Abstract: The decay-time-dependent CP asymmetry in B0s -> J=psi(-> mu+mu-)K+K- decays is measured using proton-proton collision data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 6 fb-1, collected with the LHCb detector at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. Using a sample of approximately 349 000 B0s signal decays with an invariant K+K- mass in the vicinity of the phi(1020) resonance, the CP-violating phase phi s is measured, along with the difference in decay widths of the light and heavy mass eigenstates of the B0s-B over bar 0s system, Delta Gamma s, and the difference of the average B0s and B0 meson decay widths, Gamma s – Gamma d. The values obtained are phi s = -0.039 +/- 0.022 +/- 0.006 rad, Delta Gamma s = 0.0845 +/- 0.0044 +/- 0.0024 ps-1, and -0.0015 +/- 0.0014 ps-1, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. These are the most precise single measurements to date and are consistent with expectations based on the Standard Model and with the previous LHCb analyses of this decay. These results are combined with previous independent LHCb measurements. The phase phi s is also measured independently for each polarization state of the K+K- system and shows no evidence for polarization dependence.

Abstract: Fast neutron beams (E-n>1 MeV) are of relevance for many scientific and industrial applications. This paper explores fast neutron production using a TANDEM accelerator at the Legnaro National Laboratories, via an energetic ion beam (90 MeV N-14) onto a lithium target. The high energy models for nuclear collision of FLUKA foresee large neutron yields for reactions of this kind. The experiment aimed at validating the expected neutron yields from FLUKA simulations, using two separate and independent set-ups: one based on the multi-foil activation technique, and the other on the time of flight technique, by using liquid scintillator detectors. The results of the experiment show clear agreement of the measured spectra with the FLUKA simulations, both in the shape and the magnitude of the neutron flux at the mea-sured positions. The neutron spectrum is centered around the 8 MeV range with mild tails, and a maximum neutron energy spanning up to 50 MeV. These advantageous results provide a starting point in the development of fast neutron beams based on high energy ion beams from medium-sized accelerator facilities

Abstract: Heavy-ion collisions, such as Pb-Pb or p-Pb, produce extreme conditions in temperature and density that make the hadronic matter transition to a new state, called quark-gluon plasma (QGP). Simulations of heavy-ion collisions provide a way to improve our understanding of the QGP's properties. These simulations are composed of a hybrid description that results in final observables in agreement with accelerators like LHC and RHIC. However, recent works pointed out that these hydrodynamic simulations can display acausal behavior during the evolution in certain regions, indicating a deviation from a faithful representation of the underlying QCD dynamics. To pursue a better understanding of this problem and its consequences, this work simulated two different collision systems, Pb-Pb and p-Pb at root sNN = 5.02 TeV. In this context, our results show that causality violation, even though always present, typically occurs on a small part of the system, quantified by the total energy fraction residing in the acausal region. In addition, the acausal behavior can be reduced with changes in the prehydrodynamic factors and the definition of the bulk-viscous relaxation time. Since these aspects are fairly arbitrary in current simulation models, without solid guidance from the underlying theory, it is reasonable to use the disturbing presence of acausal behavior in current simulations to guide improvements towards more realistic modeling. While this work does not solve the acausality problem, it sheds more light on this issue and also proposes a way to solve this problem in simulations of heavy-ion collisions.

Abstract: Kaon physics is at a turning point – while the rare-kaon experiments NA62 and KOTO are in full swing, the end of their lifetime is approaching and the future experimental landscape needs to be defined. With HIKE, KOTO-II and LHCb-Phase-II on the table and under scrutiny, it is a very good moment in time to take stock and contemplate about the opportunities these experiments and theoretical developments provide for particle physics in the coming decade and beyond. This paper provides a compact summary of talks and discussions from the Kaons@CERN 2023 workshop, held in September 2023 at CERN.

Abstract: ATLAS measured the centrality dependence of the dijet yield using 165 nb-1 of p + Pb data collected at root sNN = 8.16 TeV in 2016. The event centrality, which reflects the p + Pb impact parameter, is characterized by the total transverse energy registered in the Pb-going side of the forward calorimeter. The central-to-peripheral ratio of the scaled dijet yields, RCP, is evaluated, and the results are presented as a function of variables that reflect the kinematics of the initial hard parton scattering process. The RCP shows a scaling with the Bjorken x of the parton originating from the proton, xp, while no such trend is observed as a function of xPb. This analysis provides unique input to understanding the role of small proton spatial configurations in p + Pb collisions by covering parton momentum fractions from the valence region down to xp similar to 10-3 and xPb similar to 4 x 10-4.