Hajjar, R., Palomares-Ruiz, S., & Mena, O. (2024). Shedding light on the Δm21^2 tension with supernova neutrinos. Phys. Lett. B, 854, 138719–8pp.
Abstract: One long-standing tension in the determination of neutrino parameters is the mismatched value of the solar mass square difference, Delta m(21)(2), measured by different experiments: the reactor antineutrino experiment KamLAND finds a best fit larger than the one obtained with solar neutrino data. Even if the current tension is mild (similar to 1.5 sigma.), it is timely to explore if independent measurements could help in either closing or reassessing this issue. In this regard, we explore how a future supernova burst in our galaxy could be used to determine Delta m(21)(2) at the future Hyper-Kamiokande detector, and how this could contribute to the current situation. We study Earth matter effects for different models of supernova neutrino spectra and supernova orientations. We find that, if supernova neutrino data prefers the KamLAND best fit for Delta m(21)(2), an uncertainty similar to the current KamLAND one could be achieved. On the contrary, if it prefers the solar neutrino data best fit, the current tension with KamLAND results could grow to a significance larger than 5 sigma. Furthermore, supernova neutrinos could significantly contribute to reducing the uncertainty on sin (2)theta(12).
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Bach, E. et al, Bernabeu, J., Lacasta, C., Solaz, C., & Soldevila, U. (2024). Analysis of the quality assurance results from the initial part of production of the ATLAS18 ITK strip sensors. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A, 1064, 169435–8pp.
Abstract: The production of strip sensors for the ATLAS Inner Tracker (ITk) started in 2021. Since then, a Quality Assurance (QA) program has been carried out continuously, by using specific test structures, in parallel to the Quality Control (QC) inspection of the sensors. The QA program consists of monitoring sensor-specific characteristics and the technological process variability, before and after the irradiation with gammas, neutrons, and protons. After two years, half of the full production volume has been reached and we present an analysis of the parameters measured as part of the QA process. The main devices used for QA purposes are miniature strip sensors, monitor diodes, and the ATLAS test chip, which contains several test structures. Such devices are tested by several sites across the collaboration depending on the type of samples (non-irradiated components or irradiated with protons, neutrons, or gammas). The parameters extracted from the tests are then uploaded to a database and analyzed by Python scripts. These parameters are mainly examined through histograms and timeevolution plots to obtain parameter distributions, production trends, and meaningful parameter-to-parameter correlations. The purpose of this analysis is to identify possible deviations in the fabrication or the sensor quality, changes in the behavior of the test equipment at different test sites, or possible variability in the irradiation processes. The conclusions extracted from the QA program have allowed test optimization, establishment of control limits for the parameters, and a better understanding of device properties and fabrication trends. In addition, any abnormal results prompt immediate feedback to a vendor.
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Domingo, F., Kim, J. S., Martin Lozano, V., Martin-Ramiro, P., & Ruiz de Austri, R. (2020). Confronting the neutralino and chargino sector of the NMSSM with the multilepton searches at the LHC. Phys. Rev. D, 101(7), 075010–29pp.
Abstract: We test the impact of the ATLAS and CMS multilepton searches performed at the LHC with 8 as well as 13 TeV center-of-mass energy (using only the pre-2018 results) on the chargino and neutralino sector of the next-to-minimal supersymmetric Standard Model (NMSSM). Our purpose consists in analyzing the actual reach of these searches for a full model and in emphasizing effects beyond the minimal supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) that affect the performance of current (MSSM-inspired) electroweakino searches. To this end, we consider several scenarios characterizing specific features of the NMSSM electroweakino sector. We then perform a detailed collider study, generating Monte Carlo events through PYTHIA and testing against current LHC constraints implemented in the public tool CheckMATE. We find e.g., that supersymmetric decay chains involving intermediate singlino or Higgs-singlet states can modify the naive MSSM-like picture of the constraints by inducing final states with softer or less easily identifiable SM particles-reversely, a compressed configuration with singlino next-to-lightest supersymmetric particle occasionally induces final states that are rich with photons, which could provide complementary search channels.
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DUNE Collaboration(Abud, A. A. et al), Amedo, P., Antonova, M., Barenboim, G., Benitez Montiel, C., Cervera-Villanueva, A., et al. (2023). Impact of cross-section uncertainties on supernova neutrino spectral parameter fitting in the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment. Phys. Rev. D, 107(11), 112012–25pp.
Abstract: A primary goal of the upcoming Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is to measure the Oo10 thorn MeV neutrinos produced by a Galactic core-collapse supernova if one should occur during the lifetime of the experiment. The liquid-argon-based detectors planned for DUNE are expected to be uniquely sensitive to the & nu;e component of the supernova flux, enabling a wide variety of physics and astrophysics measurements. A key requirement for a correct interpretation of these measurements is a good understanding of the energy-dependent total cross section & sigma;oE & nu; thorn for charged-current & nu;e absorption on argon. In the context of a simulated extraction of supernova & nu;e spectral parameters from a toy analysis, we investigate the impact of & sigma;oE & nu; thorn modeling uncertainties on DUNE's supernova neutrino physics sensitivity for the first time. We find that the currently large theoretical uncertainties on & sigma;oE & nu; thorn must be substantially reduced before the & nu;e flux parameters can be extracted reliably; in the absence of external constraints, a measurement of the integrated neutrino luminosity with less than 10% bias with DUNE requires & sigma;oE & nu; thorn to be known to about 5%. The neutrino spectral shape parameters can be known to better than 10% for a 20% uncertainty on the cross-section scale, although they will be sensitive to uncertainties on the shape of & sigma;oE & nu; thorn . A direct measurement of low-energy & nu;e-argon scattering would be invaluable for improving the theoretical precision to the needed level.
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LHCb Collaboration(Aaij, R. et al), Jaimes Elles, S. J., Jashal, B. K., Martinez-Vidal, F., Oyanguren, A., Rebollo De Miguel, M., et al. (2024). Production of η and η' mesons in pp and pPb collisions. Phys. Rev. C, 109(2), 024907–20pp.
Abstract: The production of eta and eta' mesons is studied in proton -proton and proton -lead collisions collected with the LHCb detector. Proton -proton collisions are studied at center -of -mass energies of 5.02 and 13 TeV and proton -lead collisions are studied at a center -of -mass energy per nucleon of 8.16 TeV. The studies are performed in center -of -mass (c.m.) rapidity regions 2.5 < y(c.m.) < 3.5 (forward rapidity) and -4.0 < y(c.m.) < -3.0 (backward rapidity) defined relative to the proton beam direction. The eta and eta' production cross sections are measured differentially as a function of transverse momentum for 1.5 < p(T) < 10 GeV and 3 < p(T) < 10 GeV, respectively. The differential cross sections are used to calculate nuclear modification factors. The nuclear modification factors for eta and eta' mesons agree at both forward and backward rapidity, showing no significant evidence of mass dependence. The differential cross sections of eta mesons are also used to calculate eta/pi 0 cross-section ratios, which show evidence of a deviation from the world average. These studies offer new constraints on mass -dependent nuclear effects in heavy -ion collisions, as well as eta and eta' meson fragmentation.
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ATLAS Collaboration(Aad, G. et al), Amos, K. R., Aparisi Pozo, J. A., Bailey, A. J., Bouchhar, N., Cabrera Urban, S., et al. (2024). Observation of WZγ Production in pp Collisions at √s=13 TeV with the ATLAS Detector. Phys. Rev. Lett., 132(2), 021802–21pp.
Abstract: This Letter reports the observation of WZ gamma production and a measurement of its cross section using 140.1 +/- 1.2 fb(-1) of proton-proton collision data recorded at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV by the bosons decaying leptonically, pp -> WZ gamma -> l'(perpendicular to)nu l(+) l(-)gamma (l(')(+) = e, mu), is measured in a fiducial phasespace region defined such that the leptons and the photon have high transverse momentum and the photon is isolated. The cross section is found to be 2.01 +/- 0.30(stat) +/- 0.16(syst) fb. The corresponding standard model predicted cross section calculated at next-to-leading order in perturbative quantum chromodynamics and at leading order in the electroweak coupling constant is 1.50 +/- 0.06 fb. The observed significance of the WZ gamma signal is 6.3 sigma, compared with an expected significance of 5.0 sigma.
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Belen Galan, M., Alvarez-Ruso, L., Rafi Alam, M., Ruiz Simo, I., & Vicente Vacas, M. J. (2024). Cabibbo suppressed hyperon production off nuclei induced by antineutrinos. Phys. Rev. D, 109(3), 033001–13pp.
Abstract: In this work, we study the production of E and A hyperons in strangeness -changing AS = -1 chargedcurrent interactions of muon antineutrinos on nuclear targets. At the nucleon level, besides quasielastic scattering, we consider the inelastic mechanism in which a pion is produced alongside the hyperon. Its relevance for antineutrinos with energies below 2 GeV is conveyed in integrated and differential cross sections. We observe that the distributions on the angle between the hyperon and the final lepton are clearly different for quasielastic and inelastic processes. Hyperon final -state interactions, modeled with an intranuclear cascade, lead to a significant transfer from primary produced E's into final A's. They also cause considerable energy loss, which is apparent in hyperon energy distributions. We have investigated A production off 40Ar in the conditions of the recently reported MicroBooNE measurement. We find that the A pi contribution, dominated by E*(1385) excitation, accounts for about one third of the cross section.
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King, S. F., Marfatia, D., & Rahat, M. H. (2024). Toward distinguishing Dirac from Majorana neutrino mass with gravitational waves. Phys. Rev. D, 109(3), 035014–13pp.
Abstract: We propose a new method toward distinguishing the Dirac versus Majorana nature of neutrino masses from the spectrum of gravitational waves (GWs) associated with neutrino mass genesis. Motivated by the principle of generating small neutrino masses without tiny Yukawa couplings, we assume generic seesaw mechanisms for both Majorana and Dirac neutrino masses. For Majorana neutrinos, we further assume a spontaneously broken gauged U(1)B-L symmetry, independently of the type of Majorana seesaw mechanism, which gives a cosmic string induced GW signal flat over a wide range of frequencies. For Dirac neutrinos, we assume the spontaneous breaking of a Z2 symmetry, the minimal symmetry choice associated with all Dirac seesaw mechanisms, which is softly broken, generating a peaked GW spectrum from the annihilation of the resulting domain walls. In fact, the GW spectra for all types of Dirac seesaws with such a broken Z2 symmetry are identical, subject to a mild caveat. As an illustrative example, we study the simplest respective type-I seesaw mechanisms, and show that the striking difference in the shapes of the GW spectra can help differentiate between these Dirac and Majorana seesaws, complementing results of neutrinoless double beta decay experiments. We also discuss detailed implications of the recent NANOGrav data for Majorana and Dirac seesaw models.
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n_TOF Collaboration(Amaducci, S. et al), Babiano-Suarez, V., Caballero-Ontanaya, L., Domingo-Pardo, C., Ladarescu, I., Tain, J. L., et al. (2024). Measurement of the 140Ceðn;γþ Cross Section at n_TOF and Its Astrophysical Implications for the Chemical Evolution of the Universe. Phys. Rev. Lett., 132(12), 122701–8pp.
Abstract: 140Ce(n, gamma) is a key reaction for slow neutron -capture (s -process) nucleosynthesis due to being a bottleneck in the reaction flow. For this reason, it was measured with high accuracy (uncertainty approximate to 5%) at the n_TOF facility, with an unprecedented combination of a high purity sample and low neutron -sensitivity detectors. The measured Maxwellian averaged cross section is up to 40% higher than previously accepted values. Stellar model calculations indicate a reduction around 20% of the s -process contribution to the Galactic cerium abundance and smaller sizeable differences for most of the heavier elements. No variations are found in the nucleosynthesis from massive stars.
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Celestino-Ramirez, J. M., Escrihuela, F. J., Flores, L. J., & Miranda, O. G. (2024). Testing the nonunitarity of the leptonic mixing matrix at FASERv and FASERv2. Phys. Rev. D, 109(1), L011705–6pp.
Abstract: The FASERv experiment has detected the first neutrino events coming from LHC. Near future highstatistic neutrino samples will allow us to search for new physics within the neutrino sector. Motivated by the forthcoming promising FASERv neutrino data, and its successor, FASERv2, we study its potential for testing the unitarity of the neutrino lepton mixing matrix. Although it would be challenging for FASERv and FASERv2 to have strong constraints on this kind of new physics, we discuss its role in contributing to a future improved global analysis.
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