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Dias, A. G., Leite, J., Valle, J. W. F., & Vaquera-Araujo, C. A. (2020). Reloading the axion in a 3-3-1 setup. Phys. Lett. B, 810, 135829–12pp.
Abstract: We generalize the idea of the axion to an extended electroweak gauge symmetry setup. We propose a minimal axion extension of the Singer-Valle-Schechter (SVS) theory, in which the standard model fits in SU(3)(L) circle times U(1)(X), the number of families results from anomaly cancellation, and the Peccei-Quinn (PQ) solution to the strong-CP problem is implemented. Neutrino masses arise from a type-I Dirac seesaw mechanism, suppressed by the ratio of SVS and PQ scales, suggesting the existence of new physics at a moderate SVS scale. Novel features include an enhanced axion coupling to photons when compared to the DFSZ axion, as well as flavor-changing axion couplings to quarks.
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ATLAS Collaboration(Aad, G. et al), Alvarez Piqueras, D., Aparisi Pozo, J. A., Bailey, A. J., Barranco Navarro, L., Cabrera Urban, S., et al. (2020). A search for the Z gamma decay mode of the Higgs boson in pp collisions at root s=13 TeV with the ATLAS detector. Phys. Lett. B, 809, 135754–21pp.
Abstract: A search for the Z gamma decay of the Higgs boson, with Z boson decays into pairs of electrons or muons is presented. The analysis uses proton-proton collision data at root s = 13 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb(-1) recorded by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The observed data are consistent with the expected background with a p-value of 1.3%. An upper limit at 95% confidence level on the production cross-section times the branching ratio for pp -> H -> Z gamma is set at 3.6 times the Standard Model prediction while 2.6 times is expected in the presence of the Standard Model Higgs boson. The best-fit value for the signal yield normalised to the Standard Model prediction is 2.0(-0.9)(+1.0) where the statistical component of the uncertainty is dominant.
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Carcamo Hernandez, A. E., Valle, J. W. F., & Vaquera-Araujo, C. A. (2020). Simple theory for scotogenic dark matter with residual matter-parity. Phys. Lett. B, 809, 135757–10pp.
Abstract: Dark matter stability can result from a residual matter-parity symmetry surviving spontaneous breaking of an extended gauge symmetry. We propose the simplest scotogenic dark matter completion of the original SVS theory [1], in which the “dark sector” particles as well as matter-parity find a natural theoretical origin within the model. We briefly comment on its main features.
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Aristizabal Sierra, D., De Romeri, V., Flores, L. J., & Papoulias, D. K. (2020). Light vector mediators facing XENON1T data. Phys. Lett. B, 809, 135681–5pp.
Abstract: Recently the XENON1T collaboration has released new results on searches for new physics in low-energy electronic recoils. The data shows an excess over background in the low-energy tail, particularly pronounced at about 2-3 keV. With an exposure of 0.65 tonne-year, large detection efficiency and energy resolution, the detector is sensitive as well to solar neutrino backgrounds, with the most prominent contribution given by pp neutrinos. We investigate whether such signal can be explained in terms of new neutrino interactions with leptons mediated by a light vector particle. We find that the excess is consistent with this interpretation for vector masses below less than or similar to 0.1 MeV. The region of parameter space probed by the XENON1T data is competitive with constraints from laboratory experiments, in particular GEMMA, Borexino and TEXONO. However we point out a severe tension with astrophysical bounds and cosmological observations.
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Hara, K. et al, Escobar, C., Garcia, C., Lacasta, C., Miñano, M., & Soldevila, U. (2020). Charge collection study with the ATLAS ITk prototype silicon strip sensors ATLAS17LS. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A, 983, 164422–6pp.
Abstract: The inner tracker of the ATLAS detector is scheduled to be replaced by a completely new silicon-based inner tracker (ITk) for the Phase-II of the CERN LHC (HL-LHC). The silicon strip detector covers the volume 40 < R < 100 cm in the radial and vertical bar z vertical bar <300 cm in the longitudinal directions. The silicon sensors for the detector will be fabricated using the n(+)-on-p 6-inch wafer technology, for a total of 22,000 wafers. Intensive studies were carried out on the final prototype sensors ATLAS17LS fabricated by Hamamatsu Photonics (HPK). The charge collection properties were examined using penetrating Sr-90 beta-rays and the ALIBAVA fast readout system for the miniature sensors of 1 cm xl cm in area. The samples were irradiated by protons in the 27 MeV Birmingham Cyclotron, the 70 MeV CYRIC at Tohoku University, and the 24 GeV CERN-PS, and by neutrons at Ljubljana TAIGA reactor for fluence values up to 2 x 10(15) n(eq)/cm(2). The change in the charge collection with fluence was found to be similar to the previous prototype ATLAS12, and acceptable for the ITk. Sensors with two active thicknesses, 300 μm (standard) and 240 μm (thin), were compared and the difference in the charge collection was observed to be small for bias voltages up to 500 V. Some samples were also irradiated with gamma radiation up to 2 MGy, and the full depletion voltage was found to decrease with the dose. This was caused by the Compton electrons due to the( 60)Co gamma radiation. To summarize, the design of the ATLAS17LS and technology for its fabrication have been verified for implementation in the ITk. We are in the stage of sensor pre-production with the first sensors already delivered in January of 2020.
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KM3NeT Collaboration(Aiello, S. et al), Calvo, D., Coleiro, A., Colomer, M., Gozzini, S. R., Hernandez-Rey, J. J., et al. (2020). The Control Unit of the KM3NeT Data Acquisition System. Comput. Phys. Commun., 256, 107433–16pp.
Abstract: The KM3NeT Collaboration runs a multi-site neutrino observatory in the Mediterranean Sea. Water Cherenkov particle detectors, deep in the sea and far off the coasts of France and Italy, are already taking data while incremental construction progresses. Data Acquisition Control software is operating off-shore detectors as well as testing and qualification stations for their components. The software, named Control Unit, is highly modular. It can undergo upgrades and reconfiguration with the acquisition running. Interplay with the central database of the Collaboration is obtained in a way that allows for data taking even if Internet links fail. In order to simplify the management of computing resources in the long term, and to cope with possible hardware failures of one or more computers, the KM3NeT Control Unit software features a custom dynamic resource provisioning and failover technology, which is especially important for ensuring continuity in case of rare transient events in multi-messenger astronomy. The software architecture relies on ubiquitous tools and broadly adopted technologies and has been successfully tested on several operating systems.
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Alidra, M. et al, & Torro Pastor, E. (2021). The MATHUSLA test stand. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A, 985, 164661–9pp.
Abstract: The rate of muons from LHC pp collisions reaching the surface above the ATLAS interaction point is measured as a function of the ATLAS luminosity and compared with expected rates from decays of W and Z bosons and b- and c-quark jets. In addition, data collected during periods without beams circulating in the LHC provide a measurement of the background from cosmic ray inelastic backscattering that is compared to simulation predictions. Data were recorded during 2018 in a 2.5 x 2.5 x 6.5 m(3) active volume MATHUSLA test stand detector unit consisting of two scintillator planes, one at the top and one at the bottom, which defined the trigger, and six layers of RPCs between them, grouped into three (x, y)-measuring layers separated by 1.74 m from each other. Triggers selecting both upward-going tracks and downward-going tracks were used.
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Balibrea-Correa, J., Lerendegui-Marco, J., Calvo, D., Caballero, L., Babiano, V., Ladarescu, I., et al. (2021). A first prototype of C6D6 total-energy detector with SiPM readout for neutron capture time-of-flight experiments. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A, 985, 164709–8pp.
Abstract: Low efficiency total-energy detectors (TEDs) are one of the main tools for neutron capture cross section measurements utilizing the time-of-flight (TOF) technique. State-of-the-art TEDs are based on a C6D6 liquid-scintillation cell optically coupled to a fast photomultiplier tube. The large photomultiplier tube represents yet a significant contribution to the so-called neutron sensitivity background, which is one of the most conspicuous sources of uncertainty in this type of experiments. Here we report on the development of a first prototype of a TED based on a silicon-photomultiplier (SiPM) readout, thus resulting in a lightweight and much more compact detector. Apart from the envisaged improvement in neutron sensitivity, the new system uses low voltage (+28 V) and low current supply (-50 mA), which is more practical than the-kV supply required by conventional photomultipliers. One important difficulty hindering the earlier implementation of SiPM readout for this type of detector was the large capacitance for the output signal when all pixels of a SiPM array are summed together. The latter leads to long pulse rise and decay times, which are not suitable for time-of-flight experiments. In this work we demonstrate the feasibility of a Schottky-diode multiplexing readout approach, that allows one to preserve the excellent timing properties of SiPMs, hereby paving the way for their implementation in future neutron TOF experiments.
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Di Valentino, E., Melchiorri, A., Mena, O., & Vagnozzi, S. (2020). Interacting dark energy in the early 2020s: A promising solution to the H-0 and cosmic shear tensions. Phys. Dark Universe, 30, 100666–12pp.
Abstract: We examine interactions between dark matter and dark energy in light of the latest cosmological observations, focusing on a specific model with coupling proportional to the dark energy density. Our data includes Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) measurements from the Planck 2018 legacy data release, late-time measurements of the expansion history from Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO) and Supernovae Type Ia (SNeIa), galaxy clustering and cosmic shear measurements from the Dark Energy Survey Year 1 results, and the 2019 local distance ladder measurement of the Hubble constant H-0 from the Hubble Space Telescope. Considering Planck data both in combination with BAO or SNeIa data reduces the H-0 tension to a level which could possibly be compatible with a statistical fluctuation. The very same model also significantly reduces the Omega(m) – sigma(8) tension between CMB and cosmic shear measurements. Interactions between the dark sectors of our Universe remain therefore a promising joint solution to these persisting cosmological tensions.
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Belle-II DEPFET and PXD Collaboration(Ye, H. et al), Boronat, M., Esperante, D., Fuster, J., Gomis, P., Lacasta, C., et al. (2021). Commissioning and performance of the Belle II pixel detector. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A, 987, 164875–5pp.
Abstract: The Belle II experiment at the SuperKEKB energy-asymmetric e(+)e(-) collider has completed a series of substantial upgrades and started collecting data in 2019. The experiment is expected to accumulate a data set of 50 ab(-1) to explore new physics beyond the Standard Model at the intensity frontier. The pixel detector (PXD) of Belle II plays a key role in vertex determination. It has been developed using the DEpleted P-channel Field Effect Transistor (DEPFET) technology, which combines low power consumption in the active pixel area and low intrinsic noise with a very small material budget. In this paper, commissioning and performance of the PXD measured with first collision data are presented.
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