Lobo, F. S. N., Olmo, G. J., Orazi, E., Rubiera-Garcia, D., & Rustam, A. (2020). Structure and stability of traversable thin-shell wormholes in Palatini f(R) gravity. Phys. Rev. D, 102(10), 104012–11pp.
Abstract: We study the structure and stability of traversable wormholes built as (spherically symmetric) thin shells in the context of Palatini f(R) gravity. Using a suitable junction formalism for these theories we find that the effective number of degrees of freedom on the shell is reduced to a single one, which fixes the equation of state to be that of massless stress-energy fields, contrary to the general relativistic and metric f(R) cases. Another major difference is that the surface energy density threading the thin shell, needed in order to sustain the wormhole, can take any sign and may even vanish, depending on the desired features of the corresponding solutions. We illustrate our results by constructing thin-shell wormholes by surgically grafting Schwarzschild space-times and show that these configurations are always linearly unstable. However, surgically joined Reissner-Nordstrom space-times allow for linearly stable, traversable thin-shell wormholes supported by a positive energy density provided that the (squared) mass-to-charge ratio, given by y = Q(2)/M-2, satisfies the constraint 1 < y < 9/8 (corresponding to overcharged Reissner-Nordstrom configurations having a photon sphere) and lies in a region bounded by specific curves defined in terms of the (dimensionless) radius of the shell x(0) = R/M.
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DUNE Collaboration(Abi, B. et al), Antonova, M., Barenboim, G., Cervera-Villanueva, A., De Romeri, V., Fernandez Menendez, P., et al. (2020). Neutrino interaction classification with a convolutional neural network in the DUNE far detector. Phys. Rev. D, 102(9), 092003–20pp.
Abstract: The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment is a next-generation neutrino oscillation experiment that aims to measure CP-violation in the neutrino sector as part of a wider physics program. A deep learning approach based on a convolutional neural network has been developed to provide highly efficient and pure selections of electron neutrino and muon neutrino charged-current interactions. The electron neutrino (antineutrino) selection efficiency peaks at 90% (94%) and exceeds 85% (90%) for reconstructed neutrino energies between 2-5 GeV. The muon neutrino (antineutrino) event selection is found to have a maximum efficiency of 96% (97%) and exceeds 90% (95%) efficiency for reconstructed neutrino energies above 2 GeV. When considering all electron neutrino and antineutrino interactions as signal, a selection purity of 90% is achieved. These event selections are critical to maximize the sensitivity of the experiment to CP-violating effects.
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Penalva, N., Hernandez, E., & Nieves, J. (2020). (B)over-bar(c) ->eta(c),(B)over-bar(c) -> J/psi and (B)over-bar -> D-(*()) semileptonic decays including new physics. Phys. Rev. D, 102(9), 096016–27pp.
Abstract: We apply the general formalism derived by Penalva et al. [Phys. Rev. D 101, 113004 (2020)] to the semileptonic decay of pseudoscalar mesons containing a b quark. While present (B) over bar -> D-(*()) data give the strongest evidence in favor of lepton flavor universality violation, the observables that are normally considered are not able to distinguish between different new physics (NP) scenarios. In the above reference we discussed the relevant role that the various contributions to the double differential decay widths d(2)Gamma (d omega d cos theta(l)) and d(2)Gamma (d omega dE(l)) could play to this end. Here omega is the product of the two hadron fourvelocities, theta(l) is the angle made by the final lepton and final hadron three-momenta in the center of mass of the final two-lepton system, and E-l is the final charged lepton energy in the laboratory system. The formalism was applied by Penalva et al. to the analysis of the Lambda(b) -> Lambda(c) semileptonic decay, showing the new observables were able to tell apart different NP scenarios. Here we analyze the (B) over barc -> eta(c)tau(nu) over bar (tau), (B) over barc -> J/psi tau(nu) over bar (tau), (B) over bar -> D tau(nu) over bar (tau) and (B) over bar -> D*tau(nu) over bar (tau) , semileptonic decays. We find that, as a general rule, the (B) over barc -> J/psi observables, even including (tau) polarization, are less optimal for distinguishing between NP scenarios than those obtained from (B) over barc -> eta(c) decays, or those presented by Penalva et al. for the related Lambda(b) -> Lambda(c) semileptonic decay. Finally, we show that (B) over bar -> D and (B) over barc -> eta(c) , and (B) over bar -> D* and (B) over barc -> J/psi decay observables exhibit similar behaviors.
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Blas, D., & Witte, S. J. (2020). Imprints of axion superradiance in the CMB. Phys. Rev. D, 102(10), 103018–10pp.
Abstract: Light axions (m(a) less than or similar to 10(-10) eV) can form dense clouds around rapidly rotating astrophysical black holes via a mechanism known as rotational superradiance. The coupling between axions and photons induces a parametric resonance, arising from the stimulated decay of the axion cloud, which can rapidly convert regions of large axion number densities into an enormous flux of low-energy photons. In this work we consider the phenomenological implications of a superradiant axion cloud undergoing resonant decay. We show that the low-energy photons produced from such events will be absorbed over cosmologically short distances, potentially inducing massive shockwaves that heat and ionize the intergalactic medium over Mpc scales. These shockwaves may leave observable imprints in the form of anisotropic spectral distortions or inhomogeneous features in the optical depth.
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Chen, P., Ding, G. J., Lu, J. N., & Valle, J. W. F. (2020). Predictions from warped flavor dynamics based on the T ' family group. Phys. Rev. D, 102(9), 095014–17pp.
Abstract: We propose a realistic theory of fermion masses and mixings using a five-dimensional warped scenario where all fermions propagate in the bulk and the Higgs field is localized on the IR bran. The assumed T' flavor symmetry is broken on the branes by flavon fields, providing a consistent scenario where fermion mass hierarchies arise from adequate choices of the bulk mass parameters, while quark and lepton mixing angles are restricted by the family symmetry. Neutrino mass splittings, mixing parameters and the Dirac CP phase all arise from the type-I seesaw mechanism and are tightly correlated, leading to predictions for the neutrino oscillation parameters, as well as expected 0 nu beta beta decay rates within reach of upcoming experiments. The scheme also provides a good global description of flavor observables in the quark sector.
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Figueroa, D. G., Hindmarsh, M., Lizarraga, J., & Urrestilla, J. (2020). Irreducible background of gravitational waves from a cosmic defect network: Update and comparison of numerical techniques. Phys. Rev. D, 102(10), 103516–25pp.
Abstract: Cosmological phase transitions in the early Universe may produce relics in the form of a network of cosmic defects. Independently of the order of a phase transition, topology of the defects, and their global or gauge nature, the defects are expected to emit gravitational waves (GWs) as the network energy-momentum tensor adapts itself to maintaining scaling. We show that the evolution of any defect network (and for that matter any scaling source) emits a GW background with spectrum Omega(GW) proportional to f(3) for f << f(0), Omega(GW) proportional to 1/f(2) for f(0) less than or similar to f less than or similar to feq, and Omega(GW) proportional to const (i.e., exactly scale invariant) for f >> f(eq), where f(0) and f(eq) denote respectively the frequencies corresponding to the present and matter-radiation equality horizons. This background represents an irreducible emission of GWs from any scaling network of cosmic defects, with its amplitude characterized only by the symmetry-breaking scale and the nature of the defects. Using classical lattice simulations we calculate the GW signal emitted by defects created after the breaking of a global symmetry O(N) -> O(N – 1). We obtain the GW spectrum for N between 2 and 20 with two different techniques: integrating over unequal-time correlators of the energy-momentum tensor, updating our previous work on smaller lattices, and for the first time, comparing the result with the real-time evolution of the tensor perturbations sourced by the same defects. Our results validate the equivalence of the two techniques. Using cosmic microwave background upper bounds on the defects' energy scale, we discuss the difficulty of detecting this GW background in the case of global defects.
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Caputo, A., Liu, H. W., Mishra-Sharma, S., & Ruderman, J. T. (2020). Modeling dark photon oscillations in our inhomogeneous Universe. Phys. Rev. D, 102(10), 103533–26pp.
Abstract: A dark photon may kinetically mix with the Standard Model photon, leading to observable cosmological signatures. The mixing is resonantly enhanced when the dark photon mass matches the primordial plasma frequency, which depends sensitively on the underlying spatial distribution of electrons. Crucially, inhomogeneities in this distribution can have a significant impact on the nature of resonant conversions. We develop and describe, for the first time, a general analytic formalism to treat resonant oscillations in the presence of inhomogeneities. Our formalism follows from the theory of level crossings of random fields and only requires knowledge of the one-point probability density function (PDF) of the underlying electron number density fluctuations. We validate our formalism using simulations and illustrate the photon-to-dark photon conversion probability for several different choices of PDFs that are used to characterize the low-redshift Universe.
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Nebot, M. (2020). Bounded masses in two Higgs doublets models, spontaneous CP violation and Z(2) symmetry. Phys. Rev. D, 102(11), 115002–16pp.
Abstract: In two Higgs doublet models (2HDMs) shaped by some unbroken symmetry, imposing perturbativity requirements on the quartic couplings can imply that the allowed masses of all the fundamental scalars are bounded from above. This important property is analyzed in detail for the only two realistic 2HDMs with an exact symmetry, the case with Z(2) symmetry and the case with CP symmetry. It is also noticeable that one exception arises in each case: when the vacuum is assumed to respect the imposed symmetry, a decoupling regime can nevertheless appear without violating perturbativity requirements. In both models with an exact symmetry and no decoupling regime, soft symmetry breaking terms can however lead to a decoupling regime: the possibility that this regime might be unnatural, since it requires some fine-tuning, is also analyzed.
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LHCb Collaboration(Aaij, R. et al), Garcia Martin, L. M., Henry, L., Jashal, B. K., Martinez-Vidal, F., Oyanguren, A., et al. (2020). Measurement of the relative branching fractions of B+ -> h(+) h('+) h('-) decays. Phys. Rev. D, 102(11), 112010–19pp.
Abstract: The relative branching fractions of B+ -> h(+)h('+)h('-) decays, where h((')) is a pion or kaon, are measured. The analysis is performed with a data sample, collected with the LHCb detector, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb(-1) of pp collisions. The results obtained improve significantly on previous measurements of these quantities, and are important for the interpretation of Dalitz plot analyses of three-body charmless hadronic decays of B+ mesons.
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Papoulias, D. K. (2020). COHERENT constraints after the COHERENT-2020 quenching factor measurement. Phys. Rev. D, 102(11), 113004–10pp.
Abstract: Recently, an improved quenching factor (QF) measurement for low-energy nuclear recoils in CsI[Na] has been reported by the COHERENT Collaboration. The new energy-dependent QF is characterized by a reduced systematic uncertainty and leads to a better agreement between the experimental COHERENT data and the Standard Model (SM) expectation. In this work, we report updated constraints on parameters that describe the process of coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering within and beyond the SM, and we also present how the new QF affects their interpretation.
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