Vagnozzi, S., Di Valentino, E., Gariazzo, S., Melchiorri, A., Mena, O., & Silk, J. (2021). The galaxy power spectrum take on spatial curvature and cosmic concordance. Phys. Dark Universe, 33, 100851–17pp.
Abstract: The concordance of the ACDM cosmological model in light of current observations has been the subject of an intense debate in recent months. The 2018 Planck Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) temperature anisotropy power spectrum measurements appear at face value to favour a spatially closed Universe with curvature parameter Omega(K) < 0. This preference disappears if Baryon Acoustic Oscillation (BAO) measurements are combined with Planck data to break the geometrical degeneracy, although the reliability of this combination has been questioned due to the strong tension present between the two datasets when assuming a curved Universe. Here, we approach this issue from yet another point of view, using measurements of the full-shape (FS) galaxy power spectrum, P(k), from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey DR12 CMASS sample. By combining Planck data with FS measurements, we break the geometrical degeneracy and find Omega(K) = 0.0023 +/- 0.0028. This constrains the Universe to be spatially flat to sub-percent precision, in excellent agreement with results obtained using BAO measurements. However, as with BAO, the overall increase in the best-fit chi(2) suggests a similar level of tension between Planck and P(k) under the assumption of a curved Universe. While the debate on spatial curvature and the concordance between cosmological datasets remains open, our results provide new perspectives on the issue, highlighting the crucial role of FS measurements in the era of precision cosmology.
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Alvarez-Ruso, L., & Saul-Sala, E. (2021). Neutrino interactions with matter and the MiniBooNE anomaly. Eur. Phys. J.-Spec. Top., 230, 4373–4389.
Abstract: The excess of electron-like events measured by MiniBooNE challenges our understanding of neutrinos and their interactions. We review the status of this open problem and ongoing efforts to resolve it. After introducing the experiment and its results, we consider the main experimental backgrounds and the related physics of neutrino interactions with matter, such as quasielastic-like scattering and weak pion production on nucleons and nuclei. Special attention is paid to single photon emission in neutral current interactions and, in particular, its coherent channel. The difficulties to reconcile the MiniBooNE anomaly with global oscillation analysis is then highlighted. We finally outline some of the proposed solutions of the puzzle involving unconventional neutrino-interaction mechanisms.
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Escribano, P., & Vicente, A. (2021). An ultraviolet completion for the Scotogenic model. Phys. Lett. B, 823, 136717–7pp.
Abstract: The Scotogenic model is an economical scenario that generates neutrino masses at the 1-loop level and includes a dark matter candidate. This is achieved by means of an ad hoc Z(2) symmetry, which forbids the tree-level generation of neutrino masses and stabilizes the lightest Z(2)-odd state. Neutrino masses are also suppressed by a quartic coupling, usually denoted by lambda(5). While the smallness of this parameter is natural, it is not explained in the context of the Scotogenic model. We construct an ultraviolet completion of the Scotogenic model that provides a natural explanation for the smallness of the lambda(5) parameter and induces the Z(2) parity as the low-energy remnant of a global U(1) symmetry at high energies. The low-energy spectrum contains, besides the usual Scotogenic states, a massive scalar and a massless Goldstone boson, hence leading to novel phenomenological predictions in flavor observables, dark matter physics and colliders.
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de Salas, P. F., Gariazzo, S., Martinez-Mirave, P., Pastor, S., & Tortola, M. (2021). Cosmological radiation density with non-standard neutrino-electron interactions. Phys. Lett. B, 820, 136508–9pp.
Abstract: Neutrino non-standard interactions (NSI) with electrons are known to alter the picture of neutrino de coupling from the cosmic plasma. NSI modify both flavour oscillations through matter effects, and the annihilation and scattering between neutrinos and electrons and positrons in the thermal plasma. In view of the forthcoming cosmological observations, we perform a precision study of the impact of non universal and flavour-changing NSI on the effective number of neutrinos, Neff. We present the variation of Neff arising from the different NSI parameters and discuss the existing degeneracies among them, from cosmology alone and in relation to the current bounds from terrestrial experiments. Even though cosmology is generally less sensitive to NSI than these experiments, we find that future cosmological data would provide competitive and complementary constraints for some of the couplings and their combinations.
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Goasduff, A. et al, & Gadea, A. (2021). The GALILEO gamma-ray array at the Legnaro National Laboratories. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A, 1015, 165753–15pp.
Abstract: GALILEO, a new 4 pi high-resolution gamma-detection array, based on HPGe detectors, has been developed and installed at the Legnaro National Laboratories. The GALILEO array greatly benefits from a fully-digital readout chain, customized DAQ, and a variety of complementary detectors to improve the resolving power by the detection of particles, ions or high-energy gamma-ray transitions. In this work, a full description of the array, including electronics and DAQ, is presented together with its complementary instrumentation.
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