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Falkowski, A., Gonzalez-Alonso, M., & Tabrizi, Z. (2020). Consistent QFT description of non-standard neutrino interactions. J. High Energy Phys., 11(11), 048–23pp.
Abstract: Neutrino oscillations are precision probes of new physics. Apart from neutrino masses and mixings, they are also sensitive to possible deviations of low-energy interactions between quarks and leptons from the Standard Model predictions. In this paper we develop a systematic description of such non-standard interactions (NSI) in oscillation experiments within the quantum field theory framework. We calculate the event rate and oscillation probability in the presence of general NSI, starting from the effective field theory (EFT) in which new physics modifies the flavor or Lorentz structure of charged-current interactions between leptons and quarks. We also provide the matching between the EFT Wilson coefficients and the widely used simplified quantum-mechanical approach, where new physics is encoded in a set of production and detection NSI parameters. Finally, we discuss the consistency conditions for the standard NSI approach to correctly reproduce the quantum field theory result.
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Falkowski, A., Gonzalez-Alonso, M., Palavric, A., & Rodriguez-Sanchez, A. (2024). Constraints on subleading interactions in beta decay Lagrangian. J. High Energy Phys., 02(2), 091–54pp.
Abstract: We discuss the effective field theory (EFT) for nuclear beta decay. The general quark-level EFT describing charged-current interactions between quarks and leptons is matched to the nucleon-level non-relativistic EFT at the OMeV momentum scale characteristic for beta transitions. The matching takes into account, for the first time, the effect of all possible beyond-the-Standard-Model interactions at the subleading order in the recoil momentum. We calculate the impact of all the Wilson coefficients of the leading and subleading EFT Lagrangian on the differential decay width in allowed beta transitions. As an example application, we show how the existing experimental data constrain the subleading Wilson coefficients corresponding to pseudoscalar, weak magnetism, and induced tensor interactions. The data display a 3.5 sigma evidence for nucleon weak magnetism, in agreement with the theory prediction based on isospin symmetry.
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Falkowski, A., Gonzalez-Alonso, M., & Naviliat-Cuncic, O. (2021). Comprehensive analysis of beta decays within and beyond the Standard Model. J. High Energy Phys., 04(4), 126–36pp.
Abstract: Precision measurements in allowed nuclear beta decays and neutron decay are reviewed and analyzed both within the Standard Model and looking for new physics. The analysis incorporates the most recent experimental and theoretical developments. The results are interpreted in terms of Wilson coefficients describing the effective interactions between leptons and nucleons (or quarks) that are responsible for beta decay. New global fits are performed incorporating a comprehensive list of precision measurements in neutron decay, superallowed 0(+)-> 0(+) transitions, and other nuclear decays that include, for the first time, data from mirror beta transitions. The results confirm the V-A character of the interaction and translate into updated values for V-ud and g(A) at the 10(-4) level. We also place new stringent limits on exotic couplings involving left-handed and right-handed neutrinos, which benefit significantly from the inclusion of mirror decays in the analysis.
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Falkowski, A., Gonzalez-Alonso, M., Kopp, J., Soreq, Y., & Tabrizi, Z. (2021). EFT at FASER nu. J. High Energy Phys., 10(10), 086–46pp.
Abstract: We investigate the sensitivity of the FASER nu detector to new physics in the form of non-standard neutrino interactions. FASER nu, which will be installed 480 m downstream of the ATLAS interaction point, will for the first time study interactions of multi-TeV neutrinos from a controlled source. Our formalism – which is applicable to any current and future neutrino experiment – is based on the Standard Model Effective Theory (SMEFT) and its counterpart, Weak Effective Field Theory (WEFT), below the electroweak scale. Starting from the WEFT Lagrangian, we compute the coefficients that modify neutrino production in meson decays and detection via deep-inelastic scattering, and we express the new physics effects in terms of modified flavor transition probabilities. For some coupling structures, we find that FASER nu will be able to constrain interactions that are two to three orders of magnitude weaker than Standard Model weak interactions, implying that the experiment will be indirectly probing new physics at the multi-TeV scale. In some cases, FASER nu constraints will become comparable to existing limits – some of them derived for the first time in this paper – already with 150 fb(-1) of data.
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Esteves, J. N., Romao, J. C., Hirsch, M., Vicente, A., Porod, W., & Staub, F. (2010). LHC and lepton flavour violation phenomenology of a left-right extension of the MSSM. J. High Energy Phys., 12(12), 077–44pp.
Abstract: We study the phenomenology of a supersymmetric left-right model, assuming minimal supergravity boundary conditions. Both left-right and (B-L) symmetries are broken at an energy scale close to, but significantly below the GUT scale. Neutrino data is explained via a seesaw mechanism. We calculate the RGEs for superpotential and soft parameters complete at 2-loop order. At low energies lepton flavour violation (LFV) and small, but potentially measurable mass splittings in the charged scalar lepton sector appear, due to the RGE running. Different from the supersymmetric “pure seesaw” models, both, LFV and slepton mass splittings, occur not only in the left-but also in the right slepton sector. Especially, ratios of LFV slepton decays, such as Br((tau) over bar (R) -> μchi(0)(1))/Br((tau) over bar (L) -> μchi(0)(1)) are sensitive to the ratio of (B-L) and left-right symmetry breaking scales. Also the model predicts a polarization asymmetry of the outgoing positrons in the decay mu(+) -> e(+)gamma, A similar to [0, 1], which differs from the pure seesaw “prediction” A = 1. Observation of any of these signals allows to distinguish this model from any of the three standard, pure (mSugra) seesaw setups.
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Esteves, J. N., Romao, J. C., Hirsch, M., Porod, W., Staub, F., & Vicente, A. (2012). Dark matter and LHC phenomenology in a left-right supersymmetric model. J. High Energy Phys., 01(1), 095–33pp.
Abstract: Left-right symmetric extensions of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model can explain neutrino data and have potentially interesting phenomenology beyond that found in minimal SUSY seesaw models. Here we study a SUSY model in which the left-right symmetry is broken by triplets at a high scale, but significantly below the GUT scale. Sparticle spectra in this model differ from the usual constrained MSSM expectations and these changes affect the relic abundance of the lightest neutralino. We discuss changes for the standard stau (and stop) co-annihilation, the Higgs funnel and the focus point regions. The model has potentially large lepton flavour violation in both, left and right, scalar leptons and thus allows, in principle, also for flavoured co-annihilation. We also discuss lepton flavour signals due to violating decays of the second lightest neutralino at the LHC, which can be as large as 20 fb(-1) at root s = 14 TeV.
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Esser, F., Madigan, M., Sanz, V., & Ubiali, M. (2023). On the coupling of axion-like particles to the top quark. J. High Energy Phys., 09(9), 063–39pp.
Abstract: In this paper we explore the coupling of a light axion-like particle (ALP) to top quarks. We use high-energy LHC probes, and examine both the direct probe to this coupling in associated production of a top-pair with an ALP, and the indirect probe through loop-induced gluon fusion to an ALP leading to top pairs. Using the latest LHC Run II data, we provide the best limit on this coupling. We also compare these limits with those obtained from loop-induced couplings in diboson final states, finding that the +MET channel is the best current handle on this coupling.
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Escudero, M., Witte, S. J., & Rius, N. (2018). The dispirited case of gauged U(1)(B-L) dark matter. J. High Energy Phys., 08(8), 190–30pp.
Abstract: We explore the constraints and phenomenology of possibly the simplest scenario that could account at the same time for the active neutrino masses and the dark matter in the Universe within a gauged U(1)(B-L) symmetry, namely right-handed neutrino dark matter. We find that null searches from lepton and hadron colliders require dark matter with a mass below 900 GeV to annihilate through a resonance. Additionally, the very strong constraints from high-energy dilepton searches fully exclude the model for 150 GeV < m(z') < 3 TeV. We further explore the phenomenology in the high mass region (i.e. masses greater than or similar to O(1) TeV) and highlight theoretical arguments, related to the appearance of a Landau pole or an instability of the scalar potential, disfavoring large portions of this parameter space. Collectively, these considerations illustrate that a minimal extension of the Standard Model via a local U(1)(B-L) symmetry with a viable thermal dark matter candidate is difficult to achieve without fine-tuning. We conclude by discussing possible extensions of the model that relieve tension with collider constraints by reducing the gauge coupling required to produce the correct relic abundance.
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Escudero, M., Rius, N., & Sanz, V. (2017). Sterile neutrino portal to Dark Matter I: the U(1)(B-L) case. J. High Energy Phys., 02(2), 045–27pp.
Abstract: In this paper we explore the possibility that the sterile neutrino and Dark Matter sectors in the Universe have a common origin. We study the consequences of this assumption in the simple case of coupling the dark sector to the Standard Model via a global U(1)(B-L), broken down spontaneously by a dark scalar. This dark scalar provides masses to the dark fermions and communicates with the Higgs via a Higgs portal coupling. We find an interesting interplay between Dark Matter annihilation to dark scalars – the CP-even that mixes with the Higgs and the CP-odd which becomes a Goldstone boson, the Majoron and heavy neutrinos, as well as collider probes via the coupling to the Higgs. Moreover, Dark Matter annihilation into sterile neutrinos and its subsequent decay to gauge bosons and quarks, charged leptons or neutrinos lead to indirect detection signatures which are close to current bounds on the gamma ray flux from the galactic center and dwarf galaxies.
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Escudero, M., Lopez-Pavon, J., Rius, N., & Sandner, S. (2020). Relaxing cosmological neutrino mass bounds with unstable neutrinos. J. High Energy Phys., 12(12), 119–44pp.
Abstract: At present, cosmological observations set the most stringent bound on the neutrino mass scale. Within the standard cosmological model (Lambda CDM), the Planck collaboration reports Sigma m(v)< 0.12 eV at 95 % CL. This bound, taken at face value, excludes many neutrino mass models. However, unstable neutrinos, with lifetimes shorter than the age of the universe <tau>(nu) less than or similar to t(U), represent a particle physics avenue to relax this constraint. Motivated by this fact, we present a taxonomy of neutrino decay modes, categorizing them in terms of particle content and final decay products. Taking into account the relevant phenomenological bounds, our analysis shows that 2-body decaying neutrinos into BSM particles are a promising option to relax cosmological neutrino mass bounds. We then build a simple extension of the type I seesaw scenario by adding one sterile state nu (4) and a Goldstone boson phi, in which nu (i)-> nu (4)phi decays can loosen the neutrino mass bounds up to Sigma m(v) similar to 1 eV, without spoiling the light neutrino mass generation mechanism. Remarkably, this is possible for a large range of the right-handed neutrino masses, from the electroweak up to the GUT scale. We successfully implement this idea in the context of minimal neutrino mass models based on a U(1)(mu-tau) flavor symmetry, which are otherwise in tension with the current bound on Sigma m(v).
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