Abstract: A search for the rare decay Sigma(+) -> p mu(+)mu(-) is performed using pp collision data recorded by the LHCb experiment at center-of-mass energies root s = 7 and 8 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3 fb(-1). An excess of events is observed with respect to the background expectation, with a signal significance of 4.1 standard deviations. No significant structure is observed in the dimuon invariant mass distribution, in contrast with a previous result from the HyperCP experiment. The measured Sigma(+) -> p mu(+)mu(-) branching fraction is (2.2(-1.3)(+1.8)) x 10(-8), where statistical and systematic uncertainties are included, which is consistent with the standard model prediction.

Abstract: Amplitude models are constructed to describe the resonance structure of D-0 -> K-pi(+) pi(+) pi(-) and D-0 -> K+ pi(-)pi(-)pi(+) decays using pp collision data collected at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV with the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 f b(-1). The largest contributions to both decay amplitudes are found to come from axial resonances, with decay modes D-0 -> a(1)(1260)(+) K- and D-0 -> K-1(1270/1400)(+)pi(-) being prominent in D-0 -> K-pi(+) pi(+) pi(-) and D-0 -> K+pi(-)pi(-)pi(+), respectively. Precise measurements of the lineshape parameters and couplings of the a(1)(1260)(+), K-1(1270)(-) and K(1460)(-) resonances are made, and a quasi model-independent study of the K(1460)(-) resonance is performed. The coherence factor of the decays is calculated from the amplitude models to be R-K3 pi = 0.459 +/- 0.010 (stat) +/- 0.012 (syst) +/- 0.020 (model), which is consistent with direct measurements. These models will be useful in future measurements of the unitary-triangle angle gamma and studies of charm mixing and CP violation.

Abstract: This report summarises some of the activities of the HiggsTools initial training network working group in the period 2015-2017. The main goal of this working group was to produce a document discussing various aspects of state-of-the-art Higgs physics at the large hadron collider (LHC) in a pedagogic manner The first part of the report is devoted to a description of phenomenological searches for new physics (NP) at the LHC. All of the available studies of the couplings of the new resonance discovered in 2012 by the ATLAS and CMS experiments (Aad et al (ATLAS Collaboration) 2012 Phys. Lett. B 716 1-29; Chatrchyan et al (CMS Collaboration) 2012 Phys. Lett. B 716 30-61) conclude that it is compatible with the Higgs boson of the standard model (SM) within present precision. So far the LHC experiments have given no direct evidence for any physical phenomena that cannot be described by the SM. As the experimental measurements become more and more precise, there is a pressing need for a consistent framework in which deviations from the SM predictions can be computed precisely. Such a framework should be applicable to measurements in all sectors of particle physics, not only LHC Higgs measurements but also electroweak precision data, etc. We critically review the use of the k-framework, fiducial and simplified template cross sections, effective field theories, pseudoobservables and phenomenological Lagrangians. Some of the concepts presented here are well known and were used already at the time of the large electron-positron collider (LEP) experiment. However, after years of theoretical and experimental development, these techniques have been refined, and we describe new tools that have been introduced in order to improve the comparison between theory and experimental data. In the second part of the report, we propose Phi(eta)* as a new and complementary observable for studying Higgs boson production at large transverse momentum in the case where the Higgs boson decays to two photons. The Phi(eta)* variable depends on measurements of the angular directions and rapidities of the two Higgs decay products rather than the energies, and exploits the information provided by the calorimeter in the detector. We show that, even without tracking information, the experimental resolution for Phi(eta)* is better than that of the transverse momentum of the photon pair, particularly at low transverse momentum. We make a detailed study of the phenomenology of the Phi(eta)* variable, contrasting the behaviour with the Higgs transverse momentum distribution using a variety of theoretical tools including event generators and fixed order perturbative computations. We consider the theoretical uncertainties associated with both p TH and Phi(eta)* distributions. Unlike the transverse momentum distribution, the Phi(eta)* distribution is well predicted using the Higgs effective field theory in which the top quark is integrated out-even at large values of Phi(eta)*-thereby making this a better observable for extracting the parameters of the Higgs interaction. In contrast, the potential of the Phi(eta)* distribution as a probe of NP is rather limited, since although the overall rate is affected by the presence of additional heavy fields, the shape of the Phi(eta)* distribution is relatively insensitive to heavy particle thresholds.

Abstract: The decay of Lambda(+)(c) into pi(+)pi(0) Lambda(1405) with the Lambda(1405) decay into pi(0)Sigma(0) through a triangle diagram is studied. This process is initiated by Lambda(+)(c) -> pi(+) (K) over bar N-*, and then the (K) over bar (*) decays into (K) over bar (pi) and (K) over bar N produce the Lambda(1405) through a triangle loop containing (K) over bar N-* (K) over bar which develops a singularity around 1890 MeV. This process is prohibited by the isospin symmetry, but the decay into this channel is enhanced by the contribution of the triangle diagram, which is sensitive to the mass of the internal particles. We find a narrow peak in the pi(0)Sigma(0) invariant mass distribution, which originates from the (K) over bar amplitude, but is tied to the mass differences between the charged and neutral (K) over bar or N states. The observation of the unavoidable peak of the triangle singularity in the isospin- violating Lambda(1405) production would provide further support for the hadronic molecular picture of the Lambda(1405) and further information on the (K) over bar N interaction.

Abstract: The elastic scattering between dark matter particles and radiation represents an attractive possibility to solve a number of discrepancies between observations and standard cold dark matter predictions, as the induced collisional damping would imply a suppression of small-scale structures. We consider this scenario and confront it with measurements of the ionization history of the Universe at several redshifts and with recent estimates of the counts of Milky Way satellite galaxies. We derive a conservative upper bound on the dark matter photon elastic scattering cross section of sigma gamma DM < 8 x 10(-10) sigma(T) (m(DM)/GeV) at 95% CL, about one order of magnitude tighter than previous constraints from satellite number counts. Due to the strong degeneracies with astrophysical parameters, the bound on the dark matter-photon scattering cross section derived here is driven by the estimate of the number of Milky Way satellite galaxies. Finally, we also argue that future 21 cm probes could help in disentangling among possible non-cold dark matter candidates, such as interacting and warm dark matter scenarios. Let us emphasize that bounds of similar magnitude to the ones obtained here could be also derived for models with dark matter-neutrino interactions and would be as constraining as the tightest limits on such scenarios.