Abstract: We derive relations between finite-volume matrix elements and infinite-volume decay amplitudes, for processes with three spinless, degenerate and either identical or non-identical particles in the final state. This generalizes the Lellouch-Luscher relation for two-particle decays and provides a strategy for extracting three-hadron decay amplitudes using lattice QCD. Unlike for two particles, even in the simplest approximation, one must solve integral equations to obtain the physical decay amplitude, a consequence of the nontrivial finite-state interactions. We first derive the result in a simplified theory with three identical particles, and then present the generalizations needed to study phenomenologically relevant three-pion decays. The specific processes we discuss are the CP-violating K -> 3 pi weak decay, the isospin-breaking eta -> 3 pi QCD transition, and the electromagnetic gamma (*) -> 3 pi amplitudes that enter the calculation of the hadronic vacuum polarization contribution to muonic g – 2.

Abstract: In dark-matter annihilation channels to hadronic final states, stable particles – such as positrons, photons, antiprotons, and antineutrinos – are produced via complex sequences of phenomena including QED/QCD radiation, hadronisation, and hadron decays. These processes are normally modelled by Monte Carlo (MC) event generators whose limited accuracy imply intrinsic QCD uncertainties on the predictions for indirect-detection experiments like Fermi-LAT, Pamela, IceCube or Ams-02. In this article, we perform a comprehensive analysis of QCD uncertainties, meaning both perturbative and nonperturbative sources of uncertainty are included – estimated via variations of MC renormalization-scale and fragmentation-function parameters, respectively – in antimatter spectra from dark-matter annihilation, based on parametric variations of the Pythia 8 event generator. After performing several retunings of light-quark fragmentation functions, we define a set of variations that span a conservative estimate of the QCD uncertainties. We estimate the effects on antimatter spectra for various annihilation channels and final-state particle species, and discuss their impact on fitted values for the dark-matter mass and thermally-averaged annihilation cross section. We find dramatic impacts which can go up to O(10%) for the annihilation cross section. We provide the spectra in tabulated form including QCD uncertainties and code snippets to perform fast dark-matter fits, in this github repository.

Abstract: The production of Xi(++)(cc) baryons in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of root s = 13 Tev is measured in the transverse-momentum range 4 < p(T) < 15 GeV/c and the rapidity range 2.0 < y < 4.5. The data used in this measurement correspond to an integrated luminosity of 1.7 fb(-1), recorded by the LHCb experiment during 2016. The ratio of the Xi(++)(cc) production cross-section times the branching fraction of the Xi(++)(cc) -> Lambda K-+(c)-pi(+)pi(+) decay relative to the prompt Lambda(+)(c) production cross-section is found to be (2.22 +/- 0.27 +/- 0.29) x 10(-4), assuming the central value of the measured Xi(++)(cc) lifetime, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic.

Abstract: A precision measurement of the B-c(+) meson mass is performed using proton- proton collision data collected with the LHCb experiment at centre-of-mass energies of 7, 8 and 13 TeV, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 9.0 fb(-1). The B-c(+) mesons are reconstructed via the decays B-c(+)-> J/psi pi(+), B-c(+)-> J/psi pi(+)pi(-)pi(+), B-c(+)-> J/psi pp<overbar>pi(+), B-c(+)-> J/psi D-s(+), B-c(+)-> J/psi (DK+)-K-0 and B-c(+)-> B-s(0)pi(+). Combining the results of the individual decay channels, the B-c(+) mass is measured to be 6274.47 +/- 0.27 (stat) +/- 0.17 (syst) MeV/c(2). This is the most precise measurement of the B-c(+) mass to date. The difference between the B-c(+) and B-s(0) meson masses is measured to be 907.75 +/- 0.37 (stat) +/- 0.27 (syst) MeV/c(2).

Abstract: A search for the doubly heavy Xi bc0 baryon using its decay to the D(0)pK(-) final state is performed using proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV collected by the LHCb experiment between 2016 and 2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.4 fb(-1). No significant signal is found in the invariant mass range from 6.7 to 7.2 GeV/c(2). Upper limits are set at 95% credibility level on the ratio of the Xi bc0 production cross-section times its branching fraction to D(0)pK(-) relative to that of the Lambda b0 -> D0pK- decay. The limits are set as a function of the Xi bc0 mass and lifetime hypotheses, in the rapidity range from 2.0 to 4.5 and in the transverse momentum region from 5 to 25 GeV/c. Upper limits range from 1.7 x 10(-2) to 3.0 x 10(-1) for the considered Xi bc0 mass and lifetime hypotheses.