomaly-detection technique. Events with at least one electron or muon are selected from 140 fb-1 of pp collisions at p ffi s ffi= 13 TeV recorded by ATLAS at the Large Hadron Collider. The approach involves training an autoencoder on data, and subsequently defining anomalous regions based on the reconstruction loss of the decoder. Studies focus on nine invariant mass spectra that contain pairs of objects consisting of one light jet or b jet and either one lepton (e; mu), photon, or second light jet or b jet in the anomalous regions. No significant deviations from the background hypotheses are observed. Limits on contributions from generic Gaussian signals with various widths of the resonance mass are obtained for nine invariant masses in the anomalous regions.
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Fletcher, E. M., Ballester, F., Beaulieu, L., Morrison, H., Poher, A., Rivard, M. J., et al. (2024). Generation and comparison of 3D dosimetric reference datasets for COMS eye plaque brachytherapy using model-based dose calculations. Med. Phys., 51, 694–706.
Abstract: PurposeA joint Working Group of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM), the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO), and the Australasian Brachytherapy Group (ABG) was created to aid in the transition from the AAPM TG-43 dose calculation formalism, the current standard, to model-based dose calculations. This work establishes the first test cases for low-energy photon-emitting brachytherapy using model-based dose calculation algorithms (MBDCAs).Acquisition and Validation MethodsFive test cases are developed: (1) a single model 6711 125I brachytherapy seed in water, 13 seeds (2) individually and (3) in combination in water, (4) the full Collaborative Ocular Melanoma Study (COMS) 16-mm eye plaque in water, and (5) the full plaque in a realistic eye phantom. Calculations are done with four Monte Carlo (MC) codes and a research version of a commercial treatment planning system (TPS). For all test cases, local agreement of MC codes was within & SIM;2.5% and global agreement was & SIM;2% (4% for test case 5). MC agreement was within expected uncertainties. Local agreement of TPS with MC was within 5% for test case 1 and & SIM;20% for test cases 4 and 5, and global agreement was within 0.4% for test case 1 and 10% for test cases 4 and 5.Data Format and Usage NotesDose distributions for each set of MC and TPS calculations are available online () along with input files and all other information necessary to repeat the calculations.Potential ApplicationsThese data can be used to support commissioning of MBDCAs for low-energy brachytherapy as recommended by TGs 186 and 221 and AAPM Report 372. This work additionally lays out a sample framework for the development of test cases that can be extended to other applications beyond eye plaque brachytherapy.
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Baran, J. et al, & Brzezinski, K. (2024). Feasibility of the J-PET to monitor the range of therapeutic proton beams. Phys. Medica, 118, 103301–9pp.
Abstract: Purpose: The aim of this work is to investigate the feasibility of the Jagiellonian Positron Emission Tomography (J -PET) scanner for intra-treatment proton beam range monitoring. Methods: The Monte Carlo simulation studies with GATE and PET image reconstruction with CASToR were performed in order to compare six J -PET scanner geometries. We simulated proton irradiation of a PMMA phantom with a Single Pencil Beam (SPB) and Spread -Out Bragg Peak (SOBP) of various ranges. The sensitivity and precision of each scanner were calculated, and considering the setup's cost-effectiveness, we indicated potentially optimal geometries for the J -PET scanner prototype dedicated to the proton beam range assessment. Results: The investigations indicate that the double -layer cylindrical and triple -layer double -head configurations are the most promising for clinical application. We found that the scanner sensitivity is of the order of 10-5 coincidences per primary proton, while the precision of the range assessment for both SPB and SOBP irradiation plans was found below 1 mm. Among the scanners with the same number of detector modules, the best results are found for the triple -layer dual -head geometry. The results indicate that the double -layer cylindrical and triple -layer double -head configurations are the most promising for the clinical application, Conclusions: We performed simulation studies demonstrating that the feasibility of the J -PET detector for PET -based proton beam therapy range monitoring is possible with reasonable sensitivity and precision enabling its pre -clinical tests in the clinical proton therapy environment. Considering the sensitivity, precision and cost-effectiveness, the double -layer cylindrical and triple -layer dual -head J -PET geometry configurations seem promising for future clinical application.
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Centelles Chulia, S., Miranda, O. G., & Valle, J. W. F. (2024). Leptonic neutral-current probes in a short-distance DUNE-like setup. Phys. Rev. D, 109(11), 115007–12pp.
Abstract: Precision measurements of neutrino -electron scattering may provide a viable way to test the nonminimal form of the charged and neutral current weak interactions within a hypothetical near -detector setup for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE). Although low -statistics, these processes are clean and provide information complementing the results derived from oscillation studies. They could shed light on the scale of neutrino mass generation in low -scale seesaw schemes.
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Fajfer, S., Solomonidi, E., & Vale Silva, L. (2024). S-wave contribution to rare D0 → π+ π- l+ l- decays in the standard model and sensitivity to new physics. Phys. Rev. D, 109(3), 036027–24pp.
Abstract: Physics of the up-type flavor offers unique possibilities of testing the standard model (SM) compared to the down-type flavor sector. Here, we discuss SM and new physics (NP) contributions to the rare charmmeson decay D0 -> x+x- l+l-. In particular, we discuss the effect of including the lightest scalar isoscalar resonance in the SM picture, namely, the f0(500), which manifests in a big portion of the allowed phase space. Other than showing in the total branching ratio at an observable level of about 20%, the f0(500) resonance manifests as interference terms with the vector resonances, such as at high invariant mass of the leptonic pair in distinct angular observables. Recent data from LHCb optimize the sensitivity to P-wave contributions that we analyze in view of the inclusion of vector resonances. We propose the measurement of alternative observables that are sensitive to the S-wave and are straightforward to implement experimentally. This leads to a new set of null observables that vanish in the SM due to its gauge and flavor structures. Finally, we study observables that depend on the SM interference with generic NP contributions from semileptonic four-fermion operators in the presence of the S-wave.
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Hajjar, R., Palomares-Ruiz, S., & Mena, O. (2024). Shedding light on the Δm21^2 tension with supernova neutrinos. Phys. Lett. B, 854, 138719–8pp.
Abstract: One long-standing tension in the determination of neutrino parameters is the mismatched value of the solar mass square difference, Delta m(21)(2), measured by different experiments: the reactor antineutrino experiment KamLAND finds a best fit larger than the one obtained with solar neutrino data. Even if the current tension is mild (similar to 1.5 sigma.), it is timely to explore if independent measurements could help in either closing or reassessing this issue. In this regard, we explore how a future supernova burst in our galaxy could be used to determine Delta m(21)(2) at the future Hyper-Kamiokande detector, and how this could contribute to the current situation. We study Earth matter effects for different models of supernova neutrino spectra and supernova orientations. We find that, if supernova neutrino data prefers the KamLAND best fit for Delta m(21)(2), an uncertainty similar to the current KamLAND one could be achieved. On the contrary, if it prefers the solar neutrino data best fit, the current tension with KamLAND results could grow to a significance larger than 5 sigma. Furthermore, supernova neutrinos could significantly contribute to reducing the uncertainty on sin (2)theta(12).
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NEXT Collaboration(Haefner, J. et al), Carcel, S., Carrion, J. V., Lopez-March, N., Martin-Albo, J., Muñoz Vidal, J., et al. (2024). Demonstration of event position reconstruction based on diffusion in the NEXT-white detector. Eur. Phys. J. C, 84(5), 518–13pp.
Abstract: Noble element time projection chambers are a leading technology for rare event detection in physics, such as for dark matter and neutrinoless double beta decay searches. Time projection chambers typically assign event position in the drift direction using the relative timing of prompt scintillation and delayed charge collection signals, allowing for reconstruction of an absolute position in the drift direction. In this paper, alternate methods for assigning event drift distance via quantification of electron diffusion in a pure high pressure xenon gas time projection chamber are explored. Data from the NEXT-White detector demonstrate the ability to achieve good position assignment accuracy for both high- and low-energy events. Using point-like energy deposits from Kr-83m calibration electron captures (E similar to 45 keV), the position of origin of low-energy events is determined to 2 cm precision with bias <1 mm. A convolutional neural network approach is then used to quantify diffusion for longer tracks (E >= 1.5 MeV), from radiogenic electrons, yielding a precision of 3 cm on the event barycenter. The precision achieved with these methods indicates the feasibility energy calibrations of better than 1% FWHM at Q(beta beta) in pure xenon, as well as the potential for event fiducialization in large future detectors using an alternate method that does not rely on primary scintillation.
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NEXT Collaboration(Mistry, K. et al), Carcel, S., Lopez-March, N., Martin-Albo, J., Novella, P., Querol, M., et al. (2024). Design, characterization and installation of the NEXT-100 cathode and electroluminescence regions. J. Instrum., 19(2), P02007–36pp.
Abstract: NEXT -100 is currently being constructed at the Laboratorio Subterraneo de Canfranc in the Spanish Pyrenees and will search for neutrinoless double beta decay using a high-pressure gaseous time projection chamber (TPC) with 100 kg of xenon. Charge amplification is carried out via electroluminescence (EL) which is the process of accelerating electrons in a high electric field region causing secondary scintillation of the medium proportional to the initial charge. The NEXT -100 EL and cathode regions are made from tensioned hexagonal meshes of 1 m diameter. This paper describes the design, characterization, and installation of these parts for NEXT -100. Simulations of the electric field are performed to model the drift and amplification of ionization electrons produced in the detector under various EL region alignments and rotations. Measurements of the electrostatic breakdown voltage in air characterize performance under high voltage conditions and identify breakdown points. The electrostatic deflection of the mesh is quantified and fit to a first -pr inciples mechanical model. Measurements were performed with both a standalone test EL region and with the NEXT-100 EL region before its installation in the detector. Finally, we describe the parts as installed in NEXT-100, following their deployment in Summer 2023.
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Gomez-Cadenas, J. J., Martin-Albo, J., Menendez, J., Mezzetto, M., Monrabal, F., & Sorel, M. (2024). The search for neutrinoless double-beta decay. Riv. Nuovo Cimento, 46, 619–692.
Abstract: Neutrinos are the only particles in the Standard Model that could be Majorana fermions, that is, completely neutral fermions that are their own antiparticles. The most sensitive known experimental method to verify whether neutrinos are Majorana particles is the search for neutrinoless double-beta decay. The last 2 decades have witnessed the development of a vigorous program of neutrinoless double-beta decay experiments, spanning several isotopes and developing different strategies to handle the backgrounds masking a possible signal. In addition, remarkable progress has been made in the understanding of the nuclear matrix elements of neutrinoless double-beta decay, thus reducing a substantial part of the theoretical uncertainties affecting the particle-physics interpretation of the process. On the other hand, the negative results by several experiments, combined with the hints that the neutrino mass ordering could be normal, may imply very long lifetimes for the neutrinoless double-beta decay process. In this report, we review the main aspects of such process, the recent progress on theoretical ideas and the experimental state of the art. We then consider the experimental challenges to be addressed to increase the sensitivity to detect the process in the likely case that lifetimes are much longer than currently explored, and discuss a selection of the most promising experimental efforts.
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