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Miranda, O. G., Pasquini, P., Tortola, M., & Valle, J. W. F. (2018). Exploring the potential of short-baseline physics at Fermilab. Phys. Rev. D, 97(9), 095026–9pp.
Abstract: We study the capabilities of the short-baseline neutrino program at Fermilab to probe the unitarity of the lepton mixing matrix. We find the sensitivity to be slightly better than the current one. Motivated by the future DUNE experiment, we have also analyzed the potential of an extra liquid Argon near detector in the LBNF beamline. Adding such a near detector to the DUNE setup will substantially improve the current sensitivity on nonunitarity. This would help to remove CP degeneracies due to the new complex phase present in the neutrino mixing matrix. We also study the sensitivity of our proposed setup to light sterile neutrinos for various configurations.
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Bonilla, C., Modak, T., Srivastava, R., & Valle, J. W. F. (2018). U(1)(B3-3L2) gauge symmetry as a simple description of b -> s anomalies. Phys. Rev. D, 98(9), 095002–11pp.
Abstract: We present a simple U(1)(B3-3L2) gauge standard model extension that can easily account for the anomalies in R(K) and R(K*) reported by LHCb. The model is economical in its setup and particle content. Among the standard model fermions, only the third generation quark family and the second generation leptons transform nontrivially under the new U(1)(B3-3L2) symmetry. This leads to lepton nonuniversality and flavor changing neutral currents involving the second and third quark families. We discuss the relevant experimental constraints and some implications.
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Reig, M., Valle, J. W. F., & Wilczek, F. (2018). SO(3) family symmetry and axions. Phys. Rev. D, 98(9), 095008–6pp.
Abstract: Motivated by the idea of comprehensive unification, we study a gauged SO(3) flavor extension of the extended Standard Model, including right-handed neutrinos and a Peccei-Quinn symmetry with simple charge assignments. The model accommodates the observed fermion masses and mixings and yields a characteristic, successful relation among them. The Peccei-Quinn symmetry is an essential ingredient.
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Reig, M., Valle, J. W. F., & Yamada, M. (2019). Light majoron cold dark matter from topological defects and the formation of boson stars. J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys., 09(9), 029–25pp.
Abstract: We show that for a relatively light majoron (<< 100 eV) non-thermal production from topological defects is an efficient production mechanism. Taking the type I seesaw as benchmark scheme, we estimate the primordial majoron abundance and determine the required parameter choices where it can account for the observed cosmological dark matter. The latter is consistent with the scale of unification. Possible direct detection of light majorons with future experiments such as PTOLEMY and the formation of boson stars from the majoron dark matter are also discussed.
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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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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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Mandal, S., Miranda, O. G., Sanchez Garcia, G., Valle, J. W. F., & Xu, X. J. (2022). Toward deconstructing the simplest seesaw mechanism. Phys. Rev. D, 105(9), 095020–32pp.
Abstract: The triplet or type-II seesaw mechanism is the simplest way to endow neutrinos with mass in the Standard Model (SM). Here we review its associated theory and phenomenology, including restrictions from S, T, U parameters, neutrino experiments, charged lepton flavor violation as well as collider searches. We also examine restrictions coming from requiring consistency of electroweak symmetry breaking, i.e., perturbative unitarity and stability of the vacuum. Finally, we discuss novel effects associated to the scalar mediator of neutrino mass generation namely, (i) rare processes, e.g., l(alpha)-> l(beta)gamma decays, at the intensity frontier, and also (ii) four-lepton signatures in colliders at the high-energy frontier. These can be used to probe neutrino properties in an important way, providing a test of the absolute neutrino mass and mass ordering, as well as of the atmospheric octant. They may also provide the first evidence for charged lepton flavor violation in nature. In contrast, neutrino nonstandard interaction strengths are found to lie below current detectability.
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Majumdar, A., Papoulias, D. K., Srivastava, R., & Valle, J. W. F. (2022). Physics implications of recent Dresden-II reactor data. Phys. Rev. D, 106(9), 093010–14pp.
Abstract: Prompted by the recent Dresden-II reactor data, we examine its implications for the determination of the weak mixing angle, paying attention to the effect of the quenching function. We also determine the resulting constraints on the unitarity of the neutrino mixing matrix, as well as on the most general type of nonstandard neutral-current neutrino interactions.
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DUNE Collaboration(Abud, A. A. et al), Amedo, P., Antonova, M., Barenboim, G., Cervera-Villanueva, A., De Romeri, V., et al. (2023). Identification and reconstruction of low-energy electrons in the ProtoDUNE-SP detector. Phys. Rev. D, 107(9), 092012–22pp.
Abstract: Measurements of electrons from ?e interactions are crucial for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) neutrino oscillation program, as well as searches for physics beyond the standard model, supernova neutrino detection, and solar neutrino measurements. This article describes the selection and reconstruction of low-energy (Michel) electrons in the ProtoDUNE-SP detector. ProtoDUNE-SP is one of the prototypes for the DUNE far detector, built and operated at CERN as a charged particle test beam experiment. A sample of low-energy electrons produced by the decay of cosmic muons is selected with a purity of 95%. This sample is used to calibrate the low-energy electron energy scale with two techniques. An electron energy calibration based on a cosmic ray muon sample uses calibration constants derived from measured and simulated cosmic ray muon events. Another calibration technique makes use of the theoretically well-understood Michel electron energy spectrum to convert reconstructed charge to electron energy. In addition, the effects of detector response to low-energy electron energy scale and its resolution including readout electronics threshold effects are quantified. Finally, the relation between the theoretical and reconstructed low-energy electron energy spectra is derived, and the energy resolution is characterized. The low-energy electron selection presented here accounts for about 75% of the total electron deposited energy. After the addition of lost energy using a Monte Carlo simulation, the energy resolution improves from about 40% to 25% at 50 MeV. These results are used to validate the expected capabilities of the DUNE far detector to reconstruct low-energy electrons.
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Câmara, H. B., Joaquim, F. R., & Valle, J. W. F. (2023). Dark-sector seeded solution to the strong CP problem. Phys. Rev. D, 108(9), 095003–6pp.
Abstract: We propose a novel realization of the Nelson-Barr mechanism “seeded” by a dark sector containing scalars and vectorlike quarks. Charge parity (CP) and a Z8 symmetry are spontaneously broken by the complex vacuum expectation value of a singlet scalar, leaving a residual Z2 symmetry that stabilizes dark matter (DM). A complex Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix arises via one-loop corrections to the quark mass matrix mediated by the dark sector. In contrast with other proposals where nonzero contributions to the strong CP phase arise at the one-loop level, in our case this occurs only at two loops, enhancing naturalness. Our scenario also provides a viable weakly interacting massive particle scalar DM candidate.
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