Chatterjee, S. S., Miranda, O. G., Tortola, M., & Valle, J. W. F. (2022). Nonunitarity of the lepton mixing matrix at the European Spallation Source. Phys. Rev. D, 106(7), 075016–16pp.
Abstract: If neutrinos get mass through the exchange of lepton mediators, as in seesaw schemes, the neutrino appearance probabilities in oscillation experiments are modified due to effective nonunitarity of the lepton mixing matrix. This also leads to new CP phases and an ambiguity in underpinning the “conventional” phase of the three-neutrino paradigm. We study the CP sensitivities of various setups based at the European Spallation Source neutrino super-beam (ESSnuSB) experiment in the presence of nonunitarity. We also examine its potential in constraining the associated new physics parameters. Moreover, we show how the combination of DUNE and ESSnuSB can help further improve the sensitivities on the nonunitarity parameters.
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Batra, A., Bharadwaj, P., Mandal, S., Srivastava, R., & Valle, J. W. F. (2023). Phenomenology of the simplest linear seesaw mechanism. J. High Energy Phys., 07(7), 221–48pp.
Abstract: The linear seesaw mechanism provides a simple way to generate neutrino masses. In addition to Standard Model particles, it includes quasi-Dirac leptons as neutrino mass mediators, and a leptophilic scalar doublet seeding small neutrino masses. Here we review its associated physics, including restrictions from theory and phenomenology. The model yields potentially detectable μ-> e gamma rates as well as distinctive signatures in the production and decay of heavy neutrinos ( N-i) and the charged Higgs boson (H-+/-) arising from the second scalar doublet. We have found that production processes such as e(+) e(-) -> NN, e- gamma -> NH- and e(+) e(-) -> H (+) H- followed by the decay chain H-+/--> l(+/-) (i) N, N -> l`(+/-) (j) W (-/+) leads to striking lepton number violation signatures at high energies which may probe the Majorana nature of neutrinos.
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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). Reconstruction of interactions in the ProtoDUNE-SP detector with Pandora. Eur. Phys. J. C, 83(7), 618–25pp.
Abstract: The Pandora Software Development Kit and algorithm libraries provide pattern-recognition logic essential to the reconstruction of particle interactions in liquid argon time projection chamber detectors. Pandora is the primary event reconstruction software used at ProtoDUNE-SP, a prototype for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment far detector. ProtoDUNE-SP, located at CERN, is exposed to a charged-particle test beam. This paper gives an overview of the Pandora reconstruction algorithms and how they have been tailored for use at ProtoDUNE-SP. In complex events with numerous cosmic-ray and beam background particles, the simulated reconstruction and identification efficiency for triggered test-beam particles is above 80% for the majority of particle type and beam momentum combinations. Specifically, simulated 1 GeV/c charged pions and protons are correctly reconstructed and identified with efficiencies of 86.1 +/- 0.6% and 84.1 +/- 0.6%, respectively. The efficiencies measured for test-beam data are shown to be within 5% of those predicted by the simulation.
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Esteban-Pretel, A., Tomas, R., & Valle, J. W. F. (2010). Interplay between collective effects and nonstandard interactions of supernova neutrinos. Phys. Rev. D, 81(6), 063003–16pp.
Abstract: We consider the effect of nonstandard neutrino interactions (NSI, for short) on the propagation of neutrinos through the supernova (SN) envelope within a three-neutrino framework and taking into account the presence of a neutrino background. We find that for given NSI parameters, with strength generically denoted by epsilon(ij), neutrino evolution exhibits a significant time dependence. For vertical bar epsilon(tau tau)vertical bar greater than or similar to 10(-3) the neutrino survival probability may become sensitive to the V-23 octant and the sign of epsilon(tau tau). In particular, if epsilon(tau tau) greater than or similar to 10(-2) an internal I-resonance may arise independently of the matter density. For typical values found in SN simulations this takes place in the same dense-neutrino region above the neutrinosphere where collective effects occur, in particular, during the synchronization regime. This resonance may lead to an exchange of the neutrino fluxes entering the bipolar regime. The main consequences are (i) bipolar conversion taking place for normal neutrino mass hierarchy and (ii) a transformation of the flux of low-energy v(e), instead of the usual spectral swap.
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Semikoz, V. B., Sokoloff, D. D., & Valle, J. W. F. (2012). Lepton asymmetries and primordial hypermagnetic helicity evolution. J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys., 06(6), 008–12pp.
Abstract: The hypermagnetic helicity density at the electroweak phase transition (EWPT) exceeds many orders of magnitude the galactic magnetic helicity density. Together with previous magnetic helicity evolution calculations after the EWPT and hypermagnetic helicity conversion to the magnetic one at the EWPT, the present calculation completes the description of the evolution of this important topological feature of cosmological magnetic fields. It suggests that if the magnetic field seeding the galactic dynamo has a primordial origin, it should be substantially helical. This should be taken into account in scenarios of galactic magnetic field evolution with a cosmological seed.
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Lattanzi, M., Riemer-Sorensen, S., Tortola, M., & Valle, J. W. F. (2013). Updated CMB and x- and gamma-ray constraints on Majoron dark matter. Phys. Rev. D, 88(6), 063528–8pp.
Abstract: The Majoron provides an attractive dark matter candidate, directly associated with the mechanism responsible for spontaneous neutrino mass generation within the standard model SU(3)(c) circle times SU(2)(L) circle times U(1)(Y) framework. Here we update the cosmological and astrophysical constraints on Majoron dark matter coming from the cosmic microwave background and a variety of x- and gamma-ray observations.
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Miranda, O. G., Tortola, M., & Valle, J. W. F. (2016). New Ambiguity in Probing CP Violation in Neutrino Oscillations. Phys. Rev. Lett., 117(6), 061804–5pp.
Abstract: If neutrinos get mass via the seesaw mechanism the mixing matrix describing neutrino oscillations can be effectively nonunitary. We show that in this case the neutrino appearance probabilities involve a new CP phase phi associated with nonunitarity. This leads to an ambiguity in extracting the “standard” three-neutrino phase delta(CP), which can survive even after neutrino and antineutrino channels are combined. Its existence should be taken into account in the planning of any oscillation experiment aiming at a robust measurement of delta(CP).
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Kosmas, T. S., Papoulias, D. K., Tortola, M., & Valle, J. W. F. (2017). Probing light sterile neutrino signatures at reactor and Spallation Neutron Source neutrino experiments. Phys. Rev. D, 96(6), 063013–12pp.
Abstract: We investigate the impact of a fourth sterile neutrino at reactor and Spallation Neutron Source neutrino detectors. Specifically, we explore the discovery potential of the TEXONO and COHERENT experiments to subleading sterile neutrino effects through the measurement of the coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering event rate. Our dedicated chi(2)-sensitivity analysis employs realistic nuclear structure calculations adequate for high purity sub-keV threshold Germanium detectors.
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FCC Collaboration(Abada, A. et al), Aguilera-Verdugo, J. J., Hernandez, P., Ramirez-Uribe, N. S., Renteria-Olivo, A. E., Rodrigo, G., et al. (2019). FCC Physics Opportunities: Future Circular Collider Conceptual Design Report Volume 1. Eur. Phys. J. C, 79(6), 474–161pp.
Abstract: We review the physics opportunities of the Future Circular Collider, covering its e(+)e(-), pp, ep and heavy ion programmes. We describe the measurement capabilities of each FCC component, addressing the study of electroweak, Higgs and strong interactions, the top quark and flavour, as well as phenomena beyond the Standard Model. We highlight the synergy and complementarity of the different colliders, which will contribute to a uniquely coherent and ambitious research programme, providing an unmatchable combination of precision and sensitivity to new physics.
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Bazzocchi, F., Cerdeño, D. G., Muñoz, C., & Valle, J. W. F. (2010). Calculable inverse-seesaw neutrino masses in supersymmetry. Phys. Rev. D, 81(5), 051701–5pp.
Abstract: We provide a scenario where naturally small and calculable neutrino masses arise from a supersymmetry-breaking renormalization-group-induced vacuum expectation value. The construction consists of an extended version of the next-to-minimal supersymmetric standard model and the mechanism is illustrated for a universal choice of the soft supersymmetry-breaking parameters. The lightest supersymmetric particle can be an isosinglet scalar neutrino state, potentially viable as WIMP dark matter through its Higgs new boson coupling. The scenario leads to a plethora of new phenomenological implications at accelerators including the Large Hadron Collider.
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