Hernandez, E., Nieves, J., & Vicente Vacas, M. J. (2013). Single pion production in neutrino-nucleus scattering. Phys. Rev. D, 87(11), 113009–11pp.
Abstract: We study 1 pi production in both charged and neutral current neutrino-nucleus scattering for neutrino energies below 2 GeV. We use a theoretical model for one pion production at the nucleon level that we correct for medium effects. The results are incorporated into a cascade program that apart from production also includes the pion final state interaction inside the nucleus. Besides, in some specific channels coherent pi production is also possible and we evaluate its contribution as well. Our results for total and differential cross sections are compared with recent data from the MiniBooNE Collaboration. The model provides an overall acceptable description of the data, better for neutral-current than for charged-current channels, although the theory is systematically below the data. Differential cross sections, folded with the full neutrino flux, show that most of the missing pions lie in the forward direction and at high energies.
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Hernandez, E., Nieves, J., Valverde, M., & Vicente Vacas, M. J. (2010). N-Delta(1232) axial form factors from weak pion production. Phys. Rev. D, 81(8), 085046–5pp.
Abstract: The N Delta axial form factors are determined from neutrino induced pion production ANL and BNL data by using a theoretical model that accounts both for background mechanisms and deuteron effects. We find violations of the off-diagonal Goldberger-Treiman relation at the level of 2 sigma which might have an impact in background calculations for T2K and MiniBooNE low energy neutrino oscillation precision experiments.
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Hernandez, E., Nieves, J., & Valverde, M. (2010). Coherent pion production off nuclei at T2K and MiniBooNE energies revisited. Phys. Rev. D, 82(7), 077303–4pp.
Abstract: As a result of a new improved fit to old bubble chamber data of the dominant axial C-5(A) nucleon-to-delta form factor, and due to the relevance of this form factor for neutrino induced coherent pion production, we reevaluate our model predictions in [Phys. Rev. D 79, 013002 ( 2009)] for different observables of the latter reaction. Central values for the total cross sections increase by 20%-30%, while differential cross sections do not change their shape appreciably. Furthermore, we also compute the uncertainties on total, differential, and flux-averaged cross sections induced by the errors in the determination of C-5(A). Our new results turn out to be compatible within about 1 sigma with the former ones. Finally, we stress the existing tension between the recent experimental determination of the sigma(CCcoh pi(+))/sigma(NCcoh pi(0)) ratio by the SciBooNE Collaboration and the theoretical predictions.
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Hernandez, E., & Nieves, J. (2011). Study of the strong Sigma(b) -> Lambda(b)pi and Sigma*(b) -> Lambda(b)pi in a nonrelativistic quark model. Phys. Rev. D, 84(5), 057902–5pp.
Abstract: We present results for the strong widths corresponding to the Sigma(b) -> Lambda(b)pi and Sigma*(b) -> Lambda(b)pi decays. We apply our model from Phys. Rev. D 72, 094022 (2005), where we previously studied the corresponding transitions in the charmed sector. Our nonrelativistic constituent quark model uses wave functions that take advantage of the constraints imposed by heavy quark symmetry. The partial conservation of axial current hypothesis allows us to determine the strong vertices from an analysis of the axial current matrix elements.
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Hernandez, E., & Nieves, J. (2017). Neutrino-induced one-pion production revisited: The nu(mu)n -> mu(-)n pi(+) channel. Phys. Rev. D, 95(5), 053007–18pp.
Abstract: Understanding single pion production reactions on free nucleons is the first step towards a correct description of these processes in nuclei, which are important for signal and background contributions in current and near future accelerator neutrino oscillation experiments. In this work, we reanalyze our previous studies of neutrino-induced one-pion production on nucleons for outgoing pi N invariant masses below 1.4 GeV. Our motivation is to get a better description of the nu(mu)n -> mu(-)n pi(+) cross section, for which current theoretical models give values significantly below data. This channel is very sensitive to the crossed Delta(1232) contribution and thus, to spin 1/2 components in the Rarita-Schwinger Delta propagator. We show how these spin 1/2 components are nonpropagating and give rise to contact interactions. In this context, we point out that the discrepancy with experiment might be corrected by the addition of appropriate extra contact terms and argue that this procedure will provide a natural solution to the nu(mu)n -> mu(-)n pi(+) puzzle. To keep our model simple, in this work, we propose to change the strength of the spin 1/2 components in the. propagator and use the nu(mu)n -> mu(-)n pi(+) data to constraint its value. With this modification, we now find a good reproduction of the nu(mu)n -> mu(-)n pi(+) cross section without affecting the good results previously obtained for the other channels. We also explore how this change in the. propagator affects our predictions for pion photoproduction and find also a better agreement with experiment than with the previous model.
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Helo, J. C., Kovalenko, S. G., Hirsch, M., & Pas, H. (2013). Neutrinoless double beta decay and lepton number violation at the LHC. Phys. Rev. D, 88(1), 011901–5pp.
Abstract: We compare the discovery potential of the LHC for lepton number violating (LNV) signals with the sensitivity of current and future double beta decay experiments, assuming 0 nu beta beta decay is dominated by heavy particle exchange. We consider charged scalar, leptoquark and diquark mechanisms of 0 nu beta beta decay, covering the 0 nu beta beta decay operators with both, the smallest and largest, possible rates. We demonstrate, if 0 nu beta beta decay were found with a half-life below 10(26)-10(27) years a positive signal should show up at the LHC, except for some particular cases of the leptoquark mechanism, and vice versa, if the LHC does not find any hints for LNV, a “short-range” explanation for a finite 0 nu beta beta decay half-life will be ruled out in most cases. We argue, if a positive LNV signal were found at the LHC, it is possible to identify the dominant contribution to 0 nu beta beta. Two different kinds of observables which could provide such “model discriminating” power are discussed: different invariant mass peaks and the charge asymmetry.
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Helo, J. C., Kovalenko, S. G., Hirsch, M., & Pas, H. (2013). Short-range mechanisms of neutrinoless double beta decay at the LHC. Phys. Rev. D, 88(7), 073011–19pp.
Abstract: Lepton number violation (LNV) mediated by short- range operators can manifest itself in both neutrinoless double beta decay (0 nu beta beta) and in processes with same- sign dilepton final states at the LHC. We derive limits from existing LHC data at root s = 8 TeV and compare the discovery potential of the forthcoming root s = 14 TeV phase of the LHC with the sensitivity of current and future 0 nu beta beta decay experiments, assuming the short-range part of the 0 nu beta beta decay amplitude dominates. We focus on the first of two possible topologies triggered by one fermion and two bosons in the intermediate state. In all cases, except for the pure leptoquark mechanism, the LHC will be more sensitive than 0 nu beta beta decay in the future. In addition, we propose to search for a charge asymmetry in the final state leptons and to use different invariant mass peaks as a possible tool to discriminate the various possible mechanisms for LNV signals at the LHC.
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Helo, J. C., Kovalenko, S. G., & Hirsch, M. (2014). Heavy neutrino searches at the LHC with displaced vertices. Phys. Rev. D, 89(7), 073005–7pp.
Abstract: Sterile neutrinos with masses in the range of 1-100 GeV have been searched for in a variety of experiments. Here, we discuss the prospects of searching for sterile neutrinos at the LHC using displaced vertices. Two different cases are discussed: (i) the standard model extended with sterile neutrinos, and (ii) right-handed neutrinos in a left-right symmetric extension of the standard model. A dedicated displaced vertex search will allow us to probe parts of the parameter space not accessible to other searches, but both cases will require a large luminosity.
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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.
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Helo, J. C., & Hirsch, M. (2015). LHC dijet constraints on double beta decay. Phys. Rev. D, 92(7), 073017–7pp.
Abstract: We use LHC dijet data to derive constraints on neutrinoless double beta decay. Upper limits on cross sections for the production of “exotic” resonances, such as a right-handed W boson or a diquark, can be converted into lower limits on the double beta decay half-life for fixed choices of other parameters. Constraints derived from run-I data are already surprisingly strong and complementary to results from searches using same-sign dileptons plus jets. For the case of the left-right symmetric model, in case no new resonance is found in future runs of the LHC and assuming g(L) = g(R), we estimate a lower limit on the double beta decay half-life larger than 10(27) yr can be derived from future dijet data, except in the window of relatively light right-handed neutrino masses in the range 0.5 MeV to 50 GeV. Part of this mass window will be tested in the upcoming SHiP experiment. We also discuss current and future limits on possible scalar diquark contributions to double beta decay that can be derived from dijet data.
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