Guerrero Navarro, G. H., Vicente Vacas, M. J., Hiller Blin, A. N., & Yao, D. L. (2019). Pion photoproduction off nucleons in covariant chiral perturbation theory. Phys. Rev. D, 100(9), 094021–18pp.
Abstract: Pion photoproduction off the nucleon close to threshold is studied in covariant baryon chiral perturbation theory at O(p(3)) in the extended-on-mass-shell scheme, with the explicit inclusion of the Delta(1232) resonance using the delta counting. The theory is compared to the available data of cross sections and polarization observables for all the charge channels. Most of the necessary low-energy constants arc well known from the analysis of other processes and the comparison with data constrains some of the still unknown ones. The Delta(1232) contribution is significant in improving the agreement with data, even at the low energies considered.
|
Caputo, A. (2019). Radiative axion inflation. Phys. Lett. B, 797, 134824–7pp.
Abstract: Planck data robustly exclude the simple lambda phi(4) scenario for inflation. This is also the case for models of “Axion Inflation” in which the inflaton field is the radial part of the Peccei-Quinn complex scalar field. In this letter we show that for the KSVZ model it is possible to match the data taking into account radiative corrections to the tree level potential. After writing down the 1-loop Coleman-Weinberg potential, we show that a radiative plateau is easily generated thanks to the fact that the heavy quarks are charged under SU(3)(c) in order to solve the strong CP problem. We also give a numerical example for which the inflationary observables are computed and the heavy quarks are predicted to have a mass m(Q) greater than or similar to 10(2) TeV.
|
Helo, J. C., Hirsch, M., & Ota, T. (2019). Proton decay at one loop. Phys. Rev. D, 99(9), 095021–14pp.
Abstract: Proton decay is usually discussed in the context of grand unified theories. However, as is well known, in the standard model effective theory proton decay appears in the form of higher-dimensional non-renormalizable operators. Here, we study systematically the one-loop decomposition of the d = 6 B + L violating operators. We exhaustively list the possible one-loop ultraviolet completions of these operators and discuss that, in general, two distinct classes of models appear. Models in the first class need an additional symmetry in order to avoid tree-level proton decay. These models necessarily contain a neutral particle, which could act as a dark matter candidate. For models in the second class the loop contribution dominates automatically over the tree-level proton decay, without the need for additional symmetries. We also discuss possible phenomenology of two example models, one from each class, and their possible connections to neutrino masses, LHC searches and dark matter.
|
Anamiati, G., De Romeri, V., Hirsch, M., Ternes, C. A., & Tortola, M. (2019). Quasi-Dirac neutrino oscillations at DUNE and JUNO. Phys. Rev. D, 100(3), 035032–12pp.
Abstract: Quasi-Dirac neutrinos are obtained when the Lagrangian density of a neutrino mass model contains both Dirac and Majorana mass terms, and the Majorana terms are sufficiently small. This type of neutrino introduces new mixing angles and mass splittings into the Hamiltonian, which will modify the standard neutrino oscillation probabilities. In this paper, we focus on the case where the new mass splittings are too small to be measured, but new angles and phases are present. We perform a sensitivity study for this scenario for the upcoming experiments DUNE and JUNO, finding that they will improve current bounds on the relevant parameters. Finally, we also explore the discovery potential of both experiments, assuming that neutrinos are indeed quasi-Dirac particles.
|
BABAR Collaboration(Lees, J. P. et al), Martinez-Vidal, F., & Oyanguren, A. (2019). Search for a Stable Six-Quark State at BABAR. Phys. Rev. Lett., 122(7), 072002–7pp.
Abstract: Recent investigations have suggested that the six-quark combination uuddss could be a deeply bound state (S) that has eluded detection so far, and a potential dark matter candidate. We report the first search for a stable, doubly strange six-quark state in (sic) > S (Lambda) over bar(Lambda) over bar decays based on a sample of 90 x 10(6)(sic)(2S) and 110 x 10(6)(sic)(3S) decays collected by the BABAR experiment. No signal is observed, and 90% confidence level limits on the combined (sic)(2S, 3S) -> S (Lambda) over bar(Lambda) over bar branching fraction in the range (1.2-1.4) x 10(-7) are derived for m(s) < 2.05 GeV. These bounds set stringent limits on the existence of such exotic particles.
|
Dercks, D., Dreiner, H. K., Hirsch, M., & Wang, Z. S. (2019). Long-lived fermions at AL3X. Phys. Rev. D, 99(5), 055020–10pp.
Abstract: Recently Gligorov et al. [V. V. Gligorov et al., Phys. Rev. D 99, 015023 (2019)] proposed to build a cylindrical detector named AL3X close to the ALICE experiment at interaction point (IP) 2 of the LHC, aiming for discovery of long-lived particles (LLPs) during Run 5 of the HL-LHC. We investigate the potential sensitivity reach of this detector in the parameter space of different new-physics models with long-lived fermions namely heavy neutral leptons (HNLs) and light supersymmetric neutralinos, which have both not previously been studied in this context. Our results show that the AL3X reach can be complementary or superior to that of other proposed detectors such as CODEX-b, FASER, MATHUSLA and SHiP.
|
LHCb Collaboration(Aaij, R. et al), Garcia Martin, L. M., Henry, L., Jashal, B. K., Martinez-Vidal, F., Oyanguren, A., et al. (2019). Search for the Lepton-Flavor-Violating Decays B-s(0) -> pi(+/-mu -/+) and B-0 -> tau(+/-mu -/+). Phys. Rev. Lett., 123(21), 211801–11pp.
Abstract: Results are reported from a search for the rare decays B-s(0) -> tau(+/-)mu(+/-) 1T and B -> tau(+/-)mu(+/-), where the r lepton is reconstructed in the channel r- irrg vr. These processes are effectively forbidden in the standard model, hut they can potentially occur at detectable rates in models of new physics that can induce lepton flavor-violating decays. The search is based on a data sample corresponding to 3 fb-1 of proton -proton collisions recorded by the LHCb experiment in 2011 and 2012. The event yields observed in the signal regions for both processes are consistent with the expected standard model backgrounds. Because of the limited mass resolution arising from the undetected r neutrino, the 1.3 and B signal regions are highly overlapping. Assuming no contribution from B r1, r, the upper limit 8(B r 71) < 4.2 x 10-5 is obtained at 95% confidence level. If no contribution from tau(+/-)mu(+/-) is assumed, a limit of B(B r prn < 1.4 x 10-5 is obtained at 95% confidence level. These results represent the first limit on B(B? r5+) and the most stringent limit on B(B tau(+/-)mu(+/-).)
|
ATLAS Collaboration(Aaboud, M. et al), Alvarez Piqueras, D., Bailey, A. J., Barranco Navarro, L., Cabrera Urban, S., Castillo, F. L., et al. (2019). Search for pairs of highly collimated photon-jets in pp collisions at root s=13 TeV with the ATLAS detector. Phys. Rev. D, 99(1), 012008–29pp.
Abstract: Results of a search for the pair production of photon-jets-collimated groupings of photons-in the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider are reported. Highly collimated photon-jets can arise from the decay of new, highly boosted particles that can decay to multiple photons collimated enough to be identified in the electromagnetic calorimeter as a single, photonlike energy cluster. Data from proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.7 fb(-1), were collected in 2015 and 2016. Candidate photon-jet pair production events are selected from those containing two reconstructed photons using a set of identification criteria much less stringent than that typically used for the selection of photons, with additional criteria applied to provide improved sensitivity to photon-jets. Narrow excesses in the reconstructed diphoton mass spectra are searched for. The observed mass spectra are consistent with the Standard Model background expectation. The results are interpreted in the context of a model containing a new, high-mass scalar particle with narrow width, X, that decays into pairs of photon-jets via new, light particles, a. Upper limits are placed on the cross section times the product of branching ratios sigma x B(X -> aa) x B(a -> gamma gamma)(2) for 200 GeV < m(X) < 2 TeV and for ranges of m(a) from a lower mass of 100 MeV up to between 2 and 10 GeV, depending upon m(X). Upper limits are also placed on sigma x B(X -> aa) x B(a -> 3 pi(0))(2) for the same range of m(X) and for ranges of m(a) from a lower mass of 500 MeV up to between 2 and 10 GeV.
|
ATLAS Collaboration(Aaboud, M. et al), Alvarez Piqueras, D., Aparisi Pozo, J. A., Bailey, A. J., Barranco Navarro, L., Cabrera Urban, S., et al. (2019). Searches for scalar leptoquarks and differential cross-section measurements in dilepton-dijet events in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of root s=13TeV with the ATLAS experiment. Eur. Phys. J. C, 79(9), 733–45pp.
Abstract: Searches for scalar leptoquarks pair-produced in proton-proton collisions at root s = 13 TeV at the Large Hadron Collider are performed by the ATLAS experiment. A data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb(-1) is used. Final states containing two electrons or two muons and two or more jets are studied, as are states with one electron or muon, missing transverse momentum and two or more jets. No statistically significant excess above the Standard Model expectation is observed. The observed and expected lower limits on the leptoquark mass at 95% confidence level extend up to 1.29 TeV and 1.23 TeV for first-and second-generation leptoquarks, respectively, as postulated in the minimal Buchmuller-Ruckl-Wyler model, assuming a branching ratio into a charged lepton and a quark of 50%. In addition, measurements of particle-level fiducial and differential cross sections are presented for the Z -> ee, Z -> μμand t (t) over bar processes in several regions related to the search control regions. Predictions from a range of generators are compared with the measurements, and good agreement is seen for many of the observables. However, the predictions for the Z -> ll measurements in observables sensitive to jet energies disagree with the data.
|
Etxebeste, A., Barrio, J., Bernabeu, J., Lacasta, C., Llosa, G., Muñoz, E., et al. (2019). Study of sensitivity and resolution for full ring PET prototypes based on continuous crystals and analytical modeling of the light distribution. Phys. Med. Biol., 64(3), 035015–17pp.
Abstract: Sensitivity and spatial resolution are the main parameters to maximize in the performance of a PET scanner. For this purpose, detectors consisting of a combination of continuous crystals optically coupled to segmented photodetectors have been employed. With the use of continuous crystals the sensitivity is increased with respect to the pixelated crystals. In addition, spatial resolution is no longer limited to the crystal size. The main drawback is the difficulty in determining the interaction position. In this work, we present the characterization of the performance of a full ring based on cuboid continuous crystals coupled to SiPMs. To this end, we have employed the simulations developed in a previous work for our experimental detector head. Sensitivity could be further enhanced by using tapered crystals. This enhancement is obtained by increasing the solid angle coverage, reducing the wedge-shaped gaps between contiguous detectors. The performance of the scanners based on both crystal geometries was characterized following NEMA NU 4-2008 standardized protocol in order to compare them. An average sensitivity gain over the entire axial field of view of 13.63% has been obtained with tapered geometry while similar performance of the spatial resolution has been proven with both scanners. The activity at which NECR and true peak occur is smaller and the peak value is greater for tapered crystals than for cuboid crystals. Moreover, a higher degree of homogeneity was obtained in the sensitivity map due to the tighter packing of the crystals, which reduces the gaps and results in a better recovery of homogeneous regions than for the cuboid configuration. Some of the results obtained, such as spatial resolution, depend on the interaction position estimation and may vary if other method is employed.
|
