Pallis, C. (2015). Kinetically modified nonminimal chaotic inflation. Phys. Rev. D, 91(12), 123508–6pp.
Abstract: We consider supersymmetric (SUSY) and non-SUSY models of chaotic inflation based on the phi(n) potential with 2 <= n <= 6. We show that the coexistence of a nonminimal coupling to gravity f(R) = 1 + c(R)phi(n/2) with a kinetic mixing of the form f(K) = c(K)f(R)(m) can accommodate inflationary observables favored by the BICEP2/Keck Array and Planck results for 0 <= m <= 4 and 2.5 x 10(-4) <= r(RK) = c(R)/c(K)(n/4) <= 1, where the upper limit is not imposed for n 2. Inflation can be attained for sub-Planckian inflaton values with the corresponding effective theories retaining the perturbative unitarity up to the Planck scale.
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Fuster, J., Garcia, I., Gomis, P., Perello, M., Ros, E., & Vos, M. (2015). Study of single top production at high energy electron positron colliders. Eur. Phys. J. C, 75(5), 223–7pp.
Abstract: The effect of single top production on the study of top quark pair production in future high energy electron-positron colliders is evaluated. The rate of the single top quark production process is sizeable throughout a large range of center-of-mass energies and the final state cannot easily be distinguished from the dominant pair production process. We discuss the impact on the top quark mass extraction from a scan through the pair production threshold and the determination of top quark form factors in the continuum. These results advocate for the exploration of the inclusive e(+) e(-) -> W(+)bW(-)b(-) process, that includes both top quark pair and single top quark production.
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Fonseca, R. M., & Hirsch, M. (2015). SU(5)-inspired double beta decay. Phys. Rev. D, 92(1), 015014–14pp.
Abstract: The short-range part of the neutrinoless double beta amplitude is generated via the exchange of exotic particles, such as charged scalars, leptoquarks and/or diquarks. In order to give a sizable contribution to the total decay rate, the masses of these exotics should be of the order of (at most) a few TeV. Here, we argue that these exotics could be the “light” (i.e., weak-scale) remnants of some B – L violating variants of SU(5). We show that unification of the standard model gauge couplings, consistent with proton decay limits, can be achieved in such a setup without the need to introduce supersymmetry. Since these nonminimal SU(5)-inspired models violate B – L, they generate Majorana neutrino masses and therefore make it possible to explain neutrino oscillation data. The light colored particles of these models can potentially be observed at the LHC, and it might be possible to probe the origin of the neutrino masses with Delta L = 2 violating signals. As particular realizations of this idea, we present two models, one for each of the two possible tree-level topologies of neutrinoless double beta decay.
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Gonzalez, P. (2015). Charmonium description from a generalized screened potential model. Phys. Rev. D, 92(1), 014017–11pp.
Abstract: A generalized screened potential model (GSPM), recently developed to study the bottomonium spectrum, is applied to the calculation of charmonium masses and electromagnetic widths. The presence in the GSPM of more quark-antiquark bound states than in conventional nonscreened potential models, allows for the assignment of GSPM states to cataloged nonconventional J(++) charmonium resonances as well as for the prediction of new (noncataloged) J(++) states. The results obtained seem to indicate that a reasonable overall description of J(++) charmonium resonances is feasible.
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Fonseca, R. M. (2015). On the chirality of the SM and the fermion content of GUTs. Nucl. Phys. B, 897, 757–780.
Abstract: The Standard Model (SM) is a chiral theory, where right- and left-handed fermion fields transform differently under the gauge group. Extra fermions, if they do exist, need to be heavy otherwise they would have already been observed. With no complex mechanisms at work, such as confining interactions or extra-dimensions, this can only be achieved if every extra right-handed fermion comes paired with a left-handed one transforming in the same way under the Standard Model gauge group, otherwise the new states would only get a mass after electroweak symmetry breaking, which would necessarily be small (similar to 100 GeV). Such a simple requirement severely constrains the fermion content of Grand Unified Theories (GUTs). It is known for example that three copies of the representations (5) over bar + 10 of SU(5) or three copies of the 16 of SO(10) can reproduce the Standard Model's chirality, but how unique are these arrangements? In a systematic way, this paper looks at the possibility of having non-standard mixtures of fermion GUT representations yielding the correct Standard Model chirality. Family unification is possible with large special unitary groups for example, the 171 representation of SU(19) may decompose as 3(16) + 120 + 3(1) under SO(10).
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