Abstract: We revisit discovery prospects for a long-lived sterile neutrino N at the LHC in the context of left-right symmetric theories. We focus on a displaced vertex search strategy sensitive to O(GeV) neutrino masses produced via a right-handed W-R boson. Both on-shell and off-shell Drell-Yan production of W-R are considered. We estimate the reach as a function of m(N) and m(WR). With root s = 13 TeV and 300/fb of integrated luminosity, the LHC can probe neutrino masses as high as approximately 30 GeV and m(wR) around 6 TeV. The reach goes up to 11.5 TeV with 3000/tb and m(N) similar to 45 GeV. This represents an improvement of a factor of 2 in sensitivity with respect to earlier work.

Abstract: We examine the theoretical motivations for long-lived particle (LLP) signals at the LHC in a comprehensive survey of standard model (SM) extensions. LLPs are a common prediction of a wide range of theories that address unsolved fundamental mysteries such as naturalness, dark matter, baryogenesis and neutrino masses, and represent a natural and generic possibility for physics beyond the SM (BSM). In most cases the LLP lifetime can be treated as a free parameter from the μm scale up to the Big Bang Nucleosynthesis limit of similar to 10(7) m. Neutral LLPs with lifetimes above similar to 100 m are particularly difficult to probe, as the sensitivity of the LHC main detectors is limited by challenging backgrounds, triggers, and small acceptances. MATHUSLA is a proposal for a minimally instrumented, large-volume surface detector near ATLAS or CMS. It would search for neutral LLPs produced in HL-LHC collisions by reconstructing displaced vertices (DVs) in a low-background environment, extending the sensitivity of the main detectors by orders of magnitude in the long-lifetime regime. We study the LLP physics opportunities afforded by a MATHUSLA-like detector at the HL-LHC, assuming backgrounds can be rejected as expected. We develop a model-independent approach to describe the sensitivity of MATHUSLA to BSM LLP signals, and compare it to DV and missing energy searches at ATLAS or CMS. We then explore the BSM motivations for LLPs in considerable detail, presenting a large number of new sensitivity studies. While our discussion is especially oriented towards the long-lifetime regime at MATHUSLA, this survey underlines the importance of a varied LLP search program at the LHC in general. By synthesizing these results into a general discussion of the top-down and bottom-up motivations for LLP searches, it is our aim to demonstrate the exceptional strength and breadth of the physics case for the construction of the MATHUSLA detector.

Abstract: We study theoretically the decay tau(-) -> nu(tau)P(-)A, with P- a pi(-) or K- and A an axial-vector resonance b(1)(1235), h(1) (1170), h(1) (1380), a(1) (1260), f(1) (1285) or any of the two poles of the K-1 (1270). The process proceeds through a triangle mechanism where a vector meson pair is first produced from the weak current and then one of the vectors produces two pseudoscalars, one of which reinteracts with the other vector to produce the axial resonance. For the initial weak hadronic production we use a recent formalism to account for the hadronization after the initial quark-antiquark pair produced from the weak current, which explicitly filters G-parity states and obtain easy analytic formulas after working out the angular momentum algebra. The model also takes advantage of the chiral unitary theories to evaluate the vector-pseudoscalar (VP) amplitudes, where the axial-vector resonances were obtained as dynamically generated from the vector-pseudoscalar interaction. We make predictions for invariant mass distribution and branching ratios for the channels considered.

Abstract: We study the triangle mechanism for the decay tau(-) -> nu(tau)pi(-) f(0)(980) with the f(0)(980) decaying into pi(+) pi(-). The mechanism for this process is initiated by tau(-) -> nu K-tau*(0) K- followed by the K*(0) decay into pi K--(+), then the K- K+ produce the f(0)(980) through a triangle loop containing K* K+ K- which develops a singularity around 1420 MeV in the pi f(0)(980) invariant mass. We find a narrow peak in the pi(+) pi(-) invariant mass distribution, which originates from the f(0)(980) amplitude. Similarly, we also study the triangle mechanism for the decay tau -> nu pi(-) a(0)(980), with the a(0)(980) decaying into pi(0)eta.The formalism leads to final branching ratios for pi(-) f(0)(980) and pi(-) a(0)(980) of the order of 4 x 10(-4) and 7 x 10(-5), respectively, which are within present measurable range. Experimental verification of these predictions will shed light on the nature of the scalar mesons and on the origin of the “a(1)(1420)” peak observed in other reactions.

Abstract: We present the formalism of linear response theory both at zero and finite temperature in the case of asymmetric nuclear matter excited by an isospin flip probe. The particle-hole interaction is derived from a general Skyrme functional that includes spin-orbit and tensor terms. Response functions are obtained by solving a closed algebraic system of equations. Spin strength functions are analyzed for typical values of density, momentum transfer, asymmetry, and temperature. We evaluate the role of statistical errors related to the uncertainties of the coupling constants of the Skyrme functional and thus determine the confidence interval of the resulting response function.