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Beltran, R., Günther, J., Hirsch, M., Titov, A., & Wang, Z. S. (2024). Heavy neutral leptons from kaons in effective field theory. Phys. Rev. D, 109(11), 115014–19pp.
Abstract: In the framework of the low -energy effective theory containing, in addition to the Standard -Model fields, heavy neutral leptons (HNLs), we compute the decay rates of neutral and charged kaons into HNLs. We consider both lepton -number -conserving and lepton -number -violating four-fermion operators, taking into account also the contribution of active -heavy neutrino mixing. Assuming that the produced HNLs are longlived, we perform simulations and calculate the sensitivities of future long -lived -particle (LLP) detectors at the high -luminosity LHC as well as the near detector of the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE -ND) to the considered scenario. When applicable, we also recast the existing bounds on the minimal mixing case obtained by NA62, T2K, and PS191. Our findings show that, while the future LHC LLP detectors can probe currently allowed parameter space only in certain benchmark scenarios, DUNE -ND should be sensitive to parameter space beyond the current bounds in almost all the benchmark scenarios, and, for some of the effective operators considered, it can even probe new -physics scales in excess of 3000 TeV.
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Aristizabal Sierra, D., De Romeri, V., & Ternes, C. A. (2024). Reactor neutrino background in next-generation dark matter detectors. Phys. Rev. D, 109(11), 115026–7pp.
Abstract: Third -generation dark matter detectors will be fully sensitive to the 8 B solar neutrino flux. Because of this, the characterization of such a background has been the subject of extensive analyses over the last few years. In contrast, little is known about the impact of reactor neutrinos. In this paper, we report on the implications of such a flux for dark matter direct -detection searches. We consider five potential detector deployment sites envisioned by the recently established XLZD Consortium: SURF, SNOLAB, Kamioka, LNGS, and Boulby. By using public reactor data, we construct five reactor clusters -involving about 100 currently operating commercial nuclear reactors each -and determine the net neutrino flux at each detector site. Assuming a xenon -based detector and a 50 ton -year exposure, we show that in all cases the neutrino event rate may be sizable, depending on energy recoil thresholds. Of all possible detector sites, SURF and LNGS are those with the smallest reactor neutrino background. On the contrary, SNOLAB and Boulby are subject to the strongest reactor neutrino fluxes, with Kamioka being subject to a more moderate background. Our findings demonstrate that reactor neutrino fluxes should be taken into account in the next round of dark matter searches. We argue that this background may be particularly relevant for directional detectors, provided they meet the requirements we have employed in this analysis.
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LHCb Collaboration(Aaij, R. et al), Jaimes Elles, S. J., Jashal, B. K., Martinez-Vidal, F., Oyanguren, A., Rebollo De Miguel, M., et al. (2024). Production of η and η' mesons in pp and pPb collisions. Phys. Rev. C, 109(2), 024907–20pp.
Abstract: The production of eta and eta' mesons is studied in proton -proton and proton -lead collisions collected with the LHCb detector. Proton -proton collisions are studied at center -of -mass energies of 5.02 and 13 TeV and proton -lead collisions are studied at a center -of -mass energy per nucleon of 8.16 TeV. The studies are performed in center -of -mass (c.m.) rapidity regions 2.5 < y(c.m.) < 3.5 (forward rapidity) and -4.0 < y(c.m.) < -3.0 (backward rapidity) defined relative to the proton beam direction. The eta and eta' production cross sections are measured differentially as a function of transverse momentum for 1.5 < p(T) < 10 GeV and 3 < p(T) < 10 GeV, respectively. The differential cross sections are used to calculate nuclear modification factors. The nuclear modification factors for eta and eta' mesons agree at both forward and backward rapidity, showing no significant evidence of mass dependence. The differential cross sections of eta mesons are also used to calculate eta/pi 0 cross-section ratios, which show evidence of a deviation from the world average. These studies offer new constraints on mass -dependent nuclear effects in heavy -ion collisions, as well as eta and eta' meson fragmentation.
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Krupczak, R., da Silva, T. N., Domingues, T. S., Luzum, M., Denicol, G. S., Gardim, F. G., et al. (2024). Causality violations in simulations of large and small heavy-ion collisions. Phys. Rev. C, 109(3), 034908–12pp.
Abstract: Heavy-ion collisions, such as Pb-Pb or p-Pb, produce extreme conditions in temperature and density that make the hadronic matter transition to a new state, called quark-gluon plasma (QGP). Simulations of heavy-ion collisions provide a way to improve our understanding of the QGP's properties. These simulations are composed of a hybrid description that results in final observables in agreement with accelerators like LHC and RHIC. However, recent works pointed out that these hydrodynamic simulations can display acausal behavior during the evolution in certain regions, indicating a deviation from a faithful representation of the underlying QCD dynamics. To pursue a better understanding of this problem and its consequences, this work simulated two different collision systems, Pb-Pb and p-Pb at root sNN = 5.02 TeV. In this context, our results show that causality violation, even though always present, typically occurs on a small part of the system, quantified by the total energy fraction residing in the acausal region. In addition, the acausal behavior can be reduced with changes in the prehydrodynamic factors and the definition of the bulk-viscous relaxation time. Since these aspects are fairly arbitrary in current simulation models, without solid guidance from the underlying theory, it is reasonable to use the disturbing presence of acausal behavior in current simulations to guide improvements towards more realistic modeling. While this work does not solve the acausality problem, it sheds more light on this issue and also proposes a way to solve this problem in simulations of heavy-ion collisions.
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LHCb Collaboration(Aaij, R. et al), Jaimes Elles, S. J., Jashal, B. K., Martinez-Vidal, F., Oyanguren, A., Rebollo De Miguel, M., et al. (2024). Measurement of Ξc+ production in pPb collisions at √sNN=8.16 TeV at LHCb. Phys. Rev. C, 109(4), 044901–14pp.
Abstract: A study of prompt Xi(+)(c) production in proton-lead collisions is performed with the LHCb experiment at a centerof-mass energy per nucleon pair of 8.16 TeV in 2016 in pPb and Pbp collisions with an estimated integrated luminosity of approximately 12.5 and 17.4 nb(-1), respectively. The Xi(+)(c) roduction cross section, as well as the Xi(+)(c) to Lambda(+)(c) production cross-section ratio, are measured as a function of the transverse momentum and rapidity and compared to the latest theory predictions. The forward-backward asymmetry is also measured as a function of the Xi(+)(c) ransverse momentum. The results provide strong constraints on theoretical calculation and are a unique input for hadronization studies in different collision systems.
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