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de Putter, R., Verde, L., & Jimenez, R. (2013). Testing LTB void models without the cosmic microwave background or large scale structure: new constraints from galaxy ages. J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys., 02(2), 047–22pp.
Abstract: We present new observational constraints on inhomogenous models based on observables independent of the CMB and large-scale structure. Using Bayesian evidence we find very strong evidence for homogeneous LCDM model, thus disfavouring inhomogeneous models. Our new constraints are based on quantities independent of the growth of perturbations and rely on cosmic clocks based on atomic physics and on the local density of matter.
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Tortola, M. (2013). Status of three-neutrino oscillation parameters. Fortschritte Phys.-Prog. Phys., 61(4-5), 427–440.
Abstract: Here we review the current status of global fits to neutrino oscillation data within the three-flavour framework. In our analysis we include the most recent data from solar and atmospheric neutrino experiments as well as the latest results from the long-baseline accelerator neutrino experiments and the recent measurements of reactor neutrino disappearance reported by Double Chooz, Daya Bay and RENO. We present updated determinations for the two neutrino mass splittings and the three mixing angles responsible for neutrino oscillations that, for the first time, have all been measured with 1 sigma accuracies ranging from 3 to 15%. A weak sensitivity for the CP violating phase is also reported from the global analysis.
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Morisi, S., & Valle, J. W. F. (2013). Neutrino masses and mixing: a flavour symmetry roadmap. Fortschritte Phys.-Prog. Phys., 61(4-5), 466–492.
Abstract: Over the last ten years tri-bimaximal mixing has played an important role in modeling the flavour problem. We give a short review of the status of flavour symmetry models of neutrino mixing. We concentrate on non-Abelian discrete symmetries, which provide a simple way to account for the TBM pattern. We discuss phenomenological implications such as neutrinoless double beta decay, lepton flavour violation as well as theoretical aspects such as the possibility to explain quarks and leptons within a common framework, such as grand unified models.
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Gomez-Cadenas, J. J., Martin-Albo, J., Muñoz Vidal, J., & Pena-Garay, C. (2013). Discovery potential of xenon-based neutrinoless double beta decay experiments in light of small angular scale CMB observations. J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys., 03(3), 043–17pp.
Abstract: The South Pole Telescope (SPT) has probed an expanded angular range of the CMB temperature power spectrum. Their recent analysis of the latest cosmological data prefers nonzero neutrino masses, with Sigma m(nu) = (0.32 +/- 0.11) eV. This result, if con firmed by the upcoming Planck data, has deep implications on the discovery of the nature of neutrinos. In particular, the values of the effective neutrino mass m(beta beta) involved in neutrinoless double beta decay (beta beta 0 nu) are severely constrained for both the direct and inverse hierarchy, making a discovery much more likely. In this paper, we focus in xenon-based beta beta 0 nu experiments, on the double grounds of their good performance and the suitability of the technology to large-mass scaling. We show that the current generation, with effective masses in the range of 100 kg and conceivable exposures in the range of 500 kg.year, could already have a sizeable opportunity to observe beta beta 0 nu events, and their combined discovery potential is quite large. The next generation, with an exposure in the range of 10 ton.year, would have a much more enhanced sensitivity, in particular due to the very low specific background that all the xenon technologies (liquid xenon, high-pressure xenon and xenon dissolved in liquid scintillator) can achieve. In addition, a high-pressure xenon gas TPC also features superb energy resolution. We show that such detector can fully explore the range of allowed effective Majorana masses, thus making a discovery very likely.
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Galli, P., Meessen, P., & Ortin, T. (2013). The Freudenthal gauge symmetry of the black holes of N=2, d=4 supergravity. J. High Energy Phys., 05(5), 011–15pp.
Abstract: We show that the representation of black-hole solutions in terms of the variables H-M which are harmonic functions in the supersymmetric case is non-unique due to the existence of a local symmetry in the effective action. This symmetry is a continuous (and local) generalization of the discrete Freudenthal transformations initially introduced for the black-hole charges and can be used to rewrite the physical fields of a solution in terms of entirely different-looking functions.
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Barenboim, G., Bosch, C., Lopez-Ibañez, M. L., & Vives, O. (2013). Eviction of a 125 GeV “heavy”-Higgs from the MSSM. J. High Energy Phys., 11(11), 051–39pp.
Abstract: We prove that the present experimental constraints are already enough to rule out the possibility of the similar to 125 GeV Higgs found at LHC being the second lightest Higgs in a general MSSM context, even with explicit CP violation in the Higgs potential. Contrary to previous studies, we are able to eliminate this possibility analytically, using simple expressions for a relatively small number of observables. We show that the present LHC constraints on the diphoton signal strength, tau tau production through Higgs and BR(B -> X-s gamma) are enough to preclude the possibility of H-2 being the observed Higgs with m(H) similar or equal to 125 GeV within an MSSM context, without leaving room for finely tuned cancellations. As a by-product, we also comment on the difficulties of an MSSM interpretation of the excess in the gamma gamma production cross section recently found at CMS that could correspond to a second Higgs resonance at m(H) similar or equal to 136 GeV.
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Mateu, V., & Rodrigo, G. (2013). Oriented event shapes at (NLL)-L-3 + O(alpha(2)(S)). J. High Energy Phys., 11(11), 030–29pp.
Abstract: We analyze oriented event-shapes in the context of Soft-Collinear Effective Theory (SCET) and in fixed-order perturbation theory. Oriented event-shapes are distributions of event-shape variables which are differential on the angle theta(T) that the thrust axis forms with the electron-positron beam. We show that at any order in perturbation theory and for any event shape, only two angular structures can appear: F-0 = 3/8 (1+cos(2) theta(T)) and F-1 = (1 – 3 cos(2) theta(T)). When integrating over theta(T) to recover the more familiar event-shape distributions, only F-0 survives. The validity of our proof goes beyond perturbation theory, and hence only these two structures are present at the hadron level. The proof also carries over massive particles. Using SCET techniques we show that singular terms can only arise in the F-0 term. Since only the hard function is sensitive to the orientation of the thrust axis, this statement applies also for recoil-sensitive variables such as Jet Broadening. We show how to carry out resummation of the singular terms at (NLL)-L-3 for Thrust, Heavy-Jet Mass, the sum of the Hemisphere Masses and C-parameter by using existing computations in SCET. We also compute the fixed-order distributions for these event-shapes at O(alpha(S)) analytically and at O(alpha(2)(S)) with the program Event2.
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Mitsou, V. A. (2013). Shedding light on dark matter at colliders. Int. J. Mod. Phys. A, 28(31), 1330052–34pp.
Abstract: Dark matter remains one of the most puzzling mysteries in Fundamental Physics of our times. Experiments at high-energy physics colliders are expected to shed light to its nature and determine its properties. This review focuses on recent searches for dark matter signatures at the Large Hadron Collider, also discussing related prospects in future e(+)e(-) colliders.
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Ros, A., Lerche, C. W., Sebastia, A., Sanchez, F., & Benlloch, J. M. (2014). Retroreflector arrays for better light collection efficiency of gamma-ray imaging detectors with continuous scintillation crystals without DOI misestimation. J. Instrum., 9, P04009–14pp.
Abstract: A method to improve light collection efficiency of gamma-ray imaging detectors by using retroreflector arrays has been tested, simulations of the behaviour of the scintillation light illuminating the retroreflector surface have been made. Measurements including retroreflector arrays in the setup have also been taken. For the measurements, positron emission tomography (PET) detectors with continuous scintillation crystals have been used. Each detector module consists of a continuous LSO-scintillator of dimensions 49x49x10 mm(3) and a H8500 position-sensitive photo-multiplier (PSPMT) from Hamamatsu. By using a continuous scintillation crystal, the scintillation light distribution has not been destroyed and the energy, the centroids along the x- and y-direction and the depth of interaction (DOI) can be estimated. Simulations have also been run taking into account the use of continuous scintillation crystals. Due to the geometry of the continuous scintillation crystals in comparison with pixelated crystals, a good light collection efficiency is necessary to correctly reconstruct the impact point of the gamma-ray. The aim of this study is to investigate whether micro-machine retro-reflectors improve light yield without misestimation of the impact point. The results shows an improvement on the energy and centroid resolutions without worsening the depth of interaction resolution. Therefore it can be concluded that using retroreflector arrays at the entrance side of the scintillation crystal improves light collection efficiency without worsening the impact point estimation.
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Pallis, C. (2014). Induced-gravity in inflation no-scale supergravity and beyond. J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys., 08(8), 057–20pp.
Abstract: Supersymmetric versions of induced-gravity inflation are formulated within Supergravity (SUGRA) employing two gauge singlet chiral super fields. The proposed super-potential is uniquely determined by applying a continuous R and a discrete Z(n) symmetry. We select two types of logarithmic Kahler potentials, one associated with a no-scale-type SU(2, 1)/SU(2) x U(1)(R) x Z(n) Kahler manifold and one more generic. In both cases, imposing a lower bound on the parameter c R involved in the coupling between the inflaton and the Ricci scalar curvature – e.g. c(R) greater than or similar to 76, 105, 310 for n – 2, 3 and 6 respectively -, inflation can be attained even for subplanckian values of the inflaton while the corresponding effective theory respects the perturbative unitarity. In the case of no-scale SUGRA we show that, for every n, the inflationary observables remain unchanged and in agreement with the current data while the inflaton mass is predicted to be 3 . 10(13) GeV. Beyond no-scale SUGRA the inflationary observables depend mildly on n and crucially on the coefficient involved in the fourth order term of the Kahler potential which mixes the inflaton with the accompanying non-inflaton field.
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