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Nichols, A. L., Dimitriou, P., Algora, A., Fallot, M., Giot, L., Kondev, F. G., et al. (2023). Improving fission-product decay data for reactor applications: part I-decay heat. Eur. Phys. J. A, 59(4), 78–78pp.
Abstract: Effort has been expended to assess the relative merits of undertaking further decay-data measurements of the main fission-product contributors to the decay heat of neutron-irradiated fissionable fuel and related actinides by means of Total Absorption Gamma-ray Spectroscopy (TAGS – sometimes abbreviated to TAS) and Discrete Gamma-ray Spectroscopy (DGS). This review has been carried out following similar work performed under the auspices of OECD/WPEC-Subgroup 25 (2005-2007) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (2009, 2014), and various highly relevant TAGS measurements completed as a consequence of such assessments. We present our recommendations for new decay-data evaluations, along with possible requirements for total absorption and discrete high-resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy studies that cover approximately 120 fission products and various isomeric states.
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Nebot, M. (2020). Bounded masses in two Higgs doublets models, spontaneous CP violation and Z(2) symmetry. Phys. Rev. D, 102(11), 115002–16pp.
Abstract: In two Higgs doublet models (2HDMs) shaped by some unbroken symmetry, imposing perturbativity requirements on the quartic couplings can imply that the allowed masses of all the fundamental scalars are bounded from above. This important property is analyzed in detail for the only two realistic 2HDMs with an exact symmetry, the case with Z(2) symmetry and the case with CP symmetry. It is also noticeable that one exception arises in each case: when the vacuum is assumed to respect the imposed symmetry, a decoupling regime can nevertheless appear without violating perturbativity requirements. In both models with an exact symmetry and no decoupling regime, soft symmetry breaking terms can however lead to a decoupling regime: the possibility that this regime might be unnatural, since it requires some fine-tuning, is also analyzed.
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Nebot, M., Botella, F. J., & Branco, G. C. (2019). Vacuum induced CP violation generating a complex CKM matrix with controlled scalar FCNC. Eur. Phys. J. C, 79(8), 711–23pp.
Abstract: We propose. a viable minimal model with spontaneous CP violation in the framework of a two Higgs doublet model. The model is based on a generalised Branco-Grimus-Lavoura model with a flavoured Z(2) symmetry, under which two of the quark families are even and the third one is odd. The lagrangian respects CP invariance, but the vacuum has a CP violating phase, which is able to generate a complex CKM matrix, with the rephasing invariant strength of CP violation compatible with experiment. The question of scalar mediated flavour changing neutral couplings is carefully studied. In particular we point out a deep connection between the generation of a complex CKM matrix from a vacuum phase and the appearance of scalar FCNC. The scalar sector is presented in detail, showing that the new scalars are necessarily lighter than 1 TeV. A complete analysis of the model including the most relevant constraints is performed, showing that it is viable and that it has definite implications for the observation of New Physics signals in, for example, flavour changing Higgs decays or the discovery of the new scalars at the LHC. We give special emphasis to processes like t -> hc, hu, as well as h -> bs, bd, which are relevant for the LHC and the ILC.
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Navarro-Salas, J. (2024). Black holes, conformal symmetry, and fundamental fields. Class. Quantum Gravity, 41(8), 085003–14pp.
Abstract: Cosmic censorship protects the outside world from black hole singularities and paves the way for assigning entropy to gravity at the event horizons. We point out a tension between cosmic censorship and the quantum backreacted geometry of Schwarzschild black holes, induced by vacuum polarization and driven by the conformal anomaly. A similar tension appears for the Weyl curvature hypothesis at the Big Bang singularity. We argue that the requirement of exact conformal symmetry resolves both conflicts and has major implications for constraining the set of fundamental constituents of the Standard Model.
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Navarro-Salas, J., & Pla, S. (2022). Particle Creation and the Schwinger Model. Symmetry-Basel, 14(11), 2435–9pp.
Abstract: We study the particle creation process in the Schwinger model coupled with an external classical source. One can approach the problem by taking advantage of the fact that the full quantized model is solvable and equivalent to a (massive) gauge field with a non-local effective action. Alternatively, one can also face the problem by following the standard semiclassical route. This means quantizing the massless Dirac field and considering the electromagnetic field as a classical background. We evaluate the energy created by a generic, homogeneous, and time-dependent source. The results match exactly in both approaches. This proves in a very direct and economical way the validity of the semiclassical approach for the (massless) Schwinger model, in agreement with a previous analysis based on the linear response equation. Our discussion suggests that a similar analysis for the massive Schwinger model could be used as a non-trivial laboratory to confront a fully quantized solvable model with its semiclassical approximation, therefore mimicking the long-standing confrontation of quantum gravity with quantum field theory in curved spacetime.
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Navarro-Salas, J., & Pla, S. (2021). (F, G)-summed form of the QED effective action. Phys. Rev. D, 103(8), L081702–7pp.
Abstract: We conjecture that the proper-time series expansion of the one-loop effective Lagrangian of quantum electrodynamics can be summed in all terms containing the field-strength invariants F = 1/4F F-mu nu(mu nu) (x), G = 1/4 (F) over tilde F-mu nu(mu nu) (x), including those also possessing derivatives of the electromagnetic field strength. This partial resummation is exactly encapsulated in a factor with the same form as the Heisenberg-Euler Lagrangian density, except that now the electric and magnetic fields can depend arbitrarily on spacetime coordinates. We provide strong evidence for this conjecture, which is proved to sixth order in the proper time. Furthermore, and as a byproduct, we generate some solvable electromagnetic backgrounds. We also discuss the implications for a generalization of the Schwinger formula for pair production induced by nonconstant electric fields. Finally, we briefly outline the extension of these results in the presence of gravity.
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Navarro, P., Gimeno, B., Monzo-Cabrera, J., Diaz-Morcillo, A., & Blas, D. (2024). Study of a cubic cavity resonator for gravitational waves detection in the microwave frequency range. Phys. Rev. D, 109(10), 104048–19pp.
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.
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Navarro, P., Gimeno, B., Alvarez Melcon, A., Arguedas Cuendis, S., Cogollos, C., Diaz-Morcillo, A., et al. (2022). Wide-band full-wave electromagnetic modal analysis of the coupling between dark-matter axions and photons in microwave resonators. Phys. Dark Universe, 36, 101001–14pp.
Abstract: The electromagnetic coupling axion-photon in a microwave cavity is revisited with the Boundary Integral-Resonant Mode Expansion (BI-RME) 3D technique. Such full-wave modal technique has been applied for the rigorous analysis of the excitation of a microwave cavity with an axion field. In this scenario, the electromagnetic field generated by the axion-photon coupling can be assumed to be driven by equivalent electrical charge and current densities. These densities have been inserted in the general BI-RME 3D equations, which express the RF electromagnetic field existing within a cavity as an integral involving the Dyadic Green's functions of the cavity (under Coulomb gauge) as well as such densities. This method is able to take into account any arbitrary spatial and temporal variation of both magnitude and phase of the axion field. Next, we have obtained a simple network driven by the axion current source, which represents the coupling between the axion field and the resonant modes of the cavity. With this approach, it is possible to calculate the extracted and dissipated RF power as a function of frequency along a broad band and without Cauchy-Lorentz approximations, obtaining the spectrum of the electromagnetic field generated in the cavity, and dealing with modes relatively close to the axion resonant mode. Moreover, with this technique we have a complete knowledge of the signal extracted from the cavity, not only in magnitude but also in phase. This can be an interesting issue for future analysis where the axion phase is an important parameter.
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Fernandez Navarro, M., King, S. F., & Vicente, A. (2024). Tri-unification: a separate SU(5) for each fermion family. J. High Energy Phys., 05(5), 130–32pp.
Abstract: In this paper we discuss SU(5)3 with cyclic symmetry as a possible grand unified theory (GUT). The basic idea of such a tri-unification is that there is a separate SU(5) for each fermion family, with the light Higgs doublet(s) arising from the third family SU(5), providing a basis for charged fermion mass hierarchies. SU(5)3 tri-unification reconciles the idea of gauge non-universality with the idea of gauge coupling unification, opening the possibility to build consistent non-universal descriptions of Nature that are valid all the way up to the scale of grand unification. As a concrete example, we propose a grand unified embedding of the tri-hypercharge model \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$${\text{U}}{\left(1\right)}_{Y}<^>{3}$$\end{document} based on an SU(5)3 framework with cyclic symmetry. We discuss a minimal tri-hypercharge example which can account for all the quark and lepton (including neutrino) masses and mixing parameters. We show that it is possible to unify the many gauge couplings into a single gauge coupling associated with the cyclic SU(5)3 gauge group, by assuming minimal multiplet splitting, together with a set of relatively light colour octet scalars. We also study proton decay in this example, and present the predictions for the proton lifetime in the dominant e+pi 0 channel.
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NEXT Collaboration(Navarro, K. E. et al), Carcel, S., Carrion, J. V., Lopez, F., Lopez-March, N., Martin-Albo, J., et al. (2023). A compact dication source for Ba2+ tagging and heavy metal ion sensor development. J. Instrum., 18(7), P07044–19pp.
Abstract: We present a tunable metal ion beam that delivers controllable ion currents in the picoamp range for testing of dry-phase ion sensors. Ion beams are formed by sequential atomic evaporation and single or multiple electron impact ionization, followed by acceleration into a sensing region. Controllability of the ionic charge state is achieved through tuning of electrode potentials that influence the retention time in the ionization region. Barium, lead, and cadmium samples have been used to test the system, with ion currents identified and quantified using a quadrupole mass analyzer. Realization of a clean Ba2+ ion beam within a bench-top system represents an important technical advance toward the development and characterization of barium tagging systems for neutrinoless double beta decay searches in xenon gas. This system also provides a testbed for investigation of novel ion sensing methodologies for environmental assay applications, with dication beams of Pb2+ and Cd2+ also demonstrated for this purpose.
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