T2K Collaboration(Abe, K. et al), Cervera-Villanueva, A., Izmaylov, A., Sorel, M., & Stamoulis, P. (2016). Measurement of the muon neutrino inclusive charged-current cross section in the energy range of 1-3 GeV with the T2K INGRID detector. Phys. Rev. D, 93(7), 072002–23pp.
Abstract: We report a measurement of the nu(mu)-nucleus inclusive charged-current cross section (= sigma(cc)) on iron using data from the INGRID detector exposed to the J-PARC neutrino beam. The detector consists of 14 modules in total, which are spread over a range of off-axis angles from 0 degrees to 1.1 degrees. The variation in the neutrino energy spectrum as a function of the off-axis angle, combined with event topology information, is used to calculate this cross section as a function of neutrino energy. The cross section is measured to be sigma(cc) (1.1 GeV) = 1.10 +/- 0.15 (10(-38) cm(2)/nucleon), sigma(cc) (2.0 GeV) = 2.07 +/- 0.27 (10(-38) cm(2)/nucleon), and sigma(cc) (3.3 GeV) = 2.29 +/- 0.45 (10(-38) cm(2)/nucleon), at energies of 1.1, 2.0, and 3.3 GeV, respectively. These results are consistent with the cross section calculated by the neutrino interaction generators currently used by T2K. More importantly, the method described here opens up a new way to determine the energy dependence of neutrino-nucleus cross sections.
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IDS Collaboration(Lica, R. et al), & Morales, A. I. (2016). Fast-timing study of the l-forbidden 1/2(+) -> 3/2(+) M1 transition in Sn-129. Phys. Rev. C, 93(4), 044303–7pp.
Abstract: The levels in Sn-129 populated from the beta(-) decay of In-129 isomers were investigated at the ISOLDE facility of CERN using the newly commissioned ISOLDE Decay Station (IDS). The lowest 1/2(+) state and the 3/2(+) ground state in 129Sn are expected to have configurations dominated by the neutron s(1/2) (l = 0) and d(3/2) (l = 2) single-particle states, respectively. Consequently, these states should be connected by a somewhat slow l-forbidden M1 transition. Using fast-timing spectroscopy we havemeasured the half-life of the 1/2(+) 315.3-keV state, T-1/2 = 19(10) ps, which corresponds to a moderately fast M1 transition. Shell-model calculations using the CD-Bonn effective interaction, with standard effective charges and g factors, predict a 4-ns half-life for this level. We can reconcile the shell-model calculations to the measured T-1/2 value by the renormalization of the M1 effective operator for neutron holes.
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Candela-Juan, C., Niatsetski, Y., van der Laarse, R., Granero, D., Ballester, F., Perez-Calatayud, J., et al. (2016). Design and characterization of a new high-dose-rate brachytherapy Valencia applicator for larger skin lesions. Med. Phys., 43(4), 1639–1648.
Abstract: Purpose: The aims of this study were (i) to design a new high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy applicator for treating surface lesions with planning target volumes larger than 3 cm in diameter and up to 5 cm in size, using the microSelectron-HDR or Flexitron afterloader (Elekta Brachytherapy) with a Ir-192 source; (ii) to calculate by means of the Monte Carlo (MC) method the dose distribution for the new applicator when it is placed against a water phantom; and (iii) to validate experimentally the dose distributions in water. Methods: The PENELOPE2008 MC code was used to optimize dwell positions and dwell times. Next, the dose distribution in a water phantom and the leakage dose distribution around the applicator were calculated. Finally, MC data were validated experimentally for a 192Ir mHDR-v2 source by measuring (i) dose distributions with radiochromic EBT3 films (ISP); (ii) percentage depth-dose (PDD) curve with the parallel-plate ionization chamber Advanced Markus (PTW); and (iii) absolute dose rate with EBT3 films and the PinPoint T31016 (PTW) ionization chamber. Results: The new applicator is made of tungsten alloy (Densimet) and consists of a set of interchangeable collimators. Three catheters are used to allocate the source at prefixed dwell positions with preset weights to produce a homogenous dose distribution at the typical prescription depth of 3 mm in water. The same plan is used for all available collimators. PDD, absolute dose rate per unit of air kerma strength, and off-axis profiles in a cylindrical water phantom are reported. These data can be used for treatment planning. Leakage around the applicator was also scored. The dose distributions, PDD, and absolute dose rate calculated agree within experimental uncertainties with the doses measured: differences of MC data with chamber measurements are up to 0.8% and with radiochromic films are up to 3.5%. Conclusions: The new applicator and the dosimetric data provided here will be a valuable tool in clinical practice, making treatment of large skin lesions simpler, faster, and safer. Also the dose to surrounding healthy tissues is minimal.
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Bonilla, C., Romao, J. C., & Valle, J. W. F. (2016). Electroweak breaking and neutrino mass: `invisible' Higgs decays at the LHC (type II seesaw). New J. Phys., 18, 033033–21pp.
Abstract: Neutrino mass generation through the Higgs mechanism not only suggests the need to reconsider the physics of electroweak symmetry breaking from a new perspective, but also provides a new theoretically consistent and experimentally viable paradigm. We illustrate this by describing the main features of the electroweak symmetry breaking sector of the simplest type-II seesaw model with spontaneous breaking of lepton number. After reviewing the relevant `theoretical' and astrophysical restrictions on the Higgs sector, we perform an analysis of the sensitivities of Higgs Boson searches at the ongoing ATLAS and CMS experiments at the LHC, including not only the new contributions to the decay channels present in the standard model (SM) but also genuinely non-SM Higgs Boson decays, such as `invisible' Higgs Boson decays to majorons. We find sensitivities that are likely to be reached at the upcoming run of the experiments.
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ATLAS Collaboration(Aad, G. et al), Alvarez Piqueras, D., Cabrera Urban, S., Castillo Gimenez, V., Cerda Alberich, L., Costa, M. J., et al. (2016). Search for charged Higgs bosons in the H-+/- -> tb decay channel in pp collisions at root s=8 TeV using the ATLAS detector. J. High Energy Phys., 03(3), 127–48pp.
Abstract: Charged Higgs bosons heavier than the top quark and decaying via H-+/- -> tb are searched for in proton-proton collisions measured with the ATLAS experiment at root s = 8 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb(-1). The production of a charged Higgs boson in association with a top quark, gb -> tH(+/-), is explored in the mass range 200 to 600 GeV using multi-jet final states with one electron or muon. In order to separate the signal from the Standard Model background, analysis techniques combining several kinematic variables are employed. An excess of events above the background only hypothesis is observed across a wide mass range, amounting to up to 2.4 standard deviations. Upper limits are set on the gb -> tH(+/-) production cross section times the branching fraction BR(H-+/- -> tb). Additionally, the complementary s-channel production, qq' -> H-+/-, is investigated through a reinterpretation of W' -> tb searches in ATLAS. Final states with one electron or muon are relevant for H-+/- masses from 0.4 to 2.0 TeV, whereas the all-hadronic final state covers the range 1.5 to 3.0 TeV. In these search channels, no significant excesses from the predictions of the Standard Model are observed, and upper limits are placed on the qq' -> H-+/- production cross section times the branching fraction BR(H-+/- -> tb).
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